April, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Canadian Horse of the Year Goes to Mighty Heart

Dual Canadian Classic winner Mighty Heart (Dramedy), a homebred for Lawrence Cordes, was named Canadian Horse of the Year at the 46th Annual Sovereign Awards ceremony held Thursday evening. It marked the second year in a row Canada's championship awards were held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Trained by Josie Carroll, Mighty Heart began his sophomore campaign in July with a maiden special weight victory at Woodbine, then went on to capture the Sept. 12 Queen's Plate S. and the Sept. 29 Prince of Wales S. The one-eyed fan favorite also earned the champion 3-year-old male honor.

Josie Carroll also trained the winner of the champion 3-year-old female title in Curlin's Voyage (Curlin). Running for the partnership of Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Windsor Boys Racing, Curlin's Voyage won both the Woodbine Oaks and the Fury S.

Champion older main track male honors went to the Gary Barber and Lucio Tucci runner Skywire (Afleet Alex), who won the GII Autumn S. and the GII Eclipse S. Live Oak homebred Souper Escape (Medaglia d'Oro), winner of both the GIII Seaway S. and the GIII Trillium S., took home the champion older main track female award.

The Sovereign for champion 2-year-old colt was awarded to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), winner of the GI Summer S. and Soaring Free S., while champion 2-year-old filly honors went to Charles E. Fipke's homebred Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), who captured the GI Natalma S.

The title of champion male turf horse went to GI Northern Dancer S. winner Say the Word (More Than Ready), an Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm colorbearer. Augustin Stables homebred Theodora B. (Ghostzapper), who won the GII Dance Smartly S. and the TVG S., took home the champion female turf award.

Always popular, the 2017 Canadian Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd (Old Forester), who had also previously been named champion male sprinter three times, as well as champion older dirt male and champion older horse, was back to add another championship title to his resume with a fourth consecutive champion male sprinter honor. The Entourage Stable champ added four of his 23 total black-type victories in 2020: the GIII Vigil S., the GIII Jacques Cartier S., the GIII Bold Venture S., and the Shepperton S. Artie's Princess (We Miss Artie), a homebred for Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, captured the GII Bessarabian S., the Ruling Angel S., and the champion female sprinter award.

The final equine award given at the Sovereigns is outstanding broodmare, which went to Danceforthecause (Giant's Causeway). The 10-year-old mare has produced two graded winners from two starters, including Grade I winner Say the Word, whose champion male turf horse award would be announced just moments after Danceforthecause's honor. The mare also produced GII Canadian S. winner Rideforthecause (Candy Ride {Arg}), who finished second by a narrow margin in voting for the evening's champion female turf horse award. Danceforthecause was sold by Sam-Son Farm at the Keeneland January sale to Gainesway Farm for $925,000.

Trainer Mark Casse earned his 12th Sovereign Award for outstanding trainer. His trainees won 93 Canadian races in 2020–17 in stakes events–and earned over $5.3 million. Among his runners were aforementioned champions Gretzky the Great and Skywire. Outstanding jockey went to Rafael Hernandez, whose 129 wins in 2020 contributed to his earnings of over $5.4 million. Among his regular mounts were champions Pink Lloyd and Skywire. The Sovereign for apprentice jockey went to Mauricio Malvaez, whose 16 scores topped all apprentices in Canada for 2020. Among his victories was his first black-type win, which took place in the GIII Canadian Derby aboard Real Grace (Mineshaft).

Live Oak Plantation was named outstanding owner with earnings of over $1.1 million. Among Live Oak's best runners of 2020 was champion Souper Escape. Outstanding breeder honors went to Tall Oaks Farm, which led Canadian breeders in purse earnings with $2.2 million. The outstanding groom award went to champion Pink Lloyd's groom Michelle Gibson. She has been a part of Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller's operation for almost 10 years.

As had been previously announced, Sam-Son Farm was honored with a special sovereign award. Outstanding photograph went to Will Wong for his work entitled Mambointheforest, which was published on the Ontario Racing website; outstanding writing was awarded to Chris Lomon for “The Pep-Talking Groom, Willy, and a Queen's Plate Crown,” also published on the Ontario Racing website; and Santino di Paola won the outstanding digital audio/visual and broadcast award for his work called Dear Horse Racing, which was published on YouTube by Woodbine.

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Pioneerof The Nile Colt Fastest At Day Four Of OBS Spring Sale’s Under Tack Show

As horses battled a stiff headwind that increased throughout the day, Hip No. 786, a son of Pioneerof the Nile consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, breezed a quarter in :20 4/5 to post the fastest work at the distance at the fourth session of the under tack show for Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2021 Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

The dark bay or brown colt is out of Fancy Day (IRE), by Shamardal, a daughter of graded stakes winner Tizdubai, a full sister to champion Tiznow.

Hip No. 641, a bay colt by Violence consigned by King's Equine, Agent for Aaron and Marie Jones LLC, worked the day's fastest eighth, clocked in :9 4/5. He's out of C'Mon Sister, by Successful Appeal, a half sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Iotapa.

Hip No. 809, a dark bay or brown colt by Neolithic consigned by Hoppel's Horse & Cattle Co., Inc., Agent, turned in a quarter in :21 flat. He's out of Fondant, by Candy Ride (ARG), a daughter of stakes winner Fond.

There were ten eighths in :10 flat

Hip No. 611, Anna's Dream, consigned by de Meric Sales, Agent, is a dark bay or brown filly by Fast Anna out of Charlie B, by War Chant, a half sister to graded stakes winner Lomaki.
Hip No. 637, a bay colt by Practical Joke consigned by King's Equine, Agent, is out of Classy Grey Lassy, by Silver Train, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner My Miss Chiff.
Hip No. 639, consigned by Wavertree Stables, Inc., (Ciaran Dunne), Agent, is a bay colt by Mastery out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Clothes Fall Off, by Daaher, a daughter of graded stakes placed stakes winner Tequilas Dayjur.
Hip No. 640, a chestnut filly by Nyquist consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, Agent, is out of Cloud Jumper, by Street Cry (IRE), a daughter of stakes winner Storm Beauty, a half sister to champion Gold Beauty.
Hip No. 684, consigned by Dynasty Thoroughbreds, is a chestnut colt by Overanalyze out of Curlamorous, by Curlin, a half sister to graded stakes placed stakes winner Da Stoops.
Hip No. 698, a bay filly by Temple City consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, is out of graded stakes winner Daring Kathy, by Wildcat Heir, a half sister to graded stakes placed Zeb.
Hip No. 747, a chestnut colt by Shackleford consigned by Omar Ramirez Bloodstock, Agent, is a full brother to stakes placed Madrugador out of Elusive Tara, by Elusive Quality, a daughter of graded stakes placed stakes winner Lenatareese.
Hip No. 750, consigned by Bobby Dodd, Agent, is a bay filly by Wicked Strong out of graded stakes placed Empressive Lady, by Empire Maker, a half sister to stakes placed Indy Charm.
Hip No. 762, Roses for Debra, a gray or roan filly by Liam's Map consigned by Julie Davies LLC, Agent, is a half sister to stakes winner Rose's Vision out of Essential Rose, by Bernardini, a daughter of graded stakes winner Essential Edge.
Hip No. 782, a chestnut filly by Lord Nelson consigned by Randy Miles, Agent, is out of stakes placed Fairy Star (AUS), by More Than Ready, a half sister to grade one stakes placed Lizard Island.

The Under Tack Show continues Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. with Hip No.'s 812 – 1014 scheduled to breeze.

To view the full results from Thursday's under-tack show, click here.

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Gulfstream Park: Mandatory Rainbow 6 Payout Saturday; Friday’s Jackpot Has $800,000 Guarantee

A mandatory 20-cent Rainbow 6 payout is set for Saturday's program at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., where the pool is expected to swell into the multi-millions should the popular multi-race wager go unsolved Friday.

The Rainbow 6 went unsolved Thursday for the 10th racing day in a row since a mandatory payout on the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) program. Friday's Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $800,000. Tickets with all six winners were each worth $31,240.54 Thursday.

The Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot is usually only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool usually goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool. However, on mandatory-payout days, the entire pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the six-race sequence.

Saturday's Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 7-12, including full fields and four turf races, with a weekend forecast calling for sunny skies and a negligible chance of rain.

Friday's Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9 and will also include four highly competitive turf races.

Todd Pletcher-trained Exact will seek his third-straight victory in Race 4 while taking a jump from claiming company into the five-furlong optional claiming starter allowance on turf for 3-year-old fillies. The daughter of Competitive Edge graduated by 4 ¾ lengths in a $16,000 maiden claiming race while going from dirt to turf. She came right back to win a $35,000 claiming race by 4 ¾ lengths in a five-furlong turf dash last time out.

In Race 6, a field of 3-year-olds will contest a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on turf featuring the 2021 debut of Mark Casse-trained Bright Devil. The Irish-bred son of Dark Angel, who broke his maiden at first asking last June at Newmarket, has been unraced since finishing seventh in the Futurity (G3) at Belmont in his U.S. debut Oct. 11.

Grade 1 stakes-placed Kroy will make his first start since joining Carlos David's stable through a claim in Race 8, a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance for Florida-breds on turf. Kroy, who finished second in the 2017 Mathis Mile (G1) at Del Mar, is coming off a front-running victory in the same condition.

A maiden special weight race for fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf will wrap up the Rainbow 6 sequence. Ralph Nicks-trained Wise Memories, a daughter of Tapit who is scheduled to make her debut, is a half sister to Wickedly Perfect, who captured the 2010 Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland.

Earlier on Friday's Program, the 2021 juvenile racing season at Gulfstream will kick off in Race 2, a $65,000 maiden special weight race that attracted four colts and three fillies.

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Albarado: Swiss Skydiver ‘Might Be Better Than Last Year’ Ahead Of Apple Blossom

A lot has changed since jockey Robby Albarado was Oaklawn's leading rider in 1996 and 1997, particularly lately.

Oaklawn, as part of a multi-million expansion, is opening a seven-story, 200-room hotel overlooking the first turn. Albarado, who is back in Hot Springs as the regular rider of champion Swiss Skydiver in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares Saturday at Oaklawn, was a guest of the hotel Wednesday night.

“I stayed in the hotel last night and was trying to think what was here,” Albarado said after galloping Swiss Skydiver Thursday morning at Oaklawn. “What was in this actual spot, where this hotel is? That's where the old gap was. I was trying to envision where the (track) kitchen was exactly. I can remember (trainer James Eckrosh) parking in that one spot and hitting the fence every day. He backed into the fence or hit the fence every day, turning in. But you know what? There's only one thing that's constant in life – change.”

After his career began to nosedive several years ago, Albarado's fortunes began to change when he picked up the mount on the well-traveled Swiss Skydiver for last October's Preakness, which was the third leg of the revamped Triple Crown and a race the jockey won in 2007 with eventual two-time Horse of the Year Curlin. Facing males, notably another future Horse of the Year in Authentic, Swiss Skydiver beat the Kentucky Derby winner by a neck in a stirring stretch duel.

Coupled with earlier victories in the $500,000 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) at Gulfstream Park, $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita and $400,00 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn, Swiss Skydiver was named the country's champion 3-year-old filly.

Swiss Skydiver opened her 2021 campaign with a sharp 2 ¾-length victory in the $300,000 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) March 13 at Santa Anita and now gets a rematch with two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl in the 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom. Monomoy Girl won their only meeting – $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland – as Swiss Skydiver finished seventh after stumbling badly at the start. Monomoy Girl was the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2018 and champion older dirt female of 2020.

“When you get to this point in my career, I live for these kind of races,” Albarado said. “You've got to be tactical, you've got to be ready. I did an interview with a guy from Texas, a reporter. He asked me how I felt. I told him I stayed prepared for these kind of situations. When your named is called, be ready. I was ready for the Preakness. I was prepared for it. I hadn't ridden that level of horse in a couple of years. I didn't think about anything else going on but that race and how tactically I was going to do it. Had three or four scenarios in my mind – if this does that, I'm going to do this. Getting on her all week, like I'm doing here and did in California, she goes around the track a couple of days and figures out where she's at. That's big with her. Like in the Preakness, she knew where she was, the track, the surroundings, the poles. She hooked a Horse of the Year and put him away.”

Swiss Skydiver, who is trained by Kenny McPeek, arrived Wednesday afternoon and galloped over a muddy surface after the second renovation break Thursday morning. Swiss Skydiver has recorded three workouts since the Beholder, including a 5-furlong move in 1:00.40 April 10 at Churchill Downs.

“It's scary,” Albarado said. “She might be better than last year. She's doing so good right now.”

The Apple Blossom headlines Saturday's 12-race card, with probable post time 6:09 p.m. (Central). It goes as the 11th race. First post Saturday is 12:02 p.m.

The projected six-horse Apple Blossom field from the rail out: Another Broad, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 115 pounds, 10-1 on the morning line; Swiss Skydiver, Robby Albarado, 122, 2-1; Letruska, Irad Ortiz Jr., 118, 4-1; Chance to Shine, Ken Tohill, 114, 20-1; Getridofwhatailesu, Francisco Arrieta, 117, 6-1; and Monomoy Girl, Florent Geroux, 124, even money.

Albarado has more than 5,000 victories in his career, with his mounts earning roughly $221 million in purse money. In addition to Curlin and Swiss Skydiver, Albarado was the regular of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft. Albarado has 272 career victories at Oaklawn.

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