May, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Former Baffert Trainee Shaaz Headlines Steve Sexton Mile

In a competitive field that is brimming with multiple stakes winners, the Sean McCarthy-trained Shaaz garnered the support of the morning-line odds maker who installed him as the 2/1 morning-line favorite for Monday's $400,000-Guaranteed Steve Sexton Mile(G3) at Lone Star Park.

Coming off a win in his last start in an one mile allowance-optional claiming event at Santa Anita in April, the 4-year old colt Shaaz looks to keep his undefeated record intact as he faces nine rivals in the one-mile dirt stakes event. Two starts back, the son of Uncle Mo finished second in his second career start but was awarded first-place after the winner was disqualified.

The colt is a $1.1 million dollar 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In-Training sales graduate that was previously trained by Bob Baffert. Kentucky Derby winning jockey Florent Geroux has the riding assignment from post 8.

Multiple graded stakes winning Rated R Superstar comes into the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) as perhaps the most accomplished of the ten runners going postward in the $400,000-guaranteed event. The 9-year old gelding has been successful with two stakes victories in 2022 from four starts for owner Danny Caldwell and trainer Martin Villafranco. Rated R Superstar has won three graded stakes in his career, and will be handled by jockey Reylu Gutierrez from post position one in the Memorial Day feature.

Other notable runners taking to the Grand Prairie, Texas, race course for the 2022 Steve Sexton Mile (G3) include the 2021 Jeffery A. Hawk Memorial Stakes winner Popular Kid from the barn of trainer Shawn Davis; Delta Mile winner Flash of Mischief; 2020 Southwest Stakes (G3) winner Silver Prospector; 2022 Sunland Park Handicap winner Sheriff Brown; multiple stakes winner Mine That Star; the stakes-placed Tesoro; and Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained Mish.

The field for the 2022 $400,000-Guaranteed Steve Sexton Mile (G3):

RATED R SUPERSTAR – Reylu Gutierrez – Martin Villafranco – 10/1
TESORO – Sonny Leon – O.J. Jauregui – 20/1
MINE THAT STAR – Kelsi Purcell – H. Ray Ashford, Jr. – 20/1
SHERIFF BROWN – Leandro D. Goncalves – Todd Fincher – 12/1
ELECTOR – Victor Espinoza – John W. Sadler – 3/1
MISH – Edwin Gonzalez – Saffie Joseph, Jr. – 7/2
POPULAR KID – Jose L. Alvarez – Shawn Davis – 15/1
SHAAZ – Florent Geroux – Sean McCarthy – 2/1
FLASH OF MISCHIEF – Ry Eikleberry – Karl Broberg – 12/1
SILVER PROSPECTOR – Stewart Elliot – Steve Asmussen – 12/1

The $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile(G3) is scheduled as the twelfth race on the Memorial Day card with an approximate post time of 7:35 p.m. CST.

The Lone Star Million Day card on Memorial Day at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas contains a total of six stakes events worth a combined purse of $1,200,000. The $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile (G3) headlines the card of stakes events that also includes the $300,000 Texas Derby for 3-year-olds going 8.5f on the dirt, and the $200,000 Quija Board Distaff for fillies and mares going one mile on the turf. The three other stakes events on the card are the $100,000 Chamberlain Bridge Stakes, the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint, and the $100,000 Speightstown Sprint.

The first post-time of the twelve-race Memorial Day card at Lone Star Park is 1:40PM CST, with a vehicle giveaway of an all-new 2022 Ford Escape, as well as live music on the Courtyard of Champions stage from 1pm to 6pm, featuring Emerald City's Party Machine.

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Full Circle: Alex Canchari Records 1,000th Winner At Canterbury Park

Jockey Alex Canchari led gate to wire aboard Plane Talk dominating Wednesday's $50,000 Honor the Hero Stakes at Canterbury Park by 6 1/2 lengths in 56.49 seconds for five furlongs.

“He's a fast horse and I was just a passenger on him today,” Canchari said.

The victory was the 999th for the jockey who grew up in Shakopee as part of a racing family. Plane Talk is trained by Robertson for owner Novogratz Racing Stables. He paid $10.80 to win.

Canchari, who is riding regularly at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, tallied career win 1,000 when he rode Tonka Warrior to victory for Robertson in the day's final race.

“I grew up here. I got my first job here in the concession stand when I was a kid,” Canchari said. “I just love it here. I love all the fans and all the people because without them I'd be nothing.”

Jockey Harry Hernandez, new to the Canterbury jockey colony, won the $50,000 Brooks Fields Stakes aboard prohibitive favorite Tut's Revenge. He paid $3.20. Tut's Revenge, who won the one mile race by 2 1/4 lengths, is trained by Clinton Stuart for owners Claim To Fame Stable.

Nine-year old mare Beach Flower, who had won the Minnesota HBPA Distaff two times in four prior starts, made it three wins in the $50,000 stake when she was victorious again Wednesday at Canterbury Park. Under jockey Roimes Chirinos, Beach Flower sat off the early pace in the one mile race run over a muddy track. She tracked pace setter Rush Hour Traffic before beginning to advance into the far turn, passing the leader inside the sixteenth pole and pulling away to win by a length and a quarter.

“When she came around the turn it looked like she had a little bit of a kick,” said John Mentz who co-owns Beach Flower with Hugh Robertson and Jeff Larson. “For a good old 9-year-old mare to have that is just awesome. She's been a good horse.”

Beach Flower, who paid $6.00 to win, is trained by Mac Robertson. Rush Hour Traffic held second while favored Niceno finished third. Rain forced the HBPA Distaff as well as the Brooks Fields and Honor the Hero Stakes to be moved from the turf course.

Total handle for the nine-race card was $1,730,324. Racing resumes Thursday at 5 p.m

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NBC Sports Plans Nine Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Broadcasts In 2022

The Breeders' Cup and NBC Sports have announced the 2022 “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” television schedule, consisting of nine live programs across NBC, CNBC and Peacock, featuring 18 automatic qualifying races from the nation's premier racetracks on the road to the Breeders' Cup World Championships.

Now in its ninth year on NBC Sports, the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” spotlights the country's top horses as they compete for an automatic starting position, and free entry, into a corresponding divisional race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The 39th Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 4-5.

“We are delighted again to partner with NBC Sports to bring the most comprehensive and innovative coverage of horse racing to viewers across the country leading up to the World Championships,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO. “We also thank our presenting partner, America's Best Racing, for their support of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and ongoing efforts to promote the excitement and entertainment of our sport in so many creative ways.”

“We are excited to work with our longtime partners at Breeders' Cup on another compelling summer and fall of Challenge Series racing, culminating with the world's best horses competing in the World Championships at Keeneland in November,” said Gary Quinn, NBC Sports Vice President, Programming & Owned Properties.

NBC Sports coverage of the 2022 Challenge Series begins on Saturday, June 11 during Belmont Stakes Day programming. Belmont Park will host three Win and You're In races: the Hill 'n' Metropolitan Handicap (G1), which will provide the winner with an automatic starting position in the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), the Ogden Phipps (G1), which awards an invitation into the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), and the Jaipur Stakes (G1), which is a Win and You're In for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1). NBC Sports Belmont Stakes Day coverage will begin at 3 p.m. ET on CNBC and move to NBC from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Post times for the three Breeders' Cup Challenge races are still to be determined.

The series continues July 2 on NBC and Peacock at 4 p.m. ET from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., with the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2), which is the first of four Win and You're In races for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to be televised during this year's series. The July 2 program will also include live coverage of the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2), for fillies and mares.

On July 23, CNBC (5 p.m. ET) will televise live the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) from Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., where the nation's top 3-year-olds will vie for a free qualifying position into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Historic Saratoga Racecourse in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., will be the site for the Whitney (G1) on NBC and Peacock on Aug. 6 (5 p.m. ET), which will give the winner an automatic spot into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Last year, Knicks Go gained a Win and You're In berth for the Classic when he won the Whitney going wire to wire. Knicks Go won the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar and was later crowned the 2021 Horse of the Year and 2021 Longines World's Best Racehorse.

The series will be back in Saratoga on Sept. 3 on NBC and Peacock (4:30 p.m. ET) for The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and The Flower Bowl (G1). The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a Win and You're In for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, while the Flower Bowl will provide the winner a free starting position in the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

On Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., CNBC (5 p.m. ET) will televise two automatic qualifiers into the World Championships. The Calumet Turf Cup (G2) offers an invitation into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) and the FanDuel Turf Sprint (G2) is a Win and You're In for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

Two-year-olds will take center stage at Belmont Park on Oct. 1 when NBC and Peacock (4:00 p.m. ET) present The Champagne (G1) and the Miss Grillo Stakes (G2). The Champagne winner will receive a free starting spot in the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and the Miss Grillo winner will gain an invitation into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

The “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” schedule will conclude with two blockbuster CNBC telecasts on Oct. 8 and 9 from Keeneland. The Oct. 8 program will be highlighted by the Coolmore Turf Mile (G1), which is a Win and You're In for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). The program will also include the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), which gives the winner a free berth into the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2), providing the winner with an invitation into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).

On Oct. 9 (5 p.m. ET), the CNBC telecast will feature the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1), the Castle and Key Bourbon Stakes (G2) and the Indian Summer Stakes. The Spinster will offer an automatic starting position in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, the Bourbon Stakes will give the winner a free spot into the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) and Indian Summer is a Win and You're In for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).

The complete Challenge Series television schedule can be viewed here.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series coverage on NBC and CNBC will be live-streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

*“Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In* presented by America's Best Racing”**
*(Television schedule subject to change)*
Date	Platform	Time (ET)	Event	Track	Challenge Division

Saturday, June 11	NBC, Peacock	5:00 – 7:00 PM (TBD)	Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap	Belmont Park	Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile
		(TBD)	Ogden Phipps	Belmont Park	Longines Distaff
		(TBD)	Jaipur Stakes	Belmont Park	Turf Sprint

Saturday, July 2	NBC, Peacock	4:00 – 6:00 PM	Stephen Foster Stakes	Churchill Downs	Longines Classic
			Fleur de Lis Stakes*	Churchill Downs	Longines Distaff

Saturday, July 23	CNBC	5:00 – 6:00 PM	TVG.com Haskell Stakes	Monmouth Park	Longines Classic

Saturday, Aug. 6	NBC, Peacock	5:00 – 6:00 PM	The Whitney	Saratoga	Longines Classic

Saturday, Sept. 3	NBC, Peacock	4:30 – 6:00 PM	Jockey Club Gold Cup	Saratoga	Longines Classic
			Flower Bowl	Saratoga	Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf

Saturday, Sept. 10	CNBC	5:00 – 6:00 PM	FanDuel Turf Sprint	Kentucky Downs	Turf Sprint
			Calumet Turf Cup	Kentucky Downs	Longines Turf

Saturday, Oct. 1	NBC, Peacock	4:00- 6:00 PM	The Champagne	Belmont Park	TVG Juvenile
			Miss Grillo	Belmont Park	Juvenile Fillies Turf

Saturday, Oct. 8	CNBC	5:00 – 6:00 PM	Thoroughbred Club of America	Keeneland	Filly & Mare Sprint
			Claiborne Breeders Futurity	Keeneland	TVG Juvenile
			Coolmore Turf Mile	Keeneland	FanDuel Mile

Sunday, Oct. 9	CNBC	5:00 – 6:00 PM	Juddmonte Spinster Stakes	Keeneland	Longines Distaff
			Castle and Key Bourbon Stakes	Keeneland	Juvenile Turf
			Indian Summer Stakes	Keeneland	Juvenile Turf Sprint

*Fleur de Lis is not a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race.

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Fonner Files: What’s Next For Fonner Park?

Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak shares slices of life from the Grand Island, Neb., racetrack throughout the 2022 meet in the Fonner Files.

This winter, before, during and after the Nebraska legislative session, I've been very outspoken in my efforts to communicate the dire straits that the Nebraska horse racing industry has fallen into.

I'm full of optimism about the future, but in order to protect our Thoroughbred industry racing from bad decisions and reckless behavior, I've needed to blurt out some straight talk about an industry I'm entirely committed to.

Fonner Park had to pick up additional race days in 2022 that we did not plan on. I hoped to offer increased purses this year but couldn't. The hard fact is that there is never a day of mutuel handle at Fonner Park that covers our purses for that day. We get our purses paid over the long haul; over the course of a year.

I remain bent on increased purses and am working all angles to achieve that – whether we have slot reels spinning by our 2023 condition book or not. But there's never a dollar spent, earned or saved here at Fonner Park without the intention of the betterment of the horses or horsemen.

Nebraska HBPA president, Garald “Wally” Wolleson has demonstrated his passion too, and we've both faced some unforeseen twists and turns. Truthfully, without casino operations, it's a weak outlook. However, with the collaborative effort from every track in the state, we're back in the game – big time! Nebraska Thoroughbred racing, and our state agriculture industry that supports it, is at the gate of a worthwhile and genuine rebirth. Let's giddyup!

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