February, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Thursday, February 9

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Thursday's meetings at Newcastle, Doncaster, Huntingdon and Ffos Las.

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Weekly Stewards and Commissions Rulings, Jan. 31-Feb. 6

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky.

Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.

California

Track: Santa Anita

Date: 02/03/2023

Licensee: Eoin Harty

Penalty: $3,000 fine

Violation: Out-of-competition joint injection violation

Explainer: Trainer Eoin Harty, who trains the horse El Joy, is fined $3,000.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1866.3(c)(e) (Intra-articular Injections Restricted – treatment within 10 days of workout).

Harty told the TDN he will be appealing the ruling for various reasons, including for a career training record absent any prior medication violations (this is confirmed in the Thoroughbred Rulings website).

New York

Track: Aqueduct

Date: 02/02/2023

Licensee: Suzanne Zelman, racing official/official veterinarian

Penalty: $1,000 fine

Violation: Lasix administration violation

Explainer: You are hereby fined the sum of one thousand ($1,000) dollars for failing to tend to business in a proper manner necessitating the scratch of horse “Bustinupishardtodo” (# 8) from the eighth race at Aqueduct Racetrack on January 27th 2023.

According to New York Racing Association (NYRA) spokesperson Pat McKenna, the fine was for a failure to administer Lasix to the horse in question resulting in a mandatory scratch.

Kentucky

Track: Turfway Park

Date: 02/01/2023

Licensee: Eric Reed, trainer

Penalty: Five-day suspension, $1,000 fine

Violation: Medication violation

Explainer: Upon receipt of notification from The University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, the official testing laboratory for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, sample number R005087 taken from Golden Text, who finished first in the fourth race at Turfway Park on January 19, 2023 contained phenylbutazone at a level of 0.62 mcg/ml in blood (Class C) (2nd offense in 365 days). After waiving his right to a formal hearing before the Board of Stewards, Eric Reed is hereby suspended 5 days, February 10, 2023 through February 14, 2023 (inclusive) and fined $1,000.

Cross Country Pick 5 Returns Saturday; Races From Aqueduct, Tampa, Oaklawn On Menu

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) announced Wednesday that the Cross Country Pick 5 will return to the wagering menu on Saturday featuring races from Aqueduct Racetrack, Tampa Bay Downs and Oaklawn Park.

The Cross Country Pick 5 requires bettors to pick the winner of five select races from tracks across the country. The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country with each week featuring a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5, boasting a low 15 percent takeout, will continue each Saturday in February and March, offering sequences with races from Aqueduct Racetrack and partner tracks across the country.

Last offered on August 6, the Cross Country Pick 5 returns following the development and implementation of technology to automate the stop-betting function on separate pools wagers, as is the case with all wagers offered at NYRA.

Saturday's sequence kicks off at Tampa Bay Downs in Race 8 [4:16 p.m. Eastern], the $100,000 Pelican for older horses sprinting six furlongs. The field of 11 is headlined by the graded stakes-winning Sibelius for conditioner Jeremiah O'Dwyer.

The chestnut son of Not This Time was last seen taking the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector on December 31 at Gulfstream Park by 2 1/4 lengths over a loaded group of 11 rivals. Ridden by Junior Alvarado, the 5-year-old gelding attended the pace set by Uncle Ernie and took command at the stretch call to draw away to victory. Sibelius has finished on-the-board in six of his last seven outings, including another stakes coup in the Lite the Fuse in September at Pimlico Race Course. He will face a slew of talented challengers, including graded stakes-winner Willy Boi, stakes-winner Gatsby, and the 4-for-5 Michael Stidham-trainee Uphold the Law.

The action moves to Aqueduct for the first of two graded stakes in the sequence as seven sophomores vie for Kentucky Derby points in the Grade 3 Withers [Race 9, 4:27 p.m.], a nine-furlong test that awards 20-8-6-4-2 points to the top-five finishers, respectively.

The Linda Rice-trained Arctic Arrogance looks to notch his first graded triumph after a close runner-up effort to Dubyuhnell in the Grade 2 Remsen in December over the same course and distance. He enters from another gutsy runner-up performance in the one-mile Jerome on January 7. The field will also feature two other graded-stakes placed contenders in the New York-bred Andiamo a Firenze, who finished third in the Grade 3 Sanford in July, and Grade 3 Nashua third-place finisher Prove Right, who brings the most experience to the field with 11 starts on his resume.

The middle leg will feature more stakes action from Tampa as two of racing's top sophomore fillies square off in the $150,000 Suncoast [Race 9, 4:48 p.m.], a one-mile and 40-yard test, for their seasonal debuts.

The recently crowned Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Wonder Wheel returns to action for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse for the first time since taking the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in November at Keeneland, her second consecutive Grade 1 score after eking out a nose victory in the Alcibiades in October over the same course. She has posted four sharp works at the Casse Training Center this year, most recently covering a half-mile in 48 seconds flat on February 2.

Fellow Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will provide steep opposition as the undefeated graded stakes winner Julia Shining makes her first outing since a thrilling come-from-behind score in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in December at the Big A. The daughter of Curlin, who is a full-sister to the two-time champion Malathaat, has quickly established herself as one of the top contenders in her division with her two visually impressive victories.

Her other win was a debut maiden score in October at Keeneland where she trailed in 11th-of-12 at the quarter call and appeared beaten as the field approached the turn, but showed a tremendous turn of foot to reel in her rivals and post a 2 3/4-length victory. Stakes-winner Opus Forty Two and last-out maiden winners Champagne Calling and Guns n' Graces are among the seven other rivals who will look to spring an upset.

The penultimate leg heads west to Oaklawn Park for Race 8 [5:10 p.m.], a salty first-level allowance for older horses sprinting six furlongs. The 4-year-old Knocker Down makes his second start for two-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox on the heels of a game second-place effort at the same condition on January 6.

The son of Cairo Prince has won or finished second in seven of his last nine outings, including a strong 6 1/4-length optional claiming score three starts back, which garnered a 101 Beyer Speed Figure. The Wayne Catalano-trained Mister Mmmmm will try to avenge a narrow defeat last out on the same day as Knocker Down in another first-level allowance where he set the pace but was caught late and finished third, defeated just three-quarter lengths and finishing a half-length behind returning rival Ultimate.

The sequences closes out with more graded action from Tampa in Race 10 [5:18 p.m.], the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis, a 1 1/16-mile main track test for sophomores that awards 20-8-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

The Danny Gargan trainee Dubyuhnell will make his first start since a breakout win in the Grade 2 Remsen on December 3 at the Big A. There, he raced in tandem with Arctic Arrogance and inched away to a half-length victory to score in his graded stakes debut. Fellow Big A graded stakes-winner Champions Dream will hope to build on a closing runner-up finish in the Pasco on January 14 at Tampa in his first outing for Mark Casse. The son of Justify closed out his juvenile campaign with a three-quarter-length score in the Grade 3 Nashua in November at Aqueduct.

Other strong contenders include the Aldana Spieth-trained Dreaming of Kona, winner of the Mucho Macho Man via disqualification on New Year's Day at Gulfstream, and Zydeceaux, winner of the aforementioned Pasco for trainer Ramon Minguet.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence will be available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct winter meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, February 11

Leg A: Tampa Bay Downs – Race 8, $100K Pelican (4:16 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Aqueduct Racetrack – Race 9, G3 Withers (4:27 p.m.)

Leg C: Tampa Bay Downs – Race 9, $150K Suncoast (4:48 p.m.)

Leg D: Oaklawn Park – Race 8, allowance (5:10 p.m.)

Leg E: Tampa Bay Downs – Race 10, G3 Sam F. Davis (5:18 p.m.)

The post Cross Country Pick 5 Returns Saturday; Races From Aqueduct, Tampa, Oaklawn On Menu appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Full Field Of 12 Derby Hopefuls Entered In Tampa’s Sam F. Davis Stakes; Champ Wonder Wheel Leads Suncoast

Wonder Wheel, the 2022 Eclipse Award Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, is set to make her 2023 debut in Saturday's $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Suncoast Stakes, a mile-and-40-yard contest for 3-year-old fillies on the main dirt track, is part of Saturday's 11-race Festival Preview Day card, headlined by the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the dirt.

Both the Suncoast and the Sam F. Davis are part of a points system leading to Churchill Downs in Louisville the first weekend of May, with the Suncoast awarding points to the first five finishers toward qualifying for the Longines Kentucky Oaks on May 5 and the Sam F. Davis awarding points to the top five toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 6.

Points for both races will be awarded on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale.

Nine fillies have been entered for the Suncoast, with 12 colts and geldings entered in the Sam F. Davis. Two other stakes will also be contested Saturday, both at a distance of six furlongs on the main track: the $100,000 Pelican Stakes for horses 4-years-old-and-upward and the $50,000 Minaret for fillies and mares 4-and-upward.

First post time will be 12:25 p.m. The Minaret is the seventh race on the card, followed in direct order by the Pelican, the Suncoast and the Sam F. Davis.

Tampa Bay Downs trainer Aldana Spieth has entered Oldsmar-based Dreaming of Kona, the stakes-winning gray colt she owns in partnership under her Aldana Gonzalez Racing banner with sister and brother Lisa Ballou and Steve Ballou, in the Sam F. Davis. Spieth's husband, Scott Spieth, will ride Dreaming of Kona.

Here is the full field for the Sam F. Davis Stakes in post position order, with horse, trainer and jockey listed:

Worthington, Michael Maker, Pablo Morales;
Prairie Hawk, Saffie A. Joseph, Jr., Samy Camacho;
Classic Legacy, Bill Mott, Junior Alvarado;
Laver, George “Rusty” Arnold, II, Jose Morales;
Groveland, Eoin Harty, Daniel Centeno;
Classic Car Wash, Mark Casse, Emisael Jaramillo;
Dubyuhnell, Danny Gargan, Jose Ortiz;
Notah, John P. Terranova, II, Antonio Gallardo;
Champions Dream, Mark Casse, Tyler Gaffalione;
Dreaming of Kona, Aldana Spieth, Scott Spieth;
Litigate, Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez;
Zydeceaux, Ramon Minguet, Samuel Marin.

Mark Casse, the trainer of Wonder Wheel, sounded eager this morning to kick off Wonder Wheel's sophomore campaign in the Suncoast.

“She is ready. All systems are go,” Casse said of Wonder Wheel, whose actual birthday was celebrated Tuesday.

As he has in all five of her races, jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard. Wonder Wheel won four of those 2-year-old starts, capped by victories on Oct. 7 in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades and on Nov. 4 in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, both at Keeneland. She won the latter race with a dramatic, sustained rally from 11th place early, drawing away under Gaffalione to a 3-length victory.

Career earnings for the D. J. Stable-owned star are $1,550,725.

Casse, who has also entered Live Oak Plantation's filly Ticker Tape Home in the Suncoast, has been excited by Wonder Wheel's potential since she arrived at his Casse Training Center in Ocala last March. “We got her in the fall (of 2021) and broke her, and she acted like she was better than average early last year. But we really started singing her praises at Saratoga,” he said.

Wonder Wheel finished second there on Sept. 4 in the G1 Spinaway to Leave No Trace, who was second in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. But it was the way Wonder Wheel went about her lessons that most impressed her conditioner.

“Anything she does, she does it effortlessly,” Casse said. “She just amazes me how she trains. Most things other horses have to work hard to accomplish, she will do it easily. That is usually the first indication (of an outstanding racehorse).

“Tyler has loved her from the start,” Casse said. “Let's see where she goes from here, but she probably is the best 2-year-old I have ever trained.”

Casse does not expect an easy time of things; not by any means. The Suncoast field includes Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher's Julia Shining, who won the G2 Demoiselle Stakes on Dec. 3 at Aqueduct, and trainer Arnaud Delacour's locally based Opus Forty Two, winner here of the Gasparilla Stakes on Jan. 14.

Casse also has two entrants in the Sam F. Davis, Champions Dream and Classic Car Wash. Champions Dream, who closed fast to be second to Zydeceaux here by a neck on Jan. 14 in the Pasco Stakes, is “definitely a much better horse now than he was (then),” Casse said.

Gaffalione has the riding assignment on Champions Dream, as well.

Here is the full field for the Suncoast Stakes in post position order, with horse, trainer and jockey listed:

Wonder Wheel, Mark Casse, Tyler Gaffalione;
Opus Forty Two, Arnaud Delacour, Daniel Centeno;
Charlie's Wish, David Fawkes, Emisael Jaramillo;
Champagne Calling, Ian Wilkes, Julien Leparoux;
Dreaming of Snow, Gerald Bennett, Samy Camacho;
Guns n' Graces, Chad Brown, Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr.;
Fast Tracked, Arnaud Delacour, Angel Suarez;
Ticker Tape Home, Mark Casse, Antonio Gallardo;
Julia Shining, Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez.

There is little debate Dreaming of Kona is much improved since last seen here on Dec. 3, when he finished third in the Inaugural Stakes without threatening the top two. Dreaming of Kona returned to action on Jan. 1 at Gulfstream in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes, finishing a half-length behind Legacy Isle and being elevated to the win position via disqualification because Legacy Isle drifted out late, impeding Dreaming of Kona's momentum.

Back home, Dreaming of Kona settled in nicely before turning in a blistering 4-furlong breeze of 46 4/5 seconds on Jan. 18 with Spieth aboard, the best of 43 workouts that day at the distance.

“He galloped out very strong and was under a minute (for 5 furlongs),” Aldana Spieth said.

“He's doing very good now, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he has progressed (since the Mucho Macho Man). He was already very professional, but I think a lot of stuff clicked for him after that race. The shipping, the different environment, he handled everything well,” Spieth said.

“If he knew halfway what he is supposed to do at that point, he is probably up to 75 or 80 percent now. But he is still learning and enthusiastic about everything, and he is very focused. He loves to train and be out there and do his thing.”

Dreaming of Kona, whose career record of 2-for-3 includes his maiden victory Oct. 17 at Presque Isle Downs in his career debut, was named for Kailua-Kona, that portion of the island of Hawaii that has bedazzled travelers for centuries. Spieth said his different shades of coloring brought the rocky island paradise to mind, resulting in the colt's nickname of “Rocky.”

The nickname has evolved to have a double meaning, Spieth said.

”We didn't have any horses to go in company with him (during workouts), because he knocked them all out and they couldn't work with him again. So Scott joked that he was like (fictional prize fighter) Rocky Balboa.”

One thing is for certain: There are a lot of punchers entered in the Sam F. Davis Stakes whose KO prowess has yet to be established.

Saturday, then, is a good time for backyard brawling.

The post Full Field Of 12 Derby Hopefuls Entered In Tampa’s Sam F. Davis Stakes; Champ Wonder Wheel Leads Suncoast appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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