April, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Skalleti Swoops late For Harcourt Win

Jean-Claude Seroul's ultra-consistent 7-year-old Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) suffered just one reversal in six group-race starts last year and posted seasonal highs in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis. The globetrotting grey also saluted in 2021's G2 Prix d'Harcourt and was back at the Bois de Boulogne venue to successfully defend his title in Sunday's latest edition after failing to achieve a similar feat when third in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Exbury last month. The even-money favourite adopted his usual patient tactics from the outset and found a smooth rhythm tracking all five rivals through the early fractions of in this 10-furlong test. Tanking into sixth along the rail at halfway, he endured traffic at every turn in the straight and unboxed his trademark acceleration once navigating a passage to the outside approaching the eighth pole to overhaul G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Champion S. hero Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and last year's runnner-up Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}), by 3/4-of-a-length and a head, in the dying embers.

“He looked to be in a bit of bother 1 1/2 furlongs from home and, once he had a clear run on the outside, he again used his turn of foot to devastating effect,” said racing manager Alain Decrion. “He may have needed the race at Saint-Cloud last time and it is always difficult to make up ground on the outside there when the going is good. He had come on for the run and he loves Longchamp. He has followed the same as programme last year–Exbury and Harcourt–and, like last year, he might pass on the [May 1 G1] Prix Ganay. The trainer will decide one way or the other and the [May 29 G1] Prix d'Ispahan could, once again, be the target.”

Reflecting on the performance of runner-up Sealiway, Pauline Chehboub said, “He didn't have the best of trips and the race didn't unfold as we thought it might, but we're delighted with the run. He had taken his race in Saudia Arabia very well and the trainer was pleased with his work at home. He was very relaxed during the preliminaries today, which was a good sign, and we will stick to the original plan and go for the [May 1 G1 Prix] Ganay.”

Skalleti, recording his 11th pattern-race victory here, is the second foal bred from MGSP Listed Prix Occitanie victrix Skallet (Fr) (Muhaymin). He is a full-brother to last year's G2 Prix Vicomtesse de Vigier winner and G1 Prix Royal-Oak runner-up Skazino (Fr), Listed Prix du Ranelagh placegetter Skalleto (Fr) and the hitherto unraced 3-year-old gelding Skalli (GB). Skallet is the leading performer out of Listed Le Vase d'Argent runner-up Siran (Fr) (R.B. Chesne {GB}), herself kin to Listed Derby du Languedoc victor Percent Premium (Fr) (Johann Quatz {Fr}). Skalleti's fourth dam La Manouche (Margouillat {Fr}) is kin to the stakes-winning Mousseline de Soie (Fr) (Riverman), herself the dam of three stakes winners headed by stakes-winning G2 Grosser Hertie-Preis von Deutschland second Silk Stage (Stage Door Johnny).

Sunday, Deauville, France
PRIX D'HARCOURT-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-10, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:08.73, vsf.
1–SKALLETI (FR), 128, g, 7, by Kendargent (Fr)
1st Dam: Skallet (Fr) (SW & MGSP-Fr, $181,946), by Muhaymin
2nd Dam: Siran (Fr), by R. B. Chesne (GB)
3rd Dam: Surubinha (Fr), by Solicitor (Fr)
(€85,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Jean-Claude Seroul; B-Guy
Pariente Holding (FR); T-Jerome Reynier; J-Maxime Guyon.
€74,100. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr & Ger, MGSW-Ity &
G1SP-Eng, 25-18-1-3, €1,186,134. *Full to Skazino (Fr),
MGSW-Fr & G1SP-Fr, $574,639; and Skalleto (Fr), SP-Fr,
$246,161. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Sealiway (Fr), 130, c, 4, Galiway (GB)–Kensea (Fr), by
Kendargent (Fr). (€62,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Le Haras de la
Gousserie & Guy Pariente; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR);
T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €28,600.
3–Mare Australis (Ire), 126, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Miramare
(Ger), by Rainbow Quest. O-Gestut Schlenderhan; B-Stall
Ullmann (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €13,650.
Margins: 3/4, HD, HD. Odds: 1.00, 4.10, 3.20.
Also Ran: Dawn Intello (Fr), Mr de Pourceaugnac (Fr), Hurricane Dream (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Yakteen’s Santa Anita Derby 1-2 Finishers On Target For KY Derby

In less than two minutes yesterday, Taiba (pronounced Tay-bah) went from a debut maiden sprint winner with zero Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points to a Grade 1 winner with 100, becoming a major player in pursuit of the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 7.

All it took was a dramatic 2 ¼-length victory over his stablemate and odds-on favorite Messier in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1), a performance that earned him a lofty 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Add this from Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman's DRF twitter account this morning, @DRFPrivman: “Santa Anita Derby chart posted yesterday has incorrect times. Correct, updated times will be :22.75, :46.70, 1:10.97, 1:48.46. This means the opening quarter was faster (in chart a :23.23), middle of race slower (6f in chart 1:10.93), final time faster (chart 1:48.67).

Safe to say, early Sunday morning, the fairytale was still flowering.

“All my runners from yesterday have come out (of their races) in excellent shape,” said trainer Tim Yakteen, who also sent out longshot Armagnac to run fourth behind Taiba.

Taiba, a $1.7 million son of Gun Runner, is owned by Amr Zedan.

“Amr was just over the moon,” Yakteen said in describing the owner's feelings after Taiba's triumph. “All the credit obviously has to go to him (for running the horse), because in my professional opinion, I advised him to take a different route in Taiba's next start.

“But Amr made an educated decision, based on the information that was given him, and it resulted in a big pay day ($450,000 to the winner). All the credit goes to him on this.”

The goal now is to keep Taiba and Messier healthy with the hope that one of them will become the 20th horse to run in the Santa Anita Derby then go on to win the Kentucky Derby.

“That's the plan,” Yakteen said. “Messier is on target. He'll move up from yesterday's race since he had quite a bit of time between starts (two months from his 15-length win in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes [G3] Feb. 6).

“This sets him up perfect for the Derby, and if you look back in history, there were many second-place finishers that ended up winning the Kentucky Derby (the Zedan-owned Medina Spirit, Authentic, and Real Quiet come to mind).

“Messier ran huge and he'll be able to benefit with this race underneath him.”

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Mo Donegal Could Be Ace In Pletcher’s KY Derby Hand

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will look to secure his third Kentucky Derby (G1) win after Donegal Racing's Mo Donegal punched his ticket to the “Run for the Roses” with a neck score in the Wood Memorial (G2) Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Mo Donegal, with Joel Rosario up, rallied up the rail through the final turn before angling outside of pacesetter Early Voting to secure the victory in the nine-furlong test which offered 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

The victory provided Pletcher a record-tying seventh win in the Wood Memorial, joining fellow Hall of Famer “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons.

“I thought it was a super effort on his part. We worked out the trip we hoped to with the exception of the hot pace scenario we hoped would develop,” Pletcher said. “Aside from that, everything worked out well. He put in a good, sustained run and a fast final quarter. He found a seam when he needed it. It was a big run from him.”

On Friday, Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbreds Partners and Michael House's Nest posted an authoritative score in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland to give Pletcher a shot at winning his fifth Kentucky Oaks (G1) and tying the record held by Hall of Famer Woody Stephens.

Pletcher won the Oaks last year with Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, who followed a similar path to Nest's, winning both the Grade 2 Demoiselle at the Big A and the Ashland. Both fillies picked up their first Oaks qualifying points in the Tempted at Aqueduct, which Malathaat won and Nest was a closing third.

Pletcher said Nest, by Curlin and out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, is following a tried and true path.

“They both broke their maidens on debut at Belmont before running in the Tempted and the Demoiselle and then the Ashland,” Pletcher said. “Both are Curlin fillies out of A.P. Indy mares and not that they physically resemble each other that much, but both are extremely talented.”

Pletcher said Nest will continue that trend by training at Churchill Downs.

“We'll look to follow the same path we did last year with Malathaat. We'll ship over to Churchill next week and she'll have a couple of breezes there,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said he will also send Mo Donegal to Churchill early as he looks to provide Donegal Racing with their first Derby score after previous attempts with Paddy O'Prado, (3rd, 2010) Dullahan (3rd, 2012) and Keen Ice (7th, 2015).

“We've always felt like the mile and a quarter distance would suit him well,” Pletcher said of Mo Donegal. “In the Derby, it's important for everyone to work out a trip. A lot of it will be pace dependent and being able to find seams when he needs to. It's important not to get stopped at a bad time.”

Pletcher said he feels like he holds a strong Derby hand which also includes Whisper Hill Farm's Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Charge It and possibly Sumaya U.S. Stable's Pioneer of Medina, who is currently 24th on the leaderboard with 25 points.

“We're blessed to have some candidates,” Pletcher said. “Like everyone else, we need them to continue to improve and stay healthy and keep moving forward and like the surface at Churchill, but we're pleased with where we are at the moment.”

Mo Donegal was one of three Pletcher trainees in the Wood along with maiden Long Term (7^th) and New York-bred maiden winner Golden Code (8^th), who finished third in the Grade 3 Gotham in March at the Big A.

“We were taking a chance, so we'll regroup and get back in a maiden race with Long Term and Golden Code is eligible for New York-bred allowance races. We'll give them plenty of time after that and let them re-group,” Pletcher said.

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Elliott, Asmussen Take Sam Houston Titles

Jockey Stewart Elliott picked up his second leading rider title at Sam Houston Race Park, holding off a very contentious effort by Ry Eikleberry heading into the final week of the meet, which concluded Saturday.

Elliott had the support of the meet's leading trainer, Steve Asmussen, riding first call for the Hall of Fame conditioner as he piloted 296 mounts, winning 62 races and bankrolling $1,490,006. The successful union between Elliott and Asmussen began in Houston two years ago and has continued at Lone Star Park and Remington Park.

A compelling rivalry between Elliott and Ry Eikleberry took place throughout the season, with the two respected veterans just separated by one win heading into the final week. Elliott drew off to defend his title, but graciously asked Eikleberry to join him for the awards presentation.

“Stewart is a great guy and deserves this,” said Eikleberry. “He's been the man in the arena for a long time and a complete class act!”

The Phoenix, Arizona native finished second to Elliott here last year and has been his top rival from the beginning of Sam Houston 2022 season.

Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez finished third in the standings with 41 wins.

Asmussen won his 14^th training title at the northwest Houston racetrack, furthering his respected legacy and support of Texas racing. He was honored as top trainer here in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017,2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Asmussen started 259 runners, finishing with a record of 51 wins, 41 seconds, 55 thirds and earnings of $1,554,306. He conditions Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl, winner of the richest race of the annual Sam Houston Thoroughbred season, the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 30.

“We are very proud of the success we have in Texas,” said Asmussen. “To win the marquee race of the Sam Houston meet for Stonestreet meet means a great deal.”

The nationally prominent horseman, who tops the Equibase leader board in 2022 in wins and is a close second to Todd Pletcher in earnings, has always shown his allegiance to Texas racing. He continues to be grateful by the passage of House Bill 2463 by the Texas Legislature on September 1, 2019, which was initiated to boost the state's racing and breeding industry.

“It is extremely significant where the money comes from,” stated Asmussen. “To have purses generated by equine generated tax revenues is excellent and hopefully will impact the quality of Texas racing.”

Karl Broberg also had a very solid meet, finishing second in the trainer standings with 41 victories. J. R. Caldwell followed with 34 victories.

End Zone Athletics Inc. drew to a clear lead in the owner standings, starting 137 Thoroughbreds and notching 22 wins, 29 seconds, and 18 third-place finishes. The ownership group, founded by Karl Broberg, has been a force at Sam Houston for over a decade with previous titles in 2018 and 2020.

“I want to thank my assistant Artemio Ramirez, who handled the Houston string as well as Clemente Montoya and Abel Ramirez for their hard work,” said Broberg.

He also acknowledged the skill of Ry Eikleberry, his first call rider at Sam Houston Race Park.

“Ry has done an amazing job,” he added. “I am lucky to have him on our team.”

L and G Racing Stables finished second with 16 wins. Steve Asmussen, who has won top owner honors at Sam Houston seven times, finished tied for third with Danny R. Caldwell. Both won 12 races.

Farmers Fillies Racing had 40 starts, winning 11 races to round out the top four spots.

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