December, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mo Donegal Tops Remsen Field

Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) will go postward as the likely favorite Saturday in Aqueduct's GII Remsen S. Third on debut sprinting at Belmont Sept. 30, the $250,000 KEESEP acquisition earned his diploma when extended to a route of ground at Big Sandy Oct. 21, earning an 82 Beyer Speed Figure.

“We feel like the mile and an eighth will suit him well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He had a good work at Belmont last week. It seems like the further he goes, the better he gets.”

Chad Brown saddles a live chance in Jeff Drown's Zandon (Upstart). The dark bay rallied to victory in a six-panel event in Elmont Oct. 9.

“He ran one time going six furlongs and he won, but I've always thought of him as a pure route horse,” Brown said. “The fact that he was able to go three-quarters, I was quite impressed. I thought he would've been a late-running horse that would have needed a start, but he won. I was quite impressed by that because I don't think that's what he wants to do at all.”

Courtlandt Farms' Judge Davis (Distorted Humor) already has black-type experience, finishing third in the Nov. 7 GIII Nashua S. at Belmont. A well-beaten fourth in his career bow sprinting at Saratoga Aug. 21, the bay earned his diploma next out going two turns in the mud at Belmont Sept. 24. He adds blinkers for this event.

Who Hoo Thats Me (Keen Ice) boasts the field's highest Beyer Speed Figure, an 84, which he earned when third last time in the state-bred Sleepy Hollow S. going a mile Oct. 30. Runner-up in his Saratoga unveiling Aug. 12, the bay was fifth in the Empire-bred Funny Cide S. 15 days later. He broke his maiden in a state-bred event at Belmont Sept. 25 prior to the Sleepy Hollow.

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McPeek: Smile Happy Likely To Target Southwest Stakes En Route To Kentucky Derby

Trainer Kenny McPeek said early Thursday afternoon that he had eight horses stabled at Oaklawn and expects to eventually have “20ish” on the grounds for the 2021-2022 meeting that began Friday.

McPeek has a division of horses at Oaklawn for the first time since 2018, when he won five races from 32 starts. McPeek said Oaklawn's expanded racing calendar was the hook to return to Hot Springs. Oaklawn is opening in December for the first time and has 66 scheduled racing dates, roughly 10 more than past years. Oaklawn had previously opened in mid to late January. The 2021-2022 live season ends May 8.

“The December start date completely changes the complexion of the Oaklawn meet,” McPeek said. “I think it's a big help. You're there longer. As long as they can get the races that you need to go … I know it's a bit of an experiment, but I think it's a really good move on their part.”

McPeek returns to Oaklawn with momentum after winning four races, including the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) with Smile Happy, on the “Stars of Tomorrow II” program exclusively for 2-year-olds last Saturday at Churchill Downs. The four-bagger helped swell McPeek's purse earnings this year to a career-high $6.7 million.

“Had a good meet,” McPeek said. “Had a good fall.”

Smile Happy, a son of champion sprinter Runhappy, remained unbeaten in two career starts with a 3 ¼-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club.

“He's a really, really good horse,” McPeek said. “He's going to go to Florida initially and we're probably going to bring him up for the Southwest and possibly the Rebel and the Arkansas Derby.”

The $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Jan. 29, $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 26 and $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 2 conclude Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby points series.

Smile Happy races for the Lucky Seven Stable of Mike Mackin, who campaigned 2001 Rebel winner Crafty Shaw with now-retired trainer Pete Vestal. Crafty Shaw also ran third in the Southwest and seventh in the Arkansas Derby.

McPeek is scheduled to start three horses Saturday at Oaklawn, including Oliviaofthedesert and Semble Juste in the inaugural $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles. Laughing Boy, McPeek said, “will probably be entered” in the inaugural $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 11 at Oaklawn. Laughing Boy finished second in a Nov. 25 allowance race at Churchill Downs.

“Horses just shipped in last night, but I'll be there for a little bit,” McPeek said. “I've got a team that's coming from my Churchill barn that's already there. We've only got eight in there right now, so we're getting them settled in. It's taken some time logistically to move everybody.”

With John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs as a major client, McPeek won 40 races in 2012-2017 at Oaklawn, including the $75,000 Arkansas Breeders' Stakes in 2015 with Trace Creek and the $125,000 Spring Fever Stakes in 2017 with Kathballu.

McPeek's last Oaklawn victory came with Swiss Skydiver in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) in 2020. Swiss Skydiver went on to beat males in the Preakness – the final leg of the revamped Triple Crown – en route to an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020.

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Grace Adler Gets Back to Business in Starlet

Grace Adler (Curlin) was noticeably absent from the Breeders' Cup entries, but gets back to it Saturday in the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos. A first-out winner at Del Mar July 31, the $700,000 FTKSEL buy made a mockery of the Sept. 5 GI Del Mar Debutante S. field, cruising home an 11 1/4-length victress. The chestnut failed to fire as the favorite next out when stretched to two turns in Santa Anita's GII Chandelier S. Oct. 1.

Bob Baffert also saddles Eda (Munnings), who seeks her first top-level score. Graduating via DQ in her Santa Anita unveiling in June, she missed by a head in the Aug. 6 GII Sorrento S. and was fifth in the Debutante. A decisive heroine of the Anoakia S. in Arcadia Oct. 24, the bay crossed the line 4 1/4 lengths clear of Tonito's (Blame) in the Desi Arnaz S. at Del Mar last time Nov. 13. Baffert has one other runner in this six-horse event in Benedict Canyon (Midnight Lute), who was third in the Anoakia.

Cairo Memories (Cairo Prince) tries dirt for the first time in this event. Opening her account with a pair of wins, including the Oct. 3 Surfer Girl S., the gray could only manage ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. Nov. 5.

Completing the sextet is Desert Dawn (Cupid) from the Phil D'Amato barn. Earning her diploma at second asking at Del Mar Aug. 26, the bay was third in the Chandelier and sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5.

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Pletcher Duo Loom Large in Cigar Mile

Todd Pletcher has won the GI Cigar Mile four times with the most recent being the 2012 renewal won by Stay Thirsty (Bernardini). The Hall of Famer has a strong chance to take home his fifth Cigar Mile title Saturday when he saddles the two top choices Americanrevolution (Constitution) and Following Sea (Runhappy).

Americanrevolution was moved to Pletcher after his debut and won his first three starts for his new barn, including dominant score in the state-bred New York Derby July 19 at Finger Lakes and Albany S. Aug. 27 at Saratoga. Third when returned to open company and stepped up to the big leagues for the Sept. 25 GI Pennsylvania Derby, the flashy chestnut put on a show in a sloppy renewal of the Empire Classic H. At Belmont Oct. 30, splashing home an 11 3/4-length winner and earning a 108 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.

“He's been very consistent, and he's accomplished a lot in a short period of time,” Pletcher said. “He's made a lot of progress. It's another class test and he's dropping back in distance which is always a challenge, but he deserves a chance.”

Following Sea earned the 'TDN Rising Star' nod for his impressive second-out graduation at Oaklawn Apr. 10 while under the care of Bob Baffert. Part of a group of Spendthrift runners transferred to Pletcher after the GI Kentucky Derby, the bay romped in a Belmont allowance June 3 and completed the trifecta when stretched to two turns for the GI Haskell Invitational S. July 17. He was third again next out behind Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) and his GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile-winning stablemate Life is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at Saratoga Aug. 28. Following Sea scored a good-looking victory in Belmont's GII Vosburgh S. Oct. 9 and was a respectable third in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint S. at Del Mar last out Nov. 6.

“He still has to prove himself going further,” Pletcher said. “He was impressive in the Vosburgh and his allowance race and in his maiden win sprinting. He's always given us the impression of a horse that will run further, and he's certainly built like one that would.”

Independence Hall (Constitution) looks to close his career in style with a long-awaited Grade I score. A black-type winner at two, three and now four, the dark bay was third in the GII Californian S. Apr. 17 and was subsequently shelved. Fifth in the GI Pacific Classic when he returned Aug. 21, Independence Hall was second to likely Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in the Oct. 2 GIII Lukas Classic and powered home a 7 1/4-length winner of the GII Hagyard Fayette S. in the slop at Keeneland Oct. 30. MGISW and Fayette runner-up Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) also returns here.

Dirt Mile runner-up and GII Pat O'Brien S. winner Ginobili (Munnings) ships east along with Independence Hall for this prestigious event.

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