http://www.horseraceinsider.com/blog.php en toni@tonipricci.com Copyright 2013 2013-06-19T14:11:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061913-christopher-kay-named-new-president-and-ceo-of-nyra/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061913-christopher-kay-named-new-president-and-ceo-of-nyra/#When:14:11:00Z ELMONT, N.Y. – Christopher Kay was named President and CEO of The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) following unanimous approval by its Board of Directors at a meeting on Tuesday, June 18. The appointment is effective as of July 1. Kay, 60, most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for The Trust for Public Land, where he oversaw the operations of the land conservation organization’s headquarters and 37 field offices. Prior to that, Kay was a consultant to Universal Parks & Resorts, serving as its Managing Director of International Business Development. From 2001-2006, Kay served as the Chief Operating Officer for Toys 'R' Us, a Fortune 200 international company, and prior to that he was the retailer's Executive Vice President of Operations and General Counsel. Kay was also a minority owner of Orlando's AA baseball team and a member of the ownership group that sought to obtain the first MLB franchise in Florida. Kay is a graduate of the University of Missouri and of the Duke University School of Law. “After a careful search involving many highly qualified candidates, we are delighted to select Chris as our new President and CEO,” said NYRA Chair David J. Skorton. “His wide range of expertise and skills—including experience in the legal, regulatory and corporate governance environments—will serve him extremely well in his new position at NYRA.” “Chris’s unique blend of experience in retail, theme parks, sports and legal helped set him apart during this extensive search,” said NYRA Board member and Chair of the Nominations and Governance Committee Michael Del Giudice. “We look forward to working with him as NYRA moves forward in the months and years ahead.” “I am confident that we have found the right person to lead NYRA forward,” said Board Member Stuart S. Janney III, who was also a member of the search committee for the vacant CEO position. “Throughout his career, Chris has demonstrated the type of leadership and strategic vision so crucial to NYRA’s future success.” “Chris has a thorough understanding of the need to develop and drive brand strategies in a competitive and ever-changing environment,” said Board member Jane Rosenthal, who was also a member of the CEO search committee. “He supported and enhanced the Toys ‘R’ Us brand in every country in which it did business and sought to introduce the Universal Studios theme park brand to new countries as its Managing Director.” “Though he has had no direct involvement with thoroughbred racing, Chris is familiar with the sport and will make great use of the outstanding team in place that has successfully guided NYRA through the past month and a half—a period that included the 145th Belmont Stakes,” said Board and search committee member Bobby Flay. “Chris’s arrival will bring new ideas and synergies to our organization that will benefit NYRA, horsemen and fans, alike.” “We were fortunate to choose from an abundance of fine candidates, but Chris’s business and leadership skills stamped him as our first preference,” said Board and search committee member Earle Mack. “I know the Board and others will enjoy working with Chris once he takes over.” “I’m honored by the confidence expressed in me today by the NYRA Board,” said Kay. “Thoroughbred racing is an important part of the lives of so many—including the hundreds of thousands of fans who have loyally supported us through the years. I will work hard to earn their trust and respect as we embark upon an extremely important chapter of NYRA’s history. Working with the talented professionals at NYRA and its dedicated and experienced Board, I anticipate an exciting and successful future for our sport.” The NYRA Board retained the services of the executive search firm RSR Partners to assist in the filling of the President and CEO position. Belmont Park - Live 2013-06-19T14:11:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061913-talented-2-year-olds-to-make-stakes-debuts/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061913-talented-2-year-olds-to-make-stakes-debuts/#When:14:05:00Z MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 18, 2013) – Multiple 2-year-olds who broke their maidens in their first career races look to earn their first career stakes victories in the $100,000 J J’s Dream Stakes and the $100,000 Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes, to be held on Saturday, June 22, at Calder Casino & Race Course. Wesley A. Ward’s Sweetmarys Success ships in to Calder for the J J’s Dream. She broke her maiden by 3 lengths on May 1 in her career debut at Churchill Downs at 4 ½-furlongs in a maiden special weight race. She has had four posted workouts at Keeneland Race Course leading up to the J J’s Dream. Most recently, she worked a 4 furlong bullet in :46.40 on June 15, heading 70 workers at that distance. Rose Family Stable’s Maura’s Purse cleared the field by 6 lengths as the post-time favorite in her second career start at 4 ½-furlongs at Calder on May 11 in a maiden special weight race. On April 26, she finished second by a length to Live Oak Plantation’s Her Royalship in their career debuts at Calder in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race. Maura’s Purse worked 4 furlongs on June 15 in her most recent work for the J J’s Dream, clocking a time of :48.20, which was the second-fastest time of 80 horses who worked at that distance. Her Royalship most recently worked from the gate on June 16 for the J J’s Dream, going 3 furlongs in :36.40. Gilbert G. Campbell’s Scandalous Act scored her first time out at Calder in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race as the post-time favorite on May 18, and was hand-ridden to win 6 ½-lengths ahead of the field. Running in the J J’s Dream as well is Scandalous Act’s stablemate In Luv With Willie, who is also owned by Gilbert G. Campbell. She finished second in her career debut in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race at Calder on May 30. Jacks or Better Farm, Inc.’s Proverbs Thirtyone finished second to Scandalous Act, while Christian D. Maingot & Jose Pinchin’s Liberty Fuze finished third. Proverbs Thirtyone returned to gain her maiden victory at Calder by ¾-lengths in a 5-furlong maiden special weight race on June 2. Fellow J J’s Dream competitor Follow My Luck finished third in that race for Matos Racing. Liberty Fuze broke her maiden by 1 ¼-lengths in her next start in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on June 9 at Calder. Amaty Racing Stables Inc.’s One More Wild Ride steps up in class for the J J’s Dream. She was claimed from Monarch Stables, Inc. by Amaty Racing Stables, Inc. for $32,000 at Calder on May 31. That day at 4 ½-furlongs, One More Wild Ride scored her maiden win by 4 ½-lengths. As for the Frank Gomez Memorial, Gelfenstein Farm’s Brothersofthetime comes into the stake after having blown past runners in his first career race at Calder on May 17, scoring by 5 ¼-lengths. He raced with the pacesetter and overtook her coming into the stretch. Rontos Racing Stable Corp.’s Breitling Flyer also won first time out at Calder. On June 1, Breitling Flyer prevailed in a 5-furlong maiden special weight race by 1 ¾-lengths despite having to make his bid from the outside when he was caught tight at the turn on the inside. Roger L. Block’s Purchango, who is also entered in the Frank Gomez Memorial, finished second to Breitling Flyer in that race, while Gilbert G. Campbell’s Right On Course finished fourth. Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa’s Yes I’m Lucky shipped in to Calder for the J J’s Dream after breaking his maiden by a head in his career debut upon battling in the stretch to come up with the victory by a head in a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race on June 2 at Monmouth Park. Monarch Stables, Inc.’s Vinny’s Wildcat steps up in class for the Frank Gomez Memorial. He won his first career race in a 4 ½-furlong maiden claiming race at Calder on May 31, pulling ahead to win by 3 ¾-lengths. Kathleen Amaya & Raffaele Centofanti’s Copa Del Rey, All American Horses’ Casiguapo, Jacks or Better Farm, Inc.’s D N A Approved, Gilbert G. Campbell’s Union Cash, and Jacks or Better Farm, Inc.’s Best Plan Yet are also entered in the Frank Gomez Memorial. They will be making their career racing debuts. The J J’s Dream Stakes and the Frank Gomez Memorial Stakes are listed as the ninth and tenth races on the 11-race card with the approximate post time for the J J’s Dream at 4:26 p.m and the Frank Gomez Memorial at 4:53 p.m. Post time for the first race at Calder is 12:50 p.m. Calder - Live 2013-06-19T14:05:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061413-infinite-magic-slight-favorite-in-wide-open-hill-prince/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061413-infinite-magic-slight-favorite-in-wide-open-hill-prince/#When:19:50:00Z ELMONT, N.Y. – Following a disappointing start on the dirt, Infinite Magic will return to the grass when he competes as the slight morning-line favorite in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Hill Prince at Belmont Park. The Hill Prince, a one-mile race for 3-year-olds is the eighth race on Saturday’s 10-race card. It will be preceded by the Grade 3, $150,000 Bed o’ Roses Handicap, which was carded as race 3. Infinite Magic began his career in England, winning two of five starts, all over synthetic surfaces. Subsequently purchased by Team Valor International and sent to the United States, Infinite Magic won an entry-level allowance by a nose on April 14 at Keeneland and was never involved when he finished a distant last in the Grade 2 Peter Pan over Belmont’s sloppy main track on May 11. On Saturday, he’ll make his fourth consecutive start for a different trainer, having raced for Jeremy Noseda in England, H. Graham Motion at Keeneland, and Bobby Ribaudo in the Peter Pan. He’ll compete for Rick Mettee, the former Godolphin Racing assistant who was recently hired by Team Valor as their trainer, in the Hill Prince. Since the Peter Pan, Infinite Magic has been training with Mettee at Fair Hill. “He’s an uncomplicated little horse and is very easy to handle,” said Mettee of the son of More Than Ready. “Graham described him that way, and Bobby reiterated that. The Peter Pan didn’t take much out of him. They were just taking a shot on the dirt because if he were to run well, he could have gone in the Belmont Stakes. Probably running in the slop in his first start on the dirt didn’t help. He came out of the race good, and we tried to find a race sooner for him, but races weren’t filling. We always had the Hill Prince as a fall-back plan.” Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado, who rode Infinite Magic at Keeneland and in the Peter Pan, has the return assignment in the Hill Prince. Infinite Magic will leave from post position 2 at 7-2 on the morning line. One week after winning the Belmont Stakes with Palace Malice and Woody Stephens presented by NYRA Rewards with Forty Tales, trainer Todd Pletcher will try to take down another graded stakes for 3-year-olds when he sends out Red Rifle and Notacatbutallama in the Hill Prince. Red Rifle is unbeaten in two starts, having won his debut in March on the dirt at Gulfstream Park and an allowance contested over Keeneland’s Polytrack on April 13. He won both races by two lengths. The Hill Prince will be his first start on the grass. “We were looking for an opportunity. We felt like with a little bit of turf pedigree that this could be an option for him,” said Pletcher, who trains Red Rifle WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing. “Once we worked him on the grass, we liked what we saw. You’re always concerned when you try a surface for the first time, and you always know you’ll have to step up after winning your first two starts. We like what we’ve seen with him and hope he can take a step up in class.” Javier Castellano will be aboard Red Rifle once again when the Giant’s Causeway colt leaves from post 9 at 6-1 on the morning line. Mike Repole’s Notacatbutallama, a two-time stakes winner on the turf as a 2-year-old, enters the Hill Prince off a third in the James W. Murphy on May 18 at Pimlico. “We thought he ran fairly well in the Murphy,” said Pletcher. “It was sort of a tricky race with the horse losing his rider on the first turn and he got in a little bit of traffic there. I thought he ran well, but more importantly, I think he moved forward for having had the run. There wasn’t much pace, and it seemed like the Pimlico turf course was friendly toward front runners Preakness weekend.” Notacatbutallama will depart from post 12 under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. Like Red Rifle, he was installed at 6-1 on the morning line. Joha, winner of last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity, will make his 3-year-old debut in the Hill Prince. After taking the Breeders’ Futurity by one length in October at Keeneland, Joha was eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita and ninth in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club, his lone start on the dirt, at Churchill Downs in November. Trained by Michael Maker as a juvenile, Joha will now race for Tom Albertrani. “I couldn’t be happier with him,” said Albertrani. “He’s been on all different surfaces. The Hill Prince is a good race to start him back in. Whether it comes up firm or soft, I think he’s pretty versatile. We have a lot of options with him. By the way he has been training, he certainly seems fit enough. We thought another work or two probably wouldn’t hurt us, but based off his last few works here I feel he’s ready for a race.” Luis Saez takes over on Joha, who drew post 6 and was tabbed at 8-1 on the morning line. Shadwell Stable’s Sayaad will stretch out, switch surfaces, and step up in class when he competes in the Hill Prince, having won a six-furlong allowance on Keeneland’s artificial surface by one length on April 13. “This will give us a good indication of where we really fit in as a 3-year-old,” said Art Magnuson, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “He’s training great. It’s a competitive race, so this is a really good spot to try it out. He trains relaxed, but I think stretching out from the rail he’ll be forwardly placed. It’s totally up to the jockey.” Sayaad, 15-1, drew the rail. Jose Espinoza was named to ride. Another 3-year-old slated to step up in class is Chamois, winner of two straight on the turf at Aqueduct Racetrack. Chamois, a Jon and Sarah Kelly homebred, broke his maiden in his second start by 1 ¾ lengths in December, then was freshened over the winter. In his comeback race, he stalked the pace and kicked to the lead in the stretch to prevail by a half-length. “He’s been ready to run,” said trainer Christophe Clement. “He’s a nice horse. I don’t know whether he’s a graded stakes horse, but I have no other place to run him. A mile might be a little short. I trained his dam [Meridiana]. She stayed and comes from a family with a lot of stamina.” Junior Alvarado has the call aboard Chamois, who drew post 5 at 15-1 on the morning line. The field also includes Play It Loud, Special Skills, Michael With Us, Red Rocker, Bernie the Jet, and Shining Copper. Belmont Park - Live 2013-06-14T19:50:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061413-barn-notes-friday-june-14-2013/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061413-barn-notes-friday-june-14-2013/#When:19:48:00Z NYE, THE DOLL OF VOODOOMON STABLE, SPREADS HER MAGIC No matter one’s spiritual, religious or otherwise transcendent beliefs, there is often something to be said for the intangible and seemingly divine power of perspective. For Voodoomon Stable owner Vanessa Nye, her experience as part of the racing industry has given her the kind of bittersweet-glazed smile and outlook one can only gain through facing the extremes of high and low within such a passion-filled field. The story of Nye’s Voodoomon Stable is an answer within itself. The stable’s namesake is a horse Nye cared for dearly named Voodoomon who suffered a fatal injury during a race on May 28, 2009. Absolutely devastated, the owner had a grueling time making proverbial heads or tails about the situation of her grief. Ultimately, she decided to saddle up and keep riding as an owner of racehorses – this time channeling her anguish into activism. Since Voodoomon’s passing, Nye has renamed her stable in his memory, as well as spent the last four years giving back to the breed which has, despite all the distress of an adverse episode, brought her sheer delight. “I rescue and retire horses in his name because I want to keep his legacy going in a positive way. I want people to know that they can do good by helping horses. Every (owner) should be doing this and giving back. Every horse deserves a second chance (after their careers are over). We’ve done so much good work in the last four years for other racehorses since this happened,” Nye explained. “I believe, and always have, that retiring these horses properly, transitioning them into other careers and supporting the aftercare of these great animals is paramount for the racing industry's future. I do a lot of work in Florida for the rescue and retirement of thoroughbreds and I am on the board of the thoroughbred retirement of Tampa,” she continued. Nye, who keeps her local horses with trainer Jim McMullen, lives in Tampa, Florida, where she races her horses in the winter at Tampa Bay Downs. At Arlington International Racecourse, she flies up to Chicago to be on hand for an annual race she has sponsored in the memory of Voodoomon and to bring awareness to others. On Sunday, June 9, in a very special turn of events, Nye had one of her own horses enter and win the memorial race. Afterward, the owner was emotionally ecstatic and visibly jubilant. “Four years ago, it was the worst day of my life, so to win the race we named in his honor means so much to me. (Voodoomon) was definitely looking down on us today. We’ve been very successful on the track since then, but never in a million years did I imagine we’d win this race. How great is that! I’m just so excited,” she exclaimed. With the help of the Arlington racing department, Nye was able to enjoy such an exuberant experience. “What is nice about Arlington (management) is they know I fly back and forth from Tampa, so they said to me, ‘Why don’t you do the race when one of your horses is going to run so you can make it a happy experience,’” Nye explained. “And, then this horse is named Doimakeyahappy won! He is just a 4-year-old and this was only his second start on a synthetic. I think he loves the Polytrack.” Nye is also dedicated to keeping the good “juju” flowing in Voodoomon’s honor. “I want Voodoomon's name to live on. I want other owners and patrons to know what I have been doing and what they too can do to help support,” the affable owner elucidated. “I feel so passionate about the rescue and retirement of thoroughbreds that for my last couple birthdays and Christmases every year, I have asked family and friends to make donations to thoroughbred retirements and rescues in lieu of gifts. “My intention is to bring about awareness and ‘doing right’ by your horses. Every year since Voodoomon passed I have claimed a racehorse off the track in need of retirement, and I have done that for the past three years. All three horses are doing wonderfully,” she reported. “I’m going to be writing a check to Galloping Out in honor of Voodoomon and the win here in his memorial race.” Galloping Out is a cooperative effort between the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Arlington International Racecourse and Hawthorne Race Course whose mission statement is “Providing funding for the rescue, care, rehabilitation and retraining of off-the-track thoroughbreds.” In the end, it is the worst of interventions that has produced the best of intentions for altruistic Nye. Her sensible perspective remains sensitive out of necessity, and her imagination and initiative are the kind of magic that should be cast and spread in an industry of such charm and glamour. Arlington Park 2013-06-14T19:48:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/060413-churchill-downs-race-day-notes/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/060413-churchill-downs-race-day-notes/#When:15:54:00Z ‘NO EXCUSES’ FOR TAKE CHARGE INDY IN SATURDAY’S STEPHEN FOSTER LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Thursday, June 13, 2013) – Trainer Pat Byrne will saddle Alysheba (Grade II) winner Take Charge Indy for the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) and he said he has no excuses going into Saturday’s race. “He’s been doing fantastic since the Alysheba,” Byrne said. “He’s been training great and put on some weight. I have no concerns and no excuses going in. If we get beat, we get beat by a really, really good horse.” In preparation for the Stephen Foster, Take Charge Indy worked a “bullet” half-mile at Churchill Downs on June 8 in :47 under regular exercise rider Johnny Byrne (no relation), who also was aboard the 4-year-old colt when he breezed a “bullet” three furlongs in :35.60 in advance of the Alysheba. “He came out of the Alysheba better than he went in, which is pretty unbelievable,” Johnny Byrne said. “He went in like a million bucks, but came out like two million.” The Stephen Foster will be the fourth race of the year for WinStar Farm and Chuck and Maribeth Sandford’s Take Charge Indy, who was under consideration for retirement following his runner-up effort to Shackleford in last year’s Clark Handicap (GI). “Elliott Walden and WinStar deserve the credit because they could have taken him to the breeding shed on December 1,” Pat Byrne said. “After some careful consideration and input from Mr. Sandford, they decided to let the horse stay in training as long as he was running well. Hats off to WinStar for giving us the opportunity to let this horse be all he can be.” Again this week, Pat Byrne commented on how highly he thinks of Take Charge Indy. “Only time will tell, but all indicators are that he’s moving in the right directions and he very well could be the best I’ve ever trained,” Pat Byrne said. Two of the most notable horses trained by Byrne are 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick and Awesome Again, who won the 1998 Stephen Foster prior to winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). Should Take Charge Indy win the Stephen Foster, it would be a record third win in the race for Pat Byrne, who won back-to-back runnings in 1997-98 with City by Night and Awesome Again. The Stephen Foster Handicap, one of five graded stakes races on the Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka racing program, is scheduled to go as Race 8 of 11 at 9:39 p.m. (all times Eastern). FUNNY PROPOSITION COULD BE ON THE LEAD IN SATURDAY’S FLEUR DE LIS John Oxley’s Funny Proposition will break from the rail in Saturday’s $175,000-added Fleur de Lis Handicap Presented by Etihad Airways (GII) and may go right to the front under Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Joel Rosario. “I had a hard time thinking we weren’t going to be on the lead before drawing the rail,” said Norman Casse, assistant to his father, Mark. “Now I really can’t imagine we won’t be on the lead.” Funny Proposition, who is a perfect 3-for-3 on the main track at Churchill Downs, enters the Fleur de Lis off a three-length victory in a one-mile allowance/optional-claiming race beneath the Twin Spires on May 17. “When they come out of a race like that, you hope they come out of it well and show they have the same level of energy,” Casse said. “She came back well and had a really nice half-mile work and then her five-eighths work last week (1:00.40 on June 8) was tremendous. It looks like she’s ready to run another big race.” Funny Proposition, a 4-year-old dark bay or brown daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, will be making her ninth career start in the Fleur de Lis. “She’s never been able to run consistently like you would need a stakes horse to do,” Casse said. “She’s had some little hiccups along the way. This will be the first time we’ll have her race fit and we’re hopefully going to see her very best Saturday.” The Fleur de Lis kicks off an all-stakes Pick 4 and will go as Race 6 at 8:30 p.m. WESTS ENTER TWO IN SATURDAY’S MATT WINN Code West and Treasury Bill, both owned by Gary and Mary West, were two of 11 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $100,000-added Matt Winn (GIII) at Churchill Downs. Code West, who finished a nose behind Ive Struck a Nerve in the Risen Star (GII) in February at Fair Grounds, ran a neck behind Bellarmine in an allowance/optional-claiming race at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day and returned to win an allowance at Pimlico by 6 ¾ lengths on Preakness Day. A dark bay or brown ridgling by Lemon Drop Kid, Code West was guided in his most recent victory by Rosie Napravnik, who has the call Saturday. “He was ultra-impressive,” Napravnik said. “He was the class of the race.” Treasury Bill, previously in the barn of Ron Ellis, will start for trainer Wayne Catalano for the first time Saturday. Runner-up to Shakin It Up in the San Vicente (GII) at Santa Anita in February, Treasury Bill most recently finished third in the Came Home at Betfair Hollywood Park on May 11. “I’ve had him about a month or so, and he’s trained very well,” Catalano said. “Everything is good.” In prep for the Matt Winn, which will go as Race 7 at 9:05 p.m., Treasury Bill breezed a “bullet” five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Churchill Downs on June 7. RESERVED SEATS DEADLINE LOOMS Reserved seats for the return of “Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka” are limited and online sales for Saturday’s debut will cut off Friday at 12 p.m. EDT. Downs After Dark will be staged on the final three Saturdays this month: June 15 (The White Party), June 22 (Boots, Brew and BBQ) and June 29 (Star-Spangled Night). Indoor dining packages for the delectable Chef’s Table on Millionaires Row or Skye Terrace are $59.90 per person. Meanwhile, outdoor reserved box seats on the 3rd Floor of the Clubhouse are $20 per person. Those prices include admission, a reserved seat and racing program. The Downs After Dark general admission, or cover charge, is $10. Holders of shareholders passes or horsemen licenses and children age 12 and under (when accompanied by an adult) will be admitted free. No one under the age of 18 will be admitted to the track unless they are accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Reserved seating can be purchased online at ChurchillDowns.com/Tickets or the on-track box office located at the Gate 1 entrance off Central Avenue (open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on ‘Downs After Dark’ Saturdays). CITY’S BEST HAPPY HOUR! EVERY FRIDAY Churchill Downs will host the City’s Best Happy Hour! in The Plaza every Friday from 4-7 p.m. throughout the 38-day Spring Meet. Drink specials include $2 Budweiser/Bud Light, $3 Stella Artois and $4 14 Hands Blackberry Sangria. There also will be a variety of food trucks from the Louisville Food Truck Association and live music on the Plaza Stage by the Juice Box Heroes. FAMILY FUN DAY ON SUNDAY Churchill Downs will host Family Fun Day Presented by Kroger on the Plaza Balcony every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the 38-day Spring Meet. This week kiddos age 12 and under will enjoy games, a visit from Churchill Charlie and will have the chance to make Father’s Day cards. The first of 10 races on Sunday is 12:45 p.m. Admission gates open at 11:30 a.m. Churchill Downs’ Junior Jockey Club, located inside the Gate 10 entrance, also entertains children age 12 and under on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed when Downs After Dark occurs on June 15, June 22 and June 29). The “Kids Zone” is dedicated to providing fun for the youngsters at Churchill Downs, but all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. STAKES CLOSING Nominations for the 112th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor (GIII), 23rd running of the $150,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) and the $65,000-added Roxelana close Saturday. The Roxelana, an overnight stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs, will be run at Churchill Downs on Saturday, June 22. The Bashford Manor for 2-year-olds at six furlongs and the Firecracker Handicap for 3-year-olds & up at one mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course will be run Saturday, June 29. THIS WEEK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS Thursday, June 13 • 9 races from 12:45-4:59 p.m. EDT (Gates: 11:30 a.m.) • Feature (Race 7 at 3:57 p.m.): $57,000 alw opt clm, f & m, 6 F Friday, June 14 • 11 races from 2:45-7:54 p.m. (Gates 1:30 p.m.) • Feature: $57,000 alw opt clm, 3 & up, 6 ½ F • City’s Best Happy Hour! Drink specials ($2 Budweiser/Bud Light; $3 Stella Artois; $4 14 Hands Blackberry Sangria), food trucks & live music (The Juice Box Heroes) in The Plaza from 4-7 p.m. Saturday, June 15 – Downs After Dark • 11 races from 6-11:10 p.m. (Gates: 4 p.m.) • Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka • Theme: The White Party. Guests are encouraged to “dress to impress” and wear an all-white wardrobe. There’ll be a contest for best dressed female, male, couple and group. • Feature (Race 8 at 9:30 p.m.): $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) – a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Classic Division Challenge Race, 3 & up, 1 1/8 M • Co-Feature (Race 6 at 8:30 p.m.): $175,000-added Fleur De Lis Handicap Presented by Etihad Airways (GII), f & m, 1 1/8 M • Co-Feature (Race 7 at 9:05 p.m.): $100,000-added Matt Winn, 3yo, 1 1/16 M • Co-Feature (Race 9 at 10:11 p.m.): $100,000-added Regret (GIII), 3yo f, 1 1/8 M (T) • Co-Feature (Race 10 at 10:42 p.m.): $100,000-added President of the United Arab Emirates Cup, Arabian 4 & up, 1 1/16 M • Entertainment on The Plaza Stage includes Pawnshop Guitar (4-8:30 p.m.) and Off the Hook (8:45 p.m. to close). • Popular text-to-win sweepstakes “Bet or No Bet,” sponsored by Thorntons. • Ceremony to present engraved Kentucky Derby trophies to the connections of Orb. Sunday, June 16 – Father’s Day • 10 races from 12:45-5:29 p.m. (Gates: 11:30 a.m.) • Feature: $58,000 alw, 3 & up, 5 F (T) • Family Fun Days Presented by Kroger on The Plaza Balcony from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Games, crafts, entertainment & Churchill Charlie appearance. Special craft is Father’s Day cards. Churchill Downs 2013-06-14T15:54:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/060413-general-election-on-target-for-american-derby-secretariat/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/060413-general-election-on-target-for-american-derby-secretariat/#When:15:53:00Z WinStar Farm’s Grade III $150,000 Arlington Classic winner General Election is on target to take a stab at becoming only the second winner of the Mid-America Triple in its current all-turf configuration. The only other horse to win all three – Grade III Arlington Classic, Grade III American Derby and Grade I Secretariat Stakes – was Honor Glide in 1997. That Bonnie Heath homebred won his first stakes in the Arlington Classic and would go on to win graded stakes through his 7-year-old season – including two Grade Is. “That’s our next plan,” said trainer Kellyn Gorder. “He’s been training really well. We’re really happy with how he came out of the race.” The trainer has entered the colt this weekend in the Centaur Stakes at Indiana Downs. Whether or not the colt runs in Shelbyville will conceivably have little bearing on his chances of competing in the American Derby, which is still four weeks away. Gorder is eager to see his charge run once again at Arlington International Racecourse after being thoroughly impressed by the colt’s performance in the Arlington Classic. On May 25, the colt defeated a large and talented field, while widening his advantage over the competition at the finish line. “I think he’ll like the added distance and he really likes that track,” he stated. In what was his first start on turf, the bay thrived with a strong kick under Joe Rocco, Jr. “I think he’s better on the grass. I really do. I like the way he moved on it. He was more fluid and his kick was stronger,” said Gorder. General Election is a son of Harlan’s Holiday, a star on the main track, but who has produced many quality grass horses, including multiple Arlington graded turf stakes winner Willcox Inn. His female side is lush with turf influences through his dam Menekineko. By one of the best turf stallions of the last few decades, three-time Group I-winning Kingmambo (a son of two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Miesque), Menekineko is out of the Canadian turf stakes winner Maison Close. Gorder, a relatively young trainer in his early 40s, was previously the farm trainer for WinStar Farm. “I started training about six years ago on my own. Before that, I worked for WinStar by starting all their young horses on the farm. Then, I went on my own and they started supporting me with some horses. They’ve always given me one or two. I’d say I’ve had a working relationship with WinStar for 10-12 years,” the trainer added. The talented conditioner became intimately familiar with what quality horseflesh looks like during his tenure at WinStar. “The first good one I developed was Bluegrass Cat,” Gorder said of the Haskell Invitational winner who also finished second in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes. Gorder continued, “I also worked with such great horses as (Dubai World Cup winner) Well Armed, (Haskell winner) Any Given Saturday, (Breeders’ Cup Classic winner) Drosselmeyer, (Breeders’ Cup Mile winner) Court Vision, and (Kentucky Derby winner) Super Saver. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few, but there were some great ones.” General Election, an extremely efficient mover with an attractive white blaze like his sire, shows similarities to one of those stars. “He reminds me a little bit of Court Vision. He’s not super-tall horse, but is so well balanced. He has settled so well as he’s matured and relaxes behind horses so well, now. His kick is very strong, like Court Vision’s was, too,” the trainer added. Court Vision, a winner of five Grade I turf events, not only won the Breeders’ Cup Mile on the Churchill Downs turf in 2011, but also finished a close fourth behind the iconic racemare Goldikova in that same event in 2009 at Santa Anita Park – the same venue as this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Though campaign goals are not yet that high for Gorder’s colt, the first big ballot is a quality one. “Obviously, if he’s good enough we’d love to win the Secretariat,” the trainer aspired. With an impressive win in one of the local primaries and a candidate with forward momentum, Gorder and WinStar have every right to win the popular vote of the Arlington fans come July 13. Arlington Park 2013-06-14T15:53:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061413-teddys-promise-seeks-sixth-cushion-track-win-sunday/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061413-teddys-promise-seeks-sixth-cushion-track-win-sunday/#When:15:49:00Z INGLEWOOD, Calif. (June 13, 2013)—Trainer Ron Ellis will send out multiple graded stakes winners Teddy’s Promise and Include Me Out against seven opponents in the $70,000 Desert Stormer Handicap Sunday at Betfair Hollywood Park. Named in honor of the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, the Desert Stormer, which is for older fillies and mares at six furlongs over Cushion Track, is the eighth of nine races. Post time Sunday is 1 p.m. Track gates will open at 9:55 a.m. for simulcasts. Owned by breeders Ted and Judy Nichols, Teddy’s Promise comes off a 4 ¼ length victory as the 2-5 favorite in the Time To Leave Stakes May 5 in her return to Betfair Hollywood Park. The victory was the fifth in nine races over Cushion Track for the 5-year-old daughter of Salt Lake and the Capote mare Braids and Beads. Overall, Teddy’s Promise is 9-for-23 with earnings of $710,991. A winner of four graded events in 2012 – including the Grade II Marjorie L. Everett Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park – Include Me Out will be making her 5-year-old debut Sunday. Owned by Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable, the daughter of Include and the Mazel Trick mare Don’t Trick Her has been sidelined since finishing third behind Royal Delta and My Miss Aurelia in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic last Nov. 2. The dark bay, who is stabled at Betfair Hollywood Park, has won six of 13 and banked $911,600. She has a win and two seconds in three appearances over Cushion Track. Winding Way returns after a layoff of more than eight months for owner-breeder B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm LLC and trainer Carla Gaines. A 4-year-old Malibu Moon filly, Winding Way began her career 3-for-3 before trailing at 3-10 in the L.A. Woman Stakes last Oct. 7 at Santa Anita. Out of the More Than Ready mare More Than Pretty, Winding Way is proven fresh and over Cushion Track. She broke her maiden by 4 ¾ lengths in her local debut June 10, 2012. Via Villaggio is also on the comeback trail for owner and California Horse Racing Board commissioner Steve Beneto and Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. The 4-year-old Bernardini filly out of the Alhaarth mare Hoh Buzzard has been idle since finishing 11th of 13 in the Grade II Raven Run last Oct. 20 at Keeneland. Bred in Kentucky by Michael Lynch, Via Villaggio has won three of 15 and earned $294,695. She earned her lone win over Cushion Track in the Grade III Railbird Stakes May 19, 2012. Shumoos will seek her second win of the year after chasing Teddy’s Promise in the Time To Leave. Owned by Fawzi Nass and trained by Ben Cecil, the 4-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor and the Storm Cat mare Wile Cat has three wins in 11 starts and a bankroll of $227,011. Conkate switches surfaces after finishing third behind Egg Drop and Hidinginplainsight in a $57,842 allowance on turf May 24. Owned by a partnership that includes Gary Margolis, Rutherford Group, Ltd. and Steve Rothblum and trained by Doug O’Neill, the 4-year-old gray daughter of Exchange Rate has won four of 18. Out of the Honour and Glory mare First Glory, Conkate has earned $146,180. Givine will also go turf to synthetic after being pulled up in the Great Lady M. Stakes May 26. Owned by Marsha Naify and trained by Julio Canani, Givine has six wins in 26 starts and earnings of $255,780. She has lost 16 in a row since winning the Great Lady M. May 29, 2011. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who won the 2006 Desert Stormer with My Miss Storm Cat and again in 2011 with Irish Gypsy, will be represented Sunday by Candrea. Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, the 4-year-old Trippi filly out of the American Chance mare Burn Brightly, has won three of 14 and earned $198,000. Two of her wins have come in three starts over Cushion Track. The Florida bred has been away since finishing second to Sister Kate in the Santa Lucia Stakes April 14 at Santa Anita. Self Preservation will be making her first start since winning an optional claimer over the Polytrack at Del Mar last Sept. 1. Cecil trains the 4-year-old daughter of Lion Heart and the Dahar mare Saintly Speaking for Reddam Racing LLC. She’s earned $243,997 while winning two of nine. From inside out, the field for the Desert Stormer Handicap: Self Preservation, Mario Gutierrez rides, 113 pounds; Conkate, Edwin Maldonado, 113; Teddy’s Promise, Victor Espinoza, 124; Candrea, Martin Garcia, 117; Givine, Jorge Carreno, 113; Via Villaggio, Julien Leparoux, 117; Include Me Out, Joe Talamo, 124 and Shumoos, Tyler Baze, 116. Hollywood Park 2013-06-14T15:49:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061313-nyra-statement-on-ramon-dominguez-announcement/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061313-nyra-statement-on-ramon-dominguez-announcement/#When:17:46:00Z The following statement is issued on behalf of NYRA by Vice President and Director of Racing P.J. Campo: “All of us at NYRA are saddened to learn that Ramon Dominguez has been forced to end his riding career. Ramon distinguished himself immediately upon moving his tack to New York in 2009. Already a wintertime regular at Aqueduct, Ramon made a seamless transition to riding full-time on the NYRA circuit. He won numerous meet riding titles and many of our top races, en route to becoming New York’s leading rider for each of the past four years. Ramon’s accomplishments – including the last three Eclipse awards as North America’s top jockey – only tell part of the story, though. He has epitomized class both on and off the racetrack. Universally respected by his fellow riders and beloved by fans, Ramon has built a towering and well-deserved reputation that serves as a standard for all future jockeys. It has been a true privilege to have him in the NYRA riding colony and we wish him and his family the very best in this new chapter of their lives.” Belmont Park - Live 2013-06-13T17:46:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061313-statement-from-ramon-dominguez/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/061313-statement-from-ramon-dominguez/#When:17:44:00Z The following is a statement from Ramon Dominguez: “Riding thoroughbreds has always been my passion and my calling. When I was 13 and watched my first horse race in Venezuela, I knew that I would become a jockey, and my riding career has brought happiness and success beyond what I ever expected. Thus, it is extremely difficult for me to announce that due to the severity of the injuries I sustained in an accident at Aqueduct Racetrack on January 18, 2013, my professional riding career has come to an end. While I hoped and even expected to be able to return to the saddle, as a result of my injuries and upon the advice of my treating physicians, it has been determined that I will no longer be able to pursue my career as a jockey. I want to personally thank my family, fans, and fellow riders for overwhelming support in the months since my accident. I chose to make this statement to end speculation about my future, but I am not yet ready to speak publicly. I will come forward on my own, but in the meantime I ask that you please respect my privacy as I continue my recovery.” Belmont Park - Live 2013-06-13T17:44:00-05:00 http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/61313successful-dan-made-2-1-favorite-for-saturdays-stephen-foster-handicap/ http://www.horseraceinsider.com/john-pricci-blog/61313successful-dan-made-2-1-favorite-for-saturdays-stephen-foster-handicap/#When:17:35:00Z LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Wednesday, June 12, 2013) – Mort Fink’s talented but injury-plagued homebred Successful Dan, the older brother to reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan, has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite in a competitive field of six older horses entered for Saturday’s 32nd running of the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap Presented by Abu Dhabi (GI) at Churchill Downs. The 1 1/8-mile Foster is one of America’s premier races for 3-year-olds and up and looms as the year’s first major prep for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). The winner of the year’s first Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Classic Division Challenge Race will be entitled to an automatic entry into the Nov. 2 Classic at Santa Anita with pre-entry and entry fees waived and a $10,000 travel stipend. The Foster is the marquee event on an 11-race program that features $1.2 million in prize money, including five graded stakes races. For the second consecutive year, the stellar racing card has been paired with Churchill Downs’ wildly-popular Downs After Dark Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka nighttime entertainment event and will be run in prime time under the lights. First post is 6 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Foster will go as Race 8 at 9:39 p.m. The Foster field may only be six deep – the smallest field for the race since five went to post in 1991 – but it’s loaded with talent. Combined, the entrants have won 38 of their 122 starts, including seven Grade I races, 17 graded stakes events and $9.5 million. The field from the rail out, with jockeys, assigned weight and morning line odds: Golden Ticket (Joel Rosario, 117, 12-1); Fort Larned (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121, 3-1); Ron the Greek (Jose Lezcano, 120, 3-1); Take Charge Indy (Rosie Napravnik, 119, 5-2); Pool Play (Miguel Mena, 115, 15-1); and Successful Dan (Julien Leparoux, 121, 2-1). Successful Dan, the co-starting 121-pound high weight with reigning Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned, was made the early favorite by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia after a comfortable and well-measured gate-to-wire victory in the Ben Ali (GIII) at Keeneland on April 21. It was his only start in the past year. The 7-year-old gelding did not race in 2011 due to a suspensory injury and he incurred similar injuries in 2009 after winning the Northern Dancer (GIII) at Churchill Downs and in 2012 following a runner-up effort to Fort Larned in the Cornhusker Handicap (GIII). “It’s been frustrating,” said trainer Charlie LoPresti, who also campaigns Wise Dan, a likely starter in the $150,000 Firecracker Handicap (GII) on June 29. “Had he not been plagued with the injuries he’s been plagued with, you probably would have seen a potential Horse of the Year in him at some point.” The Ben Ali was Successful Dan’s first race in 295 days and LoPresti believes the son of Successful Appeal needed the race. “I think there’s no doubt,” LoPresti said. “He’d been off for a while. Historically, his second race (off a layoff) has been even better. He’s 110-percent right now. I couldn’t have him any better.” Successful Dan, a winner in eight of his 12 starts with a $746,608 bankroll, is the only one of the Foster six that is not a Grade I winner. He crossed the finish line first in the 2010 Clark Handicap (GI) at Churchill Downs, but was disqualified to third for causing interference in the upper stretch. Half of his victories, however, have come in Grade II or Grade III races. “That would be the ultimate,” LoPresti said. “I’d like to see him get a Grade I.” Janis Whitham’s homebred Fort Larned is the most accomplished entrant with $3,702,236 in earnings. The lion’s share came from his flashy gate-to-wire Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) triumph last November at Santa Anita. But after two frustrating starts this season, trainer Ian Wilkes hopes to get him back on the right track. “Fort Larned has to step up to the plate and become the big dog again,” Wilkes said. “That’s what he’s got to do.” Fort Larned made his 5-year-old debut in March’s Gulfstream Park Handicap (GII) but lost jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. after stumbling at the start and proceeded to race around the track without the guidance of a rider and finished well in front of the field. Next time out, he finished a lackluster fifth as the odds-on favorite in the Oaklawn Handicap (GII). “He didn’t show any signs of being fatigued and I thought he was on top of his game,” Wilkes said. “I was a little surprised. You never know until you get back to the races. That’s the biggest key. His works have been really good – solid and crisp. And the horse looks really good. After the stumble and the bad race, I had to regroup. I had to get it together and this is our start for the second half of the year to get things going.” One horse already headed in the right direction is Take Charge Indy, the impressive six-length winner of the Alysheba (GII) on Kentucky Oaks Day. The Alysheba was his first victory since winning the 2012 Florida Derby (GI). In that year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, he finished 19th of 20 and came out of the race with a bone chip in his left front ankle, which was subsequently removed. “His win in the Alysheba was vindication for everyone involved, including the horse,” said trainer Pat Byrne, who trains the 4-year-old colt for WinStar Farm and Chuck and Maribeth Sandford. “It was almost a year to the day when he got hurt running in the Derby and then he came back and ran like that (1 1/16 miles in 1:41.41). “Numbers wise, his race in the Alysheba was off the charts. I always knew he could be that kind of a horse. You can look back at what I said about him over the winter. I said, ‘At the end of the day, this is probably the most talented horse I’ve ever trained,’ and I’ve had my hands on a couple of good ones.” One of Byrne’s best was 1998 Stephen Foster champ Awesome Again – one of three Foster winners to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic later that year (the others were Black Tie Affair in 1991 and Saint Liam in 2005). “I think when it’s all said and done, (Take Charge Indy) might be a better horse than Awesome Again,” Byrne said. Should Take Charge Indy win the Foster, it would be a record third victory in the race for Byrne, who won back-to-back runnings in 1997-98 with City by Night and Awesome Again. Brous Stable, Wachtel Stable and Jack Hammer’s defending champ Ron the Greek hopes to join Vodika Collins (1982-83) and Recoup The Cash (1994-95) as the only horses to win the Foster in consecutive years. A year ago, he upset eventual Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Foster and, in the process, also downed Fort Larned, who ran a disappointing last of eight but rebounded to win Saratoga’s Whitney (GI) and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). Ron the Greek ran second and fourth, respectively, in his subsequent meetings with Fort Larned. “I guess after we beat him in the Foster, I thought we were at least as good as he was,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. “But he wound up beating us in both the Whitney and the Breeders’ Cup. So our hats are off to him and we’ve got to try to turn the tables.” An easy victory in the Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park earlier this year is the only victory for Ron the Greek in six races since last year’s Foster triumph. The 6-year-old son of Full Mandate has raced 25 times and has a record of 8-5-2 with earnings of $1,976,597. Bill Farish’s Pool Play, an upset winner of the 2011 Foster, will attempt to become the oldest winner of the race. Honor Medal was age 7 when he prevailed in 1988. “We know he likes the distance and he likes Churchill,” trainer Mark Casse said. “We pick our spots with him. He’s our old guy in the barn. His recent form hasn’t been great, but we’re going to give it a shot. We know we’ll be a longshot again, but with the perfect storm and perfect trip, we may have a chance.” Magic City Thoroughbred Partners’ Golden Ticket, a dead-heat winner of last year’s Travers (GI) with Alpha, also figures to be a longshot. But the 4-year-old enters the Foster off a 2 ½-length victory in a one-mile allowance/optional claiming race at Churchill Downs on May 2. “I think Golden Ticket is coming into the race in good shape,” said Phil Bauer, assistant to trainer Ken McPeek. “He seemed to like the surface here in his last race and so if he can stretch it out to two turns against some better competition then he should be good.” Other stakes on the million-dollar program are the $175,000-added Fleur De Lis Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles (headlined by defending champ and two-time Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner Royal Delta); the $100,000-added Matt Winn (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, the $100,000-added Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf; and the $100,000-added President of United Arab Emirates Cup (GI) for Arabian 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles. The latter will be only the second race for that breed in track history. Churchill Downs 2013-06-13T17:35:00-05:00