March, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

$1-Million Munnings Filly Gets OBS Wednesday Off to Quick Start

A filly by Munnings (hip 558) got the final session of the OBS March sale off to a quick start when selling for $1 million Wednesday in Ocala. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on the filly on behalf of Frank Fletcher. She will be trained by Bill Mott.

The bay filly was consigned by Tom McCrocklin, who purchased her for $450,000 on behalf of Michael Sucher's Champion Equine at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. She is out of In Full Compliance (Smart Strike) and worked a quarter-mile last week in :20 4/5.

McCrocklin and Sucher had pinhooking success Tuesday at OBS when selling a colt by Arrogate for $1.05 million and a filly by the late sire for $950,000.

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Breeders’ Cup Winner Rebel’s Romance Takes On Dubai Sheema Classic In 2023 Debut

With six fancied runners at the 27th Dubai World Cup program this Saturday, champion trainer Charlie Appleby will be represented across four races. Multiple wins for the Godolphin handler would not surprise, given his unerring consistency whenever and wherever he saddles his horses.

There is always one question reporters can't help asking of a top trainer before they send out several high-profile runners at a showpiece meeting: which one are you most excited about?

But instead of any probing, the information arrives unprompted.

“Rebel's Romance is the one I am most looking forward to,” Appleby volunteers.

The Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic boasts a truly stellar cast headed by Equinox, Japan's reigning Horse of the Year; last year's winner Shahryar, also from Japan; Irish Derby hero Westover and, among others, Mostahdaf who was so dominant in the Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh last month.

It speaks volumes that Rebel's Romance receives Appleby's top-billing in the face of such competition, but his rationale is simple.

“He is unbeaten in five starts over a mile and a half on turf, three of those at Group 1 level, including a Breeders' Cup,” he explains. “You can't really ask for much more than that.”

The Dubawi gelding already has victory at this meeting on his record – successful in the UAE Derby in 2021 – and hopes are clearly high for another with the trainer undeterred by Rebel's Romance missing his intended start on Super Saturday owing to a minor inflammation.

“Ideally, he would have had a race start leading into the big night, but he did a racecourse gallop ten days ago and we were delighted with that,” he says. “It's a race of real strength in depth with formlines all over the world coming together, but he's a terrific horse who has done nothing but improve as he has got older.”

Appleby unleashes two in the Group 1 Dubai Turf, namely Nations Pride and Master Of The Seas, with stable jockey William Buick opting to ride the former.

“Nations Pride is a very solid and straightforward horse,” he continues. “You can pop him anywhere. He is a strong traveler over further so dropping back to nine furlongs won't be a problem and I'd have no worries if he led.

“We were impressed with how he won the Dubai Millennium Stakes last month over 10 furlongs. His preparation has been good.

“Master Of The Seas, on the other hand, needs the pace on to get his head down and the reason William is riding Nations Pride is because he is that bit more versatile tactically. It was a bit frustrating for Master Of The Seas in the Jebel Hatta last time when he was an unlucky loser. The early part of the race was a bit messy, he got shuffled back before finishing very strongly.

“But he's always been a very good horse. He was a short head second in his 2,000 Guineas, so he definitely has the ability to be right in the finish if things drop right.”

Appleby is doubly represented again in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup, via Siskany and Global Storm.

Appleby says: “Siskany comes here on the back of a win over one mile six furlongs [2,800 metres] last month. I see he is favorite on the early markets and I think he's a worthy favorite. He is in very good order, he has that course experience, he is drawn to get the cover he needs and he has very good acceleration.

“He has never gone two miles before so it's possible the petrol gauge will be flashing towards the end, but his class should take him a long way.”

“As for Global Storm, he won the City Of Gold on Super Saturday when he was ridden forward. I'd expect he races fairly close to the pace again and he can take a sit if others want to force the pace.

“It will be his first time over the distance, but he was strong at the finish over 12 furlongs on Super Saturday and there is plenty of stamina on his dam's side of the pedigree. He won't look out of place in a very competitive race.”

Completing the sextet is Al Suhail in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint down the Meydan straight.

Appleby concludes: “Al Suhail is going back to six furlongs. He has only tried it once, at Ascot last year but he did too much in front on softish ground and we can draw a line through that.”

“We have always felt this race would suit him. He certainly won't lack pace and he is in great order. I think the draw could be a deciding factor in what looks a very open race.”

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Del Mar: Maiden Allowance Dirt Purses To Be Worth Over $100,000

As it did in 2022, Del Mar again will offer an alluring bonus package for maidens competing at the highest levels on dirt throughout its upcoming 84th summer season.

The bonus package, which adds 25% in purse earnings to runners who fit the simple specifications of the program, is available to all dirt competitors in maiden allowance races, all California-bred maiden allowance races or any maiden-claiming race at the $62,500 level or above.

The one key proviso that makes the program work is that the maiden must come from the barn of a trainer who has no more than 60 horses stabled in Southern California.

“It is simply a monetary incentive for owners and trainers to run in essential races that help solidify our racing cards throughout the meet,” said Tom Robbins, Del Mar's executive vice president for racing.

The track once more has raised its maiden allowance purses for '23 to a California record $82,000. Its 25% maiden bonus elevates that purse to $102,500.

The other races that qualify for the maiden bonus program are maiden-claiming $150,000 ($57,000 purse, that rises to $71,250 with the bonus), maiden-claiming $80,000 ($50,000 purse, that climbs to $62,500) and maiden-claiming $62,500 ($46,000 purse, that goes up to $57,500).

The bonuses apply to horses that earn purse money for finishes from first through fifth.

Del Mar officials note that the track's popular “Ship & Win” program is in play once more this year offering a $5,000 starter fee and a 50% supplement for its dirt races. That sets up a potential jackpot scenario for a “S&W” maiden allowance runner who would be racing for $82,000 to start, then a 25% boost as a qualifying maiden (add $20,500), followed by a further 50% enhancement as a “S&W” qualifier (add $41,000) for a total dual qualifier purse of $143,500.

“This is a financial incentive to create balance within an ecosystem that demands it,” said Gary Fenton, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. “Once again, Del Mar leads the charge in innovative changes that fosters growth in horse population and field size to the benefit of all of our members.”

The seaside oval will be presenting its most lucrative season ever during its 31-day session with more than $25 million in purses for a daily average purse payout of over $800,000 each afternoon. Additionally, it has scheduled 39 stakes races during its eight-week stand worth $8,275,000.

The historic track will open its season with a three-day weekend (July 21, 22, 23), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, September 4), then finish with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (September 8, 9, 10). First post daily for the majority of the summer will be the traditional 2 p.m. start.

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‘He Definitely Belongs With The Top Horses In This Crop’: Two Phil’s Will Try Tapeta Route To Kentucky Derby Starting Gate

Patricia's Hope LLC and Phillip Sagan's Two Phil's has been on the Road to the Kentucky Derby since October and now the talented 3-year-old colt will attempt to etch his name in the “Run for the Roses” starting gate in Saturday's $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade 3) at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming.

Trained by Larry Rivelli, Two Phil's workman-like all-dirt resume includes a victory in the Street Sense Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs, a runner-up finish to Instant Coffee in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and third-place finish to Angel of Empire and Sun Thunder in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds. The Jeff Ruby Steaks will be Two Phil's first race on a Tapeta surface.

“The horse did a two-minute lick for me one time over a synthetic surface and it was almost an eye-opening move,” Rivelli said. “I've been trying to think of the easiest spot for the money and I think this will be the spot. If he absolutely hates the surface, that's on me. I'm sort of putting myself out there saying that I think he will run well over it. Working a half-mile or five-eighths is a lot different than running a race. That's when you find out if a horse doesn't like a surface. I'm pretty confident he will like it but like anything else in racing there could be a chance he doesn't like it. I didn't think he'd like the mud at Churchill (in the Street Sense) until he did.”

Two Phil's already has 23 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Rivelli is confident the son of Hard Spun belongs with the top 3-year-olds.

“He definitely belongs with the top horses in this crop,” Rivelli said. “Is he capable of taking this next step? Who knows? There are going to be horses that start falling off but as long as no horses like Justify or American Pharoah come out of the woodwork, it could be a Derby this year that you could throw a dart.”

Another constant on Two Phil's resume is his jockey Jareth Loveberry. In the last six starts, Loveberry has been in the saddle. However, Loveberry nearly had to miss the Jeff Ruby Steaks when he suffered a hairline fracture in his fibula during a gate mishap on March 2 at Fair Grounds. Luckily, Loveberry was able to return to action two weeks later.

“Jareth is our guy,” Rivelli said. “He's a tough kid anyway but he might have been like the actor in the movie Seabiscuit when he tied the stick to his leg to make sure he was able to ride. After that happened, I was instantly scrambling for a jockey. I had a bunch that were dying to ride the horse but it's really good Jareth is able to ride.”

Two Phil's will break from post No. 10 in the Jeff Ruby Steaks and was tabbed as the 7-2 second choice on the morning line odds behind Major Dude (2-1).

“I'm just looking for him to get an uneventful trip if that's at all possible. He's not a speed horse, which is good because they typically don't do as well over the synthetic surface. If he can sit behind a horse or two and make his move around the turn with the shorter stretch, that's what I'd like to see.”

The Jeff Ruby Steaks, a Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series qualifier, will go as Race 12 of 13 with a post time of 6:25 p.m. (all times Eastern) First post for the stellar program will be 12:45 p.m. Along with the Jeff Ruby Steaks, stakes-laden card will also feature the 41st running of the $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks; the 23rd running of the $300,000 TwinSpires Kentucky Cup Classic (Listed); the 37th running of the $250,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes; the 41st running of the $250,000 Latonia Stakes; and the 36th running of the $250,000 Rushaway.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks will offer the top 5 finishers points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale towards a spot in the starting gate for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Here is the complete field for the Jeff Ruby Steaks in order of post position (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds):

1. Major Dude (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher, 2-1)

2. Scoobie Quando (Luan Machado, Ben Colebrook, 15-1)

3. Event Detail (Walter Rodriguez, Paulo Lobo, 20-1)

4. Funtastic Again (Gerardo Corrales, Wesley Ward, 6-1)

5. Maker's Candy (Umberto Rispoli, Mike Maker, 12-1)

6. Baby Billy (Joe Talamo, Jack Sisterson, 30-1)

7. Bluebirds Over (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph Jr., 12-1)

8. Congruent (Sonny Leon, Antonio Sano, 5-1)

9. Escapologist (Alex Achard, Kenny McPeek, 30-1)

10. Two Phil's (Loveberry, Rivelli, 7-2)

11. Wadsworth (Chris Landeros, Brad Cox, 8-1)

12. Point Proven (John Velazquez, Pletcher, 15-1)

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