What type of animal can put you on an emotional roller coaster, shake your confidence and question your decisions…. then bring it all back in less than an hour? A horse. I’m here to tell you, no animal can do this better than a horse. Especially a retired Thoroughbred horse. This month has been a whirlwind of rights, wrongs, then really bad wrongs, and then back to super right.
Month: May 2021
‘Big Machine’ Rebel’s Romance Settling In Well Ahead Of Belmont Stakes
A talented quartet of Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin runners – Rebel's Romance, Desert Peace, Summer Romance and Althiqa –have settled in comfortably in New York in preparation for starts during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival that runs from June 3 through Saturday, June 5, headlined by the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.
The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.
All four of Appleby's runners, who arrived in New York on May 2, are expected to compete during the festival, with Group 2 UAE Derby-winner Rebel's Romance pointed to the Belmont Stakes on June 5.
The geldings Rebel's Romance and Desert Peace were initially based in Dubai, while the fillies Summer Romance and Althiqa, shipped from the U.K.
“They're settling in great and are very relaxed and happy in their routine,” said travelling assistant Sophie Chretien. “It's very nice here. The people are taking good care of us and the horses are very happy in the barn. It's a little like being in the country which is what they need. There's a bit of grass to pick in the morning, fresh air and they're really settled.”
Chretien is joined on the journey by Michael Metcalfe, exercise rider for Rebel's Romance and Summer Romance, and Patrice Pot, who gallops Desert Peace and Althiqa.
On Sunday, Rebel's Romance and Desert Peace went out at 7:30 a.m. for a jog and a mile canter on the 1 1/2-mile main track, with a similar routine followed later in the morning by the two fillies.
Chretien said the serious work will begin next weekend, with all four horses expected to breeze.
“Next week, the boys will have their first piece of work together on the main track, and the girls will go on the turf together,” said Chretien. “We have three weeks to hit the target now.”
Rebel's Romance, a sophomore son of Dubawi, is an Irish homebred out of the Street Cry mare Minidress. A winner of 4-of-5 starts, Rebel's Romance made the grade last out with a 5 1/2-length romp in the 1 3/16-mile UAE Derby on March 27 at Meydan.
Chretien said the sizable Rebel's Romance is taking well to the expansive Belmont main track.
“I think he's moving well over it. The rider is very happy with him,” said Chretien. “He's a big boy. When he won the [UAE] Derby, he needed time to get into his rhythm. He's a big machine. The big track will suit him. He needs to be able to use his stride. The longer distance will be good for him.”
Desert Peace, a 4-year-old son of Curlin, was a $1.3 million purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The Kentucky-bred was a nose winner last out traveling one-mile on May 11 over the Meydan main track.
There is no specific target confirmed yet for Desert Peace, but the Grade 2, $300,000 True North, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up on June 4 is a possibility.
Summer Romance and Althiqa, who finished first and third last out in the nine-furlong Group 2 Balanchine on February 18 at Meydan, are targeting the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Just a Game, a one-mile turf event for older fillies and mares on June 5.
Jockey assignments have yet to be arranged for the Godolphin contenders.
For information and details on Belmont Stakes Racing Festival hospitality offerings, ticket packages and pricing, visit BelmontStakes.com. For full terms and conditions, visit https://www.belmontstakes.com/tickets.
For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.
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Toast To Vino Rosso: Colt Out Of Call To Service Fits The Bill For Young Stallion
Throughout the breeding season, the Paulick Report will be sharing photos of foals from the first crop of Spendthrift Farm's Breeders' Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso in the “Toast to Vino Rosso” series.
This week, we're going to Mulholland Springs farm in Lexington, Ky., to visit a colt out of the To Honor and Serve mare Call to Service.
This February 16 foal was bred in New York by the partnership of Sequel Thoroughbreds, Lakland Farm, and Mark Toothaker, and the dam is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Isotherm.
This foal is being boarded for clients, but Martha Jane Mulholland of Mulholland Springs said she's got several Vino Rosso foals of her own, and she was impressed by their consistency.
“You can just count on them being a very substantial, viable, good-looking foal,” Mulholland said. “To me, 'pretty' is important, and all of his babies are pretty – cute heads, lovely top lines, big hips. I really, across the board, like all of them.”
Vino Rosso, a 6-year-old son of Curlin, stands at Spendthrift Farm for an advertised fee of $25,000.
Vino Rosso won won six of 15 starts and earned $4,803,125 on the racetrack. In addition to his signature Breeders' Cup Classic score, the stallion picked up victories in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes, and the G2 Wood Memorial Stakes.
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Large Fields, Low Takeout Wagers Greet Horseplayers For Tuesday’s Canterbury Park Opening
Canterbury Park's 65-day Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse race meet, which begins Tuesday, May 18, attracted 248 entries in 27 races, not including 12 also-eligible entries, for the first three days of the season. With nine Thoroughbred races each on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Shakopee, Minn., track, field size averages 9.2 horses per race.
Exceptional participation by trainers can be attributed to a population of more than 1,100 Thoroughbreds and a $1,000 bonus, paid directly to the owner of each starter. The horse population is expected to increase over the coming weeks while the bonus extends to all open overnight races during the month of May.
“I have a feeling this is going to be a great meet,” racing secretary Rob Junk said. “We have a lot of trainers returning, and some new stables as well. I expect they came to race.” Mac Robertson, leading trainer in 13 previous Canterbury Park meets, has entered 19 horses opening week. Canterbury mainstays Mike Biehler, Tony Rengstorf, Troy Bethke and Bernell Rhone have a strong presence as has been the case for more than 25 seasons. Robertino Diodoro, who last year had fewer horses than past meets, this summer intends to fill more than 50 stalls. Joel Berndt, 2020 leading trainer, also will have a full barn in Shakopee this summer.
Trainer Justin Evans, unseen at the Shakopee, Minn. racetrack since 2008, returned with 25 horses. Dick Cappellucci and Bennie Woolley, Jr., winner of the 2009 Kentucky Derby with Mine That Bird, have stables at Canterbury for the first time.
Track officials announced in April that a $.50 Pick 5 wager with an industry-low 10 percent takeout would return to the 2021 the wagering menu. The industry-low takeout rate was introduced last year and the success of that wager led officials to introduce a traditional $1 Pick 6 also with an industry low 10 percent takeout.
In 2020, the Pick 5 averaged $79,500 in wagering handle per pool and totaled more than $4.1 million throughout the season. Both were substantial increases over 2019 when the wager attracted an average Jackpot Pick 5 Pool of $8,366 and season-total wagering of slightly more than $550,000.
Canterbury Park all-sources handle in 2020 amounted to $68.4 million, easily setting a Canterbury Park record by more than $20 million in total handle and an increase of 68 percent over the prior year, all while conducting 12 fewer days of racing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, average daily handle increased in 2020 by a staggering 110 percent when compared to the 2019 meet.
Twenty-one jockeys were listed on the overnight for May 18 not including last season's leading rider Ry Eikleberry who will serve a three-day suspension stemming from a riding foul occurring at the end of the 2020 season. Several accomplished riders have joined the colony including journeymen Lindey Wade, Ty Kennedy and multiple graded stakes winning rider Ruben Fuentes who most recently rode at Santa Anita.
Racing will be conducted Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. CT and select holidays and Sundays at 1 p.m. CT through Sept. 16. More information is available at canterburypark.com.
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