Month: April 2023

RED TR-Racing's 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Rich Strike continued his preparation for his return to the races by working five furlongs in 1:01.20 over a fast track early Wednesday morning with Carlos Enriquez aboard at Keeneland.

“I thought he worked good and finished strong,” trainer Eric Reed said. “We are looking here (for the $300,000 Ben Ali-G3 going 1 3/16 miles on April 22) or Oaklawn (for the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap-G2 going 1 1/8 miles the same day). We want to get the first one out of the way and then the ($1 million) Stephen Foster (G1 on July 1). We'll see how they come up.”

Rich Strike had a two-month break after completing his 2022 campaign in the Clark (G1) Presented by Norton Healthcare at Churchill Downs and returned to the work tab at Reed's Mercury Equine Center in Lexington on Jan. 21. Rich Strike had two works at Mercury and five at Turfway Park prior to his Wednesday morning drill here.

Reed initially had looked at the Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park on March 25 as the return spot for Rich Strike, “but he nicked a quarter (hoof area), and we didn't want to take chance that he might hit himself coming out of the gate.”

Reed has outlined a lighter schedule for Rich Strike in 2023 with the goal to get to the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 4. Rich Strike finished fourth behind champion Flightline in last year's Classic, which was run at Keeneland.

“After the Foster, we are looking at either the Whitney (G1) or the Pacific Classic (G1) then back to Churchill for the Lukas Classic (G2) then the Breeders' Cup,” said Reed, who plans to give Rich Strike another work here toward the end of next week.

The post Rich Strike ‘Finished Strong’ In Keeneland Breeze; Connections Considering Ben Ali Or Oaklawn Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Qatar Racing Limited, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables' Caravel, winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) here last fall to close her 2022 campaign, headlines a field of 12 3-year-olds and up plus one also-eligible entered Wednesday for Saturday's 27th running of the $350,000 Shakertown (G2) going 5½ furlongs on the turf.

The Shakertown will go as the afternoon's eighth race with a 4:35 p.m. ET post time.

Trained by Brad Cox, Caravel also won the Franklin (G3) here last fall prior to the Breeders' Cup in her first Keeneland start. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount and will break from post position eight.

Also set to make a 2023 debut is Lael Stables' Arrest Me Red.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Arrest Me Red finished eighth behind Caravel in the Breeders' Cup to close his 2022 campaign. Winner of the Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (G2) last spring at Churchill Downs, Arrest Me Red will break from post 12 and be ridden by Joel Rosario.

The field for the Shakertown, with riders and weights from the rail out, is:

1. Johnny Unleashed (Gerardo Corrales, 122 pounds),
2. Mark of the Z (E.T. Baird, 122),
3. Artemus Citylimits (Irad Ortiz Jr., 122),
4. Bakers Bay (Joe Talamo, 122),
5. Mister Mmmmm (Corey Lanerie, 122),
6. All in Sync (Brian Hernandez Jr., 122),
7. Noble Emotion (Luis Saez, 122),
8. Caravel (Gaffalione, 121),
9. Bad Beat Brian (Chris Emigh, 122),
10. Oceanic (Edgar Morales, 122),
11. Stitched (Florent Geroux, 122),
12. Arrest Me Red (Rosario, 122).

Also-eligible: Nobody Listens (Joseph Ramos, 122).

The post Shakertown: Breeders’ Cup Winner Caravel Faces Males Once Again In 2023 Debut appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Emory Hamilton's homebred Pleasant Passage, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Keeneland last fall, heads a deep field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered Wednesday for Saturday's 35th running of the $400,000 Appalachian (G2) (G2) going a mile on the turf.

The Appalachian will go as the afternoon's sixth race with a 3:25 p.m. ET post time.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Pleasant Passage won her first two starts with the latter being the Miss Grillo (G2) before her Breeders' Cup run. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount and will break from post position seven on Pleasant Passage, who is making her 2023 debut.

Finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf was Cairo Consort, who brings a recency edge over Pleasant Passage into the Appalachian.

Now owned by Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing and trained by Todd Pletcher, Cairo Consort won the Ginger Brew (L) and Sweetest Chant (G3) at Gulfstream Park this winter and most recently was third in the Herecomesthebride (G3). Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post position three.

Pletcher also will send out Don Alberto Stable's Alpha Bella. Second in both the Sweetest Chant and the Florida Oaks (G3), Alpha Bella will be ridden by Joel Rosario and break from post position five.

The field for the Appalachian, with riders and weights from the rail out, is:

1. Beautifulnavigator (IRE) (James Graham, 118 pounds),
2. Papilio (IRE) (Javier Castellano, 118),
3. Cairo Consort (Ortiz Jr., 118),
4. Heavenly Sunday (Florent Geroux, 118),
5. Alpha Bella (Rosario, 118),
6. Be Your Best (IRE) (Luis Saez, 118),
7. Pleasant Passage (Gaffalione, 120),
8. Sabalenka (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118),
9. Well Into (Vincent Cheminaud, 118).

The post Cairo Consort Has Recency Edge Over Pleasant Passage In Appalachian appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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