January, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Prince of Jericho Caps Trainer Russell’s 3YO Stakes Sweep With Munnings Offspring On Laurel’s Winter Sprintfest Card

Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey's Prince of Jericho, beaten by Coffeewithchris in his stakes debut last month, avenged that loss by pouncing on the co-favorite at the top of the stretch and steadily drawing away to win Saturday's $100,000 Spectacular Bid by four lengths at Laurel Park.

The third running of the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid, the first in Maryland's series of stakes for 3-year-olds leading up to the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course, anchored six stakes worth $550,00 in purses on a Winter Sprintfest program

Prince of Jericho ($5.80) gave trainer Brittany Russell a sweep of Saturday's sophomore stakes, having won the $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies with Madaket Stables' L Street Lady.

Subbing for Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, Carol Cedeno settled Prince of Jericho in fourth as 30-1 long shot Tiz No Clown went the opening quarter-mile in :23.35 tracked by multiple stakes-placed Heldish in between horses and Dec. 30 Heft winner Coffeewithchris in the clear three wide.

Coffeewithchris and jockey Jaime Rodriguez were in front after a half-mile in :46.85 but Cedeno began to roll further outside with Prince of Jericho midway around the far turn, closing the gap and moving up to even terms as the field straightened for home.

“Sheldon came back last time and said to me, 'I think I could have won that race. I should have jumped on him a little sooner on the turn,'” Russell said. “[Prince of Jericho] wanted to run around the turn and he said he idled him and messed him up.

“Once he got going again he said he galloped out, his ears were pricked and he had horse. That just made me think about running this horse back in three weeks, and he's trained well,” she added. “He has a lot of energy and he ran well today.”

Prince of Jericho was well in command after going six furlongs in 1:12.34 and completed the distance in 1:25.93 over a fast main track. Coffeewithchris dug in and attempted to make a run at the winner once passed but had to settle for second, 4 ½ lengths ahead of B West. They were followed by On the Mark, Tiz No Clown, We Don't Need Roads, Heldish and My Blue Eyes.

A Kentucky-bred Munnings colt out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Golden Review, bred by Edward Seltzer, Prince of Jericho was purchased from consignor Paramount Sales for $85,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale. Xtra Heat winner L Street Lady also is by Ashford Stud resident sire Munnings.

Prince of Jericho debuted last October at Laurel and ran second to undefeated stakes-winning stablemate Post Time before returning to graduate by 11 ¾ lengths in his subsequent start. Following an optional claiming allowance victory in his first try against winners he made his stakes debut in the seven-furlong Heft, beaten 2 ½ lengths as the runner-up but 4 ½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Riccio.

Maryland's series of stakes for 3-year-olds continues with the $100,000 Miracle Wood going one mile Feb. 18, $100,000 Private Terms at about 1 1/16 miles March 18 and $125,000 Federico Tesio April 15. The 1 1/8-mile Tesio will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Preakness.

“I don't know. We might consider going along with the progression of these races,” Russell said. “We'll just see how he comes out of it. I don't necessarily want to run him back in three weeks again, but more distance might be in his future.”

Spectacular Bid was named champion colt at 2 and 3 and champion older horse and Horse of the Year at 4 for late Maryland-based Hall of Fame trainer Grover 'Bud' Delp, who called him “the greatest horse ever to look through a bridle.” 'The Bid' captured the 1979 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) and won each of his last 10 races, retiring with 26 wins and nearly $2.8 million in purse earnings from 30 starts. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982.

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Proxy, Cyberknife Complete Pegasus Preparations in Big Easy

Godolphin's Proxy (Tapit) and Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife (Gun Runner) figure to be the top couple of betting choices in next Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park and each tuned up for the battle with breezes over the Fair Grounds main track Saturday.

Beneath his regular work rider Arturo Aparacio, the homebred Proxy was clocked a half-mile in :49.40, but so strong was his gallop-out to the seven-eighths pole that he was actually given a time of 1:01.80 for five furlongs.

“The two important works were the last two,” trainer Michael Stidham said. “This was important, but we weren't looking for anything special. We were just looking for maintenance here. He handled it well. He always is a big gallop-out horse, and the best part of the work was the finish and the gallop out. That's what we were looking for, and we got it. He cooled out well, and all is a go as of right now.”

Proxy, a 5-year-old son of the versatile Panty Raid (Include), enters the Pegasus on the heels of a maiden Grade I success in the Clark H. at Churchill Downs last November, but Stidham believes that Proxy have to find yet another level next weekend.

“Certainly, I feel like the Pegasus is going to come up tougher overall, a tougher race, so we have to pick our game up from the Clark,” Stidham said. “I don't think we can run the same race we ran in the Clark and expect to win. I think we need to do a little bit better, and I'm hoping my horse will move forward from the Clark. That's what we need to see.”

Cyberknife has not been seen since finishing a bang-up second to Cody's Wish (Curlin) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 5 and was a bit sharper in his move Saturday, covering the five furlongs in 1:01 flat with Florent Geroux up. The 4-year-old, who is scheduled to retire to Spendthrift Farm following the Pegasus, was out three-quarters of a mile in 1:13 2/5.

“It was a good work,” Geroux said. “He's always been a good work horse. So for him, it was just a maintenance work and keeping him busy and fit. He's had plenty of time to get ready and now we're a week from the race.”

Geroux added, “The horse is definitely maturing now. He's stronger physically. I think he put on some weight. He's developing very nicely and made another step forward over the winter, physically and mentally. So we're hoping he's better than he was last year.”

The Pegasus horses due from California also tuned up Saturday in the Golden State. Defunded (Dialed In), last year's GI Awesome Again S. hero, breezed five furlongs in :59.40 for two-time Pegasus-winning trainer Bob Baffert, while GI Cigar Mile H. runner-up Get Her Number (Dialed In) went a similar distance in 1:00.60 at San Luis Rey Training Center. Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:04.60 for trainer Steve Moger at Golden Gate Fields.

In Arkansas, Last Samurai (First Samurai) went five furlongs in :59.40, and in Florida, Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) went a half in :50.45 at Palm Meadows and Simplification (Not This Time) drilled five furlongs in 1:00.22 at Gulfstream Park.

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Cyberknife ‘Stronger Physically’ for Pegasus World Cup, Other Probables Tune Up In California, Arkansas, Florida

Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:01 flat in company with Roman Centurion Saturday morning at Fair Grounds in preparation for next Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The Brad Cox-trained 4-year-old Cyberknife galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.40 under jockey Florent Geroux.

The 1:01 clocking was third-fastest of 41 half-mile works at the track, with the 5-year-old stakes-placed Roman Centurion clocked in 1:01.20.

“It was a good work,” Geroux said by phone. “He's always been a good work horse. So for him, it was just a maintenance work and keeping him busy and fit. He's had plenty of time to get ready and now we're a week from the race.”

Cyberknife comes into the Pegasus off a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), in which he had held a narrow lead the last half of the race but couldn't quite hold off Cody's Wish. That defeat by a head cost Cyberknife a third Grade 1 victory after taking Oaklawn Park's Arkansas Derby and Monmouth Park's Haskell.

Geroux has ridden Cyberknife for the past 10 of his 12 career races. The jockey concurs with Cox that Cyberknife is working better than ever for his last race before going to stud at Spendthrift Farm.

“The horse is definitely maturing now,” Geroux said. “He's stronger physically. I think he put on some weight. He's developing very nicely and made another step forward over the winter, physically and mentally. So we're hoping he's better than he was last year.”

Cyberknife certainly has come a long way from when he finished first in his debut on Sept. 25, 2021 at Churchill Downs but ran greenly and was disqualified to second for interference. Exactly a year ago off a maiden victory on his third attempt, he was drubbed in the Fair Grounds' Lecomte (G3) but regrouped to win an allowance race and then the Arkansas Derby. His only race worse than third since needs no apology: It was the cavalry charge known as the Kentucky Derby (G1), in which he was 18th.

“He would zig zag, lose a little bit of focus,” Geroux said of Cyberknife last spring. “He's been better since. He was perfect in the Breeders' Cup and just got beat by a very nice horse. But it looks like he's doing much better now—hopefully, I'm not speaking too soon.

“It was a tough beat (in the Breeders' Cup). We wanted to finish up the year strong, and we thought it was a good spot,” Geroux added. “We had a great trip, just couldn't hold off the winner, who is a terrific miler. I think the mile and an eighth is more to his liking.”

In other Pegasus World Cup workouts, Defunded, Get Her Number, and Stilleto Boy got in their final tune-ups in California Saturday morning.

Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Defunded, an impressive winner of the Awesome Again (G1) and Native Diver (G2) in his two most recent starts, breezed five furlongs in :59.40 at Santa Anita. Trainer Bob Baffert saddled Arrogate (2017) and Mucho Gusto (2020) for victories in the Pegasus World Cup.

Gary Barber's Get Her Number, a close second-place finisher behind Mind Control in the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct last time out, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 for trainer Peter Miller at San Luis Rey Training Center.

Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy worked five furlongs in 1:04.60, handily, at Golden Gate Fields. The Ed Moger Jr.-trained son of Shackleford finished third in last year's Pegasus World Cup.

In Arkansas: Willis Horton Racing LLC's Last Samurai turned in a bullet workout at Oaklawn Park, where Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas' trainee breezed five furlongs in :59.40.

In Florida, Skippylongstocking and Simplification breezed Saturday morning for scheduled starts in the race.

Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking worked a half mile in :50.45 at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach Count. The 4-year-old son of Exaggerator, who is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., is coming off a victory in the Dec. 31 Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Tami Bobo's Simplification, who captured the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream last season, breezed a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.22 at Gulfstream Saturday morning. The Antonio Sano trainee's clocking was the second fastest of 44 workouts recorded at the distance.

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Proxy ‘A Go’ For Pegasus World Cup

Godolphin LLC's Proxy, winner of Churchill Downs' Clark (G1) in his most recent start Nov. 25, had his final tune up for next Saturday's $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park, breezing five furlongs Saturday morning at Fair Grounds.

If the five-furlong move in 1:01.80 wasn't quite as eye-catching as his previous two workouts, that was by design.

Working by himself at the New Orleans track, Proxy was clocked tooling a half-mile in :49.40 to the wire under regular exercise rider Arturo Aparicio. The 5-year-old campaigner continued on to the seven-eighths pole, but since that gallop out was so strong, it was classified as a five-furlong work, said trainer Mike Stidham.

“The two important works were the last two,” Stidham said by phone from New Orleans. “This was important, but we weren't looking for anything special. We were just looking for maintenance here. He handled it well. He always is a big gallop-out horse, and the best part of the work was the finish and the gallop out. That's what we were looking for, and we got it. He cooled out well, and all is a go as of right now.”

Jockey Joel Rosario will be back aboard for the third straight race. Proxy will ship Sunday evening to Gulfstream Park, arriving Monday.

The Clark was Proxy's first stakes victory of any kind, though he'd never been worse than fourth in eight prior stakes attempts. It also came in his first Grade 1 appearance.

“He's had plenty of time from the Clark. He's done well here at the Fair Grounds since that race. He'll get to Gulfstream Monday, and he'll have time to settle in. Barring any issues between now and then, we're ready to go.”

Proxy brings a versatile running style into the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus. He's won on the lead; pushed the tepid pace in the Clark before taking command late over the front-running favorite West Will Power; and he's prevailed as a closer.

“Last time there wasn't a lot of speed in the Clark,” Stidham said. “Rosario had ridden West Will Power before and obviously knew him well, so we felt like we needed to stay in striking distance of that horse. Now, in a race like this at Gulfstream, more of a speed-favoring type surface, I'd imagine there's going to be a considerable amount more speed, which should put us in a spot somewhere mid-pack, is my guess. With a rider like Rosario, I'm certainly not going to have much to say to him other than good luck and get the best trip you can.

“He's shown he can do either (style). If they're really going fast, he can sit back and finish into fast fractions. If the pace isn't too hot, he can lay in a close stalking position. It's going to depend on how the race sets up and where Joel thinks is the best spot for him to be.”

With Proxy being a son of Godolphin's Include mare Panty Raid, a Grade 1 winner on turf and synthetic and Grade 2 winner on dirt, Stidham acknowledged toying with the idea of switching to the turf a while back. After all, Panty Raid's older daughter Micheline was strictly turf, winning four stakes and narrowly losing a Grade 1.

“When things weren't panning out like we had hoped with Proxy, where he was not quite getting it done, the subject came up,” Stidham said. “(Godolphin's) Dan Pride and Michael Banahan both said, 'Hey, we need to exhaust all dirt options before we go to the grass, because obviously to make a stallion these days, you've got to win Grade 1s on the dirt.' That was exactly what we did. Turf obviously came up, but it wasn't an option yet – and I'm glad we didn't.”

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