Thursday, June 10, 2010

“Horse racing's biggest female stars back on track” plus 2 more

“Horse racing's biggest female stars back on track” plus 2 more

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Horse racing's biggest female stars back on track

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 10:37 PM PDT

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Undefeated Zenyatta will attempt to take her unbeaten streak to record heights when she pursues her 17th consecutive victory in the $250,000 Vanity Handicap on Sunday at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.

A day earlier, defending Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra looks to regain her winning touch after a pair of season-opening losses when she competes in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Zenyatta shares the mark with Cigar, Citation and Mister Frisky for the longest winning streak by a modern day Thoroughbred in races not restricted to state-breds. Hollywood Park is celebrating her accomplishments by giving away a bobblehead of her to those attending the Vanity.

Trainer John Shirreffs is sticking to the one-race-at-a-time approach that worked so well for him and the 6-year-old daughter of Street Cry.

"We're just trying to focus on the Vanity and not on all of her accomplishments," he said.

Zenyatta is bidding to win the Vanity, a Grade 1 race at 11/8 miles, for an unprecedented third time.

It would be her 11th Grade 1 triumph, including her historic victory against male horses in the Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Cigar's winning streak was stopped by Dare And Go on Aug. 10, 1996, in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, near San Diego. Citation fell short against Miche in the La Sorpresa Handicap on Jan. 26, 1950, at Santa Anita. Mister Frisky was undefeated with 13 wins in Puerto Rico and three at Santa Anita before he could do no better than eighth in the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 1990.

Zenyatta will carry a top weight of 129 pounds.

"The weight was pretty much what we were expecting," Shirreffs said.

The trainer noted how much jockey Mike Smith means to the team.

"Mike is a rider and a horseman, so he is invaluable," he said.

In the Fleur de Lis, a Grade 2 event run at 11/8 miles, Rachel Alexandra is looking to rebound from consecutive losses. She outdueled Zenyatta for Horse of the Year honors in 2009 with a perfect 8-for-8 record that included victories against males in the Preakness, Haskell Invitational and Woodward Stakes.

But she has not come close to that brilliant form as a 4-year-old. She lost by three-quarters of a length to Zardana in the New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans on March 13, then was edged by a head by Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

While principal owner Jess Jackson had indicated after the La Troienne that he might consider changing riders, Calvin Borel retains the mount. Jackson is encouraged by recent workouts.

"Rachel Alexandra continues to turn in strong works," he said in a statement released Wednesday. "As long as she continues to progress, we intend to race her with the expectation she will obtain her fitness level of last year or better. Our ultimate goal and hope is to enter the Breeders' Cup in November."

The Cup will be held Nov. 5-6 at Churchill Downs.

Rachel Alexandra is the 2-5 favorite as she heads a small field in the Fleur de Lis. The second choice, according to oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, is 4-1 Jessica Is Back. She was a runner-up in the Grade 3 Sixty Sails in her most recent start and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez.

Horse Racing Commission OKs new jockey advertising rule

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 01:29 PM PDT

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LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved a new rule on Tuesday requiring all terms for advertising on jockeys' pants to be provided in writing to the commission.

Representatives of jockeys, owners, trainers and Churchill Downs all have objected to the disclosure provision, saying many sponsors may not want that to be disclosed to a state agency and, possibly, the public.

Commission member Ned Bonnie, whose rules committee drafted the new rule, said promoting public confidence in racing is more important and justifies disclosure.

"Transparency is like soap," he said. "It cleans up a lot of things."

The rule will be implemented later this month under an emergency regulation, commission Executive Director Lisa Underwood said. A permanent change would be subject to legislative review.

An attorney for The Jockeys' Guild said the organization will seek to have the regulation changed as it is reviewed by legislative committees.

The guild wants the commission to increase mount fees for riders in conjunction with the advertising changes and, because of that, opposes the use of an emergency regulation that would take effect when it is filed.

Also, the guild wants an exception for the race-by-race approval required for jockey advertising to allow riders to have long-term deals for multiple races.

In other business, the commission's license review committee approved a jockey's license for Greta Kuntzweiler subject to her agreeing to terms such as random drug testing.

She pleaded guilty in Jefferson Circuit Court in 2007 to methamphetamine-related charges and was placed on probation.

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Horse Racing: General Quarters could win on three different surfaces

Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:36 PM PDT

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He won't have to face the Horse of the Year, but Norwich native Tom McCarthy will have plenty of competition come Saturday.

General Quarters, the thoroughbred McCarthy trained and owns, will be breaking from post No. 6 in a field of 11 in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The entries include Macho Again, who won the 11⁄8-mile race last year. Battle Plan is the favorite at 5-to-2 morning line odds, with General Quarters the third choice at 4-to-1. Blame is considered a threat at 3-to-1.

McCarthy is hoping for a victory before he comes to Norwich on June 23 to accept the Native Son Award given by the city's Rotary Club and Woman's City Club.

"It would certainly make it more of a celebration," McCarthy, a 1952 Norwich Free Academy graduate, said by cell phone from Louisville, where the trainer/owner lives and competes at Churchill Downs.

The Foster is the 10th race on the Churchill card and will be run at about 5:29 p.m. (HRTV). Wagering and viewing are available locally at the Ultimate Race Book at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mohegan Sun Race Book, and Winners at J.D. Cooper's in Putnam.

McCarthy and his 4-year-old gray will be aiming to thwart a former ally for the second straight race. Robby Albarado, won rode General Quarters to three second-place finishes at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans this winter, will be aboard Macho Again.

Albarado is bidding to become the first jockey to win the Foster four times, having won the last three straight.

Albarado lost out on being the first jockey to win the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic four times when General Quarters won the May 1 race on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Albarado switched from General Quarters to favorite Court Vision. Court Vision ran second in the Woodford.

McCarthy, 76, is on his own glory quest.

A victory in the Stephen Foster would make General Quarters only the second horse to win three grade 1 races on three different racing surfaces (grass, dirt and synthetic Polytrack). Lava Man, a retired California runner, is the only one to have done it.

In last year's Foster, Albarado and Macho Again denied Einstein the honor General Quarters is seeking. 

The Stephen Foster marks what is expected to be a brief return to dirt running for General Quarters. McCarthy wanted to keep the horse competing on grass after his upset Woodford victory, but could not find a grass contest close to Churchill Downs.

McCarthy wants to run in the $1 million Arlington Million at Chicago's Arlington Park on Aug. 21 and the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill on Nov. 6, America's two premier grass events.

Alex Solis will be racing on General Quarters for the first time in the Foster. Solis, a 28-year veteran who was being considered for the Hall of Fame this year, has earned $6.8 million in Breeders' Cup races including a record-time performance aboard Kona Gold in the BC Sprint 10 years ago at Churchill.

McCarthy lost the services of the country's top-earning jockey at least for Saturday. Rafael Bejarano, who won with General Quarters in the Woodford, is committed to ride in California that day.   

Rachel Alexandra, the reigning Horse of the Year who defeated General Quarters and others in the 2009 Preakness Stakes, was being considered for the Foster, but owner Jess Jackson opted to run her in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap, a females-only race, that will also be on Saturday.

Still, General Quarters will have no easy time. Battle Plan has won his last four races, including a victory over General Quarters in the March 27 New Orleans Handicap. Eibar Coa, who rode General Quarters to victory in the 2009 Blue Grass Stakes, will be aboard Duke of Mischief.

General Quarters, Blame, and Arson Squad will be carrying the most weight. Each has been assigned allowances of 120 pounds.

"I expect it to be a difficult race," McCarthy said.

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