June, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

It’s A Boy! Derby-Winning Trainer Reed Has Surprise Foal From Filly In Training At Belterra Park

Rich Strike's 80-1 upset in the Kentucky Derby wasn't trainer Eric Reed's only May surprise.

Three weeks after Rick Dawson's Keen Ice colt stunned the racing world with his stretch-running victory at Churchill Downs, another 3-year-old trained by Reed – this one a filly – did something equally unusual, delivering a foal while in training at Belterra Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The filly, Beautyatitsbest, is an unraced daughter of Gio Ponti who had just breezed a slow three furlongs in 40 seconds on May 26. Two days later, she delivered what Reed said is a healthy colt – much to his surprise.

“She never had a bag or had any signs of being pregnant,” Reed said of the filly.

Except one.

“We kept saying, 'We can't get the weight off her,'” Reed said.

Beautyatitsbest, bred by Jackie A. Willoughby Jr. and Stephen M. Brown, had been with Reed as a 2-year-old at his Mercury Equine Center in Lexington, Ky.

“She had worked well but bucked her shins,” he said.

The filly went back to the Georgetown, Ky., farm of her owner/breeder, Reed said, and that's where she apparently got pregnant.

“From what the owner tells me, he had four 2-year-olds and was moving the horses to another paddock to re-seed,” Reed said. “He had the colts gelded and the vet told him after two weeks they could be put together with fillies.”

Dr. Maria Schnobrich, VMD, DACT, a reproduction specialist at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, said two weeks is not a long enough period of time to separate newly castrated horses from fillies and mares.

“You don't want them to have exposure to any fillies or mares for a month and a half or two months,” said Schnobrich. “I prefer two months to be on the safe side.”

While gelding a horse stops the production of semen, Schnobrich said sperm remains in the vas deferens, the tubing from the testicles into the pelvic canal and urethra. Stallions can also have variable fertility and variably sized reproductive tracts, she said, which affect the timeline for the castration to take full effect.

“One sperm left can still achieve a pregnancy,” Schnobrich said.

When she returned to Reed's stable at Belterra, Beautyatitsbest wasn't training as enthusiastically as she was in 2021.

“When we brought her back she had gained a lot of weight,” Reed said. “As we put her back in training, she would do everything we asked of her but didn't do it very well.”

Normal outward signs of pregnancy in an equine are development of an udder (or bag) and a larger abdomen that is hanging down, said Schnobrich, adding that fillies and mares who are fit from exercise may not relax their stomach muscles and, thus, carry the foal very high. She said the vulva will typically elongate and relax, along with muscles in the hind end.

Reed said Willoughby will send Beautyatitsbest back to him to go into training at the appropriate time.

As for the colt?

“The owner said he's doing great,” Reed said. “He's been sending me pictures from the farm.”

Reed said a DNA test will be run to identify which of the geldings impregnated Beautyatitsbest.

While it's rare for fillies and mares in training to produce a surprise foal like Beautyatitsbest did, it's happened before.

Reed said he heard of a similar occurrence some years ago at Turfway Park when a filly gave birth shortly after a race. Schnobrich said it happens occasionally with show horses.

Barbara Borden, chief steward for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, said she recalls similar incidents when she was working at Thistledown in northern Ohio.

“It's uncommon, but it has happened,” Borden said.

The post It’s A Boy! Derby-Winning Trainer Reed Has Surprise Foal From Filly In Training At Belterra Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Santa Anita Oaks Winner Desert Dawn Headlines Sunday’s Summertime Oaks

Desert Dawn, the unlikely winner of the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks who went on to run a solid third at 50-1 in the G1 Kentucky Oaks, returns to Santa Anita on Sunday and heads a field of seven sophomore fillies going a mile and one sixteenth in the Grade 2, $200,000 Summertime Oaks.

Owned and bred in Arizona by H and E Ranch, Inc., Desert Dawn, who crafted a lofty 90 Beyer Speed Figure in Kentucky on May 6, is conditioned by Santa Anita's leading trainer Phil D'Amato, who seeks his league-leading 16th Winter/Spring stakes win.

Off at 14-1 in the 1 1/16 mile Santa Anita Oaks, Desert Dawn rallied turning for home and outdueled heavily favored Adare Manor to prevail by a neck under Umberto Rispoli, who will be aboard for the fourth consecutive time on Sunday. A bay filly by Cupid out of the Honour and Glory mare Ashley's Glory, Desert Dawn is easily the leading money earner in the field with $492,150 from an overall mark of 8-2-0-3.

A runaway maiden winner in her first try at two turns, the John Shirreffs-trained Lady T will likely try to employ similar front-running tactics in what will be her first graded stakes assignment.

A $235,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Lady T shot out of the gate and in a race that seemingly just pitted her against the clock, she rolled to a 14 ½ length score in her one mile maiden win here on May 15 as the 1-5 favorite, earning a career-best 86 Beyer.

By Into Mischief out of the Malibu Moon mare Red Carpet Miss, Lady T made her debut going 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar Sept. 5, a race in which she rallied to be second, beaten a nose at 11-1. Subsequently second to repeat stakes winner Eda in the six furlong Anoakia Stakes here on Oct. 24, she put it all together in her maiden victory under regular rider Victor Espinoza.

Owned by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Moss and his wife Tina, Lady T is 6-1-4-0 with earnings of $102,800.

A winner of the Grade 2, seven furlong Santa Ynez Stakes three starts back on Jan. 8, Under the Stars stumbled badly leaving the gate in the Grade II Santa Anita Oaks on April 9 and gets the first-time services of leading rider Juan Hernandez.

Classy Under the Stars, originally conditioned by the now-suspended Bob Baffert, will be making her second start for Tim Yakteen. Off at 7-2 in the Oaks here on April 9, Under the Stars was shuffled back to last in the run to the Club House turn and was never a factor thereafter in a race in which her heavily favored former stablemate Adare Manor finished second by a neck to Desert Dawn.

A solid second, beaten a half length as the even money favorite two starts back in the G3 Santa Ysabel at 1 1/16 miles, Under the Stars, who is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, is 6-2-1-2 with earnings of $214,520.

Lightly raced Ganadora, a $1 million Keeneland September Yearling, will be trying two turns and stakes company for the first time and looms extremely dangerous in her third start with Abel Cedillo up for the first time.

Ridden to consecutive 6 ½ furlong sprint victories by Juan Hernandez on Feb. 26 and April 10, Ganadora, who was originally trained by Bob Baffert, has been training a proverbial hole in the wind for Sean McCarthy, who sent her out to a gutty nose allowance score in her second start.

A filly by Quality Road out of the Ghostzapper mare Beloveda, Ganadora is owned by Baoma Corp.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Empire Gal will also be stretching out in what will be her third start. An impressive 2 ¼ length first-out maiden winner going 6 ½ furlongs at Del Mar Nov. 20, she came back as the 9-5 favorite in the ungraded Angel's Flight Stakes going seven furlongs here on May 8 and finished third by five lengths behind multiple stakes winner Elm Drive after stumbling at the break.

A Florida-bred filly by Empire Maker out of the Tapit mare Double Tapped, Empire Gal will be ridden for the first time by Ramon Vazquez, as Victor Espinoza sticks with Lady T. Owned by Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Empire Gal should appreciate the added distance of the Summertime Oaks.

THE GRADE 2 SUMMERTIME OAKS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

Desert Dawn—Umberto Rispoli—124
Ganadora—Abel Cedillo—120
Bicameral—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
Kirstenbosch—Tyler Baze—120
Empire Gal—Ramon Vazquez—120
Under the Stars—Juan Hernandez—120
Lady T—Victor Espinoza–120

First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.

The post Santa Anita Oaks Winner Desert Dawn Headlines Sunday’s Summertime Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Thursday Morning with Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike

ELMONT, NY – With regular exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes in the saddle, GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) circled the shedrow shortly after 8:30 a.m. on a sticky Thursday morning at Belmont Park.

Making his way through the picturesque Belmont backstretch about 10 minutes later with a good-sized entourage in tow, Rich Strike entered the paddock via the tunnel as owner Richard Dawson and trainer Eric Reed, both sporting plenty of black-and-red Rich Strike swag, chatted by the famed Secretariat statue.

With torrential pre-dawn thunderstorms leaving the main track a sloppy-and-sealed mess, it was a second straight day of light training for the 7-2 third choice on the morning-line for Saturday's 154th GI Belmont Stakes.

“All we were doing today was getting a little maintenance work in him and he had to go school in the gate anyway,” Reed said outside of a sun-splashed Barn 29 after the chestnut was done getting cleaned up.

“With the off track, I didn't want to turn him around in case he decided to get real tough. So, we just went the mile-and-a-half in the wrong direction, stood in the gate and brought him home. Tomorrow, he'll have a little bit of a gallop.”

Rich Strike has breezed twice since shocking the world at 80-1 off the also-eligible list in Louisville, most recently working five furlongs in a bullet :59 at Churchill Downs May 30. The $30,000 claim-to-fame put on a show with an absolute powerhouse gallop at Belmont Park on Tuesday.

“That's what we call the 'happy gallop.' He'll do that once a week,” Reed said. “Two days prior coming off the track with normal gallops, he was rearing up. He was telling me, 'You haven't trained me hard enough.' We don't try to go that fast, we just let him have his way. Usually, he'll set his own pace, then he comes back to us after a little bit.”

After receiving plenty of criticism for taking the road seldomly traveled and skipping the GI Preakness S. with the Derby winner, Reed continues to have no regrets about heading to the final leg of the Triple Crown with a fresh horse.

“It wouldn't have worked with him,” Reed said. “It takes him three weeks to calm down. In a two-week turnaround, he would've been crazy in the paddock. He wouldn't have been behaving on the track. His mind would be way too aggressive and it would've jeopardized this race.”

He continued, “Not that we thought this was a race we couldn't lose. It just made a lot more sense because it was the proper time between races and we know he'll get the distance. Our problem is, he has a terrible running style for this race. Either he has to change it on his own or we have to get really lucky because you just don't come from last and win this race. Since the Derby though, he's a much different animal about how he does things.”

As far as life after the Triple Crown series for Rich Strike, following a break for a month or two, Reed has identified the GI Runhappy Travers S. at Saratoga Aug. 27 as his next potential target.

“Our intentions, if things go well, is to run him next year,” Reed said. “We don't want to stop at the end of this year. We're not gonna dance every dance and run every race, we're gonna pick the right ones and give it our best shot.”

It's almost been five weeks now. Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Eric Reed. How does that sound to you?

“I can't get used to that,” Reed concluded with a big smile.

“I've been real busy and I love what's going on for my guys. I haven't had time to step back yet. I'll get that chance after the Belmont. Then, I think it will all soak in.”

'We' Love the Rain…

Likely GI Belmont S. favorite and controlling speed We the People (Constitution) certainly didn't mind the wet going Thursday morning.

The runaway, front-running winner of a saturated renewal of the local GIII Peter Pan S. stood like a gentleman beneath trainer Rodolphe Brisset after entering the track through the paddock at 7:52 a.m. The 'TDN Rising Star' began to jog the wrong way with the pony about five minutes later, and, after schooling in the starting gate, came rolling down the center of the stretch outside of the dogs for another very good-looking, one-mile gallop.

While leading sire Tapit can't add to his already record four Belmont Stakes tallies this year, his presence will certainly still be felt Saturday. The Gainesway kingpin is the grandsire of both We the People and Kentucky Derby sixth-place finisher Barber Road (Race Day), and he is also the broodmare sire of the lightly raced Preakness third-place finisher Creative Minister (Creative Cause), respectively.

For more pedigree tidbits on the field of eight, stay tuned for Saturday's 'Where Did They Come From?' feature.

The post Thursday Morning with Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Goffs Land Rover Sale Concludes In Bullish Fashion

Demand was strong for Part II of the Goffs Land Rover Sale on Thursday, with the clearance rate rising to 82% for 174 sold from 213 offered. The gross also improved to €3,109,500 (+59%). The average and median came in at €17,871 (+8%) and €16,000 (+7%), respectively.

Three lots shared honours for the joint-highest price of €50,000, and the first horse to reach that amount was lot 594. The Jet Away (GB) gelding, out of a full-sister to Grade 2 hurdle winner and Grade 1 runner-up Emitom (Ire) (Gold Well {GB}), was offered by Tullycanna Stables and found a new home with Milestone Bloodstock.

Fillies by Workforce (GB) (lot 644) and Doyen (Ire) (lot 645) reached that amount later in the day. The former, already half-sister to a winning point-to-pointer, was part of the Kellsgrange Stud draft and sold to Charlie and Francesca Poste. Her dam is a full-sister to the Grade 1-placed Rindoon (Ire) (Beneficial {GB}).

Boardsmill Stud consigned lot 645, who is out of the Grade 3-placed Benny's Fagartha (Ire) (Beneficial {GB}). Baltimore Stables bought the April-foaled bay.

“With so many sales these days one of the joys of the Goffs Land Rover Sale is the need for only one trip to buy classy stores at all levels of the market,” said Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby. “That allows so many of our important UK buyers to take in both Part 1 and Part 2 incorporating 715 lots but only do battle with the airport once. In today's world that is ever more important.

“Today continued the positive trends of the Part 1 Sale with increases in the key metrics and, once again, we are indebted to every vendor and each purchaser for their trust and support. Whilst trade is obviously at a lower level than Part 1 there is no doubt that some future stars were sold today and we look forward to seeing Land Rover graduates performing at all the big meetings in the coming seasons.

“The last three days have concluded a vibrant NH stores sales season for Goffs with strength, depth and consistency at Doncaster Spring and Goffs Land Rover with both sales posting impressive results following massive support from breeders on both sides of the Irish Sea. We are grateful for every lot and each bid, and remain committed to providing the best possible service to the industry as our share of the market continues to grow.

“As well as enjoying a highly satisfactory few days of business one of the most wonderful aspects of the whole week was the freedom to do business without a hint of the dreaded restrictions, temperature checks, masks or the like. And that made it all feel even better.”

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