October, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cool Kiss Heads Into Woodbine’s Cup & Saucer Off ‘Monster’ Maiden Win

Cool Kiss will chase his second straight win when he goes postward in Sunday's $250,000 Cup & Saucer Stakes, at Woodbine.

A 1 1/16-mile event for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds run over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, the 85th running of the Cup & Saucer has drawn 13 hopefuls, including Cool Kiss, an Ontario-bred son of Kantharos-Hot Kiss.

Bred and owned by Phoenix Racing, the dark bay delivered a dazzling debut effort in a seven-furlong turf race on September 10 at Woodbine.

Under Sahin Civaci, who'll be aboard again Sunday, Cool Kiss, sent off at 4-1, got away ninth and last over the E.P. Taylor Turf, but then methodically began to pick off his rivals on the way to a convincing 3 ¾-length score in a time of 1:22.20 over firm going.

“He was impressive,” said trainer Michael De Paulo. “He actually got close to running once before, but he had a little mishap under the tunnel [leading to the racetrack], so we sent him to get gelded soon after. But he came back and ran like a monster that day. He galloped out super and it was an impressive race, I thought. He came from last. I told the jock to let him get his feet and then come running. And that's how it ended up playing out. He was really running at the wire, and he galloped out super.”

The effort didn't come as a total surprise to the veteran conditioner with 942 career wins to his name.

“He'd given me a couple of really good works. But you never know. His brother, Repeat the Heat, trained really well as a 2-year-old, but it took a while for him to come around. So, I was a little disappointed with Repeat the Heat in his rookie year, and I thought there could be a chance that would happen with him. The mother [Hot Kiss], who was also owned by Phoenix Racing, it took a while for her to get going too. Once she figured it out, she went on a roll, but it took five or six starts for her to get there. She was second in the 2016 Maple Leaf, which was a mile and a quarter. So, there's a bit of stamina on that side of the family. For a horse to finish that strong and run so well first time out, it was a very strong performance.”

Cool Kiss has had a couple of solid works, including 1:00.40, breezing, on the turf training track on October 2, in preparation for the Cup & Saucer.

De Paulo is no stranger to success in the race, having won the 2007 edition with Deputiformer and the 2014 running with Passion for Action.

“I'm looking forward to this Sunday. He's been great to have in the barn. He's always been a good-feeling horse. You kind of had to watch him coming in and out of the stall, but other than that, he's been really good. Not a lot has changed for him. The first time he was going to race, he jumped on the pony and slipped, and got loose. They noted there was a scratch and I thought, 'Okay, that's good.' Then they said it was the number five and that sounded familiar. I look at the program and that's us.”

Hall of Fame trainer Jim Day has won 10 editions of the Cup & Saucer, including seven straight runnings from 1984-1990.

Sunday's card of racing also includes the $100,000 Eternal Search Stakes, for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, as well as the $100,000 Overskate Stakes, for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up. Both races are set for 7 ½ furlongs over the Inner Turf.

The Eternal Search is named after the three-time Canadian champion, purchased at age 2 for $50,000 by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Mel Lawson, who raced her under his Jim Dandy Stable banner. Eternal Search retired from racing with 15 stakes victories and posted a record of 18-11-2 from 44 starts.

Overskate enjoyed a brilliant career for owner/breeder Jack Stafford, trainer Gil Rowntree and jockey Robin Platts. He raced a total of 42 times and won 24, 18 of those victories coming in stakes races, including the Grade 2 Stars and Stripes. When Overskate retired at age 5 in 1980, he was the richest Canadian-bred Thoroughbred with earnings of nearly $800,000.

The Cup & Saucer is slated as race seven on Sunday's 11-race card. First post time is 1:20 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.

$250,000 CUP & SAUCER STAKES

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Sing Dixie – Justin Stein – Breeda Hayes

2 – Sooner Lunar – David Moran – Michael Doyle

3 – Coherence – Steven Bahen – Willie Armata

4 – Gran Spirited – Declan Carroll – Mark Casse

5 – Stayhonor Goodside (S) – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

6 – Big Ransom – Leo Salles – Denyse McClachrie

7 – British Artillery – Omar Moreno – Barbara Minshall

8 – Opposites Attract – Eswan Flores – Michael Trombetta

9 – Mo Tourist – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

10 – Battle Strike – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse

11 – Cadfael – Steven Bahen – Willie Armata

12 – Cool Kiss – Sahin Civaci – Michael De Paulo

13 – Philip My Dear – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

The post Cool Kiss Heads Into Woodbine’s Cup & Saucer Off ‘Monster’ Maiden Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Breeder Gray Lyster: ‘If They Were All Like Nest, It Would Be So Easy’

Three-time Grade 1 winner Nest has demonstrated class in each of her nine starts ahead of her first try against elders in Sunday's Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame at Belmont at the Big A. Gray Lyster of breeder Ashview Farm said the talented 3-year-old daughter of Curlin, out of stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, was destined for greatness.

“She was just always a really nice filly,” Lyster said. “The mare is a queen of a mare and Nest immediately stood up the morning she was born and we thought, 'Wow she's really athletic and beautiful looking' and it just continued on throughout the year and a half we had her. She was always smooth, always athletic. She was one of the fillies in the paddock you never had trouble with, but it wasn't like she was some pushover either. She was definitely one of the leaders in the pack.”

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest enters the nine-furlong Beldame off a sweep of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama this summer at Saratoga Race Course, winning both races by open lengths while hand ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. A runner-up in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes against colts, she captured her first Grade 1 victory in the Ashland in April at Keeneland.

Lyster, who co-manages the family farm in Versailles, Kentucky with his brother, Bryan, said he was always a strong believer in Nest's potential.

“If they were all like Nest, it would be so easy. She never had a problem, an x-ray issue, did anything silly or was difficult to handle,” Lyster said. “Mentally, she was as wonderful as she was physically. I would say that has a lot to do with why she's become such a good racehorse. She was a pleasure to be around.”

Nest was consigned by Ashview at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Lyster said she parlayed her professional attitude from the farm to the sales grounds.

“At the sale, you see all these yearlings jumping around acting crazy, but it's the first time they've been off the farm. She was one of the ones that wasn't bothered,” Lyster said. “She was just checking out what was going on. She wasn't some pushover that was going to do whatever you told her, but she was just standing at attention and looking at everything happening around her the entire way. That's one of the little things that breeders can pick up on that anyone else seeing a horse for the first time wouldn't be able to. It's like which one comes into the sale and acts like they have presence and you don't have to be so careful with every two seconds. Nest was just like, 'This is what I'm supposed to do, let's do it.'”

But while she boasted a blue-blooded pedigree and carried herself well, she only brought $350,000.

“She was a really nice filly, but at the sale, she wasn't one of these monster huge fillies that brings seven figures and people were all over,” Lyster recalled. “She was a beautiful medium-sized Curlin filly who had no faults whatsoever, but was just a tad bit unassuming. We were disappointed that she only brought what she did, she was so well put together. You just can't measure that heart and desire sometimes and this is partially the case. She's just so cool. We get to sit back and enjoy a couple of years of her racing. It's a pleasure, it's flattering and it's a sense of accomplishment every time she runs.”

Nest wasn't the only subsequent prominent racehorse in the Ashview consignment that year. Mo Donegal, Nest's stablemate who defeated her by three lengths in the Belmont Stakes, was stabled right next to her at the consignment barn during the sale. Mo Donegal, a son of Uncle Mo out of the Pulpit mare Callingmissbrown, brought $250,000 at the sale and was bought by Donegal Racing.

Both Nest and Mo Donegal captured their final starts last year, respectively winning the Grade 2 Demoiselle and Grade 2 Remsen on December 4 at the Big A.

“How fortunate are we as the breeders to just be a part of that? My family has done this long enough to realize how special and unlikely this is, and we're all enjoying every moment of it,” Lyster said. “They won the Demoiselle and Remsen back-to-back with the same trainer, same jockey, from the same farm and from the same Book 2 consignment in stalls right next to each other at the sale and then they run one-two in the Belmont. You just can't make that stuff up.”

Lyster specifically recalled watching Nest's Alabama performance on television and said he was very impressed with how she handled herself in the paddock.

“She took everything in stride and that's one of the things we loved about her,” Lyster said. “I was watching with some friends and they were like, 'Look at her, she's just standing there looking around.' To me, that's just a presence you don't see very often. Fifty percent of her ability is mental, or at least a huge part of it.”

Lightning could strike twice for Lyster this weekend as Nest's half-brother Lost Ark, by Violence, is racing in Saturday's Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. Also trained by Pletcher, Lost Ark won on debut in June at Belmont Park before passing his first two-turn test with aplomb in the Sapling on August 27 at Monmouth Park, winning by 7 1/2 lengths. Lost Ark is owned by Harrell Ventures.

“He's done nothing wrong so far. We're really excited about him,” Lyster said. “I love that Todd picked out his program for that colt way back in the middle of the summer by just giving the horse the chance to run two turns in his second start and it's setting up nicely for a big couple of races. Hopefully, he's that quality of a horse.”

Lyster spoke volumes of Pletcher, a frequent visitor at the Ashview consignment. In addition to Nest, Mo Donegal and Lost Ark, Pletcher also currently trains Prank – an Into Mischief half-sister to Mo Donegal, who broke her maiden by 9 3/4 lengths on July 31 at Saratoga. Pletcher also trains Ashview Farm-bred Untreated, who was twice graded stakes placed this year.

“We had five really darn impressive horses that are now in Todd's barn so you can imagine who my favorite trainer is right now,” Lyster quipped. “It's cool to see one outfit have this much success with your offspring. It makes you feel really good, it's just flattering. [Bloodstock agent] Jacob West bought 80 percent of my Book 2 consignment, four out of five horses. They'll likely go to Todd and I think they're trying to repeat.”

Nest's dam Marion Ravenwood does not have a yearling or weanling on the ground, but she is in foal to Curlin. Marion Ravenwood is nominated to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she is listed as Hip No. 187.

“We have the mare nominated to the November Sale and there's a good chance someone else will own her next month. To me, she's potentially a Broodmare of the Year. We'll see what Lost Ark does and what happens in the next few weeks,” Lyster said.

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‘She’s Become Part Of The Family’: Mosienko Notches Fourth Straight Win For Lalman’s Single-Horse Stable

Mosienko, owned by Stacy Lalman and trained by her father, Dennis, has become a familiar name on the NYRA circuit after stringing together an impressive quartet of victories dating back to an August 6 optional claimer at Saratoga Race Course.

The 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Hat Trick was victorious once again on Thursday at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet, scoring a gutsy victory in Race 8, a 6 1/2-furlong open company optional claimer.

Ridden to victory by Flavien Prat, Mosienko trailed in fifth in the bunched-up field of seven before quickly moving up to second position at the half-mile call. Prat swung the bay mare four-wide at the quarter-pole for her drive to the wire and needed every bit of the stretch to collar pacesetter Patty H, but got there just in time to secure the victory by a head in a final time of 1:16.88.

“She came out of the race really good,” Lalman said. “She ate all her food and looks good.”

Mosienko, Lalman's only trainee, has blossomed during the second half of this campaign after struggling to find the winner's circle in her first eight starts of the year. She put it all together with her aforementioned August 6 score and followed with another Spa victory on September 2 when dominating a second-level state-bred optional claimer by 4 1/2 lengths. She stepped up to face open company on September 22 at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet and passed the test with aplomb, turning in another four-length romp sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs.

Lalman said an adjustment in Mosienko's training regime has allowed her to find her best stride.

“She had been training really good coming into these races, and I always thought she was going to win some races,” said Lalman. “I exercise her myself in the morning, and I saw talent in her early. She's the kind of mare that's a little nervous and she used to be hard on herself, doing a lot in the mornings. She was training well, but she wasn't running to my expectations. So, I started adjusting her training and going slower and lighter. She liked that, and I've seen a lot of improvement in her. Everything keeps getting better and she finally put everything together.”

Lalman first noticed Mosienko last winter when she was with conditioner Rudy Rodriguez, impressed that the mare had hit the board in seven of her first 12 career outings. Lalman decided to claim her for $10,000 out of a second-place effort last March. She then made three starts for trainer Luis Miranda, including a runner-up and third-place effort in a pair of claiming contests at Aqueduct and Belmont Park, respectively.

“I got sick a few times with Covid and was in the same barn as Luis Miranda at the time, so I had him take care of her for a little while for me,” Lalman explained. “Her form was really attractive because she was always there hitting the board consistently. I figured if she's OK and she's strong, I know she'll win some races.”

Once under Lalman's care last August, Mosienko hit the board twice before scoring a 6 3/4-length state-bred allowance victory this February at the Big A and, in addition to her winning streak, has hit the board on two other occasions since.

With earnings of $341,303 since joining Lalman, Mosienko, bred by Anthony Grey, has become the highest-earning trainee for her conditioner since he started his first runner in 1994. Lalman, a native of Guyana, grew up around racehorses and moved to the United States in the 1980s. He started out exercising horses for trainer Gary Sciacca before a short jockey career in which he rode in 119 starts.

Lalman said that Mosienko is very special to him and his daughter.

“She's become part of the family,” said Lalman. “Being around her, she acts like family. Yesterday, when I was in the paddock and gave a leg up to Flavien, I walked away and she turned her head and looked at me like, 'Where are you going?' I won my first race as a jockey at Aqueduct, so it's a full circle moment to win here with her.”

Lalman prefers to keep his operation small to give his horses the most attention in all aspects of care and training, and said Mosienko has brought enough attention for him to potentially expand in the near future.

“She opens some opportunity for me and I'm having some calls about training other horses because of her,” Lalman said. “I do like to keep it small though so I can be there with them and do almost everything with them – see that everything is going right, what they like and dislike, and what I can do to make them better. I believe in taking care of them and that they'll reward you for that.”

For now, Lalman can look forward to a serious chance at his first career stakes win with the $150,000 Iroquois for state-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on October 30 a strong possibility for Mosienko's next outing.

“That's probably next,” said Lalman. “We'll see how she's doing. I'm so proud of her. She's really come along and she's making us all happy.”

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‘I Can’t Believe This Is Happening’: Fresh Off Bug, Kylee Jordan Headed To Breeders’ Cup With Undefeated 2-Year-Old

After losing her apprentice status in September and wrapping up the riding title at Prairie Meadows at the beginning of October, 20-year-old jockey Kylee Jordan has driven down to Lexington, Ky., to get a feel for the Keeneland track alongside her undefeated equine partner, Iowa-bred sensation Tyler's Tribe.

According to Thoroughbred Racing Commentary, Jordan is currently the leading female rider in North America with 132 wins under her belt. She has been aboard Tyler's Tribe for each of his five career starts, which the pair have won by a combined margin of over 58 lengths.

“I knew he was good from the start,” Jordan told TRC. “In his first race he drew the ten hole which was outside and when he broke out of the gates he went fast. I tried keeping him with the other horses to get some experience but he just pulled away in the stretch. He doesn't feel like he's going fast but he just has a huge stride. He's amazing to ride.”

A gelded son of Sharp Azteca trained by co-owner Tim Martin, Tyler's Tribe has shipped to Keeneland well ahead of the World Championships. Martin has not yet decided whether to target the Breeders' Cup Juvenile or the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; Tyler's Tribe has never raced on the turf, but he has also never raced beyond six furlongs.

Either way, Jordan is thrilled that Martin will be keeping her aboard Tyler's Tribe for next months' test.

“I can't believe this is happening to me,” Jordan told TRC. “I'm excited to be riding at the Breeders' Cup. As of right now, I'm not nervous. I'm excited to ride on a bigger track with the bigger jockeys. I'm excited to see the outcome.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

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