Stall admitted that other horses in his barn sometimes receive methocarbamol, which is commonly used to address tying-up, but he is mystified by Sign’s test since she is not one of them. Veterinary records presented at the appeal hearing indicated no administration of methocarbamol.

Stall points out that “there seems to be a rash of these coming up [in Kentucky] since the rule change,” which toughened penalties for medication infractions, making disqualification and purse forfeiture an optional consequence.

In addition to that curiosity, Hegarty writes that Claiborne attorney David Royse seemed to effectively demonstrate that the rules do not require purse forfeiture in cases such as these, and threw into question which types of violations the racing commission believed should merit the level of punishment levied against Sign.

Current regulations are designed, based on the drug’s half-life, to make the last possible administration of methocarbamol 48 hours ahead of a race. Stall said he never gives the oral form of the drug within five days of a race, or injections any closer than 50 hours. A subsequent test of the Sign’s blood sample, ordered by her connections, revealed an even higher level than the original positive test.

After the incident, Stall and Dunleavy removed all methocarbamol from the barn. Another of Stall’s horses had traces of the drug in its system a few days later, although within legal limits for race day. Stall said he “hasn’t completely ruled out sabotage” as an explanation.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form

The Met Mile is one of four graded stakes on the Memorial Day card, which will also feature the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap, Grade 1 Acorn, and Grade 2 Sands Point, as well as a cooler bag giveaway. The Ogden Phipps, Acorn, and Met Mile will serve as the first, second, and third legs of the $500,000 Guaranteed Late Pick 4.

Flat Out already has a win in the Grade 2, 1 1/8-mile Suburban Handicap and a pair of triumphs in the Grade 1, 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park to his credit. After Flat Out finished fourth in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap in February at Gulfstream Park and fifth in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap in March at the Fair Grounds to begin his 2013 campaign, his Hall of Fame trainer, Bill Mott, elected to enter the 7-year-old in the Grade 3, one-mile Westchester, Belmont’s prep race for the Met Mile, on April 27.

Always within 2 ½ lengths of the leader, Flat Out moved up to challenge Cross Traffic nearing the quarter pole and used nearly every step of Belmont’s 1,097-foot stretch to wear down the pacesetter and prevail by a head. Both Flat Out and Cross Traffic received Beyer Speed Figures of 115 for their Westchester performances, the highest figure for any race at one mile or less so far in 2013.

“We ran him at a flat mile last time, and he ran very well,” said Mott, who trains Flat Out for Preston Stables. “I had always wanted to try him at that distance. He’s doing well and the Met Mile is a very important race, and he’s a horse who won’t be compromised by [the one-mile] distance, which bodes pretty well for him.”

Flat Out was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite and 120-pound co-highweight for the Met Mile. Junior Alvarado has the assignment from post position 6.

Cross Traffic, the only horse in the field who hasn’t won a graded stakes, will have the chance to avenge his Westchester defeat when he makes his fourth career start in the Met Mile. He opened his career at Gulfstream Park, debuting a 1 ¾-length winner in January and romping by 7 ½ lengths in an optional claimer in March before his start in the Westchester.

“It’s pretty rare that you see a horse who has come that far in such a short time,” said Pletcher of the GoldMark Farm color-bearer. “He was an unraced 4-year-old at the start of the year. He ran a huge race in the Westchester. He just lost to a tough, seasoned veteran who seems to love Belmont. We were very pleased with his race, and he’s doing just as well or even better than he came into [the Westchester].”

In the Westchester, Cross Traffic left from the inside post, ran a half-mile in 45.33 seconds while racing on a clear lead, faced a challenge from Flat Out at the quarter pole, and bravely fought to the wire before yielding in the final sixteenth of a mile. Cross Traffic drew the rail once again in the Met Mile.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will ride Cross Traffic, the 3-1 second choice who was assigned 117 pounds.

Discreet Dancer won his first graded stakes when he dominated the one-mile, Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 9, then was third to Swagger Jack and Sahara Sky in Aqueduct Racetrack’s Grade 1 Carter Handicap at seven furlongs on April 6, his first start away from Gulfstream.

“The Carter came up a very fast race,” said Pletcher of the E. Paul Robsham Stables homebred. “He won the mile race at Gulfstream, and we think the mile suits him well. He’s coming up to it in good order, so we’re excited about his chances as well.”

Discreet Dancer, assigned 117 pounds, drew post 2 and was tabbed at 6-1 on the morning line.

Both Swagger Jack and Sahara Sky will face Discreet Dancer again in the Met Mile.

After finishing second in both the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship in February and the Gulfstream Park Handicap, Silverton Hill’s Swagger Jack broke through with a three-quarter length victory in the Carter, racing in fifth to the quarter pole, swooping to the lead a sixteenth from the finish, and holding off Sahara Sky’s late charge.

“His style is well-suited for the one-turn mile,” said trainer Marty Wolfson. “He makes one run, and there should be enough speed in the race to set it up for him. I’m hoping the race plays out similarly to the Carter.”

Swagger Jack, 12-1, will carry 118 pounds, including Irad Ortiz, Jr., from post 5.

Sahara Sky upset the Grade 2 Palos Verdes at 21-1 in January at Santa Anita, validating that score with a win in that venue’s Grade 2 San Carlos in February. The Met Mile has been his long-range target since the San Carlos, with the Carter serving as a prep race.

In the Carter, Sahara Sky trailed the field in sixth in the early stages, commenced a belated rally at the eighth pole, and was gaining on Swagger Jack at the end. Joel Rosario, aboard Sahara Sky in the Carter, has the assignment again in the Met Mile.

“I think [Rosario will] now know him a little better and, hopefully, ride him a little better,” said Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who owns Sahara Sky in partnership with Kim Lloyd. “I don’t think [the extra distance] should be a problem for him with his running style.”

Sahara Sky, co-highweight at 120 pounds, drew post 7 and was installed at 6-1 on the morning line.

Mark Valeski, a Brereton Jones homebred, is returning to the scene of his biggest win, the 2012 Grade 2 Peter Pan.

Sidelined for the remainder of his 3-year-old season following the Peter Pan in May, he was second in his return race, the Louisiana Handicap in January. He added a second graded stakes victory in the Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap in February and enters the Met Mile off a runner-up performance in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap on March 30. All three of his starts this year have come at the Fair Grounds around two turns. The Met Mile will be his first start around one turn since the Peter Pan.

“He handled the track real well [in the Peter Pan], and even though the race was a mile and an eighth he showed he liked the one turn,” said trainer Larry Jones. “He broke his maiden in a sprint, and he has more speed to burn than we normally let him use. They’ll be churning and burning out there, so he’ll have more pace to run at, but he blew out well the other day and showed he’s sharp.”

Mark Valeski, 5-1 and assigned 117 pounds, will leave from post 3 with Rosie Napravnik aboard.

The field also includes Fort Loudon, fourth in the Carter; Handsome Mike, fourth in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes; and Fed Biz, who returns to dirt after finishing second in the Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Godolphin steroid scandal has been widely publicized in the British press, which Road.CC says could explain what prompted 49 percent of respondents to answer that the sport has been “negatively affected by a lack of fair play or cheating.”

Sports suffering the least from perception of cheating included swimming and rugby. Six percent of survey-takers answered that for them, none of the sports listed triggered concerns about foul play.

Read more Road.CC

Each trainer will chronicle online the training of a Thoroughbred that has raced but had no training for a second career. All will appear at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore, Maryland on the first weekend of October to show what the horses have learned. The event is called the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium and will include seminars, demonstrations, entertainment, and vendors.

RRTP, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing demand for Thoroughbreds off the track, received 142 applications from 29 states and Canada. The applicants were professionals, amateurs, and juniors and specialized in ten different equestrian disciplines.

“We were overwhelmed not only by the number of applicants, but also by the high quality, the diversity, and the passion of these trainers,” said RRTP President Steuart Pittman. “These are the people who work hard every single day educating these magnificent animals to ensure that their futures are secure.”

In alphabetical order the twenty-six participating trainers are:

Marissa Bianchi (32) and Carlos Gonzalez of Potomac, MD. This is a joint training team that will demonstrate how racehorses become polo ponies. Carlos is a professional polo player and Marissa was on Cornell’s 4 time champion women’s polo team. Most of their polo ponies come from the racetrack. They train out of their own farm and the Capitol Polo Club facilities.

Patricia Hechter-Bosley (52) of St. Michaels, MD. Patricia is an amateur rider who grew up in the hunter/jumper world under the watch of her mother Sylvia Hechter, a well known trainer who regularly sold horses to the likes of Rodney Jenkins, Joe Fargis, and George Morris when Thoroughbreds dominated the show ring. As a young adult she rode young racehorses for Mikey Smithwick and showed at all the big venues. Today she owns Bosley Brangier Apparel. She recently acquired horses from Graham Motion’s Herringswell Stables and plans to work with his staff to select a horse for the Makeover.

Rebecca Bowman (40) of Woodstock, GA. Rebecca is most famous for her work in the Extreme Mustang Makeover with four different mustangs, but she grew up in a racing family, worked for ten years training Thoroughbreds for second careers in Kentucky, and held a jockey’s license. She has also evented through the intermediate level both in the US and Australia, and is the head trainer at Rose Equestrian.

Heather Carlson (45) of Milford, CT. Heather has been actively buying, training, and selling Thoroughbreds off the track since she was fifteen years old, putting them into careers as foxhunters, eventers, pleasure horses, and show horses. She rides for Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue and will select one of their many ex-racehorses for the Makeover.

Daniel Clasing (26) of White Hall, MD. Daniel is an up and coming star on the eventing scene who recently scorched around the Rolex CCI**** cross country course clean and inside the time on the same weekend that he served as a demo rider for RRTP and New Vocations at Thoroughbreds For All Kentucky. Daniel trains horses out of his Yardley Hill Farm, starts dozens of horses for racing every year, and works as an exercise rider at Laurel Park. He has galloped for both Michael Matz and Tom Voss and trains in eventing with Phillip Dutton.

Katie Cooper (32) of Owings Mills, MD. Katie is the head trainer and manager at Howie Wolfe’s Caves Farm, a premiere hunter/jumper barn that travels the A-circuit and also hosts shows. Katie grew up showing nothing but Thoroughbreds but has also galloped for steeplechase trainers. She won the huge Thoroughbred Classic at the Maryland Horse and Pony Show and is committed to bringing Thoroughbreds back into fashion on the show circuit.

Billie Rae Croll (33) of Lexington, VA. Billie Rae is the granddaughter of Hall of Fame trainer Jimmie Croll. She grew up with racehorses and branched out into the hunter/jumper world. Her BRC Stables keeps an average of ten Thoroughbred ex-racehorses in training for clients and many are showing at both Thoroughbred and open shows. Her mother, Anne Russek, is one of the founders of the Thoroughbred Celebration Horse Shows at the Virginia Horse Center.

Nikki Egyed (22) of Paso Robles, CA. Nikki is young, but her list of accomplishments on her own Thoroughbreds off the track in barrel racing and gymkhana is long. She is a tireless advocate for Thoroughbreds in a part of the country and a sport where their reputation is poor. She runs her own Silver Shadow Training business.

Patti Fiedler (47) of Pinellas Park, FL. Pattie coaches and teaches in the hunter/jumper world and was Florida state barrel champion seven times (five on ex-racehorses). Her passion, however, is training Thoroughbreds off the track to become police mounts. In her words, “After the hustle and bustle of track life, they fit right into police work.” She trains out of Amber Glen Equestrian Center.

Robin Hannah (27) of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Robin trains out of Sherwood Farm, home of Thoroughly Thoroughbred Horse Shows. She was Adult Amateur Hunter Champion of HITS Thermal Desert Circuit in 2007, has shown jumpers on the A-circuit, and has moved 15 Thoroughbreds from racing to the show ring in recent years. She also groomed and galloped racehorses for trainer Bill Pearce. The racetrack closures in Ontario have inspired Robin to focus her work on transitioning racehorses herself and helping others to do so.

Jessica Bortner-Harris (32) of Thurmond, NC. Jessica is not only an advanced level three day event rider but also a popular writer for Eventing Nation. As a rider who owes her career to Thoroughbreds off the track, many of her articles focus on the dominant role played by Thoroughbreds in the sport of eventing. She operates Rocky Start Stables.

Dan James (30) of Lexington, KY. In Australia, Dan used to start 300 Thoroughbreds for racing per year. In 2012 he won the prestigious American Road To The Horse colt starting competition. Dan’s business is Double Dan Horsemanship, a collaboration with his partner Dan Steers that offers clinics and demonstrations for large audiences. We have no idea what Dan will train his Thoroughbred to do, but the photo on his web site of him standing on two horses with no bridles and not even a rope on their necks as they gallop down the homestretch of a racetrack suggests that we might be in for some surprises. Dan will be starting 40 Thoroughbreds for Winstar Farm in the fall and has also been doing work for Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky.

Lara Borson Knight (35) of Whites Creek, TN. Lara was the head trainer for Makers Mark Secretariat Center in 2011 and 2012 where she oversaw the re-training of all of their new arrivals from racing. She shows through the advanced level in eventing on Thoroughbreds, but has also competed successfully in vaulting. To prove the versatility of the breed she trained one of her Thoroughbred ex-racehorses to carry for vaulting, a job normally done by the wide and heavy draught breeds. Her training business is based at Canterway Farm.

Alexandra Knowles (26) Paris, KY. Allie was the top placed American after the dressage phase of the Rolex CCI**** in 2013 and is hard at work on a plan to represent the United States in the next Olympics. As a Kentucky girl she has worked starting Thoroughbreds for racing and getting them fit to go to the track. Her training business includes clinics, lessons, and training and can be found online at akeventing.com.

Emily Kocubinski (33) of Philadelphia, PA. Emily was a child prodigy in the sport of eventing working her way up to a successful run around the Rolex cross country course at the age of 19 on a Thoroughbred ex-racehorse. She gave all that up for the city life as a graphic and web designer until 2010 when some Thoroughbreds off the track beckoned her to return to horses. She now runs a small business devoted exclusively to training and selling ex-racehorses called Big City Eventing.

David Loman (49) of Crofton, MD. David is a prominent fixture in the MidAtlantic hunter/jumper circuit but has shown throughout the east coast. He encourages his students, even the amateurs and juniors, to consider Thoroughbreds off the track and is passionate about returning them to prominence in the show ring. David is the hunter/jumper consultant to Thoroughbred Placement Resources and designed courses for their Thoroughbred Charity Horse Show. His business name is Cornerstone Show Stable.

Amber Lynn Longreen (12) of Hummelstown, PA. At the tender age of twelve, Amber has ridden and shown more Thoroughbreds off the track than she can count. Her mother, Cheryl Keller, is the head trainer at Bowcrest Farms, which is not only a large boarding and lesson barn but also a New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program facility. Amber and her mom ride the recent New Vocations arrivals from Penn National Racetrack all day every day, as do many of the local Pony Club members. Amber notes her age in her application, but promises that she is “responsible and works hard to achieve her goals.”

Jessica Morthole (31) of Camden, DE. Jessica is the trainer for CANTER Mid-Atlantic’s training facility in Delaware. She specializes in preparing horses that come in from local tracks for marketing as riding horses in 30-90 days. Jessica works a full time job off the farm while training both her CANTER horses, her own Thoroughbreds, and horses for clients. She also writes a popular blog that can be read here. Her business name is JLM Sport Horses.

Elissa Ogburn (14) of Crownsville, MD. Elissa is outgrowing her pony and starting to think about getting a horse. She had been lucky enough to ride some Thoroughbreds at the farm where she boards and was asked at the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo to ride one of Mid Atlantic Horse Rescue’s horses in a clinic titled “Kids and Their Ex-Racehorses.” MAHR’s Bev Strauss was so impressed with Elissa’s riding and her passion that she offered to find her a horse for the Makeover, and Steuart Pittman has agreed to be her coach. Elissa is not ready to give up riding her pony but is over the moon with excitement about getting to train a new horse.

Mark Powers (55) of East Palestine, OH. Mark has worked as both a trainer and a farrier at Mountaineer Race Track for 35 years. He has also been a professional polo player for 20 years. He estimates that 80% of his polo ponies come from racing and that he has trained and sold over 100 racehorses into polo. Mark is one of two trainers in the Makeover that will show us how a racehorse becomes a polo pony.

Nuno Santos (43) of Reisterstown, MD. Nuno knows how it feels to retire from racing and start a career in dressage and eventing. He has done it himself. Nuno was assistant trainer to Robert Frankel for eight years and galloped Fusaichi Pegasus, Azeri, Ghostzapper, and Ginger Punch. Two years ago he left racing and now trains Thoroughbreds for dressage, eventing, and showing and teaches riders how to get along with their ex-racehorses.

Jennifer Selvig (32) of Savage, MN. Jennifer is an amateur trainer but a professional equine veterinarian whose practice includes racehorses and chiropractic. She has competed in eventing, dressage, polocrosse, and show jumping, and has worked grooming and galloping steeplechase horses. Her passion for Thoroughbred racehorses led her to found the Minnesota Retired Racehorse Project.

Dale Simanton (57) of Newell, SD. Dale operates Horse Creek Thoroughbreds, a 400-acre ranch that breeds, trains, and does sale preps. He also has a background in rodeo and works cattle. The farm’s Gate to Great program trains Thoroughbred ex-racehorses to do ranch work, and Dale says that they are good at it. He requested that we bring a herd of cattle to Pimlico for him to work. We’ll see about that.

Erin Sylvester (27) of Unionville, PA. Erin placed 13th at the Rolex CCI**** in 2012, making her a near miss for US Olympic Team Selectors. She completed the Burghley CCI**** last fall and Rolex again this year. She trains with Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin, and David O’Connor and runs her own business under the name Lily Bridge Eventing. Most of her upper level horses are Thoroughbreds and she galloped racehorses for Jonathan Sheppard during college.

Suzanne Wepplo (31) of Minneapolis, MN. Suzanne won the USEF Rood and Riddle award for Ex-Racehorses in Dressage after her horse Puppylove was the USDF All Breeds Thoroughbred Champion at 3rd Level. Suzanne has trained extensively with Leslie Morse, Steffan Peters, and many other top dressage trainers, and is committed to finding and producing top dressage horses from America’s racetracks. Suzanne operates Sisu Sporthorse Training out of the Pegasus Riding School in Medina, MN.

Cathy Wieschoff (54) of Lexington, KY. Cathy might have more experience training Thoroughbreds for eventing than the other trainers in the Makeover combined. She worked in the 70s starting yearlings and galloping at the track and more recently she has been the hometown girl that draws her local fans to Rolex every year. She has also competed at Burghley and other top British events as part of her long-time quest to represent the United States at the Olympics. Cathy’s training methods fascinated the crowds at the RRTP/New Vocations Thoroughbreds For All Kentucky, particularly her integration of natural horsemanship methods from the ground to give jumping confidence to her horses. She trains out of Carriage Station Farm.

Between Saturday and Monday, there are no less than 15 graded stakes races from which to choose when deciding where to play your bankroll.  In addition to several intriguing turf events, the weekend also includes challenging Memorial Day staples such as the Met Mile.

Last week, no luck for either team as Orb’s fourth-place finish wiped out Team Xpressbet’s Preakness wagers, and Imagining fell flat in the Dixie Stakes for Ray and Team Paulick.

Let’s see where this week’s handicappers choose to put their fictional $100 bankroll.  Play along with us, and let us know who you like!

Xpressbet Handicapper: Jude Feld, Horse Racing Radio Network

Nassau Stakes, Grade 2, Woodbine, 1 Mile Turf
Woodbine’s Nassau Stakes showcases some of the area’s premier filly and mare milers, and also provides bettors with an outstanding pace play. If the saying that ‘pace makes the race’ rings true here, #3 DANCING TO TOWN looks to be in a great position to wire this field. The daughter of Speightstown folds like a lawn chair when someone looks her in the eye early, but her pace figures tell me that nobody will be close to her on the front-end, which could make her uncatchable late. Plus, she only has a mile to negotiate, which is well within her wheelhouse. Many bettors will navigate toward the locals in this field, so I’ll play #3 DANCING TO TOWN to Win in her Canadian debut. I think she’ll either win or fold – there doesn’t appear to be a middle-ground with her – so I’m not going to back her in the Place and Show pools.

The Play: $20 Win #3 Dancing To Town

Louisville Handicap, Grade 3, Churchill Downs, 1 1/2 Miles Turf
In Churchill Downs’ Louisville Handicap, the pace scenario is the exact opposite of the Nassau Stakes. Several entrants want to be on or near the lead, which pave the way for a strong closer to run past them all late. #7 NAJJAAR fits that bill. This son of Belmont Stakes-winner Jazil should adore the mile and a half distance and his few turf races have been sneaky good against solid foes. #7 NAJJAAR is sitting at 20/1 on the morning-line, and that’s a ridiculous price for this horse. With that much value, I’ll make my big bet of the day on him, and I’ll even back him in the Place pool. That way, if he falls short with his closing charge, I’ll still make a few bucks.

The Play: $20 Win, $40 Place #7 Najjaar

Arlington Classic Stakes, Grade 3, Arlington Park, 1 1/16 Miles Turf
Anyone who knows me well is aware of my affection for Glen Hill Farm runners. They’re generally well-placed and they’re nearly always live. #9 PROCUREMENT needed five tries to break his maiden between last August and November, but has since become a very nice turf horse on the West Coast, most recently turning Santa Anita’s La Puente Stakes into a runaway. It is a huge vote of confidence that his regular rider, Garrett Gomez, makes the trip to Illinois to ride him in this one, and this field isn’t loaded with talent. He simply looks like the best horse. #1 BROWN ALMIGHTY also deserves consideration. He showed a ton of promise on the lawn as a juvenile, and while his sophomore campaign has been forgettable up until now, he’s already a winner on this course and should outrun his 12/1 morning-line price.

The Play: $10 Win #9 Procurement; $5 Exacta Box #1 Brown Almighty, #9 Procurement

Team Paulick Handicapper: Scott Jagow, Editor-in-Chief

Louisville Handicap
ATIGUN has only four wins from 18 career starts, but he’s three-for-four lifetime at Churchill Downs. One of those victories, in his most recent start, came over the turf course on Derby day.  He led virtually the whole way in that race, but rider Alan Garcia surely won’t employ that tactic in this one, with quite a bit of other speed signed on.  Atigun will sit a trip and show how much he relishes 1 1/2 miles.  His only two races at that distance or farther were the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Marathon. In both races, he finished third against better competition than he faces here.

The Play: $10 to win/place on #4 Atigun ($20)

Arlington Classic Stakes
FORDUBAI comes into this one off of a hearty second-pace finish to Preakness runner Departing in the 14-horse Illinois Derby.  One-for-one on the turf, Fordubai’s speed figures show a strong progression, and second start off the layoff, he should be sitting on good performance.  Despite his recent struggles elsewhere, jockey Kent Desormeaux has found Arlington Park to his liking so far. He’s 9-for-45 (20%) at the meet with 11 others in the money.  On his best days, Desormeaux excels at getting them in the winner’s circle on the turf.

The Play: $10 win/place on #5 Fordubai ($20)

Metropolitan Handicap, Grade 1, Belmont Park, 1 Mile
The Met Mile is usually a competitive race, and this year looks to be no exception.  MARK VALESKI comes in having finished first or second in his last 8 starts.  His only career race outside of the exacta was his first start last July.  He faced a good field in his last – the New Orleans Handicap – and there’s no shame in losing to Graydar.  Mark Valeski should sit just off the speed, make his run, and see if he can hold off Belmont veteran, the 7-year-old Flat Out.  While Valeski’s one-for-one at Belmont (last year’s Peter Pan Stakes), Flat Out is a perfect four-for four.

The Play: $20 to win/place on #3 Mark Valeski ($40), $10 exacta box #6 Flat Out/Mark Valeski ($20)

Here’s a rundown of the Memorial Day weekend graded stakes:

The son of Tiznow most recently was ninth in the G1 Wood Memorial; the colt has won one of five career starts.

“Truthfully, I think the horse has the ability to get the distance,” co-owner Anthony Bonomo told the Daily Racing Form. “He’s not as seasoned as some of those other horses are right now, but as far as ability goes he can run and do well in the Belmont.”

Bonomo, who races as Brooklyn Boyz Stables, owns Always in a Tiz with his wife, Mary Ellen, who races under the MeB Racing Stables banner. Last year they finished fifth in the Belmont with Five Sixteen.

Always in a Tiz, will be ridden by David Cohen in the Belmont, according to the DRF.

Read more in the Daily Racing Form

The Swiss watchmaker will continue to be official timekeeper at Ascot, but now will have an enhanced on-course presence. This will include a branded chronometer close to the winning post and an elegant clock in the Parade Ring throughout the year, including at Royal Ascot and on QIPCO British Champions Day.

Longines is also ‘The Official Watch of Royal Ascot’ for the first time and will continue to enjoy several individual race sponsorships. The Longines Sagaro Stakes was won last month by The Queen’s filly, Estimate, who is now amongst the favourites for the Gold Cup at the Royal Meeting.

Walter von Känel, President of Longines, commented: “Ascot is known worldwide as one of the most prestigious and stylish sporting events in the world with over 300 years of rich history behind it. This enhanced partnership with the racecourse is therefore a perfect vehicle for the promotion of the Longines values – namely elegance, tradition and performance – values which we share with the institution of Ascot.”

Charles Barnett, Chief Executive of Ascot, added: “Having worked with Longines for several years, it gives me particular pleasure that the relationship has been taken to the next level now, and we are proud to be able to showcase the Longines brand prominently alongside our own through the year, including at Royal Ascot.”

Janis Whitham’s Fort Larned made his 2013 debut in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (GII) and lost jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. after stumbling at the start. In his second and most recent start of the year, he finished fifth as the 1-2 favorite in the Oaklawn Handicap (GII).

“This is like a restart for the year for us,” Wilkes said. “We had a couple hiccups earlier this year and now we are looking to restart our year and point everything to the Breeders’ Cup.”

The Stephen Foster Handicap is a “Win & You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 2.

In prep for the Stephen Foster, Fort Larned breezed five furlongs in :59.80 on the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Friday morning. It was the third fastest work of 21 at the distance.

“The horse is doing great,” Wilkes said. “He worked very well this morning.”

Working under Calvin Borel, Fort Larned recorded fractions of :12.80, :25 and :37.20 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.80, seven-eighths in 1:24.40 and a mile in 1:38.60.

“Calvin did me a favor and worked him this morning, but Brian won’t be taking off. (Hernandez) will have the mount (in the Stephen Foster).”

In addition to being aboard the bay son of E Dubai for the Classic victory last year, Hernandez guided Fort Larned to wins in the Whitney Handicap (GI) and Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (GIII).

Nominations for the Stephen Foster Handicap close Saturday, June 1.

In the equine community, there were tales of flattened farms, piles of dead animals, and people who lost everything – their homes, their horses, their equipment, their livelihoods.

But the tragedy also prompted an outpouring of human spirit, giving, and tireless labor. And those are the stories now filling the air.

“As you might expect from the legendary resiliency of Oklahomans, the community has really pulled together, and in particular, the horse community,” said Scott Wells, president and general manager of nearby Remington Park racetrack and casino.

Friday afternoon, the racetrack will host a blood drive to benefit tornado victims. Five racehorses, who had been stabled at the destroyed Celestial Acres Training Center, were found alive and brought to Remington for care. The track veterinarian was dispatched to Moore, about 15 miles south of Remington, to help wherever he could.

“Our track vet, Dr. John Chancey, is just doing a heroic job over there, trying to bring aid to some of the people, some of the horses hardest hit,” Wells said.

Supplies were collected at Remington Park for horsemen and their families

Several racing trainers based at Celestial Acres lost every one of their horses, plus all of their feed, tack and supplies.

“It’s like their business blowing away,” said Debbie Schauf, executive director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA). Her group, and the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma (TRAO), have created a fund to distribute to horsemen and their families.

“The most immediate need is the guys that were hardest hit at Celestial Acres. Their barns were wiped out and their horses were all killed,” Schauf said. “When they come in here right now, I’m giving each of them $1,000 … to help cover living expenses for the next few days or weeks until we can figure out what else we can do to help them. Hopefully over a period of time, we’ll be able to help these people get back on their feet and get started again.”

Schauf said individuals and other horsemen’s groups around the country have sent in donations. The Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association wrote a check for $5,000.

“The outpouring of support is just overwhelming,” said Schauf.

Other groups, like the Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Program (OTRP), are focusing primarily on the horses themselves. According to the latest estimate, more than 150 horses have died. Some perished in the storm; others that were badly injured beyond help had to be euthanized. Still others were found alive and require medical care.

In ordinary circumstances, the OTRP takes Thoroughbreds off the track, retrains them for other careers, and adopts them out. This week, chairman Chris Kirk and his team have supported a new mission: The search for lost horses, identification (with assistance from Red Earth Feed & Tack), and fundraising for the clinics and farms that have offered to care for the surviving animals.

Volunteers assisted by offering trailers to help load surviving horses

“The vet clinics have taken on a bunch of the horses. They’re needing feed and they’re needing more supplies. They’ve been overwhelmed,” Kirk said. “I’ve got volunteers going to the various places where the horses have been taken and trying to identify them, either through markings or tattoo numbers, if they happen to have one.”

Kirk said all of the horses that were participating in the OTRP before the storm are safe. And there have been other positive developments. An unraced 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly was discovered alive under the rubble of a collapsed barn at Celestial Acres, with only a few lacerations on her leg.

“Her name is Sasha’s Image,” Kirk said. “She was preparing to go into training. Her owner was one of the ones who lost everything. She’s being cared for.”

But efforts to rescue and triage injured horses have been complicated by the lack of a disaster plan for large animals and livestock, said Debby Shauf of the OQHRA. Shauf, who lost her home and all her horses in the 1999 Moore tornado, said it was too difficult following Monday’s storm to get clearance for qualified veterinarians to reach horses in distress.

“We’re all very frustrated by the fact that there wasn’t much of a plan for how to deal with a disaster like this and there wasn’t any coordination of that, and if I don’t do anything else, out of this is going to come a plan in Oklahoma.”

Shauf said she’s already been in touch with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, and the agency told her it was anxious to help develop a plan going forward.

Remington Park’s Scott Wells said the track – and all large animal operations – should learn from this week’s tornado and put in place emergency procedures.

“It’s really caused us to refocus our efforts on how we would handle anything, should such a disaster occur here.”

For those wishing to contribute to the efforts in Oklahoma, here are some of the options for donating:

Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Program

Donate here or send to:

OTRP
P.O. Box 96
Blanchard, OK 73010 (Note for tornado relief)

Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association

Via Paypal

Checks should be made payable to either OQHRA Benevolence Fund or TRAO Benevolence Fund and put 2013 Tornado on the memo line:

OQHRA
P.O. Box 2907
Edmond OK 73083
(405) 216-0440

Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma
2620 NW Expressway; Suite A
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
(405) 427-8753

Canterbury Park in Minnesota has established a fund for trainer Randy Weidner, who lost his stable of a dozen horses plus his truck, trailer, tack, records and computer.

Checks can be written to:
“Randall Weidner Catastrophe Trust”
Wells Fargo
380 S. Marschall Rd.
Shakopee, MN 55379

Trainer Doug O’Neill told the Daily Racing Form that the son of Into Mischief would unlikely race around two turns this summer. “We’re thinking about the King’s Bishop,” O’Neill said. “I think his future would be best to go seven furlongs with 3-year-olds. I think he’ll fit all right there.”

O’Neill also indicated that Goldencents would get a bit of a vacation for the rest of the spring. “I’m 99 percent that the plan is to give him some time.”

Read more in the Daily Racing Form