April, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘An Absolute Pleasure’: Lorna Ford Enjoying The Morning Rides Aboard Modern Games

Godolphin's Irish-bred champion Modern Games will make his 2023 debut at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Friday in the $600,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) and – has been the case since 2021 – wherever he goes so goes Lorna Ford.

Ford is the regular exercise rider for Modern Games, a duty she describes as “an absolute pleasure.”

“I have been with him all along, starting when he was a 2-year-old before he raced,” said Ford, who has worked for trainer Charlie Appleby for seven years and prior to that with Sir Michael Stoute. “Horses like this don't come along very often.”

An earner of more than $3 million and a two-time Breeders' Cup winner, Modern Games quickly made a fan out of Ford.

“It was his attitude; he took things in stride,” Ford said. “I didn't know he'd become what he has, but he progressed rapidly.”

Ironically, for all his success, it was a defeat that Ford considers as the best race Modern Games has run.

“I think his best race was when he was second last year to Baaeed at Goodwood (in England) in the (Qatar) Sussex (G1). Baaeed was the best horse in the world,” Ford said.

Her favorite victory for Modern Games in North America came in the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Del Mar.

“I had never been to a Breeders' Cup and then to win,” Ford said. “It was absolutely amazing.”

After the 2022 Sussex, the well-traveled Modern Games won the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1) in September; returned to England and finished second in the Queen Elizabeth II (G1) at Ascot; and came to Keeneland, where he won the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF by three-quarters of a length over 2022 Maker's Mark Mile winner Shirl's Speight. Modern Games earned the Eclipse Award as North America's champion male turf horse.

Appleby is scheduled to arrive in Lexington Thursday and be here for the Maker's Mark Mile.

Regular rider William Buick will be aboard Modern Games, the 3-5 favorite in the morning line. They will start from post seven in the field of eight.

The post ‘An Absolute Pleasure’: Lorna Ford Enjoying The Morning Rides Aboard Modern Games appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

In Italian, Speak Of The Devil Give Owner Brant Strong Hand In Jenny Wiley

Peter Brant's In Italian (GB), winner at Keeneland of last fall's First Lady (G1) Presented by UK HealthCare and then runner-up in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), and his Speak of the Devil (FR), winner of the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2), headline a field of nine fillies and mares in Saturday's 35^th running of the $600,000 Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The 1 1/16-mile grass test is scheduled as the 10^th race on Saturday's 11-race program with a 5:48 p.m. ET post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.

In Italian and Speak of the Devil both are trained by Chad Brown, who won last year's race with Brant's eventual champion Regal Glory. Brown has won four of the past five renewals of the Jenny Wiley and five overall beginning with Ball Dancing in 2015. His other winners were Brant's champion Sistercharlie (IRE) in 2018 and champion Rushing Fall in 2019 and 2020.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on In Italian and will break from post position two in her 2023 debut.

Speak of the Devil, fifth in the Honey Fox (G3) in her 2023 debut last month, will exit post position four under Flavien Prat.

Two other Grade 1 winners are in the field: Bobby Flay's Pizza Bianca and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Queen Goddess.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Pizza Bianca will be making her initial start of 2023. Pizza Bianca won the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Del Mar and will be ridden Saturday by Jose Ortiz. They will break from post position one.

Queen Goddess, trained by Michael McCarthy, invades from California with four graded stakes victories on a resume highlighted by the 2021 American Oaks (G1) at Santa Anita. Winner of the TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G3) Presented by Pepsi in her most recent start, Queen Goddess will exit post position three and be ridden by Luis Saez.

Adding an international flavor to the race is Godolphin's With The Moonlight (IRE).

Trained by Charlie Appleby, With The Moonlight is a two-time Group 2 winner in Dubai this year. Last year, she won the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3) and was runner-up in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) and Lake Placid (G2).

William Buick has the mount and will break from post position five.

The field for the Jenny Wiley, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Pizza Bianca (Jose Ortiz, 123 pounds), In Italian (GB) (Irad Ortiz Jr., 123), Queen Goddess (Saez, 123), Speak of the Devil (FR) (Prat, 123), With The Moonlight (IRE) (Buick, 123), Skims (GB) (John Velazquez, 123), Henrietta Topham (Brian Hernandez Jr., 123),Freedom Speaks (Rey Gutierrez, 123), White Frost (Frankie Dettori, 123).

The post In Italian, Speak Of The Devil Give Owner Brant Strong Hand In Jenny Wiley appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Turf Paradise, Arizona Downs Both Under Separate Contracts To Sell; Turf Likely To Be Developed

Two racetracks in Arizona are under contract to sell to different entities, according to a report by Axios Phoenix published on April 12. Axios indicated that Turf Paradise is under contract and still in negotiations with CT Realty, while Arizona Downs is under contract with The Stronach Group. Neither sale is final.

CT Realty could continue to hold race meets at Turf Paradise after the sale, but Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective executive director Leroy Gessman told Axios the track property will ultimately be developed. Gessman believes Turf may have one or two racing seasons left.

James Watson is the managing partner of CT Realty and has made his career in commercial real estate and development. He served four years as a commissioner on the California Horse Racing Board.

Arizona Downs is expected to continue racing, though it did not apply to the racing commission for dates this season because “it doesn't have the finances to hold a summer season” co-owner Tom Auther told Axios.

Godolphin’s Amaretti Tastes Maiden Victory At Keeneland

3rd-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 4-12, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.58, ft, 7 lengths.
AMARETTI (f, 4, Bernardini–Caramel Snap, by Smart Strike), last seen a debut second June 5 at Belmont, returned to the races in this spot as the even-money favorite. Tracking just to the inside of pacesetter The Princess Says (Collected), the homebred shot through an opening along the rail into the far turn and never looked back in a seven length romp over the pursuing Kid's Last Laugh (Practical Joke). The filly's GSW second dam Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister) is responsible for MGISW sire Frosted (Tapit) and is out of GSW Fleet Lady, making her a half-sister to champion Midshipman. The winner is a half-sister to Caramel Swirl (Union Rags), GSW & GISP, $492,200. Her unraced mare is also responsible for a 2-year-old colt named Decatur Street (Street Sense) and a yearling colt by Union Rags who was sent to Japan last year. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $78,450. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott.

The post Godolphin’s Amaretti Tastes Maiden Victory At Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post