September, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Baker Celebrates Saratoga Successes With Cilla, Gold Panda

Standing outside his barn on Saratoga's Oklahoma training track side Sunday morning, trainer Charlton Baker said how much he enjoys training at the Spa in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., but will have to return to Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., once the 40-day summer meet concludes tomorrow.

Baker's affinity for Saratoga is well founded, as the conditioner was one of just 12 trainers to register at least eight wins during the prestigious meet entering Sunday action, carrying an 8-2-2 record with 26 starters into the day.

On Saturday, Baker was credited with his third career graded stakes win and first since 2016 when P. Dale Ladner's Cilla bested favorite Souper Sensational by a half-length to win the $250,000 Grade 2 Prioress for sophomore fillies sprinting six furlongs. The win was a technicality for Baker, who saddled the Louisiana bred for trainer Brett Brinkman, who did not take out a license in New York but was on hand to witness the victory that earned Cilla an 88 Beyer.

While Brinkman remains Cilla's trainer, Baker is the conditioner of record, officially tallying his first graded stakes score since Joking won the 2016 Grade 1 Vosburgh and Grade 2 True North. A connection with former Baker employee Lisa Whitaker, who now works for Brinkman, helped facilitate what turned out to be a winning move for all involved.

“That was impressive. She's a very nice-looking filly to start with and she looks like she has come class to her, and it was nice to see her come in and get the win for them,” Baker said. “One of my old employees works for him, so Brett called him a couple of weeks ago about it. He wanted to come but wasn't sure what to do, so we talked about it and handled it that way.

“I get credited with it, but that's all it is,” Baker added with a laugh. “But Brett did the work.”

Baker has also enjoyed Saratoga success with his own stock, highlighted by Happy Face Racing Stable's Gold Panda, who improved to 2-for-2 at the meet after registering a 2 1/4-length score in a seven-furlong allowance contest on September 3 over the Saratoga main track.

The 3-year-old Goldencents gelding did not make his debut until July when running third in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint at Belmont. Gold Panda followed with a maiden-breaking 5 1/2-length win on August 19 over a sloppy and sealed Spa track before winning his second consecutive start and garnering an 88 Beyer for his Friday victory over a fast track.

“He's getting better every start. We figured we'd give him a little bit of time before his next race and go from there. He's definitely developing,” said Baker, who said his next start will likely be a two-other-than at Belmont. “Eventually, if he keeps on progressing, I think he's headed to [stakes] company. He has the mind to do it and the ability. He can be a nice horse.”

Gold Panda, a $65,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-Bred Yearling Sale, was bred in the Empire State by T/C Stable. Baker said the patience in not racing him as a juvenile has paid off as Gold Panda continues to progress.

“He just needed to mature. As a 2-year-old, we wasn't ready to go. We gave him some time and let him mature and brought him back this year and he's got better and better,” Baker said. “He ran a good race the first time out and then he came back and won. He learned from the first and I think he's just going to go forward from there.”

The post Baker Celebrates Saratoga Successes With Cilla, Gold Panda appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Pletcher: Wit Ready For Hopeful, Happy Saver To Train Up to BC Classic

Wertheimer and Frere homebred Happy Saver, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, settled for second while trying to defend his title in Saturday's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The 4-year-old Super Saver chestnut, piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., saved ground while tracking a moderate pace from third position. Ortiz, Jr. angled the colt into the four-path for the stretch run but the more forwardly placed Max Player was already on his way to a four-length score when Happy Saver got clear.

“There wasn't a lot of pace and he was sort of bottled up. He was wanting to advance but didn't really get the opportunity until it was too late. The winner was very good and he got the jump on him,” Pletcher said. “I was happy with his performance and he closed well, which is probably a little better suited to a race where there's more pace and everybody spreads out a little more. He got a good trip but it was behind the wrong pace scenario. He came back in good shape.”

Pletcher said Happy Saver will now train up to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar.

Bass Racing's 2-year-old War Front homebred Annapolis rallied from eighth to win a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight by 4 1/2-lengths in Saturday's sixth race at the Spa under Ortiz, Jr.

“I was very pleased with him. He trained well into it and delivered the type of performance we were hoping for,” Pletcher said. “The race was slow to develop and the early fractions weren't really fast, but I liked the way he picked it up around the turn. He finished strongly and galloped out well.”

Pletcher said Annapolis, who earned a 76 Beyer, is likely to point to the $200,000 Grade 2 Pilgrim, a 1 1/16-mile turf test on October 3 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“I'd say the Pilgrim is probably the most likely next target. He seemed to come out of it in good order,” Pletcher said.

The well-bred colt is out of the Pletcher-trained My Miss Sophia, who won the 2014 Grade 2 Gazelle at the Big A en route to a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. My Miss Sophia took to turf in her 4-year-old season, winning an optional-claiming event on the Belmont grass ahead of series of graded attempts that included third-place finishes in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga and Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland.

Pletcher said Annapolis could try dirt later in his development.

“At this stage, he's shown us he's a little better on the turf, but he's a big, strong colt,” Pletcher said. “Obviously the mare was second in the Kentucky Oaks, but sometimes these type of horses, as they mature, they get better on the dirt, but for now we'll stay focused on the turf.”

Repole Stable's Never Surprised set a steady pace in Saturday's Grade 3 Saranac, but settled for second after being collared in the final jumps by Public Sector. The Constitution bay entered the 1 1/16-mile event off a more than seven-month layoff from a runner-up effort in the one-mile Grade 3 Kitten's Joy in January at Gulfstream Park.

“He ran well. He was just a little keen early,” Pletcher said. “I was proud of him for fighting on. When things got tough, he kept fighting to the wire. With the layoff and being a little bit keen, I think it compromised his chances a little bit.

“Even before the layoff, he's been one that's wanted to pull a bit early,” Pletcher added. “If we can talk him out of that, I think it will improve his chances of stretching out.”

Never Surprised made his first two starts in November on the Big A turf, graduating on debut sprinting six furlongs ahead of a score in the 1 1/16-mile Central Park.

Pletcher said he had initially considered the six-furlong Allied Forces on September 17 at Belmont before deciding to keep the colt at two turns. The veteran conditioner said the nine-furlong $400,000 Grade 2 Hill Prince on October 23 at Belmont would be under consideration if Never Surprised trains well.

“He did break his maiden at six and we were debating between the Allied Forces and the Saranac coming back, but we just felt like we'd give him the opportunity to keep him stretched out. We won't rule out the Hill Prince just yet,” Pletcher said.

[Story Continues Below]

Pletcher will saddle a pair of strong contenders in Wit and Power Agenda in Monday's 117th renewal of the $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful, a seven-furlong sprint for juveniles.

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable's Wit, by 2016 Hopeful-winner Practical Joke and out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Numero d'Oro, is perfect through two starts. Wit posted a six-length maiden win sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs at Belmont in June ahead of an eight-length score in the six-furlong Grade 3 Sanford on July 17.

“Wit is doing great. He's been pointing for this since the Sanford and except for having to make some minor adjustments around the rain, everything has gone according to plan. We're looking forward to getting him going again,” Pletcher said.

A $575,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, will exit post 6 under Ortiz, Jr. in a field of 11.

“He's not real quick from the gate but he's got enough tactical speed to put himself in a good position,” Pletcher said. “He's got a really strong turn of foot. It will be up to Irad to work out a trip and time his move.”

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Power Agenda, by Nyquist and out of the Afleet Alex mare Dream Dance, prevailed by a nose in a gutsy gate-to-wire debut win sprinting six furlongs on August 14 at the Spa.

“The two of them complement each other's style. Power Agenda is a speedier sort and I'd imagine he'd be up close,” Pletcher said. “I thought he was courageous in his debut. It looked like he was headed and he fought back. He's done everything right so far.”

Power Agenda, a $120,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale acquisition, will exit post 10 under Manny Franco.

The post Pletcher: Wit Ready For Hopeful, Happy Saver To Train Up to BC Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mott Pleased With War Like Goddess In Flower Bowl, May Start Forza Di Oro In Woodward

George Krikorian's War Like Goddess ran her win streak to four with a 2 1/4-length score in Saturday's $600,000 Grade 1 Flower Bowl, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said he was pleased with the effort in which the 4-year-old English Channel bay stalked from fourth before closing six-wide to secure the win under Julien Leparoux.

“I thought it was a very good effort. When she's going to the front, it's like poetry in motion,” Mott said.

War Like Goddess, a $30,000 purchase at the OBS June 2019 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale, has won 6-of-7 starts. She entered from a trio of graded scores under Leparoux, comprising the 11-furlong Grade 3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream Park, the 12-furlong Grade 3 Bewitch in April at Keeneland Race Course, and the 12-furlong Grade 2 Glens Falls on August 7 over the Spa inner turf.

While most of her previous efforts have come from further off the pace, War Like Goddess was in closer attendance on Saturday. Mott said he didn't provide any specific instructions.

“I wanted her to be wherever the jockey thought she was comfortable,” Mott said. “She ran well. There's only so much you can say about it. She's a winner.”

In victory, War Like Goddess secured a “Win and You're In” berth to the 11-furlong Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar.

Don Alberto Stable's Forza Di Oro, a 4-year-old Speightstown chestnut, set the pace in Saturday's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup before fading to third.

“He ran a good race. No excuse,” Mott said.

The lightly-raced homebred, who won the Grade 3 Discovery in November at Aqueduct, was making just his second start of the year out of a winning nine-furlong effort at Saratoga on July 21.

Mott said the nine-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 Woodward on October 2 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., is a possible target.

“He hasn't had many races, so I wouldn't be opposed to running him,” Mott said.

Forza Di Oro boasts a record of 7-4-1-1 with purse earnings of $309,375.

Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable, and Jerold Zaro's Baby Yoda garnered a 114 Beyer for an impressive 4 1/4-length score Saturday over well-regarded stablemate Olympiad, a $700,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase who bested eventual graded-stakes placed Caddo River and eventual multiple graded stakes winner Greatest Honour at Saratoga last September.

With Jose Ortiz up, Baby Yoda settled in second position as Ducale set splits of :21.54 and :44.08 in the 6 1/2-furlong allowance sprint. Baby Yoda pressed into contention from the three-path in the turn and took command at the quarter pole en route to a swift win in 1:14.33 under a hand ride.

Mott said the effort was an eye-opener.

“I was pretty amazed, really. I was pretty impressed with his effort. I can honestly say, I didn't expect that, but I was pleased to see it,” Mott said. “It was exciting, actually, because I thought there was a pretty good horse in there that he beat that ran second.”

Olympiad garnered a 105 Beyer, besting Ducale by six lengths to complete the exacta.

Bred in Florida by Kathleen Amaya, Alexandro Centofanti, and Raffaele Centofanti, Baby Yoda won on debut for his former trainer, Charles Frock, in a $10,000 maiden-claiming sprint on May 30 at Pimlico.

Baby Yoda was purchased privately following a third-place finish in an optional-claiming sprint in June at Pimlico and transferred to Mott, who saddled the dark bay to a 1 1/4-length starter allowance win against older horses on July 17 traveling six furlongs at the Spa.

Mott said he has not picked out a target yet for Baby Yoda and was not ready to make a statement on whether the 3-year-old Prospective gelding might suit a race like the six-furlong $250,000 Grade 2 Vosburgh on October 9 at Belmont, or attempt to stretch out.

“I'm not guessing that right now. He looks pretty fast. It's a little too soon to think about it,” Mott said.

The Hall of Fame trainer didn't have to guess at the speedster's namesake, a character from the Star Wars Disney+ original television series The Mandalorian.

“I had to google Baby Yoda to figure out who he was,” Mott admitted.

[Story Continues Below]

Mott will saddle LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's High Oak in Monday's $300,000 Grade 1 Hopeful, a seven-furlong sprint for juveniles on Closing Day of the 40-day Spa summer meet.

The Gormley bay graduated on debut in June at Belmont and followed with a 4 1/4-length score in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite on August 14.

While Mott was initially pointing High Oak to the $500,000 Grade 1 Champagne, a one-turn mile on October 2 at Belmont, the veteran conditioner said he was training too well to skip Monday's test.

“He's feeling really good and I just felt that rather than train him, we'd run him,” Mott said.

High Oak blew out three-eighths in :35.44 seconds Friday on the Oklahoma dirt training track. The $70,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase will exit post 8 under Junior Alvarado.

The post Mott Pleased With War Like Goddess In Flower Bowl, May Start Forza Di Oro In Woodward appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Max Player Earns 102 Beyer Speed Figure For Gold Cup Win, Will Train Up To BC Classic

After garnering his first Grade 1 conquest in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., George E. Hall and Sport BLX Thoroughbreds' Max Player will train up to the $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on November 6 at Del Mar, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said.

The victory was a second consecutive graded stakes win at 10 furlongs for Max Player, who earned a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the win. He previously defeated Group 1 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide in the Grade 2 Suburban on July 3 over a sloppy and sealed track at Belmont Park. Ricardo Santana, Jr. piloted the 4-year-old for both races.

Asmussen said Max Player has shown considerable physical improvement from his sophomore season, where he finished third to Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

“Max Player is better than he's ever been and physically he's developed into this. His next race will be the Breeders' Cup Classic,” Asmussen said. “There's more of him. He's a horse that's continued to grow, fill out and mature. There's a lot more of Max Player as a 4-year-old than there was as a 3-year-old. He's bigger and stronger.”

The last time Del Mar hosted the Breeders' Cup in 2017, Asmussen won the Classic with subsequent Horse of the Year Gun Runner. In preparation for this year's Breeders' Cup, Asmussen said he plans on shipping Max Player to California early to prepare for his next engagement.

“We just want to acclimate them to West Coast time,” Asmussen said. “For previous Breeders' Cups in California, we like to get out there and be on Pacific Coast time and I think we've gotten solid runs doing that, so we're planning on doing the same this time. Last time the Breeders' Cup was at Del Mar, we had Gun Runner. He went out and trained at Santa Anita before going to Del Mar.”

Asmussen found the winner's circle in four of the last six editions of the Breeders' Cup hosted in California, winning with Mitole [2019 Sprint at Santa Anita], Gun Runner [2017 Classic at Del Mar], Untapable [2014 Distaff at Santa Anita], and Tapizar [2012 Dirt Mile at Santa Anita].

Co-owner George E. Hall said he was equally delighted to see his horse secure a Grade 1 victory.

“You have to give all the credit to Steve and Ricardo,” Hall said at the Asmussen barn on Sunday morning. “I think having Ricardo on him consistently now; he knows the horse and Steve knows what instructions to give him. He just has to stay with the pace. He can't get so far behind and have too much ground to make up.”

Hall echoed similar sentiments to Asmussen in terms of Max Player's physical development from age three to four.

“You look at his record, he didn't have a lot of wins, but there was no shame in losing to Tiz the Law and Authentic,” Hall said. “Those were great horses. He's still maturing as a 4-year-old and we're pretty excited about his prospects.”

A three-time Grade 1-winner this meet, Asmussen could add to his ledger with Echo Zulu in the Grade 1 Spinaway as well as Gunite in the Grade 1 Hopeful on Closing Day Monday.

A 2-year-old son of Gun Runner, Gunite was a last out second in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on August 14.

“He's run faster in every one of his races and I expect that to continue,” Asmussen said.

The post Max Player Earns 102 Beyer Speed Figure For Gold Cup Win, Will Train Up To BC Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post