Trainer Jamie Osborne was forced to have to defend his horse, Toast of New York, recently after finishing in sixth place at the recent Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes.
The former UAE Derby winner skipped the Investec Derby, in Epsom, England, in order to take part in the event in New York. While trainer Jamie was not too disheartened at missing out on the £1.25 million prize, he did feel he had to come to the horse’s defense after coming sixth.
Reports have indicated that Toast of New York may have been harboring a lung infection. Osborne said: “Toast is OK but he did come back with a slight lung infection – that probably explains why he hit a wall in the straight.
“It’s not absolutely conclusive that he caught it on the way home and on the balance of probability, he probably had the early stages of it through the race. He probably caught it on the way over.”
The diagnosis comes after the controversial revelations in the run up to the race that Osborne was going to trial diuretic Lasix on his horse. The drug is used to reduce the chance of blood vessels bursting and is banned on race days in many countries including the United Kingdom, though it is allowed out of competition.
While it hasn’t been reported that the drug had any effect on Toast’s health, trainer Osborne has now set his sights for bigger things in August. The Pacific Classic will take place at the Del Mar racetrack in California on August 24th, and Osborne is confident that he will be back to full health and ready to race once again.
“We’ve cleaned him up and the plan remains to take him the Del Mar for the Pacific Classic on Polytrack on August 24th,” Osborne said.
Meanwhile, British trainer Charlie Hills has high hopes for his horse, Just the Judge, as he makes the trip over the pond to race at Arlington Park, Texas, this summer. While the thoroughbred has had a poor run lately, he remains confident that she will excel at the Beverly D race on August 16th.
“She’s been a little slow coming to herself; however, she pleased me last time in the Pretty Polly when third to Thistle Bird. She’s coming right back to her best and looks a million dollars.
“I’m very keen to stick to a mile and a quarter now and I’m considering the Beverly D at Arlington Park as her next target.”
Spectators from all over will be taking to sites like Sports Interaction to put their money on Just the Judge, who’s likely to please if her previous performance last season is anything to go by. At last year’s 1,000 Guineas event in Newmarket, England, she took first place – but whether or not she’s likely to fare well on US soil is anybody’s guess.
With so much talent coming from overseas this August, we’re in for an exciting racing summer.