NFL star buys share in Team Valor horse, Brian Hernandez Jr. whip ban and a keynote speech at the Asian Racing Conference – plus Ed Dunlop sanctioned after positive test. All this and more in our weekly round-up
Swift equine purchase for NFL superstar Travis Kelce
USA: Travis Kelce, the NFL superstar who has found global fame through his relationship with Taylor Swift, has bought a share in his first racehorse.
The Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended the Kentucky Derby for the first time in May as a guest of the Zoldan family, who are major stakeholders in renowned ownership syndicate Team Valor International.
By what Team Valor principal Barry Irwin described as “an amazing coincidence”, the horse Kelce is an owner in is Swift Delivery, a three-year-old in training at Woodbine with Mark Casse.
“The whole thing came about through Bruce Zoldan, who is my most active and loyal client,” Irwin told Mirror Racing. “His son Alex is a really close friend of Travis Kelce. I met him at the Kentucky Derby where we talked about buying into one of the horses.”
Dual winner Swift Delivery is set to contest his first stakes race in the Toronto Cup on Saturday [Aug 31]. “Travis is very popular and there is the connection with Taylor Swift, who is as popular as it gets,” said Irwin. “I think it’s a great thing for racing because we need all the positive publicity we can get.” More here
Another Japanese recruit for Breeders’ Cup
Japan: Japan has added yet more firepower to its Breeders’ Cup team after four-year-old filly Awesome Result threw her hat into the ring.
On Tuesday [Aug 27] the daughter of Justify landed her seventh victory on the trot under legendary jockey Yutaka Take in the Breeders’ Gold Cup (local G3) for mares on dirt at Mombetsu – the same race won by Marche Lorraine before landing the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in 2021.
Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee told Netkeiba: "Left-handed tracks are better, and America is a left-handed track, so I'd like to get the horse back safely and prepare for the American expedition.” More here
Japan will compete on another front with Warp Speed nominated for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup. More here
Arc contender Shin Emperor has arrived in Chantilly. He is set to run in the Irish Champion Stakes before the Paris showpiece. More here
Brian Hernandez sanctioned for Thorpedo Anna ride
USA: Brian Hernandez fell foul of the stewards for his ride on Thorpedo Anna, runner-up to Fierceness in the Travers Stakes on Saturday [Aug 24]. The jockey was fined $1,250 and banned for one day [Sep 2] for using his whip seven times on the star filly; the rules allow a maximum of only six. More here
Bloodstock legend Galileo sires 100 individual G1 winners
GB: Three years after his death, the late, great Galileo has reached the milestone of siring 100 individual G1 winners. The legendary Coolmore stallion achieved the landmark success when Content won the Yorkshire Oaks a week ago [Aug 22] at the York Ebor meeting.
A dual Derby winner in 2001, Galileo was put down for humane reasons aged 23 in July 2021 after a “chronic, non-responsive, debilitating injury” to his near-fore foot. More here
Ed Dunlop handed suspended sentence over horse’s cocaine positive
GB: Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer Ed Dunlop (left) has received a one-year disqualification, suspended for 12 months, plus a £1,000 fine after one of his horses tested positive for cocaine.
The source of the substance found in the filly Lucidity after she finished second in a race at Brighton in 2023 has never been traced and was put down to a “one-off incident of cross-contamination”.
Dunlop, who trained champion fillies Ouija Board and Snow Fairy, was apportioned no direct blame for the positive test. However, as cocaine is a Class A drug, the BHA’s independent disciplinary panel followed liability guidelines which specify disqualification as the appropriate penalty. More here
Asian Racing Conference: authorities urged to unite to overcome challenges
Japan: Unity was the watchword for Asian Racing Federation chairman Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges as he opened the 40th Asian Racing Conference with a keynote address on Wednesday [Aug 28].
Outlining what he sees as four key issues the sport must overcome to fulfil its potential, the Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO urged the sport to collaborate globally to address its most pressing challenges.
“The first aspect is industry fragmentation, the second is social acceptability, third is the growth of illegal and offshore betting, and number four is the long-term sustainability of our sport, which is at risk due to an ageing customer base,” Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said.
“If we want to manage these challenges and come up with good strategies, it is not one single jurisdiction who can do this. We, as a sport, must work much closer together really stride together.” More here
Elsewhere in racing …
USA: Adare Manor takes on males in Pacific Classic More here
USA: Europeans fly in for lucrative prizes at Kentucky Downs More here
USA: Arc and 1/ST link up for international opportunities More here
USA: Aqueduct fall meet to feature 26 stakes worth $5.33m More here
GB: Dual G1 winner Vandeek retired to stud at Cheveley Park More here
Japan: Joao Moreira claims World All-Star Jockeys’ title More here
Bahrain: See The Fire secures Bahrain International Trophy spot More here
New Zealand: Kevin Hickman dies after long illness. More here
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