September, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Rising Stars’ Square off Again in Prioress Showdown

After a second straight year of rounding out the exacta at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Kimari (Munnings) returns from across the pond as the 2-1 morning-line choice in Saturday’s GII Prioress S. at Saratoga.

The 2019 G2 Queen Mary S. runner-up and 2020 G1 Commonwealth Cup second-place finisher has won her two prior attempts on dirt-airing on debut at Keeneland last spring and defeating the re-opposing ‘TDN Rising Star’ Frank’s Rockette (Into Mischief) in a sloppy renewal of Oaklawn’s Purple Martin S. Apr. 4.

Kimari has been firing bullets at trainer Wesley Ward’s Keeneland base for this, headed by a five-furlong spin in :58 4/5 (1/5) Aug. 30.

The speedy Frank’s Rockette, meanwhile, runner-up in last summer’s GI Spinaway S. at the Spa, has followed that aforementioned defeat in Hot Springs with a pair of wins, including a head decision over Reagan’s Edge (Competitive Edge) in Belmont’s GIII Victory Ride S. going 6 1/2 furlongs July 4. It was another 3/4 of a length back to Center Aisle (Into Mischief) in third that day.

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2020 Kentucky Derby at a Glance

It’s September, not May. It’s the second jewel of the Triple Crown, not the first. There will be no fans at Churchill Downs, not 160,000 or more. The COVID-19 pandemic has surely changed the nature of the 146th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, but some things will remain the same.

Belmont Runner-up Dr Post Headlines Jim Dandy

Dr Post (Quality Road), a very respectable second behind Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the shortened GI Belmont S. June 20, will be the one to beat in Saturday’s GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga after bypassing the GI Kentucky Derby.

He followed his tenacious win while making his two-turn bow in Gulfstream’s Unbridled S. Apr. 25 by finishing 3 3/4 lengths within the imposing Derby favorite in Elmont, then reported home third after falling a bit too far behind early in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth last time July 18.

“He’s been training well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s a high-quality colt and trains accordingly. I’m very happy with him. He showed his quality in the Belmont when he ran as close to Tiz the Law as anyone else has. He kind of had a less-than-ideal trip in the Haskell, but hopefully he’s ready to move forward here.”

Pletcher’s other entrant, the lightly raced and rail-drawn Happy Saver (Super Saver), made it a perfect two-for-two with a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance over track and trip in a first-level allowance July 26. He is also entered in the $100,000 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel Monday, Sept. 7.

“Our first preference is the Tesio, assuming that everything goes according to plan,” Pletcher said. “We felt like the Tesio could potentially be a good segway toward the Preakness if he continues to develop.”

Fellow ‘Rising Star’ Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), favored in all four of his previous career starts, including a third-place finish from the clouds in the local GIII Peter Pan S. July 16, adds blinkers for the first time for trainer Mike Stidham.

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Doyle Picks Up Pinatubo Mount

James Doyle will renew his partnership with Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) in Sunday’s G1 Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp, which frees up William Buick to ride Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in next Saturday’s G1 Irish Champion S. should the 5-year-old take up that assignment.

As an elite sportsman, Doyle will need to quarantine for eight days upon returning to the UK from France and provide two negative COVID-19 tests. Ireland’s quarantine rules were adjusted on Thursday to allow jockeys to travel to the country to ride at Group 1 meetings, paving the way for Buick to ride Ghaiyyath.

“We are in a very privileged position to have two retained world-class jockeys in James and William,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “We have looked at the logistics of it all and hopefully how it’s going to work out. James is going to France on Sunday to ride Pinatubo, who he knows equally as well as William. James rode him during the week and was very pleased with him. James also rides the 2-year-old on Sunday [Naval Crown in the G3 Prix la Rochette], so he’ll have two mounts. We have runners in France later in the week, but we’ll make a decision over the weekend on whether he’ll stay or come back and start his quarantine.”

Doyle rode Pinatubo in his first four starts last year, all wins, including the Listed Chesham S. and G2 Vintage S.

“I haven’t ridden him since Goodwood last year, so it will be great to get back on board,” Doyle said. “I sat on him on Wednesday morning and he seems in good shape. There’s only the six runners on Sunday, but I think they’ve won 14 Group 1s between them, so it’s a pretty strong renewal to say the least. It would be great to get that Group 1 win over a mile with him. I’ll be having a week off when I come back from France, but if any horse is worth it, you’d think it would be Pinatubo.”

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