December, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Emperor Maximus Crosses Over in Qatar Derby

Wrapping up Day 29 in Qatar, the final race on the Thursday card brought together a well-matched field of 3-year-old colts that were vying for a black-type prize. After a pair of scratches, out of the remaining 16 runners, Emperor Maximus proved best, but it was not a foregone conclusion that he would be able to make the leap in company after campaigning on-track at lower levels on three prior occasions. Just last week Dec. 22, the colt won a handicap against 13 others by 1 3/4 lengths, but he was clearly going to have to run his best in here.

At the break, it was Upton Park who broke alertly from the outside, angled into the three-path, and set up shop on the lead into the first turn and continued to do so down the backstretch. Nestled along the rail in the third position, Emperor Maximus was content to sit a ground-saving trip, as the rest of the field pursued. The leader went moderately at :51.70 after 500 meters, and looked to extend the ground between as the gelding rounded the final turn.

By the top of the lane, the field began to shake loose as the pace began to quicken, and with less than 500 meters Emperor Maximus was given his cue from the rail. Moving swiftly, the dark bay took aim at his rival, and under firm handling, fully extended himself past the pacesetter to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Upton Park closely held second, and it was Persian Royal was up for third. The winner's dam last produced a gelding by Zanzibari in 2021 with no report issued the year before.

Thursday, Al Rayyan, Qatar

QATAR DERBY (Black-Type), US$500,000, Al Rayyan, 12-29, 3yo, 2000mT, 02:01.34, gd.
1–EMPEROR MAXIMUS (FR), 128, c, 3, by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
          1st Dam: Lapland (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
          2nd Dam: Landlocked, by Unbridled
          3rd Dam: Land Shark (Fr), by Pitskelly (GB)
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Al Rufaa Racing; B-Thierry Storme,
Haras Des Sablonnets, Thierry Lohest (Fr); T-Gassim Ghazali;
J-Marco Casamento; US$285,000. Lifetime Record: 11-2-3-3.
2–Upton Park (Fr), 128, g, 3, Elm Park (GB)–Sienna Bella (GB),
by Anabaa. (150,000gns yrl '22 TATJUL). O-Mohammed
Abdulhadi S. Al-Hajri; T-Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki; J-Tomas
Lukasek; US$110,000.
3–Persian Royal (GB), 128, g, 3, Al Kazeem (GB)–Poplin (GB), by
Medicean (GB). (450,000gns yrl '22 TATOCT). O-Wathnan
Racing; B-D. J. and Mrs. Deer (GB); T-Alban Elie De Mieulle;
J-Soufiane Saadi; US$55,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, 1.

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Bret Calhoun Reflects On Rich History At Sam Houston; 2023 Meet Opens Jan. 6

Since opening as the first Class 1 racetrack in Texas, Sam Houston Race Park has played a pivotal role in the careers of many accomplished horsemen and women. In 1994, Bret Calhoun was one of the young trainers in the inaugural live racing season.

“Sam Houston Race Park marked my first time running a string on my own,” said Calhoun. “They opened with a great purse structure, and I will never forget the crowds there on opening day!”

Born in Dallas, Calhoun is a second generation trainer as his father, William “Buddy” Calhoun, owned and trained Thoroughbreds. Just shy of his 30th birthday, Calhoun was fully committed to his profession and the challenges starting out on his own.

“I slept in the backside dorm at Sam Houston Race Park as I felt I had to be with my horses 24 hours a day and seven days of the week,” admitted Calhoun. “The only help I had was my mom and dad.”

His father gave him some valuable advice as he watched his son walk his horses to the saddling ring and accompany them back to the barn following their races.

“He told me that I had better start spending more time with my owners as other trainers were up in the suite trying to get their business,” recalled Calhoun.

That proved to be sage counsel as attracting quality owners has propelled Calhoun to excellence in Texas and major racetracks in North America. Since his first career victory with Ramjet on April 1, 1994, at Trinity Meadows, his operation has grown significantly. As 2022 winds down, Calhoun's stats on Equibase reflect that he has won 3,464 races and his horses have earned $99,791,958.

“I am straight up with my owners and offer honest and real assessments on each of their horses,” he said. “Sometimes it's hard to swallow, but fortunately, my owners and I have mutual respect.”

Calhoun's hard work has paid off with a growing number of graded stakes winners, led by My Standards ($2,294,430); Chamberlain Bridge ($1,866,259); Dubai Majesty ($1,407,547) and Mr Money ($1,360,430).

His many Sam Houston highlights include a victory by Chamberlain Bridge in the 2011 Railsplitter Stakes, just two months after the intrepid son of War Chant won the Grade 2, Breeders' Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs. Calhoun won many Texas Champions Day stakes with Clarence Scharbauer Jr. homebreds, including Coyote Legend, Gold Coyote, Swift Shock and Fiftyshadesofgold.

Next month, Calhoun is hoping to add another Sam Houston stakes victory with Hidden Connection in the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic. The Kentucky-bred filly, sired by Connect, won the 2021 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, before finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) for owners Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds.

“She showed up early and was very talented, with a high cruising speed and the ability to carry it,” stated Calhoun. “Following the Oaks, we gave her time off and she has bounced back well.”

Calhoun ran the dark bay filly in a mile and one-sixteenth allowance on December 16 at Fair Grounds and she rallied gamely under Rey Gutierrez, winning by a margin of 7 ½ lengths. That victory provided plenty of options for her 4-year-old campaign. Calhoun's goal for Hidden Connection is the Grade 1, Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park. Several key stakes preps are logical for fillies and mares aiming for the prestigious stakes, including the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic on January 28. The rich history of HLC winners emerging victorious in the Apple Blossom include Forever Unbridled, and millionaires Midnight Bisou and Letruska.

“I liked the way Hidden Connection won at Fair Grounds and feel she is at a peak level of fitness,” said Calhoun. “We are absolutely considering the Houston Ladies Classic for her next start; I would say it's a 90 percent chance that she will run at Sam Houston.”

Longtime assistant Hernan Zamudio, known as “Pancho,” will oversee Calhoun's Sam Houston Race Park's 32-horse barn for the upcoming live racing season.

Calhoun's ascent into the very competitive world of Thoroughbred racing has been impressive. He was asked about eclipsing the $100 million dollar earnings mark with horses running at Fair Grounds and Delta Downs over the remaining days of 2022.

“It's certainly mind blowing,” admitted Calhoun on reaching that milestone. “I'm very grateful to so many owners who have supported me and hope to win my 4,000th race. This business has been very good to me.”

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Unbeaten Juvenile Count De Monet ‘Getting Better All The Time,’ Leads $150,000 Renaissance Stakes

Unbeaten and improving, Count de Monet is among six horses entered in the inaugural $150,000 Renaissance Stakes for 2-year-old sprinters Saturday at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Probable post time for the six-furlong Renaissance, the sixth of 10 races, is 2:50 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m. The card, the first in Oaklawn history exclusively for 2-year-olds, also features the inaugural $150,000 Year's End Stakes for fillies at 1 mile.

The projected six-horse field Renaissance field from the rail out: Bourbon Bash, Mickaelle Michel to ride, 117 pounds, 12-1 on the morning line; Frosted Departure, Francisco Arrieta, 124, 6-1; Spurrier, Rafael Bejarano, 117, 10-1; Two Eagles River, Nik Juarez, 117, 6-5; Choctaw Zip, David Cabrera, 117, 20-1; and Count de Monet, Santo Sanjur, 124, 7-5.

Count de Monet (3 for 3) exits a three-length victory in the $150,000 Advent Stakes Dec. 9 at Oaklawn. The 5 ½-furlong Advent was headlined by Iowa-bred sensation Tyler's Tribe, but a tracking Count de Monet overhauled the heavily favored gelding in midstretch and drew off late under Sanjur. Count de Monet earned a career-high 85 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory over a muddy track. Count de Monet received a 60 Beyer in his Aug. 30 debut and a 74 Beyer in an entry-level allowance Sept. 29. Both sprint races were at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Count de Monet has won his three starts by a combined 11 lengths.

“I kind of thought I would win my first Oaklawn stakes race with Summer Shoes,” trainer Tom Swearingen said, referring to his lightly raced Arkansas-bred who is 2 for 3 in her career. “But this is a nice horse, he really is. He's getting better. He's just a baby, but he's getting better all the time. He's just grown up like a weed.”

Count de Monet tuned up for the Renaissance by working five furlongs in 1:04.40 Dec. 22 at Oaklawn. Oaklawn lost three days of training (Dec. 23, Dec. 24 and Dec. 26) because of arctic temperatures. The track was also closed Dec. 25 for Christmas.

“We're just going to try our best and see where it ends up,” said Swearingen, who trains Count de Monet for owner Charles Galli of St. Louis. “Losing the four days of training wasn't ideal, but everybody's in the same boat and there's nothing you can do about it. It's just Mother Nature.”

Program favorite Two Eagles Rivers, purchased for $220,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training, won his Oct. 30 career debut at Churchill Downs before finishing second, beaten a neck, by Victory Formation in a Nov. 26 entry-level allowance sprint at Churchill Downs. Victory Formation (2 for 2) is among several highly regarded Kentucky Derby prospects for two-time reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox.

Chris Hartman, Oaklawn's leading trainer in 2015, calls Two Eagles River “probably my best 2-year-old.” From the first crop of 2017 Preakness winner Cloud Computing, Two Eagles River will be running on the anti-bleeder medication Lasix for the first time Saturday and owns competitive Beyer Speed Figures of 84 and 83 in his brief career.

“It's going to be a good test for him,” Hartman said. “Swearingen's looks like a nice horse.”

Frosted Departure, who finished fourth in the Advent, will be making his ninth career start Saturday for trainer Kenny McPeek. Two-time Grade 1 participant Bourbon Bash broke his maiden by eight front-running lengths in an Aug. 13 sprint at Saratoga for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Bourbon Bash exits a troubled sixth in the $200,000 Ed Brown Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs. Bourbon Bash will also run on Lasix for the first time Saturday.

“I thought about going in the Smarty Jones, but he had such a horrible trip the other day that I thought I would sprint him once more,” Lukas said.

Sunday's $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes – a mile event for 3-year-olds – is Oaklawn's first of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Spurrier returns after a Dec. 10 debut victory, which marked the 300th at Oaklawn for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs.

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Champion Buick Reaches 200-Winner Mark

William Buick, who has already been crowned champion jockey in Britain for 2022, rounded off a sensational campaign in style by riding 200 British winners in a year for the first time. His 200th victory came at Southwell aboard the odds-on favourite Zealot (GB), trained by Michael Appleby.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Racing channel after the race, Buick said, “I said to Tony [Hind], my agent, six weeks ago when we had 31 winners to go that it was within reach.

“Things didn't quite go to plan until today, but it's great and I've had lots of support. Thank you to everyone.”

Buick missed out on victory in the first British Classic of the season when beaten on Native Trail (GB) into second by stable-mate Coroebus (Ire), ridden by his great friend James Doyle, in the 2,000 Guineas. He later won both the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Native Trail and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains on Modern Games (Ire), the colt who would go on to score his second Breeders' Cup victory at the end of the season at Keeneland.

America has been a happy hunting ground for Buick this year, and he has also enjoyed top-level success in the Saratoga Derby with Nations Pride (GB) and the Saratoga Oaks on With The Moonlight (GB). He was also aboard winner Mischief Magic (GB) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. In Britain, his Group 1 victories have included the St James's Palace S. with Coroebus, who was later fatally injured in the Prix du Moulin, and the Cheveley Park S. On Lezoo (GB), while Rebel's Romance (Ire) won the Preis von Europa with Buick up. Modern Games also landed Canada's Ricoh Woodbine Mile, while Mysterious Night (Ire) won the Pattison Summer S. on the same card.

“It's been a great year,” said the jockey. “I've had wonderful support from everybody. Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have had an amazing year with Charlie also being champion (trainer) as well.”

He added, “I would love to go for it again next year, beyond that you never know.”

Former champion Oisin Murphy was the most recent jockey to pass the 200-winner mark in Britain, having ridden 220 winners in 2019, while another former champion, Silvestre de Sousa, notched 206 in 2017. Buick's previous best was 170 winners last year when the jockeys' championship went right to the wire on British Champions Day and he finished a close second to Murphy. He could yet add to his tally as he is booked for five rides at Lingfield on New Year's Eve.

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