November, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Oisin Murphy Earns Second Champion Jockey Title

Last year’s champion jockey Oisin Murphy earned his second crown with 142 wins in 2020. William Buick closed to within nine wins, but could ultimately not make up the deficit at Newcastle on Friday. Murphy is currently at the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Keeneland. The retained rider for Qatar Racing, Murphy booted home Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in June.

“I’m incredibly proud to have won a second champion jockey title and I’m extremely thankful for the team around me that have enabled me to do so–my agent, manager, driver, form-man, and family,” Murphy told Great British Racing. “It’s huge to win two jockeys’ championships in two years and beyond my wildest dreams. I tried my absolute best to do so and thank you to everyone who has helped along the way.

“I’m particularly proud of my strike rate for Andrew Balding. Sheikh Fahad allowed me to go wherever I wanted to and for that I must thank him and all the team at Qatar Racing too.”

Cieren Fallon won his second consecutive champion apprentice jockey title. It was the first time an apprentice earned back-to-back titles in 32 years. Fallon’s highlight was undoubtably Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) in the G1 July Cup. Fallon is the retained second jockey for Qatar Racing.

“It’s an amazing achievement for me, it is something I set out to do after the success of last year,” said Fallon. “I’ve been very lucky to have the people I have around me to help me achieve these goals–my jockey coach, nutritionist, a great boss in Sheikh Fahad, William and Maureen Haggas, my mum and dad.

“They are all the best at what they do, so I’m very lucky to be in the position. Winning the July Cup with Oxted is obviously the greatest highlight of my year and a memorable day.”

The post Oisin Murphy Earns Second Champion Jockey Title appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Golden Pal Proves Deserving Favorite To Give Ward Back-To-Back Wins In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Not all brilliant racemares are able to pass on their talents to their offspring, but it's really something special when they do. That was the case on Friday afternoon at Keeneland, when Golden Pal delivered redemption for his dam in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint as the 4-5 favorite in a field of 14 2-year-olds.

Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) is the first foal out of Randal Lowe's homebred Lady Shipman, who ran second in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in 2015, the last time the World Championships were held at Keeneland. Racing for Lowe, Golden Pal went one better with a front-running 3/4-length triumph over Cowan (11-1).

Golden Pal is named in honor of owner/breeder Lowe's mentor, John C. Mabee. Mabee operated Golden Eagle Farm, and his best horse was Best Pal, hence Golden Pal. The colt is 35-year industry veteran Lowe's first winner in the Breeders' Cup.

It was the second straight victory in the Juvenile Turf Sprint for trainer Wesley Ward, who won the race last year with Four Wheel Drive. Coming off a win in the previous race, the TAA Stakes with Rocketry, jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. piloted Golden Pal through the 5 1/2 furlong contest over Keeneland's “good” turf course and stopped the clock in 1:02.82.

Golden Pal out-broke the rest of the field at the start, leaping out to a two-length advantage in the backstretch. Ortiz tried for a sixteenth of a mile to gently ease the colt back off the bridle, but before the half-mile pole the jockey had to reach down and grab the reins hard to slow Golden Pal down. Even with the head-tossing and giving up his early lead, Golden Pal marked the first quarter in 21.62 seconds.

Stablemate Blame the Booze was also prominently placed early, but Golden Pal surged ahead by the quarter pole to again have a two-length lead over the rest of the field.

Meanwhile, Ubettabelieveit totally missed the break and spotted the field several lengths out of the gate. The Nigel Tinkler-trained colt wove through the field around the bend and was making up a ton of ground in the stretch.

Cowan also came from off the pace, inching into Golden Pal's lead in the final strides to nab second, beaten three-quarters of a length for trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. Ubettabelieveit rallied to finish another 1 3/4 lengths back in third, while Lipzzaner was fourth.

“He's just amazing,” Ward said of the winner. “I got a little worried on the backside. Irad kind of lost a little momentum there and took a pretty good hold of him, but then he just accelerated down the lane. When he accelerated past the quarter-pole, I knew we were O.K. I got a little worried on the last part and was hugging onto my son, but we got there. He's a champion colt. Thank God (Randy Lowe) gave him to me to train. I really appreciate it. (Next year's Breeders' Cup) is where we're heading, but first we're going to Royal Ascot. Here we come. He's going to get them this year!”

Bred in Florida by owner Randall Lowe, Golden Pal is out of the Midshipman mare Lady Shipman. The 13-time winner earned over $900,000 on the track, including multiple Grade 1 placings.

Her first colt finished second in his debut at Gulfstream in April, then traveled to Royal Ascot and was just beaten a neck in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes in June. Waiting until August to run Golden Pal again, Ward sent him out to finally break his maiden in the listed Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga. After giving his owner Lowe a first Breeders' Cup victory, Golden Pal's record stands at two wins and two seconds from four starts for earnings of $623,056.

Lowe said the colt will be given a break before coming back to Keeneland in April, then pointing to the Group 1 King's Stand at Royal Ascot and the Group 1 Nunthorpe after that, before a return to the Breeders' Cup next fall.

The post Golden Pal Proves Deserving Favorite To Give Ward Back-To-Back Wins In Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Rocketry Blasts Off In The Stretch To Win Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes

Rocketry moved with a strong kick down the middle of the Keeneland stretch and blew past an already fierce stretch battle on Friday to win the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes, formerly known as the Marathon Stakes, on the Breeders' Cup undercard.

With the victory, the 6-year-old son of Hard Spun became the first horse to win two editions of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes, which began its life in 2008 as the Breeders' Cup Marathon, and was moved to the undercard in 2014 and named simply the Marathon Stakes. He previously won the race in 2018 at Churchill Downs, which was his first win prior to Friday's race, nine starts earlier.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. put the brakes on Rocketry immediately out of the gate, and settled him last by a wide margin as the field made its first trip across the backstretch. On the front end, Dack Janiel's, Signalman and Plus Que Parfait battled for the lead. That trio led the field into the first turn in an opening quarter of :24.40 seconds, and the order remained largely unchanged when the mile pole went by in 1:38.54.

While Ortiz started moving Rocketry into contention on the outside, Danny California introduced himself to the lead pack, which saw Dack Janiel's holding the rail valiantly as 1 1/4-miles ticked off in 2:03.81. With three-sixteenths to go, jockey Declan Cannon appeared to have Dack Janiel's kicking away from the field, but the Argentine-born Mirinaque staged a mid-pack move and drew even with a sixteenth to go.

By the time those two drew even, Rocketry was already dialed in to challenge the leaders, and he blew by them in the closing strides to win by a length. Mirinaque carried on for second, a length ahead of Dack Janiel's. Post time favorite Cupid's Claws was never a serious threat, and finished 12th in the 14-horse field.

Winning for owner Centennial Farms and trainer Jimmy Jerkens, Rocketry completed the 1 5/8-mile race in 2:42.57 over a fast main track. He paid $25.20 to win, and triggered a trifecta of long odds, winning as an 11-1 shot over horses running at 33-1 and 53-1.

With the victory, Rocketry improved his career record to six wins in 28 career starts for earnings of $789,710.

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd., Rocketry is out of the winning Smart Strike mare Smart Farming. He was a $450,000 purchase by Centennial Farms at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

To view the race's chart, click here.

Quotes from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes, courtesy of the Keeneland Notes Team:

Jimmy Jerkens (trainer of winner Rocketry): “He ran so bad last time (third in the Sept. 18 Miner's Mark Stakes at Belmont). He came out of it with a real bad out-of-whack blood count. I was scratching my head. It looked like he was training good into it, and he ran so flat. We freshened him up. Didn't train him quite as hard, just tried to put some flesh on him. It looked like it was a good lively race for this far, and that's what he needs.”

“He was doing better overall than he was last time, and the horses came back to him last time. Which is what he needs. He sat way back off an honest pace. He needs to see them coming back to him, and that's what happened.”

On what's next for Rocketry?

“I don't know. We're going to enjoy this for a while. Centennial (Farms), they've been wonderful, loyal owners. We've had a bad year; for them to win this race was huge for both of us.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. (winning rider): “We broke out of the gates – and he doesn't have too much speed – so I let him settle. He relaxed so well. By the five-eighths pole, he started picking it up on his own and he was moving really good. When I asked him going by the three-eighths pole, he responded really well. He likes this kind of race, with the long distance, and he ran great. He was picking up a ton of ground in the stretch, so I knew I had a good shot to get there.”

The post Rocketry Blasts Off In The Stretch To Win Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Golden Boy: Wide Draw No Problem for Uncle Mo Colt in BC Juvenile Turf Sprint

Randall Lowe’s speedy homebred Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) overcame the 13 hole and a few awkward strides to kick off the Breeders’ Cup action Friday while providing trainer Wesley Ward with his second consecutive victory in the GII Juvenile Turf Sprint. Looking to avenge his dam Lady Shipman (Midshipman)’s neck second in the 2015 GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint over this same course and distance, the 4-5 favorite blasted out of the gate and cleared off early until Irad Ortiz, Jr. tapped on the brakes and Golden Pal began to toss his head about. The chalk was swamped on both sides by foes approaching the turn, but was given his head again and began to edge clear around the bend. He was a couple lengths clear and seemingly on cruise control heading for home. Far in front after a :44.63 half, his lead diminished in the final furlong, but victory always looked pretty close to certain as the bay struck the wire 3/4 of a length to the good over slow-starting Cowan (Kantharos). British invader Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) completed the trifecta.

“He’s a really nice horse,” Ortiz said. “He did the hard job. I just sat on him waiting for the time to go. He ran great. He really has a lot of potential.”

A close second at 1-2 odds on the Gulfstream dirt back in April behind a subsequently stakes-placed runner, Golden Pal nearly made all the running in Royal Ascot’s G2 Norfolk S., only to be collared on the line by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf also-ran The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}). He resurfaced in Saratoga’s Skidmore S. Aug. 21, and put it all together to best stablemate Fauci (Malibu Moon) by 3 1/2 lengths while earning a standout 92 Beyer Speed Figure. He was scratched out of the local Indian Summer S. Oct. 4 in favor of training up to the Breeders’ Cup.

“He’s just amazing,” said Wesley Ward, whose win 12 months ago came with Four Wheel Drive (American Pharoah). “I got a little worried on the backside. Irad kind of lost a little momentum there and took a pretty good hold of him, but then he just accelerated down the lane. When he accelerated past the quarter pole, I knew we were OK. I got a little worried on the last part and was hugging onto my son, but we got there. He’s a champion colt. Thank God [Randy Lowe] gave him to me to train. I really appreciate it. [Next year’s Breeders’ Cup] is where we’re heading, but first we’re going to Royal Ascot. Here we come. He’s going to get them [next] year!”

For more on how Ward came to train Golden Pal, listen to the TDN Writer’s Room podcast. Ward was represented by three other runners in the Juvenile Turf: After Five (The Factor), Into the Sunrise (Into Mischief) and Blame the Booze (Blame).

“When he was born, I went into our stall and the mares are very protective when babies are born,” recalled owner/breeder Randy Lowe. “I went in there and stood there and put my hand out and he came right over and put his chin in the palm of my hand and I knew from that point on he was going to be something special.”

For more on Lowe, click here for a Second Chances feature following Golden Pal’s debut second this spring.

Pedigree Notes:
Golden Pal becomes the 39th graded stakes winner for Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie), winner of the 2010 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and an emerging sire of sires. Uncle Mo’s BC Juvenile-winning son Nyquist was represented by GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Vequist two races later.

Golden Pal is the first foal to race out of brilliant 13-time winner Lady Shipman (Midshipman), who missed by a neck in the 2015 GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Lady Shipman has not produced a live foal since Golden Pal and was bred back to Omaha Beach for 2021.

Golden Pal is the first and only stakes winner from limited foals thus far out a mare by Midshipman, who took the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile himself in 2008.

Friday, Santa Anita
BREEDERS’ CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT-GII, $920,000, Keeneland, 11-6, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.82, gd.
1–GOLDEN PAL, 122, c, 2, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Lady Shipman (GSW & GISP, $902,387),
                                by Midshipman
                2nd Dam: Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim
                3rd Dam: Nannetta, by Falstaff
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($325,000 RNA Ylg ’19 KEESEP).
O-Ranlo Investments LLC; B-Randall E Lowe (FL); T-Wesley A.
Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $520,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng,
4-2-2-0, $593,056. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cowan, 122, c, 2, Kantharos–Tempers Flair, by Smart Strike.
($185,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP; $385,000 RNA 2yo ’20 OBSMAR).
O-L. William & Corinne Heiligbrodt, Madaket Stables LLC &
Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $170,000.
3–Ubettabelieveit (Ire), 122, c, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Ladylishandra
(Ire), by Mujadil. (€35,000 Wlg ’18 GOFNOV; 50,000gns Ylg ’19
TATOCT). O-Martin Webb Racing; B-Ringfort Stud (IRE); T-Nigel
Tinkler. $90,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.80, 11.10, 26.90.
Also Ran: Lipizzaner, After Five, County Final, Momos, Bodenheimer, Dirty Dangle, Windy City Red, Mighty Gurkha (Ire), Second of July, Into the Sunrise, Blame the Booze. Scratched: Amanzi Yimpilo (Ire), Gypsy King, Trade Deal.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Golden Boy: Wide Draw No Problem for Uncle Mo Colt in BC Juvenile Turf Sprint appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post