Month: August 2022

Barry Spears Joins Bettor Things with Joe Bianca

Barry “The Sniper” Spears, a successful handicapping tournament player, public handicapper, podcast host and influential voice in the world of horse racing Twitter, joined the latest episode of Bettor Things with Joe Bianca this week for a wide-ranging conversation on topics inside the sport and out. Spears has been an outspoken advocate for better minority representation in racing, and talked to Bianca about the importance of pointing out the subtle racism that the industry has been slow to address over the years. Spears and Bianca also discussed the good, bad and ugly of racing Twitter, strategies for conquering the Saratoga meet, differences in contest and daily wagering and much more.

Later in the show, following up a profitable first week of his handicapping segment sponsored by the Breeders' Cup in which he gave out $17.60 Haskell winner Cyberknife (Gun Runner), Bianca lays out his plays for Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga, a star-studded Win and You're In qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Click here to watch the show; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The post Barry Spears Joins Bettor Things with Joe Bianca appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Art Collector Returns From Saudi To Win Second Straight Alydar S.

In just his second start of the year, Art Collector returned from a poor showing overseas to take his successfully defend his title in Saratoga's Alydar S.

Beaten home by all but two in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 22, last year's GI Woodward S. winner returned to the United States and took his time regaining the form that saw him win three straight races in 2021 for Bill Mott, each with Beyer Speed Figures over 100 before fading off the pace late to finish 14 1/2-lengths behind Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 6.

   The heavy 4-5 favorite for Thursday's event, Art Collector strode forward to set the pace three wide outside of Bal Harbour (First Samurai) and Chess Chief before clearing that duo as they turned up the backstretch.  Through an easy opening quarter in :24.60, Art Collector relaxed nicely on the front end and when Luis Saez looked over his shoulder going into the far turn, he saw Joel Rosario already hard at work on Masqueparade with no other real threat looming. Still under an easy hand ride down the lane, Art Collector cruised home to a two-length win with his ears pricked on the line.

“We thought maybe if the outside horse [Masqueparade] wanted to go to the lead, we'd let him go and we'd have a target,” said winning trainer Bill Mott. “But as it worked out, he was on the lead by himself. It looked like he was going easily enough and it looked like every time that horse [Masqueparade] ran to him, he just maintained the same advantage.”

   Art Collector, whose 3-year-old half-brother Legionnaire (Into Mischief) broke his maiden July 16 at Ellis Park, is out of a GISP half-sister to Bruce Lunsford's MGISP and 1999 GI Belmont S. hero Vision and Verse (Storm Cat). Distored Legacy has an urnaced 2-year-old named Classic Legacy (Into Mischief), a yearling filly by Justify, and a weanling filly by Medaglia d'Oro. She was bred back to Gun Runner for the 2023 season. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

ALYDAR S., $130,950, Saratoga, 8-4, (C), 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:51.84, ft.
1–ART COLLECTOR, 124, h, 5, Bernardini–Distorted Legacy (SW
& GISP, $421,466), by Distorted Humor. O/B-W. Bruce
Lunsford (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Luis Saez. $74,250. Lifetime
Record: GISW, 18-9-1-0, $1,729,555.
2–Masqueparade, 124, c, 4, Upstart–Cry War Eagle, by
Any Given Saturday. ($100,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $180,000 Ylg
'19 KEESEP). O-FTGGG Racing; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY);
T-Albert M. Stall, Jr. $27,000.
3–Chess Chief, 124, h, 6, Into Mischief–Un Blessed, by
Mineshaft. ($145,000 RNA Ylg '17 FTSAUG). O-Estate of James
J. Coleman, Jr.; B-Morgan's Ford Farm (VA); T-Dallas Stewart.
$16,200.
Margins: 2, 7HF, NO. Odds: 0.80, 2.70, 29.25.
Also Ran: Mystic Night, Bal Harbour. Scratched: King Fury.

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‘She Ran Like A Pro’: Justique Has Victor Espinoza Excited About Future

Who didn't enjoy Victor Espinoza's journey with American Pharoah or his unbelievable run on California Chrome? Most casual observers didn't pick up on their stories until after they had won a key 2-year old race, or even later, after they made their mark on the Derby trail.

Espinoza will tell you the road to his Triple Crown, as was the case with American Pharoah or his Kentucky Derby win on California Chrome, started long before the two superstar colts ever got out on the racetrack.

“That's my goals in life,” the Hall of Fame rider says, “find the right babies. It seems like there are quite a few I've been working.”

He has several lined up for the Del Mar meet and one he helped debut last Sunday. C R K Stable's Justique went last-to-first to break her maiden and afterwards drew comparisons to the great Zenyatta. Both Justique and Zenyatta were conditioned by John Shirreffs.

That's what Espinoza does in the mornings. He's like a scout on the backside, searching for that diamond in the rough, visiting trainers like Shirreffs or Michael McCarthy, inquiring about their promising 2-year olds and offering to lend his years of experience aboard the first-time starters.

“I'm really looking forward to having a good meet with those,” Espinoza said. “Those are the future, the babies…the 2-year olds, they are the future. You start early with the 2-year olds, start working and looking toward to the future. That's how it's been my entire career.”

It worked in 2013 when Victor climbed aboard a little known Lucky Pulpit colt in the King Glorious Stakes at Hollywood Park. Six months later California Chrome had won six straight including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Fast forward a couple of months to September of 2014 and there's Espinoza aboard another promising young 2-year old, winning the Del Mar Futurity. American Pharoah and Victor Espinoza strung together eight straight victories over the next 11 months including the first Triple Crown in 37 years.

Now Espinoza is sitting on a live one. Justique is a daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify out of the Bernardini mare, Grazie Mille. Bred by John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock, Justique was purchased for CRK Stable for $725,000 by Mayberry Farm from Glennwood Farm at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale

“She ran like a pro,” Espinoza said. “Not too many 2-year olds do that. I was so proud of her…the way she ran.”

Entering week three of the Del Mar summer meet, Espinoza has three wins and two seconds out of 19 starts and sits eighth in the jockey standings.

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