tdn q&a: ahmed zayat

51 Pages·2017·11.32 MB·English

SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2018
TDN Q&A: AHMED ZAYAT LASIX DOMINATES CONGRESSIONAL DRUG
REFORM HEARING
By T.D. Thornton
Thoroughbred industry witnesses representing both pro and
con sides of a federal bill requiring a uniform anti-doping and
medication control program testified before a Congressional
subcommittee on Friday, marking the first time that proponents
and opponents of HR 2651 have been able to voice arguments
while facing questioning from politicians who will decide if the
measure advances.
No clear-cut “winner” emerged from the June 22 proceedings
before the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection
subcommittee. The most salient points of the two-hour debate
came near the end, when questioning drifted away from the
cumbersome subplot of Lasix usage and drilled down to the
more specific issue of whether Congress needs to step in and
impose independent oversight based on the fact that the sport
Ahmed Zayat with 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify
crosses state lines during the course of everyday wagering,
Sarah K Andrew
breeding, sales and racing commerce. Cont. p4 (Click here)
A new chapter in the career of American Pharoah (Pioneerof
IN TDN EUROPE TODAY
the Nile) will begin July 10 in Lexington, Kentucky when his first
crop of yearlings sells at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale. This is not
CENTAURI RISES FOR HARRINGTON
just another first-crop sire, but a sire who became the first Triple
The Niarchos Family’s Alpha Centauri provides trainer Jessica
Crown winner in 37 years and took owner Ahmed Zayat and his
Harrington with a landmark first Royal Ascot win in the
family on the ride of their lives.
G1 Coronation S. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe.
Zayat was a recent guest on the TDN’s podcast, presented by
Taylor Made. Excerpts from the podcast appear below.
TDN: You are obviously not objective, but we have to ask you
anyway, who’s the better horse, American Pharoah or Justify
(Scat Daddy)?
AZ: Everyone thinks their kids are the best. I think they are very
different horses. American Pharoah, arguably, had the most
incredible, super, dynamic mechanics. He had size, sheer power
and an ability to move and float. Eighty or 90% of his race he
actually spent in the air. He also had a demeanor that people
will be talking about for years. He was so kind. He was pet-like.
That distinguished him from a lot of regular horses, let alone
Triple Crown horses. Add to that he was incredibly fast and he
was dominant in his wins, winning by five, six lengths. He
defined what a special, great horse is. Where does he fit among
the 13 Triple Crown winners? Who cares? Is he better than
Justify or is Justify better than him? I can’t answer that. They’re
both special. I’m happy for Justify. I’m happy for any horse that
wins the Triple Crown. Cont. p3
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JUSTIFY CHASERS HEADLINE OHIO DERBY
Marketing Manager
None of them were able to make a dent while trying their luck at
Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen
undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify, but a quartet of this spring's
Director of Information Technology Classic also-rans will look to start fresh while kicking off their second-half
Ray Villa
campaigns in the GIII Ohio Derby Saturday at Thistledown.
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TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JUNE 23, 2018
Zayat Q&A cont. from p1
Zayat and American Pharoah | Coglianese Photo
TDN: Three years after Justify, we had another Triple Crown
winner and both were trained by Bob Baffert. That can’t be a
coincidence. How is Baffert able to get so much out of these
horses and, frankly, accomplish things with them that even the
greatest trainers in the sport can’t?
AZ: Bob literally speaks to his horses. I watch Bob every morning
at Del Mar when he works his horses and I see him calling
audibles. He is so in tune with every little thing about the horse,
their demeanor, their weight, how they are moving. He has such
focus that he knows exactly what to do with the horse, exactly
how they should be trained. What do I need to do today? What
can I get out of them? He has it down to an art. I think Pharoah
helped him with Justify as he had a dry run. He followed exactly
exact the same script. When I went to visit him the day after
Justify won the Triple Crown and I asked him, ‘Is it the horse or
is it the trainer?’ He looked at me and just smiled and I said,
‘Bob, I think you just gave me your answer.’ He said, ‘No, no, no,
it’s the horse.’ You really have to have the right trainer to get
the most out of special, talented horses.
TDN: As yearling sale season approaches, what are you hearing
about American Pharoah’s babies?
AZ: I believe that American Pharoah has all the qualities to make
it as stallion. If he doesn’t, I don’t know who does. Intellectually,
only 11% of all stallions become real successful stallions,
meaning their progeny are runners and can produce a Grade I
win. You look at the weanlings and the yearlings and you look at
what American Pharoah has been throwing and they are all
athletic, they have the same demeanor like the father, they are
beautiful looking. Cont. p4
TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JUNE 23, 2018
Zayat Q&A cont.
The sign of a good stallion to me is his ability to move up their
mares and that was the biggest thing I saw in Pioneerof the Nile.
He wasn’t bred at first to the best broodmares and all the babies
looked and acted the part and were fast. American Pharoah
babies look unreal, they look athletic, they look correct. I myself
have 12 of them and they all look the part. He was bred to as
good a book of mares as you can imagine. Coolmore bred 40
mares of their own. All signs point to him being a very good
stallion.
TDN: So what can we expect at the yearling sales? The
weanlings sold phenomenally well. Are we going to see plenty
of American Pharoahs sell for seven figures?
AZ: Oftentimes, price has nothing to do with getting a good or
bad horse. Price is based on two bidders who both badly want a
horse and bid against one another. I have bought horses for
$80,000 who became Grade I winners and I have bought horses
for $1 million who end up being $5,000 claimers. You hope you
know what you are doing, you hope you are paying up for what
everybody sees. But it is a guessing game when they are
yearlings. You are looking at conformation, you are looking at
pedigree, but it doesn’t mean that when you put the saddle on
them and break them that they will be runners. But everybody
tries to develop their own system to be able to maximize the
probability of having a runner. When you look at the
probabilities, and consider all the factors that made Pharoah so
special, the chance that he throws runners is very high and we Congressional Hearing cont. from p1
are certainly hoping that will be the case. Testifying in support of HR 2651 were Stuart Janney III
(chairman of The Jockey Club), Craig Fravel (chief executive of
the Breeders’ Cup), and Kitty Block (acting president and chief
executive of The Humane Society of the United States). That trio
was opposed by Alan Foreman (chairman and chief executive of
the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, Inc.), Eric Hamelback
(chief executive of the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and
Protective Association), and Ed Martin (president, Association of
Racing Commissioners International).
The issue of Lasix usage percolated to the top of the discussion
very soon after the start of the hearing, with supporters of the
bill expressing a common desire to end the race-day medicating
of Thoroughbreds, while those against it explaining the
therapeutic benefits of the anti-bleeding drug. While the Lasix
topic is widely regarded as a familiar, hot-button issue to
industry insiders, its emphasis might have been lost on some of
the legislators who were hearing the term for the first time--and
they heard it often over the course of nearly 2 1/2 hours of
testimony.
As a result, the 13 politicians who had requested five-minute
allotments to verbally grill the witnesses spent a good chunk of
that time asking questions like when is Lasix administered, what
does it do to a horse’s lungs, and do horses feel pain from
epistaxis.
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TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 5 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JUNE 23, 2018
Congressional Hearing cont. statistically it’s not, plain and simple. There’s no proof of what
At one point, Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA), noted that it was an we are doing currently needs further oversight.”
“unfortunate” missed opportunity that no veterinarians had Foreman re-centered the issue back to domestic economics.
been invited to the panel to more fully explain the role of Lasix He said eliminating Lasix usage would mean that Thoroughbreds
in horses. sold at auction would have to carry some sort of disclaimer
Foreman though, hammered home a blunt economic point: “If warning buyers that exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhaging
there is a move to eliminate Lasix in racing in the U.S., it’s going could be a future issue.
to force owners out of the business.” “Can you envision buying an automobile or a product where
Block and Janney countered with arguments advocating for you’re told at the time of the sale, ‘This product may have a
the discontinuation of race-day Lasix because it creates a problem. It’s likely to have a problem. You’re not going to be
negative public-perception problem. able to fix it in a way that you can use it,’?” Foreman said. “Are
Block said “a needle to the horse’s neck [is] not a perception you going to buy that product? That’s why you don’t see the
that should be projected.” breeders’ organizations throughout the country supporting this
But Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) bill, because they know what’s
said “I appreciate that, and I going to happen. It’s going to
think, ‘Yeah, nobody wants to chill sales.“
see that.’ But if it’s a medication Hamelback dovetailed that
that protects horses, then I think point by warning that imposing
in some cases, optics maybe an entirely new regulatory
should take a second place to structure upon the sport while
the actual protection of the cutting back on race-day
horses.” medication would create
Janney dug in and said the unintended long-term economic
perception issue was global, not consequences.
just domestic. “To me, I see that as a very
“I think one of the things that logistically difficult hurdle to get
you have to worry about is the over,” Hamelback said. “At this
perception of the industry in point, nothing has been done as
being out of step with the rest of far as an economic study to
Participants testifying at the congressional hearing
the world,” Janney said. “We sell show us what this is going to
our horses in international markets. There’s a reason that cost with two new regulatory bureaucratic layers added on to
Keeneland has written a letter supporting this bill. I think that us.”
reason is that every other national association talks about why And with regard to letting the United States Anti-Doping
U.S. horses are inferior. Whether that’s true or not, I’m not Agency regulate the sport, Hamelback said, the agency’s lack of
saying. [Another issue is] other international bodies saying ‘Why equine expertise would even further harm the industry.
should we accredit your races in the U.S. when you run on “It is our belief that while they do have that expertise in
race-day medication?’” human [testing], crossing over to the equine world is not only
Hamelback told the subcommittee he didn’t buy that line of different, it’s logistically different. Nothing in this piece of
reasoning. legislation actually puts them doing anything different than we
“What we do in the United States is the number one [horse already have in place now.”
racing] industry in the world--period,” Hamelback said. “I think Fravel testified that continued exposure to risks from drug
the burden of proof goes to [those supporting HR 2651]. They cheating would be more damaging than any of the
need to tell us why [federal intervention] is necessary, because system-change perils cited by the opponents. Cont. p6
TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 6 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JUNE 23, 2018
Congressional Hearing cont. people to try to figure all this out. And the status quo, for a lot
“The concern here is we don’t have a concerted national effort of people, is exactly what they want. What I’m here to do is to
to identify threats as they occur,” Fravel said. “It’s hard for those try to provide the things that are going to be necessary for this
of us who are honest to come up with devious things that other industry so that my children can enjoy it.”
people come up with, but we need to find a national
The next step in the legislative process will be for the
organization to identify those threats and deal with them.”
subcommittee to report their findings from this hearing to the
Martin said the existing regulatory bodies at the state level are
full Energy and Commerce committee.
already well equipped and capable of dealing with both known
Click here to watch the entire hearing (beginning at 13:50).
and emerging drug threats.
--@ThorntonTD
“We may not be real good at touting our own horn, but there

is a system in place, “ Martin said. “It may not be perfect. But
there is a system in place, and we work every day to strengthen
it and try to make it better.”
JUSTIFY CHASERS HEADLINE OHIO DERBY
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) was the first politician to
attempt to steer the hearing squarely away from the Lasix issue.
“We’re talking a lot about Lasix here--I get that,” Mullin said.
“But the fact is that Congress does have a role on the commerce
side of it when it crosses state lines, even when it comes to
sports…. So when we’re starting to talk about the bill moving
forward, it’s not about the industry. The industry can oversee
itself…. I am not for over-regulating. I’m just asking the question:
Does Congress have a role to play in this or not?”
Mullin continued: “As much as I don’t like it, really that’s the
end or the beginning of our conversation. When it crosses a
state line, that is where our role comes into play…. I feel we’re a
long ways from getting this fixed, but this is a conversation that
needs to be had.”
Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) made a point of noting that the
witnesses in opposition to the bill brought more verbal fire to
their arguments than the supporters did.
Flameaway winning the Sam Davis | SV Photography
“When people come before the panel, sometimes there’s a
None of them were able to make a dent while trying their luck
little bit of confusion over whether they’re with [or against] any
at undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify, but a quartet of this
particular bill.” McKinley said. “Not one this one. You two--
spring’s Classic also-rans will look to start fresh while kicking off
Hamelback and Martin--I don’t know whether you didn’t get the
their second-half campaigns in the GIII Ohio Derby Saturday at
memo, but your passion came out pretty strongly about where
Thistledown.
you stand on this. So I’m fascinated by that, but I want to hear
The most accomplished of the four is John Oxley’s Flameaway
the counter to it as we debate this.”
(Scat Daddy), who captured the GIII Sam F. Davis S. in February
McKinley then asked Fravel to point out where those in
before running second in both the GII Tampa Bay Derby and GII
opposition to HR 2651 were wrong in their reasoning.
Toyota Blue Grass S. Making a bit of an early move into the
“The gist of a lot of this [anti-intervention] testimony is things
supersonic GI Kentucky Derby pace, the chestnut faded to finish
are going fine, we’re doing well, don’t mess with us; that we
13th and returns with a trio of quick breezes at his Churchill
don’t need a national program, we can do it all ourselves,”
Downs base for this engagement.
Fravel said. But, he added, in terms of bringing about meaningful
G M B Racing’s Lone Sailor (Majestic Warrior) came by far
change, “the current system takes too long. It takes forever.”
closest of any of his rivals to Justify when finishing fifth, beaten
Near the end of the hearing, Janney was asked why he didn’t
just two lengths in the GI Preakness S. The Tom Amoss trainee
have confidence in allowing the feds to just step back and allow
will look to finally break through at the stakes level after placing
the various racing state regulators to come to a consensus on
in three other black-type events.
adopting the model rules that already exist.
Gary Broad’s Core Beliefs (Quality Road) is the lone west coast
“I’m 69 years old,” Janney replied. “It’s my considered opinion
representative in the field, shipping in from Santa Anita for
that I would never be around to see that day. It will not happen.
trainer Peter Eurton. Cont. p7
I’ve worked for the last 20 years being involved with other
TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 7 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JUNE 23, 2018
Ohio Derby cont. Could this be the first and only winner at Royal Ascot for
After an impressive graduation there Mar. 8, the $350,000 Donnacha before he grew out of those white pants and Tabor,
Barretts March buy was a respectable third at 41-1 behind Smith and Magnier colors? That was the buzz in the walking
Justify while making his stakes debut in the GI Santa Anita Derby ring, that was the hubbub at the betting widows, that was why
Apr. 7. He most recently finished second after dueling on the Donnacha’s horse, who had finished ninth in the recent G1
lead and opening up into deep stretch of the GIII Peter Pan S. French Derby, was only 7-1 now.
May 12 at Belmont. To realize Aidan's affection for his sons, consider the fact that
Diamond King (Quality Road) earned a spot in the Preakness O’Brien and his elder son Joseph took the G1 English Derby with
by virtue of his score in the Federico Tesio S. at Laurel, but could Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) in 2012, becoming the first father
beat just one horse in Balitmore. He returned home to drill five and son combination to ever win the race. And it was Joseph
furlongs in :59 1/5 (1/18) June 12 at trainer John Servis’s Parx who was aboard GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner St. Nicholas
base in preparation for this. Abbey (Montjeu {Ire}) one year earlier before he tipped the
scales to “tilt” and became the another O'Brien trainer.
The so called “smart money” started to show on Rostropovich.
Could we get a winner before son Donnacha retired from the
LETTERS FROM ASCOT: DONNACHA COMES saddle?
We were almost right. Donnacha mounted a furious drive
CLOSE TO FIRST ROYAL WIN
by Dave Johnson
in the home straight, but fell a length and three quarters
short of Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) at the finish.
So, will the father and son combination get a winner at the
Royal Meeting before the weight problem catches up with
them? Only one day to go!
Melania Trump's jacket said it all, "I really don't care. Do you?"

PEGASUS A ONE-OF-A-KIND FACILITY
by Melissa Bauer-Herzog
Nestled on a dead-end street about 20 miles from downtown
Seattle in Redmond, Wash. is a facility every horse person
dreams of. Passing a training track with a view of the numerous
barns on the property as you drive in the gate, the Pegasus
Donnacha O’Brien aboard Wednesday’s Aidan O’Brien-trained Training and Rehabilitation Center is a state of the art facility
G2 Queen Mary S. runner-up Gossamer Wings | Racing Post Photo that provides services from breaking horses to rehabilitation and
everything in between. Cont. p8
If you don't think blood is thicker than water, you should have
been in the paddock at Royal Ascot on Friday afternoon. Aidan
O'Brien trained three of the nine-horse field in the G2 King
Edward VII S.
They were Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Gallieo {Ire}), who many
thought was the best of the three, along with Giuseppe
Garibaldi (Ire) (Gallieo {Ire}) and Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel
{Ire}. Delano Roosevelt was ridden by Ryan Moore. Giuseppe
Garibaldi had Seamie Heffernan booked to ride. Rostropovich
was to be ridden by Aidan's son, 20-year-old, Donnacha O'Brien.
But, something was wrong. Donnacha was getting taller and
heavier than he has been in the past. He had yet to win a race
at the Royal Meeting. Aidan was intent on giving his son the bulk
of his attention and instruction and concern as they prepared to
leave the walking ring. The entrance to Pegasus Training Center
TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 8 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JUNE 23, 2018
Pegasus cont. work with but the objective is the same. Having the swimming
Countless horses have visited the facility for a variety of pool and being able to change things up by taking a horse that's
reasons, including champions Shared Belief and Blind Luck, with getting tired of the same old routine out to ride on the trails and
the 12-year-old farm having an abundance of amenities for go swim for a couple of days helps. So, the amenities we have
every horse, but it is rehabilitating horses that is one of the true are different but the objective is the same."
passions of owner Dr. Mark As for why it is so important to
DeDomenico and his staff. have a farm like Pegasus on the
"The attitude that we have is west coast, Puhich points to an
that if there's something that's example of the time it takes to
not working for anybody else, travel to Seattle versus the East
we want a crack at it," said Mike Coast for West Coast clients
Puhich, Pegasus's trainer and wanting to see how their horses
Director of Horse Operations. are training.
"We don't think there's a horse "When you're on the West
we can't help. I know that's [our Coast and want to see your
consulting vet] Dr. McIlwraith's horse gallop and how its going
attitude. There's not a horse he as its being broke, you're
can't fix, there's not a life Dr. traveling a whole day getting
Mark can't save, and there's not A Bodemeister filly at Pegasus there, then you're there
a horse we can't fix at the farm. watching them train for a whole
Maybe it sounds arrogant, but one thing about it is the effort's day then you're traveling the next day coming home, so the
there and we're dang sure going to try." quickest you're traveling is three days," Puhich explained. "Being
Following that thought, DeDomenico has made sure his team in southern California, for example, if you want to see your
has exactly what they need to help any horse who makes the horse here, you leave out of Burbank at 7a.m., you watch your
trip to Pegasus. Located just beyond the far turn of Pegasus's horse train, you have lunch then you're home for dinner."
five furlong training track, the rehabilitation division has Though Pegasus is nearly as far northwest as you can get in the
multiple barns with large stalls and numerous paddocks, but continental United States, that hasn't stopped horses from
that is just the start of what's to be found. around the country shipping in to take advantage of its facilities.
Also within the fences of the rehabilitation division are a host Racehorses from around the country have visited Pegasus for
of diagnostic and rehabilitation facilities from the Nuclear their rehabilitation and training needs with Puhich hoping that
Scintigraphy machine, which allows staff to catch bone one day more operations around the country will offer horse
injuries that may not show up on X-ray, to a building that owners what Pegasus has.
holds the Pegasus swimming pool, water treadmill and an "We have horses who come from Kentucky for rehab, we've
indoor Eurociser. For horses who have to take their recovery had horses come from New York, we have sport horses who
process a little slower, equipment such as the Hyperbaric have come from all over the country," he said. "I think it's
Chamber and Vibration Plate work their magic. important to have what we have as kind of a guideline for what
While those taking advantage of the rehabilitation services at other places should start implementing. West Coast, Midwest,
Pegasus come in all breeds and sizes, the racehorses based at anywhere, I think it's important to have a facility like ours and I
the farm also take advantage of the high-tech equipment just a think we're fortunate there is something like this out here. I
few furlongs from the barns where they're housed. Puhich says think it's nice to see someone like Dr. Mark who is passionate
that the training program for the racehorses has the same enough to be out here with the way the industry's going right
objective as any racing program in the world but does admit now. He's out here and he's trying to fix things and get horses
having the facilities at Pegasus does make some things a little rehabbed and keep the longevity in racehorses. I'd like to see
easier. more people follow our lead."
"It's not rocket science, you want to get your horses as
physically fit as you can and as healthy as you can and as
mentally healthy as you can," he said. "We have a lot of tools to
TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 9 OF 10 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • JUNE 23, 2018
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VIDEO.
CHURCHILL DOWNS EARMARKS $100K FOR KY
DERBY MUSEUM EXPANSION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Churchill Downs announced Friday a $100,000 donation
toward the Kentucky Derby Museum expansion project. Ground
was broken on the $6.5-million renovation and expansion of the In response to Bill Finley’s series regarding “Super Trainers”
Derby Museum in March. In addition to over 11,000 square feet (Part I and Part II).
of new space, another 5,000 existing square feet is currently
being renovated. The expansion is slated to be completed in late In response to Bill Finley’s article and Maggie Sweet’s rebuttal,
October, prior to the Breeders’ Cup, which will be hosted at Ms. Sweet presented a few “facts,” but provided no context that
Churchill Downs this year. The Derby Museum will remain open invalidate Mr. Finley’s point that “these trainers rarely
throughout the project. participate in the claiming races that make up the bread and
Although located adjacent to the historic track, the Derby butter of our sport.” He said “rarely,” not “never,” so providing
Museum is an independent 501(C)3 nonprofit entity. The two some counter-examples doesn’t mean he “failed to adhere to
organizations work closely together to preserve the history of the facts.”
the sport’s flagship race. These are the facts: from 1/1/2016 thru 7/31/17, there were
488,830 total starters. Of these, 216,522 were in claiming races

(non-maidens) with a purse under $25,000. This is 44.3%.
During this time, Pletcher, Baffert, Brown and Mott collectively
had 4,588 starters. Only 39 of them were in those low-level
claiming races. That is 0.85%. For Baffert, it was two out of 563.
For Brown, only two out of 1,150. Cont. p10