Horse racing newsletter: California is still racing

Hello, my name is John Cherwa, and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we explain the argument the tracks and horsemen made to keep running.

As California shuts down in the wake of COVID-19, one thing will continue to function—horse racing. It went right up to within an hour of the first post at Santa Anita when the California Horse Racing Board offered guidance that the sport could continue to race under very strict guidelines. The general public is not allowed at the track. Also, owners, media and all non-essential personnel are excluded.

I hate to quote verbatim from a story, but this is the crux of the argument to continue racing, from something I wrote for web and print. If you want to read the whole thing, just click here.

“Both the Stronach Group, Del Mar and the Thoroughbred Owners of California made their pitch to keep running to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Lourdes M. Castro Ramirez, secretary of California Business, Consumer Services, the body that oversees racing, and Rick Baedeker, executive director of the CHRB.

“They made the argument that horse racing is a self-contained ecosystem and that the majority of people who care for the horses live on the backstretch of the track. There are more than 1,000 people that live at Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields.

“There are more than 3,000 horses at Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields. Horses can’t be kept in the barn all the time and need to be exercised to keep from being fractious in their stalls and potentially hurt themselves. So, they would have to be taken out to jog or gallop. The tracks argued that the number of people it takes to put on racing is far less than what it takes on a daily basis to care, train and exercise the horses.

“The fear is that if horses are kept in training, with no chance of racing, that many owners and trainers would leave California. It costs around $100 to $125 a day to keep a horse under the care of a trainer and without the possibility of racing purses that the industry would collapse.”

It seems like a smart argument, and, here’s the kicker, The Stronach Group plans to donate all its profits, although it didn’t have a specific plan yet as to who that might be. That takes the greed argument square off the table. It shows TSG is trying hard to help the industry out of this latest crisis, not going for short-term profits.

Ron Flatter gives a history lesson

It’s time for our weekly contribution from Ron Flatter of the Vegas Stats and Information Network. He offers up some thoughts about how this isn’t the first time racing has had a situation like this. Ron, what insights do you have?

“The news was not unexpected, but it was still a shock to read.

“ ‘In compliance with the order of the Maryland State Board of Health, the management of the Laurel race track announced late this afternoon that until further notice the track will be closed and racing discontinued (because of) the epidemic.’

“Old news? Exactly. But that was not from this week’s response to the coronavirus. That was how the Daily Racing Form reported the track’s closing on Oct. 12, 1918, because of the outbreak of what was known in those final days of World War I as the Spanish flu. The pandemic was eventually blamed for 675,000 American deaths between 1918 and 1920.

“It was not long after Laurel was closed when civic leaders and experts of yester-century expressed confidence that the flu had been harnessed in the immediate area. So, the track was reopened two weeks later, welcoming ‘one of the largest crowds that ever witnessed racing in the state of Maryland.’

“Digging through the University of Kentucky’s on-line Form archives at www.drf.uky.edu, it became clear that the flu of 1918-19 was not regarded the same way as the coronavirus of 2020. The 1919 Kentucky Derby, eventually won by first-time Triple Crown champion Sir Barton, never seemed to be under threat the way that it has been this year. Whether Americans did not know better or did not care enough about the flu is a matter for historians to debate.

“There is no debate over the fact that there was no social media back then to quickly spread the news of positive tests and voluntary quarantines. But there was also no thought of racing behind closed doors, especially since the sport did not have the benefit of live television. Or radio. Or legal off-track betting.

“While there were occasional notes in those old clips about someone in racing being sidelined or even killed by flu, it seemed back then that horses were as vulnerable to infection as humans.

“’There is an epidemic of equine influenza at Belmont Park,’ read the lead paragraph of a DRF story dated June 4, 1919. ‘More than 100 costly thoroughbreds are suffering from it. There is scarcely a stable at the course which is not housing some of its victims.’

“Yet one week later there was not a word about the flu in a story from that very track heralding Sir Barton’s win of the Belmont Stakes to go with ‘his victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Withers Stakes.’ (There also was no mention of a Triple Crown; the sweep absent the Withers was not given that name for another 11 years.)

“Nothing was written in the Form about social distancing or hand washing or whatever they might have called fist bumps had they been a custom back in the day. Where latter-day jockeys Írad Ortiz Jr. or Rajiv Maragh took to Twitter to declare their self-imposed absence from racing, there was no such pronouncement to be found more than 100 years ago.

“But some things don’t change. The Daily Racing Form on Oct. 27, 1918, did excerpt some influenza precautions from the weekly Medical Record. In addition to recommending a concoction that was made up mostly of ‘ammonii salicylatis,’ there was the advice that ‘the perforated zinc inhaler is the best protective mask.’

“Regrettably, some things never change. Especially sport’s – and humankind’s – vulnerability to an unconquered disease.”

Ron Flatter is a host and reporter who covers horse racing for the Vegas Stats & Information Network, which is available at SiriusXM 204 and to subscribers at VSiN.com. The current episode of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod features trainer Mark Casse and turf writer Byron King of the BloodHorse previewing Saturday’s Louisiana Derby, the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on racing and the extended road to a postponed Kentucky Derby. For the podcast just click here.

Sad news

Patrick McQuiggan, the race-book handicapper at the South Point Casino, died suddenly on Thursday night. He was 64. He was a familiar voice on many horse racing-based radio shows and a popular figure in Las Vegas. His death was not believed to be related to COVID-19.

Santa Anita review

Friday’s feature, a one mile turf allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-olds, was won in a last-to-first rally by K P All Systems Go. And it wasn’t one of those at-the-wire jobs, as he won by 1 ¼ lengths under a masterful ride by Abel Cedillo.

K P Systems Go, trained by Jeff Mullins, paid $8.60, $4.80 and $3.20. Liar Liar, the favorite, was second and Last Opportunity finished third.

“I was a little worried about the rail (set at 30 feet) with his style of running, but Abel was able to save ground early and that helped,” Mullins told Mike Willman of Santa Anita. “He’s two for two on this horse and we’ve had a lot of luck together. I guess I’m putting him on the right horses, but seriously, I really like him and he’s doing a great job. All things considered, this was a big race for this horse.”

Santa Anita preview

Saturday’s card, which came so perilously close to not being run, is actually pretty good. And, soon we’ll stop reminding, but the general public will not be allowed in. There are nine races beginning at 12:30 p.m. Five of the races, over half the card, is on the turf and there are two graded stakes races.

The first stakes is the Grade 3 $100,000 San Simeon Stakes for horses going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf. The favorite, at 6-5, is Bound for Nowhere for trainer Wesley Ward and jockey Julio Garcia. This 6-year-old has won half of his 12 races and has raced at a lost of East Coast tracks and Ascot. This is his first Southern California race. He won last out in an allowance at Belmont in October.

Cistron, a more familiar horse, is the second choice at 3-1 for John Sadler and Victor Espinoza. He has won two of his last three including the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar and the Grade 2 Kona Gold at Santa Anita. He hasn’t raced since winning the Crosby in July. The race should go about 2:20 p.m.

The other stakes is the Grade 3 $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes for horses going 1 ½ miles on the turf. This also means the starting gate gets to visit the hillside course, although about half-way down the hill. Oscar Dominguez is the 9-5 favorite for Richard Baltas and Umberto Rispoli. This 7-year-old has won six-of-38 lifetime starts. He is coming off a second in Grade 2 San Marcos and previously won the Hollywood Turf Cup.

Ward’n Jerry is the second choice, at 2-1, for Mike Puype and Flavien Prat. He’s also 7-year-old but more lightly raced. He’s five-of-19 lifetime and was third in the Hollywood Turf Cup. Rispoli rode him last time out. Post is around 3:35 p.m.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 10, 5, 7, 9, 7, 6, 7, 10, 10.

Ciaran Thornton’s SA pick of the day

RACE EIGHT: No. 6 Mongolian Sunrise (12-1)

In a race where everyone has taken turns beating each other, let us go with the best value play in here at 12-1. Mongolian won her debut race last month winning by eight easy lengths. A little green in the debut she drifted in down the stretch but no one was catching her. Trainer Enebish Ganbat won a lot of value plays for us last year starting now. He is winning 20% maiden winner last race for a profit and his in the money percentages across multiple categories are 30-45%. I am using all in this race for my late Pick 4 so with that in mind this is my value play of the day.

Friday’s result: Whirl Candy was bet down to 7-2 and tracked nicely in second into the turn. The horse alas was swallowed up deep in the stretch to run fourth.

Ciaran Thornton is the handicapper for Californiapick4.com, which offers daily full card picks, longshots of the day, best bets of the day.

Golden Gate weekend preview

Here’s our weekly look at the best racing going on at Golden Gate Fields. We’re delighted to have race caller and all-around good guy Matt Dinerman as our host for previews and other musings. So, take it away, Matt.

“As of now, live racing resumes on Saturday and Sunday with a first post time of around 12:45 p.m. On Saturday, race four kicks off our Golden Pick Six jackpot with a carryover of $284,440. The first leg is a starter allowance that, on paper, looks like a two-horse race between No. 1 Premium Forest and No. 5 Bam Bam Bryan, exiting races against allowance company. The eighth race also catches the eye, a similar starter allowance condition which, on paper, looks more like a first- or second-level allowance. The main contenders include Kathryn Crosby Stakes winner Wicked Old Fashion and two other Golden Gate allowance winners: Music Babe and Fabriana.

“The nightcap on Saturday, a California-bred maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies, attracts a field of nine, and my XBTV.com Daymaker is in the race: No. 5 Get’em Tiger. Trained by Quinn Howey, who is four for 10 with first-time starters, this filly has a series of sharp half-mile works and a pedigree that suggests she may possess plenty of sprint speed. Her sire, Smiling Tiger, was an extremely talented one-turn colt, while the dam won nine races, all sprinting. There are three winning siblings to Get’Em Tiger, all of whom were sprinters. Howey’s go-to jockey, Frank Alvarado, is aboard.

“The start of the late Pick 4 on Sunday, the sixth, is a beauty. It’s an allowance sprint for fillies and mares that looks more like a stakes caliber contest. Three fillies and mares in the six-furlong sprint (Ima Happy Cat, Mucho Amor and Vronilla Parfait) are all stakes winners, while Coco Bee is an improving filly that could compete in stakes later in the year. The eighth is another allowance that appears competitive. My top pick, Sunblessed, broke her maiden like a good thing last out and looks like a promising filly for the future. Most recently, she stretched out to two turns for the first time and clearly liked the added ground, breaking her maiden in stylish fashion while winning with more in the tank. Andy Mathis trains and Kent Desormeaux retains the mount.”

Big races preview

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Saturday. All times PST.

12:38 Fair Grounds (8): $100,000 Tom Benson Memorial Stakes, fillies and mares 4 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Favorite: Altea (7-2)

1:10 Fair Grounds (9): Grade 2 $400,000 New Orleans Classic, 4 and up, 1 1/8 miles. Favorite: Silver Dust (2-1)

1:42 Fair Grounds (10): $300,000 Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic, 4 and up, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Favorite: Synchrony (3-1)

2:15 Fair Grounds (11): Grade 2 $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks, fillies 3-years-old, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Finite (3-5)

2:33 Santa Anita (5): Grade 3 $100,000 San Simeon Stakes, 3 and up, 5 ½ furlongs on turf. Favorite: Bound for Nowhere (6-5)

2:49 Fair Grounds (12): Grade 2 $1 million Louisiana Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 3/16 miles. Favorite: Enforceable (7-2)

3:35 Santa Anita (7): Grade 2 $200,000 San Luis Rey Stakes, 4 and up, 1 ½ miles on turf. Favorite: Oscar Dominguez (9-5)

Chris Wade’s LA Pick of the Day

Race SIX: No. 7 All Prettied Up (4-1)

She got within a half-length of impressive winner Chocolate Divinity 41 nights ago despite breaking a bit slow and while drifting inward steadily late while under a tight hold late. The effort still earned her a strong number when considering trouble and track variant. She draws a perfect post Saturday for her racing style and she should be close up early and right there late at a medium mutual. A must use in all your wagers for a top-notch shedrow and for one of the best gate jockeys at Los Alamitos.

Now the stars of the show, Friday’s results and Saturday’s entries.