July, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Everything Has Been Positive’ With Juvenile Champ, Jim Dandy Favorite Essential Quality

Godolphin's Essential Quality has gone off as the favorite in six of his seven career starts. The reigning Champion 2-Year-Old has rewarded that confidence almost every time, notching six wins along with a competitive fourth-place effort in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs. This Saturday, Essential Quality will likely be the top mutuel choice again, with the 1-2 morning-line favorite headlining a six-horse field in the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy for sophomores going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga Race Course.

Essential Quality's appearance in the 58th running of the Jim Dandy will mark his first race since besting Hot Rod Charlie by 1 1/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 5, which gave conditioner Brad Cox – who won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 2020 – his first career win in a Triple Crown race. The Tapit colt has breezed three times this month at Saratoga since shipping from Churchill, including a five-furlong work in 1:00.90 on Saturday over the main track, with Cox saying he's adapted well to his new surroundings.

“I think he looks like he put on weight. He looks great,” Cox said. “I feel like he's grown just in the short time he's been here at Saratoga, from his muscle-tone to his weight. Everything has been positive since he's moved here. I think he really likes it here.”

Essential Quality surged on the scene with a 3-for-3 juvenile campaign in which he won his debut by four lengths in September before capturing the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity in October at Keeneland and winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile by three-quarters of a length over Hot Rod Charlie in November over the same Kentucky track to secure the Eclipse Award.

As a sophomore, Essential Quality sustained those winning ways with scores in the Grade 3 Southwest and Grade 2 Blue Grass on the Kentucky Derby trail. In the “Run for the Roses,” the Kentucky homebred overcame a bump at the start to still finish a competitive fourth, just one length back to winner Medina Spirit and behind runner-up and stablemate Mandaloun and third-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie. Essential Quality cracked triple digits for Beyer Speed Figures for the first time in the Kentucky Derby, earning an even 100, which he then surpassed by garnering a 109 for winning the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes a month later.

“I thought the Kentucky Derby was one of his best races. He's a horse who acts like he's getting better as the year goes on,” Cox said. “He doesn't over-do it in training. You can tell this week, that's he's just a little more antsy, biting at the grooms, but feeling really well. He's showing us he has plenty of energy.”

Essential Quality, with regular rider Luis Saez in the irons, drew post 5 in the Jim Dandy field which also includes Keepmeinmind, Weyburn, Dr Jack, Masqueparade and Risk Taking. The Jim Dandy also serves as a prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers for sophomores going 1 1/4 miles on August 28.

Expectations are high when a three-time Grade 1 winner is loaded in the starting gate, but Cox said he welcomes the challenge since it means he has a talented contender to send out in another prestigious race.

“I'm assuming he'll be a short price on Saturday and when you're a short price, there's always pressure,” Cox said. “It's one of those things where you are excited about it, but you almost want to have things go your way and get it over it from a trainer's view of it. I'm excited. There is pressure, but it's good to be in position to have that pressure on you. It means you're in a good spot.”

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Another potential starter for the Travers is Juddmonte's Grade 1 Haskell-winner Mandaloun, who could also target the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx.

Mandaloun ran second in the Kentucky Derby, a half-length back to Medina Spirit, before winning the Pegasus on June 13 at Monmouth. Running back a month later, the Into Mischief colt crossed the wire second to Hot Rod Charlie in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell but was elevated to first when Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified for interference.

“We'll probably make a decision next week but I can tell you, the horse really came out of the Haskell in good order,” Cox said. “He's been training over here on the Oklahoma [training track] and I'm really happy with the way he's moving. He looks tremendous and has really put on weight since the Haskell. He's recovered well and very sound and we're in a good spot. We're happy with him.”

Mandaloun has posted a 2-2-1 record in six starts this year.

“The horse has run six times this year and I think we'd be five weeks between the Haskell and Travers,” Cox said. “We'd like to get to the Breeders' Cup somehow, and that doesn't mean we can't get there through the Travers, but he's a horse that we want to try to map out the schedule that makes the most sense for him. Essential Quality has already run the four times and he doesn't have as many miles on him this year, and that'll play a big role in what we do.”

Juddmonte homebred Snow House stepped up to stakes company for the first time with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Dwyer going a one-turn mile last out on July 5 at Belmont and will now contest a stakes going two turns as part of a seven-horse field in Friday's nine-furlong $120,000 Curlin for 3-year-olds at the Spa.

The Twirling Candy colt made his debut with a fourth-place finish on the Fair Grounds turf in March before breaking his maiden in April at Keeneland in a one-mile off-the-turf contest. Following another main track win over the Churchill main track in May, Cox elevated Snow House to stakes company in the Dwyer, where he tied a personal-high 86 Beyer in a race won by First Captain.

“He wasn't the sharpest gate horse early on. He's not a real big horse, but once we ran him at Keeneland, it came off the turf, and he performed well and had plenty of time to recover from the maiden victory,” Cox said. “I thought he ran a really good race in the Dwyer. This will be his second start around two turns, so I feel it could be an advantage getting him around two turns. I think he can handle it.

“He didn't get started until March, so he's been pretty straightforward,” he added.

Arklow is also a possibility to run on Travers Day, with the Grade 1, $750,000 Sword Dancer for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on the turf a possibility for the 7-year-old son of Arch. Arklow ran sixth in the Grade 1 United Nations on July 17 at Monmouth going 1 3/8 miles after clipping heels.
Cox said Arklow is also acclimating well to Saratoga as he readies for his next start.

“He's great. He's here; he stumbled enough to cost him a placing at Monmouth but he recovered well and the Sword Dancer is a possibility for him later in the meet,” Cox said. “He's doing really well.”

Owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Coneway, Arklow ended his 2020 campaign with a victory in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November at Del Mar. Following a six-month freshening, he made a triumphant seasonal debut with a win in the Grade 3 Louisville going 1 1/2 miles on the Churchill turf in May before the United Nations effort. Arklow is 9-7-2 in 33 lifetime starts with earnings of more than $2.75 million.

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Best Bets: Del Mar Selections, Bowling Green Play

America’s Best Racing and handicapper (and avid gambler) Monique Vág team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend. Vág will identify her top picks as well as at least one longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet. She also will occasionally look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers. This Weekend’s Bets

Wide-Open Woodbine Oaks Highlights Stakes-Laden Sunday Card At Woodbine

Lorena and Jilli Marie will put their respective unbeaten records on the line in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks presented by Budweiser, one of four stakes on Sunday's 11-race card at Woodbine.

Inaugurated in 1956, the filly classic, which has attracted 10 Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies carrying 121 pounds over one mile and one-eighth on the Tapeta, will go postward as race eight at approximately 4:46 p.m. ET. The winning connections will receive $300,000.

Sunday's card also features the $150,000 Plate Trial Stakes, a key race ahead of the Queen's Plate (August 22), the Grade 2 $175,000 Royal North Stakes, and Grade 3 $150,000 Vigil Stakes.

Lorena, a daughter of Souper Speedy-Negotiable, will look to keep her winning ways intact in the Oaks. Trained by Stuart Simon, who co-owns with Brent and Russell McLellan, and former jockey Gerry Olguin, the dark bay is three-for-three in her career, including a front-running score in the Fury Stakes on July 10 at Woodbine.

“Overall, it was her physical makeup and the female family she was out of,” said Simon, as to what caught his attention at the 2019 CTHS Yearling Sale. “Souper Speedy seems to be doing very well, but I always look at the female family first. If I like that, I proceed on from there. She's got a graded stakes winner in her second dam [Blushing Heiress], who won at Santa Anita at a time when the racing was really tough.”

Bred by Dr. Liam Gannon, Lorena made her debut last November at Woodbine in a 5 ½- furlong main track event.

Leaving the gate as the 5-1 second choice in the field of 12, Lorena, under Rafael Hernandez, was 3 ½-lengths in front at the stretch call, and went on to record an easy 7 ½-length victory in 1:04.26.

“She indicated she could be good first-time out,” recalled Olguin, who gallops the horse. “You had the sense from the mornings works. She was always very calm and when she ran that first race, she ran very impressively.”

On June 19 in a 6 ½-furlong trip over the Toronto oval main track, Lorena converted a head advantage at the stretch call into a three-length score in a time of 1:15-flat.

In the Fury, Lorena led the field of Canadian-bred fillies through a quarter in :23.57 and half-mile :46.82, and held her challengers at bay to win the seven-furlong sprint in 1:23.94 with Gary Boulanger in the irons.

“She's just done everything so well,” praised Simon. “She keeps taking steps forward. I'm not concerned about the distance. I'm a little concerned about running back in three weeks. It's a cramped schedule, but there's also only one chance to win the Oaks.”

Boulanger, inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2020, will look to win his second Oaks, 20 years after guiding Sam-Son star Dancethruthedawn to victory in both the Oaks and Queen's Plate.

“Gary said how gutsy she was and that she'll do anything you want her to do,” said Simon, of their conversation after the Fury win. “She's a true professional. We always liked the way she was training last year. As she progressed last fall, she just kept going forward.”

Lorena's groom, Susie Crawford, has high praise for the filly she refers to as “Lovely Lady.”

“Right from the get-go, she grasped on to everything,” said Crawford. “You didn't have to asked her twice to learn something. She's just so smart. She loves her mints and apples, and she loves to nap all the time. She's calm and classy. She loves what she does. She's a very sweet-natured horse.”

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Jilli Marie will also endeavor to keep her win streak intact.

Owner Kevin Drew of Chatham (Ontario) purchased the filly from the first crop of millionaire Dynamic Sky at the 2019 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale for $15,000 from his neighbour Brian Wright. The bay was Drew's first Thoroughbred purchase.

Trained by Katerina Vassilieva, Jilli Marie brings a three-for-three record – including a stakes crown – into the Oaks. Last November, under jockey Steven Bahen, she took the South Ocean, winning by 1 ½-lengths in the 6 ½-furlong test over the Woodbine main track.

“She's a really gritty filly,” said Vassilieva. “She has a lot of heart. She's such a small horse in stature, but she has a ton of heart. She tries so hard in all of her races. She's fearless, she's patient – she has all the right qualities of a really good racehorse.”

Jilli Marie won her three-year-old debut on July 2 at Woodbine, besting 10 rivals over 6 furlongs on the Toronto oval Tapeta.

Vassilieva gives out high marks for her sophomore charge.

“I love the way she sits off and relaxes in her races. She listens to the jockey really well and she's able to relax. It's not ideal that we go from a sprint to a mile and eighth. I would have loved to have a two-turn race in between, but we ran out of time because of COVID and how the schedule worked out. The way she's run her sprints, relaxing and sitting off the pace, and running on when called on, I think she might be able to get the distance. She's a filly that has always had that competitive spirit.”

Vassilieva sees the diminutive Jilli Marie as the prototypical dark horse.

“It is an underdog story in a way. She was an orphaned foal. She lost her mom early on in her life. It's a story of tenacity, determination and grit. She's a very happy horse and always has her ears pricked. She gets excited when people bring her treats. She loves attention. I can always feel her eyes on me when I'm walking around the barn doing other things. She's always looking at me as though to say, 'Okay, when you are going to come over and see me?'”

Joel Garcia, Jilli Marie's groom, shares a close bond with the filly.

“She's professional every single day,” said Garcia. “She's always very calm in the stall and she knows when she's going out. She's great at all times and she always gives her best on the track. She's tiny, but she is brave. She isn't scared of anything.”

Owned by Breeze Easy, LLC, Curlin's Catch, a bay daughter of Curlin, brings a record of 2-1-1 from seven starts into the Oaks. Trained by Mark Casse, the filly, bred by Sam-Son, won the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs this February. Casse is chasing his fourth Oaks win, having taken the 2006 edition with Kimchi, the 2007 running with Sealy Hill, and the 2014 edition with Lexie Lou. Both Sealy Hill and Lexie Lou went on to take Canadian Horse of the Year honours.

Emmeline, bred by the late Bill Graham, has two runner-up efforts in as many starts in 2021. Overall, the daughter of Violence has assembled a 0-2-1 mark from five starts for trainer Mike Mattine and owners RCC Racing Stable Ltd., and Realm Racing Stables.

Owned by JDLP Holdings, Inc., Erasmo's Girl heads into the Oaks off a maiden-breaking effort on June 24. Trained by Steven Chircop, the daughter of English Channel, bred by Terry Brooker and Richard Lister, was Hip No. 1175 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.

Bred and owned by Franco Meli, Il Malocchio won last year's Victorian Stakes at Woodbine and was second in the Princess Elizabeth on October 31. This year, the daughter of Souper Speedy is 1-3-1 in eight appearances.

Lady Moonshine has a pair of bronze efforts in two career starts for owner Bet Two Seven Stables and trainer Mark Casse. A dark bay daughter of multiple graded stakes champ Milwaukee Brew, Lady Moonshine will make her stakes debut in the Oaks.

Trained by Breeda Hayes for owner-breeder Garland Williamson (Hillsbrook Farms), Miss Marie, a daughter of Carpe Diem, shrugged off a ninth-place debut and won her next start on July 10.

Munnyfor Ro, owned by Raroma Stable, arrives at the Oaks off a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes on July 10. Trained by Kevin Attard, the chestnut daughter of Munnings is 1-2-2 from eight lifetime starts.

Youens, a bay daughter of American Pharoah, bred by Sam-Son Farm, has three thirds from six starts to date. Owned by Jerry Jamgotchian, and trained by Eric Reed, the bay will be making her Woodbine debut in the Oaks.

The Woodbine Oaks is the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara, which continues at the Toronto oval with the 1 1/16-mile Bison City Stakes on August 28 and concludes with the Wonder Where Stakes over 1 ½-miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on October 2.

First race post time for Sunday's stakes-filled program is 1:10 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com.

$500,000 WOODBINE OAKS PRESENTED BY BUDWEISER

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Curlin's Catch – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

2 – Jilli Marie – Steven Bahen – Katerina Vassilieva

3 – Miss Marie – David Moran – Breeda Hayes

4 – Lorena – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

5 – Youens – Jeffrey Alderson – Angus Buntain

6 – Emmeline – Emma-Jayne Wilson – John Mattine

7 – Erasmo's Girl – Ademar Santos – Steven Chircop

8 – Lady Moonshine – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

9 – Il Malocchio – Patrick Husbands – Martin Drexler

10 – Munnyfor Ro – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

$150,000 PLATE TRIAL STAKES (Race 3)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – H C Holiday – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

2 – Derkii – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Carlos Grant

3 – Truffle King – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

4 – Avoman – Antonio Gallardo – Don MacRae

$150,000 GRADE 3 VIGIL STAKES (Race 7)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Cash Dividend (S) – Kazushi Kimura – Denyse McClachrie

2 – Souper Stonehenge – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

3 – Pink Lloyd – Rafael Hernandez – Robert Tiller

4 – Green Light Go (S) – David Moran – Michael Doyle

5 – Not So Quiet – Luis Contreras – Mark Casse

6 – Embolden – Justin Stein – Michael De Paulo

$175,000 GRADE 2 ROYAL NORTH STAKES (Race 9)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Amalfi Coast – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

2 – Jeanie B (GB) – Antonio Gallardo – Mark Casse

3 – Lady Grace – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse

4 – Change of Control – Patrick Husbands – Michelle Lovell

5 – Fairywren – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Josie Carroll

6 – Sister Peacock – Gary Boulanger – Stuart Simon

7 – Lead Guitar – Rafael Hernandez – George Weaver

8 – Jeannie's Beepbeep – Luis Contreras – Norm McKnight

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Lane Luzzi Finishing Up Rehab For Broken Collarbone, Ready To Resume Riding At Remington

Racing returns to Remington Park as the Thoroughbred season opens Friday, Aug. 20. While all involved are eager to begin, jockey Lane Luzzi is especially anticipating the start of the meeting.

Luzzi, 24, will return to riding in August from a broken collarbone incurred near the end of the season at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. The native New Yorker, who has called the central time zone home for five years, is finishing his rehabilitation and is set to continue one of his best career years.

“I plan on possibly riding at Prairie Meadows (Altoona, Iowa) and then get to Oklahoma City a little over a week before the season to work horses and get ready,” Luzzi said while visiting family in Saratoga, N.Y.

“Luckily, the collarbone didn't require surgery. You never really want to get hurt but the timing of this was ideal. I missed the last week and a half at Lone Star. I would have had to work to fill the time before the start of the Remington Park season, so I'm using this opportunity to rest and get ready.”

When Luzzi broke his collarbone on July 2, he had won 70 races this year, riding primarily at Sam Houston Race Park and Lone Star Park. He had also finished second and third, 62 times each from his 453 mounts. The victory rate had him on pace to surpass his career best of 117 wins for a year, set last year.

Well-known New York based jockey Mike Luzzi, who has accumulated more than 3,500 career wins, is Lane's father. His accomplishments created too many comparisons and possibly some added pressure for the young rider when he started to race. Lane Luzzi has been based at Remington Park since 2017 after making a difficult decision to uproot from the East Coast, the only region of America he had ever known. As a 19-year-old, he moved west to establish his career in the saddle.

“I had a good apprentice year in 2016 and lost my bug (weight allowance) on the East Coast. Then things went slow for me at the Gulfstream Park championship meet, where it is really, really tough. I wanted a new start and to go somewhere that no one knew me to make my own way.

“It was very tough, my first year at Remington Park; I only won six races. It took a good few weeks to get my foot in the door and to get opportunities. Sticking around let people know I was serious about building business and moving forward in this part of the country.”

Paying his dues has begun to pay off for Luzzi. He only won eight races in his second season at Remington Park in 2018. However, things picked up when he won 21 in 2019 and followed up with 39 local victories last year. Luzzi credits hard work and the efforts of his agent who has backed him throughout.

“Brad White is the only agent I've had since moving,” Luzzi said. “He's been patient with me and stuck with me. After a few years, we're doing great.”

Looking forward to Remington Park, Luzzi hasn't set any huge goals but is looking forward to riding a promising 2-year-old.

“Feel the Fear is a colt I won gate to wire with at Lone Star. He's trained by Austin Gustafson and will probably be pointed to some stakes soon, maybe the Clever Trevor. He's a beautiful colt and won easily.”

Feel the Fear broke his maiden at first-asking, going 4-1/2 furlongs, drawing away to win by 4-1/4 lengths in :53.07 on a fast track. He worked for Gustafson on July 25 at Remington Park, breezing a half-mile in :51.91 over a fast surface. Owned by Forge Ahead Stables, Feel the Fear is a Kentucky-bred by Honor Code from the Kitten's Joy mare Fresh Feline. The $100,000 Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park, for 2-year-olds going seven furlongs, is scheduled for Oct. 29.

In addition to the more frequent pace of winning, Luzzi appreciates the lifestyle his occupation has afforded him in Oklahoma and Texas, compared to the hustle and bustle of living in the New York City area. “

Things are a lot slower than home, I really enjoy that so much, and it's quieter. I grew up in the city so there is never any downtime and everything is at a fast pace.”

Luzzi does miss his family, especially his father.

“I grew up watching dad ride, sitting in the jocks' room when I was three, and spending time with him. We talk three times a day discussing the races but we talk about plenty of other things. If he sees something in my rides, he says something.”

Coming into the Remington Park season, Luzzi has amassed 479 career wins with 449 seconds and another 448 thirds, from 3,620 mounts. His mounts have earned $10.4 million.

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