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Tuesday, March 03, 2009

FEVER










THOROUGHBLOG'S KENTUCKY DERBY TOP TEN

As Thoroughblog nears its 3RD YEAR ANNIVERSARY later this month, it is time to try a Kentucky Derby top ten list for the first time.
(The Pamplemousse is AT RIGHT, an image from CHARLES PRAVATA)

TOP TEN CONTENDERS
with sire and best Beyer Figure

1. PIONEER OF THE NILE (Empire Maker) 95
2. QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality) 113
3. FRIESAN FIRE (A.P. Indy) 96
4. OLD FASHIONED (Unbridled's Song) 100
5. THE PAMPLEMOUSSE (Kafwain) 103
6. DESERT PARTY (Street Cry) Dubai
7. PATENA (Seeking the Gold) 90
8. GIANT OAK (Giant's Causeway) 90
9 GENERAL QUARTERS (Sky Mesa) 100
10. WARRIOR'S REWARD (Medaglia D'Oro) 91
This list will move to the sidebar at the right this week.

Super coverage for the Kentucky Derby at:
http://www.courier-journal.com/kentucky-derby-racing




WARLOCK is asleep in the straw at Colebrook Farms in Uxbridge, Ontario.
The chesntut colt was born Feb. 13 and is by Strut the Stage out of Lady Mulligan.
Thanks to Gayle Bosscher for the photo.
CHURCHILL DOWNS INC. ANNOUNCES SAFETY MEASURES -
IN EFFECT FOR KENTUCKY DERBY 135

Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) (“CDI” or “Company”) has announced a series of groundbreaking new rules and policies designed to enhance the safety and welfare of jockeys and horses.
These measures will be in place at Churchill Downs racetrack in advance of the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 2, and will include unprecedented standardized third-party testing of track surfaces and comprehensive testing of all winning horses for more than 100 prohibited drugs.

The safety initiatives will be implemented at Churchill Downs effective opening day of its 2009 Spring Meet on Saturday, April 25, and will be phased in at all other Company racetracks – Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill.; Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Fla.; and Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans – by the start of their respective 2010 race meets.

In development for nearly a year, the “Safety from Start to Finish” initiative is designed to incorporate new health and wellness measures, as well as long-standing safety policies and standards, under a single formalized initiative to serve as a blueprint for all CDI facilities.

The key safety initiatives that will be in place at Churchill Downs prior to Kentucky Derby 135 are as follows:

* Independent, standardized third-party testing and monitoring of track surfaces;
* “Supertesting” of all winning horses for more than 100 performance-enhancing drugs;
* Age restrictions requiring Thoroughbreds to be at least 24 calendar months of age before becoming eligible to race;
* The freezing and storage of equine blood and urine samples to allow for retrospective testing;
* The banning of steroids;
* Limits on the number of horses allowed to compete in certain races;
* The prohibition of “milkshaking”, which results in excessive levels of total carbon dioxide in Thoroughbred racehorses;
* Prohibiting the transport of horses from CDI facilities for slaughter;
* The banning of unsafe horseshoes, including front shoe toe grabs longer than two millimeters;
* The use of low-impact riding whips with limited usage rules;
* The presence of on-site medical personnel, equipment, and state-of-the-art equine ambulances;
* Immediate online access to jockey medical histories for emergency medical personnel;
* $1 million in catastrophic injury insurance coverage for jockeys;
* Mandatory and uniform reporting of equine injuries to the Equine Injury Database System, thereby assisting in the compilation of statistics and trends to improve safety conditions around the country;
* A professionally designed and installed safety rail on the inside of the dirt course;
* Mandatory usage by all jockeys, exercise riders and other on-track personnel of safety vests and safety helmets that meet internationally acknowledged quality standards;
* 3/8-inch foam padding on all parts of the starting gates;
* Significant financial support for equine retirement programs;
* Inspection of all horses by regulatory veterinarians prior to and following all races;
* Review of security procedures around barns and other racetrack backstretch areas;
* Continued maintenance of protocols for the treatment of horses that have been injured during racing or training, to ensure the most humane treatment possible; and
* Mandatory, independent, and complete necropsies of any horse that dies as a result of an injury sustained while racing or training at Churchill Downs.

Read more at www.churchilldowns.com


EXCERPT DAILY RACING FORM

CANANI CHARGED WITH DUI
By Brad Free

ARCADIA, Calif. -- A day after his 3-year-old colt The Pamplemousse scored a dazzling six-length victory in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, trainer Julio Canani was pulled over while driving, arrested, and charged with driving under the influence.

Canani confirmed the incident at his Santa Anita stable early Monday, only hours after he was released from jail. Canani, who said he's 71, was on his way home Sunday evening after leaving Cafe 322 in Sierra Madre, about five miles northwest of Santa Anita. Sierra Madre police pulled over Canani for an unspecified driving infraction. They asked Canani if he had been drinking; he subsequently failed a field sobriety test and was arrested.

The "notice to appear" citation issued by Sierra Madre police did not specify his blood-alcohol content. It is unlawful in California to drive with a blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher. Canani admitted he consumed alcohol during the races Sunday at Santa Anita, but disputes that his driving ability was impaired.

Linda Halsey, co-owner of Canani-trained Fastongrass, was with the trainer at Cafe 322. She said Canani declined an offer of a drink.

"He had a big glass of water, we congratulated him on his win with The Pamplemousse, he picked up his food and left," she said.

READ THE REST at www.drf.com

(According to the Sign on San Diego website today, Canani is due in court on May 6.)


UNITED THOROUGHBREDS GETS OWNERS/FANS INVOLVED!

From United Thoroughbreds...(see ad on right too):

With the start of the Woodbine season quickly approaching and the April 1st start of our inaugural partnership, United Thoroughbreds is buzzing with excitement!! We still have a few shares remaining and I encourage you to act know if you would like to join us! We have some great coverage in this months issues of "Down the Stretch" newspaper and "The Game" and we also have an upcoming story in the National Post!

There have been quite a few updates to the website including new photos, a new video and on our news page we have daily RSS feeds from Jennifer Morrison's Thoroughblog and the Bloodhorse. We also have a group trip out to the farm in the works and would like to hear from YOU as to the best time to hold this event.

You can stay up to date with United Thoroughbreds by joining our Facebook group here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18329946452&ref=ts and feel free to join in on discussions regarding the upcoming season at Woodbine and the Kentucky Derby.

Our Youtube channel here:
http://www.youtube.com/UnitedThoroughbreds


Whether you are contemplating joining United as a Shareholder or taking part in our groups we encourage you to help promote this great sport of Horse Racing. The experience of the Sport of Kings is next to none and we look forward to sharing it with you. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding United Thoroughbreds.

1 Comments:

  • At 1:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    cool Derby picks, but we only match with five of them :)

    http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/paulick-derby-index-from-worst-tofourth/

     

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