Month: January 2023

Colonel Liam, Decorated Invader, Shirl’s Speight Headline Invitations To Pegasus Turf

Two-time defending champion Colonel Liam and fellow Grade 1 winners Decorated Invader, Ivar, Shirl's Speight and Speaking Scout are among a dozen horses on the first invitation list for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up is among eight stakes, seven graded, worth $5.3 million in purses co-headlined by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat and $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G3).

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, returned from nine months between starts to run sixth in the Dec. 31 Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream in his Pegasus prep. The 6-year-old son of Liam's Map was a neck winner over Largent in the 2021 Pegasus and beat another of his stablemates, Never Surprised, by a length in last year's edition.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Speaking Scout exits a three-quarter-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Hollywood Derby (G1) Dec. 3 at Del Mar, his second stakes triumph and first in graded company. The 4-year-old Mr Speaker gelding was a five-length winner of the 1 1/8-mile Hawthorne Derby Oct. 1 and ran second by a half-length to fellow Pegasus invitee Cabo Spirit in the Oct. 29 Twilight Derby (G2) at Santa Anita.

Charles Fipke's Shirl's Speight is a multiple graded-stakes winner that went over the $1 million mark in purse earnings with his runner-up finish in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland. The 6-year-old son of Speightstown, trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, rallied for a nose victory in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) last April.

Fourth in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Mile, beaten a length, was Bonne Chance Farm and Stud R D I's Ivar, a Brazilian-bred 7-year-old that won a pair of Group 1 races in Argentina before coming to the U.S. He won the 2020 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland in his fourth domestic start and also ran second in the 2022 Turf Mile at Keeneland and Woodbine Mile (G1).

West Point Thoroughbreds, William Freeman, William Sandbrook and Cheryl Manning's Decorated Invader captured the 2019 Summer (G1) on the Woodbine turf as a 2-year-old and went on to score in the Pennine Ridge (G2) and National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) in 2020. The 6-year-old returned last fall after more than a year away and has run four times, most recently finishing second in the Fort Lauderdale.

The Fort Lauderdale was the third consecutive stakes win for Decorated Invader's Christophe Clement-trained stablemate, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Peter and Patty Searles' City Man, also among the list of invitees. The 6-year-old son of Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Mucho Macho Man has won eight career stakes including the Forbidden Apple (G3) last summer at Saratoga.

Completing the initial invitation list are Dicey Mo Chara, coming out of a half-length triumph in the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel (G2) Dec. 26 at Santa Anita; Masteroffoxhounds, who earned his second career Grade 2 score in Santa Anita's John Henry Turf Championship going 1 ¼ miles Oct. 1; Master Piece, winner of the Eddie Read (G2) and second in the Del Mar Handicap (G2); Who's the Star, riding a three-race win streak in the Durham Cup (G3), Autumn (G2) and Valedictory (G3) on Woodbine's all-weather surface; and 2022 Bay Shore (G3) winner Wit, third by less than a length in the Hollywood Derby.

Repole Stables' Never Surprised is among 11 horses on the reserve invite list, having run second in an optional claiming allowance Dec. 17 at Tampa Bay Downs off a similar nine-month gap as Colonel Liam. The 5-year-old Constitution horse is a three-time stakes winner including the 2021 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream.

In Love, Ivar's Paulo Lobo-trained stablemate, is another Brazilian-bred Argentine import that won the Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) in 2021 and comes out of a three-quarter-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Prairie Bayou over Turfway Park's all-weather surface Dec. 17.

Along with Shirl's Speight on the main list, Fipke and Attfield also have Lady Speightspeare on the reserve list. The 5-year-old mare owns four career graded-stakes wins – the 2020 Natalma (G1) and 2022 Nassau (G2), Trillium (G3) and Seaway (G3), all at Woodbine. She exits a third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

The reserve list also features Atone, fourth by less than a length in the 2021 Pegasus Turf; 2022 Louisville (G3) winner Cellist; Dark Shift, winner of the Royal Hunt Cup last summer at Royal Ascot; multiple graded-stakes placed Good Governance, fourth last out in the Fort Lauderdale; Hurricane Dream, group-stakes placed four times in Europe yet to race in the U.S.; 2022 Knickerbocker (G3) winner King Cause; Law Professor, a Grade 2 winner on dirt that won the Tapit on the turf at Kentucky Downs last fall; and Street Ready, third in the Fort Lauderdale.

Pegasus Turf First Invitational List:

  1. Cabo Spirit
  2. City Man
  3. Colonel Liam
  4. Decorated Invader
  5. Dicey Mo Chara
  6. Ivar
  7. Masteroffoxhounds
  8. Master Piece
  9. Shirl's Speight
  10. Speaking Scout
  11. Who's the Star
  12. Wit

Pegasus Turf Reserve List (in alphabetical order):

  1. Atone
  2. Cellist
  3. Dark Shift
  4. Good Governance
  5. Hurricane Dream
  6. In Love
  7. King Cause
  8. Lady Speightspeare
  9. Law Professor
  10. Never Surprised
  11. Street Ready

The post Colonel Liam, Decorated Invader, Shirl’s Speight Headline Invitations To Pegasus Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Cyberknife, Defunded, Proxy Top Invitations To Pegasus World Cup

Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife, Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman's Defunded and Godolphin LLC's Proxy top the first invitational list for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat at Gulfstream Park released Wednesday.

The 7th running of the Pegasus World Cup, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up, will be featured on the Jan. 28 program at Gulfstream Park with the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up, and the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G3), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares on turf.

The first invitation list includes 12 of North America's finest older horses, as well as a list of eight reserve invitees.

Cyberknife, a multiple Grade 1 stakes-winning son of 2018 Pegasus World Cup champion Gun Runner, was among the most prominent 3-year-olds of the 2022 racing season, during which the Kentucky-bred colt won the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park, and the Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park. He most recently finished second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland, in which he finished a head behind winner Cody's Wish.

Cyberknife, who is scheduled to make his final career start in the Pegasus before embarking on a stallion career, is trained by Brad Cox, who saddled Knicks Go for a victory in the 2021 Pegasus World Cup prior to 2021 Horse of the Year's second-place finish last year behind Life Is Good.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who saddled Arrogate for a Pegasus World Cup triumph in 2017, trains Defunded, a 4-year-old gelded son of Dialed In, who closed out the 2022 season with victories in the Awesome Again (G1) at Santa Anita and Native Diver (G3) at Del Mar.

Proxy, a 5-year-old son of Tapit, earned Grade 1 credentials in his 2022 finale in the Clark (G1) at Churchill Downs. The Godolphin homebred is trained by Michael Stidham.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio, Gary Barber's Get Her Number, Bruce Lundsford's Art Collector, Jet Set Racing Stable's Super Corinto and Fernando Vine Ode's O'Connor are other Grade 1 or Group 1 winners on the invitational list for the Pegasus World Cup.

Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained White Abarrio has the distinction of being a Grade 1 winner at 1 1/8 miles over the main track at Gulfstream Park, having captured the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) in April. The 4-year-old son of Race Day, who also won the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream, most recently finished third in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, beaten just a half-length by winner Mind Control.

Peter Miller-trained Get Her Number, who captured the 2020 American Pharoah at Santa Anita, was Grade 1 stakes-placed twice in 2022, including a runner-up finish in the Cigar Mile, finishing a half-length ahead of White Abarrio.

Bill Mott-trained Art Collector, who captured the 2021 Woodward (G1) at Belmont, successfully defended his Charles Town Classic (G2) title this year.

Amador Sanchez-trained Super Corinto and Joseph-trained O'Connor were both Group 1 winners in Chile this year who have been victorious at Gulfstream.

Joseph is also represented on the Pegasus World Cup invitation list by Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking, the third-place finisher in the 2022 Belmont Stakes (G1). The 4-year-old son of Exaggerator claimed graded-stakes victories in the West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer Park and last Saturday's Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Steve Moger's Stiletto Boy, a multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed son of Shackleford who finished third in last year's Pegasus World Cup, made this year's invitation list after winning the Californian (G2) this season for trainer Ed Moger Jr.

Tami Bobo's Simplification is another on the Pegasus World Cup invitation list with experience at Gulfstream, having captured the 2022 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream. The Antonio Sano-trained son of Not This Time finished third in Saturday's Harlan's Holiday.

Willis Horton Racing LLC's Last Samurai, who captured the Oaklawn Handicap (G2), represents Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas on the Pegasus World Cup invitational list.

Eight horses are on the list of reserve invitees, who may be invited to run in the Pegasus World Cup in the event one or more of the 12 invitees do not enter. The list (in alphabetical order): WSS Racing LLC's Barber Road, the runner-up to Cyberknife in the Arkansas Derby (G1); Mark Breen's Endorsed, who finished fourth in last year's Pegasus World Cup; Dream Team One Racing Stable's Hoist the Gold, who finished third in the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita last time out; Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC's Law Professor, who finished second behind Life Is Good in the Woodward (G1); David Raim's Muad'dib, a winner of 12 of 14 career starts and second-place finisher in the Charles Town Classic (G2); Rustlewood Farm Inc.'s Pappacap, a multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed son of Gun Runner trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse; Sumaya U. S. Stable's Pioneer of Medina, a runner-up to Skippylongstocking in the Harlan's Holiday for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled Life Is Good for a victory in last year's Pegasus World Cup; Cash Is King LLC and LC Racing LLC's Ridin With Biden, who won the Greenwood Cup (G3) at Parx;

The post Cyberknife, Defunded, Proxy Top Invitations To Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fox Hill Farms’ Run Has Come To A Close

The red-and-white colors of Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms will not be seen on the racetrack again. Eighteen months after Porter passed away after a long battle with cancer, the final horse still owned by Fox Hill, Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman), has been acquired by Porter's son, Scott, and will race under the name of Fox Hollow Farm. Siena Farm LLC has retained its minority interest in the horse.

“We could have kept him running in Fox Hill silks, but, accounting-wise, it made sense to put an end to that and keep things simple,” Scott Porter said. “He is a gelding, so it wasn't like we were going to sell him. I decided maybe I can race him and see where it leads.”

Royal Ship was the last horse owned by Fox Hill. Scott Porter has no immediate plans to expand his stable.

“It's not like I'm looking to start up a big racing stable,” he said. “At this point in my life, I'm not able to do that. Maybe someday that will change. I have the same love of racing my father had. I learned a lot from him and spent a lot of time with him. We were very close. I thought we might run this horse and see what happens. I am a builder. So I'm not making the kind of money my father did.”

Rick Porter passed away in June of 2021 at the age of 80. Fox Hill Farm campaigned 20 graded stakes horses and multiple champions led by Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), Hard Spun (Danzig), Omaha Beach (War Front) and Kodiak Kowboy (Posse). Three months after Porter's death it was announced that all of his horses but Royal Ship would be sold at the upcoming fall sales.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Royal Ship was imported from South America by Porter and finished third in the 2020 GII Del Mar Mile H. in his U.S. debut. Four starts later he upset Country Grammer in the GII Californian S.  He beat Country Grammer again in the 2021 GII San Diego H. Royal Ship not started since finishing sixth in the GI Awesome Again S. in October.

“The horse has been on the farm for quite some time and he just had his first work back,” Scott Porter said “He has had a few ailments. It seems like he can put a couple of good races together and then he throws in a clunker. We'll give him as much time off as we can. If he's happy and wants to run again we will try to have some fun with him. It just made sense for me to take him over rather than trying to find a new home for him.”

According to Victoria Keith, who was Fox Hill's racing manager, Rick Porter owned about 15 horses at the time of his death. Fox Hill's last mare was sold in November, leaving only Royal Ship. She said Porter had stopped acquiring horses a few years before his death, aware that his health issues were a problem.

“Probably the hardest part was when we were selling the first horses,” she said. “Then after that we whittled the numbers down. It is certainly sad that we won't be seeing those red-and-white silks anymore. It was a really good run. I got to live vicariously through Fox Hill Farm when it was on top. Rick has a wonderful family. His wife and kids are very much like him.”

Scott Porter said that if Royal Ship has a successful 2023 he will look to reinvest some of the earnings into a new horse or two.

“We'll see,” he said. “That's the way my dad did it, starting small. But I don't have any false ambitions. I'm not trying to be Fox Hill Farms.”

The post Fox Hill Farms’ Run Has Come To A Close appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Top 10 Tips for Blackjack Success

1. Seat position: In Blackjack your position can determine how much control you have over the game. If you want to take control of the last card in online casino blackjack then you should sit at the last box. The benefits of this for the more experienced online casino gambler are that it eliminates the possibility of a less experienced player drawing a wrong card.

The card that is drawn last determines what the dealer gets, depending on which type of Blackjack game the casino is using, this makes it possible for the player to control Blackjack. If you do not want to control the game of Blackjack then you must sit at the last box in order to make the most informed decisions. The next best place to sit in Blackjack is either the first box or one in the middle.

2. Drawing cards: If the dealer gets lucky and draws a high card then the player has nothing to lose. If the dealer draws a low card then as a player you need to be more careful with the cards that you draw on. For example, if you have low cards above 11, the best course of action is to keep what you have and let the dealer draw the 10’s, this can really work, you need to bear in mind that there are more tens in a pack of cards than any other card.

3. Splits: One of the rules of online casino gambling – you should always split aces when playing Blackjack. Always split when the dealer has a low card, never when the dealer has a picture card or a ten. My suggestion would be to never split 2’s, however this is up to you.

4. Doubles: In Online casino gambling players are permitted to double on anything, we would suggest that you only do so on 9, 10, or 11. You should only double when the dealer has a low card, the chances of you winning when the dealer has a high card are very low.

5. Insurance: If you are offered insurance when the dealer has an ace then you should decline, it is pointless, you will only get back what you have already bet. Insurance is a strange concept it just holds up games for no reason.

6. Cash build up: When you start to have a run of good luck in Blackjack you should start to increase your stakes slightly, this has the effect of increasing the betting bank. If you lose a hand then drop back down to your original stake and build it back up gradually. You will only need a few splits and doubles before you start to see a good run in Blackjack.

7. Concentration: This is important for all forms of online casino gambling, you need to keep on top of what you are doing. Stay focused and resist distraction, private games can help.

8. Targets: It is important to set realistic targets. You should never bet online with an unlimited amount of cash. Make sure you decide how much you want to win and how much you are prepared to lose, this will help you stay in control, and reduce the control of the casino.

9. Boredom: This is closely related to concentration, if you start to become bored then you need to leave the table, try another game. This is where the casinos make money, they count on players becoming agitated and losing their concentration.

10. Enjoyment: This has to be the most important tip, make sure you enjoy your Blackjack experience, remember it’s a game and it does not need to be expensive, try not be intent on winning money and just enjoy the experience.

So there you have it, stick to these rules and you will greatly increase your chances of winning.

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