March, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Road To Kentucky Oaks: Dorth Vader Springs 45-1 Suprise In Davona Dale, Gives Trainer Yates First Graded Win

John Ropes' homebred Dorth Vader stalked heavily favored Red Carpet Ready into the stretch before drawing off to a 45-1 upset victory in Saturday's $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The Davona Dale, a one-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, is a key prep for the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) April 1, as well as a designated prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Michael Yates-trained Dorth Vader earned 50 points, virtually ensuring her a spot in the Churchill Downs starting gate May 5.

The two-time stakes-winning daughter of Girvin out of the Yonaguska mare Hardcore Candy was making her graded stakes debut in the Davona Dale.

Red Carpet Ready, the even-money favorite who was undefeated in three starts, set the pace along the backstretch under Luis Saez with Dorth Vader a few lengths back. Red Carpet Ready continued to show the way into the far turn after completing the first half-mile in :45.06. The favorite continued to show the way on the turn into the homestretch as Dorth Vader loomed boldly to her outside. The Yates trainee took over at the top of the stretch and drew clear to score by 4¾ lengths under Miguel Vasquez.

Dorth Vader ran a mile in 1:37.23 and returned $95.40 for the win. Guns n' Graces closed from far back to finish second, 2¼ lengths ahead of the tiring Red Carpet Ready.

Dorth Vader won back-to-back stakes, capturing the Juvenile Sprint for Florida-breds at Gulfstream and the Sandpiper in open company at Tampa Bay Downs, before finishing a disappointing sixth in the Gasparilla at Tampa Bay in her last start.

Red Carpet Ready won the first two races of her career by a combined 13 ½ lengths before capturing the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G2) at Gulfstream by 2 ¼ lengths.

Davona Dale (G2) Quotes

Winning trainer Michael Yates (Dorth Vader): “I was confident in her. I thought she would run a really big race, because of the way she had trained. I kind of drew a line through the Tampa race. That's happened to me more than once. It rained really hard the day before and it was kind of a heavy track, so we just drew a line through it.”

“I was thrilled down the backside. I was worried when Tyler [Gaffalione, Leave No Trace's jockey] was lapped outside of her that they were going to be able to pinch her back, but as soon as I saw her ease through the hole, I felt really good.”

“I don't see why she won't [go two turns]. She ran a decent two turns as a 2-year-old in the stallion stakes. She wasn't what I would consider really prepared, but they don't move the dates, so you've got to go do it.”

(On his first graded-stakes win) – “It's a great feeling. It hasn't really sunk in yet, to be honest with you.”

“We're dreaming of it [Kentucky Oaks]. Why not? We nominated already to the [Gulfstream Oaks, April 1]. Right now, we're just going to enjoy today and see how she comes out of the race and move forward. We'll talk to Mr. Ropes about it, and we'll make a decision. She'll help us decide.”

Winning jockey Miguel Vasquez (Dorth Vader): “First of all, I'd like to thank God and thank the trainer (Michael Yates) for providing me with the opportunity; he told me to put her among the leaders in the pace from the start, so I gave her a long warm-up to get her interested from the beginning; I didn't have to use her much even though the pace was strong. I am really grateful.”

The post Road To Kentucky Oaks: Dorth Vader Springs 45-1 Suprise In Davona Dale, Gives Trainer Yates First Graded Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Violence’s Raise Cain Upsets Eventful Gotham

Andrew and Rania Warren's Raise Cain (Violence) came rolling down the muddy, sealed stretch at 23-1 to upset an eventful renewal of Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at the Big A.

California invader Carmel Road (Quality Road) set a pressured pace heading into the far turn as the riderless and previously unbeaten Howgreatisnate (Speightster) made for some tense moments leading the big field of 14 after stumbling and tossing jockey J. D. Acosta at the start.

Raise Cain, meanwhile, raced toward the rear through fast fractions of :22.52 and :45.53, and somehow worked his way to the rail from a high draw. He was checked and altered course to the outside as he began to roll leaving the quarter pole and exploded down the center of the stretch beneath Jose Lezcano to win as much the best while matching strides late with the aforementioned loose horse. It was 7 1/2 lengths back to Slip Mahoney (Arrogate) in second. Longshot General Banker (Central Banker) was third.

Raise Cain picks up 50 GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the victory.

Raise Cain, a sharp winner at second asking at Keeneland Oct. 9, took on stakes company in his next three attempts. He finished third in the Bowman Mill S. at Keeneland Oct. 29, second in the Gun Runner S. trying two turns for the first time at Fair Grounds Dec. 26 and fifth over the all-weather in Turfway's Leonatus S. last time Jan. 21.

“He finally had some pace to run into, and I think that's what he's been missing to be honest,” winning trainer Ben Colebrook said. “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 [Lezcano] for the ride. It was just a phenomenal ride.

He continued, “He's bred to go longer and if he were to go on to the Derby, you usually get plenty of pace in there. I think more than anything pace is what he needs. He's never run a bad race. We're nominated to the Blue Grass [at Keeneland] 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.”

Pedigree Notes:

It's an embarrassment of riches for Hill 'n' Dale sire Violence on this year's Kentucky Derby trail, as Raise Cain joins Violence's champion Forte on the narrowing path to the first Saturday in May. Forte added Gulfstream's GII Fountain of Youth S. to his CV less than an hour after Raise Cain's Gotham victory Saturday. With the addition of Raise Cain, Violence makes it 31 black-type winners and nine graded winners for his Northern Hemisphere-breds. Raise Cain is also one of 92 stakes winners as a broodmare sire for Lane's End pensioner Lemon Drop Kid.

The 13-year-old Lemon Belle is out of 2001 GII Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup winner Queenie Belle, making her a half-sister to 2010 GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic winner and $3.8-million Keeneland November broodmare Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), also dam of two-time champion Unique Bella (Tapit). The family traces tail-female to extraordinary English turn-of-the-century racemare Pretty Polly (GB) (Gallinule {GB}), who later turned into an influential broodmare through her daughters.

Raise Cain is Lemon Belle's first stakes winner. She also has a 2-year-old colt by Frosted, who hammered for $12,000 to Laura Kelton at last year's Keeneland September sale, and delivered a Constitution colt Feb. 21. Her most recent trip through the sales ring was at the 2018 Keeneland November sale, where she brought $285,000 from Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds–Raise Cain's breeder–while carrying a full-brother to Raise Cain, since named Nasty Habit and who remains unraced.

Saturday, Aqueduct Racetrack
GOTHAM S.-GIII, $300,000, Aqueduct, 3-4, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.09, my.
1–RAISE CAIN, 118, c, 3, by Violence
1st Dam: Lemon Belle, by Lemon Drop Kid
2nd Dam: Queenie Belle, by Bertrando
3rd Dam: Lady Argyle, by Don B.
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($180,000
Ylg '21 KEESEP; $65,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-Warren,
Andrew N. and Warren, Rania; B-Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds,
LLC (KY); T-Ben Colebrook; J-Jose Lezcano. $165,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-2-1-1, $268,578. Click for the free Equineline.com
catalog-style pedigree.
2–Slip Mahoney, 118, c, 3, Arrogate–Got Lucky, by A.P. Indy.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($150,000 Ylg '21
KEESEP). O-Gold Square LLC; B-Hill 'N' Dale Equine Holdings,
Inc. & Philip J. Steinberg (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
3–General Banker, 118, c, 3, Central Banker–Elusive Jozi, by
Johannesburg. O-Seacoast Thoroughbreds of N. E.; B-Seacoast
Thoroughbreds of New England (NY); T-James W. Ferraro.
$36,000.
Margins: 7HF, 1HF, NO. Odds: 23.50, 6.20, 30.00.
Also Ran: Eyeing Clover, Clear the Air, Mr. Swagger, Lugan Knight, Carmel Road, Radio Red, Transect, Recruiter, Uncorrelated, Clubhouse, Howgreatisnate. Scratched: Fort Warren. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Endorsed Upsets Odds-On Charge It In WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile

Mark D. Breen's Endorsed continued to show his affinity for Gulfstream Park as he won the $200,000 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) in an upset on Saturday.

The Gulfstream Park Mile for 4-year-olds and up was the fifth of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.85 million in purses on a blockbuster 14-race program anchored by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds.

Sent off at odds of 5-1, Endorsed beat Whisper Hill Farm LLC's Charge It, the 3-5 favorite, to the finish line. The two horses had engaged at the top of the stretch, but it was Endorsed and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who spurted ahead and defeated Charge It by 1 ½ lengths.

Endorsed ($13.80) won for the fourth time in nine career starts at Gulfstream; this was also his third straight victory. Trained by Mike Maker, Endorsed won the Fred Hooper (G3) in his first start of the year.

The 7-year-old Endorsed is a son of Medaglia d'Oro. He has seven wins in 34 career starts and has also finished second eight times and third in five other races.

Charge It, a 4-year-old son of Tapit, had earned the favorite's role in the nine-horse field after winning an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream on Feb. 5. That was his first start off a seven-month layoff.

The final time for the mile over the fast track was 1:35.25.

Third place went to Tami Bobo and Tristan De Meric's Simplification, who was making his first start since a seventh-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28.

$200,000 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) Quotes

Winning trainer Mike Maker (Endorsed): “It looked he was traveling well the whole race in perfect position and when it came time, he was the best horse.”

“I really think he likes it here. He had a really good winter here last year. He was fourth in the Pegasus. He's coming to hand right now.”

Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione (Endorsed): “My horse broke alertly. I looked to my outside and [jockey] Irad [Ortiz Jr. aboard Nitrous Channel] wasn't pressing [Charge It] so I went ahead and let my horse run a little bit. He just kept gaining confidence and building on that and in the stretch he just put them away.”

“Going into the far turn I was about a half-length off [Charge It]. I let my horse out a bit and he just kept building on that. He gave me the confidence and I could feel him getting more confident. He put it all together today. It was a big effort. All the credit to [trainer] Mike [Maker] and his team. They really figured this horse out and he's proven it now.”

Trainer Todd Pletcher (Charge It, 2nd, beaten favorite): “[Jockey Luis Saez] said he ran well. He was just kind of under pressure most of the way and got a little bit intimidated. Then when he pulled him out he surged a little bit again but was a little bit green. It kind of reminded me of the way he ran in the Florida Derby last year. He's kind of still figuring things out. He's still a horse that's light on experience and hopefully some more races under his belt will help that.”

“We kind of talked about maybe coming back in the Oaklawn Handicap [G2, April 22]. We'll see. I don't think he did anything today to knock us off course for considering that.”

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Faith In Humanity Takes Honey Fox On Front End As Brown Notches Second Graded Win On Gulfstream Card

Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Faith in Humanity, racing for the first time in more than five months, led from start to finish and withstood a late run from White Frost to capture Saturday's $150,000 Honey Fox (G3) for older fillies and mares by a neck at Gulfstream Park.

It was the second graded stakes win of the day for trainer Chad Brown following Mylady in the $150,000 The Very One (G3). Brown previously won the Honey Fox in 2019 with Precieuse and 2022 with In Italian.

Faith in Humanity ($12), last seen winning the one-mile Pebbles (G2) in mid-September at Aqueduct, broke sharply from her rail post and quickly established position on the lead through fractions of :23.83 and :47.59, pressed by 80-1 long shot Touch of Class. Faith and Humanity and jockey Joel Rosario turned for home in command and opened up, building enough cushion to ward off a dramatic closing bid on the far outside from White Frost, winner of the 2021 Sweetest Chant (G3) at Gulfstream.

The winning time was 1:34.12 over a firm turf course.

Princess Theorem, off at 40-1, held third over Fast as Flight with Brown-trained 8-5 favorite Speak of the Devil in fifth.

Honey Fox (G3) Quotes

Trainer Chad Brown (Faith in Humanity, 1st; Speak of the Devil, 5th): “When she drew the inside position there, it was pretty much set we were going to try to go to the lead if she broke well. [Jockey] Joel [Rosario], first time riding her, really executed it perfectly.”

“I wasn't going to run her here until about two weeks ago, and her last couple works really drove me to the race. I'm just so happy that she dug in there late. I honestly might have even been one work short but I put her in there. For her to dig in and hold on with a really nice filly running at her at the wire really showed me something today.”

“We really didn't map a race beyond this. You have the Jenny Wiley, which is a very prestigious race at Keeneland that we've had some success in, would be an obvious target. She has the whole season ahead of her and with these nice horses, you just try to keep them sound all year.”

Winning jockey Joel Rosario (Faith in Humanity): “It looked like she was really closing but I felt like I still had some horse underneath me. She was moving really beautifully and it was very nice. She was so relaxed on the lead, I thought she was going to run a big race at that point.”

“First time aboard her and the inside post was favorable at the mile distance. I was told to go for the lead if they let me, and she did the rest and ran a great race. She was relaxed the whole way, and I had the confidence she had plenty left in the tank to fend off the closer on the outside.”

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