October, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Golden Pal Regains Winning Ways In Woodford Stakes Over Keeneland Turf

Prominent from the start, the Uncle Mo 3-year-old colt Golden Pal, proved too quick for his six rivals in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Woodford Stakes presented by TVG at Keeneland racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

Ridden by John Velazquez, the Wesley Ward runner went right to the front, fought off a challenge from Firecrow on the turn for home, then pulled away down the stretch under steady encouragement to win by 2 1/4 lengths. He covered 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:03.12 after fractions of :21.51, :44.53 and :56.67

“He was very game,” said Velazquez. “Before the race – I never rode him so I asked Julio (Garcia, an exercise rider and jockey for trainer Wesley Ward). He said, 'Just put your hands down and he'll run for you; even if he gets passed he'll run for you.' I left him alone and when the other horse (Firecrow) came to him and put the head in front, I was like, 'Hey, we got to come back and run.' I got after him, and he gradually got away from the other horse. It took me two or three jumps to engage him back into the race, and after that he was pretty good.”

Extravagant Kid, an 8-year-old turf veteran from the barn of Brendan Walsh, closed to be second, with County Final another half length back in third, Johnny Unleashed fourth, Inhalation fifth, Firecrow sixth and Charcoal seventh.

“We are delighted,” said Walsh. “We can never be disappointed with this horse. He ran great again. The winner is a very, very good horse. Extravagant Kid is a model of consistency.”

Owned by Mr. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, Golden Pal was winning for the fourth time in seven career starts. He paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite. He was bred in Florida by Randall E. Lowe.

Golden Pal was coming off his worst performance, a seventh-place finish in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York racecourse in England on Aug. 20. One of his other defeats came when narrowly beaten in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2020. Out of the crack sprinter Lady Shipman, by Midshipman (she finished second against males in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in 2015), Golden Pal ran off three consecutive victories following the Norfolk, including a victory at Keeneland in the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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Future Stars on Show on Sunday

While Sunday's action is a notch or two below that of Saturday, there are two fascinating contests in Germany and Ireland to savour in the G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten and the Listed Staffordstown Stud S.

In the former at Cologne, Gestut Ittlingen's Antero (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) looks as exciting as any of the line-up following his seven-length maiden win at Dortmund Sept. 19. Gestut Rottgen's Ariolo (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}) was second to the filly Mylady (Ger) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire} in the Listed Junioren-Preis at Dusseldorf Sept. 12, with the re-opposing Millionaire (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and Sea Bay (Ger) (New Bay {GB}) behind in third and fourth.

The Curragh's Staffordstown Stud S. over a mile sees Newtown Anner Stud Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Angels Wrath (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) bid to build on the impression of her emphatic debut win over seven furlongs on Dundalk's Polytrack Sept. 24. She will have to be every bit as smart as she looked there on her turf debut against the likes of Martin Schwartz's Sept. 11 Listed Ingabelle S. second Limiti Di Greccio (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) and Lindsay Laroche's Sept. 12 G1 Moyglare Stud S. third and Aug. 21 G2 Debutante S. and Sept. 26 G3 Weld Park S. runner-up Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}).

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Golden Pal Bounces Back in Woodford

Looking to rebound off a disappointing and well-backed seventh in the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. at York Aug. 20, Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) was made to work for it up front, but he found an extra gear in the final furlong and came away to a relatively easy victory in Saturday's GII Woodford S. at Keeneland.

The 1-2 chalk bounced well from his low gate, but was closely followed by Firecrow (Maclean's Music), who forced the pace through an opening quarter in :21.51. The latter looked poised to strike and was in with every conceivable chance in upper stretch, as too was globetrotting G1 Al Quoz Sprint hero Extravagant Kid (Kiss the Kid), but Golden Pal responded to John Velazquez's right-handed urgings and had something left, drawing away to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Extravagant Kid held for second ahead of County Final (Oxbow) in third.

“He was very game,” Velazquez said. “Before the race–I never rode him so I asked Julio [Garcia, an exercise rider and jockey for trainer Wesley Ward]. He said, 'Just put your hands down and he'll run for you; even if he gets passed he'll run for you.' I left him alone and when [Firecrow] came to him and put the head in front, I was like, 'Hey, we got to come back and run.' I got after him, and he gradually got away from the other horse. It took me two or three jumps to engage him back into the race, and after that he was pretty good.”

A painful second in last term's G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot, the bay earned his diploma in style in Saratoga's Skidmore S., then flaunted his speed with a front-running, tour-de-force victory from post 13 in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint over this same Keeneland turf course Nov. 6. He kicked off his sophmore campaign, sporting the Coolmore silks for the first time, with an easy win in Saratoga's Quick Call S. prior to his aforementioned trip across the pond.

Pedigree Notes:

Golden Pal is one of 40 graded winners for his top sire, but is the only one out of a Midshipman mare-two are out of mares by Midshipman's sire Unbridled's Song. He is the lone graded winner from a small number of mares so far for Midshipman.

'TDN Rising Star' Lady Shipman, perhaps among the most talented runners in recent memory to have never won a Grade I-she missed by a neck in the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint-was also bred by Randy Lowe and he still owns her. She produced an Omaha Beach colt Mar. 24 and is back in foal to Uncle Mo. A Violence half-brother to Lady Shipman RNA'd for $170,000 at Fasig-Tipton July.

For more on Lowe and Golden Pal, click here for a Second Chances column.

Saturday, Keeneland
WOODFORD S. PRESENTED BY TVG-GII, $200,000, Keeneland, 10-9, 3yo/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.12, gd.
1–GOLDEN PAL, 118, c, 3, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Lady Shipman (GSW-Can, MSW & GISP-US, $902,387), by Midshipman
2nd Dam: Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim
3rd Dam: Nannetta, by Falstaff
($325,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael B Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Randall E Lowe (FL); T-Wesley A Ward; J-John R Velazquez. $120,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 7-4-2-0, $779,056. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Extravagant Kid, 124, g, 8, Kiss the Kid–Pretty Extravagant, by With Distinction. O-DARRS Inc; B-Vicino Racing Stable (FL); T-Brendan P Walsh. $40,000.
3–County Final, 118, g, 3, Oxbow–Tapajo, by Tapit. ($9,500 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $475,000 2yo '20 FTKHRA). O-West Point Thoroughbreds, William Sandbrook & Anna Marie Shannon; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen. $20,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, HF, HD. Odds: 0.50, 3.30, 12.10.
Also Ran: Johnny Unleashed, Inhalation (GB), Firecrow, Charcoal.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Hot Rod Charlie Works In Preparation For BC Classic Nov. 6

Hot Rod Charlie, who captured the Pennsylvania Derby at Parx in Bensalem, Pa., on Sept. 29 for his first Grade I victory, worked four furlongs at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., this morning at 7:45 as he prepares for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., on Nov. 6.

With Mike Smith filling in for regular rider Flavien Prat, the son of Oxbow breezed wearing “a little set of French blinkers,” Doug O'Neill said.

“He went a half-mile in 48 and change and galloped out in 1:01 and three (fifths),” the trainer added. “He looked good. It was his first piece of exercise since the Pennsylvania Derby win.

“If all goes well and he stays injury-free, he'll have three more works between now and Nov. 6.

“More than likely, he'll wear a set of French blinkers in the Classic, but we haven't made that official yet.”

French blinkers are used to reduce a small portion of a horse's usual field of vision.

With committed front-runners Knicks Go, Medina Spirit, and Art Collector ticketed for the Classic, it could set up well for Hot Rod Charlie, who has been in close attendance to the pace in each of his 11 races.

“We've got options,” O'Neill said. “He's shown he can win on the front or from sitting behind, so I like where we're at. He's definitely a versatile colt.

“We'll probably have two more works at Santa Anita and head to Del Mar on the 25th where he'll have his last work.”

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