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Thoroughbred Owner Conference To Be Rescheduled

The seventh Thoroughbred Owner Conference, scheduled for July 19-22 in Saratoga Springs, New York, will be reschedued, offiicals at OwnerView have announced.

“We were greatly looking forward to bringing the Owner Conference to beautiful and historic Saratoga Springs for the first time this year, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to look at alternative arrangements,” said Gary Falter, project manager, OwnerView. “We are exploring our options for this fall.”

Any questions regarding the Owner Conference may be forwarded to Falter via email at gfalter@jockeyclub.com or by phone at (859) 224-2803.

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Los Alamitos Releases Draft Safety Plan

The Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association released Tuesday evening a seven-page draft “Equine & Rider Safety Enhancement Plan,” ahead of a follow-up meeting July 20 with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) concerning a recent uptick in equine fatalities at the track.

Among some of the new protocols outlined in the plan is an additional veterinarian to scrutinize horses entering and exiting the track during morning training, and the creation of a program whereby every equine fatality triggers a “Fatality Review” to be conducted by a panel including a member of track management, the track veterinarian, and the racing secretary.

Last Thursday, the CHRB gave Los Alamitos 24-hour notice of an emergency meeting to discuss the track’s equine welfare and safety protocols–the first time the board has exercised its authority afforded through a state bill passed last year allowing it to provide just a day’s public notice for a meeting to discuss the possible suspension of a racing license. Prior to that, the CHRB had to provide 10 days’ public notice.

At Friday’s meeting, CHRB executive director Scott Chaney explained his decision to file a petition to hold the emergency meeting, arguing that there has been an increase in equine fatalities during the first six months of this year when compared to the same period the year prior, along with a recent spike. According to the CHRB, there have been 13 fatalities at the track since May 26.

“I agree that there needs to be a serious review of policies and procedures at Los Alamitos,” said CHRB chairman Greg Ferraro last Friday. “Not necessarily as a fault of track’s management, but I think there is a culture there amongst the practicing veterinarians and trainers that is pushing the envelope when it comes to the safety of these horses.”

On a 5-1 vote, the board gave Los Alamitos the green light to continue live racing during a 10-day probational period, at the end of which the board would decide whether the revised safety plan adequately satisfied its concerns.

In a statement Tuesday, Los Alamitos wrote that the track is “soliciting comments from the industry in general and particularly from the Board” regarding the plan’s contents.

“Dr. Ed Allred, the owner and CEO of Los Alamitos Race Course, said that the plan is a further effort by Los Alamitos to provide for the enhanced improvement of the health and safety of each every horse and rider participating in racing and training at Los Alamitos,” the statement read.

The seven-page plan outlines enhanced safety procedures in the following six areas: training practices, pre-race procedures, entry review panel, post incident assessments, equine illness and recovery and rules and conditions.

The track has proposed a panel–comparable to the one already instituted for Thoroughbred races in California–to review race entries. “Based on information deemed of concern to the panel, in its discretion, may deny such entry or request the scratch of any horse the panel determines unsuitable for reasons of horse and/or rider safety,” the plan states.

A number of equine fatalities at Los Alamitos this year have been said to be due to “gastrointestinal” issues, rather than musculoskeletal injuries sustained through training or racing.

According to the plan, if within a year two Los Alamitos-based horses under the custody of a single trainer die for reasons other than racing or training, that trainer could be put under a form of probation whereby, if another horse in their care is fatally injured, that trainer could be barred from the grounds.

“Allred further stated that, notwithstanding his hope that the plan would be further improved through comments from the industry and the Board, the changes contemplated by the plan would be implemented immediately,” Tuesday’s statement read.

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Businesslike Opener to OBS July Sale

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis

With attendance at the sales grounds down dramatically, but internet bidding brisk, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale opened with a workmanlike session Tuesday in Central Florida.

“It was a solid start,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “Obviously we had some nice horses go through the ring and sell well. It was a little slow early on in the day, but I thought it leveled out. We are dealing with strange times, that’s for sure, certainly the COVID situation is a factor. I think it will get better as we go.”

A total of 147 juveniles sold Tuesday for a gross of $4,788,800. The average was $32,577 and the median was $13,000. Of the 360 horses catalogued for the session, 224 went through the ring and 147 sold. With 77 head reported not sold at the close of business, the buy-back rate was 34.4%.

At last year’s opening session of the June sale, 204 head grossed $6,119,500 for an average of $29,998 and a median of $17,500. With the inclusion of post-sale transactions, the buy-back rate was 22.4%.

Just a few hips into the three-day sale, bloodstock agent Donato Lanni secured the session’s top-priced lot, going to $375,000 for a daughter of Shackleford from the Coastal Equine consignment. The juvenile was one of 10 to sell for six figures on the day, matching the number from the opening session of the 2019 June sale.

OBS introduced online bidding at its Spring Sale last month and buyers are taking advantage of that platform in greater numbers each day, according to Wojciechowski.

“We saw an uptick even from yesterday to today in the number of online bidding registrations,” said Wojciechowski. “We sold 15 horses online today and the internet was the direct underbidder on 16 horses. Sixty-four different horses were bid on via the internet and we had almost 200 bids that were made via the internet.”

Ocala Stud sold three lots Tuesday, including a colt by Not This Time who was the day’s fourth-highest offering. The operation’s David O’Farrell said just being able to have a sale was a win.

“I think the fact we are having a sale is paramount,” O’Farrell said. “We sold three horses today and all three have been sold over the internet. I think the internet process has caught on. It certainly could be a lot better. It is a difficult sale, but I am of the belief it could be a whole lot worse.”

The buying bench at the OBS Spring sale was marked by diminished participation from Korean and Puerto Rican interests typically active and a key to strengthening the middle to lower end of the market. Both regions were represented on the results sheets Tuesday, with the Confederacion Hipica de PR, Inc. purchasing 15 lots in the $3,000 to $30,000 range. The Korean-based K.O.I.D., Co. purchased three lots on the day.

The OBS July sale continues through Wednesday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Lanni Strikes Early for Shackleford Filly

The OBS July sale was only minutes old when bloodstock agent Donato Lanni bid a session-topping $375,000 to acquire a filly by Shackleford (hip 15) on behalf of an undisclosed client. Consigned by Jesse Hoppel’s Coastal Equine on behalf of breeder Jim Doyle, the bay filly worked the day’s quarter-mile bullet of :20 4/5 during last week’s under-tack show.

“She was easy to fall in love with,” Lanni said. “She’s pretty awesome. She worked great, galloped out great and she came back from the work great. I knew she was going to cost a little bit because she did everything right. These horses are asked to do a lot–something they’ve never done before and will never have to do again–but when certain horses do it right, there are going to be fireworks at the end of it. She’s one I wanted to get and I’m glad I got her.”

Lanni said a trainer for the filly had yet to be determined.

Hip 15 is out of Peace Queen (Indian Charlie), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Tizaqueena (Tiznow), and one of two broodmares owned by the New York-based Doyle whose brother Larry Doyle owns KatieRich Farms. Jim Doyle purchased the mare for $10,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed Sale. The breeder will offer a filly by Dialed In out of Collusion (hip 542) through the Coastal Equine consignment Wednesday at OBS. @JessMartiniTDN

Malibu Moon Filly to Miller

A filly by Malibu Moon (hip 115) was the second-highest priced offering at OBS Tuesday, selling to bloodstock agent Patti Miller of EQB, Inc. for $350,000. Miller was acting on behalf of an undisclosed client. Consigned by Wavertree Stables on behalf of Joe Minor’s JSM Equine, the chestnut filly worked a furlong last week in :10 flat.

“She is just a lovely filly,” Miller said. “She was one that caught my eye the first day. My business partner [Jeff Seder] does the high-speed film analysis and she was just a beautiful mover. And I thought physically she was outstanding. She didn’t look like the kind of filly who would go in :10 flat and she kept right on going. She went out in :20 and change. She did it all so well and then just exhaled and walked back to the barn.”

While declining to say which trainer the filly will go to, Miller did say, “She is going to have a very good young trainer who is really up and coming. She is going to the right people which is really rather exciting.”

Miller said she was staying busy in Ocala and taking advantage of a buyer’s market.

“I think, where the market was last year, this filly would have been twice that much,” Miller said. “But I think the market is running at 50% or less and there are a lot of nice horses here. I just think it’s a good buyer’s market at all levels right now. That’s why I’m running around like I am.”

Hip 115 is out of Samsational (Unbridled’s Song), a half-sister to Grade I winner I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even). Minor purchased the filly for $125,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale and was originally planning to race the youngster.

“We had her sister last year and really liked her,” said Wavertree’s Ciaran Dunne. “This filly had a few niggling little things that made her look like she’d be a better racehorse prospect than a pinhook prospect. So Joe bought her to race. He changed his mind this spring and decided maybe he’d try her at the 2-year-old sales. At that point it was too late to get her in any of the earlier sales, so she ended up here. And the time probably did her the world of good. She’s a big filly who probably wants to go two turns at the end of the day.”

Minor purchased the filly’s dark bay full-sister Portofina for $147,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale.

Of the decision to work hip 115 a furlong instead of a quarter-mile during last week’s under-tack show, Dunne added, “We worked everything eighths because it was so hot, between standing in the chute and everything else, we decided to work everything eighths.” @JessMartiniTDN

Honor Code Colt to Speedway Stable

Peter Fluor and Kane Weiner’s Speedway Stable added a colt by Honor Code to its roster when bloodstock agent Marette Farrell made a final bid of $340,000 to acquire hip 200 from Stori Atchison’s Dark Star Thoroughbreds consignment Tuesday in Ocala. The juvenile, who will be trained by Bob Baffert, worked a quarter in :21 2/5 during last week’s under-tack show.

“I thought his breeze was flawless,” Farrell said of the dark bay colt. “For a big horse, he was so light on his feet. I went back to the barn pretty much straight away and loved him at the barn. He was so classy and so collected. He just had an air about him that I really liked. They said when they bought him [as a yearling] he was very immature and the time did him well, turned him into a man.”

Of the colt’s final price tag, Farrell said, “We were obviously hoping for less, and at one point, I think in the $200,000s, I thought I had him. We were in the back, but someone in the front was quite resilient.”

Atchison was selling the colt on behalf of clients who purchased him for $28,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale.

“I have had him since March,” Atchison said. “Right from the beginning we just knew he was a star, from his presence to his talent and his kindness, he was the whole package. We’ve always thought he was very special.”

Atchison has been consigning under the Dark Star banner for eight years now and the colt’s $340,000 price tag was a high-water mark for the operation.

“I went to work for Ricky Leppala straight out of college and I’ve been doing this ever since,” she said. “I mostly pinhook my own horses, but I also do a handful of client horses.”

Of her personal best result, Atchison said, “It feels really good. It’s a tough market and he jumped through all of the hoops and made everybody money.”

Hip 200 is out of Storm Hearted (Lion Hearted), who was purchased as a 2-year-old by Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stables for $240,000 at the 2004 Barretts March sale. While the mare was winless in nine starts for the Searings, she is the dam of multiple stakes winner Wake Up Nick (Cindago) and her colt by Curlin sold for $950,000 at the 2017 OBS March sale.

The Searings campaign another son of Honor Code, GI Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P., who they purchased for $850,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. @JessMartiniTDN

Another Not this Time Succeeds at OBS

A filly by Not This Time topped the OBS Spring Sale at $1.35-million and two other surpassed the $500,000 mark. Another member of the young stallion’s first crop found success in the OBS sales ring during the July Sale when Hip 103 brought $250,000 from Mike Hall’s Breeze Easy Tuesday.

Breezing in :21 1/5 for consignor Ocala Stud, the colt was purchased by Lori and Mark Collinsworth for $62,000 at Keeneland September.

“They are Carlos Martin’s clients,” Ocala Stud’s David O’Farrell said. “He is new in the business. He is from Texas. This is his first foray into the business. We are every happy with the result. The horse did exceptionally well.”

Bred by Woods Edge Farm, Hip 103 is out of the unraced Cape Town mare Running Creek, who is also responsible for MSW Softly Lit (Latent Heat) and MSP Venice Queen (Latent Heat). The bay colt’s second dam is GSW Palliser Bay (Frosty the Snowman), dam of GSW & GISP He Loves Me (Not For Love) and MSW For Kisses (Not For Love).

In addition to his success at OBS, Not This Time was also represented by three six-figure juveniles at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. He has also been represented by three winners on the racetrack thus far.

“Obviously, Not This Time has caught fire during this 2-year-old sales season,” O’Farrell said. “This colt has done extremely well. He was catalogued in March, but he was slightly immature then. With all the uncertainty with COVID-19 starting to happen right before the March sale, we decided to wait on the horse and give him a little time to see how the Coronavirus played out. Fortunately, Not This Time caught fire. COVID-19 stuck around, but the horse did really well and a good horse sells really well. We are really happy for the owner.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

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Surge in Jockey Virus Positives Met with Slew of New Restrictions

A surge in positive Coronavirus tests among jockeys was met on Tuesday with a flurry of new movement-related restrictions at Thoroughbred tracks from coast to coast in an effort to keep the pandemic from spreading further.

For the industry in general, any sizable spike in COVID-19 positives among participants will almost certainly trigger another wave of racetrack shutdowns. But for jockeys specifically, the balance of maintaining safety under pandemic precautions often comes down to treading a fine line between protecting one’s health versus protecting one’s livelihood.

Since the end of June, jockeys Luis Saez, Martin Garcia, Victor Espinoza, Flavien Prat, Gerard Melancon and Eduard Rojas Fernandez have all been added to the fast-growing list of North American riders who have publicly acknowledged positive tests for COVID-19.

On Tuesday morning those reinsmen were joined by Florent Geroux, who posted on Twitter and subsequently told TDN he got a positive Coronavirus test on July 13 and is symptom-free, but now self-quarantining at home.

Los Alamitos Race Course, which raced from June 26 through July 5, was a common-denominator site among at least five of those positives, including Saez, Garcia, Espinoza and Prat, who all rode at the southern California track July 4.

Some of those virus-positive jockeys then collectively went on to ride at Belmont Park, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Keeneland Race Course, Indiana Grand and Prairie Meadows before learning of their positive tests.

The New York Racing Association (NYRA), which is scheduled to open the Saratoga Race Course meet on Thursday, weighed in on Tuesday with the most prominent change in protocols in response to the COVID-19 uptick.

In a press release, NYRA announced that “Until further notice, Saratoga Race Course will be closed to out-of-town jockeys. In addition, any member of the regular NYRA jockey colony who travels to ride at any other racetrack will not be permitted to return to Saratoga Race Course.”

On the opposite coast, at Del Mar, most of the local jockey colony underwent newly required COVID-19 testing on Tuesday morning, according to Darrell Haire, the western regional manager of the Jockeys’ Guild.

Haire told TDN there are ongoing “heavy discussions” between jockeys and track management about additional protocol adjustments that could be put in place before the next day of racing July 17.

Also Tuesday, updated health precautions and jockey movement restrictions were unveiled by the Maryland Jockey Club, the Ohio State Racing Commission, and Ellis Park.

“It’s so fluid right now,” Terence Meyocks, the president and chief executive officer of the Jockeys’ Guild, told TDN. “Not only in New York, but the rest of the country with what’s developed in the last 72 hours. We thought we had protocols in place, but then there were more positives.”

Meyocks said that the non-uniform handling of Coronavirus protocols from track to track is yet another example of how the industry’s fragmented, state-by-state regulatory structure complicates an already complex and dangerous situation.

“As I’ve said before, our industry doesn’t work well together,” Meyocks said. “And this is one case where [protocols] need to work and we’ve all got to be on the same page. It’s not only the jocks, but the backside, the grooms, the horsemen, and everybody back there. It’s very difficult with people close together.

“As we’re finding out, jocks are very essential,” Meyocks said. “And at some tracks, they don’t think so. Again, there’s no leadership in our industry to say you’ve got to do X, Y, and Z. That’s a shame, and that’s why we’re at where we’re at today.

“We need minimal standards,” Meyocks said. “It doesn’t have to be the extent that Santa Anita went through [with jockeys mandated to live on-site in trailers during racing days]. But there have to be minimum standards. We’ve been working on this since March. I don’t know if people just got lax or just didn’t think it was needed.

“Nobody should be allowed in the jocks’ room [without having passed standardized protocols],” Meyocks said. “Not only for jockeys, but the clerk of scales, the assistant clerk of scales, the [silks] person. Everybody in the jocks’ room should be tested and [kept] spread apart. At Gulfstream, they had seven different places [for personnel]. Keeneland had six the other day.”

Meyocks continued: “We talk about social distancing. Spread out the room–no steam room, no sauna. And tracks haven’t done it. I’m not going to name names [of non-compliant tracks], but you just can’t do it that way. There have to be minimum standards if they want to continue racing.”

Haire said that on the SoCal circuit, where the riders have shifted from Santa Anita to Los Al to Del Mar over the course of about a month, the protocols for riders and testing were not standardized.

Haire said at Santa Anita, jockeys were mandated to be tested every Wednesday. There was no testing at the Los Al meet, he said, just required masking and social distancing. At Del Mar, Haire said Coronavirus testing for jockeys just began several days ago after the meet had already started July 10 without that requirement.

“As we speak, the riders were just tested at Del Mar, so they’re taking the precautions now because of what happened,” Haire said Tuesday. “And right now, the riders, for the last two mornings, haven’t been getting on horses at Del Mar. That was a policy from Del Mar, and we’ve been back and forth working closely with them to make it as safe as possible for the riders.”

In New York, the Saratoga restrictions are aimed at proactively warding off virus penetration into the riding colony before the meet begins.

“Out-of-town jockeys that are not currently riding at another racetrack may be considered for inclusion in the regular NYRA jockey colony provided the jockey does not ride at another racetrack beginning on Thursday, July 16,” the NYRA release stated.

“Any jockey that rides at a racetrack outside of Saratoga beginning Thursday, July 16, will be considered an out-of-town jockey and will not be permitted at Saratoga Race Course,” the release explained.

“These measures prioritize the health and safety of the jockeys competing in New York, and are designed to combat the spread of COVID-19,” NYRA president and CEO Dave O’Rourke said. “Unfortunately, the restrictive travel policies implemented today have become necessary as cases continue to rise in states across the country.”

According to the release, the 22 active jockeys currently listed in the first condition book constitute the “regular NYRA jockey colony” that form the basis of the restrictions (read the list here).

In determining return-to-ride protocols, the release stated “NYRA will follow current Centers for Disease Control and New York State Health Department guidance when determining the return of a jockey who has tested positive for COVID-19. This process will include a period of quarantine determined by the severity of the individual case followed by a series of diagnostic tests to rule out ongoing infection. NYRA will consider allowing a jockey to resume racing or training activities on NYRA property only when his or her physician has provided clearance to do so.”

In response to the new Saratoga protocols, Meyocks told TDN, “I wouldn’t say we totally endorsed it, but at the same time we accepted that it was something that needed to be done. We had a conversation [with NYRA on Monday] night, and under the current circumstances we accept it.”

The NYRA release stated that the Saratoga jockeys’ quarters “have been substantially altered to provide maximum social distancing and reduce density” and that all common areas “have been closed and will remain closed through the end of the meet.

“Jockeys and valets are not permitted access to the barn area. In order to work a horse in the morning, the jockey must meet the horse in the paddock and can then proceed to the main track,” the release continued.

With regard to steeplechase races at Saratoga, NYRA explained that the separate colony of jump riders “will be completely isolated from the regular NYRA jockey colony in a physically separate location. Following that day’s steeplechase race, which will be carded as race one, the steeplechase jockeys will depart the property.”

In addition to the protocols specific to jockeys, the NYRA release stated that “All personnel working at Saratoga Race Course in any capacity are required by NYRA to produce a negative COVID-19 test in order to access the property. This policy is inclusive of jockeys, valets, NYRA employees, trainers and their staff, outside vendors and credentialed media.”

Beyond the immediate health aspects of the NYRA restrictions, there will be some near-term disruptions to the business of booking mounts.

For example, Irad Ortiz Jr., currently based in New York, was scheduled to ride GI Belmont S. runner-up Dr Post (Quality Road) in Saturday’s GI Haskell S. at Monmouth Park. The showcase day of racing in New Jersey annually lures top New York riders for the afternoon.

Ortiz’s agent, Steve Rushing, told TDN that his in-demand rider would instead remain at Saratoga.

“It’s very disappointing that we’re not going to be able to go out of town to ride a very nice and promising 3-year-old,” Rushing said. “But unfortunately, we can’t miss the entire Saratoga meet [to do so]. I think to protect our business, but more importantly, the health of all the jockeys, I think every track should take the same precautions and protocols and do the same thing. It’s wise that if you have one jockey colony with a few positives, at least it will be contained to that one jockey colony. It’s not going to spread over multiple tracks. So I think [NYRA’s policy] is absolutely the right thing to do to try and contain this.”

If the sport soon defaults to a “pick your track and stay there” mandate for jockeys, the question of who gets to ride which lucrative mounts in the Sep. 5 GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs becomes the burning question.

“The way this pandemic is going, it changes every hour, so to try to predict what’s going to happen in seven weeks is obviously impossible,” Rushing said. “We’ll just have to deal with whatever decision they come up with. But I think it’s very possible that [jockeys getting shut out of Derby mounts] could happen.”

Meyocks said the pandemic situation is too slippery to try and grasp what might happen with Derby riding privileges.

“To be determined,” Meyocks said when asked what an early-September scenario might look like. “That will be revisited. [Plans like the one at Saratoga] are to get us through right now.”

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