September, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Here’s To Longshots!’ Mott-Trained Derby Entrant South Bend ‘Tries Hard Every Time’

With his Kentucky Derby gear still being constructed, South Bend took to the track with his usual Bill Mott saddle towel as he galloped during the special 7:30 a.m. training session for Oaks and Derby horses at Churchill Downs.

A late entrant to the Derby fray, South Bend heads into Saturday's test off a fourth-place finish in the Travers Stakes (GI) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. Though he is winless in eight starts this year, the bay colt has flashed potential, most notably running second in the Ohio Derby (GIII) June 27 while still in the barn of his prior trainer Stanley Hough.

“He's a very consistent horse, if you look at all his races and he tries hard every time,” said Kenny McCarthy, Mott's assistant. “His Travers race was certainly not a bad race. He obviously needs to move forward off of that race but he seems to like this track here. We've seen over the years that some horses look like a cinch coming in but they couldn't get it done.”

Campaigned by Sagamore Farm through his first 11 starts, including a victory in the Street Sense last fall at Churchill Downs, South Bend was acquired prior to the Travers by a partnership group that includes Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer of Pantofel Stable.

“He was previously with Stanley so he's trained over this track (Churchill Downs) many times,” McCarthy added. “This horse, it was a bit of a last-minute decision to go into the race but having said that, I think initially when the horse was purchased, that might have been in the back of their minds to try and get themselves a Derby horse. Obviously with the defection of Art Collector, they figured let's take a shot. Here's to longshots!”

South Bend is listed at 50-1 on the Kentucky Derby morning line, and will break from post position eight.

Thanks to the National Turfwriters and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), which has assembled a group of pool reporters providing independent reporting to members unable to be on the Churchill Downs grounds this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Speightstown Colt Romps in the Saratoga Slop to Earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ Badge

Nashville (c, 3, Speightstown–Veronique, by Mizzen Mast) set sharp early fractions in the Saratoga slop on debut Wednesday afternoon and ran away and hid from his three overmatched rivals in the stretch en route to a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance.

The $460,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, campaigned in partnership by CHC INC. and WinStar Farm LLC, sported a pair of flashy bullets on his worktab for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, including a five-furlong spin in :58 4/5 (1/20) from the gate at the Spa Aug. 9.

The 1-5 favorite broke sharply, and sped through sparkling opening splits of :21.50 and :43.87. He hit the quarter pole in complete command beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. and splashed his way home to an eye-catching and geared-down 11 1/2-length daylight victory. Democratic Values (Honor Code) was second.

Nashville becomes the fifth ‘Rising Star’ in 2020 for leading sire Speightstown. Asmussen also campaigns fellow ‘Rising Star’ Echo Town (Speightstown), winner of this summer’s GI H. Allen Jerkens S. presented by Runhappy.

Nashville’s unraced dam Veronique was purchased privately by Tony Holmes in foal to Mastery after the 2019 KEENOV Sale. She is also represented by the unraced 2-year-old colt Market Cap (Candy Ride {Arg}) and a Mastery colt of 2019 and filly of 2020. The 9-year-old was bred to Collected for 2021.

Nashville’s third dam Set Them Free (Stop the Music) produced 2005 GI Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo (Holy Bull) and MGISW Tiago (Pleasant Tap).

3rd-Saratoga, $66,960, Msw, 9-2, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:14.48, sy.
NASHVILLE, c, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Veronique, by Mizzen Mast
2nd Dam: Styler, by Holy Bull
3rd Dam: Set Them Free, Stop the Music
Sales history: $460,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart, free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-CHC INC. & WinStar Farm LLC; B-Breffni Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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‘We Just Have To Be The Best On One Day’: Ny Traffic Should Improve Off Haskell Performance

Haskell Invitational (GI) runner-up Ny Traffic had his first gallop over a wet Churchill Downs track at 7:30 a.m. and then visited the starting gate with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and co-owner John Fanelli looking on. The gray Cross Traffic colt, who also is owned by Cash is King and Paul Braverman, arrived on a flight from New York Tuesday shortly before he drew post 15 of 18.

“I thought he went well,” Joseph said. “The track was a little sloppy, so I was undecided if we were going to gallop or jog today, but looking at the weather, there's more rain on the way, so we may jog tomorrow and I decided to go on and gallop. He went well. He was nice and relaxed. He showed good energy. He stood in the gate. So far, all is well.”

Ny Traffic, who has not been worse than third in five starts in 2020, has shown improvement in each of his races and his connections are hopeful he can perform well in the Kentucky Derby and are pleased with how he has trained since the Haskell July 18.

“He's done well. He's trained forwardly. He has a good series of breezes in,” Joseph said. “Our preparation as far as a race horse coming into a race has gone as well as we could have asked. The Haskell was his best race as far as handicapping figures. He's going to need to improve to compete with horses like Tiz the Law and Honor A. P., but we feel with the spacing of his races he should have improvement again. You never know for sure. Each race he's made a little jump and if he makes another little jump again, he's right there among the leaders.

“All we need is one more improvement in him. If he can make that improvement, he's a horse who is going to make his name on Saturday.”

Co-owner John Fanelli agreed, saying Ny Traffic looked like a horse who could step up on the big day.

“I've always looked for a horse who would progress and progress and progress when I would be betting the Derby,” Fanelli said. “That's what his line looks like. It's just constantly a little better each race. Hopefully we can get better one more time and make history.”

Ny Traffic's morning line odds were set at 20-1 by Mike Battaglia, but Joseph isn't afraid to take on the top contenders this Saturday.

“There are three or four horses that are better than us on paper,” Joseph said. “But we just have to be the best on one day.”

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‘He’s A Remarkable Man’: Pletcher Grateful For Hall Of Fame Assistance With Derby Contender Money Moves

Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable's Money Moves had one of the most heralded set of eyes in the sport keeping watch on him as he got his first feel of the Churchill Downs track during his gallop on Wednesday.

With his trainer Todd Pletcher remaining in New York at his Saratoga base this week, the lightly raced son of Candy Ride (ARG) is having his Kentucky Derby preparations handled by the legend that is Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. That Lukas is now acting as an “assistant” of sorts for Pletcher is the equivalent of Obi Wan Kenobi readying Luke Skywalker's light saber given that the latter famously cut his teeth working for the four-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer.

“I just did what I was told,” said Lukas, who celebrated his 85th birthday Wednesday. “I sent him out there and he had a good maintenance gallop. We'll school him in the gate tomorrow. Todd just said 'Run him like you would any of your others'.”

“First of all he's a great friend for doing it,” Pletcher added by phone. “They've gone out of their way to accommodate us. Part of the decision making process of going with this horse was that one of the challenges was with the staff. It's been a difficult time for our staff in general all year losing the visa workers and (Lukas) was able to accommodate us and, that way, we don't have to go through the quarantine process coming back.”

Lukas recently returned to his barn after battling the COVID-19 virus, and he makes no bones about how hard the illness hit him. The resilience Lukas has shown in his recovery, however, is par for the course for the man who had made a career out of pulling off extraordinary feats.

“He's a remarkable man. My biggest concern was I knew he had a bout with COVID-19 and I didn't want to be a burden in any way on him,” Pletcher said. “But I could tell from talking to him that his voice was strong and he was feeling good compared to the week before. That was my main concern was I didn't want to be a burden for him.”

Money Moves comes into Saturday with just three career starts to his credit and none against stakes company. The bay colt has held his own against older horses, though, finishing second last time out in an allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga on July 25.

“He came into us with high expectations and I thought he ran very impressively to win his first two races,” Pletcher said. “Unfortunately after that he got sick and we missed several weeks of training so it kind of knocked out the original schedule that we hoped for.

“By the time we got him back, we were in kind of a difficult position because we didn't feel like he was quite ready to run in the Peter Pan off the long layoff. We were in a tough spot. We ran him 1 1/8 miles first time around two turns against older horses and he fared pretty well. It was a very tough race, he was almost able to win and his figures came back strong. After that, it started to look like it might not take any points to get into the Derby, so the ownership group expressed interest in monitoring how he's training and he trained well. We got together after his last breeze and weighed the pros and cons and they felt like we don't get these opportunities but once in a horse's life, so let's take a shot.”

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