Breeders’ Cup Foal Nominations Close Feb. 28

The last opportunity to nominate foals of 2021 to the Breeders' Cup closes Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
The one-time nomination fee of $1,500 entitles each foal to lifetime eligibility to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Breeders' Cup Racing Programs. All foals sired by a fully nominated North American Breeders' Cup stallion are eligible for nomination to the Breeders' Cup program in their year of birth and up to Feb. 28 of their yearling year.

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MSW Purses to Trend Upward at Keeneland, Churchill

Purses for maiden special weight (MSW) races are projected to trend upward this spring at both Keeneland Race Course and Churchill Downs.

Track executives disclosed the pre-condition book figures during Tuesday's Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting.

“The MSWs for older horses are going to be $100,000. And the [MSW races for] 2-year-olds are going to be $80,000,” said Keeneland's vice president of racing, Gatewood Bell.

At Keeneland's 2021 spring meet, the comparable MSW purse levels were $79,000 and $60,000.

Mike Ziegler, the senior vice president and general manager at Churchill, told KTDF board members that, “We have yet to finalize our purse structure for the upcoming meet. I expect them to be probably right in line with where they were in the fall, which was at $120,000 for [MSW races].”

In the spring of 2021, Churchill carded two levels of MSW money. For the lead-in to the GI Kentucky Derby, the purses were $115,000. After that, those races were written for $100,000.

Bell also outlined the allowance purse structure for Keeneland's April meet: Starting at the 1x condition, purses will be $110,000, with consecutive bumps upward of $10,000 for each the 2x, 3x, and open allowance levels, maxing out at $140,000.

Rick Hiles, the president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said, “I think it's great. Just don't leave out the claiming races. Make sure the guys that are running their horses in the claiming races every day are well-compensated, too.”

Bell said he agreed, and that Keeneland's condition book–which will come out later this week or sometime next week–will reflect claiming purse increases “just to help bolster those races that [don't] qualify for the KTDF funds.”

When prodded by KTDF advisory committee chair Bill Landes, III to give a glimpse of what purse levels might look like in the fall when Keeneland hosts the Breeders' Cup, Bell said the “hope [is] that it'll carry from the spring right into the fall and look fairly similar.”

When Churchill follows Keeneland in the spring rotation, it will open this year with a new turf course in place. Construction and seeding of that surface prevented Churchill from carding grass races last fall.

Ziegler noted that Churchill will be adding three Wednesday programs in June, making for two five-date weeks of racing and one six-date week that concludes with a Monday, July 4, holiday card.

It was not discussed at the meeting how that outlying six-date final week might adversely affect the available horse population at Ellis Park, which has a scheduled July 8 opening.

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Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings: Jan. 25-31

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public and where.

CALIFORNIA

Track: Santa Anita

Date: 01/28/2022

Licensee: Richard Dean Greenman, trainer

Penalty: Required to participate in a fitness for licensure hearing before being permitted to get re-licensed (his license having expired in August of last year).

Violation: N/A

Explainer: Acting on an Order of Remand from the California Horse Racing Board DMTD Ruling #28 issued August 1, 2021, is amended as follows: Pursuant to CHRB rule #1900 (Grounds For Suspension Or Revocation) Trainer Richard Dean Greenman is suspended for 30 Days (August 19, 2021 through September 7, 2021–already served) for violation of CHRB rule #1874 (Disorderly Conduct–detrimental behavior) on March 3, 4 and 5, 2021, at Santa Anita Park. Further, Richard Dean Greenman must participate in a fitness for licensure hearing before being permitted to apply for a California Horse Racing Board Trainer's License.

Track: Santa Anita

Date: 01/28/2022

Licensee: Ruben Valdes, owner

Penalty: Suspended license

Violation: Failure to appear at hearing for non-payment of bill

Explainer: Owner Ruben Valdes, having failed to respond to written notice to appear before the Board of Stewards at Santa Anita Park on or before January 27, 2022, is hereby suspended for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1547 (Failure to Appear) pending an appearance at a hearing before a Board of Stewards to answer charges alleging violation of CHRB rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility–$4,240 to K.C. Transport). During the term of suspension, all licenses and license privileges of Ruben Valdes are suspended and pursuant to California Horse Racing Board rule #1528 (Jurisdiction of Stewards), subject is denied access to all premises in this jurisdiction.

Track: Santa Anita

Date: 01/30/2022

Licensee: Abel Cedillo, jockey

Penalty: $750 fine

Violation: Excessive use of the riding crop

Explainer: Jockey Abel Cedillo is fined $750.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1688(b)(8) (Use of Riding Crop–more than six times in succession during a race–second offense in the last sixty (60) days) during the eighth race at Santa Anita Park on January 29, 2022.

KENTUCKY

Track: Turfway Park

Date: 01/25/2022

Licensee: Wesley Ward, trainer

Penalty: Thirty-day suspension (15 days stayed), and $500 fine

Violation: Medication overage

Explainer: Upon receipt of notification from Industrial Laboratories, the official testing laboratory for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and confirmed at Texas A & M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, sample number E418071 taken from Averly Jane, who finished first in the ninth race at Churchill Downs on April 28, 2021 contained Metformin in blood (Class 8). After a formal hearing before the Board of Stewards, Wesley A. Ward is hereby suspended 30 days and fined $500.00. Due to mitigating circumstances (number of violations in relation to overall record), 15 days are to be served from January 26, 2022 through February 9, 2022 (inclusive). The remaining 15 days are stayed on the condition that no Class A or Class 8 medication violation occurs in any racing jurisdiction within 365 days from the date of this ruling. Averly Jane is disqualified and all purse money forfeited. Pari-mutuel wagering is not affected by this ruling. During his suspension Mr. Ward is denied the privileges of all facilities under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Entry of all horses owned or trained by Mr. Ward is denied pending transfer to persons acceptable to the stewards. Upon receipt of this ruling, it is required within 30 days to pay any and all fines imposed to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

Read the TDN story on the matter here.

NEW YORK

Track: Aqueduct

Date: 01/28/2022

Licensee: Heman Harkie, jockey

Penalty: Three-day suspension

Violation: Careless riding

Explainer: For having waived his right to appeal Jockey Heman Harkie is hereby suspended three NYRA racing days January 29th 2022, January 30th 2022 and February 3rd 2022 inclusive. This for careless riding during the running of the seventh race at Aqueduct racetrack on January 27th 2022.

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OBS March Catalogue Online

The catalogue for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is now online at www.obssales.com. A total of 635 juveniles have been cataloged for the two-day sale, set for Mar. 15 and 16, with both sessions beginning at 10:30 a.m. The auction's under tack show will be held Mar. 10-12 and all three sessions are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.

Graduates from last year's March sale include Call Me Midnight (Midnight Lute), winner of the Jan. 22 GIII Lecomte S., and last year's GI Starlet S. winner Eda (Munnings).

OBS will again offer online bidding during the March sale. Buyers can register on the company's website. For complete information on registration and online bidding, visit obs-online-bidding.

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