January, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘He Had A Good Workout’: Arctic Arrogance Breezes For Withers

Chester and Mary Broman's graded stakes-placed New York homebred Arctic Arrogance, with blinkers on, drilled a half-mile under Jose Lezcano in :50.47 Sunday over the Belmont dirt training track in his first breeze since a runner-up effort in the Jerome on Jan. 7 at Aqueduct.

The Frosted sophomore raced in second position throughout the one-turn mile Jerome, finishing a half-length back of West Coast-based shipper Lugan Knight.

Rice said she's looking forward to stretching Arctic Arrogance back out to nine furlongs in the $250,000 Withers (G3) on Feb. 4. The Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier offers 20-8-6-4-2 points to the top five finishers.

“He had a good workout this morning,” Rice said. “We missed a breeze coming into the Jerome over the holiday with bad weather. I thought he was a little heavy coming into the race, so I want to make sure the same thing doesn't happen going into the Withers.”

Arctic Arrogance, who captured the one-turn mile Sleepy Hollow at Aqueduct against fellow state-breds on Oct. 30, is currently ranked 10th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with eight points. He picked up four qualifying points for a runner-up effort to Dubyuhnell in the nine-furlong Remsen (G2) Dec. 3, which was contested over a sloppy and sealed Aqueduct main track.

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‘I Think We Want To Keep Her In New York’: Occult Likely On To Stay On Aqueduct Path To Kentucky Oaks

Following a triumphant stakes debut in Saturday's Busanda at Aqueduct Racetrack, a qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks (G1), Alpha Delta Stables' Occult will likely set her sights on the $250,000 Gazelle (G3) on April 8 at the Big A.

Trained by Chad Brown, Occult earned a career-best 78 Beyer Speed Figure for the nine-furlong Busanda where she also collected 20 points towards the Kentucky Oaks, catapulting her to second place on the leaderboard. The daughter of leading North American sire Into Mischief trails only Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Wonder Wheel, who has amassed 40 points.

Occult received a tactical ride by Dylan Davis from second behind pacesetter Sweetest Princess entering the backstretch and was in command at the stretch call, drawing away to a 3 3/4-length victory over Gambling Girl and Affirmative Lady, a respective third and second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle here on December 3. She entered off a sharp 4 1/4-length maiden victory at second asking going a one-turn mile in December over the Big A main track.

“She was up against a couple runners that were in the Demoiselle. I was surprised that she went off the favorite,” said Jon Clay of Alpha Delta Stables. “She ran well and I think Dylan Davis did a great job of settling her just off the pace and she really ran her race. Her Beyer improved from her last race to this one, so it looks like she's moving in the right direction. Being able to get the Oaks distance and to win by nearly four lengths, that definitely shows distance is not going to be an issue for her in the future.”

Clay expressed a desire to target the Gazelle, a race he won in 2016 with the Brown-trained Lewis Bay, who finished third in the Kentucky Oaks. The Gazelle is the final local Oaks qualifier, awarding a total of 100-40-30-20-10 points to the top-five finishers. Another viable option for Occult could be the Busher Invitational on March 4 [50-20-15-10-5], which is contested at a one-turn mile.

“I think we want to keep her in New York. She likes Aqueduct and down the road, the Gazelle would be the logical last prep,” Clay said. “I think Chad mentioned yesterday that he didn't want to turn her back to a mile, but we still have a lot of time to figure that out. We'll see how she trains over the next month and then make a plan from there. Our goal would be to run in the Gazelle if she stays healthy and she moves forward. I had luck running in the Gazelle with Lewis Bay. That was her last prep before going into the Oaks, so it's a logical step to stay in New York.”

Clay said he plans on remaining cautiously optimistic.

“There's still a lot of races to be run and a lot of good horses out there. Some of them may not have even started yet,” Clay said. “Wonder Wheel is a great horse and she'll get going. There's a lot of good horses out there, so we just need to worry about our own horse.”

Bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, Occult is out of the graded stakes-winning Empire Maker mare Magical Feeling, making her a half sibling to multiple stakes winner Exulting and stakes winner Magical. Occult was bought for $625,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale.

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Marshall To Lead Management Team At Revolutionary Racing Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky's new Quarter Horse racetrack, equestrian center and gaming facility will be led by longtime racing and gaming industry executives, each bringing decades of experience in high-quality racing and guest experiences.

Revolutionary Racing Kentucky announced the appointment of key members of the team that will lead the $55 million investment in Boyd County:

· John Marshall, President

· Conor Lucas, Vice President, Government Relations and Development

· Shelby Morrison, Executive Assistant

· Terry Oliver, Racing and Equestrian Manager

· Mike Anifantis, Racing Secretary

“We promised to build a world-class facility, led by a world-class team,” said Larry Lucas, Chairman of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky. “With these appointments, we are certainly well on our way to delivering on that promise. This is an impressive leadership team for what will be an equally impressive development.”

Marshall brings a rare hybrid of racing, gaming, entertainment, and hospitality expertise to lead the team. He previously led the re-opening of Virginia's Colonial Downs and pioneered the successful network of historic horse racing facilities, branded as Rosie's Gaming Emporium. He helped introduce alternative gaming to several new markets within other racetrack facilities, including Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Calder Casino and Racetrack and Miami Valley Gaming, creating thousands of new jobs while reviving horse racing in those areas. He has also held key roles in supporting the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Breeders' Cup.

“John has a strong record of building teams that work very well with regulators, horsemen and colleagues to deliver what's promised,” Lucas said. “He also has decades of experience in other forms of family entertainment, like concerts and festivals, that we are excited to also bring to Boyd County as part of this.”

Over the last two years, Conor Lucas has worked closely with Kentucky legislators and regulators, as well as Boyd County officials and the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association. He will continue that work throughout the development process. He previously led legislative efforts to change Arizona gaming laws and helped pass horse racing and gaming legislation in Louisiana.

Morrison, an Ashland native, oversees day-to-day administrative operations. She brings many years of local experience in relationship management and customer service and played a key role in the team's successful groundbreaking event in October.

Marshall said he is honored to lead the team and pointed to the respected industry reputations that both Anifantis and Oliver bring to the Eastern Kentucky development.

“Terry and Mike are accomplished figures in both Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing,” he said. “We've worked together in the past and I know firsthand that they bring genuine passion, drive and records of success that will help us to thrive.”

Oliver is also highly regarded in both the Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing communities, having served as Director of Racing at Florida's Oxford Downs and as Director of the Central Florida Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. He is an experienced trainer who grew up in the Quarter Horse industry and is active with the American Quarter Horse Association. His daughter is a state barrel-racing champion.

Anifantis has more than 40 years of racing experience, most recently serving as Racing Secretary at Prairie Meadows in Iowa. He helped open Remington Park in 1988 and has held leadership roles at Hialeah Park, Calder Race Course and many others. He also worked in the racing offices at both Keeneland and Churchill Downs.

In July, Revolutionary Racing Kentucky was awarded the Commonwealth's ninth and final horse racing license. Plans call to invest $55 million to build a Quarter Horse racetrack, equestrian center and gaming facility, creating more than 200 good-paying jobs and more than $1 million in new local tax revenues.

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Brisset: Yuugiri To Use Oaklawn’s Carousel As Springboard To Grade 1 Bid

Grade 3 winner Yuugiri will be pointed to the $150,000 Carousel Stakes for older female sprinters Feb. 25 at Oaklawn, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said Sunday morning.

Yuugiri was among Oaklawn's leading 3-year-old fillies last year after winning the Fantasy Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles in April. Following a lengthy vacation, Yuugiri was a sharp winner of her comeback race, a Dec. 30 allowance sprint at Oaklawn. Brisset said he plans to keep Yuugiri around one turn in 2023, with the goal of winning a Grade 1 race to enhance her broodmare value.

Yuugiri's major spring objective, Brisset said, is the $600,000 Madison Stakes (G1) for older fillies and mares at seven furlongs April 8 at Keeneland. Brisset said another spring option for Yuugiri is the inaugural $250,000 Matron Stakes for older fillies and mares at six furlongs March 31 at Oaklawn.

“We gave her an easy week after the win and she's back galloping,” Brisset said. “What I did, I worked backwards from the Madison. The goal is to run her in the Madison at Keeneland. The timing is right with the calendar, so now she's pointing for the Carousel. How she runs in the Carousel, we will decide if we go to the Madison or the Matron.”

A daughter of Shackleford out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Yuzuru, Yuugiri has a 3-2-1 record from seven lifetime starts and earnings of $619,710. The Dec. 30 race was Yuugiri's first start since finishing 13th in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) last May at Churchill Downs.

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