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West Will Power Will Stand at Stud in Korea

Ben Glass, the stable manager for Gary and Mary West, has reported that GI Stephen Foster S. winner West Will Power (Bernardini–Wild Promises, by Wild Event) has been sold to a Korean farm, where he will stand at stud next year.

Glass said the deal was brokered by bloodstock agent Jun Park. Glass did not know what farm had bought West Will Power, but according to a Tweet from Korea Racing his new home will be Songma Farm.

On July 1, West Will Power picked up the biggest victory of his career, winning the GI Stephen Foster S. by a half-length, picking up his first Grade I win in the process. Afterward, however, he suffered a soft tissue injury and his retirement was announced in early August.

“He had an injury after that race, I believe in his left front pastern,” Glass said. “Dr. (Larry) Bramlage said it would take considerable time to heal, if it would heal at all. We didn't want to bring him back as a 7-year-old and maybe hurt him. He ran so well for us and was a homebred, so we decided the best thing to do was to retire him.”

Trained by Brad Cox, West Will Power was 7-for-17 during his career and earned $1,745,390. He also won the GII New Orleans Classic S. and the GII Hagyard Fayette S.

“He had a very nice career and that he's a homebred made it even nicer,” Glass said. “That's because we got the breeders' awards. We were really happy with him and the career he had.”

Glass said he tried to find a U.S. stallion farm that would agree to take West Will Power, but was unsuccessful.

“Sadly, Kentucky farms did not reach out to us and I tried quite a few,” he said. “I think with his age, being six, that probably stopped most of them. I tried hard to sell him throughout the whole United States. If this injury had happened earlier in his life I think we would have found a home for him here. But with his being six, then breeding at seven, his first foals would have been born when he was eight and wouldn't have run until he was 10. That's one of the reasons there wasn't a great deal of interest.”

The Wests have sent other stallions to Korea, including Concert Tour (Street Sense), the winner of the 2021 GII Rebel S. and the 2021 San Vicente S.

“We've sent a couple other horses to Korea,” Glass said. “We get pictures back and they just look gorgeous. They take great care of them and they are really coming on when it comes to their breeding program.”

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NYSGC Doubles Rice’s ‘Improper Practices’ Fine to $100K

The New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) on Tuesday fined trainer Linda Rice $100,000 in a re-adjudication of her “improper practices” case that has persisted at the commission level and in the New York courts for more than two years.

In 2021, the NYSGC fined Rice $50,000 and revoked her license for three years after investigating claims that Rice received favorable treatment from the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and that the racing office was releasing to her the names and past performances of horses that had already been entered in races, giving her an unfair advantage.

The NYSGC initially had alleged that Rice had paid racing officials in exchange for the information, but that bribery charge–which Rice had denied–was later dismissed by the commission.

On June 8, 2023, the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled that the three-year banishment imposed by the NYSGC was “entirely unwarranted.”

But that same court also upheld the commission's determination that the “improper practices” rule had been violated, and ordered the matter back to the NYSGC to reassess the penalty “with the constraint that any reassessed penalty cannot contain a license revocation.”

At the Oct. 3 monthly meeting, NYSGC chair Brian O'Dwyer read into the record a brief explanation of Rice's revamped penalty.

As per the NYSGC's custom, the commissioners did not discuss or debate the matter in an open-public session prior to voting upon it. Their voting happened prior to the start of the meeting and O'Dwyer only reported a summary of the decision.

“The appellate division agreed with the Commission's findings that trainer Rice had blatantly broke the rules of racing by conspiring with others to choose the optimal races for her horses. The appellate division determined, however, that any revocation was unwarranted,” O'Dwyer said.

“We respectfully disagree with that decision, but are constrained by law to follow it. The original fine of $50,000 was predicated on a three-year revocation. Since that is now not extant, we have decided, on the basis of the record, [to] increase the fine to $100,000. And we therefore impose a penalty on trainer Rice of $100,000. The vote was unanimous in that regard,” O'Dwyer said.

Rice did not respond to messages requesting comment prior to deadline for this story, but her attorney, Andrew Turro, indicated to TDN in an email that Rice is ready to move on.

“I'm very, very happy that this is over for Linda and that she can now focus on what she loves and does best,” Turro wrote.

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Rescheduled Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ Races Take To BAQ Turf

After significant rainfall cancelled the entire Friday and Saturday Belmont at the Big A cards, a pair of Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' Challenge races were moved from Sunday to Wednesday in order to allow everyone to dry out.

The GII Miss Grillo S., a pathway to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, brings together a cast of 12. Only Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Gala Brand (Violence) has graded experience. The chestnut filly delivered in her second start when she faced males and won the GIII With Anticipation S. Aug. 31 at Saratoga over next-out GI bet365 Summer S. hero Carson's Run (Cupid).

From the inside gates, Appellate (Constitution) from the Todd Pletcher barn and Hard to Justify (Justify) from Chad Brown's shedrow will tussle once again. The latter won on debut by a head over the former July 23 at Saratoga, but the Pletcher trainee made a start since Sept. 3 upstate and gained some valuable grass experience as a runner-up once again.

Meanwhile, Gainesway homebred Memorialize (Karakontie {Jpn}) for Graham Motion is looking to build on her own maiden victory, this one at second-asking, when the chestnut filly won confidently by three lengths Aug. 20 at Saratoga.

The boys get their chance later on the BAQ card when the GII Pilgrim S. goes off with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf implications at stake. Leading the way is 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road), who absolutely rolled from seemingly nowhere Sept. 2 at Saratoga to break his maiden by a neck at second asking.

“His last breeze was very good. He's training well and came out of his race in good order,” said the colt's trainer, Todd Pletcher. “He got a very wide trip, which maybe turned out to be a blessing with all that was going on at the eighth pole. Turning for home, I thought he had way too much to do, and he really kicked in late. He's had a little bit of experience, so hopefully that pays dividends.”

A pair of runners who might fly under the radar are Liam's Journey (Liam's Map) for Mike Maker and Fulmineo (Bolt d'Oro) for Arnaud Delacour.

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Jim McKay Maryland Million Attracts 281 Pre-Entries

Set to take place Oct. 17 at Laurel Park, the 38th Jim McKay Maryland Million has attracted 281 pre-entries with defending champions MSW Ournationparade (Cat Nation) and MSW & MGSP Fille d'Esprit (Great Notion) leading the fields. Ournationonparade is one of 21 Classic pre-entries, eight of whom are Maryland-bred but not Maryland-sired, while last year's Maryland Million Distaff winner, and reigning Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, Fille d'Esprit highlights 23 pre-entries in the Distaff, 18 of whom are Maryland-sired.

Maryland-bred horses may participate in a Maryland Million race if less than eight Maryland Million-eligible horses are entered. Final entries will be taken and drawn Sunday, Oct. 8. A complete list of pre-entries for their respective races is available on the Maryland Million website.

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