Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Saturday, March 12
Sportsmail 's racing expert Robin Goodfellow is on hand with his tips for Friday's meetings at Kempton, Sandown, Wolverhampton, Hereford, Ayr and Lingfield.
Month: March 2022
‘Right Horses For The Right Levels’: Nicks Enjoying Strong Gulfstream Park Meet
Trainer Ralph Nicks has had a strong year-round presence in South Florida since opting to make Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach his base upon the addition of a Spring/Summer meeting in 2015.
The 55-year-old native of Avery, Texas, is enjoying a particularly successful 2021-'22 Championship Meet with a 31 percent strike rate. The former assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott saddled Whisper Hill Farm LLC's Gun for Success for a victory in Race 1 on Friday's program, giving him 15 winners from 49 starters.
“That is the way it goes in horse racing. Lifetime, most guys were 16 to 18 percent from where I came from and doing really well. Now, it's a little better percentage wise because they're more selective,” Nicks said. “It's been a meet where I've had the right horses for the right levels.”
Nicks, who saddled Whisper Hill Farm LLC's Dance d'Oro for a victory in the Rampart early in the Championship Meet, intends to continue supporting the year-round program at Gulfstream.
“It's been good for me. You can make a pretty good living and have a life,” Nicks said. “It's been good. Who knows what the future has, but for now it's been good and I'm happy.”
The post ‘Right Horses For The Right Levels’: Nicks Enjoying Strong Gulfstream Park Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Laurel Park: Luna Belle Tunes Up For Beyond The Wire; Triple For Apprentice Alvelo
Luna Belle, the newly crowned champion Maryland-bred juvenile filly of 2021, breezed Friday morning at Laurel Park ahead of a planned start in the $100,000 Beyond the Wire March 19.
In the second move since extending her win streak to three races in Laurel's Feb. 19 Wide Country, Luna Belle worked five furlongs in 1:01.23 over a fast main track, ranking ninth of 23 horses. Luna Belle went four furlongs in an easy 49 seconds March 5.
“She didn't work quite as good as I wanted her to, but I worked her real early and I probably should have waited until after the break,” trainer Hamilton Smith said. “But, she did it OK. My exercise rider worked her and was happy with her. We'll see how she comes out of it and go from there.”
The one-mile Beyond the Wire is the next progression for 3-year-old fillies on the stakes calendar, following the seven-furlong Wide Country and six-furlong Xtra Heat Jan. 29, which began Luna Belle's win streak.
“The plan is to go ahead and run her there,” Smith said. “Then we'll look around and see what to do after that.”
Smith co-owns Luna Belle with Deborah Greene, and they also bred the horse with Greene's late father, Fred Greene, Jr. Luna Belle earned her championship after posting two wins, one second and two thirds from seven starts capped by a victory in the Maryland Juvenile Fillies.
“It's really special. It's one that we bred and raised together to be a champion,” Smith said. “We're very proud of the fact that we did that.”
Smith won with his only two starters Friday, I'm Gittin There ($11.40), a 3-year-old filly he bred and owns, in Race 6 and gelding Low Country Dude ($44), bred and owned by Smith's older brother, Goree, in Race 7, a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds.
Friday's fastest five-furlong work of 59.40 seconds was posted by John Salzman Jr.-trained stablemates Local Motive and Buff My Boots. Winner of the 2021 Maryland Million Lassie, Buff My Boots is also nominated to the Beyond the Wire while Local Motive is a three-time stakes winner including the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 19.
Local Motive is nominated to the $100,000 Private Terms March 19. The 1 1/16-mile Private Terms is the next step in Maryland's series of stakes races for 3-year-olds, preceded by the Spectacular Bid and Miracle Wood and followed by the $125,000 Federico Tesio April 16. The 1 1/8-mile Tesio is a “Win and In” qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 21 at historic Pimlico Race Course.
Other Private Terms nominees working Friday at Laurel were Majestic Frontier and Heffner, respectively second and third in the Miracle Wood. Majestic Frontier went five furlongs in 1:01.60 while Heffner was timed in 49 seconds for four furlongs.
Also prominent among Laurel's Friday workers were multiple stakes winner Whereshetoldmetogo (four furlongs, 50.60), nominated to the $75,000 Not For Love for Maryland-bred/sired 4-year-olds and up going six furlongs March 19; Fille d'Esprit (five furlongs, 1:00), third in the Feb. 19 Barbara Fritchie (G3) and nominated to the $75,000 Conniver for older Maryland-bred/sired females; and Mama G's Wish (five furlongs, 1:00.20), nominated to the Beyond the Wire off four straight wins.
Notes: Five-pound apprentice Jean Alvelo posted a riding triple Friday aboard Imagine the Mojo ($7) in Race 2, Just Pick One ($11.80) in Race 4 and Low Country Dude ($44) in Race 7. Denis Araujo doubled with Victory Given ($21) in Race 3 and I'm Gittin There ($11.40) in Race 6 … There will be carryovers of $5,066.74 in the $1 Super Hi-5 (Race 2) and $5,003.85 in the 50-cent Late Pick 5 (Races 5-9) for Saturday's nine-race program that begins at 12:25 p.m. Tickets with four of five winners in Friday's Late Pick 5 were worth $20.55 … Post time moves to 12:40 p.m. starting Sunday.
The post Laurel Park: Luna Belle Tunes Up For Beyond The Wire; Triple For Apprentice Alvelo appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Adios Charlie Filly Tops Day 2 at OBSMAR Breeze Show
The action at the OBS sale's grounds proved boisterous Friday with many horses making up for a missed engagements after weather prematurely ended Thursday's initial breeze session. However, spectators were given something to talk about right from the onset, courtesy of Hip 213, a filly by Adios Charlie, who negotiated a quarter mile in a swift :20 2/5, the fastest time posted at the distance over the first two days of breeze action. Consigned by Ocala Stud, agent, the Feb. 6 foal is out of MSW Travelator (A P Jet). The Florida-bred filly is a half-sister to stakes placed Sweetheart Deal (Kantharos) and Fantasy Forest (Forestry), dam of MGSW Last Judgement (Congrats).
As was the case Thursday, Friday was highlighted by a bevvy of sub-:10 works for an eighth of a mile, with eight juveniles completing the task in :9 4/5. Among the day's fastest worker was Hip 291, a colt by freshman sire Bolt d'Oro (video) Offered by Top Line Sales LLC, Agent VIII, the Florida-bred is out of the unraced Beautissimo (Uncle Mo), a half-sister to SW and MGSP Two Thirty Five (Stay Thirsty). This represents the family of Champion Juvenile Filly Halfbridled. Also among those topping Friday's eighth of a mile worktab (video), a colt by More Than Ready (Hip 318). Consigned by Wavertree Stables Inc., the Feb. 23 foal is out of unraced Broad Spectrum (Indian Charlie), a half-sister to GSW Dynamic Impact (Tiznow).
The sole filly to equal the co-fastest furlong time on Friday, Hip 180, a daughter of Bayern completed the task for consignor Eddie Woods, Agent XXXI (video). The Apr. 7 foal is out of SW and MGSP Sweet Marini (Marino Marini), a sister to stakes winner Excessivespending (Shackleford). Rounding out the afternoon's top furlong breezers: Hip 57 (Carpe Diem), Hip 257 (Into Mischief), Hip 281 (More Than Ready), Hip 395 and Hip 351 (Uncaptured).
Due to impending severe weather on Saturday, Mar. 12, the third breeze session has been rescheduled for Sunday, Mar. 13. Hips 425-635 are scheduled for the final session, which is will begin at 8a.m.
The post Adios Charlie Filly Tops Day 2 at OBSMAR Breeze Show appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
