Month: July 2022

Sprinters in the Spotlight on Both Coasts Saturday

Male sprinters take their shot at Grade I glory on both coasts Saturday with the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt S. at Saratoga and the GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar, which is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) is four-for-four at Saratoga and three-for-three this year. The GII True North S. romper is the heavy favorite at 1-5 on the morning-line against five quite overmatched foes. The next closest on the morning-line is 6-1 shot Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), who enters off a win in the Chocolate Town S. at Penn National June 17.

“You can't talk about Jackie's Warrior without thanking Kirk and Judy Robison for putting him back in training,” said Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. “It's so rare in this day and age for a champion colt to have another year at the racetrack and for him to have another chance at Saratoga.”

Meanwhile, on the West Coast, a more evenly matched field of 10 seek a spot in the Breeders' Cup starting gate in the Bing Crosby. Three-time Crosby winner Bob Baffert saddles the lightly-raced Shaaz (Uncle Mo) Saturday. Two-for-four thus far, the $1.1-million EASMAY acquisition enters off a third in the GIII Steve Sexton Mile May 30 while under the temporary care of conditioner Sean McCarthy.

Last term's GI Woody Stephens S. winner Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music) avoids rival Jackie's Warrior by making his first start on the West Coast Saturday.

The top three finishers from Santa Anita's GII Triple Bend S. also resurface here: American Theorem (American Pharoah), Principe Carlo (Coil) and Get Her Number (Dialed In).

While this race has been won by some very talented horses, it has not produced a Breeders' Cup winner since Kona Gold in 2000. The last Alfred Vanderbilt winner to score at the World Championships was Speightstown in 2004.

Short, But Sweet Field Set For Jim Dandy

There may only be five colts set to line up for Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S., the local prep for next month's GI Runhappy Travers S., but it's quite a talented quintet.

The field is led by Epicenter (Not This Time), who went off as the Derby favorite after dominating the Fair Grounds preps. He was a valiant second beneath the Twin Spires after being run down late by longshot Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and rallied to fill the same spot last out in the GI Preakness S. May 21.

“He's training as well, or better, as he did throughout the Triple Crown races, so we'll see,” said Winchell Thoroughbreds manager David Fiske said. “It seems like everyone is getting better this time of year, and I don't know that he could be doing any better. Steve is pleased with him. He's a pretty straight forward horse. I think during the Triple Crown I characterized him as almost machine like. He just does what you want him to do, goes back to his stall and lays down.”

Preakness winner Early Voting (Gun Runner) also returns here, hoping to give his sensational young sire his second Grade I winner in as many Saturdays following Cyberknife's Haskell score. He is joined by stablemate and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Zandon (Upstart), who completed the Derby trifecta.

“I really believe that they both have established themselves for quite some time now to be two of the top-five 3-year-old dirt colts in the country pretty consistently throughout most of the year,” trainer Chad Brown said. “The order might change around those top five and the fifth horse that's in that group might change a little bit, but they're consistently in that group. We're at the midway marker, so there's a lot more racing to take place and these horses are going to have to continue to maintain strong campaigns to stay in that group.”

Country Grammer Returns in the San Diego

Country Grammer (Tonalist) makes his first start since upsetting the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 26 Saturday in Del Mar's GII San Diego H. The 1 1/16-mile test is often used as a prep for the GI Pacific Classic, which is the next target for undefeated MGISW Flightline (Tapit).

John Velazquez ships in from Saratoga to ride for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. It is Country Grammer's first start on American soil this year, having kicked off the season with a second in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 26.

“It's going to be tight, you know, he's more of a mile and a quarter type of horse,” Baffert said, “but it's nice to have a race into him. We sent him to the farm for a couple of months, Winstar Farm, and they sent him back looking great.”

Baffert pursued a similar path with Dubai World Cup winner Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), who also made his first start after Meydan in the San Diego. He finished fourth that day and went on to be second in the Pac Classic before losing his title defense in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

Mandaloun (Into Mischief), named GI Kentucky Derby and GI Haskell S. winner last year via DQ, ships west to run in this spot rather than facing the aforementioned Life Is Good in the GI Whitney S. next weekend. He enters off a well-beaten fourth in the GII Stephen Foster S. July 2.

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First-Crop Yearling Previews: Audible

The 2022 class of first-crop yearling sires features a diverse batch of Kentucky-based young stallions including a pair of Breeders' Cup champions, two sons of reigning top sire Into Mischief, five graded stakes winners at two and five Grade I winners on turf. Throughout the course of the yearling sales season, we will feature a series of freshman sires as their first crop points toward the sales ring. Check out the first few editions of our series here.

WinStar Farm's Liam O'Rourke vividly recalls the day that breeders got their first look at Audible (Into Mischief – Blue Devil Bel, by Gilded Time) just after the new stallion moved into the stud barn.

“We had a little party here to welcome him to the WinStar stallion barn and when we brought him out in front of breeders, there was an immediate draw to him,” O'Rourke explained. “He's just such a eyeful and is among the very best of the physicals by Into Mischief. From that point, people started shouting for seasons.”

Demand to breed to the 2018 GI Florida Derby winner was so high that Audible was the most popular first-year stallion in WinStar's history, breeding just over 220 mares in his debut season with a $25,000 stud fee.

“Demand for him has been extremely strong through all three years he's been here,” O'Rourke reported. “Right from the get go, there was a buzz around town on Audible.”

A $175,000 New York-bred yearling pinhook and a $500,000 2-year-old purchase for WinStar Farm and China Horse Club, Audible broke his maiden as a juvenile for Todd Pletcher and returned at three to take the GII Holy Bull S. by over five lengths and the GI Florida Derby by three. He ran third to Justify in the GI Kentucky Derby and later added another victory in the Cherokee Run S. Audible retired at four with over $2 million in career earnings.

As Audible's first crop of foals arrived last year, O'Rourke said that he quickly found several common trends in the youngsters.

“They're a very consistent group,” he noted. “He throws great substance, plenty of length, great quality and good bone. They're a robust, muscular type but with lots of length and they look like they can stretch out. The feedback from breeders was very positive from the start and we realized pretty early on that he was going to have a big November.”

Audible ranked second in his class with his first crop of weanlings. His progeny averaged $103,813 with 43 of 53 sold, including 16 six-figure weanlings led by a $360,000 filly out of Nagambie (Flatter) named Cosmic Thread and a $200,000 filly out of Safwah (Medaglia d'Oro).

With his first yearlings at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale, Audible's progeny continued to trend upward. Seven of his nine lots sold for six figures, led by a colt out of I'm Guilty (Verrazano) that brought $220,00 to Bradley Thoroughbreds and a second colt out of Wonder Stone (Super Saver) that sold to Gus King for $200,000.

“Some of the best judges were on the Audibles in July, including Donato Lanni, Peter Bradley, Travis Durr and Nick de Meric,” O'Rourke said. “He has seven entered at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, which is more than any other freshman sire, so we think that's a great sign.”

Machmer Hall's Audible filly sells as Hip 43 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale | Sara Gordon

One filly bound for Saratoga will represent the Machmer Hall consignment as Hip 43. The yearling out of Patsy's Kim (Dixie Union) was bred by Teresa Little and was a private purchase for Machmer Hall Sales. Carrie Brogden said that the youngster is the type of yearling that their consignment hopes to offer in Saratoga.

“She's big and fancy and two-turn, but looks like she'll have speed,” Brogden said. “She vets, she's correct and she's got a classy brain. Our farm has a share in Audible. I was a big fan of him as a racehorse and obviously WinStar has an incredible track record making stallions. We had two Audibles in July and they were more of a pinhooker-style horse. Both of them looked very speedy. This [Saratoga-bound] filly has a lot more scope and stretch.”

Of the Audibles that have been on her farm, Brogden said that all have shared one trait that she has also noticed in Into Mischief's progeny and the offspring of other sons of the champion sire.

“They all have the Into Mischief brain,” she said. “When you're pushing the feed cart, they're always whinnying and beating down the door for feed. For me that's a wonderful sign of a racehorse because it means they're not going to back out of their feed tub. It's a common theme that I see again and again.”

Another yearling slated for the sales ring in Saratoga is a colt out of Peter Blum's homebred Tapit mare Sundown. The gray will sell as Hip 97 with Bridie Harrison.

“We like this colt a lot,” Harrison reported. “He's tall with a lot of leg and great length. Audible added a lot of size and scope to Sundown. This is certainly one of her bigger foals. He's a very nice mover and has a great temperament.”

After the Select Sale in Saratoga, nine Audible yearlings will go through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Sale.

As Audible's progeny soon begin making their way to the racetrack, O'Rourke said to look for them to come out in force early next year.

“He was a precocious horse,” he noted. “He breezed fast and then went out and performed as a 2-year-old on the racetrack. His sire line has precocity so I do think there's going to be precocity there, but with the way he's built, I think they are built to carry that speed a route of ground. They'll be able to go around two turns with their length, but do so in a front-running fashion.”

The post First-Crop Yearling Previews: Audible appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By NYRA Bets: Summer’s In Full Swing

This weekend's graded stakes action features a Grade 1 sprint contest on each coast, with the Vanderbilt at Saratoga drawing reigning sprint champion Jackie's Warrior and the “Win and You're In” Bing Crosby offering a well-matched field of 10.

Saturday's action also includes the Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at the Spa, featuring several of the top contenders from the 3-year-old division: Preakness winner Early Voting will face off with Kentucky Derby second- and third-place finishers Epicenter and Zandon.

Later Saturday evening, the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on the West Coast will see Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer challenged by Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun.

On Sunday, 2-year-old champion Corniche will make the first start of his sophomore season in the Grade 2 Amsterdam. The former Bob Baffert trainee is now conditioned by Todd Pletcher.

Also worth noting that Saturday's racing includes five stakes worth $400,000 at Laurel Park.

Here's a quick look at some of this weekend's graded stakes:

Saturday

4:50 p.m. – G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes at Saratoga

Reigning Champion Male Sprinter Jackie's Warrior will look to build upon an already stellar campaign when he takes on five challengers in Saturday's Vanderbilt Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up. Now that Jackie's Warrior has flourished as a sprinter, trainer Steve Asmussen said he is on a more targeted schedule this year with the ultimate goal being a return engagement in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Keeneland.

The accomplished Ny Traffic will try to play spoiler in his first start in Grade 1 company since finishing 9th in the 2020 Preakness for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., while trainer Dallas Stewart will hope to see veteran Long Range Toddy [post 5, Luis Saez, 117 pounds] find the winner's circle for the first time since a neck score in the 2019 Grade 2 Rebel.

Kneedeepinsnow [post 1, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 117 pounds] will look to go from claim to fame as he makes his third outing since being haltered for $80,000 out of a winning effort that garnered a career-best 100 Beyer in April at Keeneland. Trained by Matt Shirer, the Flat Out gelding has picked up two stakes placings for his new connections, finishing second in the Work All Week in June at Hawthorne and third in the Kelly's Landing 2 1/4 lengths behind Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Aloha West last out on July 2 at Churchill.

Vanderbilt Entries

5:37 p.m. – G2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga

Trainer Chad Brown will look to continue his rocket start at the Saratoga Race Course summer meet when saddling Grade 1-winners Early Voting and Zandon for Saturday's Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds going nine furlongs on the main track. Early Voting arrives off a victory in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 21 at Pimlico Race Course, while Zandon arrives off nearly three-month's rest from a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

Epicenter arrives at the Jim Dandy with vengeance following a close second in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness as the post-time favorite. The bay son of leading third crop sire Not This Time closed from eighth position in both races. After finishing three-quarters of a length shy of victory in the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter was a deep-closing second in the Preakness, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in arrears of Early Voting. Boasting a record of 8-4-3-0 and field-best earnings in excess of $1.9 million, Epicenter defeated Zandon in the Risen Star before capturing the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at the New Orleans oval.

Jim Dandy Entries

8:30 p.m. – G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar

As a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race, the Crosby winner receives a guaranteed berth, with all fees paid, in the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland in November. A trio of crackerjack sprinters head the lineup in Michael Lund Petetsen's Shaaz, Slam Dunk Racing and Madaket Stables' Florida shipper Drain the Clock and Kretz Racing's American Theorem.

Crosby starter Shaaz has been training up the proverbial storm out of the Bob Baffert barn. The 4-year-old Uncle Mo colt has only started four times, but he's won three (one through a disqualification) and boasts a trio of bullet works at Del Mar coming into the dash.

Drain the Clock, whose last start was in the Smile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream on July 2 where he showed speed but fell back to finish fourth. The fast son of Maclean's Music races for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. and is a seven-time winner of nearly $700,000.

American Theorem comes into the heat off a photo-finish tally in the Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita on May 29. That race was the biggest score yet for the ridgling by American Pharoah.

Bing Crosby Entries

9:30 p.m. – G2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar

In the San Diego, which veteran observers at Del Mar are saying is one of the best editions of the race ever, Country Grammer appears to be a solid favorite. The Tonalist 5-year-old horse comes into the race off a smashing score in the $12 million Dubai World Cup back in March, a triumph that boosted his bankroll to $10,837,320. He's been prepping steadily for trainer Baffert for this comeback.

Mandaloun, an Into Mischief 4-year-old colt with more than $2 million in earnings, finished second in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, but when the horse who was first across the line – Medina Spirit – was subsequently disqualified for a drug issue, Mandaloun was moved up to first. His last start was a fourth-place finish in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on July 2.

Royal Ship, a Brazilian-bred 6-year-old, is a seven-time winner of nearly $400,000. He was third in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 30 in his most recent effort. Hall of Fame rider Smith will be aboard him for the 11th consecutive time.

San Diego Entries

Sunday

5:05 p.m. – G2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga

Multiple graded-stakes winner Arklow returns off a nearly 10-month layoff in Sunday's Bowling Green, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older horses at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 8-year-old Arch bay was last seen in October at Belmont Park finishing fifth in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational, a race he won in 2019 over multiple Grade 1-winner Channel Maker.

Bowling Green Entries

5:39 p.m. – G2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will have two chances to secure a record-equaling fifth victory in the Amsterdam when he sends out reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Corniche and graded stakes winner My Prankster in Sunday's 6 1/2-furlong sprint for sophomores.

Corniche, owned by Speedway Stables, will look to kick off his sophomore campaign on a high note as he makes his first outing since a prominent 1 3/4-length triumph in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Del Mar. Robert and Lawana Low's My Prankster will look to turn the tables on fellow Amsterdam aspirant Gunite after a narrow loss to him last out in the Maxfield on July 3 at Churchill Downs.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' homebred Grade 1-winner Gunite will make his third start off an eight-month respite for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. One of three entrants for leading second crop sire Gun Runner, Gunite was last seen posting his half-length score over My Prankster in the Maxfield to earn his first victory since taking the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga in September.

Amsterdam Entries

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