FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019 TAKING STOCK: OP/ED: NEVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE by Boyd Browning HOW WE GOT HERE I imagine if you are reading this, we share something in common--the love of horses and horse racing. Like me, you may even make your living and provide for family by working in this industry. When I get the TDN Alerts at night that another important governing body is calling for an end to racing or to shut down the track, I feel sick to my stomach and can't sleep. And then I get up in the morning and read/listen to the finger pointing and infighting within the industry. The "blame game" must stop immediately and we can either work together to make smart decisions that reflect the world we live in and survive, or we can continue to fight with one another about who's right and who's wrong. We must recognize and embrace meaningful change to protect and care for the horse. Cont. p3 IN TDN EUROPE TODAY Is the future of the American dirt horse at a crossroads? | Coady CUNNINGHAM–A REBEL IN THE RANKS Alayna Cullen chats with Rebel Racing’s Phil Cunningham about new stallion Rajasinghe (GB) (Choisir {Aus}). Click or tap by Sid Fernando here to go straight to TDN Europe. The American dirt horse is tough, strong, and fast. He's an athlete. He's a combination of speed and stamina, bred to race on an unforgivingly hard surface, bred to race at two, bred to break quickly from the gate, bred to run hard early, bred to withstand pressure late. He's not a pet, though he's viewed as such by a growing segment of the population. He's been selectively bred like working dogs, who are as prized for their "prey drive" as he is for his ability to compete. American dirt horses and their sons and daughters may not be as sought after around the world as they once were, but their influence globally is still significant. Sunday Silence (Halo) changed the face of Japanese racing, and he has a son, Deep Impact (Jpn), who is doing even more. Danehill (Danzig) is a ubiquitous presence in Australia and Europe. Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor) put New Zealand on the map. Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer) and sons and others by Northern Dancer have long dominated Europe. Southern Halo (Halo) was a giant in Argentina. I could go on, but you get the drift. Cont. p5 PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Friday, April 5, 2019 Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN News and Features Editor Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Associate Editors Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistants Alexa Reisfield Amie Morosco Advertising Assistant/Dir. Of Distribution Rachel McCaffrey Gulfstream Park recently welcomed 35 students from the Fort Lauderdale YMCA STEP Photographer/Photo Editor Program for a tour of its backstretch and meetings with several department heads to Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew talk about various vocations. The STEP program (Supported Training Employment [email protected] Program) is designed to help teens and young adults with special needs transition to Social Media Strategist independence and identify and explore post-secondary careers and educational Justina Severni opportunities. | Gulfstream Park Director of Customer Service Vicki Forbes [email protected] GARGAN HOPING TO RAISE TAX BRACKET 11 Marketing Manager Because for all the blue-collar credentials they appear to share, Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen both Danny Gargan and Tax have an inborn eligibility for a race that could catapult them into the front rank of contenders for the Director of Information Technology Kentucky Derby itself. Chris McGrath has the story. Ray Villa [email protected] Bookkeeper Terry May [email protected] TODAY’S GRADED STAKES EST Race Click for TV WORLDWIDE INFORMATION 5:15p Distaff H.-GIII, AQU TJCIS PPs TVG International Editor Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN 5:30p Transylvania S.-GIII, KEE TJCIS PPs TVG [email protected] European Editor Emma Berry [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • APRIL 5, 2019 Within the industry, we can continue to refer to this item as a "riding crop.@ The reality is 99% of the general public believes it Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste cont. from p1 is a whip. Within the industry, we can continue to say it is cushioned, is used to make noise and does not hurt or injure the horse. The reality is 99% of the general public asks, "Why do you allow the jockeys to beat the horse coming down the stretch?" In those infrequent instances when a jockey's safety is in question, its use is certainly legitimate and justified. The usage in those instances can be evaluated by a panel of knowledgeable and experienced horseman such as Alex Solis, Ramon Dominguez, Pat Day and certainly many others. Otherwise, its usage must stop. 2. Aftercare Our industry has made progress in recent years to address this issue, primarily through the formation of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and the efforts of countless, dedicated adoption and rescue organizations. However, the current Boyd Browning | Fasig-Tipton funding mechanisms are not adequate to address the issue. All constituents and participants throughout the industry must I believe it is crucial we address these three issues provide mandatory funding to solve this issue--racetracks, immediately: owners, breeders, sales companies, trainers, jockeys, and other organizations. We must be able to clearly demonstrate that our 1. The "Riding Crop" industry cares about Thoroughbreds after their time at the TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • APRIL 5, 2019 racetrack is completed. throughout the life of the Thoroughbred horse. In the words of Winston Churchill, "Never let a good crisis go to 3. Medication and The Horse Racing Integrity Act waste." It provides an opportunity to do things you may not Lasix is unquestionably been the biggest dividing force within have been able to accomplish before. We should embrace this our industry in recent years. I personally have two strong moment to implement positive change as an industry and each beliefs: of us has a personal responsibility to do so beginning today. (1) The use of Lasix has NOT caused the current crisis associated with the recent breakdowns; (2) Our current medication system and policy is NOT working. Accordingly, I encourage and implore the horsemen (HBPA), " " " the major racetracks (TSG, CDI, NYRA, Del Mar, Keeneland and Oaklawn) and RCI to provide leadership to make substantial and meaningful changes to the existing rules and regulations to improve equine safety and health by the end of 2019. The status quo is not acceptable, nor sustainable. If such change does not Follow the TDN staff on Twitter occur by Dec. 31, 2019, each and every participant within our Thoroughbred Daily News industry should support federal legislation. Accordingly, to the current supporters of The Horse Racing @kelseynrileyTDN @BDiDonatoTDN @SteveSherackTDN Integrity Act, the issues facing our industry are larger and more @JessMartiniTDN @CDeBernardisTDN @BMassamTDN significant than the Lasix issue. I implore you to work with all @EquinealTDN @HLAndersonTDN @suefinley facets of the industry to address these other meaningful and more threatening issues facing our industry. @MKane49 @thorntontd @garykingTDN All of us should be able to support and endorse increased @SarahKAndrew @theTDN @JBiancaTDN transparency with regard to the administration of medication TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 5 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • APRIL 5, 2019 the Irish-based stud farm landed Justify (Scat Daddy) last year to stand at its Kentucky affiliate, Ashford Stud: "My grandfather M. V. O'Brien built Ballydoyle off the backs of some brilliant American Classic horses. In Justify and American Pharoah we How We Got Here cont. from p1 now have two all-time greats, so we couldn't be more optimistic about the future." That about puts the stature of the American dirt horse in perspective. Last year in the pavilion at the Fasig-Tipton yearling sale at Saratoga, Claiborne's Bernie Sams said, "People don't come to this sale looking for turf horses. They're here looking for dirt horses that can win the Kentucky Derby. Sure, there's more opportunity on turf now, and if they get one that runs only turf, fine, but they mostly want the classic dirt horse. That's what they're looking for." Coolmore and partners found one of those last week when they outbid Stonestreet Farm for the Curlin (Smart Strike) colt at $3.65 million at the Fasig-Tipton selected 2-year-olds-in-training sale at Gulfstream. From the Bernardini mare Achieving--a granddaughter of Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, dam of Coolmore's Belmont S. winner Rags to Riches--the son of M. V. Magnier | Fasig-Tipton photo the Hill 'n' Dale-based Horse of the Year and Preakness winner was a gorgeous physical specimen with ideal temperament M. V. Magnier, son of Coolmore owner John Magnier and who'd worked in :10 flat but is bred to run all day on dirt. In grandson of legendary Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien, said, after other words, he's the prime example of the type of horse that TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 6 OF 15 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • APRIL 5, 2019 The breed-shaping Sadler=s Wells | Coolmore photo Bernie Sams noted that buyers want, to aim for the American Classics.