Hastings' Weekly Winter Round-Up
Local photographer Allan de la Plante receives his second Sovereign nomination in two years, while Mike Heads takes a first look at contenders for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby
Hastings’ Photo Receives Sovereign Nod
Hastings’ photographer Allan de la Plante will be hoping for his second Sovereign Award in succession after it was announced this week that his picture “Holding Back Disaster” (above) has been nominated in the Media section of the prestigious annual awards. De la Plante won 2022’s Sovereign Award with “The Catch” (below).
The well-titled “Holding Back Disaster” catches a moment in time which could easily have become a horror story if not for the skill, courage and quick thinking of Caterina Dimond. The horse in question, JUVEE TOO, ducked sharply left when leaving the gate, giving rider Fraser Aebly no chance of staying in the plate. The horse then continued to gallop at full pace in the wrong direction and straight towards the oncoming field of runners. Fortunately, Caterina saw the danger and, with little regard for her own well-being, managed to neutralize the runaway train in the nick of time!
Discussing the photograph, Allan said: “I shot it from the balcony over Lackie’s old grill. About half a mile away. I saw the start, which I shot, then saw Caterina take off the wrong way up the track after the offending mount! Coincidentally, she is on ‘Sassy’, who is the same horse Cindy Barroby was on in last years winning photo.”
Judging for the Media Awards is performed by media professionals within the industry selected from across North America and the winner will be announced during the 49th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony on the evening of Thursday, April 18, 2024 at Paramount Eventspace in Woodbridge, Ontario.
The Jockey Club of Canada also announced this week that Robert “Red” McKenzie will be presented with the Special Sovereign Award. Selected unanimously by the Jockey Club of Canada’s Stewards, the Special Sovereign Award recognizes a particular achievement within a given year.
The honour is being bestowed upon Mr. McKenzie for becoming the oldest trainer to saddle a winner in Canada, doing so at the age of 96 on June 23, 2023 when his mare Entitled Star captured that day’s second race at Century Mile. With his training career dating to earlier than Equibase offers records, it is no doubt his career totals land him well above the 600+ wins and over $3.5M in earnings he has amassed since 1976.
There will also be awards for Michelle Armata with the 2023 Outstanding Groom Award sponsored by OLG and Jennifer Buck with the inaugural Outstanding Off-track Worker Award. Both Michelle and Jennifer are spoken of very highly by their nominators, Josie De Paulo and Hazel Bennett, respectively.
With trainer Mike De Paulo serving a suspension to begin the 2023 racing season, his wife, assistant trainer Josie De Paulo, relied heavily on Michelle’s ability to keep their staff motivated and in good spirits through leading by example and being a role model for her peers. Among the horses Michelle has cared for over the years is 2016 Sovereign Award Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and Horse-of-the-Year, Caren.
An 11-year veteran of Highfield Stock Farm in Okotoks, Alberta, Jennifer Buck now holds the role as Farm Manager and oversees the day-to-day operations of the farm. This includes handling successful sire FED BIZ and organizing his book of mares, foaling, yearling sales prep, and early training of yearlings before they embark on their careers at the racetrack.
Kentucky Derby Update
by Mike Heads
WITH the winner of the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby more likely than not to come from one of the major racing and training centres, we cast an eye over the leading players trying to make the starting gate at Churchill Downs on May 4th.
FAIR GROUNDS:
The $400,000 Risen Star stakes saw SIERRA LEONE (Gun Runner) solidify his chances as a Derby starter as he rallied from ninth early, settling behind slow early fractions under Tyler Gafflione, which made his stretch drive even more impressive as he collared pace setting TRACK PHANTOM at the sixteenth pole and outran his rival to the finish to win in 1:52.13 for nine furlongs over the sloppy track conditions. The Chad Brown pupil was making his first start of 2024 after showing brilliance last fall was and was installed as the 5-2 lukewarm favourite. He did not disappoint his backers or his large group of owners, which is headed by the Coolmore clan and Peter Brant.
TRACK PHANTOM went off as the second choice at 3-1 following his two consecutive Stakes scores in New Orleans. The son of Quality Road showed his usual brilliant gate speed from post 11 and easily struck the front. He dawdled through early splits of 24.32, 49.67 and 1:14.74 but quickened well when asked by Joel Rosario and looked like a winner in midstretch before being run down by SIERRA LEONE without excuse.
CATCHING FREEDOM (Constitution) continues to be one of trainer Brad Cox’s top chances for the Kentucky Derby. He turned in another solid effort, finishing third, beaten less than two lengths in a race that did not set up kindly for him.He did well to rally and is definitely one to keep an eye on.
I think this will be a productive race going forward with many of the runners likely to make their mark in the races ahead.
GULFSTREAM PARK:
The large contingent of KY Derby hopefuls in South Florida has not really brought out a true contender as of yet. Heavily favoured (1-5) in the Holy Bull Stakes was last year’s Juvenile champ FIERCENESS (City of Light) but, after being bumped at the start and racing a little wide on the first turn, he came up empty in the stretch and finished an uninspiring third for trainer Todd Pletcher. The winner, HADES (Awesome Slew), was making his Stakes debut, was afforded a very easy lead under Paco Lopez and stayed gamely to the wire to claim the victory. Finishing second with a perfect ground saving trip was DOMESTIC PRODUCT (Practical Joke) for conditioner Chad Brown.
Nothing really too appealing to follow out of Florida to date, but that will likely change next week in the Fountain of Youth stakes on March 2nd when we are expected to see the return of DORNOCH (Good Magic), winner of Remsen Stakes in Aqueduct last December when defeating SIERRA LEONE in a courageous comeback victory in the stretch. He is a full brother to the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner MAGE and has been training at Palm Meadows in Florida, preparing for his much anticipated return for trainer Danny Tartan and rider Luis Saez.
OAKLAWN PARK:
Year after year trainers use the rich races at Oaklawn Park to try and get their hopefuls ready for the first Saturday in May and Bob Baffert usually is leading the charge, although he has not surfaced with any runners as of yet. The one that climbed into contention was MYSTIK DAN (Goldencents), who exploded down the stretch to win the Southwest Stakes by eight lengths in a sharp time of 1:43.67 over the off track conditions for trainer Ken McPeek and rider Brian Hernandez Jr. He is not in Saturday’s $1.25 million Rebel Stakes, so perhaps a new shooter will appear.
The morning line favourite is TIMBERLAKE (Into Mischief) who is making his first start of 2024 for trainer Brad Cox since finishing a distant fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November. The second choice is JUST STEEL (Justify) who was second in the Southwest, finishing well behind MYSTIK DAN for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
MYSTIK DAN is skipping the Rebel Stakes and being pointed to the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby on March 30th. His trainer McPeek reported that, due to training being cancelled for a week at Oaklawn and with only three weeks between the Southwest and the Rebel, that is was best to skip this race and bring him up to the Arkansas Derby on works.
The Oaklawn prep races usually have a big impact in the Kentucky Derby but MYSTIK DAN, while impressive in the Southwest Stakes, doesn’t have the look of 1¼-mile horse to me. We will see what transpires in the Rebel and the Arkansas Derby and further our opinion then.
AQUEDUCT:
Inexperienced runners and horses trying to get some easier points tend to show up in New York in January and February, so there are no superstars there to follow. The Wood Memorial in early April is the one prep race that gets the top class three-year-olds to race nine furlongs for big Derby points. Keep an eye on New York in April.
SANTA ANITA:
There’s also little to report out of California as Bob Baffert’s stars NYSOS (Nyquist) and MUTH (Good Magic) continue to dominate the California circuit while accumulating no Derby points. The owners of Baffert runners have chosen not to change trainers to get points as per the Churchill Downs mandate and will remain under the Baffert roof, thus excluding them from the Kentucky Derby. Look for them to be huge factors in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.
World’s Richest Race
THE racing world looks to the Middle East this weekend, where 14 of the planet’s very best horses are scheduled to do battle in the $20 million Saudi Cup at Riyadh’s Abdulaziz Racecourse. The entire weekend, which began on Friday, carries purses of more than $35 million and is positioned as a celebration of the best of Saudi sporting, entertainment, cuisine and cultural experiences headlined by the “World’s Richest Race.” Early West-Coast risers can view all the action via HPI from 4am Saturday, with the Saudi Cup due off at 9:40am. Meisho Hario has been scratched and so the reserve, Scotland Yard, draws into the race. There’s a useful free program on the Saudi Cup website - click on the card below to be redirected there.
Feel the Force
The first foal by leading British Columbia-based sire COUNTERFORCE (Smart Strike) since he relocated to Stride Away Thoroughbreds, arrived this week in the shape of a filly out of the Stakes-placed mare, CHAMPAGNE GAL (Yes It’s True). The bonny youngster, who was bred by Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society director, Paul Caravetta (who purchased the mare in-foal to Practical Joke from the Glen Todd dispersal sale), is reportedly hale and hearty following a straightforward foaling. CHAMPAGNE GAL was a Maiden Special Weight and Allowance winner at Hastings who subsequently went on to finish third in the Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs.
New Stride News
Bloodhorse Daily Headlines — Saturday, February 24
Hong Kong Gold Cup Wagering
By Dawn Lupul
Betting races from Hong Kong is a fun challenge that can yield generous payoffs with some careful study and a little luck. Much like in North America, focusing on big races can provide an opportunity to get more value for your dollar with a lot of money being bet by casual players. Simply put, there is more money bet on horses on big days who have very little chance of winning.
This year’s Gold Cup will be run on February 25th, offering prize money of $10 million Hong King dollars, or just over $1.7 million Canadian. There are a couple of things I look at to make the handicapping puzzle a little easier.
First off, I like to see where the top riders have landed. Zac Purton has been consistently at the top echelon of Hong Kong racing, and I will normally include him in all vertical wagers. He is currently well clear of all jockeys this year, with 20 more wins than Karis Teetan and 30 ahead of Hugh Bowman.
Trainers in Hong Kong are much more evenly matched, and I rarely base a wager merely on a trainer stat.
Horses with recent action over the track can have a slight advantage, especially at similar distances. One angle that can lead to healthy payouts is to find the best horse who starts from the middle of the gate at long distances, like the 2000 metres of the Gold Cup. In shorter races the inside does well, and outside draws are challenging no matter how far they are running.
Take the time to keep an eye on the odds, especially right at the start of wagering and then in the last minute before post time. This advice applies to any track but is especially helpful when playing an unfamiliar and challenging track like Sha Tin.
All the best with your Hong Kong wagering!