Month: September 2022

Big Guns Out For Sunday Fayre

German bloodstock is rightly back in the spotlight on Sunday, with the highly-anticipated clash between Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) the key race of the day despite the presence of the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. At this stage, a repeat win in the Arc for Gestut Auenquelle's star of the nation remains a distinct possibility even allowing for the presence of Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who may not even be there if the ground goes testing. Apart from a surprising flop on his reintroduction when sixth in the 11-furlong G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft here May 29, the 5-year-old's trajectory in 2022 has followed a perfect curve. A reassuringly dynamic display followed in Hamburg's G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis July 2 and his solid second in Ascot's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. put him firmly back in the picture three weeks later.

Before Torquator Tasso completed the Grosser Preis von Baden-Arc double 12 months ago, it had been done in 2011 by Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) and 20 years ago by Marienbard (Ire) (Caerleon). Frankie Dettori was winning one of his three Grosser Preis von Badens at the time and he is deputising for the captive Rene Piechulek and his output will be interesting on a horse that takes some knowing as his seasonal debut attests. “The horse is in a beautiful situation, the trainer said the last piece of work he has done was very good and he was in good shape,” part-owner Peter-Michael Endres explained. “The ground is soft, but we expect a little more rain on Saturday so maybe it will be softer. He is not dependent on soft ground, he is not dependent on any ground, you saw at Ascot that he ran a very good race and it was firm. It's a race with only four other horses and we don't know how it will go, but we are in a good mood.”

 

Sammarco Primed

   Gestut Park Wiedingen's G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis winner Sammarco has youthful exuberance on his side and his latest performance in Munich's 10-furlong showcase at the end of July suggests he is going forward. An Arc supplementary hangs on his performance here, but Germany is tantalisingly close to having more than one joker to play in four weeks' time. “His form is very good and he had a canter Friday morning and he was great,” trainer Peter Schiergen said of the Classic hero. “The ground is good for him, he never has a problem with the ground and it will be quite slow on Sunday which will be fine.”

 

Can Coroebus Get Back On Track?

At ParisLongchamp, Godolphin's 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace S. hero Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks to put a reversal of fortunes behind him having finished fifth in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville Aug. 14. Asked a big question by William Buick there, he ran the fastest split of the field but after trying to run down every rival understandably tired out of contention. This will be a test of his mettle as well as his ability, but if he can find cover early from stall five it may be that this turning mile will help him. “We were obviously disappointed with that performance, but are putting a line through it,” Charlie Appleby said. “Our plan was to drop in, but I don't think William wanted to be quite so detached. They covered [the last] five furlongs in under a minute. Two down, I'd have said we were an odds-on shot, but whether he used up too much getting into that position, I don't know. That's what I put it down to. He's pleased me since, came out of the race fine and the ground will be better, it was like a road the last day. For a horse of his stature, it wouldn't have suited.”

 

What Does The Revenant Have Left In The Locker?

It is not often that The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is spotted, but that has always been the case with the soft-ground specialist the master of scant sightings. Those who believed it was convenient to write off Al Asayl France's veteran following two defeats in the spring of his 2021 campaign were made to retract as he reappeared at his favourite time of year to be a narrow second to Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in this track's G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and a fourth defending his G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. title in October. Easy wins in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Altipan Mar. 10 and G3 Prix Edmond Blanc Apr. 2 prior to his customary summer holiday suggest he retains at least most of his ability and that may be enough in a renewal lacking serious strength.

 

Breizh Sky Heads Support Cast

ParisLongchamp's card begins with the seven-furlong G3 Prix la Rochette, with Alain Jathiere's colours sported by the July 10 Listed Prix Roland de Chambure-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) and Aug. 14 G3 Prix Francois Boutin runner-up Bolshkinov (Fr) (Camacho {GB}). Le Haras De La Gousserie and Guy Pariente's G1 Champion S. hero Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) stages his return from a break in the 10-furlong G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte, while Abdulla Al Mansoori's 'TDN Rising Star' West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) bids to continue the purple patch of the Simon and Ed Crisford stable in the G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange also over that trip.

Click here for the fields.

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Straight Lines Vs. Circles: Training Patterns, Gaits Affect Hoof Pressure 

Many horses are asked to work on a circular track during their training, whether under saddle or on the lunge line. Though it is commonly accepted that working on the same track repeatedly puts additional strain on tendons, ligaments and hooves, a study from Michigan State University has shown that the gait in which a horse is traveling also affects these structures. 

Pressure-mapping sensors were placed in the front shoes of nine horses to measure how much force is applied and over what area the force is applied, reports EQUUS magazine. A computer then deciphers how much pressure is applied to the hooves.

The scientists led each horse in a straight line at the walk and trot, and worked them in a round pen on a 32- and 49-foot diameter circle. The sensors collected data for 10 steps three times, in each set of conditions. Horses were not asked to maintain a specific speed within each gait.

The researchers found that no matter the exercise type, the walk produced more hoof pressure than the trot or canter. They also discovered that a larger portion of each horse's outside front limb was loaded when they circled at the canter. 

They concluded that gait impacted the hooves more than the exercise type (circles or straight lines). The team noted that the study did not determine torque or stress placed on joints higher up the leg, though it is reasonable to expect that forces placed on the hooves could impact the joints in the leg. 

The researchers concluded that the study reinforces the need for moderation when it comes to training horses both in straight lines and in circles, ensuring that a horse is not working too long in the same pattern. 

Read more at EQUUS magazine. 

The post Straight Lines Vs. Circles: Training Patterns, Gaits Affect Hoof Pressure  appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Del Mar Sunday Card Features Torrey Pines, ‘Win And You’re In’ Green Flash

Two very different, but very interesting, stakes races will highlight the Sunday Labor Day weekend card at Del Mar.

The first test brings out 3-year-old fillies, seven of them, for the 45th edition of the Torrey Pines Stakes, a Grade 3 offering that carries a purse of $125,000 and goes at a mile on the main track.

The second is for 3-year-olds and up on the turf course at five furlongs. It's called the Green Flash Handicap, provides a $150,000 purse and also carries Grade 3 status. Its 20th running has drawn 11 fast turfers. Additionally, the race is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event, guaranteeing the victorious horse admission – with all fees paid – to the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at Keeneland in Kentucky in November.

Of the seven in the Torrey Pines, three of them are previous stakes winners, two of those out of the Bob Baffert barn – and it is noted that the Hall of Fame trainer has won this race six times.

The Baffert pair are Magnier, Tabor or Smith's Under the Stars and Willow Grace Farm and Petersen's Grace Adler. The conditioner also has entered Pegram, Watson and Weitman's promising Midnight Memories.

The horse they might all have to beat, though, is the H & E Ranch's Desert Dawn, a good second against older fillies and mares at Del Mar on August 6 in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.  Earlier this year she captured the Santa Anita Oaks, then ran third in the prestigious Kentucky Oaks and third again in the Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita. Phil D'Amato trains Desert Dawn, who is an Arizona-bred daughter of the Tapit sire Cupid.

The Green Flash is topped by last year's winner of the grass dash in Nick Alexander's homebred Lieutenant Dan. The 6-year-old gelding is by Alexander's home stallion Grazen, a fast horse who gets fast horses. Lieutenant Dan won the Green Flash by 2 1/4 lengths in 2021, then came back to run a good second to champion Golden Pal in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, also at Del Mar on November 6. The bay horse hasn't been out since, but has been training steadily for conditioner Steve Miyadi.

His chief opponent in the sprint appears to be Grandilla's Dubai Key, who is three for three in the U.S. since coming north from Chile. The 5-year-old horse by the Deputy Minister stallion Key Deputy has won eight of 13 career outings and is at his best in turf sprints.

Here are the full fields for the two races with riders and morning line odds:

Torrey Pines Stakes – Desert Dawn (Umberto Rispoli, 9-5); Keith Abrahams' Kirstenbosch (Tyler Baze, 15-1); Midnight Memories (Ramon Vazquez, 3-1); Paula Capestro's Malibu Marie (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 15-1); Under the Stars (Juan Hernandez, 5-2); Bobby Flay's Cinnamon Cat (Abel Cedillo, 10-1), and Grace Adler (Mike Smith, 3-1).

Green Flash Handicap – Dubai Key (Hector Berrios, 3-1); Little Red Feather Racing and Veranda Stable's Yes He Can (Kyle Frey, 15-1); Agricola Matriarca's Super Ocho (Armando Ayuso, 6-1); MyRacehorse's Lane Way (Smith, 15-1); Thor-bred Stables' Nero (Ryan Curatolo, 15-1); Hailey or Wood's Chasin Munny (Cedillo, 20-1); Rockingham Ranch or Bernsen's Barristan The Bold (Joe Bravo, 15-1); Jay or Julie Manoogian's Coulthard (Vazques, 15-1); Lieutenant Dan (Hernandez, 5-2); Sterling Racing's Whatmakessammyrun (Rispoli 5-1) and Hanson, Kayajanian or Mouradick's Maven (Edwin Maldonado, 8-1).

While Baffert has won the Torrey Pines six times, he's outdone by trainer John Sadler, who has visited the winner's circle after the race on seven occasions. Sadler has Kirstenbosch in the mile and the daughter of Midnight Lute sports a straight maiden win and a stakes placing to her credit so far and, as noted, her trainer certainly knows how to win this race.

Among the champions who have won the Torrey Pines are Stellar Wind (trained by Sadler) in 2015 and Beholder (trained by Richard Mandella) in 2013.

The Torrey Pines is Race 5 on the 11-race Sunday program. The Green Flash goes as Race 9. First post Sunday is 1 p.m.

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