The weekly TRC industry digest - a round-up of the international racing news from the past week.
Charlatan is retired from racing
North America: Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms has announced that multiple G1 winner Charlatan has been retired and will take up stud duty at the farm’s newly restored stallion complex at Xalapa in Paris, Kentucky.
Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the son of Eclipse champion and champion sire Speightstown out of Breeders’ Cup Distaff-placed Authenticity, he sold as the second-highest-priced colt for his sire at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he went for $700,000.
Charlatan compiled a record of four wins and a second from five starts for trainer Bob Baffert with career earnings of $4,047,200, with his only defeat coming in the in the $20 million Saudi Cup, where he was second to Mishriff.
“Horses with Charlatan’s immense ability combined with superior pedigree, conformation, depth of female family and star-quality appeal are a very rare commodity,” said John Sikura, president of Hill ’n’ Dale. “He is one of the most talented horses I have seen run, who combines world-class sprinter/miler speed with the ability to carry it around two turns.
“He is a striking individual who should impart size, substance, balance, and brilliance to his foals. It is an honor to have Charlatan set the standard of excellence as the first stallion whose career we launch here at Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa.”
Al Zarooni set to return to training
Middle East: Disgraced former Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni is to start training again after completing an 8-year ban for illegal use of steroids on some of his horses. His licence has been approved by the Emirates Racing Authority.
“I made a big mistake and I learned from my mistake,” he told Horse Racing Planet. “I want to prove that I was clean. I was trying my best to be clean but this mistake happened.”
“Marwan [Abdul Rahman, who has been working as an assistant trainer in Dubai] had talked to me about doing something together,” said Al Zarooni. “When my ban finished and I got my clearance for the BHA we decided to have a public stable and we will be based in the Sharjah Equestrian Club.
“Sheikh Adbullah Bin Majid [chairman of Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club] is one of the founders of the sport of horseracing here and has always been a grateful supporter to all small trainers and owners. I have been one of them during my early days before joining Godolphin. I would like to thank him for his support and hope my second rising will be from his centre.
“Sharjah has everything you need in terms of facilities, so I hope we can do good. I hope owners will support us. I would like to have some international owners, especially English owners, because I receive many messages from them asking me to come to Newmarket. I love and miss Newmarket, but it's difficult to do that at this time.”
Weekend break for Pimlico
North America: Turf racing at Pimlico will be suspended from this weekend to allow for course maintenance needed as a result of its recent extended meet, the Maryland Jockey Club has confirmed.
Pimlico opened a few weeks early in late April and was approved to race through August 22, as opposed to its scheduled end to live racing on May 31, because of the ongoing dirt surface reconstruction project at Laurel Park.
“We want to do more aeration and fertilization,” said track superintendent Chris Bosley. “We want to be able to confidently say the turf course can hold up until we get back to Laurel [in early September]. I think getting off the turf course this weekend will help us out a lot — it's a reasonable goal.”
Cheltenham Festival may expand to five days
Europe: The Jockey Club in Britain is reportedly looking to expand its premier jumps meeting, the Cheltenham Festival, to five days. It is believed to be targeting 2023 with a view to running from Tuesday to Saturday.
The meeting in its present format has a total of 28 races, or seven a day from Tuesday to Friday. The plan would mean a return to six races a day, so two new races would have to be included. The suggestion is that the blue-riband contest, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, would still take place on the Friday.
A Jockey Club spokesman, said, “The last time this was discussed in earnest in public, some key stakeholders in our sport expressed their desire for a fifth day. We always explore every option to improve the Festival and support British racing, but we have made no decision to extend the length.”
Elsewhere in racing …
North America: The Wesley ward-trained Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Golden Pal has been sold to Coolmore, for whom he will run in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August. More here
Europe: An appeal has been lodged by the connections of Dragon Symbol into the decision by stewards at Royal Ascot last week to demote him from first place the Commonwealth Cup for interference with the Wesley Ward-trained Campanelle, who was awarded the race. More here
North America: A racehorse named Royal Trump has had his name changed after his owner decided that it had become too controversial to race a horse who will be associated with ex-President Donald Trump. More here
North America: Keeneland’s sales ring digital platform is now available. More here