April, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Jose Lezcano Returns Thursday Following Shoulder And Knee Surgery

Jockey Jose Lezcano will be back in the saddle on Thursday at Belmont Park after recovering from shoulder and knee surgery which kept him out of action for nearly three full months.

The 36-year-old Lezcano has not ridden since January 31 at Aqueduct and has been named aboard two horses on Thursday's nine-race card for trainer Brad Cox.

The 2019 Belmont spring/summer meet leading rider will pilot graded-stakes placed Caldee for Shortleaf Stable in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claiming race over the Widener turf course in Race 5, as well as Anstu Stables' stakes-placed Kinenos, who is entered in a 10-furlong second-level optional claiming tilt over the inner turf in Race 8.

Agent Jason Beides said Lezcano has been working horses at Belmont for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey and Jorge Abreu.

“He's going good and working really hard,” said Beides. “He can't wait to get back and ride. It's been tough keeping him on the ground. A shoulder is a tough injury but he stays in good shape, so that's good.”

Jockeys Junior Alvarado and Pablo Fragoso, who were unseated in the eighth race on Opening Day on Thursday at Belmont, are both on the sidelines.

The 34-year-old Alvarado, who was unseated by Sport Model, was evaluated at hospital Thursday. Agent Mike Sellitto reported that all tests and scans were negative. Alvarado was discharged that evening and will visit a specialist later this week for further guidance on his expected return.

Fragoso reported that he had fractured his right wrist, incurred a mild concussion, and lost two teeth after being unseated by Sailor's Treasure. Fragoso will also seek further specialist advice this week.

Manny Franco, who was unseated by Undetectable in the same spill, was cleared by EMS immediately following and rode the winner, Kavod, in Friday's opening race at Belmont.

Dylan Davis, who broke his collarbone in a fall on March 20 at Aqueduct Racetrack, will see a specialist this week with an eye towards a mid-May return, agent Mike Migliore said. The 26-year-old rider underwent successful surgery at the end of March.

“If all goes well with the doctor, we're hoping he can be back in the middle of May after a little physical therapy,” said Migliore. “He's young and keeps himself in good shape. It's a shame he got hurt, we had good momentum going at Aqueduct.”

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Cross Country Pick 5 Pays $9,200; Logs Total Pool Of Nearly $130K

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5, showcasing live action from Belmont and Oaklawn Park, returned $9,200.25 for selecting all five winner's for the 50-cent wager. The total was pool was $129,903.

Shaftesbury started the sequence with a strong 2 3/4-length win in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race on Belmont's Widener turf course in Race 6. The Todd Pletcher trainee, off as the 5-2 favorite, had finished second in three consecutive starts before breaking through, hitting the wire in 1:41.63 under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Shaftesbury, a $675,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale, paid $7.60 on a $2 win wager.

Oaklawn got in on the fun with a six-furlong main track allowance tilt for 4-year-olds and up in Race 5, as Greely and Ben edged Sevier by a neck to earn victory for trainer Karl Broberg. Ridden by David Cohen, Greeley and Ben, who went off at 3-1 and returned $8.40, completed the course in 1:10.48.

Back at Belmont, Looking At Bikinis made his 5-year-old debut a successful one for trainer Chad Brown, rewarding his even-money favoritism to post a one-length score in a seven-furlong allowance optional claimer in Race 7. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano kept Looking At Bikinis, who competed in the 2019 Grade 1 Runhappy Travers and that year's Grade 1 Cigar Mile, forwardly placed in stalking position behind pacesetter American Power before a strong finish and a final time of 1:23.45. He paid $4.20.

At Oaklawn, Firehorn provided the sequence's biggest upset, winning a six-furlong main track sprint at 16-1 odds in Race 6. Firehorn, who returned $34, pulled away in the stretch under rider Fernando De La Cruz to win by a half-length over Sharp Art for trainer Randy Morse. The sprint for 3-year-olds and up saw Firehorn post a final time of 1:11.17.

Belmont ended the wager with the sequence's lone stakes, as Casa Creed won a blanket finish, a head in front of favorite Front Run the Fed in the $100,000 Elusive Quality in Race 8. The seven-furlong sprint was the first turf stakes of Belmont Park's 48-day spring/summer meet, and Joe Bravo piloted Casa Creed to a final time of 1:22.65. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Casa Creed paid $7.60.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

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Caddo River Out of Derby

Shortleaf Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Caddo River (Hard Spun) will not make the line-up for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby after spiking a fever over the weekend.

“We noticed he was off his feed and took his temperature yesterday afternoon. It was slightly elevated,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It's just really bad timing being this close to the Derby. We drew blood on him [Sunday] morning and his white cell counts were a little high. We just can't run him on Saturday with being a little off his game.”

The defection of the GI Arkansas Derby runner-up will allow GII Remsen S. winner Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong) to enter the Derby field. The Mark Schwartz colorbearer, most recently fifth in the Apr. 3 GII Wood Memorial, is scheduled to work at Parx Monday morning for trainer Daniel Velazquez and could ship into Churchill Downs Tuesday morning if all goes well.

After sending his Derby quartet out to jog Sunday morning, trainer Todd Pletcher announced a Derby rider for Sainthood (Mshawish). The GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up will be ridden next Saturday by Corey Lanerie.

“We know how well Corey rides Churchill,” Pletcher said. “That was the key element in giving him the mount. We're thinking along the lines that we did with [2010 Derby winner] Super Saver and Calvin Borel. [Borel] rode this track so well and that earned him the mount then.”

Lanerie has ridden in the Derby four times with his best finish a runner-up effort aboard Lookin At Lee (Lookin at Lucky) in 2017.

Hronis Racing and Talla Racing's unbeaten GI Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's GII Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) arrived at Churchill Downs shortly after noon Sunday following a flight from Southern California.

Trainer Steve Asmussen sent out his GI Kentucky Oaks contenders to work under the Twin Spires Sunday. Stonestreet Stables' homebreds Pauline's Pearl (Tapit) and Clairiere (Curlin) completed their final Oaks preparations both working four furlongs over a “good” main track in a pair of maintenance solo drills.

GIII Fantasy S. Pauline's Pearl worked immediately after the track opened for Derby and Oaks horses at 7:30 and went in :50.60, with splits of :13 and :25.40 under exercise rider Wilson Fabian.

GII Rachel Alexandra S. winner Clairiere followed about a minute behind under Angel Garcia and went in :49.60, with splits of :11.80, :23.80, while galloping out in 1:03.40.

Pauline's Pearl was credited with the 22nd fastest time of 27 at the distance, while Clairiere was 10th fastest. Just over an hour later, Asmussen was beaming back Barn 38.

“We're ecstatic,” Asmussen said. “Pauline's Pearl went first and my first words to Wilson were 'How did she go?' and he said, 'Beautiful.' Both are regular riders of the horses so they are good measures and extremely familiar with them.”

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Mehmas Colt Takes Italian 2000 Guineas

Clearly headed inside the final 200 metres, Fayathaan (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) battled back gamely from the rail and outgamed longshot Cirano (Ity) (Arcano {Ire}) to take out Sunday's G2 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) at the Capannelle.

Forwardly placed beneath Alberto Sanno from the start, Fayathaan proved difficult to settle, tossing his head about as they raced into and round the bend at the 1000-metre mark. Still rank as the field neared the entrance to the straight, Fayathaan responded nicely to take up the running approaching the final quarter mile. Joined shortly after by Cirano, Fayathaan surrendered a narrow advantage with about 150 metres to travel, but found a bit more late on and was narrowly best at the wire.

A maiden winner over the Newcastle all-weather at start four for Richard Fahey last Oct. 13, Fayathaan was purchased by DML Racing for 40,000gns at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale and was a two-time winner for trainer Mark Loughnane, including a Class 4 handicap at Wolverhampton

Jan. 26. He was subsequently acquired by Marco Bozzi Bloodstock for 85,000 guineas at Tattersalls' February Sale and was fifth in the Listed Premio Gardone in his Italian debut at the San Siro in Milan Apr. 4.

Pedigree Notes

Fayathaan is the eighth black-type winner and fifth at group level for Mehmas and is a maternal grandson of G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner Raymi Cora, whose MSP daughter Make Fast (GB) (Makfi {GB}) is responsible for The Queen's Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), winner of last year's Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot and the G2 Tattersalls July S. at Newmarket. He added the Listed European Free H. at the latter venue on seasonal debut Apr. 14, five days after the passing of Prince Phillip, and could make an appearance in either the G1 St James's Palace S. or the G1 Commonwealth Cup at this year's Royal meeting. Beauty of The Sea is the dam of Fayathaan's 2-year-old full-brother Maritime Rules (Ire), who fetched £95,000 from Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock at last year's Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale.

WATCH: Fayathaan fights back to win the Premio Parioli

Sunday, Rome, Italy
PREMIO PARIOLI (ITALIAN 2000 GUINEAS)-G3, €138,600, Rome, 4-25, 3yo, 1600mT, 1:38.06, gd.
1–FAYATHAAN (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Mehmas (Ire)
1st Dam: Beauty of The Sea (GB), by Elusive Quality
2nd Dam: Raymi Coya, by Van Nistelrooy
3rd Dam: Something Mon, by Maria's Mon
1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (£35,000 Ylg '19 GOFAUG;
40,000gns 2yo '20 TATAUT; 85,000gns HRA '21 TATFEB).
O-Roveda Luigi Pietro; B-GHS Bloodstock Ltd & Tally-Ho Stud;
T-Roberto Biondi; J-Alberto Sanna; €53,550. Lifetime Record:
12-4-1-3, €75,841. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cirano (Ity), 128, c, 3, Arcano (Ire)–Concerto Finale (Ire), by
Footstepsinthesand (GB). (€28,000 RNA Ylg '19 SGASEP).
O/B-Rangio Farm SRL; T-A Botti SRL Soc Al Di Botti Alduino;
J-Sergio Urru; €23,562.
3–Wopart (GB), 128, c, 3, Helmet (Aus)–Arte Volante (GB), by
Dutch Art (GB). O/B-Immobiliare Casa Paola SRL; T-Andrea
Novasconi; J-Fabio Branca; €12,852.
Margins: SNK, 2, HD. Odds: 9.31, 30.84, 7.13.
Also Ran: Convivio (Ire), Lord Bay (Ire), Vis a Vis (Ity), Closer Look (Ire), Warrior Within (GB), Mordimi (Ire), Collinsbay (GB), Bjorn (Ire), Terrible Land (GB), Rissani (Ire).
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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