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Saudi Cup Purse Money To Be Paid Out To All But Maximum Security

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) announced Monday its decision to award prize money to the connections of horses placed second to tenth in the 2020 Saudi Cup, a race held at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, Riyadh on Saturday, Feb. 29.

Prize money will be withheld from the winning horse, Maximum Security (USA) trained by Jason Servis, until the JCSA is able to satisfactorily complete its investigation and any inquiry.

This decision has been taken in the interests of safeguarding the integrity of racing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and is based on the following considerations:

Following the running of the 2020 Saudi Cup Jason Servis and others were indicted on charges in the USA. The sealed indictment, which covers a period of time between 2018 up to February 2020, alleges that Jason Servis administered performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) to horses in his care, including Maximum Security.

The administration of PEDs is prohibited under the JCSA Rules and the Horseman's Guide to the Saudi Cup, to secure the integrity of racing and the welfare of racehorses. Prior to the race the JCSA received no allegation and no indication that Maximum Security had ever been administered PEDs.

However, as a result of the USA indictment the JCSA received an objection to the participation of Maximum Security in the race. As a result of that objection and the indictment, the JCSA commenced its own investigation into the allegations which was notified to all connections of runners in the race, and to the wider public.

That investigation remains ongoing but has been hampered by the Covid-19 crisis and the fact that the JCSA is not a party to the ongoing legal proceedings in the USA. Therefore, unless and until the evidence that supports the sealed indictment in the US Proceedings is placed in the public domain, that evidence is unavailable to the JCSA's investigation and to any JCSA inquiry.

The JCSA is bound to reach a fair and reasonable decision on the objection and circumstances of Maximum Security's running in the race and it cannot do so without the consideration of relevant evidence that has been gathered by the prosecution authorities in the US Proceedings in respect of the sealed indictment.

Therefore, the JCSA cannot properly conclude its investigation and any inquiry by its Stewards' Committee cannot be commenced without consideration of all relevant evidence including that gathered by the prosecution authorities in the US.

The JCSA will make no further comment until the conclusion of the investigation.

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Dixiana Farm To Sponsor Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Keeneland has announced that William and Donna Shively's Dixiana Farm is the new sponsor of the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), the Fall Meet's prestigious invitational turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies. The 37th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana will be held Oct. 10 on the second Saturday of the Fall Meet.

“Keeneland is pleased that Dixiana has become the sponsor of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “Dixiana has been a valued corporate partner through its sponsorship of other stakes at Keeneland, and the Shivelys are enthusiastic participants in our racing and sales. We are thrilled with Dixiana's new association with such a highly regarded international event as the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.”

Dixiana is a 700-acre Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation in Lexington that dates from 1877 when it was established by Major Barack G. Thomas, considered one of the first to make a living by breeding and selling racehorses. The Shivelys purchased Dixiana in 2004 and have restored the farm while cultivating its rich legacy.

“Dixiana and Keeneland both play an iconic role in the Bluegrass and the horse industry, and we are natural partners in promoting the very best in Thoroughbred racing and breeding,” Bill Shively said. “As longtime Keeneland race sponsors, Donna and I are very excited about the opportunity to support this premier Grade 1 event.”

The Challenge Cup honors Queen Elizabeth II, an astute Thoroughbred breeder and owner who attended the races at Keeneland on Oct. 11, 1984, during her private six-day visit to Central Kentucky. That day, she watched a mock Thoroughbred sale in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion, met members of the jockey colony and presented a trophy to the connections of the first winner of her namesake race, Cherry Valley Farm's Sintra, who was ridden by Keith Allen for trainer Steven Penrod.

Each year, Keeneland invites accomplished fillies from the U.S. and beyond to compete in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. Winners of the 1 1/8-mile race include champion Perfect Sting and millionaires Affluent, Dayatthespa, Film Maker, Memories of Silver, Riskaverse, Rushing Fall, Ryafan, Sweet Talker, Ticker Tape (GB) and Vacare. Last year, The Queen's Magnetic Charm (GB) competed in the race.

Keeneland's 2020 Fall Meet offers 17 days of racing from Oct. 2-24. On Nov. 6-7, Keeneland will host the Breeders' Cup World Championships for the second time.

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Ellis Park Announces 20% Purse Increase, Effective Aug. 14

Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., is increasing its base purses 20% starting with the upcoming Friday, Aug. 14, races, the track said.

The increase boosts the purses of all overnight races, which are claiming, maiden and allowance races. It comes on top of a $6,000 per-race increase in Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) purse supplements announced last week for non-claiming maiden and allowance races.

With the hike for the remaining three weeks of the Runhappy Summer Meet at Ellis Park, maiden special weight (non-claiming) races will have a purse totaling $46,200 for Kentucky-bred horses (the vast majority of the horses running) and $47,300 for an entry-level allowance race. Open $5,000 claimers, which are not eligible to run for KTDF supplements, will compete for $12,600 in money paid out to the horses' owners.

The meet runs through Aug. 30.

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Laurel Runs First Lasix-Free Races For 2-Year-Olds

Hope H. Jones' Tiz Ferguson put her speed on display in Maryland's first race for 2-year-old fillies of 2020, blazing to a popular front-running five-length score over first-time starter Miss Marley in Saturday's opener at Laurel Park.

Ridden by Lauralea Glaser for trainer Cal Lynch, Tiz Ferguson ($5) completed five furlongs over a fast main track in 57 seconds – more than a second faster than the gelding Ain't Da Beer Cold ran (58.11) in winning Maryland's first race for 2-year-olds Friday.

It was Glaser's fourth win this summer in her first 12 tries for Lynch, to go along with three seconds and two thirds.

“Very pleased. [Tiz Ferguson] did everything right today and Lauralea got the job done again,” Lynch said. “She started galloping for us a few months back and she gets along with a lot of these fillies that are a little quirky. She's got a good set of hands and she's very teachable, but luck is everything. I'd rather be lucky than good.”

Tiz Ferguson, a bay daughter of Tiznow out of the Limehouse mare Amy Limehouse, was lucky to avoid trouble right out of the starting gate when Who's Your Daddy, breaking two stalls to her right, broke inwardly squeezing back Proper Attire and bumping Tiz Ferguson. Glaser quickly righted the filly and sent her to the front, where she led through a quarter-mile in 22.36 seconds and a half in 45.58.

Proper Attire recovered to press Tiz Ferguson for the opening quarter before Miss Marley and Betcha by Golly took up stalking spots around the turn. Tiz Ferguson straightened for home with a 3 ½-length lead and steadily expanded it through the lane as Miss Marley kept 2 ¾ lengths between her and show finisher Betcha by Golly.

Proper Attire, My Dream Girl, Runaway Monet, Honor Your Mother, Who's Your Daddy, Kens Lady and Nine Mast completed the order of finish.

Purchased for $90,000 as a yearling last fall at Keeneland, Tiz Ferguson was making her second career start Saturday. She finished a gutsy second in her July 4 debut at Monmouth Park, getting up by a neck for the place, two lengths behind winner My Beautiful Belle in the 4 ½-length maiden special weight sprint.

“With babies, you'd rather run them home like this out of their own stall. I thought she was very professional and did everything right that day,” Lynch said. “We were very proud of the way she handled the ship and everything up there. She ran a very game second. She probably doesn't want to go 4 ½, she wants to go further, and she'll want to go further than five.”

As the boys did Friday, all 10 fillies ran Saturday without having the medication Lasix administered within 48 hours of post time. Tiz Ferguson did run on Lasix in her debut.

“We scope everything after they work and after they breeze, but we don't like to give an advantage away and I feel Lasix is definitely an advantage to run with than not. If everybody else is running on it, it's probably a disadvantage to yourself,” Lynch said. “But I don't think it's a big deal for her.”

Notes: Jockey Tais Lyapustina was unseated during Saturday's second race when her mount, 3-year-old filly My Lila, broke down in mid-stretch while on the lead and drifted inside, avoiding other horses but catapulting the rider over the inner rail. Lyapustina was taken to a local hospital for observation. My Lila was euthanized.

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