Month: August 2022

Lukas Changes Spinaway Plans

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas thought Naughty Gal (Into Mischief) was so good in the GIII Adirondack S. Sunday that her next start ought to be in the GI Spinaway S.

Summer Promise (Uncle Mo), runner-up in the GIII Schuylerville S. on opening day was being pointed to the $300,000 seven-furlong Spinaway Sept. 4, but Lukas said Wednesday that he was reconsidering that approach.

“I've kind of changed gears after I watched Naughty Gal run the other day and win,” he said. “I might run Naughty Gal back in the Spinaway and I'm thinking maybe of shipping Summer Promise over to Monmouth and go in the Sorority.”

The $200,000 one-mile Sorority will be run Aug. 21.

Despite a wide trip through the stretch, Holy Cow Stable's Naughty Gal prevailed by 2 1/2 lengths in the 6 1/2-furlong Adirondack, giving Lukas his first Saratoga graded stakes win since 2017 and 61st over all.

“I think that Naughty Gal is going to have a better chance to win the Spinaway, better chance physically to go that extra distance. They're adding half a furlong,” Lukas said. “I think it's a better fit. I always treat them all like I own them and I've got to convince the owners that it's the best thing to do. I'm leaning that way.”

Lukas, 86, is tied with Todd Pletcher for the most wins in the Spinaway with six. His most recent victory was in 1995 with Golden Attraction (Mr. Prospector). In 1984, his first season at Saratoga, Lukas won the Spinaway with Tiltalating (Tilt Up).

“I had the Spinaway plugged in for Summer Promise and the other filly I thought I could go in any direction,” Lukas said. “But after I trained and watched the two of them this last week, I think I'm going to end up with Naughty Gal in the Spinaway. I wouldn't run them against each other.”

The post Lukas Changes Spinaway Plans appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Beverly D: Princess Grace Could Cap Big Week For Dam Masquerade

It's already been a successful week for owners Susan and John Moore as their homebred 3-year-old colt Catnip broke his maiden impressively Tuesday at Colonial Downs. Now, the Moore family could complete a double Saturday with Catnip's half-sister Princess Grace as one of the top choices in the $500,000 Beverly D. (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs.

The Mike Stidham-trained Princess Grace, by Karakontie (JPN), is out of the Moore's dam Masquerade. Stidham campaigned Masquerade for four of her six lifetime victories and jockey Florent Geroux, who will ride Princess Grace in the Beverly D., piloted the Silent Name (JPN) mare for two wins.

Princess Grace, a seven-time winner from 11 starts, won the last two runnings of the $200,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes (G3) at Parx. Geroux was aboard Princess Grace for her win in the 1 1/16-mile turf event four weeks ago.

“You can tell she's really matured over the winter and the Stidhams have done a good job getting her back to the races,” Geroux said after her three-length win. “She gets very comfortable on the front end when she's able to make the lead but she's pretty versatile and can come from off the pace, too.”

Geroux has been in the saddle for three of Princess Grace's victories. He previously rode the 5-year-old mare to a win in last year's $750,000 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G3) and the $200,000 Mrs. Revere (G2) at Churchill Downs in 2020.

The 36-year-old Geroux is no stranger to success in the Beverly D. The French-born rider won the 2015 edition aboard the Chad Brown-trained and Martin Schwartz-owned Sea Calisi (FR).

The one trend in the Beverly D. that Princess Grace does not have on her side is that she was bred in Kentucky. In 19 of the last 20 runnings of the Beverly D. the winner was bred internationally: Ireland (6), France (5), Great Britain (4), Germany (2), Chile (1) and South Africa (1). The internationally-bred horses in this year's Beverly D. are Dalika (GER), Lily Pond (IRE) and Rougir (FR).

The 1 1/8-mile Beverly D. will go as Race 5 of 11 on the Arlington Million Day program at 3:01 p.m. (all times Eastern). First post is 12:45 p.m. with the $1 million Arlington Million slated as the finale at 6:25 p.m.

The Beverly D. is part of the Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” series. The winning horse will get an automatic berth into the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf (G1), which will be held Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course.

Here is the complete field for the Beverly D. from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

  1. Dalika (GER) (Brian Hernandez Jr., Al Stall Jr., 8-1)
  2. Family Way (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh, 3-1)
  3. Princess Grace (Geroux, Stidham, 3-1)
  4. Rougir (FR) (Manny Franco, Chad Brown, 2-1)
  5. Lily Pond (IRE) (John Velazquez, Aidan O'Brien, 5-2)

The Beverly D. will be run in Lane 3 on the Matt Winn Turf Course, 24 feet from the inside rail.

The post Beverly D: Princess Grace Could Cap Big Week For Dam Masquerade appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Set Piece Aims To Add Grade 1 To His Resume In Arlington Million

Set Piece (GB) arrived in the United States two years ago to the care of multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox, and since then owner Juddmonte has been rewarded with seven victories. The one missing link in Set Piece's résumé is a Grade 1 win but Cox hopes that could change in Saturday's $1 million Arlington Million (G1) at Churchill Downs.

Set Piece recorded seven of his 10 lifetime victories in the barn of Cox, most notably winning last year's $250,000 Wise Dan (G2) by a half-length over Somelikeithotbrown. The son of Dansili (GB) came 1 ½ lengths from Grade 1 glory in last year's $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap (G1) at Saratoga but was defeated by the sensational mare Got Stormy.

“He's been training very well up at Saratoga and we were between running him back in this year's Fourstardave or going back to Churchill for the Arlington Million,” Cox said. “He's had a lot of success at Churchill and hopefully on Saturday he can add a Grade I win to his résumé.”

Set Piece arrived to Churchill Downs early Tuesday morning and had a 1 ½-mile gallop Wednesday under exercise rider Fernando Espinoza.

In his last start, Set Piece finished a disappointing fifth in the $175,000 Forbidden Apple (G3) as the 2-1 betting favorite. Through 15 starts with Cox, Set Piece has gone to post as the favorite 10 times. Set Piece was made the 4-1 third choice by morning line oddsmaker Mike Battaglia in the Arlington Million.

Here's the complete Arlington Million field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

  1. Set Piece (GB) (Geroux, Cox, 4-1)
  2. Sacred Life (FR) (Manny Franco, Chad Brown, 9-2)
  3. Field Pass (Rey Gutierrez, Mike Maker, 8-1)
  4. Smooth Like Strait (John Velazquez, Michael McCarthy, 5-2)
  5. Megacity (Gerardo Corrales, Mike Maker, 15-1)
  6. Santin (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh, 3-1)
  7. Admission Office (Brian Hernandez Jr., Brian Lynch, 10-1)
  8. Cavalry Charge (David Cohen, Dallas Stewart, 20-1)
  9. Cellist (Corey Lanerie, Rusty Arnold, 15-1)

The Arlington Million will be conducted in Lane 1 on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Saturday's first post at Churchill Downs is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Arlington Million will go as the Race 11 finale at 6:25 p.m.

Thanks to cooperation from Ellis Park, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and Kentucky horsemen, the 1 1/8-mile Arlington Million, which annually attracts some of the nation's elite turf stars age 3-years-old and up, will be staged at Churchill Downs for the first time in a special stand-alone, one-day, summertime event at the historic Louisville racetrack. Previously, it was run at Arlington Park until the racetrack closed in 2021.

Saturday will mark only the fifth time in Churchill Downs' 148-year history that racing at the home of the Kentucky Derby will take place in August. In 1983-84, Churchill Downs hosted extended 93-day Spring Meets that ran from late April through Labor Day. The famed track also hosted Fall Meets in 1895 and 1922 that began on Aug. 24 and Aug. 30, respectively. (Editor's note: the Churchill Downs communications team inadvertently left out the 1895 and 1922 meets in Tuesday's Arlington Million advance).

Saturday's unique 11-race program will be co-headlined by the $500,000 Beverly D. (G1) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The Beverly D. is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Filly & Mare Turf Division” race. The card will also include the $200,000 Fort Larned Stakes and the $200,000 Lady Tak Stakes.

Fans can still purchase tickets for Arlington Million Day. For ticket options and more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

Wagering is available for the Arlington Million and every race from Churchill Downs on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Inc. and the Kentucky Derby.

The post Set Piece Aims To Add Grade 1 To His Resume In Arlington Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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