A dazzling winner of his only two stateside starts, Irish-bred Hong Kong Harry steps into graded stakes competition and shortens up a furlong as he heads a field of 10 3-year-olds and up in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 American Stakes at one mile over the Santa Anita turf.
In what shapes up as perhaps the best betting race on the closing day program, the inaugural American, which was won by Bing Crosby's Ligaroti in 1938 at Hollywood Park, will be contested for the 83rd time on Sunday.
Small in stature but blessed with what appears to be tremendous talent, Hong Kong Harry, a 5-year-old chestnut gelding, won four out of his seven starts in England at ages three and four and made his U.S. debut here at Santa Anita on March 6. Off at 1-2 in a mile and one eighth turf allowance, he was away slowly but won easily by three lengths under Flavien Prat.
With Ramon Vazquez taking over on April 16, the result was similar in a second condition allowance at a mile and one eighth as Hong Kong Harry stalked the early pace, pounced around the far turn and finished up impressively to win by 1 ½ lengths at 9-5.
In his final English start and his only try at one mile on turf, “Harry” was second, beaten a half length as the 7-2 favorite in a field of 10 on Sept. 18.
One of two Phil D'Amato trainees in the American, Hong Kong Harry is owned by Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazza. With an overall mark of 9-6-1-1, he has earnings of $125,097.
Most recently second, beaten a half length as the 5-2 favorite in the G3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields April 30, Vanzzy would appear to rate big chance in what will be his first start for trainer Dan Blacker. A well beaten fifth in his Southern California debut going six furlongs out of the turf chute in the Clockers' Corner Stakes three starts back on Jan. 22, Vanzzy came back to register an emphatic one-length score in a one mile turf allowance here March 25, earning a lofty 96 Beyer Speed Figure.
A three-time ungraded stakes winner on the east coast, Vanzzy is owned by Michael and Julie Iavarone and will be ridden for the third time in a row by Joe Bravo. With two wins and a second at a mile on grass, Vanzzy, a 5-year-old horse by Verrazano out of the Forest Wildcat mare Selva, is 19-6-2-3 overall with earnings of $390,692.
Although he was never a threat, finishing 11th at 4-1 in the G3 San Francisco Mile, French-bred Ecrivain ran a big third, beaten 1 ½ lengths as the even money favorite in a one mile turf classified allowance on March 25, posting a 93 Beyer. Trained by Richard Mandella and owned and bred by Wertheimer and Frere, 5-year-old Ecrivain will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard two starts back. A two-time Group 3 winner at one mile on turf in France, Ecrivain is 18-4-2-2 overall with earnings of $213,922.
Neil Drysdale's Brazilian-bred Homer Screen, a Group 2 winner at one mile on turf in Brazil, comes off an improved fourth place run going 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in the G3 Daytona Stakes May 29. Owned by Team Valor International, LLC, 6-year-old Homer Screen rates a solid chance with Drayden Van Dyke aboard for the first time.
Last year's G1 Pacific Classic winner Tripoli, idle since well beaten in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6, returns to turf after running five consecutive races on dirt. Trained by John Sadler and owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, Tripoli has a win, two seconds and a third place finish from five tries at one mile on turf and rates and upset chance with his Pacific Classic-winning jockey Tiago Pereira back aboard.
A 5-year-old horse by Kitten's Joy out of the Tapit mare Love Train, Tripoli is 16-4-3-3 overall with earnings of $889,960.
THE GRADE 3 AMERICAN WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 6 p.m. PT
First post time for an 11-race card on closing day, Sunday is at 1 p.m.
The post Hong Kong Harry Appears Horse To Beat In Sunday’s American Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Santa Anita's leading trainer with 55 wins at closing day entry time, Phil D'Amato seeks his fourth consecutive win in Santa Anita's traditional closing day feature on Sunday, the Grade 3, $125,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes. He'll send out a pair of veterans, 6-year-old Rijeka and 8-year-old past winner Red King, as they figure prominently among a field of eight 3-year-olds and up going a marathon 1 3/4 miles on turf with a hillside start.
Although Red King, who won the 2020 San Juan and was third in last year's edition is the more accomplished of the two, Irish-bred Rijeka is also in sharp current form and he'll be making his third start off an extended layoff on Sunday. An impressive off the pace allowance winner in his first start for D'Amato going 1 3/8 miles on turf three starts back on Aug. 19 at Del Mar, he comes off a clever starter allowance score going 1 ¼ miles on turf here May 15 and has thus won two out of his last three starts, all in partnership with turf ace Joe Bravo.
Like his stablemate Red King, it would appear that Rijeka's best case scenario is to lag early and make a big run late with “Jersey Joe,” who is currently ninth in the standings with 28 wins, including four stakes, riding his first-ever San Juan as he now approaches the one year mark as full-time rider in Southern California.
A 6-year-old gelding owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig, Rijeka, although he's never won a stakes, has placed in four turf stakes lifetime, including a second place finish in the G3 Cecil B. DeMille at age two. Twice victorious at a mile and one half over the Gulfstream Park turf, he's 31-6-5-3 overall with earnings of $310,440.
A full horse at age eight, Red King, who will be making his fourth appearance in the San Juan Capistrano, having won it in 2020 and finishing third last year and also at age five in 2019, comes off a second place finish in a 1 1/4-mile turf allowance here on May 22. Ridden by Abel Cedillo, “Red” sat much closer to the early pace and finished evenly to be beaten by 1 ¼ lengths at 3-1. Far back early in the G3 San Luis Rey Stakes March 12, he lacked the necessary closing kick and was fifth, beaten 5 ¼ lengths.
A 1 3/8-mile turf allowance winner four starts back on Nov. 7 at Del Mar, Red King is 19-5-2-7 over the Santa Anita lawn and will likely be the post time favorite on Sunday. With Cedillo back aboard, Red King, a son of English Channel out of the A.P. Indy mare Youre Speeding, seeks his third lifetime stakes win in what will be his 41st career start.
Owned by Philip Belmonte and Gordon Jacobsen, Red King is 40-8-6-10 with earnings of $560,555.
Trainer Brendan Walsh's Irish-bred Modus Operandi ships in from Churchill Downs and looms a very serious threat from off the pace with Umberto Rispoli up. A 4-year-old gelding, Modus Operandi has one win from six stateside starts and was most recently a close eighth, beaten 3 ½ lengths in the G3 Louisville Stakes going 1 1/2 miles on turf at Churchill May 21.
A 4-year-old gelding by European superstar Frankel, Modus Operandi was bred in Ireland by Bobby Flay Thoroughbreds and has a 10-2-3-0 overall mark. Owned by Marc Detampel, Fergus Galvin and E Squared Stables, LLC, Modus Operandi will be making his second graded stakes start in his first appearance at Santa Anita.
THE GRADE 3 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT
First post time for an 11-race race card on closing day, Sunday, is at 1 p.m.
The post D’Amato Enters Pair In Search Of Fourth Straight San Juan Capistrano Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will offer a NYRA Triple Play wager on Sunday featuring a trio of turf races at Belmont Park, including the $150,000 NYSSS Cupecoy's Joy and the $150,000 NYSSS Spectacular Bid.
The NYRA Triple Play, a Pick 3 wager with a $3 bet minimum available exclusively to retail customers, has a takeout rate of 19 percent. Initially offered as the final three races on the Sunday card, the NYRA Triple Play will now feature three specially selected races.
Sunday's sequence kicks off in Race 4 at 2:34 p.m. Eastern with the return of stakes-winner Dakota Gold in the $150,000 NYSSS Spectacular Bid, a seven-furlong Widener turf sprint for eligible New York-sired sophomores. Trained by Danny Gargan, the Freud chestnut graduated in an off-the-turf maiden special weight in September at Saratoga Race Course and followed with a 2 1/2-length score in the Nownownow three weeks later at Monmouth Park.
Dakota Gold completed his campaign with a close fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, defeated just 2 1/4-lengths by Modern Games. He will be challenged by Marinara Sauced, who rallied from last-of-10 to get the winner's slice of a seven-furlong state-bred maiden tilt on May 21; and Surprise Boss, who is undefeated in his three turf starts.
The second leg [Race 7, 4:06 p.m.] will feature a nine-furlong state-bred optional-claiming event to be contested over the inner turf. The 11-horse field is led by the Graham Motion-trained Chulainn, who will stretch out from an even fourth in his seasonal debut on May 15 in a seven-furlong turf sprint at Belmont. Should a strong pace develop from prominent types Bar Fourteen, Ruse and Saratoga Flash, the Chad Brown-trained Grape Nuts Warrior could be dangerous late.
Closing out the sequence is the $150,000 NYSSS Cupecoy's Joy [Race 9, 5:12 p.m.], a seven-furlong Widener turf sprint for eligible New York-sired sophomore fillies which attracted a talented field of 11 and one main-track only entrant. Galaxina, who makes her turf debut for trainer Jimmy Bond, posted a 24-1 upset last out in the NYSSS Park Avenue sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Fellow dirt stakes winner Morning Matcha, a Central Banker bay trained by Butch Reid, Jr., will turn back significantly from her last-out sixth in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan as she looks to score in her turf debut. Silken Dollar garnered a 68 Beyer Speed Figure for a 14-1 upset maiden turf win sprinting seven furlongs on May 30 at Belmont. Also certain to attract attention is Robyn and Eli, a maiden from the barn of trainer Chad Brown, who has finished second in both career starts.
Featuring a $3 bet minimum, the NYRA Triple Play will cover three races on Sunday cards throughout the 44-day Belmont spring/summer meet. Each NYRA Triple Play will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. Wagering on the NYRA Triple Play will be available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country.
America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
NYRA Triple Play, Sunday, June 19:
Leg A: Belmont Park, Race 4, NYSSS Spectacular Bid (2:34 p.m.)
Leg B: Belmont Park, Race 7, optional-claimer (4:06 p.m.)
Leg C: Belmont Park, Race 9, NYSSS Cupecoy's Joy (5:12 p.m.)
The post NYRA Triple Play: Three Turf Races In Sequence This Sunday At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
