June, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Tapeta Installation Begins Monday At Gulfstream Park

The installation of a Tapeta racing surface began Monday at Gulfstream Park.

The third racing surface will be positioned over what is currently the outer third of the turf course. To allow for the installation of the new surface, Gulfstream has cut back beginning this week from a four-day race week to a three-day race week. The Silks simulcasting room will remain open seven days a week.

The Tapeta surface is just one of several projects Gulfstream is working on to enhance the racing and customer experience. Along with the installation of a new all-weather surface, Gulfstream is renovating the drainage system on the inside of the turf course and installing a new infield tote board.

Work on the third racing surface is expected to continue through August. Turf racing will continue throughout the project except for races at five furlongs.

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Belmont Winner Essential Quality On Top Of Final NTRA 3-Year-Old Poll

The winner of the Grade 1, 153rd Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and the final No. 1 ranking in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top Three-Year-Old Poll, was on the line in deep stretch of Saturday's 1 ½-mile Test of the Champion until Essential Quality, the 6-5 favorite, edged past Hot Rod Charlie to prevail by 1 ¼ lengths.

As a result, in the final Top 3-year-old poll of national media, Godolphin's Essential Quality, trained by Brad Cox, gained the top spot, earning all 37 first-place votes for a total of 370 points. Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Road Runner Racing and William Strauss' Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill, finished second with 298 points.

The 1-2 Belmont finish of Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie was the same result as last November's Grade 1 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at Keeneland when Essential Quality defeated Hot Rod Charlie by three-quarters of a length. This year, Essential Quality won both the Grade 3 Southwest at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland before finishing fourth as the 5-2 favorite in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. After a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita to open the season, Hot Rod Charlie won the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds in March, and finished third in the Kentucky Derby.

John and Diane Fradkin's Rombauer was the poll leader going into the final week off his upset win in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 15. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Rombauer finished third in the Belmont Stakes and third in the poll with 282 points.

Juddmonte's Mandaloun, also trained by Cox, who crossed the wire second in the Kentucky Derby, finished in the fourth place with 227 points. Shadwell Stable's undefeated filly, Malathaat, winner of the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks, wound up in fifth place with 177 points. Zedan Racing's Medina Spirit, third in the Preakness after winning the Kentucky Derby, finished in sixth place with 164 points.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, second in the Preakness, finished in seventh place with 147 points. Two horses entered the top 10 in the final week. Klaravich Stables' dark bay filly Search Results, winner of Saturday's Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont, received 74 votes to reach eighth place, and Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock, who won Belmont's Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes, claimed the ninth spot with 66 points. CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good, winner of the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, finished 10th with 48 points.

Godolphin's 4-year-old Mystic Guide continues atop the NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll for older horses, but there was a shake up in the rankings after him. Winner of the Group 1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 27, Mystic Guide, trained by Mike Stidham, received 27 first place votes and 337 points. Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State has jumped from 13th to second place this week following his 1-length victory in Saturday's Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State, a winner of all four of his starts this year, has one-first place and 242 points. St. George Stable's Letruska (240 points), who captured Belmont's Grade 1 Ogden Phipps for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, rises from seventh to third place.

Another Klaravich runner on the move is Domestic Spending (234 points), who jumped from 10th to fourth place after winning Saturday's Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes at Belmont for trainer Chad Brown. The 4-year-old Charlatan, runner-up in the Group 1 Saudi Cup, drops to fifth place with 161 points. Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, remains in sixth place with one first-place vote and 134 points. My Racehorse, Spendthrift Farm LLC and Madaket Stables' Monomoy Girl, the 2020 older dirt female Eclipse Award-winner, is now in seventh place with 131 points. The 4-year-old Gamine (121 points), last year's champion female sprinter, stays in eighth place. Essential Quality enters the National Poll this week with one first-place vote and 118 points. Knicks Go (49 points), fourth in the Metropolitan Handicap, drops from a second-place tie last week to 10th place.

The NTRA Top Thoroughbred polls are the sport's most comprehensive surveys of experts. Every week eligible journalists and broadcasters cast votes for their top 10 horses, with points awarded on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. All horses that have raced in the U.S., are in training in the U.S., or are known to be pointing to a major event in the U.S. are eligible for the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Voting in the Top Thoroughbred Poll is scheduled to be conducted through Nov. 6.

The full results for the NTRA Thoroughbred Polls can be found on the NTRA website at: https://www.ntra.com/ntra-top-thoroughbred-poll-june-7-2021/

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Indiana Grand Set All-Quarter Horse Card Handle Record June 5

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino recorded its highest all-sources handle during the first of six All-Quarter Horse racing programs Saturday, June 5. A total of $1,000,393 was wagered to establish a new track record. The day featured 13 races, including two stakes races and trials for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby, with the top 10 heading to the $75,000 final set for Monday, June 28.

The seventh running of the $95,900 Harley Greene Derby was a good preview of 3-year-olds in the state with Beach Blast turning in a very impressive performance in the 350-yard dash. The sorrel son of Escondido Beach broke on top and never looked back for jockey Sammy Mendez, cruising under the wire for a one and three-quarter length advantage in a time of :17.650. WH Imastreakinbeach and Jose Ruiz finished second over Jess Bringin It On and Cesar Esqueda for third.

Owned by Keith Bode and Brock Hutchinson, Beach Blast is now four for eight lifetime and increased his career bankroll over the $200,000 mark. It was one of six wins on the card for Trainer Randy Smith, Indiana Grand's leading trainer.

“That horse can run,” said Smith of Beach Blast. “He could be one of the fastest ones I've ever had. We'll probably get him ready for the Blue River (Derby) next.”

The second Quarter Horse stakes of the day was a first for both horse and jockey. Erik Esqueda guided Jess a Flyin Beach to his first stakes win in the $83,200 Born Runner Classic. Starting from post two, the duo had good positioning early and was able to take over midway through the 400-yard dash to get a nose under the wire first for the win. Beach Mercedes and Sammy Mendez finished second followed by Beach Cartel and German Rodriguez for third.

Owned and trained by Tony Cunningham, Jess a Flyin Beach earned his fourth career win and increased his career bankroll to more than $119,000. The four-year-old son of Escondido Beach was making his second start of 2021.

“He's been second or third in stakes action but never quite got his head in front at the wire,” said Cunningham. “He has a lot of class. He's had some issues over the past couple of years but was able to put it all together today. I'm happy for Erik (Esqueda) to get his first stakes win. We have a great team and can't do it without all of them.”

Earlier on the card three trials were held to determine the final field for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby. The quickest qualifier of the day was Cartel Creek from the Randy Smith barn. Owned by Debbie Smith, the three-year-old son of The Louisiana Cartel scored the win in :20.215 for jockey Jose Beltran after grabbing an early lead.

The top 10 qualifiers for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby, with jockey and times, includes: Cartel Creek (Jose Beltran, :20.215); WRs Moonin the Wagon (Sammy Mendez, :20.261); Jess Over Yonder (Natasha Fritz, :20.358); Jess Good Reason SA (Uriel Cervantes, :20.450); Paint Me Brown (Uriel Cervantes, :20.473); CC Moonflash (L.D. Martinez, :20.532); Lone Cartel (L.D. Martinez, :20.603); Apollitical Tools (Giovani Vazquez Gomez, :20.623); Shez Bodacious (Cristian Reyes, :20.638); and AA Storm the Mozoomo (Erik Esqueda, :20.655). Tony Cunningham will saddle three in the final (CC Moonflash, Lone Cartel, AA Storm the Mozoomo) while Randy Smith (Cartel Creek, WRs Moonin Thewagon), Jose Aguirre (Jess Good Reason SA, Paint Me Brown) and Tim Eggleston (Jess Over Yonder, Shez Bodacious) will all saddle two in the final.

Another first was also recorded on the day as Trainer Shawna Martin not only scored her first career training victory but scored a double on the card. Martin kicked off the day with a win from Delightful Dahlonega, ridden by Cristian Esqueda, with a win in the first race followed by a win by Easy Torero, also ridden by Cristian Esqueda, in the afternoon's sixth race. Easy Torero was a surprise winner to bettors, paying $85.80 for the win.

The next all Quarter Horse Day at Indiana Grand is set for Saturday, July 3 followed by racing Saturday, July 24, Saturday, Aug. 14, Saturday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 9. The track will also host two regional qualifiers for the AQHA Bank of America Challenge Championships this fall. The John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the Q-Racing Videos Distaff Challenge trials are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 4 with the finals set for Monday, Sept. 20. All Saturday Quarter Horse racing begins at 10 a.m.

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Jockey Duo Taken to Hospital After Windsor Fall

Alistair Rawlinson and George Buckell have both been taken to the hospital after Buckell's mount Diligent Lady (GB) (Due Diligence) fell and brought down Rawlinson's ride Centurion Song (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) in Windsor's Fitzdares Sprint Series H. on Monday evening. Following the incident, racing was delayed by 45 minutes as both were treated on course.

“They are both being taken to hospital for further assessment,” said Windsor Clerk of the Course Sophie Candy. “They were both conscious and talking.”

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