March, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Swiss Skydiver Returns to Arcadia for Beholder Mile

Champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) crushed her competition on her last trip to the west coast for the GII Santa Anita Oaks last spring and looks to repeat that performance Saturday when she returns to Santa Anita for the GI Beholder Mile. Capturing the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and GIII Fantasy S. prior to the Santa Anita Oaks last term, the chestnut took on males next out in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. July 11, finishing a respectable second to Art Collector (Bernardini). Returning to winning ways next out in Saratoga's 10-panel GI Alabama S. Aug. 15, the $35,000 KEESEP buy checked in second to GII Azeri S.-bound Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4.

Trainer Ken McPeek felt confident enough in his charge to try her against males again in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and she delivered with a gritty defeat of GI Kentucky Derby hero and eventual Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief). Swiss Skydiver completed 2020 with a disappointing and surprising seventh behind two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7, but had already done more than enough to secure the Eclipse for top 3-year-old filly. She has been working well leading up to this seasonal bow, most recently breezing a best-of-39 five panels in :58 flat at Gulfstream Mar. 6.

Her biggest competition is likely to come from MGSW Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo). Graduating at second asking when switched to the dirt in July, she scored a decisive optional claimer victory next out at Del Mar three weeks later and captured the GIII Torrey Pines S. there in August. Winning the GII Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita Sept. 27, the bay checked in fourth last out in the Distaff.

Bob Baffert saddles two in this event in As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) and Golden Principal (Constitution). Out of MGISW and blue hen Take Charge Lady (Dehere), As Time Goes By graduated at third asking going six furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 13 and romped by nine lengths next out over track and trip Jan. 17. Capturing a Del Mar optional claimer at this distance Nov. 27, Golden Principal completed the exacta in both the Dec. 26 GI La Brea S. and the Feb. 133 GII Santa Monica S.

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Baffert Seeks Eighth Rebel Win

Bob Baffert is dangerous at any track he runs at, but he seems to have a special affinity for Oaklawn, especially in the GII Rebel S. The Hall of Famer has won that event seven times, saddling the likes of Lookin at Lucky (2010), The Factor (2011), Secret Circle (2012), Hoppertunity (2014), Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (2015), Cupid (2016) and Nadal (2020). All of those horses went on to be Grade I winners and stallions and undefeated Concert Tour (Street Sense) looks to add his name to that illustrious list Saturday in Hot Springs.

Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' off his impressive debut win at Santa Anita Jan. 15, the bay captured the seven-panel GII San Vicente S. next out there Feb. 6. The Gary and Mary West homebred breezed a six-panel bullet in 1:11 2/5 (1/11) in Arcadia Mar. 6. He makes his first attempt at two turns here, but is bred to relish a route of ground.

Caddo River (Hard Spun) demolished the field in his last starts and looks to continue that roll as he steps up to graded company here. Runner-up in his first two attempts going seven panels in New York this fall, the dark bay broke through with a 9 1/2-length graduation going a mile at Churchill Downs Nov. 15. He repeated next out with a front-running 10 1/4-length tour de force in the Smarty Jones S. in Hot Springs Jan. 22.

Runner-up in his off-the-turf unveiling at Churchill Sept 2, Keepmeinmind (Laoban) checked in second to champion Essential Quality (Tapit) next out in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. Oct. 3. Completing the trifecta behind that rival in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile there Nov. 6, the bay closed from well back to earn his diploma in Churchill's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 28, after which Spendthrift Farm bought in.

Get Her Number (Dialed In) makes his first start here since capturing the GI American Pharoah S. Sept. 26. Breaking his maiden first out sprinting on the turf at Del Mar Aug. 14, the bay set the pace before tiring to fourth in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. there Sept. 7. Switched to the main track at Santa Anita next out, he scored a narrow victory in the American Pharoah.

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Dark Raven To Be Offered Through Tattersalls

Dark Raven (Ire) (Malinas {Ger}), the current top-rated 4-year-old bumper horse in Ireland, will be offered at the Tattersalls Online 23rd March Sale. Dark Raven was an eye-catching winner of a National Hunt flat race at Leopardstown on Mar. 7 for Willie Mullins and looks to be among the favourites for the €100,000 Tattersalls Ireland George Mernagh Memorial Bumper at Fairyhouse on Apr. 4.

The Tattersalls Online 23rd March Sale will be the third conducted on the Tattersalls Online platform. Entries close on Mar. 15 and the full catalogue will be revealed on Mar. 17.

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‘Lively’ Saudi Cup Hero Mishriff Could Be Aimed At Juddmonte International After Dubai

The Saudi Cup winner Mishriff – fresh from landing the world's most valuable race, – has the Juddmonte International at York as his main summer target following a return to turf in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 27.

The Juddmonte International, a Group 1 prize over 2000m (1 1/4 miles) in August, is the chief aim for the John Gosden-trained colt, in what is expected to be a busy campaign for the 4-year-old before retiring to stud at the end of the British turf season.

Mishriff, who ran down American star Charlatan with a strong late charge to win the $20 million Saudi Cup last month, will next appear in the 2400m (1 1/2 miles) Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on March 27.

He is likely to have a break after that before heading to Royal Ascot and Gosden's son Thady, who oversaw his preparation in Saudi Arabia, said: “To win a race of the caliber of The Saudi Cup was pretty wonderful for everyone involved. It was brilliant that the horse is owned by a local owner, Prince Faisal, and the home crowd were obviously thrilled.

“Charlatan had a lot more speed than us from the gate but David [Egan] gave him a brilliant ride to keep him close enough to the pace, which definitely helped.

“In America they have much shorter straights whereas in Saudi it is just one turn. They have that long, sweeping bend and then it's a long way home. Horses like Charlatan wouldn't be used to that.

“Obviously, Mishriff had a hard race in The Saudi Cup but he took the race well. Charlatan is a top-class horse so it was pretty tough running him down.

“He's been working well and he seems happy. The whole journey and the travelling hasn't taken much out of him.”

The decision to run Mishriff in the Dubai Sheema Classic instead of the Dubai World Cup means a return to turf and a first try at 2400m.

Gosden, who is to join his father on the licence at Clarehaven Stables as joint-trainer in the near future, doesn't believe the step up in distance will be a problem.

He revealed: “There's plenty of stamina in his pedigree and you'd think he might get it [the trip] on what he shows at home. The Sheema Classic is 2400m so we'll find out what we suspect but we'll know for sure afterwards.

“The dirt tracks in Saudi and Dubai are different surfaces. The turf horses seem to handle it better in Saudi so the dirt form might not necessarily translate to Meydan.”

There will be plenty of options in Europe for Mishriff during the British summer but Gosden was quick to nominate the Juddmonte International as an ideal target for the Saudi Cup hero.

He said: “The Juddmonte International is the premier 2000m race in the UK. York is a track that should suit him well as it's a nice galloping 2000m.

“With the Juddmonte link with Prince Faisal and Saudi Arabia it's another race I'm sure he'd like to target. Plenty of good horses have won it and it's been a pretty good stallion making race over the years.

“Mishriff is definitely a horse who enjoys his racing, mentally he doesn't seem to worry about it at all. He should be able to take plenty of racing this year.

“He's a pretty lively character – he definitely likes to let you know he's there but he's very straightforward in his work. When you see him on the racetrack he holds his head quite low – he gets on with it and definitely enjoys it.”

When Mishriff is next seen on track in Britain, Gosden is likely to be given official recognition for his role at his father's Newmarket stables. The 25-year-old will be joint-trainer after filling the role of assistant for the last five years.

He said: “It's been in the pipeline a little while and we were working out a good time to do it. Everything unfortunately got pushed back a bit with Covid but hopefully it will all get sorted soon.

“Things are working fairly well at the moment so hopefully we can keep on going. It's going incredibly smoothly – no speed bumps at all – and I'm obviously very fortunate to be in this position.”

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