WHATS YOUR FANCY FOR THE JULY

LoL

Six horses in NJ test positive for EPO

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Trenton, NJ --- New Jersey Racing Commission Executive Director Frank Zanzuccki announced today that a Racing Commission investigation has resulted in the first positive test results obtained under the state’s recently-expanded testing protocols aimed at detecting the use of performance- enhancing substances in race horses.

Racing Commission investigators oversaw the drawing of fluids from horses at the Commission-licensed Winner’s International Farm in Chesterfield, Burlington County, last month. Laboratory tests subsequently confirmed that six harness race horses under the care of trainer Ernest Adam and owned by Commission-licensed owner Stephen C. Slender, DVM, had tested positive for the performance- enhancing drug Erythropoietin- Human (EPO). The six harness horses have been declared ineligible to compete in New Jersey racing, consistent with the rules of the Racing Commission’s new “out-of-competition” testing initiative.

New Jersey State Police searched the farm where the six horses had been kept earlier today. Based on lab results and other information obtained during the investigation, the Racing Commission will now conduct a hearing to determine whether Adam and Slender have violated Commission rules. The Commission is in the process of issuing Adam and Slender Notices of Hearing, which list their alleged rule violations.

Pending the outcome of their respective hearings, both men remain eligible to participate in New Jersey racing. Under Racing Commission rules, a trainer is the absolute insurer of, and is responsible for, the condition of a horse within his or her care and custody. Violations of the state’s testing rules are punishable by a 10-year license suspension and $50,000 fine.

The six horses identified as having tested positive for EPO have all raced at Freehold and the Meadowlands in New Jersey this year, and have raced at tracks in New York and Pennsylvania as well.

The six horses are: Art Maker, who last raced this past Sunday at Harrah's Chester Downs; Jeremy’s Successor, who last raced at the Meadowlands on Sunday; Jovial Joker N, who last raced at Saratoga on Sunday; JW Dutch Treat, who last raced at Yonkers on April 24; Pacific Playboy, who last raced at Harrah's Chester Downs on Sunday; and Western Mac, who last raced at Harrah's Chester Downs on April 20.

The Racing Commission’s out-of-competition testing program was launched in late 2007. It began following adoption of a new rule that expanded the Racing Commission’s ability to test horses for illegal substances by authorizing testing not only at racetracks, but at horse farms -- and at any time. Previously, the Commission was only authorized to conduct testing of horses on race day, and only at New Jersey’s four racetracks.

Zanzuccki explained that the testing program is necessary to detect the improper administration of blood doping agents such as human EPO, which is improperly used in race horses to improve the animal’s performance.

EPO artificially increases red blood cells and hemoglobin, and can therefore enhance oxygen consumption during racing. The use of human EPO products is dangerous to the well-being of the horses, because it causes unnatural increases in blood viscosity, which can lead to heart attack or stroke during intense exercise. In addition, EPO is a human pharmaceutical product never intended for use in horses, and never approved for such a purpose. Use of the drug in horses can trigger an immune response, such that the horse begins to destroy not only the human drug, but its own

Ruling ante-post favourite for next month’s R3 million Vodacom Durban July (Gr 1), Pocket Power, drew midfield when the draws for Africa ’s Greatest Horseracing Event were made at a function at Greyville Racecourse yesterday.



Pocket Power, bidding for a Vodacom Durban July double after his dead-heat with the grey filly Dancer’s Daughter last year, drew 12 while stable companion and full sister, River Jetez, was not as lucky as she pulled barrier 15.



Big City Life, the Daily News 2000 and Investec Cape Derby winner drew 10 which will have pleased trainer Glen Kotzen while Tropical Empire, impressive winner of the Betting World 1900, drew pole position at 1. Trainer Duncan Howells, who saddles his first July runner, said he was very happy with his draw as he felt that jockey Brandon Lerena would be able to pick his spot as the race unfolded.



Smart Banker, winner of the Champions Challenge, drew wide at 17 which prompted trainer Charles Laird to switch jockeys. Stable rider Anton Marcus was originally penciled in behind Smart Banker but after the draw was made, Laird switched Marcus onto Our Giant, who drew 2, and Brian Nyawo, who originally did not have a ride in the race, picked up the mount on Smart Banker. Earlier this season, Nyawo partnered Smart Banker to victory in the Horse Chestnut Stakes (Gr 1) beating Marcus riding the odds-on favourite Our Giant.



Richard Fourie, who was originally down to partner Our Giant was left without a ride, but trainer Mike Bass, who was seated at the same table as Laird during the proceedings, was given an option to have Fourie partner Meteor Shower, one of four runners Bass has in the big race. Richard has now been declared officially to partner Meteor Shower.



Two other trainers with their first runners in the race, Craig Eudey and Gavin van Zyl, were both happy with their draws as Thandolwami and Cape Town drew 7 and 4 respectively.



In a brand new innovation, it was announced that two false rails would be used on July Day. Course Manager Allen Bharath said that the races run before the Vodacom Durban July would be run with a false rail set at 14 m. This would then be removed before the running of the big race and would be run on a new strip of grass 5 m wide, with the false rail moved in to 9 m.



The R3 million Vodacom Durban July (Gr 1) will be run over 2200 m at Greyville Racecourse on Saturday, July 4. The traditional public gallops will be held on Thursday, June 25 at Greyville, starting at 7pm. The gallops will be televised live on Tellytrack, DSTV channel 232.

Rule a few out,who won`t stay? Zirconeum? Aluminium? Our giant?

If markus believes, then we should go on that I think. Aluminium may fall short. Zirconeum, doubtful

London Guest, if he wins the Vodacom Durban July on Saturday, will become the first horse to ever follow in the footsteps of both his sire and grandsire as a winner of Africa ’s Greatest Horseracing Event.



His sire, London News, trained by Alec Laird, won the July in 1996 and was himself the son of a previous winner, the 1987 winner Bush Telegraph, who was trained by Bert Abercrombie.



There have been a few July winning progeny of previous winners but the sequence has never before reached a third generation.



In 1911 Nobleman became the first and only ever two-year-old winner of the July and it was also the first time the progeny of a previous winner had won the race.



His mother, Peerless, had won in 1903.



Nobleman was ridden by Alec Laird, the father of record-breaking seven-time winning July trainer Syd Laird and grandfather of current trainers Alec and Charles Laird, who have each won one July.



In 1915 Winnipeg became the first horse sired by a previous winner, 1909 winner King’s Favourite.



In 1951 the winner Gay Jane was the daughter of 1941 winner Sadri II.



The following year one of the July’s most revered winner’s, Mowgli, was the son of 1940 winner, Kipling.



C’est Si Bon, winner in 1954, put Sadri II into the record books as the only July winner to have sired two winners of South Africa ’s premier horse race.






Gill Simpkins
Public Relations Manager

The Mike Bass yard were enormously impressed with River Jetez’s Vodacom Durban July gallop at Greyville Racecourse on Thursday.



Muzi Yeni rode River Jetez while Bernard Fayd’Herbe was aboard her companion, Consensual.



Bass felt that River Jetez did not really need the gallop and didn’t want her to have a hard time.



However, he wanted Consensual to have a good workout before her date in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes on July day.



The plan was for River Jetez to lead them in and for Consensual to catch her in the straight before galloping on to the line.



However, Consensual was unable to reach her in the straight and River Jetez, despite travelling well within herself, then pulled further clear.



Fayd’Herbe returned and explained that he could not catch River Jetez, as hard as he had tried, for she had just been too good.



Bass described Consensual’s third place finish in the KRA Fillies Guineas as about her level, still good enough for River Jetez’s work to have been very impressive.



In fact Consensual, last season’s Equus Champion Juvenile Filly, had thrashed River Jetez in the latter’s final gallop before the J&B Met on the cinders at Milnerton.



The biggest disappointment for the Bass yard this winter has been River Jetez’s July draw of 15.



She had been targeted at this race. This year was always going to be her best chance of winning it, for as expected, she has improved to top class level but still carries a light weight.



Bass is concerned about Pocket Power this year due to the weight he has to carry.



He said that the field might look weaker than normal, but that the July was always an extremely difficult race to win no matter the opposition.



However, Pocket Power’s current burly appearance did not concern him and would not affect his ability to accelerate in his normal fashion.



In fact one of the concerns for the yard, as always, is that he will hit the front too soon.



Bernard Fayd’Herbe recently described the difficulty of timing Pocket Power’s run as he makes up the ground so quickly and unexpectedly that before the jockey knows it he is in front where he doesn’t want to be.



Fayd’Herbe did appear to time Pocket Power’s run to perfection in last year’s July.






Gill Simpkins
Public Relations Manager

Excellent feedback......... Makes an already enormously difficult race to predict even more difficult. Such is racing:-)

On ratings most of the field is out at the weights barring the following: Pocket Power, Our Giant, Buy and Sell, Kapil, Smart Banker and River Jetez.

Out of these my take is that Kapil and Our Giant are very doubtful to stay. River Jetez is carrying a kg more than last year where she was beaten a length and is now drawn badly. Buy and Sell doesnt seem to be the same horse anymore and a draw of 13 doesn't do any favours. Smart Banker has the worst draw of all of these at 17 but even with a bad draw he surely has a better chance than Our Giant, I don't agree with Anton's decision to jump ship, he wont be the first jock to make the wrong choice though. Having won on Smart Banker before Nwayo is a more than adequate replacement.

That leaves the champ Pocket Power, he is rated 5 pounds higher than for last years race which equates to 2.5 lengths. Has he improved that much on last years rating? Bass thinks he is sounder and can now race from a handier position than normal. His form is arguably better going into this years race and it seems the July field is weaker this time.

Initially I fancied Big City Life to be the Pocket’s chief rival but he is 4 pounds under sufferance if his current rating of 107 is to be believed. He could well be better than his current mark and is the most unexposed horse in the field, he is by far the best of the 4 3 year olds.

An unfancied well drawn horse usually crops up in the first 4 in the July and of these I would rate Tropical Empire, Thandolwami and Catmandu as the horses most likely to do so.

In conclusion it seems the only one that has everything going for him is the champ so I reckon the Pocket will take care of the business once again, his current odds of 2-1 do not overestimate his chances. Smart Banker seems overpriced at 16-1 despite the draw and of those under sufferance Big City Life could rate as the one to fare best. River Jetez should run her usual game race as well...

Marcus cannot make the weight?

Pocket Power drawn 12 will want to race closer to the front and may get shunted back by early jostling. He has the Power to finish and can win from anywhere though.

Our Giant - Anton is not a fool and knows the ability of the horses he rides and will be in front of Smart Banker. Distance a concern. The connections have stated on numerous occassions that he is a miler only.

Buy and Sell - The only horse in this field to have beaten Pocket Power in this field. Still my best outside bet. Does not finish with a flash and may need to be a few lengths ahead of them to win this. I have the 2007 race on my computer when he beat PP. B&S does not have the electrfying finish of a lot in this field.

Kapil - may not have a good draw at 5 as he will probably be dropped back through the field and finish with a burst PP would have prefered this Im sure. Less distance to cover trying to get to the rail is an advantage for a horse that may have stamina doubts though.

Smart Banker - draw is a concern but has the class. The problem is he's up against some real class and hard horses. If I recall correctly also finishes with a flurry. Half the field runs from the back.

River Jetez - Most say she will win. Im not convinced. Pocket Power will be in front of her.

Big City Life - The fact that 3 year olds have run with 53 to 55Kg's in the past few Julys makes me think that this years 3 year olds are not that hot. Cant see this horse winning. Interesting how Bernard seems to ride his nearest advisories though. Dancers Daughter last year - now BCL

Tropical Empire - rates a danger. Brandon a good rider and performs well at this track. I would love to see the KZN boys out shine the Cape and JHburgers for a change. Duncan Howells a good trainer in my book.

Forest Path - Ridng arrangements tells me that he is not favoured. I have him in quartet only because he forms part of a series of numbers my late old man used to play 4,9,6,1.

Like It Hot - Not likely but stranger things have happened.

Aluminium - Would be a nice return for Mark Khan. Not for me though. Hopefully will pull buy and sell into the race with front runing tactics. Lets hope B&S follows him as the both try to bounce away from the field.

Catmandu - Another who will finish from the back. Probably just off the best of this field and may battle. Andre Kirsten coming into form at the right time and is probably under rated.

Thandolwami - Also finishes from the back going to be very crowded as the field tries to sprint down to the line. Going to be some unhappy connections at the end of this race. This horse better at Turfies IMO

14 -19 Again will be very suprised to see in the top 4

Zirconeum - May be close in the finish.

Kapil for me - he will get the trip. We must not forget that this horse was good enough to be exported which tells me that he is a top level horse and perhaps a lot better than the bulk of this field. Pocket Power is also export material though. The fundamental difference in this race is weight and the weight favours Kapil. If Buy and Sell had a finish iI would like him too.

Go Kapil Go. If not Kapil I would like to see one of SA's greatest horses of all time win this race on his own.

Great write up AL!