Month: April 2023

NBS Stable and Elements Racing's Danse Macabre, winner of the Herecomesthebride (G3) in her most recent starts, heads a field of 10 3-year-old fillies entered Friday for Wednesday's fourth running of the $225,000 Mamzelle at Churchill Downs.

The 5 ½-furlong grass test will go as the ninth race on Wednesday's 10-race program with a 4:52 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time. First post Wednesday is 12:45 p.m. The rail on the Matt Winn Turf Course will be set at Lane 3, 24 ft. from the inside.

Trained by Kelsey Danner, Danse Macabre has compiled a career mark of 6-3-2-1 that also includes a victory in the Untapable Stakes at Kentucky Downs last September. Adam Beschizza has the mount and will break from post position five.

The Mamzelle also has attracted the second- through fifth-place finishers from the April 14 Limestone (Listed) at Keeneland.

AMO Racing USA's Lady Hollywood (GB), a Group 3 winner in Europe last year and fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) for trainer Wesley Ward, was second in the Limestone in her 2023 debut. John Velazquez has the mount from post position four.

R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables' My Sweet Affair was third in the Limestone for trainer George Weaver in her stakes debut. Luis Saez has the mount from post nine.

KatieRich Stables' American Apple, fourth in the Limestone in her 2023 debut following a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint for trainer Daniel Leitch. Gerardo Corrales has the mount from post 10.

C T R Stables' Sassy Nature, winner of the Melody of Colors Stakes at Gulfstream before finishing fifth in the Limestone for trainer Luis Mendez, will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado from post three.

The field for the Mazelle, with riders from the inside, is:

1. Anna's Arabesque (Florent Geroux),
2. Accomplished Girl (Tyler Gaffalione),
3. Sassy Nature (Maldonado),
4. Lady Hollywood (GB) (Velezquez),
5. Danse Macabre (Beschizza),
6. B G Warrior (Albin Jimenez),
7. Peacock Lass (Flavien Prat),
8. Shootoutthelights (Irad Ortiz Jr.),
9. My Sweet Affair (Saez),
10. American Apple (Corrales).

In the race preceding the Mazelle, Flying P Stable, R. A. Hill Stable and Flying Partners' Lone Rock will go for his third consecutive victory in the $175,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes that drew a field of seven.

The 1 ½-mile main track test will go as the eighth race Wednesday with a 4:19 p.m. post time.

Trained by Robertino Diodoro, Lone Rock won the 2021 renewal of this race by 3 ¾ lengths and came back last year to win by 7 ½ lengths as the 3-10 favorite.

Second in his 2023 debut in the Temperence Hill (Listed) at Oaklawn on April 2, Lone Rock will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez and break from post position one.

Heading the opposition to a three-peat is Michael Foster's Next.

Winner of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) by 6 ½ lengths on the Breeders' Cup undercard at Keeneland last November, Next will be making his 2023 debut for trainer Doug Cowans.

Luan Machado has the mount and will break from post position seven.

The field for the Isaac Murphy Marathon, with riders from the inside, is:

1. Lone Rock (Vasquez),
2. Decision Maker (Florent Geroux),
3. Calibrate (Francisco Arrieta),
4. Scarlet Fusion (Luis Saez),
5. Red Run (Tyler Gaffalione),
6. Warrant (Flavien Prat),
7. Next (Machado).

The post Wednesday At Churchill: Danse Macabre Leads Mamzelle, Lone Rock Chases Third Straight Isaac Murphy appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A day after traveling four furlongs in the second-fastest time at Churchill Downs, D.J. Stable's Wonder Wheel headed back to the track to jog two times around the outside rail under exercise rider Kim Carroll. Coming into the Kentucky Oaks dappled out with a healthy coat and sharp morning works, the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner will look to return to her 2-year-old form after finishing sixth in April's Ashland Stakes (G1) and second in February's Suncoast Stakes for trainer Mark Casse.

“She came out of yesterday's work really well,” assistant trainer David Carroll said. “She's a champion and is so talented. Unfortunately we didn't see the best of her in her last race. There was no real reason why she ran the way she did. She cooled out in five minutes and bounced back to the barn. She cleaned up her feed. She scoped clean. She was two for two (at Keeneland) so you can't blame the track. After the race Tyler (Gaffalione) thought she just had a bad day.”

The dark bay daughter of Into Mischief by Wonder Gal is also two-for-two at Churchill Downs, breaking her maiden from off the pace and winning the Debutante Stakes wire-to-wire. Joel Rosario, who was aboard for Thursday's workout, will be aboard Wonder Wheel in the Oaks, his first mount on the four-time winner.

“He's as good as they come—a terrific rider,” Carroll said. “We're of the opinion that maybe the way that she ran in the Breeders' Cup was probably best race that she has run, even though (rallying from far back to win) wasn't by design. I think if she were to relax and settle near the back, there's no better pilot than Joel to get her switched off early and flying home late.”

The post Kentucky Oaks: Joel Rosario To Pilot Wonder Wheel Hoping To ‘Get Her Switched Off Early And Flying Home Late’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom McCrocklin's Promiseher America recorded her final serious piece of work in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks on May 6 at Churchill Downs, when going a half-mile in 49.77 seconds over a fast Belmont Park training track.

The chestnut daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was piloted by exercise rider Fernando Tapara and traveled the four furlongs outside of stablemate Ribot's Valentine.

Promiseher America was a third-out maiden winner going a one-turn mile on February 19 at the Big A before providing trainer Ray Handal with his first graded stakes triumph when capturing the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 8 – the final local Oaks prep – by a half-length.

Handal, who will be saddling his first Kentucky Oaks contestant, said the work went according to plan.

“Perfect work,” Handal said. “She literally nailed the first eighth in 12 and three [seconds] and picked it up from there. I had her galloping out in 1:02 and 1:16. It was exactly what I wanted. I was looking for 49, 1:01 and four and a 1:15 or 16 gallop out and she did it perfectly. She did it all in-hand just floating over the ground. All systems are go.”

Promiseher America will depart New York on Sunday and is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs early Monday morning. Handal added that Jorge Vargas, Jr., aboard for the Gazelle victory, would most likely retain the mount for the Oaks.

Bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Low, Promiseher America is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Promisedyouheaven, whose dam Hurricane Bernie is a half-sister to dual Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Mizdirection [2012-13]. She was bought for $75,000 at the 2022 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Also on the work tab for Handal was Merrylegs Farm's New York homebred Timeless Journey, who went a half-mile in 50.77 over the training track. Third in the open company Top Flight on April 2 at Aqueduct last out, Timeless Journey could target the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian going a one-turn mile on May 6 at Belmont Park.

“She breezed great today. She went 50 and four and had a nice strong gallop out. If it fits, we'll take a shot in there,” Handal said.

Timeless Journey, by Verrazano, defeated fellow Empire State-breds in the March 12 Biogio's Rose at the Big A two starts back in her first stakes conquest.

Handal also spoke of Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing's Funny How, who breezed a half-mile in 49.33 over the training track in preparation for a possible start in the Grade 3, $175,000 Vagrancy on May 14 at Belmont.

Handal said the Vagrancy's 6 1/2-furlong distance is ideal for the New York-bred daughter of Overanalyze as opposed to stretching out for the Ruffian. She was last seen finishing second in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap on April 7 at the Big A, which ended a five-race win streak.

“The 6 1/2 furlongs we know she can do. The mile is still a bit of a question mark,” Handal said. “Even though she seems like she would go a one-turn mile just fine, I think we just stick to what we know for now and then explore down the line.”

Bred by Hibiscus Stables, Funny How is a half-sister to multiple New York-bred stakes winner Funny Guy.

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