ftboa.com • Thursday • May 13, 2021 FEC/FTBOA PUBLICATION FLORIDA’SDAILYRACINGDIGEST Medina Spirit Favored at 9-5 FSS Yearling for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes Deadline Reminder May 15 - $250 BY PIMLICO Click here for form PRESS OFFICE____________ Click here to check eligibility BALTIMORE, MD – Zedan Racing Stables’ Medina Spirit, who upset 18 rivals in the May 1 In This Issue: Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) at Adventuring, Miss Leslie Seeks Graded Churchill Downs at 12-1, was Win in Black-Eyed Susan installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s 146th Harpers First Ride Returns Friday for Preakness Stakes (G1) following Pimlico Special Tuesday’s post-position draw at Pimlico Race Course. The Florida-bred son of ‘Big Test’ for Street Lute in Miss Protonico, who drew post posi- Preakness tion three, is scheduled to face nine other 3-year-olds in the The Arts and Equine Community Has mile-and-one-sixteenth Middle Derby Event at World Equestrian Center Jewel of the Triple Crown. “Post three won’t win the race for him and it won’t lose the race UF Veterinary College Names Bowie to for him,” Zedan Racing Stables’ New Assistant Dean Position racing manager Gary Young said. “We anticipate that he and Track Results & Entries Concert Tour will be 1-2 early in Florida-bred Medina Spirit/COADY PHOTO the race. One will be in front, Florida Stallion Progeny List one is probably going to be sec- Club, who operate Pimlico, said in a press ond—unless someone alters their plan release Tuesday that Baffert’s horses, totally. And may the best horse win, including Medina Spirit and Concert Tour Florida Breeders’ List whether it be one of those two horses or in the Preakness and Beautiful Gift in one of the other eight.” Friday’s George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Wire to Wire Business Place Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, Susan Stakes (G2), were allowed to enter who was aboard for Medina Spirit’s front- those races with rigorous conditions to running half-length decision at Churchill entry along with a binding commitment Featured Advertisers Downs, was awarded the return mount from Bob Baffert to full transparency of Saturday by Hall of Fame trainer Bob medical and testing results that will allow Berrettini Feed Baffert, who has won the Preakness a for all results to be released to the public. record seven times, most notably with The decision comes following the May Florida Department of Agriculture Triple Crown champions American 9 announcement of a reported medication FTBOA Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018). positive of betamethasone, an allowable Medina Spirit was bred in Florida by therapeutic, as a result of the post-race Journeyman Stud Gail Rice. He is out of Mongolian Changa, blood sample testing following the 147th Ocala Breeders’ Feed & Supply by the Florida-bred sire Brilliant Speed Kentucky Derby involving Medina Spirit and he has won three of six starts with trained by Bob Baffert. Baffert has disput- Ocala Stud three thirds while earning $2,175,200. ed those claims. Seminole Feed 1/ST Racing and the Maryland Jockey See PREAKNESS on page 3 Back to Top Page 3 Preakness Continued from COVER Consistent with the fair proce- dures and practices established by 1/ST RACING and MJC, Baffert consents to the disclosure of infor- mation and results of the MRC and MJC tests, along with other relevant medical and administra- tive records to the MJC and Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer, 1/ST RACING. If any of the three Baffert hors- es test positive for a banned sub- stance, or at a level for a permitted therapeutic substance that is above the designated limit, or if after medical review, reasonable condi- tions warrant, Baffert or MJC on his behalf, will scratch the horse in question. “Integrity, accountability and safety in our sport are principles that 1/ST RACING puts above all else 1/ST RACING CEO Craig Concert Tour/COADY PHOTO Fravel said. “Our company has a track record of instituting process and protocols that have led to nationwide medication reforms and we are unwavering in our commitment to put horse and rider safety at the forefront. We are well aware of the public outcry and calls for action that have been the natural outcome of a medication positive in one of the most iconic races in our sport and we share the disappointment and concern.” See PREAKNESS on page 5 Florida-breds Make Florida Racing Did you know Florida-bred thoroughbreds won 36.8% of races run at the recent Tampa Bay Downs season? This demonstrates how vital Florida-breds are to the success of Tampa Bay Downs. Additional good news for Florida breeders—72% of those Florida-bred winners during the Tampa Bay Meeting were sired by Florida stallions. Florida-breds: Race ‘Em or Chase ‘Em! Back to Top Back to Top Page 5 Preakness Continued from page 3 Gary and Mary West’s Concert tant as in a 20-horse field, but I Tour, who incurred his first loss think it gives you all the options in four starts while finishing third you would ever have wanted with in the Arkansas Derby (G1) won a talented horse.” by Super Stock at Oaklawn last Midnight Bourbon finished time out on April 10, will start in second in the Louisiana Derby the Preakness after skipping the (G2) at Fair Grounds prior to his Kentucky Derby. The homebred Derby run. Hall of Fame trainer son of Street Sense, who will be Steve Asmussen has enjoyed suc- ridden by Mike Smith for the first cess in the Preakness Stakes time, was rated second in the twice, saddling Curlin and filly morning line at 5-2 after drawing Rachel Alexandra for victories in post 10. 2007 and 2009, respectively. Irad “He’s a speed horse so he will Ortiz Jr., the defending three- get out of there and get a position time Eclipse Award winner, is and be on the outside some- scheduled to ride Midnight where,” Baffert assistant trainer Bourbon for the first time. Jimmy Barnes said. “I think Trainer Chad Brown, who we’re fine with both our posi- Midnight Bourbon/COADY PHOTO won the 2017 Preakness with tions. They are both front-running horses, so they will probably Cloud Computing, will saddle Klaravich Stables Inc.’s Crowded will be up there in the clear, hopefully. He’s one that is placed for- Trade and Risk Taking in search of his second success in the wardly in the racing. Being on the outside should be fine.” Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. Crowded Trade, who finished Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Midnight Bourbon will remain third in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct last time out, is on the Triple Crown Trail Saturday after finishing a troubled sixth rated at 10-1 in the morning line, while Risk Taking, who won the in the Kentucky Derby, eight-and-a-half lengths behind Medina Withers (G3) before finishing a disappointing seventh in the Spirit. The son of Tiznow is rated third in the morning line at 5-1 Wood Memorial, is rated at 15-1. Crowded Trade drew post four, and will break from post five. while Risk Taking will break from post nine. “Good draw. With dual loading, he’s second-to-last to load. “No major complaints,” Brown said. “Crowded I thought drew Middle of the field,” Asmussen said. “Good run to the first turn. well. I preferred him to be inside Risk Taking so at least that is Obviously, post-position draw in a 10-horse field is half as impor- See PREAKNESS on page 7 Back to Top Back to Top Page 7 Preakness Continued from page 5 Bourbon as the only horses in accomplished. Risk Taking the Preakness starting gate is out there a little bit, but that ran in the Kentucky there looks like there is Derby. The son of Laoban enough speed in the race trailed the Derby field before that, hopefully, the field gets closing well to finish seventh. strung out a little before the The Robertino Diodoro- first turn and he can drop in. trained colt, who has been Just let Jose [Ortiz] work out winless in three starts this his trip from there”. year after winning the John and Diane Fradkin’s Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) Rombauer, who most recent- at Churchill last fall, is rated ly finished third in the at 15-1 in the morning line Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at and will break from post two. Keeneland, has been shipped Yuji Inaida’s France Go de from Southern California for Ina, who raced three times in the Preakness. The son of Keepmeinmind/COADY PHOTO Japan before finishing sixth Twirling Candy, who is rated in the March 27 UAE Derby at 12-1 in the morning line, earned a fees-paid berth in the sponsored by Emirates NBD (G2) in Dubai, is rated at 20-1 in the Preakness Stakes by capturing the ‘Win & In’ El Camino Real Preakness morning line and will break from post seven. The son of Derby at Golden Gate Fields Feb. 13. Rombauer will break from Will Take Charge will go to post in the Middle Jewel of the Triple post six. Crown five years after Japan-based Lani finished fifth in 2016. Trainer Todd Pletcher, who will be inducted into the Hall of Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who has saddled six Preakness win- Fame this year, will seek his first Preakness Stakes victory with ners during his Hall of Fame career, will be represented in Whisper Hill Farm LLC’s Unbridled Honor.