Shocking news of a teenage jockey’s arrest on murder charges and the closure of Golden Gate Fields feature in our weekly round-up
18-year-old jockey Bryson Butterfly arrested on murder charges
USA: Teenage jockey Bryson Butterfly has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 17-year-old who was shot dead in Baltimore County on April 23.
The US Marshals Service released a statement on Saturday [July 15] saying that Butterfly, 18, is one of three suspects charged with first-degree murder and robbery.
The rider, who has ridden six winners in 2023, was arrested in Harpers Ferry and is being held in a West Virginia jail awaiting extradition to Maryland. Butterfly is a Native American who grew up on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington state. With 58 career winners, he was last in action at Penn National on July 12. More here
Golden Gate to close in 2023
USA: It is the end of an era for horse racing in Northern California with news that Golden Gate Fields is to close permanently at the end of the track’s 2023 meet.
Following the closure of Bay Meadows in 2008, the venue – opened in 1941 – was the sole remaining racetrack in the San Francisco Bay area. Owners the Stronach Group said they will focus on moving horses south with the goal of invigorating racing in Southern California via Santa Anita and the San Luis Rey Downs training center.
In a statement, CEO Belinda Stronach said: “We believe that the future success of racing depends on a business model that encourages investment in Southern California, one of North America's premier racing circuits.” More here
City Of Troy flashes superstar potential
GB: City Of Troy usurped Aidan O’Brien-trained stable companion River Tiber as ante-post favourite for next year’s Classics with a runaway victory at Newmarket’s July Festival.
Having won on debut at the Curragh two weeks previously, the son of Triple Crown winner Justify slammed his rivals with a smashing 6½-length victory under Ryan Moore in the G2 bet365 Superlative Stakes on Friday [July 15]. “He looks an incredibly special horse,” said O’Brien. “He is pure Classic-bred, and he has movement, speed and stamina. It is all rolled into one. He looks very exciting.”
City Of Troy is already as short as 5-2 market leader for the 2,000 Guineas in May 2024 – and only 4-1 for next year’s Epsom Derby.
Kentucky Derby winner Mage back in Haskell
USA: Kentucky Derby winner Mage returns to action on Saturday [July 22], when he is drawn four in an eight-runner field for the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. “It’s time to get the train started again,” said co-owner Ramiro Restrepo, who said the Travers remains the primary summer target.
Javier Castellano retains the ride on Mage, who hasn’t run since coming third in the Preakness. Rivals include Arabian Knight, bidding to give trainer Bob Baffert a record tenth winner in the $1m event, which headlines a 14-race card featuring four other graded stakes. More here
Death of Funny Cide, aged 23
USA: Funny Cide, who captured the public imagination with victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 2003, has died owing to complications from colic. He was 23.
Remembering a fallen star – relive a visit to Funny Cide, still cranky but always adored by fans
Trained by Barclay Tagg and ridden by Jose Santos, the blue-collar gelding became the first gelding to win the Kentucky Derby since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929. His owners, the Sackatoga Stables syndicate, also earned headlines by turning up at his races in an old schoolbus.
Funny Cide spent the last 15 years of his life in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Hall of Champions. He will be buried at the park. More here
Golden Sixty is first three-time HK Horse of the Year
Hong Kong: World #2 Golden Sixty has become the first horse to be named Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year for three seasons in a row.
The Francis Lui-trained seven-year-old won four of his five starts in 2022-23, in the process becoming the region’s most prolific G1 winner with nine successes at the top level. Golden Sixty’s career prize-money of HK$147.93m ($18.9m/£14.6m) is also a record for HK. More here
Zac Purton clinched his sixth jockeys’ title with a single-season record of 179 wins, while John Size became the first trainer to win 12 HK titles. More here
Elsewhere in racing …
GB: Dettori heads all-star cast for Shergar Cup More here
Australia: Death of Tommy Hughes snr, aged 93 More here
USA: Two Breeders’ Cup races to be run after Classic More here
USA: Pegasus winner Art Collector suspended under HISA intra-articular injection rule More here
USA: 4,000th winner for trainer Jamie Ness More here
New Zealand: Four-time champ Lisa Allpress back in the saddle More here
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