Bob Baffert, Yuichi Fukunaga and Coolangatta feature in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby hopes moved
USA: Reincarnate, winner of the G3 Sham Stakes in January for Bob Baffert, will attempt to earn his first Kentucky Derby points at Oaklawn Park on Saturday [Feb 25] when he contests the G2 Rebel Stakes for new trainer Tim Yakteen under John Velazquez.
He will be the first of a number of colts from the Baffert barn who have switched stables to race in order to be eligible for the first leg of the Triple Crown after a judge in Kentucky denied a motion which would have lifted the trainer’s two-year suspension from all Churchill Downs-owned tracks over the Medina Spirit affair.
Churchill Downs set a Feb 28 deadline for all horse transfers, in order to qualify for points, as a result of which other possible contenders Arabian Lion, Carmel Road and Hejazi have also joined Yakteen while Fort Warren has moved to Brittany Russell.
Yuichi Fukunaga bows out in Saudi
Saudi Arabia: Japanese Triple Crown-winner Yuichi Fukunaga says he has had enough of being a jockey ahead of his final rides on the Saudi Cup card [Feb 25] when he will partner Remake in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint and Ecoro Ares in the Saudi Derby.
The 46-year-old, who bid farewell to Japanese fans in Tokyo on Sunday [Feb 19], steps down with a record of more than 2,600 wins in Japan, including 45 G1s headed by Contrail’s Triple Crown-winning season in 2021.
“The attraction of becoming a trainer outweighed the motivation to continue my riding career because I have had enough as a jockey,’ he said. “As a trainer, I can be more deeply involved with horses.”
Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior rematch
Nation: Sha Tin will host a second head-to-head between Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior when the pair meet in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin [Feb 26].
Golden Sixty defeated Romantic Warrior in the G1 Stewards’ Cup over 1m last month but their latest clash will be over 1m2f, a distance at which Romantic Warrior won four times last year.
Royal Ascot on horizon for Coolangatta after Lightning win
Australia: Coolangatta could travel to Britain to race at Royal Ascot in June after starting 2023 by winning the G1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington [Feb 18].
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustrace-trained filly defeated a field including last year’s King’s Stand Stakes winner Nature Strip who suffered his third defeat since that victory when finishing only sixth.
David Eustace said: “We were really confident she had improved and this had been the race targeted from a long way out.
“To be honest, from here the dream would be Royal Ascot for everyone involved. She has shown she likes a straight and I think everyone in the group would be pretty keen to go there.”
Niarchos family put historic French stud up for sale
France: Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard, the famous Normandy Stud which has been owned by the Niarchos family since 1979 and where champions such as Miesque, Kingmambo, Sulamani, Hernando and Six Perfections were bred, is to be sold.
The family’s racing manager Alan Cooper told the Racing Post: “It’s emotional for the family to say goodbye to Fresnay, but, as our racing and breeding interests have evolved over the years, we now have horses in a variety of international locations, which makes this the right move for us at this time.”
Secretariat’s saddle bought by owner of Indianapolis Colts
USA: The saddle used by Ron Turcotte to ride Secretariat to his Triple Crown success in 1973 has been bought from the Hall Of Fame jockey by Jim Irsay, the owner of NFL team the Indianapolis Colts and renowned collector of pop culture and sporting memorabilia.
The saddle will go on display in Las Vegas on March 4 with other exhibits from the Irsay collection which also feature an 1823 printing of the Declaration of Independence, the original script for the movie Rocky, Muhammad Ali’s championship belts and guitars played by many of the world’s biggest pop and rock stars.
Breeders’ Cup to return to Del Mar in 2024
USA: The next two Breeders’ Cup meeting will be held in California after Del Mar was announced as host track in 2024. It will be the third time the San Diego course will put on the meeting and will follow Santa Anita, which will hold the event in 2023.
Elsewhere in racing …
Australia: Zac Purton to ride Artorius in Sydney on first visit in five years More here
USA: Lake Lucerne becomes Dubawi’s 250th individual stakes winner More here
Australia: Irish Oaks winner Magical Lagoon joins Chris Waller More here
Ireland: Mick Halford and Tracey Collins announce training partnership More here
New Zealand: Jockey Craig Zackey ends successful stint early to return to South Africa More here
GB: Kevin Stott appointed first jockey to Amo Racing More here
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