February, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Woodbine Releases 2022 Stakes Schedule

The lucrative 2022 Woodbine Thoroughbred stakes program offers more than $16.9 million in purses, including 37 graded stakes and two $1-million events, the Queen's Plate and GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile.

After delayed starts in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, Woodbine will host its first full racing season since 2019, with 133 race dates schedule for the upcoming campaign.

The Queen's Plate will be held Aug. 21, along with the GII Canadian S. and GII King Edward S. The “Path to the Plate” includes the Woodstock (May 1), Queenston (June 12), GIII Marine (July 2) and Plate Trial (July 24). The Woodbine Oaks is also July 24.

The Woobine Mile, GI Pattison Summer S. and GI Natalma S. will be held Sept. 17 and are Breeders' Cup qualfiers.

The Oct. 8 GI E.P. Taylor has received a purse increase from $600,000 to $750,000 for the 2022 edition. The GII Nearctic S. and GIII Durham Cup are on the same card. The E.P. Taylor is also the final leg of the returning Ladies of the Lawn Series. The three-race event consists of the GII Dance Smartly (July 24) and Canadian.

Another highlight of the season is a group of five graded stakes to be run over Canada Day weekend. The GIII Dominion Day holds its traditional slot on Friday, July 1, followed by the GII Highlander, GII Nassau, GIII Selene and GIII Marine Saturday, July 2.

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Classic Encounter in Sam F. Davis

A promising group looking to punch their tickets to this season's Triple Crown in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile GIII Sam F. Davis S., awarding 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' points to the first four finishers (10-14-2-1). Looking to return to the winner's circle is Kentucky West Racing and Clarke M. Cooper's Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway), trained by Brian Lynch. An impressive 6 1/2-length winner ahead of next-out scorer Trafalgar (Lord Nelson) in his career debut going seven furlongs at Saratoga Sept. 4, the chestnut came home third in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity Oct. 9 before playing the bridesmaid to undefeated Smile Happy (Runhappy) in Churchill's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 27. On that occasion, he finished ahead of third-place finisher White Abarrio (Race Day), who returned to annex his seasonal bow in the Feb. 5 GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Classic Causeway for the first time Saturday.

“I'd like to see him get his first graded-stakes victory and keep picking up Derby points,” said Lynch. “His workouts have been solid, and everything about them suggests he should run well.”

He added, “I feel that if he runs his race, he will certainly fit with these horses. He has a high cruising speed and he has gotten much bigger and stronger as a 3-year-old. He has the tactical speed to not be very far from the engine room, and hopefully, he will be first to the wire.”

Red Oak Stable's Make It Big (Neolithic) attempts to collect his first win at the graded level following a trio of wins, including Gulfstream's Juvenile Sprint S. in October before a narrow score in Remington's Springboard Mile S. Dec. 17.

“He got in between horses and had to rate a bit, and then he got hooked late and had to out-battle him to the wire. It was a very professional performance,” said Saffie Joseph Jr. of the colt's latest win. “This horse has a good mind, and he has found a way to win each time. He probably needs to improve to win Saturday, but he has improved in each race, so hopefully he will follow suit.”

Iris Smith Stable's Shipsational (Midshipman) ventures south following a trio of victories facing fellow New York breds. A debut winner at Saratoga last summer, he was fourth in that venue's state-bred Funny Cide S. but bounced back to win his next two, including the one-mile Sleep Hollow S. at Belmont Oct. 30.

God of Love (Cupid), winner of the GIII Grey S. at Woodbine last November, is one of three runners for Mark Casse. The Hall of Famer also conditions undefeated Golden Glider (Ghostzapper) and recent maiden winner Volcanic (Violence).

Howling Time (Not This Time) was a late scratch Friday.

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TVG Plans Live Coverage For Pair Of Triple Crown Preps

Kentucky Derby preps from across the country will be live on TVG this weekend featuring the Road to the Triple Crown presented by Spendthrift Farm with the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) from Tampa Bay Downs and the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby from Golden Gate.

TVG's Matt Carothers will be live trackside at Tampa Bay Downs for the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) with 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby points up for grabs to the top four finishers. The race will serve as a prep race for the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on March 12. The race has drawn an overflow field of thirteen Triple Crown hopefuls including three contenders for trainer Mark Casse – Golden Glider, God of Love and Volcanic. Canadian-bred God of Love will be making his sophomore debut and was last seen winning the Grey Stakes (G3) at Woodbine in November.

The path to the Kentucky Derby will continue to Golden Gate and Caleb Keller will be on-site with coverage of the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby. The 1 1/8 mile prep race, contested over the all-weather track, will offer 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers has drawn a field of eleven including Blackladder for trainer Bob Baffert. A $620,000 purchase at Keeneland as a yearling, the son of Quality Road is fresh off of a maiden victory at Santa Anita.

Larry Collmus and Andie Biancone will be live from Gulfstream Park with coverage presented by Runhappy throughout Saturday's twelve-race card which will feature two stakes races. The featured event is the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes (G3) and the five-furlong contest has attracted a field of seven. Trainer George “Rusty” Arnold, II will saddle Gear Jockey, a homebred for Calumet Farm. The five-year-old son of Twirling Candy was last seen finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) and will be ridden by Luis Saez.

At Santa Anita, Todd Schrupp, Simon Bray, Christina Blacker, Britney Eurton and Joaquin Jaime will be reporting live with exclusive insights, interviews and analysis throughout the nine-race card. The final and featured race is the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes (G3) to be run at six and a half furlongs on the turf. The race has drawn a field of ten three-year-old fillies including Ouraika (FR), an East Coast invader for trainer Graham Motion with Juan Hernandez named to ride as she makes her graded stakes debut.

There will also be coverage of the card at Oaklawn Park featuring a pair of stakes races – the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) and the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3). The Razorback Handicap (G3) has drawn a contentious field of nine with Lone Rock installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite for Robertino Diodoro. A fourteen-time winner, the 7-year-old gelding is going for his third straight victory and will have Ramon Vasquez in the irons.

In addition to racing from Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream and Santa Anita, TVG will be featuring racing from Oaklawn, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

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Glitters Shines Again In The Desert

Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) may have technically had his finest hour three years ago when winning the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot, but it is nonetheless very difficult to knock the form that the 9-year-old has been in as of late. Geoff and Sandra Turnbull's remarkably consistent grey turned back the clock when winning the G1 Jebel Hatta and G2 Singspiel S. at last year's carnival, and he proved in fine form still at Meydan on Friday when repeating in the latest edition of the Singspiel S.

Lord Glitters, who has hit the board in 26 of 44 runs, made his first extended carnival visit last season, wrapping up a highly productive season highlighted by the two aforementioned pattern wins when splitting the field in sixth in the G1 Dubai Turf. Lord Glitters then returned to trainer David O'Meara's Yorkshire yard and made five starts during the British flat season, picking up a second in the G3 Strensall S. and fourth-placings in the G1 Lockinge S. and the Queen Anne before trailing home in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. over the soft ground. Rejuvenated by the Gulf sun, Lord Glitters bounced back to win the G3 Bahrain International Trophy on Nov. 19 and was fourth in the G2 Al Rashidiya on Jan. 21.

Dropping back from the get-go to take up his customary position in the rear of the field, Lord Glitters and Danny Tudhope watched on as Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) carved out the early running. Lord Glitters and Tudhope initially found themselves behind a wall of runners upon straightening for home, but they began their charge down the middle of the track when finding daylight shortly thereafter. Swooping out wide as his rival from last season, Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal), grabbed a premature lead inside the final furlong, Lord Glitters got his head in front in the dying strides and hit the wire a widening one length to the good.

Pedigree Notes

Lord Glitters is out of the multiple listed-placed Lady Glitters (Fr) (Homme De Loi {Ire}), who is also the second dam of the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron winner Petit Chevalier (Fr) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Lady Glitters's last reported foal is the unplaced 3-year-old Princess Glitters (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). Lady Glitters is a half-sister to stakes winners Grey Glitters (Fr) (Grey Risk {Fr}) and Loupy Glitters (Fr) (Loup Solitaire), while it is also the family of G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Morandi (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Friday, Meydan, Dubai
SINGSPIEL S. PRESENTED BY RACE OF UAE INNOVATES-G2, $180,000, Meydan, 2-11, 3yo/up, 9fT, 1:48.77, gd.
1–LORD GLITTERS (FR), 126, g, 9, by Whipper
1st Dam: Lady Glitters (Fr) (MSP-Fr),
by Homme de Loi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Marie Glitters, by Crystal Glitters
3rd Dam: Marie de Vez (Fr), by Crystal Palace (Fr)
(€25,000 Ylg '14 AR14; €270,000 HRA '17 ARJUN). O-Geoff &
Sandra Turnbull; B-SCA Elevage de Tourgeville & Mme Hilary
Erculiani (FR); T-David O'Meara; J-Daniel Tudhope. $108,000.
Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng & UAE, 44-11-10-5, $2,048,244.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A++.
2–Royal Fleet (GB), 126, g, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Zibelina (Ire), by
Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. $36,000.
3–Zakouski (GB), 126, g, 6, Shamardal–O'Giselle (Aus), by
Octagonal (NZ). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby.
$18,000.
Margins: 1, 3/4, HD. Also Ran: Freescape (GB), Kick On (GB), Bedouin's Story (GB), Art Du Val (GB), Sir Busker (Ire), Enemy (GB), Passion and Glory (Ire), Court House (Ire). Scratched: Alfareeq (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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