The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
Aussie sensation Zaaki disqualified after positive test
Oceania: Zaaki, the horse who has been setting Australia alight with three big wins in the last five weeks, elevating him to world #13 in the TRC rankings, tested positive for the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam after a race at Randwick in April.
As a result, the gelding’s trainer, rising star Annabel Neasham, has been fined AU$7,000, and Zaaki has been disqualified from second place in that race, a G3.
Since the Randwick race, the son of Leroidesanimaux has taken the G1 Doomben Cup (by 7 lengths) and two G2s (the latest last Saturday), all in Queensland, and is now the third-highest-rated horse in Australia.
Meloxicam is often given to horses after work but is not permitted to be in a horse’s system on raceday. Neasham admitted the offence at a Racing NSW inquiry. Racing NSW General Manager-Veterinary Services Dr Toby Koenig indicated that the former Sir Michael Stoute-trained gelding had received above the manufacturers recommended dosage after his regular Tuesday gallop, thus causing the positive on raceday.
Neasham, who was born in Britain, is a renowned horsewoman (she won the 1,000-km Mongol Derby in 2018). She has been working in Australia since 2016. She established her own training operation last summer after running the Sydney yard for Victoria trainer Ciaron Maher.
She said in a statement, “I am extremely disappointed to get this news, not only because it undermines the standard of integrity and professionalism the stable represents and that everyone in the team strives to achieve, but also for Zaaki’s owners, who are great friends and supporters.”
Neasham said Zaaki had returned negatives after all three wins in Queensland.
Stronach pledge over racetracks
North America: “The tracks are not for sale,” Aidan Butler, CCO at The Stronach Group (TSG) told the LA Times, which contradicts a recent Bloomberg report claiming that TSG is contemplating the sale of some of its assets.
The Bloomberg article alleged that TSG is “exploring options for parts of its portfolio after fielding interest from special purpose acquisition companies and other suitors”, but it does not name which specific assets are listed to be under consideration.
“It’s super frustrating that this narrative of selling keeps coming up. It’s nothing but pure speculation,” said Butler. “We’re putting $10 million-plus into Gulfstream to add a Tapeta course, add night racing and a new tote board and new barn area because of [the closure of] Calder [more recently called Gulfstream Park West],” Butler said.
He also highlighted the $400-million Maryland redevelopment project, which will see an improved racing surface at Laurel Park, and Pimlico being partially be torn down and rebuilt.
“Race tracks are a never-ending saga of improvement,” Butler points out. “It’s such a big company there is always some kind of deal being discussed, be it a small parcel of land or something else. But it’s not the tracks.”
Update on Arlington future coming soon
North America: Churchill Downs Inc (CDI), the owner of Arlington Park, has confirmed that its real estate firm has received “strong proposals from numerous parties” for redevelopment of the Chicago racecourse.
CDI’s brief statement came a few minutes after Tuesday’s 5pm deadline for developers to submit initial plans and offers for the 326 acres of prime real estate. Chicago real estate broker CBRE will now evaluate the proposals confidentially, and “provide an update on the sale process at the appropriate time in the coming weeks”.
The historic property was put up for sale in February and CDI said it would be marketed as a “redevelopment opportunity”.
So far, only one group who submitted an offer has publicly announced plans - a consortium led by former Arlington Park president Roy Arnold, who has said he wants to preserve the track for live racing and add other amenities.
Death of California Chrome part-owner
North America: Denise Martin, one of the original owners of California Chrome, died on June 14 aged 61.
She and husband Perry bred and originally owned the two-time U.S. Horse of the Year – along with Steve and Carolyn Coburn – under their partnership DAP Racing, standing for ‘Dumb Ass Partners’ — a tongue-in-cheek response to a passer-by who questioned their wisdom in purchasing Chrome’s dam, Love The Chase.
Denise was operations manager and head of communications at Wyoming-based Martin Racing, a Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing and breeding operation. She was also a trained chemist and was CEO of Martin Testing Labs in Sacramento until its 2020 sale.
California Chrome’s success – career earnings of $14,752,650 - enabled Martin Racing to expand internationally.
“Denise greatly enjoyed interacting with racing fans, whether she communicated with them in person or through California Chrome’s official social media channels,” said Perry. “She also was solely responsible for all of Martin Racing’s charitable giving endeavours.”
Belmont Day handle soars
North America: All-sources handle for Belmont Stakes day earlier this month reached $112 million, an increase of more than ten percent over the previous record when the Triple Crown was not at stake of $102, set in 2019.
New York Racing Association announced on-track handle for the 13-race Belmont Stakes day card, which included seven other G1s among nine stakes, was $7.5 million. The all-sources handle for the Belmont Stakes itself reached $60 million.
All-sources handle for the entire 3-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which featured 33 races, 17 of them stakes, was $141,984,866.
Elsewhere in racing …
North America: The Jockeys’ Guild has cut insurance for riders at Monmouth Park. More here
North America: Trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant, Scott Blasi, has been fined and suspended by Kentucky Horse Racing Commission stewards for a physical altercation at Churchill Downs. More here
Europe: Prix Vermeille winner Pearly Shells , foundation mare at Andreas Putsch’s Haras de Saint Pair in Normandy, has died of natural causes at 22. More here