January, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Aqueduct Cancels Saturday Card Due to Winter Storm

Edited Press Release

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled Saturday's live racing program at Aqueduct Racetrack due to a powerful winter storm forecast to impact the New York City metropolitan area.

A National Weather Service (NWS) winter storm warning goes into effect for the downstate region at 7:00 p.m. Friday and continues through 7:00 p.m. Saturday. The NWS forecast, which aligns with NYRA's independent weather services, is calling for 8-12 inches of snow along with sustained high winds with gusts exceeding 45 mph. These conditions will produce dangerously low wind chill values on Saturday. As a result, NYRA has canceled Saturday's card in the interest of the safety of all participants.

Saturday's featured GIII Toboggan S. will be re-scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5.

A decision regarding opening Aqueduct Racetrack for simulcasting will be made on Saturday morning.

Live racing at Aqueduct will resume on Sunday, Jan. 30 with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield S. First post on Sunday is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Titans Square off in Pegasus World Cup

When a racetrack musters a $3-million purse for a featured event, the hope is that racing's stars will attend the big dance. And this year's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. certainly succeeded in attracting two of the biggest names–Knicks Go (Paynter) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief)–in the American handicap division.

Knicks Go, a 2 3/4-length winner in last year's Pegasus World Cup, finished fourth in the G1 Saudi Cup and GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. before reeling off four-straight wins, including the GI Whitney S. and in his latest race, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6. Knicks Go was named the 2021 Longines World' Best Racehorse during a virtual ceremony at the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England Tuesday.

“The Breeders' Cup Classic was his biggest race he's had to date,” said trainer Brad Cox. “He's going to go to Taylor Made after the Pegasus to become a stallion. After the Classic, we had decided if he came out of the race in good order, which he did, we would pursue the Pegasus. He has trained as well as he did going into the Classic.”

He continued, “After the [Saudi Cup] last year, he was fresh and came back and didn't run as well as we had hoped in the Met Mile. Personally, I think that had a lot to do with that race being around one turn. He has not had a lot of time off, and that's very similar to what we did with the [2020 GI Breeders' Cup] Dirt Mile and last year's Pegasus. So, we have pretty much kept him on the same routine. He went over to Taylor Made for three to four days to be shown to potential breeders and was shown on a shank. Aside from that, he's been training the whole time. He's been doing well, his weight is great and his attitude is good. And he's been training great and his works have been phenomenal.”

The striking grey was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine older horses after drawing the one hole Tuesday. Joel Rosario has the call.

“We're not really going to deviate from what we've done in the past,” affirmed Cox. “[Life Is Good] is a very fast, brilliant horse. We're not going to let him have his own way, and I think he's probably not going to let us have our own way. We're going to break running, hopefully, get to the lead. We're going to be very aggressive to get him there.”

He added, “It's the same approach we took in the Breeders' Cup. We'll see how it goes. He's proven at a mile and an eighth and he does like the surface there. He likes the configuration of the racetrack there at Gulfstream–he proved that last year. We're just going to come out of there running and see what happens.”

China Horse Club and WinStar Farm are represented by Life Is Good, who has done very little wrong in his career, winning four of five graded attempts, including a tour-de-force victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November. Under the guidance of Bob Baffert, the powerful bay became a 'TDN Rising Star' with a 9 1/2-length score at Del Mar in the fall of 2020 before returning the following spring to annex the GIII Sham S. and GII San Felipe S.–defeating subsequent GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protanico) on both of those occasions.

“He came to us with high expectations, and he had a great resume,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of Life Is Good's arrival. “Initially, we were just getting to know him and see how he trains. He trained exceptionally well, so we had high hopes for him.”

After joining the Pletcher string, the $525,000 KEESEP yearling graduate came up a neck short to Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga. With Irad Ortiz Jr. taking over riding duties for the Sept. 25 GII Kelso H. at Belmont, the sophomore drubbed older rivals for the first time to win by 5 1/2 lengths and came back with an even more sparkling performance when winning for fun on Breeders' Cup Day.

“We were unlucky in the Allen Jerkens to be beaten that day, but we mapped out a course at that point and we felt like the Dirt Mile was the correct race for him,” explained Pletcher. “The Kelso seemed like a good race to bridge the gap between the Jerkens and the Dirt Mile and I worked out well for him. Since that, we've been focused on this race. And we're going great.

“Knicks Go is a very fast horse. We know that. But we're not going to alter our style of running. And we're not going to take away his strength, which is his high-cruising speed. I honestly don't know for sure what's going to happen, at least in the first quarter or half, because you are going to have two horses that are looking for the same kind of trip.”

Hoping to pick up the pieces should a speed duel develop up front, 2019 GI Belmont S. victor Sir Winston (Awesome Again) enters the fray off a win in Woodbine's 12-furlong GIII Valedictory S. Dec. 5. Edwin Gonzalez gets the mount for trainer Mark Casse. Also likely to settle just off the pace and hope for a meltdown up front, Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) has hit the board in five of seven stakes races in 2021, including a win in the Iowa Derby and a second in the GI Awesome Again S. He was last seen finishing third in the seven-furlong GI Malibu S. Dec. 26.

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TOBA: Blue Grass Back to Grade I

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association Friday announced the results of its annual grading session conducted Jan. 26 and 27 to determine U.S. Graded and Listed stakes races for February 2022 through January 2023.

The Committee reviewed 891 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 449 of them–four more than were graded in 2021, and Listed status to 204 races. Eight Graded races were upgraded and three new Grade I, five new Grade II races and 13 new Grade III races were named. Twenty new Listed races and two new Listed-Restricted races were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status.

Among the most notable changes was the upgrading of Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass from Grade II status back to Grade I. Keeneland's major GI Kentucky Derby prep had been downgraded prior to the 2017 running. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and New York S. at Belmont Park also go from Grade II to Grade I for 2022.

Two races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II status: the Secretariat S. at Arlington Park and Flower Bowl S. at Saratoga.

Five races were upgraded to Grade II status: the Lukas Classic S. at Churchill Downs; Wonder Again S. and Bed o' Roses S. at Belmont Park; Fanduel Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs; and Shuvee S. at Saratoga.

Four races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III status: the Falls City S. at Churchill Downs; Best Pal S. at Del Mar; and Adirondack S. and Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga.

Thirteen races were upgraded to Grade III status: the Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. and Pebbles S. at Belmont Park; Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs; Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. at Del Mar; Bryan Station S. at Keeneland; Dueling Grounds Derby and Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon S. at Kentucky Downs; Essex H., Hot Springs S. and Oaklawn Mile S. at Oaklawn Park; and Surfer Girl S. and Zuma Beach S. at Santa Anita Park.

Nine races were downgraded from Grade III to Listed status: the Excelsior S. at Aqueduct; Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs; Longacres Mile H. at Emerald Downs; Gulfstream Park Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park; Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. at Laurel Park; Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos Race Course; Parx Dash S. at Parx Racing; and Astra S. and Lazaro Barrera S. at Santa Anita Park.

Twenty races were upgraded to Listed status: the Awad S. and Winter Memories S. at Aqueduct; Blame S., Kelly's Landing S., Mamzelle Overnight S., Mighty Beau Overnight S., Opening Verse Overnight S., Shawnee S., and Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill Downs; Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. at Fair Grounds; Limestone Turf Sprint S., Palisades Turf Sprint S., and Perryville S. at Keeneland; Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs; Temperence Hill S. at Oaklawn Park; Prince George's County S. at Pimlico; Baffle S. and Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita Park; and Galway S. at Saratoga.

Two races were upgraded to Listed-Restricted status: the Oceanside S. at Del Mar and One Dreamer S. at Kentucky Downs.

Nine races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status: the Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park; Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park; Indiana General Assembly Distaff S., Indiana Grand S. and Mari Hulman George Memorial S. at Indiana Grand; Dave's Friend S. at Laurel Park; Satin and Lace S. at Presque Isle Downs; She's All In S. at Remington Park; and Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park.

All Graded and Listed races from 2021 maintained their eligibility for February 2022 through January 2023. Of the 449 Graded stakes races determined by the AGSC, 101 are Grade I's (22.5%), 135 are Grade II's (30.1%) and 213 are Grade III's (47.4%).

For the complete list of Graded and Listed stakes, click here.

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Blue Grass Stakes Resumes Grade 1 Status; Secretariat, Flower Bowl Downgraded For 2022

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association today presented its listing of U.S. Graded and Listed Stakes Races for February 2022 through January 2023, the results of its annual grading session conducted Jan. 26 and 27.

The Committee reviewed 891 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, and assigned Graded status to 449 of them, four more than were graded in 2021, and Listed status to 204 races. Eight Graded races were upgraded; three new Grade 1 and five new Grade 2 races were named; 13 new Grade 3 races were identified. Twenty new Listed races and two new Listed-Restricted races were upgraded from non-Listed Black Type status.

Three races were upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland and New York S. at Belmont Park.

The Blue Grass Stakes was last run as a Grade 1 in 2016. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint is being upgraded to Grade 1 status for the first time since its debut in 2018.

Two races were downgraded from Grade 1 to Grade 2 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Secretariat S. at Arlington Park and Flower Bowl S. at Saratoga.

Five races were upgraded to Grade 2 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Lukas Classic S. at Churchill Downs; Wonder Again S. and Bed o' Roses S. at Belmont Park; Fanduel Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs; and Shuvee S. at Saratoga.

Four races were downgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 3 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Falls City S. at Churchill Downs; Best Pal S. at Del Mar; and Adirondack S. and Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga.

Thirteen races were upgraded to Grade 3 status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Jockey Club Derby Invitational S., Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. and Pebbles S. at Belmont Park; Street Sense S. at Churchill Downs; Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. at Del Mar; Bryan Station S. at Keeneland; Dueling Grounds Derby and Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon S. at Kentucky Downs; Essex H., Hot Springs S. and Oaklawn Mile S. at Oaklawn Park; and Surfer Girl S. and Zuma Beach S. at Santa Anita Park.

Nine races were downgraded from Grade 3 to Listed status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Excelsior S. at Aqueduct; Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs; Longacres Mile H. at Emerald Downs; Gulfstream Park Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park; Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. at Laurel Park; Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos Race Course; Parx Dash S. at Parx Racing; and Astra S. and Lazaro Barrera S. at Santa Anita Park.

Twenty races were upgraded to Listed status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Awad S. and Winter Memories S. at Aqueduct; Blame S., Kelly's Landing S., Mamzelle Overnight S., Mighty Beau Overnight S., Opening Verse Overnight S., Shawnee S., and Unbridled Sidney S. at Churchill Downs; Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. at Fair Grounds; Limestone Turf Sprint S., Palisades Turf Sprint S., and Perryville S. at Keeneland; Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. and Music City S. at Kentucky Downs; Temperence Hill S. at Oaklawn Park; Prince George's County S. at Pimlico; Baffle S. and Speakeasy S. at Santa Anita Park; and Galway S. at Saratoga.

Two races were upgraded to Listed-Restricted status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Oceanside S. at Del Mar and One Dreamer S. at Kentucky Downs.

Nine races were downgraded from Listed to non-Listed Black Type status for February 2022 through January 2023: the Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park; Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park; Indiana General Assembly Distaff S., Indiana Grand S. and Mari Hulman George Memorial S. at Indiana Grand; Dave's Friend S. at Laurel Park; Satin and Lace S. at Presque Isle Downs; She's All In S. at Remington Park; and Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park.

All Graded and Listed races from 2021 maintained their eligibility for February 2022 through January 2023.

Following is a summary breakdown of all grade levels and a complete list of all upgraded and downgraded U.S. races for the period from February 2022 through January 2023 as well as the complete list of February 2022 through January 2023 Graded and Listed stakes.

2022-23 Gr. Stakes Number % Graded %Eligible Change from 2021

Grade I 101 22.5% +1

Grade II 135 30.1% –

Grade III 213 47.4% +3

All Graded 449 50.4%

Listed 192 21.5%

Listed – Restricted 12 1.3%

Non-Listed Eligible 238 26.7%

All Gr., L & NLE Races 891

TOBA American Graded Stakes Committee Summary of Decisions Made at January 26 and 27, 2022 Grading Session

RACES UPGRADED FOR FEBRUARY 2022 through JANUARY 2023:

Two-Year-Old Fillies

Surfer Girl S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to Grade III

Three-Year-Old Fillies

Wonder Again S. (T) (Belmont Park) Grade III to Grade II

Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. (T) (Belmont Park) non-Listed Black Type to Grade III

Pebbles S. (T) (Belmont Park) Listed to Grade III

Winter Memories S. (T) (Aqueduct) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Mamzelle Overnight S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Limestone Turf Sprint S. (T) (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Music City S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Galway S. (T) (Saratoga) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Older Fillies and Mares

New York S. (T) (Belmont Park) Grade II to Grade I

Shuvee S. (Saratoga) Grade III to Grade II

Bed o' Roses S. (Belmont Park) Grade III to Grade II

Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Listed to Grade III

Shawnee S. (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Unbridled Sidney S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Marie G. Krantz Memorial S. (T) (Fair Grounds) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

One Dreamer S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed-Restricted

Two-Year-Olds

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (T) (Breeders' Cup) Grade II to Grade I

Street Sense S. (Churchill Downs) Listed to Grade III

Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. (T) (Del Mar) Listed to Grade III

Zuma Beach S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Listed to Grade III

Awad S. (T) (Aqueduct) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Speakeasy S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Three-Year-Olds

Toyota Blue Grass S. (Keeneland) Grade II to Grade I

Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. (T) (Belmont Park) non-Listed Black Type to Grade III

Bryan Station S. (T) (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Grade III

Dueling Grounds Derby (T) (Kentucky Downs) Listed to Grade III

Perryville S. (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Palisades Turf Sprint S. (T) (Keeneland) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Baffle S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Oceanside S. (T) (Del Mar) non-Listed Black Type to Listed-Restricted

Older Horses

Lukas Classic S. (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Grade II

Fanduel Turf Sprint S. (T) (Kentucky Downs) Grade III to Grade II

Essex H. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to Grade III

Oaklawn Park Mile S. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to Grade III

Hot Springs S. (Oaklawn Park) Listed to Grade III

Blame S. (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Temperence Hill S. (Oaklawn Park) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Opening Verse Overnight S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Prince George's County S. (T) (Pimlico) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Kelly's Landing S. (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

Mighty Beau Overnight S. (T) (Churchill Downs) non-Listed Black Type to Listed

RACES DOWNGRADED FOR FEBRUARY 2022 through JANUARY 2023:

Two-Year-Old Fillies

Adirondack S. (Saratoga) Grade II to Grade III

Three-Year-Old Fillies

Bourbonette Oaks (Turfway Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Indiana Grand S. (T) (Indiana Grand) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Older Fillies and Mares

Flower Bowl S. (T) (Saratoga) Grade I to Grade II

Falls City S. (Churchill Downs) Grade II to Grade III

Astra S. (T) (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed

Mari Hulman George Memorial S. (Indiana Grand) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

She's All In S. (Remington Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Indiana General Assembly Distaff S. (T) (Indiana Grand) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Satin and Lace S. (Presque Isle Downs) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Two-Year-Olds

Best Pal S. (Del Mar) Grade II to Grade III

Bashford Manor S. (Churchill Downs) Grade III to Listed

Arlington-Washington Futurity (Arlington Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Three-Year-Olds

Secretariat S. (T) (Arlington Park) Grade I to Grade II

Los Alamitos Derby (Los Alamitos) Grade III to Listed

Lazaro Barrera S. (Santa Anita Park) Grade III to Listed

Mystic Lake Derby (T) (Canterbury Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

Older Horses

Bernard Baruch H. (T) (Saratoga) Grade II to Grade III

Excelsior S. (Aqueduct) Grade III to Listed

Longacres Mile H. (Emerald Downs) Grade III to Listed

Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash S. (Laurel Park) Grade III to Listed

Gulfstream Park Sprint S. (Gulfstream Park) Grade III to Listed

Parx Dash S. (T) (Parx Racing) Grade III to Listed

Dave's Friend S. (Laurel Park) Listed to non-Listed Black Type

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