Joe Talamo

Every week, the TDN posts a round-up of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. Among this week's rulings, trainer Charles Essex has been suspended for 15 days and fined $1,000 after his trainee, The Golden Egg, tested positive for acepromazine after finishing second at Emerald Downs May 31. A ubiquitous sedative across the nation's backstretches, acepromazine is a Class B controlled medication under HISA, a maximum first-time violation for which is what the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Unit (HIWU) meted out to...

Five contenders took advantage of a mild, dry Sunday morning in Louisville to put in final works at Churchill Downs ahead of next weekend's GI Kentucky Derby. First of the group to work was BC Stable's Just Steel (Justify), who went out just as the track opened at 5:15 a.m. Sunday. The bay colt worked four furlongs in :50.40 (52/60), registering splits of :13.40 and :25.20 before being eased up on the gallop out. "Just a slow maintenance work. We're close to the race, we didn't want to do much,"...

Marty McGee, the longtime Kentucky correspondent for the Daily Racing Form, announced Tuesday that he is leaving the paper to become the agent for Joe Talamo. He had been with the Racing Form since 1992. "After 38 years as a professional racing journalist, I will begin working full-time as an agent for my nephew-in-law, jockey Joe Talamo," McGee posted on his Twitter account. "Joe and I are very excited about what the future holds. He's an immense talent who belongs among the game's elite." McGee wrote that the upcoming GI...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. CALIFORNIA Track: Santa Anita Date: 06/17/2022 Licensee: Rolf Gustafsson, owner/assistant Penalty: N/A Violation: Restoration of good standing Explainer: Owner/Asst. Trainer Rolf Gustafsson, having complied with the provisions of California Horse Racing Board rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility - $2,380.00 to Trainer Jorge Periban)...

Argentinian import Imperador (Arg) (Treasure Beach {GB}) was the main beneficiary of favorite Arklow (Arch)'s unlucky trip as he earned his first North American victory in the GII Calumet Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Backed at 8-1 from a 15-1 morning line, the bay entire broke alertly from the fence before being wrestled back by Joe Talamo to bide his time in midpack. He was one slot behind Arklow as they headed down the hill past six furlongs...

Juddmonte Farms' TDN Rising Star Mandaloun (Into Mischief) attempts to follow up on a professional last-out score in the GII Risen Star S. in Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. Earning Rising Star status first time out going six panels at Keeneland last October, the bay followed up with another solid win while adding an additional furlong in a Churchill Downs optional claimer the following month. Heavily supported for his seasonal reappearance in the Jan. 16 GIII Lecomte S. in New Orleans, he had to settle for third,...

Windmill, an impressive wire-to-wire debut winner in January at Oaklawn, showed her rating ability and remained unbeaten with a stalk-and-pounce score in the Dixie Belle S. Sunday in Hot Springs. Breaking on top and never looking back in a four-length victory at 12-1 Jan. 23, the $330,000 Keeneland September buy was made the narrow second choice in this six-horse group and again left the stalls smartly. Taken in hand by Joe Talamo, the bay tracked from the three path in a close-up third as Goin' Good led narrowly through a...

Undefeated in three Argentinian starts, including two daylight wins at Group 1 level, and competitive in stakes company in this country, Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) settled in the latter third of the field, was ridden quietly into the final 2 1/2 furlongs by Joe Talamo and exploded through the Keeneland stretch to up-end a high-class field in Saturday's GI Shadwell Turf Mile, locking up a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile over the same course and distance exactly five weeks down the line. Drawn widest...

Joe Talamo, recently relocated from the West Coast, won his first jockey's title on the Kentucky circuit after riding 20 winners at Ellis Park's Runhappy Summer meet which concluded Sunday. "It feels really good," said Talamo, who won a race both Saturday and Sunday to pull out of a tie with Rafael Bejarano. "Obviously Bejarano didn't ride the last couple of weeks, so that definitely helped quite a bit, in all honestly. But more than anything, I was just really happy that we got into some nice barns and outfits...

Pico d'Oro stormed to the lead in the dying strides to break his maiden in stakes company Sunday at Ellis Park. The bay colt, a well-beaten sixth on debut at Churchill Downs June 19, overcame traffic troubles to close for second, 3 1/4-lengths behind the front-running Medicine Trail, going six furlongs at this track July 19. With an extra furlong to work with Sunday, Pico d'Oro was at the tail of the field as Medicine Trail battled favored Cowan through an opening quarter in :22.29. Medicine Trail took control turning...

10th-Oaklawn, $61,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 4-24, 3yo, 6f, 1:09.34, ft. NO PAROLE (c, 3, Violence--Plus One {SW, $168,847}, by Bluegrass Cat) dominated Louisiana-breds by a combined 27 1/2 lengths in his first two starts at the Fair Grounds, earning 'Rising Star' status Jan. 11. Next time, he rolled home a 6 1/2-length winner of the state-bred restricted Premier Night Prince S. at Delta Feb. 8 and was installed the even-money choice to get back on track following an off-the-board finish in the GII Rebel S. Mar. 14. To the...