Racing! Stewards’ rulings are back

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we look at final works before the Kentucky Derby.

Our coverage of the Kentucky Derby is actually starting in today’s print edition and Sunday on the web. You can start by looking at the five story lines to watch from the Derby. Just click here.

Check back at our different platforms during the week until the newsletter resumes on Friday.

Quickly, though, here’s a list of Derby workouts on Sunday, courtesy of Churchill Downs.

--By My Standards: Four furlongs in :48.40 (12th fastest of 76 at the distance). Fractions of :12.40, :24, :36.40, out five furlongs in 1:00.60, six furlongs in 1:12.80 and seven furlongs in 1:26.60.

--Code of Honor: Four furlongs in :46.80 (Second fastest of 76). Fractions of :11.80, :23.20, :35.20, out five furlongs in :59.40, six furlongs in 1:13.20.

--Country House and Tacitus: They were in company together, five furlongs in 1:00 (Fourth fastest of 25). Fractions of :12.20, :24.20, :35.80, :48, out six furlongs in 1:12.80, seven furlongs in 1:26 and a mile in 1:39.80.

--Improbable: Five furlongs in company in 1:00.60 (Ninth fastest of 25). Fractions of :11.80, :23.60, :36.40, out six furlongs in 1:13 and seven furlongs in 1:25.60.

--Win Win Win: Four furlongs in company in :47.60 (Fourth fastest of 76). Fractions of :24.20, :36, out five furlongs in 1:00.20.

Stewards rulings

Lots to catch up on, but few more interesting than our review of stewards’ rulings at Santa Anita.

--Jockey Geovanni Franco is fined $100 for using his riding crop four times without giving his mount, Posterize, a chance to respond in the seventh race on March 31. Posterize finished second in the race.

--Trainer Bill Spawr was fined $2,000 after a horse in is care, Matriculate, tested positive for Naproxen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for muscle pain and soft tissue injuries. Matriculate won the second race on Feb. 1. Spawr said he thought the medication was given to the wrong horse since the horse in the stall next to Matriculate was on the medication. It was Spawr’s eight medication violation in the last four years.

--Groom Miguel Rodriguez has been restored in good standing and had his license reinstated. He was suspended on Oct. 20 when he was found to be living in a trailer on the grounds of Del Mar without being on a trainer’s work list.

--Trainer Michael McCarthy was fined $50 after taking a 2-year-old out to the training track before the allotted time on April 3. McCarthy accepted the penalty without dissension.

--Pony rider Roberto Ramos was fined $50 for entering the training track too early on April 4. Outrider Cindy Ellet also issued a violation notice to exercise rider Miguel Rodriguez for entering the training track too early on April 4. Ellet said Rodriguez directly ignored her orders.

--(Note: This involves a horse partly owned by our own Eric Sondheimer.) Agent Derek Lawson was fined $300 for failing to honor a jockey call promised to co-owner Jeff Siegel and horse Brave Helios. Siegel thought that jockey Flavien Prat would ride his horse on April 7 but Prat was rerouted to Feeling Strong for trainer Hector Palma. Lawson agreed that he did not honor the call. Feeling Strong finished seventh and Brave Helios finished ninth with jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

--Trainer Peter Miller was fined $400 for a late registration of Miss Flawless for authorized bleeder medication. Miss Flawless finished seventh in the Providencia Stakes on April 3. It was her first race in North America.

--Jockey Geovanni Franco was suspended for three days (April 14, 19, 20) for failure to keep his horse on a straight path in the stretch and causing interference. In the first race on April 6, Franco’s mount Fool’s Paradise angled in sharply and put pressure on Birdie Golo forcing the horse to bump Pulpit Rider, who had to check sharply. The stewards determined that Franco could have corrected his mount earlier but didn’t do it until after the interference. Fool’s Paradise finished fifth.

--Trainer Mark Glatt was fined $400 for late registration of Zorich taking bleeder medication before the ninth race on April 7. Zorich finished third in the maiden claiming race.

--Jockey Tiago Pereira was fined $100 for using his riding crop more than three times without giving the horse a chance to respond. His horse, The Street Fighter, won the race.

--Trainer Peter Miller was fined $400 for a late scratch of his horse River Echo on April 14. Miller said when he entered the horse he wanted the horse to be ineligible to being claimed. The racing official said Miller did not call for the horse to be ineligible. Because the problem could not be resolved, Miller did not run his horse.

--Jockey Mario Gutierrez was suspended for three days (April 27, 28, May 3) when his appeal of a suspension issued on Nov. 10 at Del Mar was overruled. In the Kathryn Crosby Stakes on Nov. 9, Guiterrez was cited for careless riding after Excellent Sunset in the stretch, causing interference. The horse was placed disqualified to second.

--Jockey Edwin Maldonado was fined $50 for failure to show for a film review on April 20. Maldonado said he forgot and apologized.

--Jockey Franco was suspended an additional day (April 27) for riding at Charles Town Race Track on April 20 while on suspension at Santa Anita.

--Jockey Evin Roman was suspended three days (April 28, May 3, 4) after his horse, Outlaw, was disqualified from first to second in the third race on April 20. The stewards ruled that Roman did not maintain a straight course and interfered.

Santa Anita review

The feature on Sunday was the $100,000 Singletary Stakes for horses going a mile on the turf. Neptune’s Storm switched barns when trainer William Morey was put on the bench while the CHRB investigated charges of milkshaking. Richard Baltas was the beneficiary.

Neptune’s Storm won by three-quarters of a length over Shining Through. Storm paid $6.80, $3.60 and $2.80. Jasikan was third.

“This is a very game horse,” winning jockey Drayden Van Dyke said. “We had [pacesetter] Big Scott Daddy as a target and when we passed him on the far turn, he threw his ears up and waited a little bit on those other horses. When they came to him, he re-broke and really ran hard. He’s a nice horse.”

Baltas recognized his good fortune in getting the horse.

“We got lucky with this horse, he came to us in great shape from Billy [Morey],” Baltas said. “He was a little lazy in his first work, but he’s been training well. I saw this morning that two of the clocking sheets had each given him a B-plus, which I’ve never seen. He doesn’t show off in the morning, but as you saw, he can run.”

Big races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Sunday.

Woodbine (7): $100,000 Wando Stakes, 3-year-olds 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Skywire ($3.80)

Lone Star (7): Grade 3 $300,000 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes, 3 and up, 1 mile. Winner: Mocito Rojo ($12.40)

Belmont (9): $125,000 License Fee Stakes, fillies and mares 4 and up, 6 furlongs. Winner: Fire Key ($4.70)

Santa Anita (5); $100,000 Singletary Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile on turf. Winner: Neptune’s Storm ($6.80)

Golden Gate (9): $100,000 Campanile Stakes, Cal-bred fillies 3-years-old, 1 mile on turf. Winner: Kitty Boom Boom ($10.40)

Golden Gate (10): $100,000 Silky Sullivan Stakes, Cal-bred 3-year-olds, 1 mile on turf. Winner: Irish Heatwave ($7.80)

Final thought

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Now, here’s the star of the show, Sunday’s results. See you on Friday.

VIOLETTE SZABO broke out some, had speed outside then inched away, set the pace off the rail, angled in on the turn, maintained the advantage under left handed urging in upper stretch, ducked out from the right handed crack of the whip past the eighth pole then turned back the bid of the runner-up under steady handling late. RUBY BRADLEY also broke out a bit, stalked inside then just off the rail into and on the turn and into the stretch, drifted out some from the whip in upper stretch, angled inward past midstretch to bid inside the winner then could not match that one late while clearly best of the others. INTO RISSA broke slowly, moved up inside to chase the pace, continued along the rail on the turn and in the stretch and was well clear for the show. VA VA VOOM had speed off the rail then stalked outside a rival, continued just off the fence into the stretch, drifted in late and weakened. MISS RICOCHET stalked outside a rival then dropped back a bit off the fence on the turn and had little left for the stretch. MORGAN'S HUMOR broke a bit slowly, chased outside or off the rail, came a bit wide into the stretch and gave way.

MUCHOS BESOS was sent between rivals to the early lead, set the pace a bit off the rail, drifted out a bit in the stretch and held on gamely under urging. DUKES UP three deep into the first turn, stalked outside then three wide into and on the second turn, was carried out a bit into the stretch, continued three wide through the drive and edged a rival for the place. PLAY HARD TO GET saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, angled back to the inside in midstretch and continued willingly but was edged for second. PIONEEROF THE WEST stalked outside a rival then off the rail, continued between foes into and on the second turn and into the stretch and was outfinished for a minor award. FINALLYGOTABENTLEY chased outside a rival then a bit off the rail, angled to the inside on the backstretch to save ground, dropped back into and on the second turn, gave way and was eased through the drive.

JIMMY THE JUICE chased outside then angled in leaving the backstretch, came out leaving the turn and again in upper stretch and rallied under urging to get up in the final stride. MARKET SENTIMENT had good early speed and dueled outside a rival, inched away from that one in deep stretch and held on well but was edged on the line. TIZ LOVE stalked off the rail then outside the winner, came three deep into the stretch and just edged a rival for the show. PAPA TURF bobbled slightly at the start, was sent inside then drifted out and dueled inside the runner-up then along the rail on the turn, fought back inside in the stretch, could not match the top pair late and just lost third. CALIE VIEW also bobbled some in a bit of a slow start, settled inside, came out on the turn and around a rival into the stretch and had little left for the drive then was eased in the final furlong. CONQUEST DADDYO chased off the rail then angled in midway on the backstretch, saved ground thereafter, dropped back on the turn, gave way and was eased in the stretch.

SUPREMA prompted the pace three deep between horses then three wide into the turn, stalked off the rail leaving the turn and into the stretch and came back on under urging in the final furlong to get up nearing the wire. DADDYS REAL DIVA had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back when headed into the stretch to regain the advantage in midstretch, and was worn down approaching the line. GREY LADY dueled between horses then outside the runner-up leaving the turn, put a head in front into the stretch, fought back in the drive but could not match the top pair late while holding third. GOTTA BE LUCKY prompted the pace four wide then stalked off the rail into and on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and weakened. KIRSCH TRUFFLE between foes early, fell back and angled in to save ground stalking the pace, came out a bit into the stretch and also weakened.

NEPTUNE'S STORM angled in and pressed the pace outside a rival, took the lead into the stretch, inched away in midstretch, fought back between foes under left handed urging in deep stretch and held on gamely. SHINING THROUGH saved ground stalking the pace, steadied in a bit tight off heels in upper stretch, came out a bit for room and split rivals in midstretch, bid along the fence in deep stretch and continued willingly. JASIKAN (IRE) hesitated and broke slowly, chased outside a rival then three deep leaving the backstretch and on the second turn, came four wide into the stretch, drifted in some in midstretch and bid outside the top pair in deep stretch and also went on gamely to the end. KING OF SPEED broke out a bit, pulled between horses and stalked between rivals, fell back a bit between foes on the backstretch and second turn, came out in upper stretch and lacked the needed rally. BIG SCOTT DADDY had good early speed and angled in, set a pressured pace inside, fought back into the stretch, continued inside and weakened late. URBAN LIGHT (IRE) squeezed back some at the start, pulled outside foes then stalked three deep, continued alongside a rival leaving the backstretch and on the second turn, came three wide into the stretch, steadied in tight off heels between foes nearing midstretch and could not offer the necessary late kick. RIJEKA (IRE) stalked the pace inside, came out between horses into the stretch, also steadied some in tight off heels in midstretch and weakened late.

GROUND ATTACK chased inside then off the rail on the backstretch, came out on the second turn and four wide into the stretch, took a short lead in midstretch, fought back under some when headed past midstretch to regain the advantage and gamely prevailed under a hold late. I CAN DO THIS stalked inside, bid between horses into the second turn then gained the lead outside the pacesetter leaving that turn, fought back to a short lead past midstretch and continued willingly but could not quite match the winner late. NAP LAJOIE chased between horses then outside a rival, bid four wide into the second turn, continued outside, re-bid three deep between foes into the stretch and held third. OH MAN three deep into the first turn, stalked outside a rival, split foes with a bid three deep into the second turn, fell back some and angled in leaving that turn, drifted in some late and was outfinished for the show. TERRIBLE TED sped between foes to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside, dueled into and on the second turn and weakened in the drive.

MARCKIE'S WATER pulled three deep early then chased outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch, rallied under left handed urging to get up four wide nearing the wire. TIZZARUNNER saved ground stalking the pace, waited some along the inside early on the second turn, cut the corner into the stretch, came out for room in midstretch, rallied between horses under urging in deep stretch then had the rider lose the whip approaching the line. ASHLEYLUVSSUGAR angled in and stalked just off the rail, bid outside the pacesetter on the second turn and into the stretch, took a short lead, fought back between horses in deep stretch and continued gamely to the end. OSCAR DOMINGUEZ (IRE) crossed to the inside and saved ground chasing the pace, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch and finished well. BOLO sped to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside, fought back along the rail on the second turn and through the stretch and continued gamely late. UNAPOLOGETIC a step slow to begin, was between horses early, saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. HUNT (IRE) stalked a bit off the rail then outside a rival, came out three wide into the stretch, drifted in late and weakened. PRINCE OF ARABIA a step slow into stride, angled in and saved ground off the pace, continued inside in the drive and did not rally.

LORD GUINNESS three deep into the first turn, stalked outside a rival, came out with a three wide bid into the stretch, gained a slim advantage nearing midstretch, fought back outside the runner-up under a couple left handed cracks of the whip and a strong hand ride and gamely prevailed. CALIFORNIA JOURNEY between horses early, stalked off the rail, bid outside the pacesetter leaving the second turn, was fanned out a bit into the stretch, battled between foes in midstretch then inside the winner and continued gamely to the end. COOL BOBBY pulled and saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch and edged a rival late for the show. BEAUMARCHAIS sped to the early lead, set the pace inside, fought back leaving the second turn, came out a bit into the stretch, angled in and fought back in midstretch, weakened some in the final sixteenth and was edged late for third. JAMMINWITHBRANDON pulled between foes early, angled in on the first turn and saved ground chasing the pace, continued inside into and through the stretch and did not rally. TARTINI settled off the pace inside, came out on the second turn and three wide into the stretch and lacked a further response. PLEASANT D'ORO four wide into the first turn, angled in and chased outside a rival, dropped back leaving the second turn, drifted to the fence in the stretch, gave way and was eased in the final furlong.

SQUARE PEGGY had good early speed off the rail then angled in, dueled inside, inched away on the turn, kicked clear under urging in the stretch and held on gamely. MOONSHINE ANNIE chased outside a rival then a bit off the rail, continued inside into and on the turn, came out into the stretch and closed willingly three deep on the line. SHYLOCK EDDIE stalked outside a rival then inside, steadied sharply off heels leaving the turn, came out in upper stretch and rallied gamely between foes late. SCATHING broke a bit slowly, settled off the rail then outside a rival on the turn, came three wide into the stretch and finished with some interest. EMMY AND I had speed outside then angled in and dueled alongside the winner, stalked just off the rail on the turn and into stretch and weakened some late. SETTLE IT stalked between horses then outside a rival into and on the turn and could not summon the needed late kick. CHASIN LUCAS angled in and raced in a good position stalking the pace inside to the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. ENGLISH ROYALITY sent inside to chase the pace, was shuffled back some a half mile out, went outside a rival on the turn and three deep into the stretch and did not rally. EREBUNI angled in and pulled her way along inside, steadied into the turn, continued inside and was not a threat.