March, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Gulfstream Park: Sunday’s Mandatory Payout Pick 6 Pool Could Top $6 Million

A 20-cent Rainbow 6 mandatory payout is set for Sunday's program at Gulfstream Park, where the jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $6 million or higher.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved Saturday for the 24th consecutive racing day following a mandatory payout, producing a $1,369,601.36 carryover jackpot pool heading into Sunday's card.

On mandatory-payout days, the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the six-race sequence. The carryover jackpot is usually only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool usually goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Sunday's Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 6-11.

A 1 3/8-mile optional claiming allowance for older fillies and mares kicks off the sequence in Race 6. George Weaver-trained Breaker of Chains, who closed from far back to finish a length behind the winner while returning from a year layoff at a mile last time out; and Todd Pletcher-trained Watch It, a daughter of Tapit who finished a neck back in third and three-quarters of a length ahead of Breaker of Chains last time out; are among the contenders in a field of nine.

A field of nine older fillies and mares has been assembled for Race 7, a seven-furlong $12,500 maiden claiming event. Jonathan Thomas-trained Blazingly is rated as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in her debut. Ralph Nicks-trained Broadway Charm, a daughter of Street Sense, is also regarded highly in the morning line. Kathy Ritvo-trained Valiant Miss, who finished a close second after setting the pace last time out, and Jose D'Angelo-trained Prominencia, who returns to dirt after an even fourth on Tapeta; bring experience into the race.

A full field of older horses will contest Race 8, a 1 1/16-mile $20,000 claiming event on turf that many bettors are likely to identify as a 'spread' race.

Kevin Attard-trained Burning Man, the 3-1 morning-line favorite, drops from a starter handicap to the bottom and picks up Jose Ortiz for Race 9, a $10,000 claimer for older horses going 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta. Irad Ortiz Jr. returns aboard Keri Brian-trained Pleasecallmeback, who scored against non-winners of three lifetime last time out. Mike Maker-trained Winning Factor, who drops down while coming off a seven-month layoff, should also get some attention in a very competitive race.

A full field of older horses will clash in an optional claiming allowance going 1 3/8 miles on turf in a very challenging Race 10. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will saddle Dripping Gold in search of a long-overdue score following a pair of near misses at Aqueduct at the distance in his two final 2022 starts.

The final Rainbow 6 leg in Race 11, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race for 3-year-old fillies on turf, will offer another challenge to bettors. Trainer Christophe Clement is scheduled to send out two first-time starters – Queen Picasso, a daughter of Kingman,, and Pret a Toucher, a daughter of War Front. Hall of Fame trainer is scheduled to saddle Grandine, a daughter of Curlin, for her debut, as well as Lady Bee, a daughter of English Channel who will make her turf debut after finishing third in her debut in an off-the-turf event. Trainer Chad Brown will unveil Utilization Rate, a French-bred daughter of Le Havre. Graham Motion-trained Sun Bee and Todd Pletcher-trained Soviet Excess are both coming off runner-up finishes.

The post Gulfstream Park: Sunday’s Mandatory Payout Pick 6 Pool Could Top $6 Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Road To Kentucky Derby: Champion Forte ‘Checking All The Boxes’ With Return Victory In Fountain Of Youth

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte made an auspicious 3-year-old debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., where last year's Eclipse Award-winning juvenile scored a dominating 4 ½-length victory in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2).

\The 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds is a key prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on April 1, as well as a designated prep for the Kentucky Derby (G1). Forte earned 50 points for his tour de force performance, further cementing his status as favorite for this year's first jewel of the Triple Crown with a total of 140 points.

The Fountain of Youth headlined a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.85 million in purses.

Forte was sent to post as the 1-2 favorite in the Fountain of Youth field that was reduced to nine upon the scratch of General Jim Saturday morning. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was even less surprised by the way Forte won the Fountain of Youth than the bettors who made the son of Violence their heavy favorite.

“Honestly, I can't say I was surprised,” Pletcher said. “I felt really, really good about the way this horse was coming into the race.”

Forte experienced light bumping leaving the gate but quickly recovered to get to the rail heading into the first turf, tracking pacesetter Cyclone Mischief, Dangerous Ride, Rocket Can and Mage. Jockey Irad Ortiz eased Forte off the rail along the backstretch as Cyclone Mischief continued to show the way while putting up fractions of 24.05 and 47.65 seconds for the first half mile.

On the turn into the homestretch, Rocket Can, the Holy Bull (G3) winner ridden by Junior Alvarado, began to put heavy pressure on Cyclone Mischief with Mage hanging in there to their outside, as Ortiz swung Forte four-wide for the drive. The champion quickly asserted his superiority and drew clear to a comfortable victory.

“I had a beautiful trip; everything I expected happened,” Ortiz said. “I wanted to get a good position forwardly placed, I was right behind the horse I had to be; I just bided my time to go, decided to wait a little more, two more jumps until the 3/8ths (pole); I went around horses and let him go and show what he can do.”

Making his first start since capturing the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, Forte ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43:12 without pressure.

“We kind of carefully laid it out and put him in a program that would put him in the condition to be ready to run and still having room for improvement and room to continue to develop,” Pletcher said. “I think we were able to accomplish that.”

Forte won four of five starts during his championship juvenile season that he launched with a 7 ¾-length victory at Belmont Park last May. After finishing fourth in the six-furlong Sanford (G2), he rallied from off the pace to win the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga. He polished off a stellar campaign with a pair of off-the-pace scores around two turns in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

“It looks like there's a lot of upside,” said Pletcher, who had previously saddled three other Fountain of Youth winners – Itsaknockout (2016), Eskendereya (2010) and Scat Daddy (2007) – with Scat Daddy going on to give his trainer one of his record six victories in the Florida Derby.

Mike Repole, who owns Forte in partnership with Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable, was obviously elated with his colt's performance.

“It's special. Very special. Very special. You know, for a horse making his first start in four months against other horses who have already raced this year, he does it with so much confidence,” Repole said. “It's like everything you see – breaks well, sits well, moves well, looks great. He's just checking all the boxes right now. He's a pretty special horse right now.”

Rocket Can held second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Cyclone Mischief, to pick up 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, virtually assuring the Holy Bull winner a spot in the Kentucky Derby field with 60 total points.

“He ran big. He was a little sharp leaving there. He broke awfully sharp. He was a little geared up in the post parade. He was a little more wound up than I actually like to see him. I was hoping he wouldn't get too excited, but he still looked like he ran his race,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “He looked like he held on well. He broke sharp, in good position, was tactical and ran well.”

The post Road To Kentucky Derby: Champion Forte ‘Checking All The Boxes’ With Return Victory In Fountain Of Youth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Road To Kentucky Derby: Rain Cain Delivers Gotham Upset By Wide Margin

Andrew Warren and Rania Warren's Raise Cain announced his presence on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with an emphatic open-lengths score for trainer Ben Colebrook in Saturday's $300,000 Gotham (G3), a one-turn mile for 3-year-olds, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Raise Cain earned the maximum qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby (G1) as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series, which awarded the top-five finishers points on a 50-20-15-10-5 scale. Raise Cain, who entered with four points to his credit, now boasts 54 total points.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano, the bay son of Violence scored the first stakes victory of his career on the heels of a sophomore debut over Tufway Park's synthetic on January 21 when a distant fifth around two turns in the one-mile Leonatus. Raise Cain made his first dirt start since a second-place finish in the December 26 Gun Runner going 1 1/16-miles at Fair Grounds, which came one start after a third-place finish in the six-furlong Bowman Mill in October at Keeneland. The Gotham was his first victory since a second-out graduation sprinting seven furlongs in October at Keeneland.

“He finally had some pace to run into, and I think that's what he's been missing to be honest,” said Colebrook. “He never really had any pace to close into except in his maiden win. I don't know that it's necessarily one turn that he needs, but I definitely think pace to close into is what he needs because he's such a relaxed horse and he can make that one big run like he did today. More credit goes to Jose for the ride. It was just a phenomenal ride.”

Emerging from post 11 in the 14-horse field, Raise Cain broke cleanly and saved ground near the rear of the field as Howgreatisnate stumbled from post 2 and unseated jockey J. D. Acosta. The trio of Eyeing Clover, Recruiter and Carmel Road were head-to-head exiting the chute before Recruiter came away with a slim advantage through an opening quarter-mile in :22.52 over the muddy and sealed main track.

Raise Cain continued to stalk in ninth under a patient Lezcano down the backstretch as Carmel Road took command and was passed by the riderless Howgreatisnate with Eyeing Clover and Recruiter coming under a ride to his outside after a half-mile in :45.53. Raise Cain raced three-wide approaching the turn and was angled to the inside by Lezcano mid-turn, steadying slightly as he ran up on the heels of Mr. Swagger and opting to maneuver around the outside of that foe as he approached the top of the lane.

Carmel Road clung to a precarious lead over Eyeing Clover as Recruiter tired, but could not fend off the former and lost the advantage with an eighth of a mile to the finish. Raise Cain made up ground with every stride to the outside of Eyeing Clover and passed his foe with ease in midstretch, drawing away strongly from the late bid of Slip Mahoney from 13th and posting the 7 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:38.09.

Seacoast Thoroughbreds of New England's New York homebred General Banker came on late to finish 1 1/2 lengths behind Slip Mahoney and secured show honors by a nose over Eyeing Clover. Clear the Air, Mr. Swagger, Lugan Knight, Carmel Road, Radio Red, Transect, Recruiter, Uncorrelated and Clubhouse completed the order of finish. Howgreatisnate completed the course and was collared by the outrider after the finish. Both horse and rider walked off under their own power. Fort Warren, who is entered in Monday's City of Brotherly Love at Parx Racing, was scratched.

Colebrook, who won his first Big A graded stake, said Raise Cain gives his best effort with a quick tempo in front of him and has improved greatly since finishing eighth on debut in September at Churchill Downs.

“He's bred to go longer and if he were to go on to the Derby, you usually get plenty of pace in there,” said Colebrook. “I think more than anything pace is what he needs. He's never run a bad race. The first race you can throw out because he's so lackadaisical and he didn't know what was going on until after the race. I ran him back after his maiden win going three-quarters [in the Bowman Mill] just because the race was at Keeneland. I probably ran him back too quick and six furlongs might be a little too sharp. But he didn't run bad that day and the synthetic race was what it was. It just wasn't the right surface for the horse.”

Lezcano said Raise Cain was professional in victory.

“My horse broke very sharp. I let him break running away from there and when I passed the chute, I saw everybody looking and going outside,” said Lezcano. “I crossed outside to inside and my horse did everything so easy. He did whatever I asked him to do.”

Lezcano, who scored back-to-back Gotham triumphs after piloting Morello to victory last year, praised Raise Cain's athleticism when running up on the Carlos Olivero-piloted Mr. Swagger in the turn.

“I think the Carlos Olivero horse was in the second path and I tried to go through, but when I tried to go through he came over and I had to check a little bit and go around,” said Lezcano. “My horse did it very easy. He's a very light horse and when I asked him, he got right back into the race.

Raise Cain has been nominated to the Blue Grass (G1) on April 8 at Keeneland, but Colebrook did not rule out the possibility of returning to the Big A for the nine-furlong $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) on the same day. Both races offer 100-40-30-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

“It's too early to tell, but we're nominated to the Blue Grass and we'll nominate to the Wood Memorial. It'll probably be one of those two races and we'll see how it plays out and go to whichever race looks like the best option,” Colebrook said. “You got a race in your own backyard and a race that he's shipped and won over the track. When you ship, it's always an unknown and now that we've shipped here it's not an unknown for him. Those are two things to think about. So much changes day to day with 3-year-olds and the division and that stuff. It's like my old boss Christophe Clement would say, 'It's a good problem to have.'”

Bred in Kentucky by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds, Raise Cain's dam is the Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Belle. He earned the Gotham's winning share of $165,000 for his victory and improved his lifetime record to 6-2-1-1. He returned $49 for a $2 win ticket.

Trevor McCarthy, who guided Slip Mahoney from off the pace to land place honors, said a poor break may have actually benefited the Brad Cox trainee.

“I really didn't get a good break. After that, they were flying up front so I just let him settle. The way the closers were playing the last few races, especially with the pace, maybe it was a blessing in disguise,” said McCarthy. “I had to make a wide rally. There were just so many horses that were backing up in front of me. I had a super-wide rally, but he seemed to finish really well and that was probably the better part of the track anyway.”

The post Road To Kentucky Derby: Rain Cain Delivers Gotham Upset By Wide Margin appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Road To Kentucky Derby: ‘Phenomenally Gifted’ Practical Move Takes San Felipe For Yakteen

In a performance that clearly stamps him a Kentucky Derby A-List hopeful, the Tim Yakteen-trained Practical Move saved ground throughout and came away through the stretch to score by an emphatic 2 ½ lengths in Saturday's Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, Practical Move got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:42.01

With the victory, Practical Move earns 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, while 20-15-10-5 points will be awarded to the remaining top five finishers.

Attentive to pace but well within himself early, Practical Move was on the brakes turning up the backside and tracked pace-setting Hejazi and eventual runner-up Geaux Rocket Ride to the far turn. When Hejazi drifted out turning for home, Vazquez took advantage and was never threatened the final three sixteenths of a mile.

Hejazi, one of three other horses saddled by Yakteen that were recently transferred from Bob Baffert, finished fourth. The other two, Fort Bragg and Mr Fisk, finished fifth and sixth.

A 3 ¼-length winner of the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity at 10-1 on Dec. 17, Practical Move was off at 4-1 among a field of nine sophomores in the San Felipe and paid $10.40, $5.20 and $3.20.

A Kentucky-bred colt by Practical Joke out of the Afleet Alex mare Ack Naughty, Practical Move was bred by trainer Chad Brown and Head of Plains Partners and is owned by Leslie Amestoy, Jean Pierre Amestoy and Roger Beasley. He was purchased for $230,000 out of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s April 2-year-old in training sale last year.

With today's win, Practical Joke picked up $240,000, increasing his earnings to $434,200 from an overall race record of 6-3-1-2.

In only his second start and his first around two turns, the Richard Mandella-trained Geaux Rocket Ride pressed the early pace set by Hajazi and checked in second, 1 ¼ lengths in front of Skinner. Off as the 5-2 favorite with Flavien Prat, Geaux Rocket Ride paid $5.00 and $3.20.

Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden by Victor Espinoza, Skinner loomed into contention while wide-out around the far turn, but ran lugged in straightening for home in a solid third-place performance. The second choice at 5-2, Skinner paid $2.80 to show while finishing a half length in front of Hejazi.

Fractions on the race were 23.14, 47.12, 1:11.08 and 1:35.67.

SAN FELIPE STAKES QUOTES

RAMON VAZQUEZ: “This horse keeps getting better and better every day. He can go inside or outside. He is comfortable wherever. He lets me do my job and he does the rest. I only rode him once (in the Los Alamitos Futurity), but I know he is very aggressive from the gate, so I let him do his thing. He galloped out very good. I have always dreamed of winning the Kentucky Derby. I had one previous chance in 2015 (aboard Mr. Z) for Mr. (D. Wayne) Lukas. I'm hoping for another chance here.”

TIM YAKTEEN: “He is a very healthy horse. He is a phenomenally gifted horse. I am amazed at how strong he is and how he has matured from a 2-year-old to a 3-year-old. Everything has fallen into place. There was only one challenge before this race, I felt we needed to get one more work in.

“There is nothing more satisfying than winning, so I am taking this in stride. I have to give kudos to my staff and thank them for the job they have done. They are the unsung heroes here.

“I've also got to tip my hat to Leslie (Amestoy) and Jean Pierre (Amestoy). They were the ones who went to Florida and bought this horse.

“I plan to start him again. I want to leave the canvas blank now and we'll make the call later, but I think he will have one more start before the Derby.”

LESLIE AMESTOY: “This was our dream. It's been our dream for years and we love the colt, we are so happy and we really think we have a great horse.”

JEAN PIERRE AMESTOY: “We've seen him improve every race, almost. The first couple of races, he was green and didn't know how to switch leads. Tim has brought him along perfectly and has taught him, and now he's finishing like we expected he could finish. Like Leslie said, I think we've got a good one. We are super excited, and we think he's that kind (to go to the Kentucky Derby). We are ready to go all the way.”

The post Road To Kentucky Derby: ‘Phenomenally Gifted’ Practical Move Takes San Felipe For Yakteen appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post