August, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Santa Anita Releases Fall Stakes Schedule

Santa Anita's 16-day Autumn Meeting will get off to a flying start on Friday, Oct. 1, as four graded stakes will highlight what figures to be a tremendous card. The Autumn Meet, which will run through Oct. 31, will again provide “Ship & Win” incentives to attract out-of-state connections and will showcase some of the best horses in the world as they complete final preparations for the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar on Nov. 5 and 6.

Three Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, along with the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, will highlight an afternoon of world-class racing on opening day, with first post time at 1 p.m. PT.

The Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah, for 2-year-olds at a mile and one sixteenth, will serve as a prep to the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile; the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes, for 2-year-old fillies pointing to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and the $100,0000 Speakeasy Stakes, for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on turf, will serve as a prep to the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf.

The Eddie D, named for the all-time great retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, is for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs on turf and will provide a launching pad to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6.

“Our intention is to get the Autumn Meet off to a fast start,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “With the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar this year, we want the word to go out, far and wide, that we're offering tremendous opportunities for owners and horsemen to prep here and have their best possible chances for Championship success on Nov. 5 & 6.

“We anticipate great weather with optimal conditions for both training and racing. When you factor in that we're just a 90-minute van ride away from Del Mar, we're hopeful a good many folks will choose to race here this fall. We look forward to welcoming everyone and to providing lucrative gambling opportunities to our fans as well.”

On Saturday, Oct. 2, four pivotal Breeders' Cup prep races will be offered: The Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at a mile and one eighth for horses considering the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6; the Grade 1, $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at a mile and one quarter on turf for fillies and mares three and up that are pointing to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs—a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Additionally, the Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile (turf), a potential showcase for those horses eyeing the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile, will also be run on Oct. 2.

On Sunday, Oct. 3, a total of five stakes will be carded, including one additional “Win & You're In” qualifier–the Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta, which will be contested by fillies and mares three and up at 1 1/16 miles. The Zenyatta will serve as a prep to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff. A pair of $200,000 stakes for juveniles at one mile on turf, the Surfer Girl and the Zuma Beach, will also be offered, as will the Grade 3, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes and the $75,000 Unzip Me.

The popular 'Ship & Win' program will again be available to participating horses who started at Del Mar and to eligible newcomers making their first start at Santa Anita's Autumn Meet.

Santa Anita's complete 2021 Autumn Stakes Schedule is available online at santaanita.com/horsemen. For additional information regarding ticketing, dining reservations or racing opportunities, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Santa Anita Releases Fall Stakes Schedule appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Super Stock Back On Top In Ellis Park Derby

The $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby appeared to be heavily favored Super Stock's race to lose, given that he was the winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. But that was if he ran to his Arkansas Derby form, rather than his pair of fourth-place finishes in the Texas Derby and Iowa Derby in his last two starts.

For trainer Steve Asmussen, the key was riding Super Stock like Ricardo Santana did in the Arkansas Derby: getting into the race as part of the pace. That happened, and Super Stock hounded the early pace before taking command and drawing off to a 3 3/4-length victory over There Goes Harvard.

Asmussen got be North America's all-time winningest trainer by caring about every race. But Super Stock also holds a special attachment to the trainer. His parents, Keith and Marilyn, own the son of Florida Derby winner Dialed In in partnership with Nashville talent mogul Erv Woolsey, a long-time client.

“He ran a very good race, and it's great to see him back in the winner's circle,” Asmussen said by phone following Super Stock's first victory since the Arkansas Derby, after which he finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby. “Obviously he's a very special horse for the whole family. He makes a lot of people happy when he wins.

“The Lone Star race, the racetrack was absolute sea of water, drawn 13, just was never in the right spot,” he said of the Texas Derby. “And I did not like his trip in Iowa at all, and that was the change in tactics.”

Which was: “To ride him like he did in the Arkansas Derby.”

Ellis Park allowance winner Colonel Bowman broke for the early lead, setting legitimate fractions into the stretch. Super Stock stalked in second place throughout before taking over the lead and pulling away for the clear win over runner-up There Goes Harvard. The final time over the mile and a sixteenth was 1:48.89.

“He broke good, and I was happy when he was in the place I wanted him to be,” said Santana, in from Saratoga to ride Sunday at Ellis Park for Asmussen. “When I was sitting second to that other horse, I knew he would be running hard at the end.”

Jockey Joe Talamo was pleased with runner-up There Goes Harvard's effort.

“We had a really good trip,” he said. “I really thought I had the winner turning for home. Hats off to them (Super Stock and Ricardo Santana). They kept running. But my horse ran a really good race.”

It was another two lengths back to Indiana Derby runner-up Sermononthemount and jockey James Graham. Colonel Bowman tired to fourth in the field of six 3-year-olds.

“He ran good, I thought,” said Graham. “They were just quicker than him early. I was trying to be aggressive. I just wasn't quick enough to hold my spot. He tried to run them down. They went fast the first quarter, backed it up and then went again. I just couldn't get back on terms.”

Super Stock went off as the even-money favorite and paid $4 to win. The colt now has three wins in 12 starts, with two seconds and two thirds, while increasing his career earnings to $957,677.

“He's trying, he's trying,” Asmussen said of Super Stock nearing millionaire status.

The post Super Stock Back On Top In Ellis Park Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Charles Town To Offer Multiple Guaranteed Pools, Mandatory Pick 6 Payout On Classic Night

In addition to 13 races worth in excess of $2 million in purses, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races will also be offering a series of quality wagering opportunities for horseplayers on its Charles Town Classic card coming up on Friday, Aug. 27.

Both the late, all-stakes Pick 4 and Pick 5 on the Charles Town Classic card will come with $100,000 guarantees, where the track will supplement the difference in either pool if less than $100,000 is wagered. The Pick 4, which covers the final four races on the Classic card, and the Pick 5 covering the final five paid out $380.00 and $1,466.15 respectively for a 50-cent bet on the 2020 Classic card, despite 50-cent win parlays for each sequence returning less than half those amounts.

In addition to the multiple guaranteed pools, Charles Town has also scheduled a mandatory payout of the Charles Town 6-12 carryover which currently stands at $21,243 with 4 cards remaining prior to its distribution. The Charles Town 6-12 is a jackpot style Pick 6 covering the final six races on each Charles Town card and carries a low 12-percent takeout.

Due to the low takeout and size of the carryover, the mandatory payouts of the Charles Town 6-12 have typically resulted in a players' advantage of in upwards of 13% paid out on top of the gross pool on the night of the distribution.

The first race on Charles Town Classic day is slated for 5:00 P.M EST, with the $800,000 Charles Town Classic carrying a tentative post time of 10:18 P.M.

CHARLES TOWN CLASSIC NIGHT GUARANTEED POOLS & MANDATORY PAYOUT
	Post Time	Race*	DD	Pick 3	Pick 4**	Pick 5***	Pick 6****
Race 8	8:07	$150,000 Russell Road S.	(8-9)	(8-9-10)			(8-9-10-11-12-13)
Race 9	8:39	$150,000 Robert Hilton Memorial	(9-10)	(9-10-11)		(9-10-11-12-13)
Race 10	9:12	$150,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon S.	(10-11)	(10-11-12)	(10-11-12-13)
Race 11	9:45	$400,000 Charles Town Oaks (G3)	(11-12)	(11-12-13)
Race 12	10:18	$800,000 Charles Town Classic (G2)	(12-13)
Race 13	10:48

* Race order subject to change
** $100,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Starting in Race 10
*** $100,000 Guaranteed Pick 5 Starting in Race 9
**** Pick 6 has mandatory payout of existing carryover

The post Charles Town To Offer Multiple Guaranteed Pools, Mandatory Pick 6 Payout On Classic Night appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Lesson Horses Presented By John Deere Equine Discount Program: Steve Asmussen On Marsaquilla

You never forget the name of your first lesson horse – that horse who taught you what you need to know to work with every one that follows.

In this series, participants throughout the Thoroughbred industry share the names and stories of the horses that have taught them the most about life, revealing the limitless ways that horses can impact the people around them. Some came early on in their careers and helped them set a course for the rest of their lives, while others brought valuable lessons to veterans of the business.

Question: Which horse has taught you the most about life?

Steve Asmussen: “Coming from a racing family, we talk about horses all the time. The first racehorse that I was allowed to ride, my father put me on at the farm, was a mare called Marsaquilla. I always remember that, especially with my kids starting to get on horses, you think back to when you were at that stage.

“She was just an older mare that had extremely limited success, but she was my first racehorse that I galloped, and I'll always remember how significant that is to me.

“She was a perfect introduction into it. I obviously grew up riding ponies, and then horses, and showed stock horses, but the first racehorse I ever rode was Marsaquilla, and she took good care of me.

“I was probably 10 or 12. Growing up, things were a lot different then, but she would have taken care of an infant. I've been babysat extremely well by animals.”

About Marsaquilla
(1975, m., Marcher x All the Flowers, by Colonel Mack)

Marsaquilla spent four seasons racing in the Southwest and Nebraska, competing against both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.

She won on debut as a juvenile at Sunland Park, and her only start where she finished worse than second in eight starts that season was a stakes race at Ak-Sar-Ben.

After making just two starts as a 3-year-old, Marsaquilla returned at four to have her busiest season, racing 16 times and beginning to jump between Thoroughbred-only and mixed competition. In fact, she did her best work running against Quarter Horses that season, posting a pair of wins at 870 yards at Ruidoso Downs. She retired the following year with five wins in 28 starts for earnings of $19,726.

Marsaquilla entered broodmare duty in 1981, and all seven of her foals to race became winners. Among the highlights were stakes winners Draquilla and Sweetfella.

The post Lesson Horses Presented By John Deere Equine Discount Program: Steve Asmussen On Marsaquilla appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post