December, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mo Donegal Wins Narrow Victory Over Zandon In Remsen

With 2022 Kentucky Derby points on the line, Mo Donegal and Zandon battled down the stretch in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes, with Mo Donegal getting a nose victory over the Chad Brown trainee in a close photo finish at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

A winner at 1 1/16 miles last out, Mo Donegal sat toward mid-pack in the field of eight throughout the first part of the 1 1/8-mile Remsen, with Zandon sitting third behind leader Fromanothamutha, who set early fractions of :25.18 and :51.47 around the first turn and down the backstretch. On the far turn, Midnight Chrome and Mr Jefferson moved past Fromanothamutha, taking over 1-2 briefly as Zandon split them and took the lead into the stretch.

In traffic on the far turn, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. took Mo Donegal to the outside, going five-wide into the stretch. As the field straightened out for home, Zandon was second behind Fromanothamutha, who tired as Mo Donegal, running down the center of the track, took the lead. Zandon hooked up with Mo Donegal midstretch, with Mo Donegal holding a short lead as they came together. Zandon was not done, battling back and trying to pull even with Mo Donegal as they approached the wire. At the finish, Mo Donegal was a nose in front. The close contact between the two down the stretch and a bump as they ran together in the last sixteenth led John Velazquez to claim foul again Ortiz. The inquiry went to the stewards, who upheld the results.

The final time was 1:53.61. Find this race's chart here.

Mo Donegal paid $4.90, $2.70, and $2.30. Zandon paid $3.00 and $2.70. Midnight Chrome paid $7.10.

“We were watching the inquiry upstairs and they put it into four screens so it was hard to see, obviously they came close together right at the finish. I'd have to watch it again. I couldn't see from up there if they touched or not, but Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] did say it was right at the wire,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the Remsen. “I thought he ran great. He was getting a good, ground-saving trip and put himself in a good spot. He kind of had to angle out a little bit and lost some ground there but it looked like when he got there he is still trying to figure out how to polish it off. The other horse battled back.”

“We were down the lane fighting in a big race. He [Velazquez] was riding his horse and I was riding mine. It was a good race and we got together a little before the wire, but it was a beautiful race. He [Mo Donegal] tried his hardest and I did my best. We got lucky with the head bob and got there,” jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. told the NYRA Press Office after the race. “I was looking for some room [at the turn for home] and there were four horses in front of me. So, I had to wait a few jumps and go around. It probably cost me a length and a half. He idled a little bit. He's a young horse and I tried to meet the other horse and keep going. As soon as he got to the other horse, he fought back. He was ready.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Mo Donegal is by Uncle Mo out of the Pulpit mare Callingmissbrown. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 2-year-old colt is owned by Donegal Racing who purchase the colt from Ashview Farm for $250,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his victory in the G2 Remsen, Mo Donegal has two wins in three starts for career earnings of $197,800. He also earns 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Zandon earns four points, Midnight Chrome two points, and Mr Jefferson one point.

The post Mo Donegal Wins Narrow Victory Over Zandon In Remsen appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Curlin’s Nest Completes Double for Hot Connections in Demoiselle

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) completed a juvenile Grade II double for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. as she out-kicked two-for-two New York-bred Venti Valentine (Firing Line) in Saturday afternoon's GII Demoiselle S. at the Big A. It was a record seventh Demoiselle victory for Pletcher, who one race earlier sent out Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) to a similarly hard-fought score in the GII Remsen S. The Lyster family's Ashview Farm and Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stables bred both the Remsen and Demoiselle winners.

A five-length debut graduate going 8 1/2 panels at Belmont Sept. 25, Nest was a close third in the Nov. 5 Tempted, finishing a neck behind re-opposing Magic Circle (Kantharos). Nest was hung wide in midpack Saturday as Magic Circle raced clear through splits of :25.05 and :50.72. She mounted a four-wide bid approaching the quarter pole, with Venti Valenti glued to her left flank and the pacesetter struggling her leads but still up by daylight. Nest lengthened her stride and had a bit more to give late, reporting home a half-length clear of Venti Valentine in 1:55.07 (compared to 1:53.61 for the Remsen). An objection lodged by Venti Valentine's rider John Velazquez against the winner was disallowed.

“She ran a good race today, we were looking forward to the distance and she got the job done today,” said Ortiz, who rode four winners on the afternoon and survived at least two potential disqualifications after a high-profile DQ on Friday. “I knew [Magic Circle] was inside and came out. I was just surprised that they claimed foul on me, honestly. I grabbed a hold of my filly, corrected her, went to the left hand and went straight. I didn't do anything to the other horse, so I don't know why they claimed foul, but it is what it is.”

Pletcher took last year's Demoiselle with eventual GI Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine and likely champion 3-year-old Malathaat (Curlin), and won back-to-back renewals with Repole in 2012 and 2013 (Unlimited Budget and Stopchargingmaria) amidst a three-year streak. He'd go on to saddle the GI Cigar Mile H. exacta one race later on Saturday.

“There have been some tight finishes and a little drama to go along with it, but I'm thankful to be on the right side of it all,” said the Hall of Famer. “[Nest] was never able to take over and save much ground, but she got the job done. I'm obviously very happy to be on the winning end.”

As for what could be on the agenda next for Nest, who picked up 10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points Saturday, Pletcher said, “We'll take her to Palm Beach Downs and map out a game plan with Mike [Repole] and the rest of the owners, but she'll get a freshening after this win.”

Saturday, Aqueduct
DEMOISELLE S.-GII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 12-4, 2yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:55.07, ft.
1–NEST, 118, f, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($350,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners & Michael House; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck
Stables (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz Jr. $137,500.
Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $205,000. *Full to Idol, GISW,
$416,964; and half to Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile), MSP. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Venti Valentine, 120, f, 2, Firing Line–Glory Gold, by
Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-NY Final Furlong
Racing Stable & Parkland Thoroughbreds; B-Final Furlong
Racing Stable & Maspeth Stable (NY); T-Jorge R Abreu.
$50,000.
3–Magic Circle, 118, f, 2, Kantharos–Magic Humor, by Distorted
Humor. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN;
$110,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-J W Singer LLC; B-Manitou Farm
LLC (KY); T-Rudy R Rodriguez. $30,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 1.75, 6.20, 5.40.
Also Ran: Nostalgic, Tap the Faith, Full Count Felicia, Miss Interpret, Golden Essence. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Nest becomes the 87th stakes winner (46th graded) for Hill 'n' Dale super sire Curlin. She is bred on the same cross as the aforementioned Malathaat, along with fellow two-turn GISWs Global Campaign and her full-brother Idol and this year's pricey GSW and 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain. Legendary A.P. Indy is up to 245 stakes winners (115 graded) as a broodmare sire. A.P. Indy's son Bernardini is the damsire of two of Curlin's 16 Grade I winners himself and he was out of a Quiet American mare, as is Nest's dam.

Repole co-campaigned Curlin's highest earner to date, in Pletcher-trained Eclipse champion Vino Rosso; and Eclipse and Pletcher teamed up on the career of MGISW filly Curalina (Curlin).

Nest's dam Marion Ravenwood was herself a stakes winner at the Big A and sold for $400,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale while in foal to Pioneerof the Nile. Idol, this year's GI Santa Anita H. winner, sold the following September as a yearling for $375,000 at Keeneland. The first foal bred by Ashview and Colts Neck became fellow useful two-turner Dr Jack, and agent Steve Young purchased Marion Ravenwood's current yearling colt by Violence for $275,000 this September. Marion Ravenwood, whose dam was GSW/MGISP, was bred to Curlin and Quality Road for 2022.

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Mo Donegal Begins His Derby Trail With Remsen Win

Just over one minute and 53 seconds worth of drama occurred during the $250,000 Grade 2 Remsen Stakes Dec. 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack and it continued in the minutes following it, but in the end, Mo Donegal was declared victorious following a stewards' inquiry and rider's claim of foul.

Letter to the Editor: John Sikura

The case of Bob Baffert has been, sad but fascinating to watch. It has served to be the perfect foil for agenda-driven companies and organizations to attach a face to 'the cause.' Due process and the right to defend oneself with veracity is the foundational tenet of this country. It protects citizens from overreaching by entities such as Churchill, NYRA and others banning Baffert from running at their tracks until adjudication is reached–not dictated. The actions of Churchill Downs clearly prioritize what we already know, which is that the value proposition of the Kentucky Derby is their one commitment to racing. The serial monetizing of racetracks, and devotion to casino and historical racing revenue leave them without a credible position except as very good drivers of CDI stock value. The leading face of racing is excluded from racing at Churchill and cannot earn Derby points while the premise argument (veterinary-prescribed topical skin cream) has proven to be validated. Will the NYRA now reverse itself or cling to its ban? Admonished by a judge for sidestepping due process and a new hearing scheduled to decide the right of Baffert to race at their tracks, this new evidence is assuredly exculpatory for Baffert. What about The Jockey Club? They have taken a lead position on HISA and have committed to exposing cheats while fairly dealing with violations. They joined the NYRA suit in their brief and therefore should publicly state a position. This is a good test for them as well.

I wish to make my position clear that I am against all forms of cheating or illegal drug use. Those convicted of such should face the harshest of penalties. I also believe that jealousy and innuendo without proof are unfair and tarnish the reputation of our game and can cost people their careers. Ignoring thresholds of therapeutic drugs, inconsistent withdrawal times, human error or environmental contamination is not realistic testing. The intent should be to eliminate all illegal drugs from our game and deal with 'positives' in a manner which attaches penalties uniformly and fairly. I hope and trust that HISA will accomplish all of this and more.

In the interim, the Baffert barn is responsible for following the rules and protocols of racing in each jurisdiction he races and that is not debated by me. I do contest the piling on in advance of final proof and draconian punishment of banishment as commensurate penalty for the 'violations.' None have included illegal drugs and none have tested at a threshold to enhance performance.

I close by admitting that it was probably best if this letter was not written and I said nothing publicly. Bob Baffert has been a friend and an important part of my life and business so you can question my objectivity. I would counter by saying that those who know me know I speak candidly and without adherence to public opinion or consensus. I don't absolve him of being responsible for his barn, I only write the letter as his detractors have been vocal, organized and many. I for one wish to tilt the scales and offer my support.

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