Month: June 2021

Yoshida Purchases Coeursamba, Incarville

Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm has continued his association with French-raced mares with the purchase of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) and G1 Prix Saint-Alary scorer Incarville (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Jour de Galop reports. Bloodstock agent Emmanuel de Seroux said the two 3-year-old fillies would remain with their respective trainers, Jean-Claude Rouget (Coeursamba) and David Smaga (Incarville), before being exported to Northern Farm in Japan at the end of their racing careers.

“Coeursamba is a Classic winner and victorious in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Incarville won the Prix Saint-Alary,” de Seroux said. “These are two excellent Group 1 fillies which correspond to the profile of the good mares bought by Katsumi Yoshida which have made the success of Northern Farm.”

Coeursamba has been campaigned this season by Adullah bin Fahad Al Attiyah, and she finished 11th in the June 20 G1 Prix de Diane in her first try beyond a mile. Incarville has thus far worn the silks of Gerard Augustin-Normand, and she finished seventh, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, in the Diane.

Katsumi Yoshida's brother Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm, meanwhile, is listed as the new owner of Tahlie (Fr) (Rio de la Plata), who is unbeaten in three starts this season over a mile for Jean-Louis Bouchard and Gerard Augustin-Normand. Tahlie had Coeursamba back in third when winning the Apr. 22 Listed Prix du Louvre, and she most recently took the G2 Prix de Sandringham on June 6.

Gerard Larrieu, racing and bloodstock manager to Bouchard, told Jour de Galop, “The filly's career has been very well managed by Pascal Bary and the Prix de Sandringham is a great victory. Tahlie will join Roger Varian's squad.”

The post Yoshida Purchases Coeursamba, Incarville appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Set Piece, Somelikeithotbrown Set To Clash In Saturday’s Wise Dan

Juddmonte's multiple stakes winner Set Piece (GB) along with Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's two-time Grade 2 winner Somelikeithotbrown lead a field of 10 older horses that was entered in Saturday's $300,000 Wise Dan (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Named after multiple champion and two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan, the 32nd running of the 1 1/16-mile turf event goes as Race 10 of 12 with a post time of 5:26 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m. The Wise Dan is one of seven stakes events on the fantastic closing day card at Churchill Downs. The program also features the $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2), $300,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), $150,000 Bashford Manor (G3), $150,000 Debutante (Listed), $150,000 Tepin and $150,000 War Chant.

Set Piece (GB), trained by Brad Cox, enters the Wise Dan on a two-race win streak. The 5-year-old gelded son of Dansili (GB) cruised to a dominating four-length victory in last month's $85,000 Douglas Park Overnight Stakes, the local prep for the Wise Dan. In his previous start, Set Piece (GB) defeated a field of eight in the one-mile $105,000 Opening Verse. Set Piece (GB) was formerly under the care of Hugo Palmer in Europe prior to Juddmonte shipping him to the U.S. in 2020. Overall, Set Piece (GB) has recorded eight wins from 15 starts with earnings of $257,044. Florent Geroux has the return call from the rail.

Two posts to the outside of Set Piece (GB) is seven-time winner Somelikeithotbrown. Trained by Mike Maker, Somelikeithotbrown won the $200,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park in 2019. More recently, the son of Big Brown recorded a one-length win in the $250,000 Dinner Party Stakes (G2) at Pimlico on the Preakness Stakes undercard. Jockey Jose Ortiz will have the call.

Other accomplished horses entered in the Wise Dan are Three Diamonds Farm's three-time Grade 3 winner Field Pass; and John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm's $175,000 Kennedy Road (G2) winner and $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) runner-up Ride a Comet.

The complete field for the Wise Dan from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Set Piece (GB) (Geroux, Cox)
  2. Mutakatif (IRE) (Mitchell Murrill, Alberta Davies)
  3. Somelikeithotbrown (Ortiz, Maker)
  4. Super Sol (Gabriel Saez, Juan Cano)
  5. Hierarchy (Adam Beschizza, Joe Sharp)
  6. Kentucky Ghost (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver)
  7. Ride a Comet (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse)
  8. Field Pass (Ricardo Santana Jr., Maker)
  9. Spooky Channel (John Velazquez, Jason Barkley)
  10. In Love (BRZ) (Joe Talamo, Paulo Lobo)

The post Set Piece, Somelikeithotbrown Set To Clash In Saturday’s Wise Dan appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Letruska Wheels Back In Three Weeks For Fleur De Lis

St. George Stable's multiple Grade 1 winner Letruska, widely regarded as the nation's top filly or mare, headlines a compact field of six in Saturday's 46th running of the $300,000 Fleur de Lis (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs.

The Fleur de Lis, at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, is carded as Race 5 at 2:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). The first of 12 races will get underway at 12:45 p.m. The Fleur de Lis is one of seven stakes events on Saturday's closing day program at Churchill Downs. The other stakes are the $600,000 Stephen Foster (G2), $300,000 Wise Dan (G2), $150,000 Bashford Manor (G3), $150,000 Debutante (Listed), $150,000 Tepin and $150,000 War Chant.

The Fleur de Lis is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race for the $4 million Longines Distaff (G1) on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. The winner will receive an all entry fees paid berth to the season ending championship event.

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska scored a front-running victory in the $500,000 Ogden Phipps (G1) earlier this month on the Belmont Stakes undercard. The 5-year-old Super Saver mare has 14 wins from 18 lifetime starts including a victory in the $1 million Apple Blossom (G1) in April where she re-rallied against multiple champion Monomoy Girl.

“She's in a good condition to run,” Gutierrez said. “This is a very important race. We're going step by step for now and this is next race we had in mind. I know it's just 21 days from the (Ogden Phipps). When a horse wants to run and they're ready to run, we have to let them run. She's at Keeneland training and we're looking forward to getting her to Churchill.”

Gutierrez, who was a top trainer in his home country of Mexico, has been primarily training in the U.S. in 2021. Letruska's only blemish in her 5-year-old campaign was a runner-up effort to Shedaresthedevil in the $350,000 Azeri (G2).

Jose Ortiz has the mount in the Fleur de Lis from post position No. 6.

Among Letruska's challengers in the Fleur de Lis is Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Grade 2 winner Envoutante. Trained by Kenny McPeek, Envoutante cruised to a 4 ¼-length victory in last month's $150,000 Shawnee Stakes, the local prep for the Fleur de Lis on May 29.

Envoutante, a 4-year-old filly by Uncle Mo, finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Letruska in the Azeri. Arguably the biggest win in Envoutante's career was a six-length win in last year's $200,000 Falls City (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Her regular pilot Brian Hernandez Jr. will be in the saddle from post 4.

Another top filly that entered the Fleur de Lis is Robert and Lawana Low's $150,000 Allaire DuPont Distaff Match Series (G3) winner Spice Is Nice. The Curlin filly is a four-time winner for trainer Todd Pletcher. The regally-bred Spice Is Nice is out of Pletcher's former Grade 1-winning mare Dame Dorothy. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the mount from post 5.

Also entered in the Fleur de Lis is Kueber Racing, Barlar LLC, Madaket Stables and Little Red Feather Racing's recent $200,000 Ruffian (G2) winner Vault. The Brad Cox trainee will attempt to get her first victory at 1 1/8 miles. The seven-time winning mare be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 3.

The complete field for the Fleur de Lis from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Point of Honor (Javier Castellano, Shug McGaughey)
  2. Antoinette (Florent Geroux, Bill Mott)
  3. Vault (Gaffalione, Cox)
  4. Envoutante (Hernandez, McPeek)
  5. Spice Is Nice (Velazquez, Pletcher)
  6. Letruska (Ortiz, Gutierrez)

The post Letruska Wheels Back In Three Weeks For Fleur De Lis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘Fit And Happy’ Maxfield Faces Eight Rivals In Saturday’s Stephen Foster

Godolphin's multiple graded stakes-winning homebred Maxfield leads a field of nine older horses that were entered in Saturday afternoon's featured 40th running of the $600,000 Stephen Foster (Grade 2) – one of seven stakes events on the 12-race closing day program at Churchill Downs.

Saturday's first race is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Stephen Foster will go as Race 11 with a post time of 5:59 p.m. The supporting stakes on the card are the $300,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), $300,000 Wise Dan (G2), $150,000 Bashford Manor (G3), $150,000 Debutante (Listed), $150,000 Tepin and $150,000 War Chant.

The 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). The winner will receive an all entry fees paid berth to the season ending championship event on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Maxfield, a 4-year-old son of Kentucky Derby-winner Street Sense, won the $400,000 Alysheba (G2) eight weeks ago at Churchill Downs. Trained by Brendan Walsh, New York-based jockey Jose Ortiz has the call from post position No. 8.

“We shipped him up from Keeneland last week and worked an easy half-mile (at Churchill Downs),” Walsh said. “He did most of his work at Keeneland prior to the Foster. He's a fit and happy horse. We're ready to go and excited to get this race underway.”

Maxfield was on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in 2020 when he cruised to a one-length victory in the $150,000 Matt Winn (G3). Unfortunately, due to a condylar fracture following a workout at Keeneland, Maxfield went on the sidelines until the fall. Through seven lifetime starts, Maxfield has recorded six victories and boasts earnings of $908,782. The only blemish in his career came in the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) where he finished third to Idol.

Among Maxfield's rivals in the Stephen Foster is Tom Durant's five-time graded stakes winner Silver Dust. Trained by Bret Calhoun, Silver Dust was the half-length winner of the $150,000 Ben Ali (G3) at Keeneland. The 7-year-old son of Tapit was attempting to prep for the Foster in the $150,000 Blame at Churchill Downs on May 29 but was scratched after acting up in the starting gate. Since the Blame, Silver Dust returned to the work tab three times for Calhoun. Silver Dust finished third in last year's Stephen Foster behind Tom's d'Etat and By My Standards. Jockey Adam Beschizza, who has been aboard Silver Dust for his previous six starts, has the call from post 5.

The Estate of James Coleman Jr.'s Chess Chief finished third to Maxfield in the Alysheba and trainer Dallas Stewart will be hoping for redemption in the Stephen Foster. The four-time winner achieved graded stakes glory in March with a narrow victory over Owendale in the $400,000 New Orleans Classic (G2). Stewart enlisted the riding services of Hall of Famer John Velazquez for the Stephen Foster and the duo will break from the rail.

The other top entrants in Saturday's Stephen Foster are Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables' Grade 3 winner Warrior's Charge; Williamson Racings' two-time stakes winner Visitant; Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Pantofel Stable's graded stakes placed South Bend; Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's stakes-placed Sprawl; Raymond Daniels, Wayne Scherr and Will Harbut Racing's recent allowance hero Necker Island; and Three Diamonds Farm's four-time winner Empty Tomb.

The complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Chess Chief (Velazquez, Stewart)
  2. Empty Tomb (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mike Maker)
  3. Necker Island (Mitchell Murrill, Chris Hartman)
  4. Sprawl (Brian Hernandez Jr., Tommy Drury Jr.)
  5. Silver Dust (Beschizza, Calhoun)
  6. Warrior's Charge (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox)
  7. South Bend (Tyler Gaffalione, Bill Mott)
  8. Maxfield (Ortiz, Walsh)
  9. Visitant (James Graham, Bill Morey)

Tickets are available for Saturday's closing day program online at www.churchilldowns.com/tickets. Admission gates will open at 11:30 a.m. and “Churchill Downs Today” will air at 11:45 a.m. throughout the racetrack and on www.TwinSpires.com, the official online wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Saturday's program also will air on “America's Day at the Races” on Fox Sports 2 from 12:30-6:30 p.m.

The post ‘Fit And Happy’ Maxfield Faces Eight Rivals In Saturday’s Stephen Foster appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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