February, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Champion Forte Breezes At Palm Beach Downs, ‘Right On Schedule’ For Fountain of Youth

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's champion Forte completed his serious preparation for a highly anticipated 2023 debut in next Saturday's $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park after breezing five furlongs Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs.

The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Violence closed out his Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland to earn the role of favorite in the Fountain of Youth, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds that will headline a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.85 million.

Forte was timed in 1:01.99 for the five-furlong distance for his sixth workout at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for his season bow.

“Last week was the work we wanted to make sure that we were on target. We got a good strong work into him. We got a good work today, but after last week, we weren't looking for him to do too much,” Pletcher said. “We're right on schedule and think we are where we want to be.”

Forte won four of five starts during his 2-year-old season, which he closed out with victories in the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga and the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, where he went on to capture the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile by 1½ lengths.

At Gulfstream Park, Daniel Walters, Dennis Smith, Anthony Smith, and trainer Rohan Crichton's Legacy Isle, the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man winner who experienced his first career loss in a fourth-place Holy Bull finish; breezed five-furlongs in 1:00.80 for the Fountain of Youth. Albaugh Family Stables LLC's Cyclone Mischief, the beaten favorite in the Holy Bull, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.02. Alex Andres LLC's Il Miracolo, fifth in the Holy Bull, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.43.

The post Champion Forte Breezes At Palm Beach Downs, ‘Right On Schedule’ For Fountain of Youth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Munnings Filly Wins Well On Oaklawn Debut

6th-Oaklawn, $90,000, Msw, 2-25, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.43, sy, 2 1/2 lengths.
GROVE (f, 3, Munnings–Wishful Winking, by Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), off at odds of 9-1, took pressure inside and out for the opening half-mile of her debut run, but went through her gears in the stretch nevertheless to report home a good-looking winner. A $100,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling turned $175,000 OBS April breezer, Grove did her pre-race work down at the Fair Grounds and stepped away smartly while joined to her inside by the rail-skimming Mary's Boon (Central Banker) and in the three path by favored Malibu Toast (Malibu Moon). Narrowly in front from between those rivals as they hit the head of the stretch, Grove put some daylight between her and the rest of the field and ran out a comfortable winner. From the extended female family of GSW and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line (Line of David) and Grade I winners Sharp Azteca (Freud) and Bowies Hero (Artie Schiller), Grove has a 2-year-old half-sister by Competitive Edge and a yearling half-brother by Omaha Beach. Wishful Thinking was most recently covered by Tiz the Law. The winning conditioner's father Mark Casse trained two-time Eclipse Award winner Tepin (Bernstein) for this owner. Sales history: $100,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL; $175,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $54,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Robert E Masterson; B-Slugo Racing LLC (KY); T-Norm W Casse.

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‘The Colors And The Silks And Their Name Speak For Themselves’: Trainer Riley Mott Follows In Father’s Footsteps With First Claiborne Farm Winner

Trainer Riley Mott's third and most lucrative career victory to date came with favored Traverse ($4) in a $106,000 second-level allowance for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 12 at Oaklawn under leading rider Cristian Torres.

The victory was noteworthy for another reason, too, since it marked Mott's first for Kentucky's famed Claiborne Farm, which also bred the 4-year-old daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Street Sense.

“The colors and the silks and their name speak for themselves,” Mott said. “That was an allowance race, but I think it could do a lot for my career down the line.”

Mott, 31, went out on his own Nov. 1 after assisting his father, Bill Mott, for eight years. Claiborne has had a long relationship with Bill Mott, campaigning, among others, graded stakes-winning homebreds Stroll, Watch, and Wend with the Hall of Fame trainer. Claiborne, in partnership with Adele Dilschneider, also bred and raced millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner Elate, who was also trained by Mott.

Riley Mott, as a traveling assistant, saddled Elate to a third-place finish in the $200,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in 2017 at Oaklawn.

Traverse began her racing career with trainer Reeve McGaughey, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. She was moved from trainer Tom Drury Jr. to Riley Mott following an entry-level allowance victory Nov. 16 at Churchill Downs. Traverse, in her first start for Mott, finished fourth in the $150,000 Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares Jan. 7 at Oaklawn.

“That's the only one I have for Claiborne, but I'm meant to get some 2-year-olds,” Mott said. “They did me a favor by sending me a nice horse to start out with. Pretty cool.”

The Feb. 12 victory was the third in seven lifetime starts for Traverse and moved her earnings to $188,065. Mott said Traverse “possibly” could start again at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting.

“We're looking at maybe some black-type races in the spring for her, so there's a 50-50 shot,” Mott said.

Traverse represented the second victory at the Oaklawn meeting for Mott, who is wintering in Hot Springs.

Claiborne recorded its first Oaklawn victory in a March 24, 1967, allowance race with a homebred, Monitor, who was trained by future Hall of Famer Harry Trotsek. Monitor won the Arkansas Derby 15 days later.

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‘I’m Hopeful That One Of Them Do Jump Up’: Cox Still Has 3-Year-Olds To Unveil

Outlining plans for his army of Kentucky Derby (G1) prospects in early January at Oaklawn, two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox was asked if he had any 3-year-olds that have yet to start who he believes still had a chance to make the starting gate May 6 at Churchill Downs.

“It's a little early to say, but listen, I have several unraced horses that I think we may see,” Cox said. “I don't want to say any names because there is a small handful, but I'm hopeful that one of them do jump up and could be a factor.”

One of those horses, Triple Crown nominee Heroic Move, may have given Cox something to think about after winning his career debut Feb. 18 at Oaklawn under Joel Rosario.

A homebred for Gary and Mary West, Heroic Move captured the one-mile maiden special weight race by a half-length as the 3-2 favorite. The winning time over a fast track was 1:38.17. Heroic Move, through Friday, was one of just three starters to win a route race from post 10 at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting. He also galloped out strongly past the wire, indicating the son of Quality Road wants more ground.

“I think he's a good horse,” Cox said Thursday morning. “We're kind of letting the dust settle right now before we come up with an exact (next) race. But I'm excited about his future and think he's a good horse.”

Cox also trains Dec. 17 Oaklawn entry-level allowance winner Hit Show for the Wests. Hit Show captured a Kentucky Derby points race, the Withers Stakes (G3) Feb. 11 at Aqueduct, in his most recent start. Cox was scheduled to send out the top two program choices in Saturday's $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn in Verifying and Giant Mischief.

The Rebel offered 100 points (50-20-15-10-5, respectively) to the top five finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The Rebel was the final major local prep for the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 1. The 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby is Oaklawn's fourth and final Kentucky Derby points race.

The post ‘I’m Hopeful That One Of Them Do Jump Up’: Cox Still Has 3-Year-Olds To Unveil appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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