April, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Unbeaten Champion Essential Quality Favored for Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, KY – Unbeaten champion Essential Quality (Tapit) was assigned post 14 in a full field of 20 assembled for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby at Tuesday's post position draw held at Churchill Downs.

The Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star,' tabbed as the 2-1 favorite on Mike Battaglia's morning line, made it a perfect five-for-five for trainer Brad Cox with a hard-fought, neck decision over Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) in the GII Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 3. Luis Saez, disqualified from first aboard Maximum Security in 2019, has the call.

Cox will also be represented by fellow 'Rising Star' and GII Risen Star S. winner Mandaloun (Into Mischief) (post seven). These will be the first Derby starters for the native of Louisville.

“It got a little nerve wracking with both horses still to go and the rail still being out there,” Cox said. [Essential Quality's] got good, tactical speed that he'll be able to get into a good position from there.”

Cox added, “He can adapt to no pace or there being pace in front of him. He's not a one-dimensional horse. He's able to adapt. I've always felt like he's a horse that the further they go, the better he'll get. We're gonna get an extra eighth of a mile Saturday that he's never had before.”

Unbeaten, front-running GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) was made the second choice on the morning line at 5-1. The $650,000 KEESEP yearling purchase exits from post 15 with Joel Rosario aboard and figures to be prominent early. Rosario piloted 2013 Derby winner Orb.

“He has a good, high-cruising speed,” trainer John Sadler said of the Hronis Racing and Talla Racing colorbearer. “He's fast and he can carry it a long distance. I imagine he'll be forwardly placed. I can see him sitting second or third depending on what the pace is. We have a great rider with Rosario, he'll determine what the pace is and put the horse in the right spot, hopefully. We're generally pretty happy with the post.”

The connections of Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) let out a nice roar in the Aristides Lounge after the GII Louisiana Derby winner drew post nine. The dark bay's ownership group of Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC and William Strauss includes Doug and Dennis O'Neill's nephew Patrick.

“We got a great group of guys,” two-time Kentucky Derby winning-trainer Doug O'Neill said. “They were gonna be excited no matter what number we got. These horses reflect our energy, and win, lose or draw, we're bringing great energy to 'Charlie' and he's giving it back to us. It's a great post, you're right in the middle of the pack. We've got so much confidence in Flavien Prat. He's such a great rider. I think the nine is a great spot for us. If the pace is slow, and nobody else goes, at least we showed in the Louisiana Derby that we could go to the front. I think Flavien is gonna go in with an open mind and just play the break.”

Fellow two-time Kentucky Derby winning-trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle four–GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Known Agenda (Curlin) (post one), GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks second Sainthood (Mshawish) (post five), GII Wood Memorial S. second Dynamic One (Union Rags) (post 11); and Wood Memorial upsetter Bourbonic (Bernardini) (post 20). Pletcher also trains GI Kentucky Oaks morning-line favorite and 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin).

“It certainly wasn't the one we were hoping for,” Pletcher said of Known Agenda's rail draw. “But I've often said sometimes you get bad trips from good posts and good trips from bad posts. I think hopefully with the new starting gate that will make a little bit of a difference.

Pletcher continued, “I was kind of hoping for Sainthood and Bourbonic to draw inside and Dynamic One and Known Agenda to draw in the middle towards the outside. I thought we did OK with two of them. Nothing we could do about it. We'll focus on the things we can control.”

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen brings the formidable pair of GI Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock (Dialed In) (post 18) and GIII Lecomte hero Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) (post 10) in search of his first Derby victory.

“It's definitely on the bucket list,” Asmussen said. “We've been given tremendous opportunities and the two horses this year are great examples of that.”

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, currently tied with Ben Jones for most Kentucky Derby victories with six, will be represented by Santa Anita Derby runner-up Medina Spirit (Protonico) (post eight).

Saturday, Churchill Downs, post time: 6:57 p.m ET
GI Kentucky Derby, $3,000,000, 3yo, 1 1/4m
1-Known Agenda (Curlin) 6-1
2-Like The King (Palace Malice) 50-1
3-Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong) 50-1
4-Keepmeinmind (Laoban) 50-1
5-Sainthood (Mshawish) 50-1
6-O Besos (Orb) 20-1
7-Mandaloun (Into Mischief) 15-1
8-Medina Spirit (Protonico) 15-1
9-Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) 8-1
10-Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) 20-1
11-Dynamic One (Union Rags) 20-1
12-Helium (Ironicus) 50-1
13-Hidden Stash (Constitution) 50-1
14-Essential Quality (Tapit) 2-1
15-Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) 5-1
16-King Fury (Curlin) 20-1
17-Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) 10-1
18-Super Stock (Dialed In) 30-1
19-Soup and Sandwich (Into Mischief) 30-1
20-Bourbonic (Bernardini) 30-1

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Indiana Grand to Add New Barn and Dorm

Indiana Grand is set to expand its barn and dormitory facilities. The $7-million investment project will include a new 100-stall barn and a 50-room dormitory. News of this expansion comes on the heels of Indiana Grand's recent announcement of its $32.5 million investment to grow and enhance the existing casino gaming floor. The barn and dormitory project should be completed in the fall of 2021.

“Each year, we turn many stables away because we just don't have the stall space for them,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. “As our racing continues to grow at the national level, we receive even more requests to race at our facility. This addition will further solidify Indiana Grand's as a premier racing destination.”

The new 100-stall barn, modeled after the Quarter Horse barn, built in 2014 at Indiana Grand, will be enclosed and winterized with three large sliding doors on both sides of the barn. The structure will include 10 wash bays, two restrooms and 10 tack rooms.

The dormitory will include 50 additional rooms in a two-story structure next to the new barn. The facility will provide housing for those who care for the additional horses, featuring community bathrooms for both men and women, central air and heat, and a laundry facility on both floors. Both structures will be located on the west side of the current backstretch area.

Work should begin in early May on the project. The construction site will be fenced off from the existing barn area to provide safety and security to the current horse population at Indiana Grand.

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Early Return For Stradivarius in Sagaro

Following the exploits of stablemate Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on Friday, the onus is on Clarehaven's longer-standing cult hero Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) to maintain the momentum for John and Thady Gosden in Wednesday's G3 Longines Sagaro S. at Ascot. Out earlier this year with some excess weight to shed ahead of his bid for a dream fourth G1 Gold Cup at the Royal meeting, the 7-year-old will be a warm order back in his favoured arena despite his 2020 campaign tailing off with a disappointing 12th in the course-and-distance G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup in October. That uncharacteristic flop came on the back of two attempts at a mile and a half, with a narrow second to Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G2 Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp in September preceding a failed Arc tilt when seventh in deep ground in that venue's showcase.

John Gosden is keen to stress that Bjorn Nielsen's beloved chestnut will strip fitter after this reintroduction. “He's a bigger, heavier horse this year so he may well need his first race,” he said. “If he needs another race, there's the [G2] Yorkshire Cup, but we'll see. He likes Ascot, obviously, and I feel the trip is right to start him off at two miles. He's a 7-year-old and he's weighing heavier, so to that extent he may need two races before the Gold Cup but we don't know yet. Age is becoming a bit of issue–maybe less so if he was a gelding, but he's a full horse. He seems happy in himself and is his usual vociferous self, so we're looking forward to running him.”

Of the two unplaced efforts that rounded off last season, he added, “Obviously the last two races were both run in exceptionally heavy ground. He wasn't in love with it. There was no pace in the Arc, then they sprinted. He ran very well in the Prix Foy and did nothing wrong before that.”

Successful in this last year when it was transferred to Newcastle's Tapeta, Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has a third tilt at Stradivarius having finished runner-up in the Gold Cup and the G1 Goodwood Cup. “If Stradivarius comes back in the same form as last year, then he'll be extremely difficult to beat,” commented trainer Mark Johnston, who arguably has three stayers with which to take on the Gosden flag-bearer this year. “We've run some very good horses against Stradivarius and come second. That said, we've got a much stronger team this year and it's going to be very interesting to see. He did have a setback at the end of last season, but he seems to have got over it well and he's ready to run.”

Also on the card which acts as a sighter for certain Royal Ascot races is the G3 QIPCO British Champions Series horseracinghof.com Pavilion S., in which the G1 Middle Park S. hero Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) flexes his muscle ahead of the G1 Commonwealth Cup. Trainer Clive Cox said, “I'm delighted that it's this year and not last, with the chance to have a prep and not go to Ascot first time out. He's done really well, but this is very much his first step back and he comes to himself when it gets a bit warmer. I'm very happy we've got a chance to run on some quick ground. This is his first step back with a penalty. He's a wonderful horse and he's got such an amazing temperament for a sprinter, which is why I'm really pleased we've got a chance to have a trial race in the build-up to Royal Ascot. That is where we're looking for him to come to the boil 100%.”

Click here for the group fields.

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Haras de Bouquetot-Arqana Criterium Re-formatted

The Haras de Bouquetot-Arqana October Yearling Sale Criterium has been renamed the Haras de Bouquetot-Arqana Criterium, the sales company announced. Worth at least €200,000, the race, which was inaugurated in 2016, is now open to all 2-year-olds that were offered at the 2020 Arqana yealing sales-the Select Sale, October Yearling Sale, and Autumn Sale-Flat Yearlings. Open to 2-year-old colts, fillies and geldings, the race will be conducted over a mile at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 2, the day before the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

To register, owners must pay €650 prior to June 7, 2021, with entries for the race being made automatically by France Galop in September. It costs an additional €500 if a horse is declared to run. Prize money will be paid out to eighth place, with the purse of €200,000 being made up of a minimum sponsorship amount of €100,000 from Arqana to which the registrations are added. If the total sum of registrations exceeds €100,000, the overall prize money will be automatically increased. If not, Arqana will increase its sponsorship amount. In addition, Haras du Bouquetot will offer a covering by one of its stallions to the breeders of the first three past the post. For more information, please click here.

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