February, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

A More Aggressive Masteroffoxhounds Proves Best In San Marcos

Confidently handled by Joel Rosario, Rockingham Ranch's Masteroffoxhounds sat a reserved second to the top of the lane and unleashed an impressive stretch run while hand ridden to take Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Richard Baltas, the 4-year-old colt by War Front got a mile and one quarter on turf in 2:01.39.

With a hillside start, veteran 7-year-old Acclimate made an easy lead and set relatively mild splits of 24.41, 49.37, 1:14.19 and 1:38.49 under Tyler Baze, but Rosario had his prey measured and went on to a solid score in his third start for Baltas since being imported from Ireland late last summer.

“I was worried it was going to be a slow pace, and it was slow at 14 and change,” said Baltas. “He was impressive last time and (trained) well going into this race…I told Joel to sit second and he did it perfectly. He let the horse in front relax, but (that) horse is getting old.

“I changed the bridle and I changed the exercise rider. I just wanted him to be more aggressive. … He's trained forwardly and we're fortunate to have him.”

A rousing 4 ¼-length allowance winner at 1 3/8 miles on turf Nov. 28 at Del Mar, Masteroffoxhounds was the second choice at 8-5 and paid $5.40, $2.60 and $2.40.

Masteroffoxhounds, who is out of the Galileo mare Outstanding, was one for six in Ireland and registered his first graded stakes victory today, improving his overall mark to 9-3-1-1. With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $172,942.

“The whole time I was tracking the horse in front with a nice stride,” said Rosario, who was aboard Masteroffoxhounds for the first time in the San Marcos. “I had a lot of confidence in my horse. I was keeping him focused a bit in the last part, but (he) was much the best in the end.”

A multiple graded stakes winning California-bred gelding, Acclimate was second best on the day, finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of Starting Over. Off at 6-5, Acclimate, in his 21st career start, paid $2.60 and $2.40.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Starting Over was off at 19-1 and paid $5.00 to show.

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Boldor Rallies Wide In The Slop For King Cotton Victory At Oaklawn

Ed and Susie Orr's Boldor is now two for two on the year after securing his second straight stakes victory in Saturday's $150,000 King Cotton Stakes at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark. He was coming off a victory in the Sam's Town Stakes at Delta Downs Jan. 4.

Breaking from post five of six under jockey David Cabrera, Boldor settled into fourth place early as Mr. Jagermeister grabbed the early lead through fractions of :22.52 and :45.78 for the first half mile, while being pressed the whole way by Seven Nation Army. The winner came four wide into the stretch and kicked in late to wear down his rivals for the one-length victory in 1:09.86 for six furlongs over a sloppy track. Seven Nation Army finished a neck in front of Mr. Jagermeister for second.

“I thought I was going to be a little bit more off of it,” Cabrera said. “He broke really sharp. I just let him get comfortable. Pick a spot. He responded to me really good down the lane. I'm pretty happy that (trainer) Steve (Asmussen) gave me the opportunity, that's for sure.”

Grade 2 winner Flagstaff, the 11-10 favorite, finished fourth. He was followed by Strike Power and Mucho.

“I just couldn't get him going,” jockey Florent Geroux said of Flagstaff. “He was just out-paced. I don't know if he didn't like the track. I just couldn't get him going. He was lost and I was riding really hard. Made a nice finish at the end, buy just had too much to do.”

Boldeo, a 5-year-old Munnings gelding, improved his record to 5-2-1 in 14 starts and has now earned $335,197. He returned $21.60, $6.80 and $4 at odds of 9-1.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a special 12:30 first post to accommodate fans wishing to be home in time to watch the Super Bowl.

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Hello Beautiful, Dontletsweetfoolya Prep For Barbara Fritchie Matchup

Multiple stakes winners Hello Beautiful and Dontletsweetfoolya set the stage for their first head-to-head matchup in the $250,000 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie (G3) Feb. 13 with sharp half-mile works over Laurel Park's main track Saturday.

The 69th running of the Fritchie for fillies and mares 4 and older and the 45th renewal of the $250,000 General's Stake (G3) for 4-year-olds and up, formerly the General George, highlight a Winter Sprintfest program offering six stakes worth $900,000 in purses.

Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful was timed in 47.60 seconds, second-fastest of 68 horses at the distance. Jockey Sheldon Russell was aboard for his wife, trainer Brittany Russell.

Hello Beautiful owns five career stakes wins including three straight entering the Fritchie, the most recent coming in the six-furlong What a Summer Jan. 16 in her 4-year-old debut.

“She worked fantastic. We were absolutely pleased with her. Sheldon loved her, and she seems like she's ready to go,” Brittany Russell said. “You walk them over hoping they're doing as well as she is right now and you have to leave it up to them from there. We're giving her every opportunity to run a big one.”

Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya takes a five-race win streak into the Fritchie, which open her 4-year-old campaign. The Stay Thirsty filly ended 2020 with victories in the Nov. 28 Primonetta and Dec. 26 Willa On the Move, both going six furlongs at Laurel.

With regular rider Jevian Toledo up, Dontletsweetfoolya worked four furlongs in 48 seconds, ranking fifth. She went in company with newly turned 3-year-old filly Fraudulent Charge (48.20), who is being pointed to the $100,000 Wide Country on the Fritchie undercard.

“The work went very well. They got them in 48 and galloped out in a minute, so it was perfect, exactly what we wanted,” trainer Lacey Gaudet said. “I don't tell [Toledo] anything. Even the work this morning, they were all laughing at me because I was like, 'Don't go too fast, don't go too slow,' but when I walked up with him I said, 'You know how to work her,' and that's what he did. They did their thing.”

Also working Saturday for the Fritchie were Willa On the Move runner-up Hibiscus Punch, five furlongs in 1:01.40 at Laurel; and 2020 Go for Wand (G3) winner Sharp Starr, a half-mile in a bullet 47 seconds over Belmont Park's training track, the fastest of 140 horses.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, whose six career stakes include the 2020 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) last fall at Pimlico Race Course, blazed four furlongs in a bullet 47.60 seconds Saturday at Laurel with jockey Horacio Karamanos in preparation for the General. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, Laki has won at least one stake every year since 2017.

“He worked well. We usually don't ask him for much in the morning. He was just ready to roll,” Dilodovico said. “He's training well. We got a really nice breeze out of him today and he cooled out well, so we'll see how he is the next couple days.”

Other horses nominated to the General breezing at Laurel Saturday were multiple stakes winner Lebda, four furlongs in 47.60 seconds, ranking second, and 2019 Remsen (G3) winner Shotski, a half-mile in 48 seconds.

Also prominent on Saturday's Laurel work tab were multiple stakes winners Kenny Had a Notion (six furlongs, 1:14.40) for the $100,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds; Street Lute (five furlongs, 59.60 seconds) for the $100,000 Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies, the latter the fastest of 32 horses; and Cordmaker (five furlongs, 1:01) for the $100,000 John B. Campbell at about 1 1/16 miles for 4-year-olds and up.

Notes: Alexander Crispin, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice of 2020, registered a hat trick Saturday aboard Bring Me Answers ($4) in Race 2, Keepyourstakeson ($3.20) in Race 6 and Bananas On Fire ($6.60) in Race 9. Jockey Xavier Perez also doubled with Indian Lake ($5.40) in Race 1 and Seany P ($13.20) via disqualification in Race 8 … No one selected all six winners in the 20-cent Rainbow 6, growing the carryover jackpot to $1,559.76 for Sunday. Tickets with five of six winners were each worth $158.06.

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Street Sense ‘Rising Star’ Gets the ‘Bob’ as Baffert Completes San Vicente Exacta

'TDN Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense) had to work a bit harder Saturday than his 2-5 odds for Santa Anita's GII San Vicente S. might have predicted, but it's never easy to hook a Bob Baffert runner–even when you're one yourself. A 3 1/2-length debut winner while earning a solid 88 Beyer Speed Figure going a furlong shorter Jan. 15, the Gary and Mary West homebred broke on top from the outside six hole, but was soon outsprinted by stablemate Freedom Fighter (Violence). The bay sat perched in third behind splits of :23.41 and :45.98, and sidled up to the leader heading for home. Freedom Fighter put up plenty of resistance, but Concert Tour found a little bit more late to earn the decision by a half length.

“Freedom Fighter just broke like a rocket ship, he's really fast and been doing really well,” said Baffert, who has now won a record 11 San Vicentes and the last two renewals. “[Joel] Rosario [on Concert Tour] was trying to teach this horse how to rate a little bit and I thought they were going to get into a speed duel. I think it was a good race for both of them. I learned a lot about [Concert Tour], how he wants to run and maybe he doesn't need blinkers. He's pretty sharp. That's why we have these races. Now they go to where I can stretch them out. This horse has two races under his belt, but those were two really good horses.”

With another uber deep bench of sophomores, Baffert will be taking a wait-and-see approach as to who will run where along the GI Kentucky Derby trail.

“[Concert Tour] will be nominated everywhere, we will see how he comes out of it,” said the Hall of Famer. “He's pretty keyed up as well. He showed his heart and determination. I knew the other horse was going to give him a run for his money and he did. He's going to improve off of that also.”

Saturday, Santa Anita
SAN VICENTE S.-GII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 2-6, 3yo, 7f, 1:24.06, ft.
1–CONCERT TOUR, 120, c, 3, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Purse Strings, by Tapit
2nd Dam: My Red Porsche, by Mt. Livermore
3rd Dam: Wind Chime, by Marfa
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. 'TDN Rising Star' O-Gary & Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Joel Rosario. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $156,600. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Freedom Fighter, 120, c, 3, Violence–Canadian Ballet, by City Zip. ($120,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC & Robert E Masterson; B-Troy Reed (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–The Chosen Vron, 120, g, 3, Vronsky–Tiz Molly, by Tiz Wonderful. O-J Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker & Richard Thornburgh; B-Tiz Molly Partners (CA); T-J Eric Kruljac. $24,000.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, 6. Odds: 0.40, 5.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Found My Ball, Uncle Boogie. Scratched: Mr. Impossible. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:

Concert Tour is the 77th stakes winner (35 graded) for champion juvenile and fellow 'Rising Star' Street Sense and second out of a Tapit mare, joining track-and-trip 2019 GII Triple Bend S. winner Air Strike. Baffert also trained Street Sense's highest earner to date in MGISW 'Rising Star' McKinzie, and for the Wests conditioned 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero New Year's Day, by Street Sense's sire Street Cry. New Year's Day in turn sired the West's champion 3-year-old Maximum Security.

Concert Tour is one of a growing 42 stakes winners (18 graded) for top sire Tapit. The Wests paid $240,000 for his dam Purse Strings at the 2012 Keeneland September sale. After six runner-up finishes, mostly routing, she cut back to break through in her 12th and final lifetime start at the end of her 4-year-old season. One of Tapit's early standouts, champion 2-year-old filly Stardom Bound, is out of a SW/MGSP half-sister to Concert Tour's second dam My Red Porsche. That second dam is by Mt. Livermore, the broodmare sire of Street Sense's top filly and second leading earner Sweet Reason.

Purse Strings produced a Lookin At Lucky colt in 2020 before being bred back to American Freedom.

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