Month: July 2022

Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant's Jack Christopher was handed his first career loss when running a game third in the TVG.com Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park on Saturday, but trainer Chad Brown was nevertheless proud of the talented colt's effort when stretching out to two turns for the first time.

The chestnut son of Munnings showed his usual prominent tactics off the flank of pacesetting longshot Benevengo. Jack Christopher assumed command around the far turn but was unable to fend off rallies from the victorious Cyberknife and runner-up Taiba, finishing third beaten two lengths in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Brown said he plans on cutting Jack Christopher back to one turn for a possible start in the seven-furlong $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) on August 27.

“The horse ran really well and I thought he had a good trip,” Brown said. “He got a little quick on the final turn when they moved from [the half-mile in] :46 into [three-quarters in] 1:09. That probably emptied him a little bit. But all in all, it looked like it was a little too far. I was a little disappointed that he couldn't kick on through the lane, but he tried hard. We just shipped him up to Saratoga. As long as he comes out of the race okay, I'll cut him back and point to a race like the Allen Jerkens.”

But not all was lost for Brown at Monmouth Park, having saddled four stakes winners at the Jersey Shore oval on Saturday, including Adhamo [Grade 1 United Nations], Search Results [Grade 3 Molly Pitcher], Highly Motivated [Grade 3 Monmouth Cup] and Lemista [Grade 3 Matchmaker].

“I was proud of all the horses and my team to have them all ready on a big day like that,” Brown said. “There's a lot of moving parts to get it done and they did fabulous. I'm proud of them all.”

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Louis Lazzinnaro's Adhamo notched his first stateside victory in the United Nations following a trio of graded stakes placings, including a second to stablemate Tribhuvan in the Manhattan (G1) at Belmont.

Brown said the Irish-bred son of Intello could target the $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational (G1) on August 27 at the Spa.

“He got the trip we were looking for and he's been a work in progress. He looks to be continually improving and he finished off his race well on Saturday,” Brown said. “He shipped up here today, so we'll see how he bounces out of it, but surely, I would like to point to that.”

Brown didn't give any set plans for his three other stakes heroes, but did say Search Results could be “possible” for the $600,000 Personal Ensign (G1) on August 27.

The post Haskell Third Jack Christopher To Cut Back In Distance, Possible For H. Allen Jerkens Next Month appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fern Circle Stables, Back Racing, and Magdalena Racing's graded stakes-placed Creative Minister competed in two-thirds of the Triple Crown, but will step into restricted company in Friday's 13th renewal of the $135,000 Curlin Stakes, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course.

The Curlin, which is restricted to horses that have not won a graded event at one mile or over this year, is often used as a springboard to the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers (G1) on August 27. V. E. Day successfully completed the Curlin-Travers double in 2014.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, Creative Minister garnered a field-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his third-place Preakness (G1) finish in May before running fifth in the Belmont Stakes (G1) last out on June 11.

McPeek said the Preakness effort was an indicator of Creative Minister's class.

“It was an excellent race. He stepped up to a high level real quick there and he's going to need to run back to that,” McPeek said. “I think this will be a good spot. It should be a race that sets him up good for a Travers run. He didn't handle the racetrack at Belmont. He struggled with the surface over there for some reason and unfortunately that didn't work out.”

The Creative Cause gray graduated at second asking in April over a sloppy and sealed Keeneland main track ahead of a sharp optional-claiming win on the Kentucky Derby undercard on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

McPeek also entered Joseph B. Murphy's Wolfe County, by Medaglia d'Oro, who broke through in his eighth start, besting older company in a maiden special weight on June 24 traveling 1 3/16-miles at Churchill Downs.

Creative Minister has breezed four times over the Oklahoma training track, including a five-eighths bullet in 1:00.66 Saturday in company with Wolfe County.

“They worked well. It was a good maintenance breeze and got a good blow out of it,” McPeek said.

McPeek said he may consider another option for the improving Wolfe County.

“His development has been good [off the maiden score],” McPeek said. “We'll take a look at this one and see how he fits.”

Dylan Davis will guide Creative Minister from post 7, while Julien Leparoux will pilot Wolfe County from post 6.

Juddmonte's Kentucky homebred Artorius steps into stakes company for the first time for trainer Chad Brown, following a three-quarter length graduation in a one-turn mile maiden tilt against older horses on June 10 at Belmont.

The regally bred Arrogate colt is out of the Brown-trained multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Paulassilverlining, who is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Dads Caps.

“He's come along nicely,” Brown said. “He's lightly raced but he's always looked like a horse that wants to go two turns. I'm excited to get him stretched out further.”

Brown conditioned Paulassilverlining to a pair of seven-furlong Grade 1-scores in 2017, taking the Madison at Keeneland and the Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs. But the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer said he expects Artorius will relish stretching out.

“He's not a very big horse like his mom, but he definitely has more range than her,” Brown said. “He can run further than her, I believe. He's by a great horse, out of a great horse, so we're hoping he turns into a great horse.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. retains the mount from the outermost post 9.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a pair of strong contenders in Repole Stable's allowance winner Be Better and Red Oak Stable's stakes winner Make It Big.

Be Better, a dark bay son of Uncle Mo, debuted with a distant third to Saturday's TVG-com Haskell (G1) third-place finisher Jack Christopher in August at the Spa and followed with a three-quarter length maiden score in June traveling one mile and 70 yards in his seasonal debut at Monmouth Park.

The Kentucky homebred enters from a 5 1/4-length allowance romp at the same course and distance over next-out allowance winner Cyberviking.

“I thought his last effort was very good. It was kind of a step forward again and it seems like he keeps getting better,” Pletcher said. “He's a colt that we had high hopes for last year and he had a setback. He's come back for two good performances and it seems like he'll really appreciate more distance.”

Make It Big, a Florida-bred son of Neolithic, won his first three career starts for his former conditioner Saffie Joseph Jr., graduating in October going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park and following with a 2 1/4-length victory in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes at the same distance at the Hallandale Beach oval.

He traveled to Remington Park in December to post a half-length score in the Springboard Mile ahead of a distant 10th-place finish in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis in February at Tampa Bay Downs.

Make It Big was transferred to Pletcher and has worked extensively at Belmont Park, including a bullet half-mile in :48.89 on July 14 over the dirt training track.

“He's trained well,” Pletcher said. “We put blinkers on him, which he's worn in the past, and it seems like his last two works have been much better with the blinkers on. We'll obviously stay with those and see what he can do.”

Luis Saez will guide Be Better from post 8 while Make It Big will emerge from post 4 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

Grandview Equine and Don Alberto Stable's Gilded Age rallied from 19 lengths off the pace to capture a nine-furlong optional-claiming tilt by a head on July 4 last out at Churchill Downs for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

The grinding score came three months following an off-the-board effort in the UAE Derby (G2) on March 26 at Meydan.

Mott said he was pleased with the performance off the layoff.

“We gave him plenty of time and he ran a good race at Churchill. I was very happy with him,” Mott said. “He got the mile and an eighth and he wore them down. He got them in the last jump or two.”

Mott said he is not yet considering a start for Gilded Age in the “Mid-Summer Derby.”

“If he jumped up and runs good in there that would be an option for us, but I haven't thought any further ahead than this race,” Mott said. “This a restricted race and hopefully he'll fit in there and be able to compete.”

A maiden winner at first asking in November at Churchill, Gilded Age, a $600,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, followed with a third-place finish in a muddy renewal of the Grade 3 Withers in February at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Medaglia d'Oro bay is out of the Grade 1-winning Bernardini mare Angela Renee, who is a full-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire To Honor and Serve.

Junior Alvarado retains the mount from post 2.

Rounding out the field are two-time winners Western River [post 1, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], A.P.'s Secret [post 3, Manny Franco], and Golden Glider [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione].

The post Classic-Placed Creative Minister Looks For Stakes Breakthrough In Saratoga’s Curlin Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Irish-bred Wakanaka, trained by Bill Mott, looked right at home on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, taking all the spoils in the $204,400 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2) Sunday at Woodbine.

It was another Irish-bred, Fev Rover, who zipped up the rail to seize control of the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares as Inthewinnerscircle was settled into second, one length off the leader through an opening quarter mile in :23.65 over firm going. Seasons was positioned in third, a head in front of Wakanaka.

Fev Rover was a half-length on top after a half in :47.19, followed by Inthewinnerscircle, Seasons, Wakanaka, Munnyfor Ro, and Youens (Keyflower and Lady Speightspeare were scratched.).

In front by just a head after six furlongs in 1:10.26, Fev Rover braced for the challenge of a surging Wakanaka, who was making up ground quickly to her outside.

One length clear at the stretch call, Wakanaka, making her first appearance at Woodbine, went on to record a 1 ¾-length victory in a time of 1:39.46.

Fev Rover finished second, a head in front of Munnyfor Ro. Seasons was fourth. A claim of foul by Patrick Husbands, the rider of Fev Rover, was disallowed.

Wakanaka, who was bred by Mrs. Jean Brennan, returned $4.60.

“Keeping her forward and turning for home, she saw the daylight and just ran off,” said winning rider Rafael Hernandez, one race after capturing the Woodbine Oaks with Moira. “She just looked a little bit at the grandstand. We've got a long stretch here and when horses come here new, they like to look at the grandstand too much. I just try to keep their attention on the race.”

With the win, Wakanaka, owned by Team Valor International and Gary Barber, improved her record to 7-4-1 from 13 starts that also includes a victory in the 2021 Premio Regina Elena (Italian One Thousand Guineas) (G1) and three consecutive graded stakes-placings in the United States this year. The 4-year-old daughter of Power out of Storyline, by Kodiac, entered the Dance Smartly off a runner-up finish in the Longines Just a Game (G1) June 11 at Belmont Park.

The Dance Smartly is the first race of the lucrative Ladies of the Lawn Series, which also includes the Canadian Stakes (G2)  ($200,000)  Sunday, August 21, and the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1) ($750,000) Saturday, October 8.

Launched in 2019, this year's series offers a $250,000 bonus to the owner of the horse that wins all three races in the series. If a horse doesn't sweep the series, a $50,000 bonus will be presented to the connections of the horse that accumulates the most points throughout the trio of races.

The post ‘She Saw The Daylight And Just Ran Off’: Wakanaka Dispatches Rivals In Early Stretch, Rolls Home In Dance Smartly appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Moira, under Rafael Hernandez, made it look easy in taking the 67th running of the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks for Canadian-bred fillies Sunday at Woodbine.

Trained by Kevin Attard for owner X-Men Racing LLC, Madaket Stables LLC, and SF Racing LLC, Moira took the lead around the turn for home and then easily glided away from the field en route to a 10 ¾-length score and a possible date in the Queen's Plate, set for August 21 at the Toronto racetrack.

If Saturday's performance is any indication of what could come in a month's time, the connections of the Ghostzapper filly are no doubt smiling.

Loaded Vixen, supplemented to the race, was put on the front end by Patrick Husbands, with Chad Brown trainee Sahlabiya settling into second and Maccool's Girl locking into third spot through an opening quarter timed in :23.54, as Moira was positioned into seventh spot in the 10-horse field.

It was status quo for the top three through a half reached in :47.34, as Hernandez kept Moira, now sixth, unfettered and running comfortably.

By the time field made its way into the turn for home, Moira was gobbling up ground and gliding her way up to the leaders, looking like she had plenty left in the tank.

And as her rivals soon discovered, she absolutely did.

Ahead by five lengths at Robert Geller's stretch call, in 1:36.85, Moira poured it on down the lane, the even-money choice romping to the easiest of victories. In the final strides, Hernandez pointed emphatically at the filly, who now has three wins and a second from four career starts.

Sister Seagull soared from well back to secure second spot, while Sahlabiya finished third, a nose ahead of Souper Flashy, another Attard trainee.

The final time for the race on the Tapeta surface was 1:49.78.

“She was push button in the first turn,” said Hernandez. “We just sat there and saved as much ground as we could and made our move down the backside. I knew horses were going to be stopping in front of me, so I just tried to get her away from them. By the three-eighths, I was already where I wanted to be. Turning for home, I just talked to her and said, 'Come on Moira, it's all about you. Go get it.' And she just exploded.

“I have to give a lot of thanks to this excellent group, the owners, for giving me an opportunity to get back on this amazing filly. From the first day I got on in the morning I was impressed. Today, she showed up. She just played with the rest of the field.”

Prior to the race, it was horseshoes that would alter the pre-race game plan.

“It was crazy,” Attard started. “You know, she's always been a little bit kind of antsy in the paddock. We school her a lot and she just kind of had a little episode and unfortunately stepped on her hind foot and kind of knocked off the one shoe and kind of bent the other shoe. The paddock blacksmith tried to adjust it and fix it. I appreciate his effort. So, we elected to run her without the hind shoes. I wasn't too concerned with it being a synthetic surface. But obviously you're not accustomed to doing it, so it's always a little bit in the back of your head anyways. She's a class horse and I've always thought highly of her, and she obviously ran to that today.”

Now, the decision to run in the $1 million Queen's Plate will be a topic of conversation in the coming days.

“We've discussed that, we spaced this race out with the possibility if things went well today that we could see her there,” said Attard, who captured his second straight Oaks after winning last year with Munnyfor Ro. “We'll have a little discussion about that. And as long as she comes out fine, I'm sure we're willing to give it a try.”

Donato Lanni, of X-Men Racing, will take a wait-and-see approach with his sophomore star, who returned $4.

“It's going be up to her and Kevin. It may be great to run in that race again,” he said. “Fillies have won it before, but we're just so lucky to be here today. So, let's take one race at a time and thank you for Woodbine. You do a great job here and it's a great place to come.”

The Woodbine Oaks has served as a Queen's Plate stepping-stone for fillies. Oaks-Plate champions include Holy Helena (2017), Lexie Lou (2014), Inglorious (2011) and Dancethruthedawn (2001). In 2018, Oaks runner-up Wonder Gadot went on to win the Queen's Plate.

Adena Springs bred Moira in Ontario from the Unbridled's Song mare Devine Aida. Hidden Brook sold her to Lanni's X-Men Racing for $150,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The post Sans Hind Shoes, Moira Romps To Commanding Woodbine Oaks Triumph appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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