A quote famously attributed to Richard Branson states that "Records are made to be broken. It is in man's nature to continue to strive to do just that." And judging by the performance of Rapid Redux at Mountaineer Park in Chester, West Virginia, horses can strive to break records too. In a race that left competitors in the dust, the gelding notched up his 20th consecutive win, breaking the 19-race records set by both the legendary Zenyatta and lower-grade mare from New Mexico, Peppers Pride.
Sired by Indian Charlie out of Playa Maya, Uncle Mo was foaled in Kentucky on 10 March 2008, going on to compete undefeated in his two-year-old season in 2010. This spirited American champion thoroughbred racehorse gathered quite a following during his relatively short career, and many were saddened by the news that Uncle Mo is to retire from horse racing. The decision was made when blood tests revealed an elevated count of the enzyme gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) – a condition which is likely to escalate with the rigors of training and racing. While this is not a recurrence of the liver disease that plagued Uncle Mo earlier this year, causing him to miss out on the Triple Crown series, it nevertheless puts him at risk of ill health and liver damage, so his retirement is deemed to be in his best interests.
Prompted by the tragic deaths of two horses at the 2011 Grand National, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) completed a thorough review of the annual event, publishing thirty recommendations to improve the conditions and safety of the race which is held at Aintree. Age and experience are crucial factors in an event that carries the heightened risk of the Grand National. In future, horses will need to be seven-years old to enter the race, and it has been suggested that all entrants must have finished at least in fourth place in a steeplechase covering the distance of three miles or more.
Having already established himself as one of the best, if not the best, trotter in North America, San Pail was up against international competition at the Breeders Crown Open Trot held at Woodbine in Canada this past weekend, and went on to prove that he has what it takes to defend to compete on all levels. Delighted with the win, driver Randy Waples was reported as saying that San Pail is just an unbelievable horse. The seven-year-old gelding made his 107th lifetime start with the race and had been competing against the same field throughout the year, showing his remarkable determination, form and endurance. Foreign horses, Commander Crowe and Rapide Lebel, provided an additional challenge for San Pail, and he proved more than up to the task at hand.
Canadian horse racing track Georgian Downs battled against a number of adverse conditions in their spring racing season. As was the case with a number of other tracks in the country, Georgian Downs had to deal with low entry numbers due to ten percent fewer horses being supplied. The track still offered a wide range of classes but only the lower classes garnered a full field, resulting in a drop in average daily purses. For example, purses averaged $76,000 with 119 entries in April, with May's purses dropping to $70,000 with 102 entries. However, track authorities took action, and working diligently with the Implementation and Monitoring Group (IM Group), Georgian Downs started to recover, and by August the worrying downward trend was successfully turned around.
Horse of the Year Black Caviar continues her reign as the darling of the Australian horse racing industry. The undefeated mare raced to her 15th victory, winning by six lengths in the Schweppes A.J. Moir Stakes, which took place at Moonee Valley on Saturday. With this win she overtakes the renowned Phar Lap's racing record of 14-0.
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