September, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mr. Big News Tunes Up for Preakness

Third-place GI Kentucky Derby finisher Mr. Big News (Giant’s Causeway) geared up for Pimlico’s Oct. 3 GI Preakness S. with a half-mile breeze in :48 4/5 (22/76) Friday at Churchill Downs. Regular exercise rider Tony Quinones was in irons.

“He was very sharp this morning,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “I know it was cool. He went a little quicker than we wanted, but did it very easy, well within himself. He was full of energy, kind of what we wanted to see. It was what we wanted or better.”

Mr. Big News earned a free entry in the Preakness with his win in the Apr. 11 Oaklawn S. Calhoun said his charge will work again Saturday, Sept. 26, which will be his final breeze before the Preakness. If it goes smoothly, Mr. Big News will head to Baltimore for the 1 3/16-mile Classic.

“He’s a fit horse; he doesn’t need a lot,” Calhoun said of next week’s work. “I’m not looking for fitness. Just maintain what we’ve got and hold his edge.”

Owner Chester Thomas and Calhoun said the strong finish by Mr. Big News at the end of the Derby helped determine their colt’s Preakness path.

“The free ride in the Preakness was there,” said Calhoun, “but he needed to prove that he belonged with that group of horses.”

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Well-Bred Tapit Colt Romps to Rising Stardom

Three Chimneys Farm and Harrell Ventures LLC’s Stayin’ Out Late (Tapit) was sent off at a chilly-on-the-board 21-5 in Friday’s seventh race at Churchill Downs, but the well-bred chestnut turned the 6 1/2-furlong affair into a procession, galloping away to score by 7 3/4 lengths.

Away without incident from the inside gate, the son of GSW Graeme Six (Graeme Hall) made the lead with a minimum of fuss and was allowed a soft time of it up front, covering the opening quarter in :23.66 and the half in a route-like :47.80. Shaken up leaving the quarter pole, he turned on the afterburners in the final furlong and won clear. Cousin Larry (Cairo Prince–Pacific Spell) just earned second ahead of Inspector Frost (Frosted–Folk), the 21-10 chalk, who rushed up after missing the break and looked full of run turning for home, only to flatten late.

Stayin’ Out Late is a full-brother to Delightful Joy, GSW, $179,200, whose debuting daughter Zainalarab (War Front) graduated Friday at Belmont Park. He is also a half-brother to to Seymourdini (Bernardini), SW, $242,027, a $900,000 OBS April Breezer; and to Cali Star (Street Cry {Ire}), GSW, $348,080. Graeme Six, winner of the GIII Winning Colors S. at Churchill during her racing days, was purchased by the partnership of Gainesway and Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm for $950,000 in foal to the late Pioneerof the Nile at Keeneland November in 2016. She foaled a full-brother to Stayin’ Out Late in 2019 and a full-sister this term. She was bred to Curlin during the most recent breeding season, but did not conceive. Stayin’ Out Late is bred on the same cross over Deputy Minister that has been responsible for the aforementioned Frosted and fellow Grade I winner Tapizar.

7th-Churchill Downs, $73,292, Msw, 9-18, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.93, ft.
STAYIN’ OUT LATE, c, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Graeme Six (GSW & GISP, $338,854), by Graeme Hall
2nd Dam: Polish Ruby, by Polish Pro
3rd Dam: Ruby Wax, by Gallant Romeo
Sales history: $200,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,824. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Three Chimneys Farm & Harrell Ventures LLC; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd & Whisper Hill Farm LLC (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen.

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Keeneland And TCA Team On Sales Initiative To Assist Essential Workers

Keeneland and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) today announced an initiative to provide September Yearling and November Breeding Stock Sales buyers the opportunity to make a voluntary contribution to TCA to assist our industry's backstretch and farm workers, many of whom have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The voluntary donation will be included in the buyers invoice and equate to one-half of one percent (.05%) of the hammer price of their purchase.

“This partnership with TCA reflects Keeneland's mission to support worthy causes, and during this time of great need it's even more important that we take care of our front-line heroes,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “Keeneland is grateful for the tremendous work done by the TCA, and we are pleased to include this donation opportunity on our buyer forms this fall alongside the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA).”

Since 1990, TCA has distributed more than $24 million in grants to approved charities working to help not only Thoroughbred aftercare organizations but also those that provide health and human services for backstretch and farm workers.

“Without our backstretch and farm employees we wouldn't have a Thoroughbred industry,” said TCA President Mike McMahon. “Our charities work to provide health and dental services, ESL classes, legal assistance, food pantries, counseling services and so much more to our industry's workers. In the face of the pandemic and the economic strain it has caused, Keeneland has answered the call. Keeneland's support for TCA and for horse people everywhere is unprecedented. We are very grateful for the opportunity for buyers to be able to support the people who care for horses.”

Earlier in September, TCA distributed grants totaling nearly $1,070,000. A record 92 grant applications were received during the organization's annual grant cycle. Ultimately, 70 organizations were approved for a grant, including 45 aftercare organizations, 16 backstretch and farm worker programs, five equine-assisted therapy organizations, three Thoroughbred incentive programs and one research organization. Grant recipients from the last three years can be found on www.tca.org

Additionally, TCA's Horses First Fund, an emergency fund started in 2016 by LNJ Foxwoods, provided COVID-19 relief funding to three backstretch organizations and seven aftercare organizations while supporting two feed assistance programs earlier this year. The total expended from the Horses First Fund was $79,900, bringing the organization's total 2020 grant making to more than $1 million.

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Half-Sister to Masar Debuts at Newmarket

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday’s Insights features Sayyida (GB), a half-sister to Derby winner Masar (Ire).

2.00 Gowran Park, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, f, 8fT
EYLARA (IRE) (Gleneagles {Ire}) takes the eye at the end of an emotional week for the Dermot Weld stable, being a half-sister to the talented Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who was one of the last pattern-race winners ridden by Pat Smullen in the 2017 G3 KPMG Enterprise S. Also placed in the G1 Irish and Yorkshire Oaks and the G1 Hong Kong Vase, she hails from the excellent Aga Khan family of Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) and Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}).

2.05 Newmarket, Novice, £8,000, 2yo, f, 8fT
SAYYIDA (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) debuts for the Godolphin-Charlie Appleby axis and is a fascinating prospect as a half-sister to the G1 Epsom Derby hero Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}). The February-foaled daughter of the G2 UAE Derby heroine Khawlah (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) has a significant benchmark to be measured against in Khalid Abdullah’s likely hot favourite Monsoon Moon (GB) (Kingman {GB}), the John Gosden-trained half-sister to the yard’s G1 St Leger winner Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who was such a promising third on debut behind TDN Rising Star Love Is You (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) at Ascot earlier this month.

2.35 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €22,000, unraced 2yo, c/g, 8fT
Ecki Sauren’s DJANGO UNCHAINED (FR) (Pastorius {Ger}) is yet another representative of trainer Henk Grewe’s regular Tours de France and faces one dozen fellow newcomers in this one-mile test. He is a half-brother to last term’s G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Django Freeman (Ger) (Campanolgist) and this term’s otherwise unbeaten Deutsches Derby sixth Dicaprio (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}).

3.50 Saint-Cloud, Mdn, €22,000, unraced 2yo, f, 8fT
George Strawbridge’s homebred MOONY (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who is inevitably a Freddy Head trainee, is the fourth foal out of the owner-breeder’s MG1SW distaffer Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). She bids to become her dam’s first winner and is opposed by a baker’s dozen in this debutantes’ affair.

4.00 Newbury, Novice, £6,300, 2yo, 7fT
RIFLEMAN (IRE) (The Gurkha {Ire}) debuts for the Magnier/Tabor/Smith combination and the John Gosden stable and is the 15th foal produced by the $2-million G3 King George S. winner Dietrich (Storm Cat), with the previous best being the G1 Racing Post Trophy runner-up Aloft (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Among his rivals is Godfrey Wilson’s unraced homebred Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), a half-brother to the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G1 Diamond Jubilee-winning sire Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) and group scorer Music Master (GB) (Piccolo {GB}) trained by their handler Henry Candy.

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