July, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘He Was Full Of Run The Whole Way’: Veteran Bound For Nowhere Overhauls Front-Runner Late To Win Highlander

Bound for Nowhere, trained and owned by Wesley Ward, found daylight in late stretch to win in the $203,200 Highlander Stakes (G2) Saturday at Woodbine.

It was a cavalry charge for the lead in the six-furlong turf sprint for 4-year-olds and up contested over a firm E.P. Taylor Course, with Irish-bred Chuck Willis emerging on top. The 6-year-old gelding, on a two-race win streak, proceeded to lead his rivals through an opening quarter in :21.84 as Pablo Morales settled the Bound for Nowhere into sixth.

Chuck Willis was still in control after a half-mile in :44.25, but a host of rivals began to set their sights on the leader around the turn for home.

As the field straightened for the long stretch drive, Arzak took over top spot at the stretch call while Morales and Bound for Nowhere, behind a wall of horses, desperately looked for daylight.

When the opportunity came, the duo punched through and attempted to collar front-running Arzak, which they eventually did, grinding out a one-length triumph in a time of 1:08.01. Bound for Nowhere returned $13.

Arzak finished second, a neck ahead of longshot White Flag. Silent Poet finished fourth.

“For a second, I thought I might be a little closer, but it worked out perfectly,” said Morales. “A lot of horses came out together head and head and I was able to drop in and save a little bit of ground. He was very powerful all the way around there. I was sitting on a ton of horse. I was following a couple that I thought would carry me, but it seemed like everybody sort of stayed together. I was getting a little worried there, but I'm glad I was able to work out a trip. When I put him in the clear, and he felt a little bit of room, he just took off.

“I didn't even see the (Daily Racing) Form. If Wesley Ward wants you to come to Woodbine, I'm going to come to Woodbine. I had no idea what horse it was, of course for my surprise, for a great surprise, I looked at the horse and I'm like, 'Well, you're put on an awesome horse.' I was really excited to be here.”

It was the second straight trip to the winner's circle for multiple graded stakes winner Bound for Nowhere, an 8-year-old son of The Factor out of the Alydeed mare Fancy Deed bred in Kentucky by Wayne Lyster, Gray Lyster, and Bryan Lister.

“He was full of run the whole way,” Morales said. “He broke really good, and I think I put him in a good spot. He wants to go. He's big and strong, there's horses in front of me that are sort of running, but are not really taking off, so mine just wanted to go and go and I'm just trying to stay as close as possible, so when it opens, I can go for it. I was going to go for a wider bid and, you're right, he was he was just powerful all the way around there. I did have to steady him a little bit because he just wants to run them over.”

Bound for Nowhere has nine wins, two seconds, and three thirds from 19 career starts.

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Rondure Cements Status As Queen’s Plate Contender With Marine Triumph At Woodbine

Rondure, a 3-year-old Ontario-bred son of Oxbow, put in a head-turning performance in Saturday's $177,900 Marine Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.

After two troubled starts to launch his career in 2021, Rondure looks to be on the road to a date in the starting gate for the 163rd running of the Queen's Plate.

Ironstone, who went off as the 5-2 choice, galloped out to a sizable lead as the field of eight headed into the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile race for three-year-olds, holding a four-length advantage through an opening quarter in :24.59, as Allegorical and Rondure, held the second and third spots, respectively.

On top by 1 ½ lengths after a half in :49.06, Ironstone, a multiple stakes-winning son of Mr Speaker, soon had to contend with Rondure and jockey Rafael Hernandez, the duo looming as a major threat heading into the turn for home.

As the field straightened for the dash to the wire, Rondure began to effortlessly distance himself from his rivals, converting a 2 ½-length advantage at the stretch call into a dominating 5 ½ length score. Duke of Love edged Ironstone for second, while Mannix was fourth.

The final time was 1:43.57. Rondure paid $10.40.

Trained by Katerina Vassilieva for owner-breeder Borders Racing Stable Ltd., Rondure, now 2-1-0 from five starts, encountered a pair of tough journeys to launch his career last fall. He arrived at the Marine off a second-place finish, a head back of The Minkster, in the Queenston Stakes on June 12.

“I was worried about the short timeline between the Queenston and this race,” Vassilieva said of Rondure, who is out of the Trajectory mare Carat Weight. “There were a few question marks there. But, boy, it didn't seem like a factor at all today. I just told him [Rafael Hernandez] to save as much ground as he could and come from behind. I wasn't sure where exactly he was going to find himself because in the first race, he was more forwardly placed than the last race in the Queenston. So, I just left that up to Rafi. I just wanted him to stay out of trouble and get it as clean of a trip as he could.”

With two wins and a second in his past three starts, the diminutive colt looks like a big-time contender ahead of the Queen's Plate, slated for August 21 at Woodbine.

“Excited, of course,” Vassilieva said about the possibility of a Queen's Plate bid. “But business as usual when it comes to the horse. I'm just going to do what I always do try to take the best care as I can of the horse, do right by him, and hopefully we get to the Plate and get to have some fun.”

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‘She’s Back’: Shedaresthedevil Scores First Win Of Year In Fleur de Lis

Shedaresthedevil, winner of the 2020 Kentucky Oaks (G1), improved her Churchill Downs record Saturday to six wins in seven starts when she ran down pacesetter Super Quick in deep stretch to win the $350,000 Fleur de Lis (G2) by 1 ¾ lengths.

Shedaresthedevil clocked 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.17 under Florent Geroux, who rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox and owners Whisper Hill Farm LLC, Qatar Racing Ltd., and Flurry Racing Stables LLC. It was her first win three starts this year.

“We're really proud of the race she ran today,” Cox said of the 4-year-old Daredevil filly. “We've targeted this race for a long time. She loves it here at Churchill Downs and Florent gave her a perfect ride. It was a tough field but I had confidence in her when I saw her position going around the turn that she'd have enough left to chase down (Super Quick).”

Super Quick, runaway winner of the Allaire duPont Distaff (G3) at Pimlico on Black-Eyed Susan Day, went straight to the front and led the field of five fillies and mares through moderate fractions of :24.13, :47.83 and 1:12.09 for six furlongs as Shedaresthedevil stalked in second. Shedaresthedevil drew even with the weary pacesetter with a furlong to go and edged clear through the final sixteenth of a mile.

“We sat in a perfect position the entire way around the track,” Geroux said. “Inside the eighth pole she started to find her best stride and drew away late. She's back.”

Shedaresthedevil paid $4.80 as the slight 7-5 favorite. Super Quick, with jockey Joe Talamo aboard, was 3 ½ lengths in front of third-place finisher Pauline's Pearl, the 7-5 second betting choice ridden by Joel Rosario.

She's All Wolfe and Ava's Grace rounded out the field.

Shedaresthedevil, out of the Congrats mare Starship Warpspeed, improved her overall record to 10-3-5 in 20 starts, and the $216,000 first prize boosted her career earnings to $2,729,458. She was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm.

The Fleur de Lis marks the eighth graded stakes win of Shedaresthedevil's career. At 3, she won the Honeybee (G3), Indiana Oaks (G3) and Kentucky Oaks. Her 2021 campaign featured wins in the Azeri (G2), La Troienne (G1), Clement L. Hirsch (G1) and Locust Grove (G3).

The Fleur de Lis is part of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen where a portion of entry fees will be paid to the top three finishers toward the $2 million Distaff (G1) held on Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

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Favorite Olympiad Holds Off Americanrevolution In Stephen Foster To Stay Unbeaten This Year

Olympiad tracked a quick pace, grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch, and held a rallying Americanrevolution at bay in deep stretch to win Saturday's 41st running of the $740,000 Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Olympiad scored by 2 ¼ lengths while clocking 1 1/8 miles in a swift 1:47.66 – the seventh fastest renewal of the race and just .38 off Victory Gallop's 1999 stakes and track record of 1:47.28.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for owners Grandview Equine (Robert Clay), Cheyenne Stable LLC (Everett Dobson) and LNJ Foxwoods (Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth), Olympiad rated one length back of pacesetter Caddo River, who rattled off fractions :23.05, :46.45 and 1:10.64.

Around the final turn, Olympiad was ready to pounce on the tiring leader. Simultaneously, Mandaloun, who was made the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner following the disqualification of Medina Spirit, loomed boldly from third in his first start since a ninth-place finish in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) on February 26, and Cigar Mile (G1) winner Americanrevolution tipped out for his charge from fourth.

Olympiad, who began the week ranked No. 5 on the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll behind Flightline, Country Grammer, Life Is Good, and Jackie's Warrior, kicked clear in upper stretch and held strong in the final furlong to collect his fifth win in as many starts this year. His list of victories this year includes triumphs in the Mineshaft (G3), New Orleans Classic Stakes, Alysheba (G2), and now the Stephen Foster.

“I thought it was a very game win this afternoon,” Mott said via telephone. “There were some nice horses in this field and I thought he did things rather easily. It was really nice to see him win like that.”

His next attempt is likely to be an attempt to collect a Grade 1 victory in the $1 million Whitney at Saratoga in five weeks on Aug. 6.

“Bill Mott likes to have horses on win streaks, like Cigar,” said Mott's Kentucky-based assistant Kenny McCarthy. “This horse has started one of his own and he's been such a pleasure every time he's run in our care in Kentucky. The whole team did a great job to get him back here and it's very special to win the Stephen Foster again. He has such a big stride and it's so powerful in the late stages of his races.”

Mott also won the 2012 Stephen Foster with Ron the Greek.

The lofty $455,320 first prize lifted the bay Kentucky-bred colt's earnings to millionaire status: $1,407,560 from a record of 7-1-1 in 10 starts.

“This horse has such a big stride on him and really extends it late in races,” Alvarado said. “I think as he's gotten older he's gotten faster in each start. Today we sat in a good position just off of the early pace and he showed how powerful his stride can be. I asked him just a little bit in the final furlong and he continued to get faster. He's a great horse and has shown his talent all year long. It will be a fun rest of the year.”

The victory in the Stephen Foster, a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” qualifier, earned Olympiad a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the $6 million Longines Classic (GI), which is scheduled for Novovember 5 at Keeneland. Also, his connections will have all Breeders' Cup pre-entry and entry fees covered and could receive a travel award up to $10,000.

Olympiad, at odds of 3-2, returned $5. Americanrevolution, with Luis Saez aboard, was second and Proxy was another 2 ¾ lengths back in third under Joel Rosario.

“He tried so hard this afternoon” Saez said of Americanrevolution. “The winner was simply the best but he put in a run in multiple areas of the race. He just couldn't quite match strides with Olympiad.”

Mandaloun flattened to fourth and was followed by Title Ready, Caddo River and Last Samurai.

“It was disapp,ointing,” said Mandaloun's jockey Florent Geroux. “We were expecting a big effort today. He never quite grabbed the bit around the turn.”

Olympiad is a son of Speightstown out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Tokyo Time and was bred In Kentucky by Emory A. Hamilton.

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