Month: January 2023

Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Kentucky homebred Law Professor drew off to an impressive 7 1/2-length score in Saturday's $150,000 Queens County, a nine-furlong route for 4-year-olds and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Rob Atras and piloted by the red-hot Manny Franco, the graded stakes-winning son of Constitution proved to be much the best in a race originally scheduled for a December 31 Big A card that was canceled due to heavy fog.

Law Professor entered from a pair of Grade 1 starts, posting a game runner-up effort to multiple Grade 1 winner Life Is Good in the nine-furlong Woodward at Aqueduct in October ahead of a last-out fifth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland.

The emphatic score could propel Law Professor back to Grade 1 company in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park should the talented colt draw in as one of eight horses on the reserve list for the $3-million test.

“We were hoping this would be a race he could win and be a confidence builder because he had run against some real tough horses his last two,” Atras said. “We'll have to see how he comes out of the race. It is a little quick back, but I wouldn't rule out anything.”

Law Professor was bumped at the break but managed to settle comfortably in third position as the Jorge Vargas, Jr.-piloted Sea Foam marked the opening quarter-mile in :23.77  over the good main track with Thomas Shelby tracking in second under Jose Lezcano.

Sea Foam and Thomas Shelby continued to duel down the backstretch through a half-mile in :47.79 and three-quarters in 1:12.56 as Franco waited to give an eager Law Professor his cue.

Law Professor was asked for run approaching the far turn and was in front at the five-sixteenths, kicking on gamely under light urging from Franco and powering away to a comfortable score under wraps in a final time of 1:51 flat.

Naval Aviator rallied to complete the exacta by three-quarters of a length over Thomas Shelby with Bourbonic, Sea Foam, Plot the Dots, Unbridled Bomber, Shooger Ray Too, the defending race winner Forewarned and Grade 2 Kelso Handicap-winner Double Crown, who broke outward from the outermost post 10, completing the order of finish. Eloquist was scratched at the gate for precautionary reasons after getting his right hind leg caught in the gate according to NYRA's Senior Examining Veterinarian Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe.

Atras admitted to being a little nervous even as Law Professor took command.

“It's never over until it's over but the way everything unfolded, it was a very professional victory,” Atras said. “I wouldn't say we were expecting it, but the way he had been training, we were looking for this effort. I'm very glad we got it.”

Franco equaled a NYRA record with six wins on a single card on Friday at the Big A, and continued his winning ways on Saturday with Law Professor's effort marking the 28-year-old rider's fourth win on the card.

“I was able to stalk three-wide and that was it. He was dragging me the whole way,” Franco said. “I didn't want to move too soon. I knew I had a lot of horse under me. I just wanted to wait a little longer. The horse went on with it. I knew they would have to run fast to pass me. I knew how much horse I had.”

Franco credited his agent, John Panagot, as one of many reasons for his recent run of form.

“I can't believe it. I'm just grateful to be a part of these winning horses,” Franco said. “Thank you to my agent. He's been doing a great job and he's a part of it.”

Jockey Jeremy Laprida said Naval Aviator, who entered from a third-place finish in the Discovery on November 27 here, performed admirably to earn second money.

“He broke a little slow at the start, but he got good position and finished up strong,” Laprida said. “He had a lot of class today. Longer distances are good for him. Maybe next time.”

Law Professor started his career on the West Coast with conditioner Michael McCarthy, who captured the co-featured Jerome earlier on the card with Lugan Knight.

In December 2021, Law Professor won an off-the-turf edition of the Grade 2 Mathis Mile at Santa Anita ahead of three additional graded efforts for McCarthy topped by a runner-up effort in last year's nine-furlong Grade 2 San Pasqual over the main track at the Arcadia, California oval.

The versatile fellow made his first start for Atras a winning one, taking the restricted Tapit over firm turf at Kentucky Downs in September ahead of his recent graded efforts.

Bred in Kentucky by his owner from the Ghostzapper mare Haunted Heroine, Law Professor banked $82,500 in victory while improving his record to 5-2-1 from 14 career starts. He returned $4.20 for a $2 win ticket.

The post ‘It Was A Very Professional Victory’: Law Professor Shows Class In Dominant Queens County Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing's Cairo Consort paid immediate dividends for her new connections, surging past Erna in midstretch and holding off a late challenge from Stephanie's Charm to win Saturday's $100,000 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park.

The 12th running of the Ginger Brew for fillies was the second of two one-mile turf stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds following Candidate's front-running victory in the $100,000 Dania Beach.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, both named Saturday as Eclipse Award finalists for 2022, Cairo Consort ($3) completed the distance in 1:35.80 over a firm turf course as the 1-2 favorite.

The Cairo Prince filly was purchased from breeder Frankfort Park Stud for $875,000 last fall at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale following a juvenile campaign where she won two of six starts, including the Catch a Glimpse, also running second in the Natalma (G1) and third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

“Everything we had done with her had been on the dirt, so we were kind of knowing we have a turf filly and watching her train on the dirt,” Pletcher said. “She trains fine on the dirt, but clearly she's better on the turf. I felt like we had her ready enough to go and we didn't want to overdo it. It's the first race of the year, and we were happy with the outcome.”

Reluctant to load in the starting gate, Cairo Consort broke well and raced in fourth as 40-1 long shot Showgirl Lynne B, a stakes winner on the Tapeta last summer at Gulfstream, was in front from the rail through splits of :23.15 and :47.75 pressed by Erna, making her stakes debut, and Isabel Alexandra.

“I could tell when she came to the paddock she was on her toes a little bit, but we've done some work with her at the gate in the mornings. We've seen a hint of that, but not that, so we'll have to work on that a little more,” Pletcher said.

“You hate to see one get fractious behind the gate like that, but once she got in the gate she stood nicely and broke well and kind of got in the position that Irad and I talked about her getting to,” he added. “It was a pretty smooth trip from there.”

Cairo Consort, kept in the clear by Ortiz, began to range up to the leaders around the turn on the outside but still had work to do once straightened for home with Erna having inherited the top spot. Set down for a drive, she reeled in Erna inside the eighth pole and surged again when Stephanie's Charm, sent off at 11-1, came with her bid.

“It was a perfect trip,” Ortiz said. “She was close to the leaders and then a took a hold and she relaxed real well behind horses. At the three-eighths pole I asked her to start going forward and she did. She responded every time I asked her. Turning for home, she opened up by a half-length and then when she felt the horse outside, she was there. She had a little more in the tank.”

Cairo Consort crossed the wire a half length ahead of Stephanie's Charm, with Navy Goat another 1 ¼ lengths back in third. Erna held on by a neck over Isabel Alexandra for fourth, and they were followed by Showgirl Lynne B, Lady Azteca and Bel Pensiero. Anna Karenine was scratched.

“It was interesting talking to Irad afterward. He said he felt like he had a lot more horse and she kind of idled a little bit when she made the lead,” Pletcher said of the filly, who is out of the Street Cry mare Absolutely Awesome. “When that horse came to her she had a little more.”

Next up for 3-year-old fillies on the grass at Gulfstream is the $175,000 Sweetest Chant (G3) going 1 1/16 miles Feb. 4.

“They have a nice series here so we'll probably look at the next one,” Pletcher said. “We'll see. We can always skip one and go to the next one. We'll play it by ear and see how she comes out of it.”

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