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Medina Spirit’s Derby Drug Positive Hearing Reportedly Postponed

A long-awaited Feb. 7 Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) stewards' hearing regarding Medina Spirit's positive test result for betamethasone in the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby reportedly got postponed from Monday to the following week.

After a wait of 283 days since the alleged infraction, Monday's hearing involving trainer Bob Baffert apparently has been rescheduled for Feb. 14.

WLKY-TV in Kentucky first broke the news of the non-hearing and its new date.

TDN attempted to confirm the report by sending emails to KHRC chief state steward Barbara Borden, KHRC executive director Marc Guilfoil, and Baffert's attorney, W. Craig Robertson III, asking each to explain the reason for the postponement.

None of those queries yielded replies prior to deadline for this story. The email to Borden was forwarded to a spokesperson for Kentucky's Public Protection Cabinet, who replied with the same boilerplate response that the KHRC has been issuing to the media for over a week now on this subject: “The KHRC is bound by regulation from providing information about the stewards' hearing prior to the issuance of a stewards' ruling.”

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312 Early Triple Crown Nominations

A total of 312 sophomores were nominated for this year's Triple Crown series at the early nomination deadline of Jan. 29. The number of early nominations slipped 4.3%, or 14 horses, from last year's total of 326.

The nominated group is led by Grade I winners Corniche (Quality Road), Jack Christopher (Munnings), Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) and Rattle N Roll (Connect).

Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), winner of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and likely 2-year-old champion female, is one of six fillies made eligible for the Triple Crown. Nominees also include a record 21 horses based in Japan, along with two based in Europe and one from Dubai.

Todd Pletcher led all trainers with 42 horses nominated to the Triple Crown, followed by Brad Cox (26), Chad Brown (23), Steve Asmussen (20) and Bob Baffert (18). Baffert is suspended by Churchill Downs Inc. from competing in the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

Anthony Manganaro's Siena Farm is involved in partnerships with 24 horses–12 with the SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine M. Donovan, Golconda Stable and Stonestreet Stables LLC conglomerate and another dozen in partnership with WinStar Farm and others–to lead all owners.

Gun Runner led all sires with 16 Triple Crown nominations followed by Into Mischief (14), Quality Road (12) and Tapit (11).

There are 250 Kentucky-breds, which represents 80.1% of the nominees. Other states and countries represented are Japan (17), New York (14), Florida (13), Pennsylvania (4), California (3), Canada (3), Ireland (3), Louisiana (2), Maryland (2) and Illinois (1).

Horses not nominated during the early phase can be made eligible online at www.TheTripleCrown.com with a $6,000 late payment due by Mar. 28.

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TRF Expands Second Chances Program in New York

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCC), announced in a press release that the successful Second Chances program will expand to a new farm located at Wyoming Correctional Facility in Attica, about an hour outside Buffalo. The foundation has a rich history in the state with the flagship program at Wallkill Correctional Facility debuting in 1984 and still in operation today. There are 40 retired Thoroughbreds currently at the location.

The Second Chances program is a pioneer in its field, where incarcerated individuals build life skills while participating in a vocational training program, and provide supervised care to retired racehorses. It has successfully expanded to include eight correctional facilities across the US, including one juvenile justice facility at CSI-Ocala in Florida, and is considered the oldest Thoroughbred rescue in the country. The foundation also provides sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds throughout their lifetime.

“The TRF is eager to launch the new program in western New York so that we can provide this important vocational opportunity to more incarcerated individuals, who will also care for up to 25 Thoroughbreds needing a safe haven after their racing careers are over,” said Pat Stickney, TRF's Executive Director, about the newest expansion. “We are grateful to the NYSDOCCS for their continued support in this collaborative effort which serves these two important missions.”

Work on the new property is slated to begin in the spring of 2022 to prepare the facility for the arrival of horses. The program at Wyoming Correctional Facility will operate within one of the former dairy barns, converted for housing horses just as the structures were at Wallkill Correctional, and will utilize approximately 50 acres of land near the barn. The pastures will be reseeded and fenced to maintain the equine teachers who will live there.

Wyoming Correctional currently has a strong offering of vocational services for incarcerated individuals including small engine repair, horticulture, welding, and HVAC. The addition of the TRF Second Chances program will add another layer of unique and necessary skills available for the men to learn while they are serving their sentence. It will also function as a much-needed place of sanctuary to the horses who will come to call the property home.

“The Department is elated to welcome the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Second Chances program to another one of our facilities,” said DOCCS Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci. “TRF's mission is not only humane in offering sanctuary to retired Thoroughbreds but in the humanity it brings to its participants. This program has been life changing to countless incarcerated individuals over the years, and we are proud to expand this opportunity for a new lease on life to both incarcerated individuals and equines alike.”

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Belmont Stakes Tickets On Sale Feb. 10

Tickets for the 2022 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will go on sale Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster.com. Capacity for the June 11 Belmont Stakes card will be 50,000 fans.

Fewer general admission tickets will be available for the festival following the construction of the UBS Arena, which reduced the size of the Belmont Park backyard.

The capacity of Belmont Park is expected to expand in future years following the completion of a significant capital improvement project that will provide spectator access to the infield. In January, NYRA received the required New York State-approvals to construct vehicular and pedestrian tunnels to unlock the Belmont Park infield for a variety of uses, including to accommodate fans during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

“The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival is a celebration of the best of Thoroughbred racing, and we look forward to the return of fans in large numbers following last year's considerable restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O'Rourke. “As the Belmont Park property continues to transition and evolve, NYRA is committed to providing our loyal fans with the best possible experience now and in the future. The updated capacity will accomplish this goal while ensuring that fans are treated to an incredibly exciting three days of world class racing and entertainment.”

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