Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Quast keeps on her quest
Breaking a long losing streak felt so good that Caroline Quast thought she’d win another one.
The 32-year-old apprentice rider snapped a 73-race drought by winning last Friday at Ellis Park aboard 24-1 shot Bold Force, then came right back to win with her very next mount when Dulce de Leche scored Saturday at 17-1 at the western Kentucky track. A $2 win parlay was worth $915.
“I was surprised, but yes, it was awesome,” said Quast, who began riding show horses at age 5 in her native Germany.
Quast has traveled the world since leaving Germany at 17, living in New Zealand, London, and all over the United States. Always enamored with horses, she finally got her race-riding career under way in October 2015 at Finger Lakes in upstate New York, winning for the first time with her 11th mount.
She rode last winter at Laurel Park – where on Nov. 27 she had her most recent winner prior to last weekend – and Charles Town before moving in late March to Lexington, Ky., where she has been trying to break in with Kentucky horsemen. She spends most mornings at the Thoroughbred training center on the north end of town, exercising horses for various trainers while also making her rounds in trying to attract mounts.
Quast is currently working without an agent but said she is “not opposed to having one.” She is scheduled to lose her apprenticeship on the one-year anniversary of her fifth career win, which came last September.
Simulcast stalemate continues
A dispute over simulcasting fees continues to drag along as races from Monarch Contract Management tracks such as Del Mar, Gulfstream, and Monmouth continue to be unavailable at Ellis and all simulcast facilities in Kentucky.
Ellis owner Ron Geary said in a prepared statement this week: “We believe our fans understand the impact of getting blindsided with a demand for a 42 percent rate hike right as we were preparing for, and are now busy with, our live race meet . . . . Our invitation to Del Mar and the other tracks negotiating under the Monarch banner remains to thoughtfully negotiate what is financially feasible for all parties for 2018 later this fall after we get our live race meet behind us. We’re particularly interested in a multi-year contract in order to avoid the situation that we find ourselves in now.”
Ellis is the designated “host” track for Kentucky through Sept. 4, and as such controls what out-of-state signals can be offered at in-state simulcast facilities, including Churchill Downs in Louisville, The Red Mile in Lexington, and Turfway Park in northern Kentucky. Wagering is still available on the Monarch tracks in Kentucky through online advance-deposit wagering sites.
Ellis will show the TVG feed (without wagering) of the San Diego Handicap featuring Arrogate on Saturday.
Ivy Bell to Groupie Doll
Ivy Bell had her first breeze since her runner-up finish in the June 24 Chicago Handicap when going a half-mile Monday in 49 seconds at the HighPointe training center near La Grange, Ky.
Ivy Bell looms a major contender for Ellis Park’s showcase event, the Grade 3, $100,000 Groupie Doll, which will be run at one mile Aug. 13. Ivy Bell won back-to-back allowances at Churchill before finishing second to Finley’s lucky charm at 24-1 in the Chicago.
“She’s doing awesome,” said Billy Denzik, who trains the 4-year-old filly for Brook Smith.
Van Berg back at barn
Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg is back working at his Churchill barn after enduring a scare last month with double pneumonia.
Van Berg’s son and temporary assistant Tom said his father “can’t do a lot before he gets worn down” but continues to get better. “He’s coming out in the morning and sitting in his truck watching the horses train.”
Jack Van Berg, 81, left his longtime California base when Hollywood Park closed in December 2013 to return to his Midwest roots.
Bernhardt field all set
Wilbo and The Truth or Else head a field of 10 older sprinters entered in the weekend highlight at Ellis, the 40th running of the $50,000 Don Bernhardt Memorial on Saturday.
Wilbo finished a neck ahead of The Truth Or Else as the 2-3 finishers behind Limousine Liberal in the June 3 Aristides at Churchill. The Bernhardt is the eighth of nine races on a Saturday card that also includes one allowance and five maiden races.
The feature of an eight-race Friday card is a $41,000 allowance (race 6). First post daily is 12:50 p.m. Central.
◗ Shaun Bridgmohan has hired former jockey Liz Morris as his agent while deciding to remain in Kentucky for the summer. Morris, who rode from 2003-08, will continue booking mounts for Jack Gilligan as well.
This is the first summer Bridgmohan has missed riding regularly at Saratoga since he was by far the leading jockey at Arlington Park in 2005. Into Friday, Bridgmohan had 3,019 wins from 19,997 mounts.
◗ Ellis is resuming a weekly program, “Making of a Racehorse: Let’s Get Started,” this Saturday. It features Ellis starter Scott Jordan and other guests every Saturday through August at 7:30 a.m. Central.