July, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ashford Stud To Offer Southern Hemisphere-Season Breedings For Resident Stallions

Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., will offer the services of its stallions remaining in the U.S. for the summer and fall for matings on the Southern Hemisphere season's schedule.

Top commercial sire Uncle Mo leads the way with a Southern Hemisphere season fee of $30,000. The 12-year-old son of Indian Charlie has seen his greatest Southern Hemisphere success in Australia, where his runners are led by Man From Uncle, winner of the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes and G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes.

Munnings, a 14-year-old Speightstown horse, will stand for $15,000. His top runner south of the Equator was Argentine-born Rock and Fellers, who was a group stakes-level competitor in his native country before being moved to race in the U.S.

Veteran sire Lookin at Lucky is advertised at $10,000. The 13-year-old son of Smart Strike has shuttled in the past to Australia and Chile, and he's proven especially effective in the latter country, finishing 2017 as the country's leading sire. His top Chilean-sired runners include Chilean Filly Triple Crown winner and U.S. Grade 1 winner Wow Cat, and Chilean Derby winner Full of Luck.

Following is a complete list of Ashford Stud's stallions available for Southern Hemisphere-time breeding, along with their advertised fees for the season.

Air Force Blue – $8,000
Competitive Edge – $5,000
Cupid – $5,000
Fusaichi Pegasus – $3,000
Lookin at Lucky – $10,000
Mo Town – $5,000
Munnings – $15,000
Practical Joke – $10,000
Tale of the Cat – $5,000
Uncle Mo – $30,000

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Guillaume Breaks His Maiden In Hansel Stakes; McCarthy Wins Four On Colonial’s Opening Night

Guillaume rallied on the outside and overtook Merchant of Hope in the final strides of the $40,000 Hansel Stakes for Virginia Certified 2-year-olds on the Tuesday night opening night card at Colonial Downs. The son of Hard Spun is owned by DARRS Inc., trained by Mike Stidham and was ridden by Trevor McCarthy, the same owner-trainer-jockey combination who were leaders at the 2019 Colonial meeting.

The victory was third of four on the night for McCarthy and second for Stidham. “When we saw that his race was for Virginia-certified horses, it got on our radar,” said Stidham. “He was impressive at this distance but we'll be looking to go longer in his next start.”

Named after a famous Canadian ballet dancer, Guillaume's performance impressed owner David Ross: “Mike did a great job getting the horse ready and Trevor did a phenomenal job getting out in the lane and just getting him to the wire in time. The horse was moving forwardly at the finish. He's an exciting horse to watch.”

Guillaume was making his career debut in the Hansel and banked $24,000 for the half-length victory. He covered the 5 ½ furlongs over a fast track in 1:04.38 and paid $6.40, $3.40 and $2.10. The winner was started at the Middleburg Training Center by Ballyerin Racing's Madison Meyers and Kieran Norris. The Center recently underwent a multi-million-dollar upgrade.

Merchant of Hope set the pace in the five-horse field through fractions of 22.85 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.11 seconds for a half-mile and a five-furlong split of 58.06 seconds. The son of Bayern paid $4.00 and $2.40.

It was another 1 ¾ lengths back to third-place finisher and post-time favorite Sky's Not Falling who returned $2.10 to show. Natural Attraction and Dare to Promise completed the order of finish.

Earlier in the card, Wesley Ward's Amsden went gate-to-wire in a $40,000 five-furlong maiden turf race for two-year-olds. The American Pharoah colt won by three lengths. Last year, Ward connected in a Colonial turf sprint with another two-year-old, Four Wheel Drive, who captured the Rosie's Stakes and went on to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Colonial Downs' summer meeting continues racing through September 2 on a Monday through Wednesday basis with a first post of 5:30 EDT. A special Sunday program has been added August 2 to make up for the cancellation of Monday's scheduled card.

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Tom’s D’Etat Stays On Top In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

GMB Racing's 7-year-old Tom's d'Etat, winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2), retained the top spot in the latest 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington on Nov. 7.

The Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through October 13. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

Trained by Al Stall Jr., Tom's d'Etat, who is scheduled to run at Saratoga in this Saturday's Whitney (G1), a “Win and You're In” for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), leads all Classic contenders with 312 votes. A bay son of Smart Strike, Tom's d'Etat earned a free berth into the Classic on June 27 when he won the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Gary and Mary West, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's 4-year-old Maximum Security (272) remains in second place in the Classic Rankings following his dramatic win by a nose over Midcourt in last Saturday's San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar. In his first start for trainer Bob Baffert, the San Diego win was Maximum Security's first race since taking the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup in February.

W.S. Farish's 4-year-old Code of Honor (219 votes), also a candidate for the Whitney, has switched places with Sackatoga Stable's 3-year-old Tiz the Law (207 votes) in this week's poll. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Code of Honor, now ranked No. 3, won the Westchester Stakes (G3), and finished third in Metropolitan Handicap (G1), in his two starts this year.

Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tiz the Law, ranked fourth, is unbeaten in three starts this year for trainer Barclay Tagg. Tiz the Law, being pointed to the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) on Aug. 8, won the Holy Bull (G3) and the Florida Derby (G1) prior to his Belmont Stakes triumph.

Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing's 5-year-old mare Midnight Bisou (175 votes), the only female in the top 10, remains in fifth place. The Steve Asmussen-trained dark bay daughter of two-time Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Midnight Lute dominated last month's Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs, romping to an 8 ¼-length victory. Midnight Bisou is slated to run in Saturday's Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

CRK Stable's 3-year-old Honor A. P. (121 votes) stays in sixth place in this week's rankings. Trained by John Shirrreffs, the dark bay son of Honor Code won the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) on June 6 in his last start.

Another likely starter for Saturday's Whitney, Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards (118 votes), is next in seventh place. Trained by Bret Calhoun, By My Standards won the New Orleans Handicap (G2) and the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) before finishing second to Tom's d'Etat in the Stephen Foster.

Juddmonte Farms' 4-year-old Tacitus (99 votes) retains eighth place in the Classic Rankings. Trained by Bill Mott, Tacitus rolled to an 8 ¾-length victory in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on July 4.

WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and SF Racing's Improbable (82 votes), moves up to ninth place, from 10th this week, switching places with R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stable's Vekoma (69 votes). Trained by Bob Baffert, Improbable, winner of the 1 ¼-mile Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Santa Anita on June 6, is headed to Saratoga for Saturday's Whitney.

Rounding out the top 10 is the 4-year-old Vekoma, trained by George Weaver. Vekoma is unbeaten in three starts this year, including wins in Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races, the Runhappy Carter Handicap (G1), for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), and the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1), for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – July 28, 2020*

RANK	HORSE	TOTAL VOTES	FIRST-PLACE VOTES
1	Tom's d'Etat	312	18
2	Maximum Security	272	9
3	Code of Honor	219	3
4	Tiz the Law	207	1
5	Midnight Bisou	175	2
6	Honor A. P.	121	0
7	By My Standards	118	0
8	Tacitus	99	0
9	Improbable	82	0
10	Vekoma	69	1

*Note – The Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Breeders' Cup Classic.

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Honor A. P. Set for Final Kentucky Derby Prep Saturday in Shared Belief

In becoming one of the early favorites for the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Honor A. P. has prepped in short fields in California this year — circumstances that won’t change when he competes in the $100,000 Shared Belief Stakes Saturday at Del Mar.