Tag: The Paddock

As we close the book on 2022, it's time for our traditional look back on the most popular stories of the year by traffic, as measured by Google Analytics. We've done this for eight years now (see previous editions of 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021).

Many of this year's most popular stories revolve around 80-1 Kentucky Derby upsetter Rich Strike, both his post-race antics and the incredible tales behind the humans involved in the colt's Run for the Roses. 

As always, questionable actions by the sport's top jockeys had plenty of time in the limelight, as did the sentences handed out in the ongoing federal horse doping case.

1. 'That Man Saved My Horse From Injury': Reed Addresses Post-Derby Incident With Rich Strike, Outrider – Social media was in an uproar after NBC aired footage of Rich Strike and head Churchill Downs outrider Greg Blasi after the colt's Derby-winning effort. The colt became aggressive and attempted to savage Blasi's mount multiple times; Blasi's attempts to get Rich Strike under control were the subject of hot debate, but Eric Reed defended the outrider. The trainer told the Today Show that the outrider's actions actually prevented the colt from hurting himself. The story of Rich Strike's Derby win was also popular with readers, revealing the blue-collar Reed operation to the world.
2. Three-Legged Quarter Horse Stallion Thriving With New Prosthesis – This is the kind of story you definitely don't hear about every day. Triple Vodka's life was saved from a debilitating joint infection when veterinarian Ted Vlahos fitted the stallion with a prosthetic front limb. Vlahos, one of the most-experienced equine surgeons with prosthetics, explains the procedure and all the precautions that must be taken in-depth. After recovering from the surgery and adapting to his new limb, Triple Vodka was able to complete the 2022 breeding season at the Texas-based Zerlotti Genetics. Unfortunately, an episode of colic stole Triple Vodka's life at the end of 2022.
3. Fishman Shows No Emotion As He Is Sentenced To 11 Years In Federal Prison – Dr. Seth Fishman, the Florida veterinarian snared in the federal government's sweeping horse doping investigation, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in supplying illegal performance-enhancing drugs to multiple trainers, including Jorge Navarro and Jason Servis. He showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down.
4. Chad Brown Arrested In Saratoga, Charged In Domestic Violence Incident – Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown was arrested by the Saratoga Springs, N.Y.,  Police Department and charged with “criminal obstruction of breathing” in connection with a domestic dispute. Brown later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of harassment.
5. Explanations And Excuses: Preakness Stakes Connections React In The Race's Aftermath – We published a collection of quotes from riders and trainers of each of the nine entries in the 2022 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, won by Early Voting. Among the best were those from Steve Asmussen, trainer of the runner-up Epicenter: “I was past surprised. I was disappointed. You've got to leave the gates to have any position whatsoever. When they throw up 24-and-1, and you're that far back with a horse that obviously has pace and just gave him too much to do.”
6. Horowitz: Until It's Addressed, Irad Ortiz Jr.'s Riding Style Will Put Horses And Riders In Harm's Way – Following Eclipse Award winner Ortiz's questionable stretch-ride aboard Life Is Good in the G1 Whitney, Jonathan Horowitz penned this commentary about how dangerous the jockey's riding style can be to everyone else on the racetrack around him. He concluded: “Granted there are other jockeys that do what Ortiz does, but he is the poster child for a type of riding that exploits a gray area that American stewards will seldom address. If basketball referees ignore an extra step driving to the basket and don't call traveling, the consequence may be an extra basket that shouldn't have counted. But, if American stewards continue to ignore or even celebrate Ortiz' race riding, it could lead to injuries for horses and riders. At a minimum, it puts unnecessary strain on horses fully exerting themselves, and you'd think with all of the outcry about horse safety and welfare, this is something those that could make a difference would care more about.”
7. Jockey Gerard Melancon Arrested In Louisiana On Allegation Of 'Unnatural Stimulation Of Horses' – Jockey Gerard Melancon was arrested Aug. 26 in the final days of the Evangeline Downs meet in Opelousas, La., on a charge of “unnatural stimulation of horses,” reportedly in connection with the “possible possession of an electrical device.” Melancon resumed riding on Aug. 27, and has not been sanctioned.
8. It's A Boy! Derby-Winning Trainer Reed Has Surprise Foal From Filly In Training At Belterra Park – Rich Strike's 80-1 upset in the Kentucky Derby wasn't trainer Eric Reed's only May surprise. Beautyatitsbest is an unraced daughter of Gio Ponti who had just breezed a slow three furlongs in 40 seconds on May 26. Two days later, she delivered what Reed said is a healthy colt. A chat with the filly's owner revealed she had been exposed to a group of recently-gelded colts.
9. Jockeys Juarez, Lopez Suspended After Tumultuous Race At Monmouth – Stewards of the New Jersey Racing Commission issued two suspensions after a July 1 race at Monmouth Park: Paco Lopez was given a five-day suspension to run July 29 through Aug. 1 and Aug. 5 for careless riding, while Nik Juarez got an eight-day suspension and a $500 fine for “initiating a physical altercation with another jockey.”
10. World-Renowned Stallion More Than Ready Euthanized At Age 25 – Few stallions in the world have attained the heights of the remarkable More Than Ready, who began  his stud career at Vinery and would later move to WinStar. A champion sire in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and a world-renowned stallion who has made an indelible mark on the breed, More Than Ready was euthanized at age 25 on Aug. 26 due to the cumulative effects of old age.

The post What Did You Read? Paulick Report’s Top Stories Of 2022 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With the last of the 105 North American Grade 1 stakes now in the books for 2022, let's dive into some of the statistics to see who bred, sired, sold, trained, and rode the 79 horses who won those races.

(Editor's note: Because there are so many overlapping ownership interests in horses and partnerships that include numerous individually named owners, it's almost impossible to track that information accurately.)

It might come as no surprise that a handful of trainers dominated the G1 ranks. Of the 105 races, 52 of them (49.5 percent) were won by four trainers: Chad Brown (18), Todd Pletcher (17), William Mott (9), and Bob Baffert (8).

They were followed by Charles Appleby (6), Steve Asmussen (6), Brad Cox (5), Phil D'Amato (4), and three each for Brendan Walsh, Graham Motion, Aidan O'Brien, and John Sadler.

Brown's 18 G1 wins were distributed among 13 different horses, with seven of the wins on dirt and 11 on turf. Pletcher's 17 G1 wins were from nine different horses. Fifteen of those 17 wins were on dirt and only two on turf. Mott sent out seven horses to win nine G1 stakes, with six on dirt and three on turf. Baffert had six runners win G1 races, all on dirt.

Seven different horses won three G1 races in 2022. Four of those seven were trained by Pletcher (Forte, Life Is Good, Malathaat, and Nest). Regal Glory won three G1 races for Brown, with Flightline winning three for Sadler. Taiba also won three G1 race – two while trained by Baffert and the third while in Tim Yakteen's stable.

Irad Ortiz Jr. led all jockeys with 20 G1 wins in 2022, followed by Flavien Prat (13), Joel Rosario (10), and Tyler Gaffalione and Jose Ortiz with seven each. Those five jockeys accounted for 57 of the 105 G1 races, or 54.2 percent.

Kentucky led the way with 56 of the 79 North American G1 winners of 2022 bred in the Bluegrass State, or 70.9 percent. There were two Pennsylvania-bred G1 winners, with one each bred in California and New York. Irish-breds won 12 G1 stakes in North America in 2022, with two each bred in France and Great Britain, and one each in Argentina, Canada, and Germany.

The leading sire of individual 2022 G1 winners was Curlin, with six (Clairiere, Cody's Wish, Elite Power, Malathaat, Nest, and Obligatory). Arrogate and Gun Runner were next with four each, followed by Dubawi, Into Mischief, and Tapit.

Godolphin bred 10 of the 79 individual G1 winners of 2022 to dominate that category. Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings was next with four individual G1 winners.

The Godolphin-bred horses all carried the stable's blue silks as homebreds. Of the 79 individual G1 winners in 2022, 29 were homebreds racing for their breeders.

Thirty-seven of the G1 winners sold at North American public auctions. Keeneland's September Yearling Sale offered the most with 22 graduates going on to win G1 races in 2022, including two that were pinhooked and sold the following year as 2-year-olds. Three G1 winners were from Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale, with three sold at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Saler, one of which subsequently sold as a 2-year-old. Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's July Yearling Sale accounted for three G1 winners, all of which were pinhooked into 2-year-old sales.

Seven horses exited 2-year-olds in training sales to win G1 stakes: two each at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co's April Sale and Fasig-Tipton's Florida Sale. OBS March, OBS June, and Fasig-Tipton Midlantic each had one 2-year-old graduate go on to G1 success.

Four G1 winners of 2022 were originally sold as weanlings at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale before being offered again as yearlings.

All told, horses that won G1 races in 2022 passed through the Keeneland sales ring 29 times, Fasig-Tipton 16 times, and OBS seven times. (This includes horses that were offered or sold more than once.)

Lane's End led consignors by selling four horses that would win G1 races, three as yearlings and one as an older mare. Eaton Sales, Gainesway, and Paramount each sold three subsequent G1 winners.

The 37 sales graduates that would go on to win a G1 race sold for a total of $15,913,000 in their most recent trip through the auction ring. That comes out to an average price of $430,081 and a median of $260,000.

Topping the charts is the $1.7 million paid for three-time G1 winner Taiba at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Sales of 2-year-olds in training. The Gun Runner colt is one of five $1 million or more purchases that won at racing's highest level. The others are Colonel Liam ($1.2 million, OBS April); Malathaat ($1,050,000, Keeneland September), Gina Romantica ($1,025,000, Keeneland September), and Flightline ($1 million, Fasig-Tipton Saratoga).

At the other end of the spectrum, six eventual G1 winners sold for under $100,000, led by Speaking Scout, a $3,000 yearling purchase at the OBS October Sale. The other bargains purchased for less than $100,000 were War Like Goddess ($30,000, OBS June 2-year-olds), Last Call ($30,000, Keeneland Sepember), Leave No Trace ($40,000, Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October yearlings), White Abarrio ($40,000, OBS March 2-year-olds), and Jackie's Warrior ($95,000, Keeneland September).

The post By The Numbers: A Look At North American Grade 1 Stakes Results For 2022 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, or HISA, was created by Congress in 2020 to implement, for the first time, uniform nationwide safety and integrity rules to govern Thoroughbred racing in America. It represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reform a sport that in recent years has seen criminal conduct at its highest levels and welfare concerns about horse and rider safety that have raised questions about its viability.

Some horsemen have recently expressed a desire to scrap the substantial progress made over the last two years and start from scratch on safety and integrity reform. But after failing for decades to create uniform standards, we've finally made real progress and have momentum. In fact, early indications suggest that racing is already getting safer for horses. Starting over would be to risk losing all of that.

Unfortunately, there has been a great deal of misinformation being shared about HISA's rules, including in a recent letter issued by the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA). As Chair of HISA's Board of Directors, and someone who has previously been involved in transformational reform efforts in other sports, I'm pleased to have this opportunity to set the record straight.

1. HISA's drug testing program will protect good-faith horsemen.
— HISA's draft Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) rules do exactly what the HBPA's letter claims horsemen want them to do: establish entirely separate categories for permitted substances (i.e. Controlled Medications) that are allowed outside of the racing period and doping substances (i.e. Banned Substances) that should never be in a horse. The rationale is to severely penalize those who use Banned Substances, while being sensible and proportionate when it comes to accidental medication overages – and to prioritize clear, transparent, and fair due processes in either case.  HISA also provides those charged with a chance to tell their side of the story via hearings and multiple appeal rights. The HISA policy is built to catch cheaters, not to victimize good-faith horsemen.

— Additionally, for the first time ever, labs across the country will be testing for the exact same substances at the exact same levels. HISA's testing program will only report positives that have the potential to impact the horse's system. Rumors that insignificant picograms or environmental contaminants will always result in a positive test under HISA's rules are entirely untrue.

— The type of drug abuse we are trying to eliminate was on full display when more than two dozen arrests were made in 2020. It took outside investigators and the FBI to catch those cheaters because racing's outdated state-by-state system was unable to do so. HISA will change this.

2. HISA's rules specifically seek to protect small racetracks and racing jurisdictions.

— The HBPA's letter erroneously implies that costs associated with HISA could lead to the demise of small racetracks. On the contrary, HISA's rules specifically take small racetracks' challenges into account by requiring those with higher purses to contribute more financially than those with lower purses.

3. HISA has consistently sought feedback from horsemen across the country and continues to do so.

— All horsemen's groups — including the HBPA — received drafts of all proposed rules and had the opportunity to comment on them before they were submitted to the Federal Trade Commission. In fact, horsemen's groups did submit feedback, much of which was then incorporated into the draft rules. HISA continues to seek feedback – formally and informally, including via our Horsemen's Advisory Group, made up of trainers, owners, veterinarians and farriers from across the country.

— Where issues around HISA's rules have arisen, we have consistently engaged with racing participants to remedy them. HISA's shoeing rule changed this past summer based on industry feedback, and we are currently working closely with the Jockeys' Guild on possible revisions to HISA's crop rule.

Getting a federal law passed was a monumental accomplishment, and the progress and momentum since then has been astounding. Thoroughbred racing must take advantage of this moment. Change can be uncomfortable and often comes with growing pains, but the future of the sport depends on its evolution. Let's find the courage to do this together.

Charles Scheeler, retired partner with the DLA Piper law firm in Baltimore, Md., was named chair of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Board of Directors in May 2021. He previously served as lead counsel on Major League Baseball's Mitchell Report investigating performance enhancing drugs and was outside monitor for the Penn State University athletic department in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal. Scheeler also led an independent commission investigating health and safety practices in the University of Maryland football program.

The post HISA Board Chair Responds To Open Letter From HBPA: ‘Let’s Find The Courage To Do This Together’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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