November, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Vekoma Filly Tops KEENOV Book 4 Opener

A filly from the first crop of MGISW Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) (Hip 2205) shot to the top of the class late in Saturday's opening session of Book 4 of the Keeneland November Sale, bringing $215,000 from Frankie's Stable.

Consigned by Grovendale Sales, she was bred by William Humphries and Altair Farms. The chestnut is out of Truckstop Diamond (Flat Out), a half-sister to SW & GISP Meadow Dance (Jimmy Creed).

“She is a superstar physical,” said Grovendale's Chance Timm. “Those kind bring a premium and breakout.”

This is the first crop for GI Carter H. and GI Met Mile winner Vekoma, who stands at Spendthrift Farm.

“It is surprising how much leg and scope they have,” Timm said of the Vekoma weanlings. “This filly has a lot of leg underneath her and great length. She has a beautiful profile, more so than you would think for the sire line.”

The day's top mare was the 3-year-old Street Slayer (Street Sense) (Hip 2166), purchased by JCB Stables for $170,000. Selling as a broodmare prospect, the bay is a half to GSW Biddy Duke (Bayern).

A total of 246 horses changed hands during the sixth session of Keeneland November for a gross of $9,596,900. During the equivalent session last year, 271 head brought $10,507,100. The average was up a tick from $38,772 in 2021 to $39,012 and the median increased from $26,000 to $30,000. The RNA rate was also up from 18.37% to 23.84%

Through the first six days of selling 1,287 horses have summoned $192,033,900, a large increase from last year when 1,391 head brought $176,713,100. Average increased from $127,040 in 2021 to $149,210 and the median was also up from $75,000 to $77,000. The RNA rate was 20.42% for 2021, but is up to 25.09% this year so far.

“It has definitely slowed down a bit here in Book 4 compared to earlier in the week,” Timm said. “It just doesn't have as much traffic as you'd like to see, but same story. When you lead ones up like that, you can't hide them. Everybody's there for them.”

The Keeneland November Sale continues through Wednesday with sessions starting at 10 a.m. It will be followed by a single-session Horses of Racing Age Sale Thursday.

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Live Oak Homebred Our Flash Drive Coasts Home In Bessarabian At Woodbine

Our Flash Drive watched an early front-end scuffle unfold and then delivered a knockout blow down the lane in Saturday's $176,550 Bessarabian Stakes (G2) at Woodbine.

Lorena, Hazelbrook, and Loyalty all broke sharply at the start of the seven-furlong main track race for fillies and mares, with Lorena eventually claiming top spot, then leading her eight foes through an opening quarter-mile in :23.25.

Sweet Enough, at 31-1, then burst through along the rail to hold a head advantage after a half in :45.44, as Patrick Husbands, aboard Our Flash Drive, the 8-5 choice, kept his charge running comfortably and unfettered in sixth spot.

When the field navigated the turn for home, Our Flash Drive was plugged in and ready to pounce, effortlessly gliding past her rivals and then turning on the jets to dash away from her foes.

Ahead by two lengths at the stretch call, the 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper out of the Dynaformer mare Dynamotor, bred and owned by Live Oak Plantation, breezed home a 5 ¾-length winner in a time of 1:20.76. Hazelbrook edged Loyalty for second, while 54-1 Awesome Treat was fourth.

Our Flash Drive came into the Bessarabian off a strong runner-up performance in the Ontario Matron (G3) on October 22.

“I was getting the perfect trip down the backside [today], trying to find out where [jockey Jose Ortiz, aboard Artie's Princess] is. I just tipped out at the top of the lane. Actually, she ran a winning race [in the Ontario Matron]. That horse [Kate's Kingdom] just followed me and caught me.”

It was third graded stakes score for Our Flash Drive, who took last year's Selene (G3) and Ontario Colleen (G3). The well-traveled Florida-bred also won the Fasig-Tipton De La Rose Stakes this August at Saratoga.

The Mark Casse trainee is now 5-3-1 from 14 career starts.

Our Flash Drive paid $5.20 for the win.

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French Gaming Police Ask For Soumillon’s Licence To Be Withdrawn “Indefinitely” Or That His Ban Be Lengthened

According to information obtained by Jour de Galop, France's Gaming Police mailed a letter to France Galop earlier this week requesting that suspended jockey Christophe Soumillon's licence be withdrawn indefinitely or that his ban be lengthened, the paper writes in its Sunday edition. Soumillion was suspended for two months after elbowing fellow jockey Rossa Ryan out of the saddle during the running of the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon on Sept. 30.

“The fall (of Rossa Ryan) was not accidental, but was caused by Christophe Soumillon. This behavior is voluntary and dangerous,” the Gaming Police writes in the letter, according to the JDG. They report that the letter goes on to say that in May, they had asked Soumillion to modify his behavior, which they described as “risky” for other jockeys. “Instead,” the letter reads, “the deliberate, dangerous behavior of Mr. Soumillon, in the middle of the race and at a high speed in the stretch, presents a serious risk to the public order within horse racing.”

The JDG reports that the letter goes on to say that the incident garnered international attention, which portrayed French racing in a bad light. The police ask that France Galop either increase his suspension to a maximum of six months, or to withdraw his license altogether pending further investigation. The Jour de Galop notes that they have followed the same procedure used to ban jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot this past Tuesday.

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‘She’s By One Of My All-Time Favorite Horses’: Baffert Filly Fun To Dream Seeks Second Stakes Win In Betty Grable For Cal-Breds

There has been no need for a photo finish camera when Fun to Dream races. When she wins, she wins big and she'll try for another laugher in Sunday's $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes at Del Mar. It's the last of the opening weekend's stakes races and features a compact field of five California-bred fillies and mares going seven furlongs.

Bob Baffert's Fun to Dream has won three of her four starts and has been the favorite in all of them. The Arrogate filly comes into the race off a victory in an entry level allowance/claimer at Santa Anita last month. She went off at 2-5 that day and didn't disappoint, winning by four lengths in the end.

“She's doing really well,” Baffert says. “She's been a lot of fun. She's by one of my all-time favorite horses, Arrogate.”

Baffert is also co-owner and breeder of the filly. Fun to Dream has won her three races by a combined 20 ¾ lengths, breaking her maiden by 6 ¼ lengths and winning the Fleet Treat at Del Mar this past summer by 9 ¾ lengths. She's cutting back in distance from a mile and a sixteenth in her last.

“She ran one bad race where she came out (and was disqualified),” Baffert said. “I took the blinkers off her for her last race and stretched her out. I think she's better going two turns. We're limited on races, on where to run her. She's a Cal-bred and we thought we'd take advantage of our Cal-bred status. After this it's all open company from here on out.”

Baffert trained Arrogate, the 2016 champion 3-year-old male who died in 2020 during his third season at stud at Juddmonte Farms in Kentucky. The son of Unbridled's Song won seven of 11 career starts as a 3- and 4-year old, including four consecutive Grade 1 races: the 2016 Travers and Breeders' Cup Classic, followed by the 2017 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes and Dubai World Cup.

Fun to Dream will likely be tested by Big Novel from the John Sadler barn. The 3-year old daughter of Mr. Big has finished in the money in all eight of her career starts, winning twice. She's run in Cal-bred stakes five times with three runner-up finishes but hasn't raced since April.

“She's a hard knocking filly,” Sadler says. “We gave her a little bit of a vacation after her last start. She was second down there (at Del Mar) last fall behind my other one, Big Switch, so we think she fits the conditions of the race and look forward to getting her started back.”

The Betty Grable goes off as the eighth of nine races Sunday. It's named after the late film star who was a box office sensation in the 1940's and a Del Mar regular in the '40's and '50's.

Here's the field from the rail with the jockeys and morning line odds: Roman Empress (Drayden Van Dyke, 30-1); All Dialed In (Tyler Baze, 6-1); Fun to Dream (Juan Hernandez, 3-5); Big Novel (Flavien Prat, 8-5) and Taming the Tigress (Ramon Vasquez, 10-1).

The post ‘She’s By One Of My All-Time Favorite Horses’: Baffert Filly Fun To Dream Seeks Second Stakes Win In Betty Grable For Cal-Breds appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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