April, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Bubbles On Ice Makes Impressive U.S. Debut In Memories Of Silver

Glen Hill Farm, Madaket Stables and Cheyenne Stables' Bubbles On Ice was victorious in her U.S. debut, edging Fluffy Socks by a head in Sunday's $100,000 Memories of Silver, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Trained by Christophe Clement and expertly piloted by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, the Irish-bred Starspangledbanner chestnut was exiting back-to-back Group 1 sprints at the Curragh where she finished sixth in the Phoenix in August and fourth in the Moyglare Stud in September.

Kendrick Carmouche sent 21-1 Frost Me to the lead through an opening quarter-mile in 25.17 seconds under moderate pressure from 59-1 Bravo Regina as Castellano angled Bubbles On Ice to the rail from the outermost post 7, saving ground from last on the heels of rail-riding 2-1 favorite Fluffy Socks.

Frost Me continued to lead the parade down the backstretch with Bravo Regina to her outside in second. Ingrassia and Sleek Lynx tracked in tandem behind the longshot leaders, while Castellano waited patiently at the back of the pack aboard Bubbles On Ice as the half-mile was clocked in 51.09.

Oyster Box rallied outside of Bravo Regina into the final turn as Bubbles On Ice followed suit with an outside move to get the jump on Fluffy Socks, who was still saving ground on the rail through three-quarters in 1:15.33.

Bubbles On Ice quickly picked off her rivals to emerge with the lead at the stretch call, but a game Fluffy Socks was angled to the center of the course by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and loomed a serious threat. Bubbles On Ice and Fluffy Socks, with very little between them, battled gamely through the final strides with Bubbles On Ice prevailing in a final time of 1:45.14 over the firm course.

It was three lengths back to Sleek Lynx in third, who won a show photo by a nose over Oyster Box. Ingrassia, Bravo Regina and Frost Me rounded out the order of finish. Main-track only entrant Song of Innocence was scratched.

Clement, who won the 2019 edition with Feel Glorious, said a ground-saving trip was key.

“The first time out, I thought it was better that she was covered up,” said Clement. “She got a great ride and saved ground. She had a great-turn-of-foot. There was a small question mark on the distance, but she showed her form this afternoon.”

Bubbles On Ice prepared for her U.S. debut at Payson Park in Florida where she recorded nine works dating back to January 4.

“When she first came here, I didn't think she was handling the turns very well in her breezes,” said Clement. “Her past two works were good at Payson Park, so I was happy with that. She answered the question about the distance this afternoon. I'm delighted.”

Castellano captured the $100,000 Woodhaven with Hard Love on Saturday's Big A card and completed a sweep of the weekend turf stakes with a masterful ride.

The Hall of Fame rider said he was impressed with how Bubbles On Ice negotiated the tighter turns of the Aqueduct inner turf.

“What really impressed me the most was the way she did it off a slow pace and tight corners,” said Castellano. “She should stretch out pretty well. It's hard for horses to come off the pace when they go as slow as they did up front, and she did it well. I really like this filly. I think she has a bright future ahead of her.”

Bred in Ireland by Michael Begley, Bubbles On Ice banked $55,000 in victory while improving her record to two wins from five starts. She returned $9.80 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing shifts to Belmont Park for the 48-day spring/summer meet which begins Thursday, April 22 and runs through Sunday, July 11. First post on Thursday's eight-race Opening Day card is 1 p.m.

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‘This Nose Made A Big Difference’: Gutierrez Revels In Letruska’s Apple Blossom Glory

Letruska will remain at Oaklawn for the next few days before possibly heading to Churchill Downs, her trainer, Fausto Gutierrez, said Sunday morning, roughly 12 hours after the Mexican champion edged two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares at the Hot Springs, Ark., track.

Letruska earned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 102, a career high, for her front-running nose victory under Irad Ortiz Jr. Gutierrez said Letruska came out of the 1 1/16-mile race in good order, but next-race plans are pending for the 5-year-old daughter of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner and Arkansas Derby runner-up Super Saver. Letruska was coming off a runner-up finish, beaten a head by Shedaresthedevil, in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 13 at Oaklawn.

“She ran an incredible race,” Gutierrez said. “We lost in the Azeri by a head. Here, we win by a nose. This nose made a big difference.”

Gutierrez said he initially considered wheeling back Letruska in the $500,000 La Troienne Stakes (G1) April 30 at Churchill Downs, but said it comes back too quick, particularly after a demanding race Saturday. He said shipping to Churchill Downs would still keep Letruska in the Midwest “area.”

Letruska, after not breaking sharply in the Apple Blossom, was pressed by Monomoy Girl and Eclipse Award winner Swiss Skydiver throughout. After briefly surrendering the lead to Monomoy Girl in midstretch, Letruska ($8.80) fought back on the inside to narrowly prevail. It was 6 ½ lengths farther back to Swiss Skydiver in third. The winning time over a fast track was 1:43.14. Letruska carried 118 pounds, six less than high-weighted Monomoy Girl, who was beaten for just the third time in 17 lifetime starts.

“I think we're going to take a little bit more time with her,” Gutierrez said. “The plan is to go to the Breeders' Cup. We need to check in the middle, which races we can go to.”

The Apple Blossom represents the biggest career victory for Gutierrez, 53, who, like the mare's owner/breeder, German Larrea Mota-Velasco (St. George Stable LLC), is from Mexico. Letruska won her first seven career starts, including six at Hipodromo De Las Americas in Mexico City. The streak was highlighted by blowouts in two legs of Mexico's Triple Crown for 3-year-old fillies in 2019 – Clasico Esmeralda (G1) and Clasico Diamante (G1) – when Letruska was named the country's divisional champion.

Letruska and Irad Ortiz Jr. (inside) defeat Monomoy Girl and Florent Geroux in the Apple Blossom

Gutierrez said Letruska's Apple Blossom victory was noteworthy because it made her the first horse to begin its racing career in Mexico to capture a Grade 1 event in the United States. Letruska, in her Grade 1 debut in the United States, finished fifth in the $300,000 Ballerina Stakes (G1) August 8 at Saratoga.

Letruska had previously won the $125,000 Shuvee Stakes (G3) Aug. 30 at Saratoga, $100,000 Rampart Stakes (G3) Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park and the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 31 at Sam Houston.

“She's a great horse, she's amazing,” Gutierrez said. “Five years is a perfect age.”

Gutierrez is based in south Florida, where he keeps 12 horses at Palm Meadows Training Center. Letruska, however, remained at Oaklawn following the Azeri, recording two half-mile workouts in advance of the Apple Blossom.

“Of course, this helped, because she adapted better,” Gutierrez said. “She's a horse with a lot character. She liked the track. The weather was perfect. Finally, when you have these type of results, everything is perfect.”

Letruska shipped into trainer John Ortiz's barn last April at Oaklawn (an allowance victory during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic) and again for the Azeri. Ortiz and his staff helped care for Letruska following the Azeri, when Gutierrez said he returned twice to Florida.

“Johnny Ortiz, he's a very good friend,” Gutierrez said. “He's a person that helped me with everything and we spoke about what was better for the horse. I feel he's part of this win, 100 percent. He's a young trainer that's had very good results.”

Ortiz, among Oaklawn's top 10 trainers with 12 victories through Saturday, said he galloped Letruska after she arrived in Arkansas, adding she was a “very nice-moving filly” and “fast.”

“We treated her like one of our own,” Ortiz said as he clutched the Apple Blossom trophy late Saturday afternoon. “Nice seeing these type of horses in your barn.”

The victory improved Letruska's record to 13-1-1 from 18 lifetime starts. She collected $600,000 for her Apple Blossom victory to become a millionaire ($1,157,319. Larrea Mota-Velasco, a copper mining mogul, bred Letruska in Kentucky.

Shedaresthedevil, co-owned by Staton Flurry of Hot Springs, is scheduled to make her next start in the La Troienne.

The post ‘This Nose Made A Big Difference’: Gutierrez Revels In Letruska’s Apple Blossom Glory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainable, Tractable Horses Have More “Feel Good” Hormones

Researchers in South Korea have found that a horse's temperament is directly tied to the levels of oxytocin and serotonin in his blood. They suggest that the levels of these hormones could be used to monitor the dominance, fearfulness, and trainability of horses. Oxytocin concentration in the blood is positively correlated with equine friendliness and docility toward humans.

Lead by Dr. Kim Junyoung, the study team tested the blood of 34 horses for oxytocin and serotonin. The trainability, fearfulness, and dominance of each horse was then scored by three professors familiar with the horses.

The researchers concluded that a high concentration of oxytocin reduces fearfulness and can make a horse more trainable. The research team suggests additional studies be completed to determine the effects on a horse's temperament when being treated with the hormone.

Read the full article here.

Curlin Debutante Runs to the Money at Santa Anita

2nd-Santa Anita, $61,000, Msw, 4-18, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 1:16.86, ft, 5 1/2 lengths.
CURVETTE (f, 3, Curlin–Fiftyshadesofhay {MGSW & MGISP, $1,097,951}, by Pulpit) was bet like a good thing for her debut Sunday at Santa Anita and ran to the money with an open-length score for Bob Baffert. Showing an upbeat local worktab capped by a five-furlong spin in 1:00 flat (9/64) Apr. 11, the Stonestreet homebred broke cleanly as the 6-5 favorite. Tracking barnmate Reem (Danza) from a close second through a :22.07 quarter, the bay turned up the heat on that rival in hand past a :45.27 half and drew on even terms heading for home. Drifting in outside the furlong grounds, she took charge soon after straightening out and kicked clear despite staying on her left lead for a 5 1/2-length success. Reem held for second. The winner's dam, bought by Stonestreet for $1.4 million at Keeneland November in 2014, has a yearling Medaglia d'Oro filly and produced a colt by Ghostzapper Mar. 29. Sales History: $95,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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