Month: March 2022

Trainer Edward Barker said Iris Smith Stable's multiple New York-bred stakes winner Shipsational will make his next start on April 2 at Gulfstream Park in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

The Midshipman chestnut, who finished third in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 12, is currently in 15th position on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 14 points.

“We're going to run in the Florida Derby. We're down here already and I think it's going to be a lot easier on the horse. We'll take our shot there and if we get enough points that's fine. If not, Plan B,” Barker said. “We'll run him back in three weeks – third off the layoff – and I don't have to train him hard. If we're fortunate enough to get enough points, it's five weeks to the Kentucky Derby which is perfect.”

Shipsational exited post 8 under Manny Franco in the Tampa Bay Derby and tracked wide from fifth position in the early running. He advanced wide into the second turn and stayed on strong down the lane to finish third, 2 3/4-lengths back of the victorious Classic Causeway and just a neck back of runner-up Grantham.

“We got hung out really wide on both turns and you absolutely cannot win being wide on both turns. You'd have to be 10 lengths the best horse,” Barker said. “He ran good and I'm pleased with how he ran. He tried. If we had an inside post it would have been a lot different.”

The $210,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase graduated by 6 3/4-lengths at first asking in July at Saratoga Race Course, sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over a sloppy and sealed main track. Two starts later, Shipsational stalked and pounced to victory in the seven-furlong Bertram F. Bongard in September over a fast Big Sandy.

He followed with a gate-to-wire score on October 30 in the one-turn mile Sleepy Hollow over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track to best Overstep, a well-regarded $360,000 yearling sale purchase trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

Shipsational trained over the winter at Tampa Bay Downs and made his sophomore debut under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, closing to finish second to Classic Causeway in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis on Feb. 12.

“He showed a lot of talent from his first win on and I figured if I was ever going to take a shot at the Derby that this is the year to do it,” Barker said. “We came down here in early December and trained over this track and he's doing exceptionally well. He came out of the race really good.”

Barker said Castellano will return to the irons in the Florida Derby.

“He rode the horse really good in the Sam Davis and he knows the horse,” Barker said. “You haven't seen the best of this horse, yet.”

Bred in New York by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone, Shipsational is out of the Thunder Gulch mare Regal Approach, who is a half-sister to 2015 Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap-winner Mr Maybe.

The post ‘You Haven’t Seen The Best Of This Horse, Yet’: Barker Confident In Florida Derby Hopeful Shipsational appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Klaravich Stables' Early Voting worked in company Friday in preparation for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The G3 Withers winner went a half-mile in 48.47 seconds over the Belmont Park training track with stablemate and last year's Withers winner Risk Taking.

The nine-furlong Wood Memorial is the last local Kentucky Derby qualifier, offering 100-40-20-10 points to the top-four finishers. Early Voting is currently 23rd on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 10 points earned from his Withers score.

“The horse is coming along really well,” said trainer Chad Brown. “He's been doing well since the Withers and he's been doing everything the right way. He's still on track for the Wood.”

Unbeaten in two starts, Early Voting captured his debut going a one-turn mile on December 18 at Aqueduct before capturing the Withers by 4 1/2 lengths over Un Ojo, the next-out winner of the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn Park.

Grantham, the fourth-place finisher in the Withers, came back to run second in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 12.

“It was great for him to finish ahead of those horses in only his second start. As a trainer, it gives you a lot of confidence coming out of a key race,” Brown said.

A son of last year's leading freshman sire Gun Runner, Early Voting was bought for $200,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the unraced Tiznow mare Amour d'Ete – a half-sister to 2004 Champion Sprinter and influential stallion Speightstown.

The four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner said fellow Klaravich Stables color bearer Reinvestment Risk is possible for the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on April 9 at the Big A. The 4-year-old son of Upstart registered a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure for a last-out winning effort in an allowance optional claimer in February at Gulfstream Park.

Reinvestment Risk was twice Grade 1-placed as a juvenile behind Jackie's Warrior in the Hopeful at Saratoga Race Course and the Champagne at Belmont before finishing tenth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. He made one start last year, finishing a distant third to eventual stakes-winners Following Sea and Wudda U Think Now in a June allowance event at Belmont.

Reinvestment Risk was purchased for $280,000 from the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, where he was consigned by De Meric Sales. He is out of the Candy Ride mare Ridingwiththedevil.

Jeff Drown's Zandon remains on target for the Grade 1, $1 million Blue Grass on April 9 at Keeneland, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The Upstart sophomore made his 2022 debut in the Grade 2 Risen Star on February 19 at Fair Grounds Race Course, where he missed the break but rallied from tenth to finish third.

“He missed the break, but I was happy to see him persevere. He got a lot out of the race fitness wise,” Brown said.

A debut winner in October at Belmont, Zandon was narrowly beaten in the Grade 2 Remsen in December at Aqueduct. Both stakes placings have earned Zandon a collective 14 points on the Derby trail, where he is 14th on the leaderboard.

Brown sent out Highly Motivated to finish a hard fought second in last year's Blue Grass behind eventual Champion 3-Year-Old Essential Quality. Unraced since finishing tenth in last year's Kentucky Derby, Highly Motivated has worked consistently for Brown at Payson Park Training Center in Florida. Brown said the son of Into Mischief should be ready to return to action in April.

The post Early Voting ‘Doing Everything The Right Way’ Ahead Of Wood Memorial appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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