- 6 days ago
NYRA racing analyst Acacia Clement joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss the start of the Saratoga race meet and provide a summer update on the Clement racing stable.
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00:00For the love of the worse, for generations to come.
00:23Welcome to another edition of the TDN Writer's Room Podcast.
00:31My name is Bill Finley, and I'm back this week with an artificial hip.
00:35Still hobbling around a little bit, but TDN Writer's Room Podcast comes first.
00:41Fortunately, I'm getting around a little better than Bill right now.
00:45I'm Randy Moss with NBC Sports and the Fire Speed Figure team.
00:50How are you all doing?
00:51Very well, indeed.
00:52Zoe Caban here with First Racing and First TV.
00:55Glad you're feeling better, Bill.
00:57Maybe you can do a little jig for us a little bit later.
01:00That'll take a couple more weeks.
01:03Okay.
01:04Well, let's get in right away.
01:05You know, everything is about Saratoga right now, as it should be, but it's very different
01:10than we've had in previous years.
01:12Now, we have had the Belmont at Saratoga for two straight years now, but they added a new
01:19wrinkle this year to take the July 4th weekend away from the downstate racetrack, whatever
01:25that would have been aquedict at the time, and move it to Saratoga.
01:29And I remember when we have David O'Rourke on the show a couple weeks ago, I said, well,
01:35when the new Belmont has been built, are you still going to do this July 4th thing at Saratoga?
01:40He said, no, no, no, no, no.
01:41We'll be at Belmont.
01:42Not happening, folks, and here's why.
01:45The numbers were through the roof.
01:48Just goes to show you the power of the Saratoga brand.
01:53Last year, when they ran these races at Aqueduct for the four-day weekend, AllSource's handle
01:59was $38,053,928.
02:03This year, over the same dates, it was $83,634,482.
02:15That's almost a triple what they did last year.
02:19And by the way, I didn't even know they were doing this.
02:21They had a $1 hot dog promotion.
02:24Sold 19,120 hot dogs.
02:28So, you know, I've always been one of those guys that, you know, enough is enough.
02:31No more expanding Saratoga.
02:33I still don't like it.
02:34I remember the good old day.
02:35I don't want to be the old man, you know, on the lawn yelling at the young people to
02:38get off my lawn.
02:39But I still remember the days when it was 24 racing days and how special that was.
02:44But if I ran the New York Racing Association, I got to tell you, you can't ignore that.
02:48The brand is so powerful.
02:51I don't think they have any choice but to keep running over the July 4th weekend.
02:55Joey Chestnut must have been at Saratoga for those $1 hot.
03:00Yeah, he probably had 7,500 of them on his own.
03:04I agree with you, Bill.
03:06You know, I mean, I know there's always been concern about, and I think the phrase has
03:12been used, killing the golden goose and running too many racing dates at Saratoga.
03:17Because, you know, part of the attractiveness, part of the attraction of any racetrack like
03:23Saratoga or Keeneland is the anticipation of a short meet.
03:27You've got to get there before the meet's over, and you don't want to run too many racing
03:31dates.
03:31But adding 4th of July and just starting the Saratoga meet a week earlier, I don't think
03:38that's a big deal.
03:41And there's no way.
03:42I'm sorry.
03:43I mean, I know the new Belmont is going to be really nice, and it's going to be really
03:48special, but surely Naira doesn't think that there's any way that the new Belmont Park would
03:56do close to the business that Saratoga did over the 4th of July holiday.
04:02It just won't.
04:03I'm sorry.
04:04Better than Aqueduct, I'm sure, but probably not nearly as good as Saratoga would do.
04:09So from a bottom line perspective, I agree with you.
04:12I think it's a no-brainer.
04:14I think the thing that they're going to get more of is perhaps more people being able
04:18to attend, because didn't Saratoga cap it just a little bit?
04:23I know they said 50,000 attendees.
04:26There's more room.
04:26There's going to be more room at the new Belmont.
04:29And the thing that really, really helped specifically for this weekend was the weather, which is not
04:34always guaranteed.
04:36So I'm a little bit torn.
04:38I like the 40 days for one meet at Saratoga, but I can't argue with the facts that 83 million
04:45is absolutely huge for that weekend.
04:49And Zoe, I know you're not there yet, but are you getting the Saratoga buzz?
04:54Are you getting the, you know, can't wait to get up in the morning and get on an airplane
04:58to come to Boston?
05:00I know you're changing planes there, or not changing planes there.
05:03And for Doodle is going to be represented at the Saratoga meet.
05:08So we will have Doodle on most of our podcasts, if not all of them from Saratoga.
05:13How's he like flying on a plane?
05:14Is he okay with it?
05:15Doodle's magic kennel is right here.
05:18Yeah, he'll be fine.
05:20I'm going to fly right into Boston so we don't have to change planes, but I'm already getting
05:24weather alerts.
05:25There's going to be weather, so God knows what's going to happen tomorrow.
05:28But I've been picked up at 4.15 and my flight's at 10 to 7.
05:33So hopefully I make it to Boston and can just drive the rest of the way from there.
05:38All right.
05:39That's a pretty long drive from Boston.
05:41Three hours.
05:42It's easy.
05:42It's not so bad, but I can see why you're being nice to Doodle.
05:46You don't want him to change planes and he comes first.
05:48We understand that.
05:50So, but anyways, it was an exciting opening weekend.
05:52And I don't want to, you know, poo-poo it too much, but the only thing that was wrong
05:57and, you know, I talk about this on every single podcast and I can't stop.
06:03The opening day feature, the Victory Ride stakes had four horses.
06:07Echo Sound won, beat three others.
06:11You know, are we going to have, we've seen so much of this at the Belmont at Aqueduct Mead.
06:16I hope we're not going to see.
06:17And Saratoga obviously gets bigger fields and has more grass stakes races, which feel very well.
06:23But I hope we're not going to see, just like we've seen the last couple of months,
06:26four race feature, five race feature.
06:28Every one of them, you know, carted as the second or third race.
06:31I don't have the answers to the problem, but that was the only thing that to me,
06:35that was a little bit discouraging about opening weekend is bang, first day,
06:39all we can come up with is four horses for a graded stakes race.
06:42I do want to remind you that, as always, the TDN Writers' Room is brought to you by Keeneland.
06:49Keeneland's sales grads produced some fireworks of their own over the holiday weekend,
06:53taking a total of four graded stakes.
06:56Phileas Fogg was home first in the grade two Suburban,
07:00then Creed's Gold won the grade three Hendry stakes at Woodbine.
07:04Cornishman took the grade three Cornhusker,
07:06but the icing on the cake was the remarkable performance by Fionn in the grade one Belmont Oaks.
07:14Fionn was a $75,000 Keeneland September bargain, you can say that again,
07:19and got up in the last seconds to catch odds on favorite nitrogen at the wire,
07:24obliterating an 18-year-old track record by three quarters of a second.
07:30Make plans to attend this year's Keeneland September sale,
07:33which runs from September the 8th through September the 20th.
07:38It all comes down to this.
07:40Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
07:42The moment that defines the year,
07:44when the world's most influential buyers gather,
07:48and every decision, every bid, every opportunity shapes the future.
07:54At a marketplace that brings the thoroughbred world together,
07:57and where futures are forged,
08:01because every moment matters.
08:04At the world's yearling sale,
08:06Keeneland September.
08:09And now for the fastest horse of the week,
08:11brought to you by Timberlake,
08:13one of those fast sires at Windstar Farm.
08:15Timberlake, a son of Intimischief,
08:17won the great one Champagne Stakes.
08:20As a two-year-old, if you recall,
08:22he defeated juvenile champ Fierceness in that race
08:25with the 93 buyer's speed figure.
08:27Then as a three-year-old,
08:29Timberlake went on to take the grade two Rebels stakes.
08:32In all, he earned over $1.3 million on the track.
08:38Timberlake was a TDN Silver Value sire for 2025,
08:41and he stands at Windstar for a fee of $20,000.
08:46The fastest horse of the week
08:47is another son of Intimischief,
08:49who on Friday ran the second fastest
08:52five-and-a-half furlongs in North American racing history.
08:57It was five-year-old gelding Bring the Band Home,
09:01who won the Harvey Pack Stakes at Saratoga
09:03by four-and-a-half lengths on the turf,
09:05a front-running romp.
09:06He earned a buyer figure of 109.
09:10You remember last year when Cogburn won the Jiper at Saratoga,
09:14five-and-a-half furlongs in 59.80 seconds,
09:18a ridiculous time.
09:20He was the fastest horse in the world.
09:21Bring the Band Home ran in 59.90,
09:26just a tenth of a second slower.
09:28And those are the only two five-and-a-half furlong races
09:31on dirt or turf to ever in North America
09:34be timed in less than one minute.
09:37It was the first stakes win also for Bring the Band Home,
09:40owned by Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation,
09:42trained by Mark Cassie.
09:43Cassie said afterward he long believed
09:45Bring the Band Home had top-class stakes potential,
09:48but minor problems held him back.
09:50He's from the same female family as Tisnow and Bud Royale.
09:54More on that later.
09:55And his damn Tisitude is a half-brother to Haskell Winter Painter.
09:59Welcome in now to Gainesway Guest of the Week,
10:04and it's Acacia Courtney Plemont,
10:06or Acacia Plemont as she goes by.
10:08Now, and you can see from the background,
10:10it looks like she's got a beautiful place in Saratoga.
10:12Big smile on her face.
10:14You're in horse heaven, Acacia.
10:16It's got to be the greatest thing in the world.
10:18I'm actually on Long Island right now.
10:20Because we had to go back down to Belmont Park
10:25to see the two-year-olds working yesterday morning
10:27and a lot of horses training today as well.
10:30So we'll be heading back up to Saratoga tonight.
10:32All right.
10:33And this is just a real softball general question,
10:36but I also like to get people's feelings about that.
10:39What is the one thing that you love the most about Saratoga?
10:44I think it's the energy and the synergy
10:46between the town and the racetrack.
10:49I remember we were coming back to our apartment building
10:52and one of our neighbors were having a nightcap
10:54out on their balcony and they yelled out,
10:57hey, Miguel, nice win in the last race or whatever it was.
11:00And, you know, that's just really cool.
11:03I don't think you get that a lot of other places
11:05that people are downtown having dinner,
11:08but they're also paying attention
11:09to what's happening at the races.
11:10And it's a small town feel,
11:12but there's also such a great connection
11:15between everything that's going on in the area.
11:18And I'm sure it's fantastic to be at Saratoga.
11:22I mean, it's the show place of racing in America.
11:26But for you on the flip side,
11:28I mean, you're talking most of the meet five days a week.
11:31You're on TV almost every one of those days,
11:33maybe everyone as far as I know.
11:35I know from watching you how much you like to prepare
11:38and how important it is to you to be prepared.
11:41That's a lot of work.
11:43It's got to be a grind with the dinners at night as well.
11:47It is.
11:48It's a lot.
11:49And of course, you guys know very well
11:51all of the time that goes into it.
11:53I always tell people it's not just the race days
11:54and the race days are long,
11:56but it's really all of the work
11:57that goes into it beforehand.
11:59So I'm on every day.
12:01I'll be on all of the remaining 40 days of the week
12:04with great pleasure, of course.
12:06But yes, there is a lot of prep time that goes into it.
12:10I'll also do the Talking Horses Handicapping Show
12:12once a week.
12:13My day is Thursdays.
12:14So that's the full card then,
12:16whereas typically Maggie Wolfendale and I,
12:19who are the reporters through the summer,
12:20will split up the days.
12:22So say there's 10 races,
12:24maybe she'll do the first five,
12:25I'll do the second five.
12:27If it's, then we'll flip-flop,
12:28you know, the next day, something like that.
12:30And then Saturdays, we're both on all day.
12:32But yeah, so it's a lot of trying to prioritize
12:36and trying to make sure you look after yourself
12:40a little bit as well.
12:42It's a place that's definitely very easy
12:45to get caught up in everything
12:46that's happening at the racetrack.
12:48And so try to make some time to work out
12:51and take a little bit of mental time as well.
12:54I have a NOT TV up in Saratoga with me.
12:56So riding in the morning is my kind of mental break.
13:00And since I've been doing that the last couple of years,
13:02I think that really does help
13:03to kind of lay the foundation,
13:05make sure you have a little bit of separation
13:07from the real world and all of the work
13:09and all the pressure of Saratoga as well.
13:12And that brings me perfectly to my next question,
13:15because not only are you on TV,
13:17you're now the wife of a trainer.
13:19You also have a 501c in racing for home.
13:24Can you tell us a little bit about
13:25how that's coming along
13:27and how you find time to do all this?
13:30Very good time management skills
13:32that I think started back when I was younger
13:34and I was dancing and riding in school
13:37and all the other things that I was doing.
13:38But yeah, it's a lot.
13:40For anybody that has had anything to do with a nonprofit,
13:45or we are also accredited
13:47by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.
13:49And anybody that is familiar with that process
13:52knows that the TAA holds their organizations
13:54to an incredibly high standard, as they should.
13:57So there's paperwork, there's grant applications,
14:00there's data updates
14:02on the horse farm management site as well.
14:05So a lot of things that go into it.
14:07Unfortunately, with my schedule,
14:08I'm not able to be hands-on with all of the horses.
14:11I just have one with me,
14:12but I do all of the admin side of things.
14:15But for me, racing for home
14:17is the most rewarding thing that I'm a part of.
14:20It's always the worst that's number one for me.
14:22And I'm really grateful
14:25that I have the opportunity to do that.
14:27It's something we started back in 2010, 2011,
14:31got 501c3 status.
14:32We've been doing it for a while,
14:33but the last couple of years,
14:35we've really kind of upped the ante.
14:37I have two more horses coming within the next week.
14:40I just took in two more last week,
14:44and I've got then another one
14:45coming in the middle of the month.
14:46So a lot of juggling,
14:49but it's something I'm really, really proud of
14:52that my family and I always make sure to emphasize.
14:56And it's a flattering thing
14:57when a trainer or horseman calls you
14:59and says, I have a horse,
15:00I want to find a home for, can you help me?
15:02So it's work, but it's a labor of love.
15:06And in case everybody knows,
15:07it's been a rough couple of weeks
15:08for you and your family.
15:10Your father-in-law, Christoph,
15:12passed away about two weeks ago.
15:14Highly respected,
15:15one of the most well-liked people on the backstretch.
15:18And your husband, Miguel,
15:19who I, as I understand,
15:21was really a co-trainer.
15:22It really wasn't a trainer, an assistant.
15:25They were co-trainers.
15:26But take us through this.
15:27How has it been?
15:28How difficult has it been?
15:30And how has Miguel handled all this?
15:33Well, as you said,
15:34it's been incredibly tough.
15:37Christoph handled his journey with cancer
15:40with the utmost class and bravery and grace,
15:44which I think comes as a surprise
15:46to absolutely nobody.
15:49And it's very hard, of course,
15:52to say goodbye to him.
15:54As a family that I married into,
15:56I really hit the jackpot
15:58because I am so fortunate
16:00to have a wonderful relationship
16:02with my in-laws.
16:03And Christoph is one of those people
16:04that I would come over to the house
16:06and he'd sit me down and say,
16:07tell me everything that's going on.
16:09Tell me about work.
16:10What about this?
16:11What about that?
16:12Can you do more of this?
16:14He was somebody that really genuinely cared
16:16about what was happening in your life
16:18and how he could help.
16:19And he was like that
16:20for a lot of young people in the industry.
16:22And when we lost Christoph,
16:25just the amount of people that came out
16:27and saying how he had impacted their life
16:31or their journey in racing,
16:32I thought was really amazing.
16:33So, of course, it's been very tough for the family,
16:37but also for the whole team at the stables,
16:39which is like a family,
16:40and people coming from all around the world
16:43to celebrate his life,
16:45which was really special too.
16:46So, of course, it's been very tough
16:48and a rollercoaster of emotions.
16:50But yes, as far as Miguel,
16:52as he pointed out when I interviewed him last,
16:54I might be a little bit biased,
16:56and I am,
16:57but I'm so proud of how he's handled himself.
17:00And he really carried on the legacy
17:04that I think his dad would have wanted.
17:06He did not miss a single day at the stables
17:08because he said the horses still have to train.
17:10I still have to make sure
17:11that my owners are getting what they're paying for
17:14and what they're expecting
17:15and that these horses are making it to the races
17:17that they're pointing towards.
17:19And yes, in Europe,
17:21they do allow licenses for co-trainers,
17:23and that's something that Christoph and Miguel
17:26actually tried to make happen in America.
17:28And it was not to be,
17:31but Miguel has been right there.
17:33And through Christoph's health journey
17:35the last few months,
17:36Miguel's really had to step up
17:37even before it was his name on the program.
17:40So obviously winning a grade one
17:43in his first week of training
17:45is a huge boost for everybody.
17:47But you know it's hard.
17:49Being in it is even harder.
17:51And I have just the utmost respect
17:54for every horseman and woman on the backside
17:57because it is not for the faint of heart,
17:59I will tell you that.
18:02Yeah, as we all know,
18:03horse racing is a sport
18:04that's deeply steeped in tradition,
18:06which can be fantastic.
18:08And it can also be not so good
18:10from an attitude point of view.
18:12I was fortunate enough
18:13to work with Charles E. Canty,
18:15one of the original pioneers
18:17in female broadcasting of horse races,
18:20and Janine Edwards.
18:22Maybe I'm wrong.
18:23It seems to me like now
18:24there are more quality opportunities
18:26than ever for talented female analysts
18:30in the sport like yourself.
18:32What are your thoughts on that
18:33and how fulfilling would that be?
18:35I appreciate that question
18:37and your comments as well.
18:39But I totally agree.
18:40And you know, it's funny,
18:41I was actually working
18:43on a social media post
18:44kind of following some trends
18:45and pointing out some real questions
18:48that I have been asked
18:49throughout my time
18:50as a racing analyst
18:51that I don't think
18:53any male counterpart
18:54would ever be asked,
18:56which includes the likes of
18:58does somebody do your handicapping for you
19:01or do you do it yourself?
19:02And is your husband going
19:04to let you keep working
19:05after you get married
19:06and things like that?
19:08So yeah, there are still
19:10some stereotypes, sadly,
19:11that do exist.
19:12But I am very proud
19:15that I know I got my position on merit
19:18and I've worked so hard.
19:20This is my seventh summer
19:22at Saratoga with Naira.
19:23My first year with them,
19:24the team was in 2019.
19:26And just seeing what I have accomplished
19:29and where I've come from
19:30since then to now,
19:32it's like night and day.
19:34And just amazing to see that growth
19:36and to be supported within the team.
19:38And one of the cool things
19:40is we have weekly production meetings.
19:43And if you have an idea
19:44for a feature video
19:45or a sit down
19:47or something you'd like to do,
19:48it's really embraced and accepted.
19:51And that's something
19:52that I'm really proud of as well.
19:54So I do think that
19:56there are so many talented women
19:58along the entire racing industry,
20:01whether it's assistant trainers
20:03who maybe are not necessarily
20:04in the spotlight.
20:05We've seen a lot more female trainers
20:06having success as well,
20:08which I think is awesome.
20:09So I think it's not just
20:10for the racing analysts.
20:12Yes, there are more opportunities,
20:14but I think it's thankfully
20:15throughout the entire industry
20:17becoming a little bit more prevalent.
20:19And I should have mentioned Zoe
20:20on that short list
20:21of female broadcasters.
20:23She deserves to be on it as well.
20:26Well, Acacia,
20:28knowing you like I've known you
20:29over the past several years,
20:32there's no one that works
20:33any harder than you.
20:34But what is one of your least
20:36favorite things to do on air?
20:38And what is one of your
20:39most favorite things to do?
20:42My least favorite thing
20:44is obviously to report
20:46when there's been an incident
20:47with a horse on the track.
20:49It is the absolute worst thing
20:51to have to be professional
20:52in that moment.
20:53But it's also a very important piece
20:57that we provide an update
20:58to the public that's watching.
21:02And I really respect Naira
21:06and the way that we are encouraged
21:08to handle those situations
21:10and that we do try to move forward
21:12with as much transparency as possible.
21:14It's often what we're given,
21:15but if you're able to speak
21:17to the attending veterinarian
21:18at that time.
21:20So yes, that's absolutely the worst
21:22and hopefully not something
21:24I have to do often.
21:25But my favorite thing is
21:29I probably really enjoy
21:33the interviews when it's a first.
21:36You know, when you see an owner
21:39that's having their first win
21:40at Saratoga
21:41or, you know, a jockey getting
21:44their first graded states win
21:46or something like that.
21:47I think those are the most special
21:50and they just remind you
21:51of why we're all fans of the game.
21:54Because that's what we're all reaching for
21:56at the end of the day,
21:57whether you're a horseman
21:59in any capacity
22:00or you're an analyst.
22:02I mean, we're all reaching
22:04for that win and that excitement.
22:06And I think sometimes
22:07we kind of get a little bit caught up,
22:09especially in our positions
22:11and our jobs
22:12with the price the horse was
22:14or did I pick the winner or not.
22:16But then when you see
22:17just that pure joy
22:18from people after a race like that,
22:21it's really, really a cool moment
22:23to be part of.
22:25And Acacia, back to Miguel.
22:27He's gotten off to a great start
22:29as a trainer.
22:29He's had to win a grade one race
22:31within the first couple of days
22:32of his career.
22:33So give us a scouting report.
22:35How does the stable look
22:36like at Saratoga?
22:38What kind of meet
22:39are you guys expecting?
22:40You got any winners for us?
22:41I hope so.
22:43We have Farbridge and Tawnyport
22:45running in the Bowling Green
22:46this weekend.
22:47So obviously really excited
22:48to see Farbridge out back
22:50the long-term goal
22:51to defend his title
22:52and the Sword Dancer.
22:54And between him
22:55and deterministic persons
22:56who are on the three horses
22:57that ran in the Manhattan
22:59for the last couple of years
23:00for everybody involved
23:02in the stable,
23:02they've really kind of been
23:03the big guns
23:04that have given us so much
23:06and horses that I feel
23:08so attached to.
23:08But we have a really exciting
23:10group of two-year-olds,
23:11which is awesome
23:12because that's one
23:13of the big things
23:14that Saratoga is known for
23:16and that people
23:16look ahead to.
23:17And I'm not giving
23:18any breaking news
23:20because, you know,
23:21just did an article
23:22a couple weeks ago
23:23talking about
23:23some of these horses.
23:25But we do have
23:26some exciting ones.
23:27A British Invasion
23:28who debuts on Thursday,
23:30I believe,
23:32was purchased over
23:32at Tattersalls.
23:33And then there's
23:35a couple of others
23:35including Caroline Street Beats,
23:37which you have to win
23:39at Saratoga
23:39with that name, right?
23:41And Teddy's Rocket
23:42who is owned by Steve Dunker
23:45who's one of the co-owners
23:46of Deterministic as well.
23:49Named for his son Teddy
23:50who's in high school
23:51but is literally
23:52building rockets
23:53and associated with SpaceX.
23:55So really cool name as well.
23:56So I'm excited
23:57about the two-year-olds.
23:59It's one of the things
23:59in the last couple of years
24:01Miguel and I have done
24:01the two-year-old sales together.
24:04Christoph himself
24:04went to Tattersalls last year
24:06and picked out the group
24:07that's coming there.
24:08So it'd be really special
24:09to see some of those horses
24:10do well.
24:11British Invasion,
24:12one of them.
24:13But yeah,
24:13really hoping that we see
24:15some exciting ones
24:15for the summer.
24:17You mentioned your weekly seminar.
24:19Acacia,
24:19are you prepared
24:20to pick more winners
24:20than Andy Serling?
24:22Don't give you
24:23too much grief now.
24:25I try my best.
24:27You know,
24:27it's so funny
24:28when I first started at Naira
24:30and the first time
24:31I ever did
24:32the Talking Horses show
24:33I was terrified.
24:35And I said,
24:36you know what?
24:36I am so over-prepared.
24:39I'm going to have
24:39all this information
24:40and he's not going
24:41to trip me up.
24:42And Andy and I
24:44spent a lot of time
24:45on the show together
24:45and he's become
24:47a dear, dear friend
24:48as well.
24:49But one of the things
24:50about Andy
24:51is that he makes you better.
24:53He is so incredibly prepared
24:56for every single show
24:57and everything that he does.
24:59And he,
25:01I think,
25:02made me a lot better
25:03as a handicapper
25:05and made me kind of
25:05step up my game.
25:07And he's also
25:08incredibly well-educated
25:10in the arts,
25:11literature,
25:12talk about books
25:13and Broadway
25:14and things like that
25:15as well.
25:16So he knows a lot
25:18about culture,
25:19which sometimes comes in
25:20with horse owners
25:21or horse names
25:22or things like that too.
25:24So I find that part
25:26of it really fun.
25:27But yeah,
25:27I am hoping
25:28that I can make
25:30a good account of myself
25:31and in some good ways.
25:33Come on, Acacia.
25:34I know you want to
25:35poke the bear
25:35every now and then.
25:37How do you like it?
25:38I love to stir the pot.
25:39I love to stir the pot.
25:43Well, Acacia Clement,
25:44we want to thank you
25:45so much
25:45for appearing
25:46on the Thoroughbred
25:47Daily News
25:48Writers Room Podcast.
25:49Hope that you
25:50and your husband
25:51and your whole family,
25:52your whole team
25:53at the Clement Stable
25:54has a terrific
25:55Saratoga 2025.
25:57Enjoy it.
25:57Don't work too hard.
25:59And maybe we'll catch up
26:00with you again next year.
26:02Looking forward to it.
26:03Thanks.
26:03Good to see you all.
26:04Thanks, Casey.
26:06This week's guest
26:07of the week,
26:08Acacia Clement,
26:09was brought to you
26:09by Gainsway,
26:10the home of McKenzie,
26:12one of racing's
26:13most exciting young sires.
26:15Among second crop sires
26:16in 2025,
26:18McKenzie ranks
26:19number one
26:20in grade one performers,
26:22number two
26:23in overall stakes performers,
26:25number two
26:25in graded stakes performers,
26:27and number three
26:29in stakes winners.
26:31And McKenzie stands
26:32at Gainsway
26:33for a fee
26:34of $75,000.
26:37Gainsway,
26:37power,
26:38passion,
26:39performance.
26:41It's a nominee
26:42ring displayed
26:43by the ultra-talented
26:44McKenzie.
26:45McKenzie
26:46in a dominant performance.
26:48One of the
26:49we could do
26:50a haul due
26:50$1,200,000.
26:53Chancer McPatrick
26:55proves best.
26:56Chancer McPatrick
26:58wins the champagne
26:59impressively.
27:00It is going to be
27:01all Scottish.
27:02Lassie,
27:02she wins the present
27:04easily.
27:11Well,
27:12there's some
27:12exciting horses
27:13that ran over
27:14the weekend.
27:16Matter of fact,
27:16let's start with
27:17the TDN Rising Star
27:18Ewing,
27:19who broke his maiden
27:20by 12 lengths,
27:22co-owned
27:22by
27:23DJ Stables.
27:26John Green
27:26and our friends
27:27got an 88 buyer.
27:29What a great name
27:30for a horse.
27:30He's by Nixco
27:31and they named him
27:32Ewing.
27:32That's very,
27:33very clever.
27:35Randy,
27:35this horse was
27:36tipped all over
27:37the place.
27:37He paid $270,000
27:38to win in his
27:39first start.
27:40But he looks
27:41like the real deal.
27:42There's been some
27:43other good two-year-olds
27:43that have come out
27:45already and run.
27:46But 88 buyer,
27:47wins by 12.
27:49I saw Mark Cassie
27:50said he may wait
27:51all the way to the
27:51hopeful to run him
27:53again.
27:53The other option
27:53would be to run
27:54in one of the
27:55other two-year-old,
27:56I guess the Adirondack,
27:58or is that for
27:58Phillies?
27:59I'm not sure.
27:59But there's one
28:00more two-year-old
28:01stakes race at the
28:01meet for two-year-old
28:02males and whether
28:04they go in that or
28:04not.
28:05But usually these
28:07horses that are
28:08precocious and win
28:08at Saratoga by so
28:09much, sometimes don't
28:11hear much about in
28:12the next year.
28:13I think this horse
28:14could be the real
28:14deal.
28:15Yeah.
28:17He wasn't that
28:20highly thought of
28:21to begin with,
28:22being a son of
28:23Nick's go, right,
28:24first crop.
28:25I think he was a
28:26$37,000 R&A at
28:29Keeneland September.
28:30And then they put
28:31him in the Omaha,
28:32or the Ocala.
28:34I'm talking like
28:35Peyton Manning now.
28:36Omaha, Omaha.
28:38They put him in the
28:39Ocala two-year-old
28:40sale, and I'm sure
28:40Zoe was there, and
28:41Zoe probably saw him
28:42breeze.
28:43He went 10 and
28:43one-fifth seconds.
28:45And all of a sudden,
28:46that $37,000 price tag
28:48went all the way up to
28:48$585,000 with DJ
28:53Stable and West
28:54Point Thoroughbreds
28:55and another partner.
28:56So, yeah, I mean, I
28:57don't know what he
28:57beat in there.
28:58I don't think the
28:59competition was all
29:00that tough, but he
29:00certainly did it the
29:01right way, winning by
29:0312 lengths.
29:04He'll get a lot of
29:04attention because of
29:05the Patrick Ewing name,
29:08right?
29:0915 years with the
29:10New York Knicks, one
29:12of the best centers
29:13of all time.
29:13I reached out to
29:15John Green, who was
29:16one half of DJ
29:18Stable, along
29:18obviously with his
29:19father, Len Green.
29:20And I said, so
29:21obviously, Knicks go,
29:23Ewing, yeah, that's a
29:25natural tie.
29:26But were you guys
29:27Knicks fans?
29:29Are you Knicks fans?
29:30He said, no, actually,
29:32we're New Jersey
29:33Nets, not New York
29:35Knicks fans.
29:37But they didn't have to
29:38get permission either
29:39because you can name,
29:41you can use a last
29:42name only like
29:43Ewing, which could be,
29:45you know, 100,000
29:47people in America
29:47probably with the
29:48last name of Ewing.
29:49And you don't have to
29:50get permission.
29:51But if they had
29:52named it Patrick
29:54Ewing, then you have
29:55to go to the
29:56individual and get
29:58permission.
29:58So in this case,
29:59they didn't have to.
30:00And he's going to get
30:00a lot of attention for
30:01that as well, Zoe.
30:03Very, very clever name
30:04indeed.
30:05Of course, you know,
30:06I don't follow
30:06basketball.
30:07I had no idea.
30:08I was like, oh,
30:09Ewing.
30:09And then I heard
30:10someone say Knicks go,
30:11and I'm like, oh,
30:13that's very clever.
30:14And he was terrific.
30:16Winning by 12 at
30:17Saratoga on 4th of
30:18July weekend.
30:19Just the jock
30:20motionless.
30:21He was sold by
30:22Hindenbrook at the
30:23OBS April sale.
30:24His damn, Sassy
30:25Ali Joy, was also
30:27an OBS grad.
30:28She actually never
30:29made it to the
30:29racetrack.
30:30She's by Indian
30:31Charlie.
30:32They paid 60,000
30:34for her.
30:34So there's all
30:35kinds of pedigree
30:36there by Knicks go
30:37out of an Indian
30:38Charlie mare.
30:39Physically to look
30:39at him, he's a
30:40beautiful looking
30:41horse.
30:42He's got some
30:42length.
30:42He's got some
30:43scope.
30:44Almost a little
30:44bit feminine that
30:45doesn't hurt you as
30:47a two-year-old colt
30:48whatsoever, but just
30:49a very slinky
30:50mover.
30:51And he showed that
30:52in his debut.
30:53I thought it was
30:53good.
30:54Yeah.
30:54I don't want to
30:55spend too much
30:55time on Ewing
30:56here.
30:56We have other
30:57horses to talk
30:57about.
30:58But one thing
30:58that's kind of
30:58funny in this
30:59whole deal as
31:00well, Knicks
31:01go obviously was
31:02owned by the
31:03South Koreans.
31:04And when they
31:05ran the horse in
31:06the United States,
31:07the first thing
31:08everybody thought of
31:08was, hey,
31:10they're obviously
31:10New York Knicks
31:11fans, Knicks
31:12go.
31:12No, no, it
31:14had nothing to
31:15do with the
31:15New York Knicks.
31:16It's all, it
31:17was, the horse
31:17was intended, the
31:19name was intended
31:19to be pronounced
31:20by the owners,
31:21K-Knicks.
31:23It was supposed to
31:24be K-Knicks
31:25go and not
31:27Knicks go.
31:28It's a Korean
31:29breeding company
31:31looking for
31:32Knicks in
31:32pedigrees.
31:33So, K-Knicks
31:35was Korean
31:36Knicks and
31:37that's what the
31:38horse was, how
31:38the name was
31:39supposed to be
31:39pronounced.
31:40But obviously,
31:41you run the
31:41horse in America,
31:42we're going to
31:43say K-Knicks
31:44go, we're going
31:44to say Knicks
31:45go.
31:46And now we have
31:46Ewing as well.
31:48That's a worthy
31:49rabbit hole right
31:50there.
31:50We should give you
31:51a prize for that.
31:52That is excellent.
31:54So, the ups and
31:55downs of the sport
31:56and the rollercoaster
31:57ride, DJ Stable
31:59experienced that
32:00because over the
32:01same weekend,
32:02their terrific
32:03three-year-old
32:04filly, Nitrogen
32:05lost by a nose
32:06to Fionne in
32:07the Belmont
32:08Oaks on the
32:09grass, I
32:11actually think
32:12this might have
32:12been a little
32:13bit of a
32:13blessing in
32:14disguise because
32:15in her previous
32:15race, she was
32:16in that three-horse
32:17race on the
32:18dirt and she
32:19just killed
32:19him.
32:20She won by
32:2017 lengths.
32:21You say, okay,
32:22well, big deal.
32:23She beat two
32:24horses, 17
32:24lengths.
32:25But she
32:26obviously is as
32:27good, now that
32:29she's been beaten
32:29on the turf, you
32:30can see that
32:31she's not
32:31invincible on
32:32the turf.
32:33I think she
32:33could be every
32:34bit as good on
32:35the dirt, if not
32:36better.
32:37And now Mark
32:37Cassie is talking
32:38about running
32:39her in the
32:39Alabama.
32:40That's very
32:41important because
32:41if she were to
32:43stay on the
32:43grass all year
32:44long, it would
32:45probably be very
32:45hard for her to
32:46win an Eclipse
32:47award.
32:47You don't
32:48really see
32:48three-year-old
32:48grass fillies
32:49win an Eclipse
32:50award.
32:51But if she
32:51goes out there
32:52and wins the
32:52Alabama and
32:53then does
32:54something beyond
32:54that, she's
32:55going to vault
32:56to that head
32:56of the class
32:57right now.
32:58And Randy, I
32:58think as you
32:59mentioned it last
33:00week, that
33:01class of
33:03three-year-old
33:03fillies has
33:04been hurt by
33:05a bunch of
33:05horses being
33:06injured and
33:07whatnot.
33:07That's right for
33:08the taking.
33:09And I think
33:10it's a great
33:10move on it.
33:11I think she'll
33:12be very tough
33:13in the Alabama.
33:14Oh, I
33:15completely agree.
33:16Now she'll
33:17almost certainly
33:18if things go
33:19well, be running
33:20against good
33:21cheer in the
33:22Alabama.
33:22So that would
33:23be a heck of a
33:24matchup there,
33:25nitrogen versus
33:26good cheer.
33:27But there's
33:27nothing in
33:28nitrogen's pedigree.
33:30Medaglia,
33:30Doro, I
33:31think on the
33:31top side and
33:32the dam, ran
33:33a couple of
33:33times on the
33:34turf, but was
33:34just as good
33:35on the dirt.
33:36There's nothing
33:36in the pedigree
33:37that would
33:37indicate that
33:39she should be
33:40better on the
33:41turf than she
33:42is on the
33:43dirt.
33:44So, yeah, I
33:44mean, she had
33:46no excuse.
33:47She ran a good
33:47race.
33:48She ran a
33:48really good
33:49race.
33:50She was just
33:51caught on the
33:51wire by
33:52Fionne.
33:53Flavian Pratt
33:54tracked nitrogen
33:55just a couple of
33:56links behind,
33:57followed her all
33:58the way around
33:58the racetrack.
33:59Essentially, they
33:59both had two
34:00wide trips, no
34:02excuses for
34:02nitrogen.
34:03She just,
34:04I thought she
34:04was just
34:05beaten on the
34:05up and up.
34:06She was, and
34:07she ran a very
34:08good race.
34:09She's by
34:09Medaglia Doro
34:10out of an
34:10Uncle Mo
34:11mare.
34:12So that's
34:13dirt on dirt,
34:14if you ask
34:14me.
34:15She's never
34:15tried fast
34:16dirt.
34:17We saw what
34:17she did in
34:18the slop that
34:18day.
34:19So definitely
34:20the Alabama
34:20looks like the
34:21up and up.
34:22And as far as
34:22Fionne is
34:23concerned, that's
34:24part of a five
34:25win day for
34:26Flavian Pratt.
34:27The third
34:28time in the
34:28last five
34:29years, he's
34:30won five
34:30races on the
34:314th of July
34:32weekend.
34:32So he's on
34:33fire.
34:33He picked up
34:34his first
34:34New York
34:35riding title.
34:36Fionne by
34:37Twirling Candy,
34:38the second
34:38greatest stakes
34:39for Twirling Candy
34:40on the day as
34:41well.
34:41So I'm looking
34:42forward to seeing
34:43Fionne do good
34:44things along with
34:45nitrogen.
34:46As far as I'm
34:46concerned, there
34:47were no losers
34:47in there.
34:48They both now
34:49have won five of
34:50their last six
34:50starts.
34:51Yeah.
34:51Two quality,
34:53quality Phillies.
34:54Yeah, it'll be
34:55interesting to see
34:56how they do
34:56down the road.
34:58But yeah, again,
34:59I think this
34:59kind of by
35:01accident opened
35:03up some doors
35:04that I think
35:04towards the end
35:05of the year,
35:06they're going to
35:06be very
35:07appreciative that
35:08it handled.
35:09All right, so
35:09Saratoga two-year-olds,
35:11Sanford steaks,
35:13part of the opening
35:13weekend.
35:14Another one, you
35:15know, again, I
35:16don't know if the
35:16winner of a steak
35:18trace at Saratoga
35:19in July is going to
35:20be anywhere to be
35:21found in the first
35:21Saturday, May.
35:22Usually they're
35:23not because these
35:25races are generally
35:26won by precocious
35:26horses and then
35:28the other horses
35:29catch up to them
35:30down the road.
35:31However, again,
35:32obliteration by
35:33ten and a half
35:34lengths in the
35:35Sanford, 91
35:36buyer, Zoe,
35:37another very nice
35:38two-year-old.
35:39He was good and
35:40he was good when
35:41he broke his maiden
35:41at Churchill Downs.
35:43He was ridden
35:43that time by Eric
35:45Asmussen, Steve's
35:46son, Flavian Pratt
35:48took over the
35:48reins here for the
35:49state's debut and
35:50never looked like a
35:51loser.
35:51obliteration, son
35:53of violence.
35:54They keep coming
35:54up with these
35:55mega amazing
35:56manly names like
35:58you've got
35:59violence, then
35:59you've got
36:00obliteration.
36:01Think of some
36:01of the good
36:01cults that
36:02Asmussen has
36:03had over the
36:04course of the
36:04past several
36:05days.
36:05You couldn't
36:06think of any
36:06more manly
36:07names for any
36:08of them.
36:08So obliteration,
36:10brilliant name.
36:11I don't know how
36:12far he's going to
36:13want to go at the
36:13end of the day
36:14because he looks
36:14like he starts to
36:15run a little bit
36:16downhill towards
36:17the end of his
36:18races, but he
36:19certainly was good
36:20in that race, and
36:21I'm looking forward
36:21to seeing him
36:22again.
36:23Yeah, he was a
36:2491 buyer, three
36:25points higher than
36:26Ewing, who ran
36:26two races earlier.
36:27One of the cool
36:28things here, I
36:29think, is looking
36:31at obliteration from
36:32an ownership
36:32perspective, right?
36:34Way back in
36:351996, 29 years
36:38ago, Steve
36:39Asmussen got his
36:40very first graded
36:42stakes victory in
36:44the Derby trial at
36:45Churchill Downs, a
36:46grade three with a
36:47horse named
36:47Valid Expectations,
36:49who was owned by
36:50Lee Ackerley and
36:51his brother Robert.
36:52Lee Ackerley is the
36:54owner of
36:54obliteration, so
36:56that's got to be
36:56extra special as
36:57well for Steve to
37:01have a horse like
37:03obliteration now in
37:042025 for a guy
37:06that's supported him
37:07as a trainer for so,
37:09so long.
37:10Yeah, back on the
37:11scene, he showed up
37:13in a big way at the
37:13two-year-old sales,
37:14and it's good to
37:16see him back,
37:17especially with
37:18Steve.
37:19The TDN
37:20Writer's Room is
37:22brought to you by
37:23the Pennsylvania
37:23Horse Breeders
37:25Association.
37:26On Monday at
37:27Presque Isle Downs,
37:28our lady overcame
37:29traffic issues,
37:30joined the $75,000
37:32Malvern Rose
37:33Steaks for
37:33three-year-old
37:34Pennsylvania-bred
37:35fillies at odds
37:36of one to five.
37:37She shipped in from
37:38Woodbine, ran her
37:39career record to a
37:40perfect three for
37:41three.
37:41And here's the
37:42beauty of the
37:43Pennsylvania-bred
37:44program.
37:45Our lady was bred
37:45by Blackstone Farm,
37:47who now will receive
37:49an additional 20% of
37:50the winning purse
37:52from the PHBA.
37:54Our lady's a
37:55daughter of Bolt
37:55Doro, but had she
37:57been sired by a
37:58registered Pennsylvania
37:59stallion, another
38:0140% of the winning
38:03purse would go to
38:04the breeder, and
38:04that applies to any
38:05horse finishing
38:06first, second, or
38:07third in any race
38:09run in the state of
38:10Pennsylvania.
38:11For more about
38:12that PA Bread
38:12program, you can
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38:14or call 610-444-1050.
38:21PA Bread, I think
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38:32On average, for the
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38:44Just three states
38:45have bred more
38:45Breeders' Cup
38:46winners.
38:47Learn more at
38:48pabread.com.
38:49With some of the
38:50fullest fields in
38:51the country, and
38:53quality racing year
38:54round, there's never
38:56been a better time to
38:57reap the rewards of
38:58breeding and racing in
38:59Kentucky.
39:01Purse money in
39:02Kentucky is at an
39:03all-time high, as
39:04is average purse per
39:05race, outpacing
39:07California, Florida, and
39:09New York.
39:10Kentucky Breads.
39:12Breed them.
39:13Raise them.
39:14Race them.
39:15We all win.
39:17In recent podcasts, we
39:22have highlighted the
39:22success of Kentucky
39:24Breads all over the
39:25world.
39:25Goodolphin's ruling
39:26court, son of
39:27Justify, won the
39:282000 Guineas at New
39:29Market.
39:30Crimson Advocate
39:31recently became a
39:32two-time stakes
39:33winner at Royal
39:34Ascot.
39:35But closer to home,
39:36at the recent
39:37Churchill Downs
39:38meeting, Kentucky
39:39Breads won 78% of
39:41all stakes races,
39:4339 out of 50, and
39:4477% of all graded
39:46stakes, 23 out of
39:4930.
39:49Kentucky Breads also
39:50swept both grade
39:51ones at Saratoga
39:52during the July 4th
39:54Racing Festival, with
39:56Test Score and
39:57Fionn winning the
39:58Belmont Derby and
39:59Oaks Invitationals
40:00respectively.
40:01And now that
40:02Kentucky Racing has
40:03moved to Ellis Park,
40:04you can look for
40:04record stakes, purses
40:06there, as well as
40:07Maiden's Special
40:08Weight purses, up
40:09to $100,000 for
40:12registered Kentucky
40:13Breads.
40:13Kentucky Breads,
40:14breed them, raise
40:15them, race them, we
40:17all win.
40:19So other developments
40:20on the racetrack over
40:21the weekend.
40:22I went on my
40:23Sirius XM show on
40:24Saturday, and I
40:25said, not only is
40:26Copian the best
40:27Philly sprinter in
40:28America, she's the
40:29best sprinter, period.
40:31Oh man, I'm a
40:32jinx.
40:33I'm sorry.
40:34Now she ran a
40:34terrific race, but
40:36another very good
40:37horse, Sweetie
40:38Atsteca, got the
40:39better of her.
40:40And it was, I
40:41mean, she was one
40:41to five.
40:42She was supposed to
40:43win.
40:43Also, Randy, I'll
40:45ask Zoe this because
40:46it's more of a
40:46jockey question.
40:48Very interesting
40:49riding tactics.
40:50Juan Hernandez
40:50carried Kimura out
40:53into the parking
40:53lot on that far
40:55turn.
40:55What do you think was
40:56going through his
40:57mind?
40:57What was he trying
40:59to do?
40:59And obviously, there's
41:00no claim of foul or
41:01anything like that.
41:02The horse has never
41:03bumped, no one was
41:04impeded, but I think
41:06that probably helped
41:07his cause.
41:08It was a terrific
41:09ride by J.J.
41:10Hernandez as far as
41:11I'm concerned, but
41:12if you watch the
41:12races, especially the
41:13thoroughbred races for
41:14the short meet at
41:15LaSalle, nobody
41:16sticks to the rail.
41:18Watch them down the
41:18backside.
41:20It's like the rail is,
41:21I don't know what the
41:22hell is wrong with the
41:23rail, but no one ever
41:24takes a chance and
41:25goes on it.
41:26So even going down the
41:27backside, they're five,
41:29six, seven wide down the
41:30backside.
41:31Watch ahead on.
41:32And he just continues
41:33that.
41:33There's no dropping in
41:34down the lane.
41:35Now, Kazushi should have
41:36foreseen it, excuse me,
41:39and tuck to the
41:41inside, but he
41:42didn't.
41:42And he just got swung
41:44out on the apex of the
41:45turn.
41:46He did duck in finally,
41:48but it was all over.
41:50And let's face it,
41:51Sweet Azteca made a new
41:52track record last year
41:53winning the race, and
41:55she bested it this year
41:56going 114.32.
41:58That's a three-quarter
41:59mile split of 107.79 and a
42:03half mile in 43.87.
42:06If you watch them coming
42:08down the lane, now Copian's
42:09a good-looking filly, but
42:10she's not the size of
42:12Sweet Azteca.
42:13She looks like a colt
42:14coming down the lane.
42:16Terrific training job by
42:17Boltus.
42:18His first time with the
42:19filly, we last saw her
42:20running last in the
42:21Chillingworth Stakes last
42:22October when trained by
42:24Michael McCarthy, who
42:25really did nothing wrong.
42:26I don't know what
42:27happened to her that day.
42:28It was supposed to be a
42:29prep to go on for the
42:31Breeders' Cup filly and
42:32mare sprint, but she was
42:33last of four when she was
42:34supposed to win.
42:36The Stint's changed
42:36hands.
42:37Boltus was supposed to
42:38run her a month ago, and
42:40she had a little cut on
42:41her ankle, and she was
42:42scratched the day of the
42:43race.
42:44He regrouped and brought
42:46her back here, and
42:46everyone's like, why is
42:47he bringing her back
42:48there against Copian?
42:50And then you've got to
42:50think, why is Mandela
42:52running Copian in this
42:53spot?
42:53What's the point?
42:54So I don't know.
42:56But she was terrific.
42:57Nobody was beating her on
43:00that day, Sweet Azteca.
43:01Yeah.
43:02You're absolutely right
43:03about that, Zoe.
43:03And one more thing, we
43:05had Richard Baltus on our
43:06radio show, I was just
43:07talking about, he didn't
43:08think he was going to
43:09win.
43:10I mean, you know, he
43:11didn't say, I've got no
43:12chance, but, you know,
43:13usually trainers, you
43:14know, got that bravado and
43:15anything can happen, that
43:17old cliche, well, if you
43:18only have to beat one
43:19horse, you should go into
43:20it, which is absolutely
43:22the case.
43:23But he looked at it, and
43:24I can read between the
43:26lines.
43:27He didn't think this was
43:27going to work.
43:29It was going to work in
43:30that she would run a good
43:31race.
43:31But I don't think in a
43:32million years, he really
43:33thought he would win.
43:34So congratulations to
43:35Baltus in that camp.
43:37She's a very good
43:37filly.
43:38If she stays healthy, maybe
43:39she takes over from
43:41Copian.
43:42Maybe I'll be saying
43:42someday she's the best
43:44sprinter in the country.
43:45Now, in the aftermath of
43:49this, Richard Mandela did
43:51come out and say that
43:53Copian lost a left front
43:54shoe at some point during
43:56the race.
43:57He thinks that impacted
43:59her form somewhat.
44:01He doesn't know how much.
44:02He doesn't know exactly
44:03when it happened.
44:04And I know we hear that
44:04all the time.
44:05Horses win after blowing
44:07shoes, you know, so you
44:08can't necessarily say that
44:10that was an excuse.
44:10But, you know, clearly
44:12Copian is capable of
44:14running better than she
44:16ran against Sweet Azteca.
44:17And it's really something
44:19to look forward to down
44:20the road if both these
44:21fillies' mares make it to
44:23the Breeders' Cup
44:25filly mare sprint.
44:26I mean, obviously Sweet
44:27Azteca's had issues.
44:29She's a five-year-old mare
44:30with eight lifetime starts.
44:31If you go back and watch
44:32the Chillingworth last year
44:33when she ran their final
44:35start of last year, she was
44:36trying to get out badly
44:37all the way down the
44:39backside.
44:39So something was clearly
44:40amiss.
44:42And Baltus is talking about
44:42just running her one more
44:43time before the Breeders' Cup,
44:45maybe in the Ballerina
44:45at Saratoga.
44:46But this is a really,
44:48really good division,
44:50the fillies' sprint division,
44:51because you've got Ways
44:52and Means sitting out
44:54there as well, who's just
44:55run a 111 buyer speed
44:57figure, the fastest of any
44:58horse so far this year.
45:00Yeah, indeed.
45:01A very good division.
45:02So we were talking earlier
45:03about Steve Asmussen and,
45:04you know, his stable of
45:06horses.
45:07We almost forgot about
45:08magnitude set out of
45:10sight, out of mind.
45:11He ran that 108 in the
45:13Risen Star, which came
45:15out of the middle of
45:15nowhere.
45:16His form was pretty
45:17moderate before that race.
45:20And he runs in the Risen
45:21Star runs.
45:22It was a 108 buyer,
45:23right, Randy?
45:24Yes.
45:25And it's like, wow,
45:26where did this come from?
45:28And I'm not altogether
45:29sure what it, please fill me
45:30in if you know the answer.
45:31I'm sure you do.
45:32I don't know quite what the
45:34reason was that he didn't
45:35make it to the Derby,
45:36but he made it to the
45:37Prairie Meadows for the
45:38Iowa Derby over this
45:40holiday weekend and won.
45:42Granted, the Iowa Derby is
45:44not going to attract the very
45:45best horses around, but he
45:47looked very good winning by
45:47nine and a quarter lengths.
45:49Four days after he won the
45:51Risen Star, in which he ran
45:53the fast, believed to be the
45:54fastest mile in an eighth by
45:55three-year-old in the long
45:56history of the fairgrounds,
45:58he underwent ankle chip
46:00surgery.
46:01Dr. Larry Bramlage operated
46:03on him, so that obviously
46:05knocked him out of any
46:06consideration for any of the
46:07Triple Crown races.
46:08And I thought Asmussen did a
46:10great job in finding the
46:12right comeback spot for
46:15magnitude.
46:15A fairly soft field in a
46:18$250,000 race.
46:20Prairie Meadows has been kind
46:22of a speed-favoring racetrack,
46:23which helps magnitude.
46:24That's his new running style
46:25that seems to be very
46:26effective with Ben Curtis.
46:28Mile on a sixteenth is the
46:29right distance to make a
46:30comeback, and he even went
46:32so far, Steve did, as to
46:33plot out, okay, we can run
46:35at night when the
46:36temperature's cooler for
46:38magnitude.
46:39Because if you remember when
46:40he won the Risen Star, it
46:41was kind of under the lights
46:41as well that night.
46:43So, yeah, great comeback
46:45race.
46:46105 buyer after the 108 in
46:48the Risen Star.
46:50I texted Steve after the race
46:51and said, where are you
46:52going to run next?
46:53He says, I don't know.
46:54The one thing I can tell you
46:55is the horse is on his way
46:57to Saratoga.
46:58Now, he was not nominated to
47:00the Haskell, so that can
47:01mean one of two things.
47:02He's going to go Jim
47:03Dandy, Travers, or he's just
47:05going to go straight into the
47:06Travers.
47:07We'll have to see.
47:08But, you know, this three-year-old
47:09group, you know, if he can jump
47:12up there and belong with the
47:14top names in journalism and
47:16sovereignty, again, we're
47:18talking about tough divisions.
47:19Randy, you talked about the
47:20Philly sprinters.
47:23There's a lot of depth to this
47:25three-year-old Colt division, and a
47:27lot of horses that are just now
47:29like magnitude starting to really
47:31pick your head up and pay
47:32attention to it.
47:34I'd love to see how he does in
47:35the Travers.
47:36I guess we'll have to see.
47:38I hope he didn't run too fast
47:39again.
47:40I mean, that's what everyone
47:41said he did earlier on the
47:43year, and what a terrific
47:44training job by Asmussen.
47:45That's less than four months
47:47from ankle chip surgery to come
47:49back and run a 105 via speed
47:52figure.
47:52I've completely forgotten all
47:54about him.
47:55And then I see, first off, I
47:57was thinking, did Mike Stidham
47:59take Ben Curtis off Think Big
48:01because he won a stakes race at
48:02Saratoga, first time going
48:04long after a dismal effort at
48:06Churchill Downs.
48:06I'm like, I must have took him
48:08off and put, you know, someone
48:09else on Think Big.
48:11And then later in the afternoon,
48:12I see the Iowa Derby and I'm
48:14like, oh, that's where Ben
48:15Curtis is.
48:16He's riding magnitude and you
48:17can't blame him.
48:18So he had to take off Think Big
48:20to go and ride magnitude and I
48:22can't say I blame him.
48:23That was terrific.
48:24I just hope it's not too fast.
48:26That's a that's a huge number
48:28to run off the layoff.
48:30Randy, what do you think about
48:31that?
48:32Should they be worried that he
48:33ran again too fast for his own
48:35good?
48:38Yeah, I mean, I guess I would have
48:41to be, you know, at least maybe in
48:43the back of their minds.
48:44I'm not as big a believer in that
48:47as some people are.
48:48Good horses run fast.
48:51How good is magnitude?
48:52That's what we don't really know
48:54yet.
48:54We know he's capable in the right
48:57circumstances of running a super
48:59fast race.
49:00Right.
49:00You know, and he had something to
49:02prove a little bit, not just off the
49:03layoff in Iowa, because if you
49:05remember the conversation during the
49:09day of the risen star was how fast
49:12the rail was playing speed and rail.
49:15And that was why Asmussen and Ben
49:17Curtis decided from the far outside
49:19post just to go with magnitude and
49:22put him on the lead and try to take
49:24advantage of what appeared to be a
49:25track bias.
49:27So how legitimate was that 108?
49:30That's something that a lot of people
49:31may be questioned at the time.
49:34So he comes back in Iowa and he proves
49:36that, you know, again, he's on the
49:38front end and he's got an uncontested
49:40early lead and the fractions weren't
49:42super fast.
49:43So now that's going to be the
49:44conversation if he runs in the
49:45Traverse, who's going to run with him
49:47early and if he doesn't make an easy
49:49early lead, will he be as effective?
49:52The TDN Writers Room is brought to you
49:54by First TV.
49:55Now we have a special work of the week,
49:57but it's actually two works of the week
49:59from the top three-year-olds in America.
50:03Right now we'll go to Saratoga as
50:04we'll see Sovereignty back on the work
50:06tab on Independence Day at Saratoga,
50:09working a half mile in company with
50:11stablemate Jefferson Street on the
50:13Oklahoma training track.
50:15That's Sovereignty on the inside being
50:17pushed along and he's working very well
50:19indeed.
50:20The pair completed the move in 48.99,
50:24the third fastest of 21 moves on the
50:26day.
50:27Sovereignty heads next to the Jim Dandy
50:29at Saratoga on July the 26th.
50:32Two days later at Santa Anita,
50:34journalism was back on the work tab for
50:36an impressive looking half mile move
50:38in company with we're in trouble on the
50:41outside here.
50:42That's journalism on the inside in the
50:44bridle doing exactly what he's done all
50:47year long.
50:51Be a smarter better with First TV,
50:54the best horses.
50:55All the thrills.
50:57With thousands of exclusive morning
51:00workouts.
51:05All at your fingertips and delivered right
51:07into your inbox.
51:10Everything you need to be informed.
51:13Be smart.
51:14Bet smart.
51:16With First TV.
51:17All the thrills.
51:25Fraction of the bills.
51:30Experience the power of the partnership.
51:35Change your life, make new friends and
51:38compete at the highest level of
51:39thoroughbred racing.
51:42West Point Thoroughbreds, the gold standard
51:45and racing partnerships.
51:47Visit westpointtv.com.
51:50The TD and Riders Room also brought to you
51:53by West Point Thoroughbreds.
51:55As always, West Point is obviously really
51:57gearing up for the Saratoga season and
52:00it got out of the gate quickly last week
52:03on the 4th of July holiday with its very
52:06first starter.
52:07That was the aforementioned Ewing.
52:10He of the stylish Slam Dunk 12-length
52:14debut win last Saturday.
52:16Ewing, a two-year-old son of Nick's Go,
52:18is trained by Mark Cassie and co-owned
52:20by DJ Stable and Kenneth Fryrich,
52:23along, obviously, with West Point Thoroughbreds.
52:26Well, that's a wrap on this week's edition
52:30of the Thoroughbred Daily News Writers Room
52:32podcast.
52:33I want to thank my co-hosts and my partner,
52:36Zoe Cadman, and Randy Moss, along with
52:38our guest of the week, Acacia Clement,
52:41and the people who work behind the scenes
52:43help us put out this great show every week.
52:45Sue Finley, Katie Petruniak, Anthony LaRocca,
52:48and Aliyah LaRocca.
52:49Real Saratoga, the official opening of Saratoga,
52:52is this week.
52:53I guess those other dates were Belmont at Saratoga
52:56at Aqueduct or something like that.
52:58I got confused with the way they were jumping around
53:01from track to track.
53:02But anyways, it is the second opening,
53:06maybe even the third opening day at Saratoga,
53:08but it's going to be a great meet, as it always is.
53:12And Zoe, have a great time up there.
53:14I will, and good to have you back.
53:15We missed you last week, Bill.
53:18Yes, we did.
53:18And there's Lucy.
53:20Okay.
53:21Hi, Lucy.
53:23Hi, Lucy.
53:24Hi, Lucy.
53:24Hi, Lucy.
53:25Hi, Lucy.
53:25Hi, Lucy.
53:25Hi, Lucy.
53:26Hi, Lucy.
53:27Hi, Lucy.
53:28Hi, Lucy.
53:29Hi, Lucy.
53:30Hi, Lucy.
53:31Hi, Lucy.
53:32Hi, Lucy.
53:33Hi, Lucy.
53:34Hi, Lucy.
53:35Hi, Lucy.
53:36Hi, Lucy.
53:37Hi, Lucy.
53:38Hi, Lucy.
53:39Hi, Lucy.
53:40Hi, Lucy.
53:41Hi, Lucy.
53:42Hi, Lucy.
53:43Hi, Lucy.
53:44Hi, Lucy.
53:45Hi, Lucy.
53:46Hi, Lucy.
53:47Hi, Lucy.
53:48Hi, Lucy.
53:49Hi, Lucy.
53:50Hi, Lucy.
53:51Hi, Lucy.
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