It’s True… Anna’s Fast

The third race at Keeneland, Wednesday April 24, featured the debut of a rocket ship, appropriately named Anna’s Fast. She won the maiden special weight by six lengths, taking the lead shortly out of the starting gate and never looking back. The first winner (and only second starter) for freshman sire Fast Anna, standing for only $7500 at Three Chimneys Farm, she was also his most expensive two-year-old, selling for $470,000 at the Ocala Breeders March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, after fetching only $32,500 as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton July, but her worth increased when she ran a 9 4/5 furlong with ease for the sale, and her precocity at one furlong demonstrated itself equally at five and a half.

Out of the Yes Its True mare True Will, her pedigree evidences no inbreeding through the first five generations, though a glimpse further back reveals a build-up of Hail to Reason, by Turn-To, and his close genetic relative, Blushing Groom, giving us every reason to suspect she can and will go farther. Trained by Wesley Ward, whose two-year-olds, as usual, are excelling early, and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, this filly is one to keep an eye on.

Fast Anna is by Medaglia d’Oro, and, though he himself did not run at two, his dam, Dreaming of Anna, by Rahy, was Champion Two-Year-Old Filly and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies-G1. Fast Anna was also a Grade One placer, finishing second in the prestigious King’s Bishop S.-G1 at Saratoga. When reviewing his pedigree in this publication when he began his stud career, we noted the promise there, with Blue Hen mares Somethingroyal, Ballade, La Troienne and Rough Shod II making appearances. Three Chimneys may have a serious contender for leading freshman sire in their ranks.

— Roberta Smoodin

Munnings’ Quiet Success

Munnings’ success at stud comes as something as a surprise. Standing at Ashford/Coolmore America with all the superstars, such as Uncle Mo, American Pharoah, Justify and others, and at a $20,000 stud fee this year, his offspring have made him a proud papa.

Yesterday, April 7, his daughter Fancy Dress Party took the Beaumont S.-G3 wire to wire at Keeneland, in serious slop and pouring rain, keeping her race record a perfect four-for-four. She beat Baffert’s ship-in favorite, Mother Mother, holding the latter off in the final steps of the race with grit and determination. As well, Fancy Dress Party is a beautiful filly, chestnut like her dad with a dishy, blaze face, justifying her $280,000 yearling price.

While at Ashford several years ago to look at stallions, when Munnings had just retired, the staff insisted on bringing Munnings out for a view. I was blown away. Not a very big horse, Munnings is a very muscular, well made, masculine, handsome horse with tons of bone—he looked like a body builder. I recommended him to clients after this, and he has not disappointed.

His best runner, the stellar filly I’m a Chatterbox, from his first crop, was a multiple grade one winner and multi-millionaire, and others have picked up the mantle since, including Fancy Dress Party’s full brother, Will Munnings, whom she has already transcended by winning this graded stake race and earning $222,405.

Munnings has demonstrated success with mares who offer inbreeding to both Northern Dancer and Mr. Prospector, which Fancy Dress Party’s dam, The Schvagen, does indeed provide, through Dayjur. The Schvagen is by Matty G., a grandson of Seattle Slew through his huge, handsome son Capote, providing the size that suits Munnings, while also providing big doses of Nasrullah and Mahmoud, complementing Munnings’ Holy Bull dam, La Comete, as well as his two doses of Secretariat by adding another tail female dose of Princequillo. Munnings has produced four foals out of Matty G. mares, and all of them have started, all of them have won, with two black type winners, Fancy Dress Party and her brother. Stats like this must be recognized.

Sometimes, seeing is believing. Fancy Dress Party’s beauty and ability make her a chip off the old block, and add to Munnings’ quiet ascension to the ranks of important stallions.

— Roberta Smoodin

Michael Wrona Named Track Announcer At Arizona Downs

Press Release: Arizona Downs has landed one of the world’s preeminent race-callers in naming Michael Wrona the announcer when live horse racing returns to the region for the first time in a decade.

Arizona Downs will run both thoroughbred and quarter-horse racing May 24 through Labor Day, Sept. 2.

“In this year of exploring fresh opportunities, it seems fitting to become associated with a brand-new project,” Wrona said. “The racing industry is contracting in so many ways, so everybody should be supportive of a new track. There’s an air of anticipation and excitement surrounding Arizona Downs, and I’m looking forward to helping launch this new venture.”

The Australian-born Wrona, who has called races at American tracks from coast to coast as well as overseas, is familiar with Arizona racing, having been the announcer at Phoenix’s Turf Paradise for the 1999-2000 season.

“This will be a chance to experience a different part of Arizona, a much-more comfortable part of Arizona in the summer months,” he said. “I’ve only driven through there once or twice in one of my many treks across the country, but I’m quite looking forward to spending some time there.”

The 53-year-old Australian-born Wrona has earned a reputation as one of the sport’s most colorful and entertaining announcers, weaving humor into precise calls. His simple proclamation of “Racing!” as the horses spring from the gate is among the best-known race-call signatures in the sport.

“I am thrilled that Michael is joining our team,” said Ann McGovern, Arizona Downs’ general manager. “He is an incredible talent and we are fortunate that his voice will be associated with the opening of Arizona Downs. Our goal is to grow Arizona racing and Michael’s race calling will be an important factor in reaching that goal. Michael brings instant credibility to those familiar with racing and his style resonates with newcomers to the sport.

“And to top off our good fortune, Michael’s wife, Kathy, is an experienced mutuel teller and will also be joining our team!”

Wrona called the races for two years at Santa Anita when the iconic Trevor Denman left out of a desire to cut back on his work schedule. Wrona’s tenure ended when new management put its own people into some key positions for the 2019 winter-spring meet.

Wrona already had been announced as the new race-caller at Kentucky Downs’ five-date, all-grass meet on the Tennessee border. McGovern said the track will have a guest announcer for the closing Labor Day weekend, with Wrona committed to Kentucky Downs’ Aug. 31 opener.

“I have just such a positive vibe from Ann from the first moment we spoke,” he said. “I’m very appreciative of Arizona Downs being willing to release me from their closing weekend so that I can fulfill my obligation to Kentucky Downs.”

Wrona started calling races in 1983 at age 17 at Kilcoy Racecourse, near his hometown of Brisbane, Australia, and continued to call thoroughbred, harness and greyhound races around Brisbane until coming to America in 1990, serving as Hollywood Park’s announcer for the balance of the Los Angeles track’s season.

His extensive resume also includes serving as announcer at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields in Northern California, Chicago’s Arlington Park, Retama and Lone Star Park in Texas, New Orleans’ Fair Grounds, Los Alamitos thoroughbreds and California’s Sonoma and Fresno fair meets.

“It’s been a very interesting adventure,” he said. “I’ve been in America longer than Australia now, and it just continues to throw out surprise after surprise.”

Arizona Downs’ upcoming meet will be the first live racing in the Prescott area since the track, then known as Yavapai Downs, shut down in 2010. J & J Equine Enterprises, an affiliate of the Phoenix-based retail investment and development company JACOR Partners, acquired the old Yavapai Downs property in 2017, renaming the track Arizona Downs.

Arizona Downs is open daily at 9 a.m. for betting on tracks across the country and has off-track-betting operations at Connolly’s Sports Grill and Bull Shooters Sports Bar & Grill in Phoenix, The Museum Club in Flagstaff and Gallagher’s Dining & Pub in Lake Havasu City, with more to locations to be added.

 

 

Maven Wins At Aqueduct & Gives American Pharoah His First US Winner

What a surprise! As of today, April 19, American Pharoah has taken over as leading freshman sire, with two debut winners out of three starters, the first winner, Monarch of Egypt, in Ireland, the second, today, at Aqueduct, in the first race, a $100,000 maiden special weight. Maven, trained by two-year-old whiz Wesley Ward, sent out Maven as the prohibitive favorite, and the colt won gate-to-wire, despite running green down the stretch.

Out of the Any Given Saturday mare Richie’s Party Girl, Maven aced the four and a half furlong contest by half a length, and will certainly improve with experience. Ridden by Dylan Davis and owned by Richard Ravin, Maven collected the $50,000 winner’s share to give American Pharoah just over $77,000 in first crop earnings, sending him soaring into first place above Ashford’s other freshman phenom, Competitive Edge, and nearly doubling that young stallion’s progeny earnings.

Particularly impressive was the fact that Maven is a May 24 colt, meaning he is not yet truly two. It’s still early, but it would seem that American Pharoah may be one of those exceptional racehorses who is able to impart his own brilliance to his offspring. All of his yearling and two-year-old prices at auction indicated that his first crop looked the part. Now, it would seem, they are beginning to get their starring roles.

Coalition Representing Major U.S. Tracks Announces Lasix Ban For 2-Year-Old Races, Then Stakes

Press Release: A coalition of leading Thoroughbred racing associations and organizations announced today a new horse racing initiative committed to phasing out the use of the medication Furosemide (Lasix) beginning in 2020 and eliminating the use of Lasix in stakes races held at their racetracks beginning in 2021. 

Coalition racetracks that have signed on to this initiative include all tracks owned or operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and The Stronach Group as well as Del Mar, Keeneland, Lone Star Park and Remington Park, Los Alamitos Racecourse (Thoroughbred), Oaklawn Park and Tampa Bay Downs. Taken together these tracks represent 86% of the stakes races assigned graded or listed status in the United States in 2018.  The coalition tracks will work diligently with their respective horsemen’s associations and racing commissions towards implementing this effort.

Under the new program, beginning on January 1, 2020, two-year old horses would not be allowed to be treated with Lasix within 24 hours of a race. Beginning in 2021, the same prohibition would extend to all horses participating in any stakes race at coalition tracks. Accordingly, in 2021 the races comprising the Triple Crown would all be run under the new rules regarding race day medication.

Breeders’ Cup Limited, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Association (TOBA) and the American Graded Stakes Committee of TOBA, and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association have also joined the coalition in support of this new policy.

“This is a progressive and unified approach to the subject of race day medication, achieving consistency with international standards for young horses and those that form the foundations of our breeding stock,” said David O’Rourke, president and chief executive officer of NYRA. 

“This is a huge moment that signals a collective move to evolve this legacy sport. While there is still more work to be done, these reforms are a good start. This industry coalition has taken an important step forward toward a uniform policy and we are committed to focusing our attention and resources on how to make further improvements that directly prioritize equine health and safety. We applaud our industry partners and we look forward to continued collaboration,” said Belinda Stronach, chairman and president of The Stronach Group.

“Over the past several years, we have met with numerous stakeholders to drive action on many of our sport’s central issues,” said Bill Carstanjen, chief executive officer of CDI. “This is a significant and meaningful step to further harmonize American racing with international standards. We will continue to work with other stakeholders, including our horsemen and regulatory agencies, to fully implement this and other important reforms.”

“This new program is an essential step as we look toward the long-term sustainability of US-breds on the national and international stages. Protecting the integrity of our sport is core to our mission and is our collective responsibility to the industry,” said Keeneland president and chief executive officer Bill Thomason.

The coalition racing organizations invite other North American race tracks to join this effort and adopt the same policies. Participating tracks include Aqueduct Racetrack, Arlington International Racecourse, Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, Del Mar, Fair Grounds, Gulfstream Park, Gulfstream Park West, Keeneland, Laurel Park, Lone Star Park and Remington Park, Los Alamitos (Thoroughbred), Oaklawn Park, Pimlico, Presque Isle Downs, Saratoga Race Course and Tampa Bay Downs. Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita Park will continue to run under the previously announced limitations to race-day medication.

Two Year Old Filly Reiterate Is First Winner for Ashford Stud’s Competitive Edge

Two-year-old filly Reiterate became first crop stallion Competitive Edge’s first winner in a thrilling dead heat at Gulstream Park on April 11, 2019. The maiden special weight contest’s win turned Competitive Edge into the leading first crop sire of the year thus far, though it is early and that list will certainly change. Standing at Ashford Stud in Kentucky, Competitive Edge, though a precocious two-year-old who won the Hopeful S.-G1 and was unbeaten at two, met with suspicion when he entered stud as he was by Kentucky Derby-G1 winner Super Saver, a son of Maria’s Mon, an uncelebrated sire line. Beginning his career with a $10,000 stud fee, Competitive Edge stands for $5,000 this year, and all mare owners who bred to him for that bargain price have to be feeling wonderful right about now.

Reiterate, by the Arch mare Flying Arch, has a pedigree that features Seeking the Gold, who appears in her sire’s pedigree as his dam’s grandfather, and adds to the many cameos by Buckpasser in Competitive Edge, through Wavering Monarch’s dam, A.P. Indy, and his own dose of Seeking the Gold, not to mention a build-up of La Troienne through Buckpasser and other relatives. Competitive Edge’s two doses of Northern Dancer, through Dehere and Sovereign Dancer, are matched in Reiterate’s dam’s side by Danzig and Sadler’s Wells, just as her Hail to Reason through Roberto is matched by Seattle Slew’s dose of this influential sire in Competitive Edge. Most interesting, Competitive Edge features Secretariat’s dam, Somethingroyal, through Dehere, while Reiterate’s dam’s side features one of the other great mares of the twentieth century, Courtly Dee, through Arch. This is a filly who should go on and succeed at longer distances as a three-year-old.

Just two days before, a Competitive Edge two-year-old in training fetched $235,000 at the Keeneland April Sale, a hefty return on a $10,000 stud fee. Others from his first crop did not fare so well, selling for $25,000 and $1,500, with one buy back at $80,000. At last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Dermot Magnier, as a representative of Coolmore, supported Competitive Edge by paying $75,000 and $115,000 for first yearlings by this sire, though non-Coolmore buyers did ante up $160,000 and $120,000 for first crop yearlings.

It remains to be seen what will unfold for Competitive Edge’s first crop, but his wins at two, both by multiple lengths, and his record-breaking speed at three, also by multiple lengths, indicate that predictions of first crop success may not be premature.

— Roberta Smoodin

Kentucky Derby Countdown: Anothertwistafate, Sueno Heading To Churchill Downs With ‘Fingers Crossed’

Press Release: The top three finishers from Saturday’s $200,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3), Owendale, Anothertwistafate and Sueno, are either at Churchill Downs or soon will be, according to their connections.

Rupp Racing’s Owendale, who notched his first stakes victory with a 1¾-length triumph, might head back to Churchill Monday to join trainer Brad Cox’s string there, according to Tessa Bisha, who runs Cox’s barn at Keeneland.

“He was one of the first 2-year-olds we got here last year about this time,” Bisha said of Owendale, who had five works here last spring before going to Ellis Park to begin his racing career. “He has always had the talent, and I think the big thing yesterday is the rider (Florent Geroux, who was aboard for the first time) let him settle.”

The victory earned Owendale 20 points toward qualifying for the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), a total that is good for 29th on the leaderboard. The Derby is limited to the top 20 point earners and invitees that pass the entry box.

Via text, Cox said the Preakness (G1) is a possibility for Owendale.

Peter Redekop’s Anothertwistafate picked up eight Derby points with his runner-up effort to boost his Derby points total to 38, good for 23rd on the final leaderboard.

“He ate up good and cooled out fine, and that’s the main thing,” trainer Blaine Wright said Sunday morning.

“He will spend a couple more days here and then go to Churchill maybe Tuesday or Wednesday,” Wright continued. “We planned to go to Churchill no matter what, so now we will take a wait-and-see approach.”

Anothertwistafate raced on the inside and was boxed in from the half-mile pole to the quarter pole.

“He did not have the best of trips,” Wright said of his first Keeneland starter. “I don’t think he likes being inside. The rider (Javier Castellano) tried to tip him out at the head of the stretch, but the leader drifted out and he had to go back inside.”

Should Anothertwistafate run in the Derby, he would represent the second starter for Redekop, whose Cause to Believe finished 13th behind Barbaro in 2006.

“If he doesn’t get in (the Derby), we still have the Preakness,” Wright said of Anothertwistafate, who gained an automatic berth into the May 18 race by winning the El Camino Real Derby (L) at Golden Gate Fields on Feb. 16. “He has done a lot of shipping, and I think the best thing now would be to get to one place and settle in.”

Silverton Hill’s Sueno finished another 1¼ lengths back in third and picked up four Derby points to increase his total to 32, a figure that ranks 24th on the leaderboard.

“He got back to Churchill last night, and he came out of the race great,” said Julie Clark, assistant to trainer Keith Desormeaux. “Now we will keep our fingers crossed.”

Two years ago at this time, another Desormeaux runner, Sonneteer, was basically in the same position as Sueno. He was 26th in points after finishing fourth in the Arkansas Derby (G1). A week before the Kentucky Derby, he was 22nd when he shipped to Churchill from Southern California.

“We had some other horses we were bringing, and we felt there was a good chance he would get in,” Clark said of Sonneteer. “It would not have made sense to stay in California if he could have gotten in.”

 

 

The Wonderful Winx Bids Farewell With a Thirty Third Straight Win In Her Final Race

The amazing and astonishing Australian racemare Winx bowed out of her racing career with a win in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney Saturday. This final victory took Winx’s earnings to over $26 million AUS, equivalent to $17 million US. In her customary come from behind style Winx took it up at the quarter pole and won going away in another convincing victory.

We salute this wonderful horse for her longevity and consistency. She is one of the all time greats and goes into the history books. We now look forward to seeing her babies race.

Thoroughbred racing in the USA needs stars, heroes and heroines like Winx to thrive. It should be noted in these contentious times in US racing that Winx raced exclusively on turf and no lasix ever entered her system.

Would Winx have had such a long and storied career if she had raced on dirt tracks and lasix? 

Watch Winx’s farewell race victory Here

American Pharoah’s First Two Year Old Starter Wins In Ireland

It looks like all the sales results reflected American Pharoah’s value as a stallion correctly. Today, April 13, at Naas Racecourse in Ireland, Monarch of Egypt was the Triple Crown Winner’s first starter, and his first winner. He took the opener at Naas, leading all the way, as the 9/10 favorite for trainer Aidan O’Brien and jockey Ryan Moore.

Owned by Peter Brant and Mrs. John Magnier, the colt was a $750,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale, making him relatively low-priced in terms of the many millionaire yearlings by American Pharoah sold last year. Bred in Kentucky by Ran Jan Racing, Inc., and out of the Galileo mare Up, the five furlong contest seemed just a walk in the park for this colt with a bright future.

Finishing third was an offspring of another first crop stallion standing in Kentucky, Karakontie. In the Present, bred by Flaxman Holdings, another stellar name in the thoroughbred firmament, made a promising debut for his young and relatively unheralded sire.

— Roberta Smoodin

CHRB Cancels Apr. 12 Meeting; Santa Anita Dates Discussion Moved To Apr. 18

The special meeting of the California Horse Racing Board that was scheduled for April 12 has been canceled.

The discussion of Santa Anita Park is being moved to the agenda for the April 18 meeting of the Board. The April 18 meeting will take place in the Baldwin Terrace Room at Santa Anita beginning at 9:30 a.m.

The package of materials for the April 18 meeting will be posted on the CHRB website by April 12. The public is encouraged to attend the April 18 meeting. An audio-only webcast of the meeting can be heard through a link on the CHRB website (webcast).