July, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Field Of Five Sophomores Go Forward For Sunday’s Los Alamitos Derby

Runner-up behind the talented California bred The Chosen Vron in the Affirmed June 13, Defunded will try for his first stakes success in the $150,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Derby Sunday.

Restricted to 3-year-olds and scheduled for 1 1/8 miles, the Grade 3 will go as the fourth of nine races. Post time Sunday is 1 p.m. Scheduled post time for the main event is 2:28 p.m.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman and trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Defunded has a win in five starts and earnings of $140,700. He had the lead in the stretch in the Grade 3 Affirmed, but was unable to withstand the closing surge of The Chosen Vron while finishing 11 lengths of the rest of the field.

A gelded son of Dialed In and the Touch Gold mare Wind Caper, Defunded will be trying to give Baffert his fifth consecutive victory in the Los Alamitos Derby and his sixth in the last seven years. His half-dozen wins in the race since 2014 include Gimme Da Lute (2015), West Coast (2017), Once On Whiskey (2018), Game Winner (2019) and Uncle Chuck (2020).

Baffert also entered Classier, a distant third as the 7-5 favorite in the Affirmed.

Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson, the Empire Maker colt out of the Bernardini mare Class Will Tell has one win in three starts and has earned $65,000.

Trained by Bob Hess, Jr. for Doug Gans, Gary Jacobs, Larry Katz and Kevin Riggs, It's My House returns to California after being eased over a sloppy surface in the $300,000 Texas Derby May 31 at Lone Star Park.

A son of Anthony's Cross and the Grand Reward mare Gerry's Reward, It's My House has won twice in six starts and banked $60,760. A second-out maiden winner Jan. 31 at Golden Gate Fields when trained by Jamey Thomas, the Florida bred cashed as the favorite in the Turf Paradise Derby March 12 for his other win in his initial race for Hess.

Owned by the Clarke M. Cooper Family Trust, Mia Familia Racing Stable and Wade Jacobsen and trained by John Sadler, who won the 2016 Los Alamitos Derby with Accelerate, Back Ring Luck will be seeking his first on the board finish in California.

The Malibu Moon gelding out of the Rahy mare Patti O'Rahy was eased in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby April 3, then was fourth and fifth in a pair of optional claimers May 15 and June 5 with the latter effort coming on turf.

Back Ring Luck won twice in five starts before shipping to this coast. He defeated $30,000 maidens at Churchill Downs last Nov. 13 when trained by W. Bret Calhoun, then won an optional claimer for trainer Al Cates March 5 at Oaklawn Park after being claimed out of his initial win.

A close fourth in the Snow Chief Stakes on turf June 19, Ingest will switch to the main track for owners Grant Alvernaz and Steve Ribeiro and trainer Doug O'Neill.

A son of Square Eddie and the Rock Hard Ten mare Octogarian, the gelding is 1-for-9 with a bankroll of $58,180. His lone win came at eight furlongs on turf last Sept. 26. He's yet to hit the board in three attempts on dirt.

From inside out, the field for the Los Alamitos Derby: Classier, Mike Smith rides, 122 pounds; It's My House, Edwin Maldonado, 122; Defunded, Abel Cedillo, 122; Back Ring Luck, Tyler Baze, 122 and Ingest, Juan Hernandez, 122.

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Italian Derby Runner-Up To O’Meara

After one start for local trainer Raffaele Biondi that resulted in a runner-up effort in the May 23 G2 Derby Italiano, Juan De Montalban (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is headed back to Britain and to the yard of trainer David O'Meara after O'Meara and his assistant Jason Kelly went a sale-topping €400,000 for the 3-year-old at Arqana's Summer Sale on Thursday. Juan De Montalban (lot 488) had been bought by trainer Andrew Balding for 85,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, and sold privately to Italy after posting back-to-back wins for Mick and Janice Mariscotti.

“We've bought him for Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah, who is a longstanding client,” said O'Meara. “He's a lovely looking horse. I think he still has a lot of room to improve and hasn't yet shown us everything he is capable of.”

Juan De Montalban was offered by The Channel Consignment

Following on from a selective market on Wednesday, day two of the sale saw the clearance rate jump up to 85.8%, with 242 sold on the day for €5,054,500. The final tally for the mixed sale was 411 sold for €8,572,000 at a clearance rate of 80%. The average was €20,859 and the median €10,000.

The second session of the Summer Sale included breeding stock and horses in training, but was dominated by the horses in training and The Channel Consignment likewise sold the winning 3-year-old Parmenion (GB) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (lot 490) to Pierre Boulard, Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins for €230,000. Parmenion is a full-brother to the G3 Prix de Royaumont victress Pelligrina (GB), and their second dam is the recently deceased G1 Prix Vermeille scorer and influential broodmare Pearly Shells.

“He'll join Willie Mullins,” said Boulard. “We're very happy. There's nothing not to like about him, he's a lovely horse that won his debut really well.”

Another headed to Ireland is the Wertheimer et Frere-bred 3-year-old Zileo (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who won over 2650 metres at Chateaubriant on Apr. 26 and was fourth in the recent Listed Derby du Languedoc. He is headed to Irish trainer Michael Halford after being bought by BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe for €150,000.

“He'll go to Ireland to be trained by Michael Halford,” Donohoe said. “He'll be gelded and we'll give him a bit of time. His new owner wishes to run in Dubai, so that'll be his objective next year.”

Saiga (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 356B) likewise heads to Ireland after her sale, but she has a different objective, purchased as she was as a broodmare in foal to Le Havre (Ire) by Horse France on behalf of Castlehyde Farm for €190,000. The 4-year-old carries her first foal and boasted plenty of appeal as a winning and stakes-placed daughter of the G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Vorda (Fr) (Orpen).

“We've bought her to develop the broodmare band at Castlehyde,” said Horse France's Robert Nataf. “She corresponds exactly to what we are looking for-a very good pedigree and she is in foal to Le Havre.”

Another mare in foal to Le Havre to find favour on Thursday was Nette Rousse (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) (lot 338), a winning half-sister to Hong Kong Group 1 winner Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal) who was bought by Badgers Bloodstock for €110,000. The 5-year-old will foal out in England and be covered by a leading European sire next year before being exported to Australia.

The Aga Khan's Caliyoun (Fr) (Maxios {GB}) (lot 474) had played his part to boost his profile since the catalogue was published, breaking his maiden in his second start at Lyon on June 9, and he duly caught the attention of agent Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, who went to €200,000 for the 3-year-old entire. Caliyoun is out of a half-sister to G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner and sire Clodovil (Ire) and the G3 Gordon Richards S. scorer Columbian (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), and they are out of the G2 Prix de l'Opera victress Clodora (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}).

The post Italian Derby Runner-Up To O’Meara appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Best Bets: Belmont Plays, Arlington and Woodbine Longshots

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

Fulsome Headlines Indiana Derby As O Besos Connections Skip Race

Indiana's richest horse race will headline a day with purses in excess of $1 million Wednesday, July 7. The featured 27th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby will be the final event on the 12-race program that begins at 2:25 p.m.

Heading the list of seven entrants for the Indiana Derby is Fulsome from the Brad Cox Stable. The three-year-old Into Mischief colt owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms of Kentucky comes into Indiana on a three-race win streak. He scored an allowance win at Keeneland in early April followed by a win in Arkansas in the $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes. His latest trip to the winner's circle was in the Grade 3 $150,000 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs in late May. Fulsome has drawn post one and will be guided by Florent Geroux, who won the 2020 Indiana Derby aboard Shared Sense for Trainer Cox.

Joining Fulsome as a likely favorite is Mr. Wireless from the Bret Calhoun Stable. The Dialed In gelding finished second in his last start, the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star and is two for four this season. Mr. Wireless has drawn post seven and will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez. Trainer Calhoun was the winner of the 2019 Indiana Derby with Mr Money.

Missing from the entries is O Besos from the Greg Foley barn. O Besos had been pointing to the Indiana Derby at Churchill Downs, but a last-minute decision was made to skip the race.

“We're just passing the race,” Foley said through correspondence with Jennie Rees, Eclipse Award winning turf writer. “We checked him out, didn't really find anything. (But) I wasn't going to run him if he wasn't 100 percent. No sense entering him when I'm not going to run him. I don't think it's anything bad. Maybe the work the other day jammed something up a little. He wasn't lame or off or anything. The exercise rider didn't like the way he went, and I didn't either. You don't want to put him in a race like that when I didn't like the way he went a few days before it.”

The entire field for the Indiana Derby, in post position order with jockey, includes Fulsome (Florent Geroux), WW Crazy (Victor Santiago); Starrininmydreams (Luis Saez); Convention (Francisco Arrieta); Sermononthemount (James Graham); Full Charge (Adam Beschizza); and Mr. Wireless (Ramon Vazquez). Estimated post time for the Indiana Derby is 8:25 p.m.

Also featured on the 12-race card is the 26th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks, slated as the 11th race on the card. A total of 11 sophomore fillies have been entered into the race with the early nod going to the inside filly Will's Secret. Ridden by Jon Court, the Will Take Charge three-year-old finished third in her last start in the Grade 1 $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She is owned by breeder Willis Horton Racing and trained by Dallas Stewart and will start from post one.

Sitting directly to the right of her in the starting gate will be California invader Soothsay from the Richard Mandella barn. The Distorted Humor filly is two for three this year after going unraced at two. Her last start was a second-place finish in the Grade 2 $200,000 Sumer Oaks Stakes at Santa Anita. Flavien Prat guides Soothsay from post two.

The entire field for the Indiana Oaks, in post position order with jockey, includes Will's Secret (Jon Court); Soothsay (Flavien Pratt); Oliviaofthedesert (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Malloy (Adam Beschizza); Lovely Ride (Gabriel Saez); Sweet Pearl (Luis Saez); Li'l Tootsie (James Graham); Marion Francis (Florent Geroux); Lady Aces (Umberto Rispoli); Moon Swag (DeShawn Parker); and Forever Boss (Robby Albarado). Estimated post time for the Oaks is 7:43 p.m.

Indiana Derby Day will feature numerous activities to complement the racing program, including five $1,000 Megabet Win Wagers on the Indiana Derby, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance. The twilight card will also feature a $500 Indiana Derby Hat Contest, Cigar Rolling Station, $1,000 Derby Warriors Handicapping Contest, Strolling Entertainment, and a community food booth featuring sno cones and cotton candy with all proceeds going to the Shelbyville High School Girls Basketball program. Free parking and free general admission will be offered for all racing fans with ample seating available on a first come, first serve basis.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is currently in progress through Monday, November 8. Racing is conducted Monday through Thursday with a first post of 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Thursday racing begins at 3:25 p.m. Six select Saturdays are offered for all-Quarter Horse racing beginning at 10 a.m. Indiana Champions Day, featuring the top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses in the state, is set for Saturday, Oct. 30 with a start time of 12 p.m. For more information on events and racing, go to www.indianagrand.com.

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