May, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Crimson Advocate Gives Weaver Sweep Of Gulfstream’s Royal Ascot Qualifiers With Gate-To-Wire Romp

Crimson Advocate seized complete command of the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies on her way to giving trainer George Weaver a sweep of the two Royal Ascot qualifying stakes on Saturday's 10-race program at Gulfstream Park.

The Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, a five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds fillies, co-headlined Saturday's 10-program with the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile, a five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds won earlier by Weaver-trained No Nay Mets. Each race will provide its winner with an automatic berth into one of six stakes during the June 20-24 Royal Ascot meeting, as well as a $25,000 equine travel stipend for shipping from the U.S. to England, in addition to the winner's share of the purse.

Crimson Advocate, owned by R.A. Hill Stable, Swinbank Stables, Black Type Thoroughbreds, RAP Racing, Chris Mara, BlackRidge Stables LLC and Amy Dunne, broke alertly from the starting gate under jockey Edwin Gonzalez to open an early lead that she would never relinquish. Ocean Mermaid, the 3-5 favorite who is trained by 12-time Royal Ascot winner Wesley Ward, was closest in pursuit of the pacesetter throughout the race and finished second, 3 ½ lengths behind the winning 7-2 second choice and 5 ¾ lengths ahead of third-place finisher The Myth.

Crimson Advocate, who finished third in her April 26 debut at Keeneland, was equipped with blinkers for her return in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.

“We really liked her going into the race up there. I expected her to be on the lead or close to it, but she was green. We put some blinkers on her today and she broke sharp and looked good the whole way,” said Weaver.

The daughter of Nyquist ran five furlongs over a firm turf in :56.25 after setting fractions of :21.83 and :44.42 for the first half mile, earning the privilege of accompanying stablemate No Nay Mets to Royal Ascot.

“I always said after I went to Ascot the first time it would be nice to go back with someone who has a chance to win and both of these horses look like they do,” Weaver said. “They have that early speed. I do need to look at the menu before picking out a race although I'd like to keep both of them at five-eighths if we can.”

In order to sweep the Royal Ascot qualifying stakes, Weaver had to go through Ward, the first U.S. trainer to saddle a winner at the Royal Ascot meet during which he has enjoyed incredible success over the years.

“You're always worried about Wesley. He's a master of doing this and going to Ascot. You just got to have the right horses,” Weaver said. “Both my horses broke running and got the advantage right away, followed through, and looked good doing it.”

Crimson Advocate, who is out of the Proud Citizen mare Citizen Advocate, was bred in Kentucky by Whitehall Lane Farm. She sold to Dewsweepers II for $100,000 at the 2022 OBS October yearling sale in the Beth Bayer consignment.

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Candy Man Rocket Better Behaved, Gets Job Done In Runhappy

Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Candy Man Rocket, expertly piloted by Junior Alvarado, stalked and pounced to an impressive score in Saturday's $175,000 Runhappy (G3), a six-furlong sprint for older horses, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 5-year-old Candy Ride horse has won three of four starts this year, including a score in the Gulfstream Park Sprint in February. But, last out in the Count Fleet Handicap (G3) on April 15 at Oaklawn Park, Candy Man Rocket acted up pre-race and ran an uncharacteristic last of 10.

Candy Man Rocket was better behaved – for the most part – Saturday and returned to winning form with aplomb.

“He wasn't great in saddling today – he was a little wound up. I was a little concerned,” Mott said. “Junior said when he got on the track he settled down. At least he showed up. The other day he just spit it out. He can run, he's just got to get the right trip.”

Beren, the 7-5 mutuel favorite under Irad Ortiz Jr., and the Andy Hernandez-piloted Twisted Ride dueled through an opening quarter-mile in 22.60 seconds and a half-mile in 45.15 over the fast main track with Candy Man Rocket enjoying the pace battle from third.

Alvarado gave Candy Man Rocket his cue through the turn and the dark bay responded in kind, putting a head in front at the stretch call and battling briefly with a game Twisted Ride as Beren faded. Candy Man Rocket was in command for good at the furlong marker and powered through the wire a 1 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:09.33. Twisted Ride completed the exacta by a half-length over Stage Left with Drafted, Beren, and Mr Phil rounding out the order of finish.

Alvarado has guided the dark bay through each of his last nine starts and said he was relieved to be back in the winner's circle after the Oaklawn experience.

“To be honest, we weren't expecting him to be nice and relaxed in the saddling area, because last time when they went to saddle him, we kind of lost him right there in the paddock and post parade,” Alvarado said. “By the time I got on, he was all washed out and very nervous. Then, warming up he never relaxed and I knew he wasn't going to give me his best effort – that's what happened. You've got to draw a line through his last race. Today, he behaved in the post parade and warming up and he was a complete gentleman, nice and relaxed. He came out with a big run today.”

Alvarado said the pace duel played into his hands.

“That was the trip we were looking for, and thank God everything was setting up perfectly,” Alvarado said. “I was sitting right where I wanted to be and I had the horse right under me to help me. The rest was just him. I had to nudge him along a little bit turning for home and he responded so well. I thought he was traveling beautiful and he was just waiting for me. Right when we turned for home, I knew he was going to be there for me.”

The win-friendly Candy Man Rocket made the grade in the 2021 Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs and narrowly missed in that year's Gold Fever here when a nose back of Beren. Mott said he will nominate Candy Man Rocket to the 6 1/2-furlong $250,000 True North (G2) on June 10 at Belmont.

The Pennsylvania-bred Twisted Ride, a multiple stakes-winning son of Great Notion, shipped in from Parx for trainer Michael Moore on the back of a four-race win streak that included scores in the Fishtown and Page McKenney with Hernandez aboard.

“He ran great. He didn't win but he finished a great second,” Hernandez said. “It's a difficult race and he ran great. I was behind in the turn and I didn't want to move too soon, but I didn't want to wait too long. The number four [Candy Man Rocket] is a nice horse.”

Bred in Kentucky by R.S. Evans, Candy Man Rocket is out of Kenny Lane, by Forestry. He banked $96,250 in victory while improving his record to 11-6-1-0. He paid $7.40 for a $2 win ticket.

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Arcangelo Denies Bishops Bay By Head Bob In Peter Pan Thriller

Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo, with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano aboard, outdueled 9-5 favorite Bishops Bay in deep stretch to capture his stakes debut in Saturday's 69th running of the $200,000 Peter Pan (G3) at Belmont Park.

The nine-furlong test for sophomores is the traditional local prep for the $1.5-million Belmont Stakes (G1), which is slated for June 10. Multiple horses have gone on to capture the 'Test of the Champion' following a Peter Pan coup including Tonalist [2014], A.P. Indy [1992], Danzig Connection [1985], and Coastal [1979].

In addition to his first start at stakes level, Arcangelo also made his first start outside of Gulfstream Park, arriving off a third-out maiden victory on March 18 going a one-turn mile at the South Florida oval.

The beat continued to go on for Castellano, who last Saturday earned his first Kentucky Derby (G1) win aboard Mage.

“I feel good. I feel like I'm 19-years-old. When you ride that type of horse, you feel good,” Castellano, 45, said.

Breaking from the rail in the eight-horse field, Arcangelo raced toward the rear of the field down the backstretch as the Florent Geroux-piloted Bishops Bay battled for control on the front end with Asmodeus through an opening quarter-mile in :24.52 over the fast main track. Meanwhile, Castellano began moving Arcangelo off the rail and into the three path just behind Henry Q in third.

Bishops Bay established a clear advantage, but Asmodeus rematched strides with his foe through a half in :48.83. Around the far turn, Bishops Bay was in control once more, under no urging, as Asmodeus dropped out of contention and Arcangelo loomed large in the clear from the four path.

Geroux began calling on Bishops Bay for his best run at the top of the stretch while Arcangelo launched his menacing bid and put a head in front at the three-sixteenths pole. Bishops Bay battled back gamely and regained the lead for a couple of strides, but Arcangelo would not be denied, completing the nine furlongs in a final time of 1:49.71.

Bishops Bay finished another 8 3/4 lengths head of third-place finisher Henry Q, while Classic Catch, Go Soldier Go, Summer Cause, Asmodeus and Game Change completed the order of finish. Slip Mahoney scratched to contest the Long Branch at Monmouth Park, where he finished fourth.

Castellano, who piloted Arcangelo to his maiden victory, is now 2-for-2 aboard the son of Arrogate.

“At Gulfstream, he didn't break good out of the gate. I let it develop a little bit and tried to fight a little bit to get close,” Castellano recalled. “At Gulfstream, you have to adjust a little bit to the track and you can't leave it too far back. If you chase too much, you lose the momentum and have to roll again.”

Arcangelo shipped to Belmont early to put together his final serious piece of work for Saturday's engagement, logging a sharp five-furlong work in :59.60 May 3 over the Belmont main track with Castellano aboard.

“I fell in love [with] the last work. He went :59 and change – he worked amazing last week. I really liked the way he did it. I think he's going to get better and better,” Castellano said.

Castellano said Arcangelo responded with grit and determination when having to deal with Bishops Bay down the stretch.

“His [Geroux's] horse fought again a little bit. I tried to race ride a little bit and intimidate him and put him on top of him,” Castellano said. “But his horse fought and came back again. My horse, when I asked him, he kicked on and galloped out.”

Antonucci, who secured her first graded stakes victory since Doctor J Dub captured the Grade 3 Turf Monster in 2016 at Parx Racing, said she and owner Jon Ebbert gave Arcangelo the time he needed to develop.

“The horse is just built different. I know that sounds so cliché, but it's my job – our job – to stay out of his way,” Antonucci said. “Mr. Ebbert has done a great job to give the horse time and let him mature. He's a May foal. We never had a focus on doing early season. We let the horse grow and mature and here we are. He breezed at Saratoga last summer, but we were never intending to run up there. It's all been about education and him maturing and figuring out who he is. He's still a kid figuring it out. We'll stay out of his way and see how he comes out of this.”

Boasting Belmont Stakes-favorable bloodlines, Arcangelo is out of the Tapit mare Modeling, whose second dam Better Than Honour produced Belmont Stakes winners Jazil [2006] and Rags to Riches [2007].

Antonucci did not rule out pursuing a start in the Belmont Stakes.

“There's a conversation. We have no plan yet. Ground has never been a problem, that's why we waited as long as we did,” Antonucci said.

Geroux, who piloted the previously undefeated Bishops Bay in his first two starts, said the Uncle Mo colt can get a bit lost when on the lead.

“He's very spotty when he runs. In his two previous starts, [he did] the same thing. He looks like he's got it, but he does not really run away from the other horses,” Geroux said.

Returning $7.50 for a $2 win wager, Arcangelo nearly tripled his lifetime earnings which now stand at $167,400 after banking $110,000 in victory. His record stands at 4-2-0-0.

Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation, Arcangelo He produced by the Tapit mare Modeling and was bought by Jon Ebbert for $35,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale where Gainesway consigned him.

The Peter Pan honors James R. Keene's 1907 Belmont Stakes winner, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956.

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‘She’s Legit’: Our Flash Drive Kicks Clear In Whimsical, Provides Husbands 100th Graded Win

Our Flash Drive flashed a fleet turn of foot to win the $158,400 Whimsical Stakes (G3) Saturday afternoon at Woodbine.

Ridden by Patrick Husbands, who celebrated his 100th career graded stakes victory and 350th stakes triumph overall, Our Flash Drive, the 3-5 choice in the six-furlong Tapeta race for older fillies and mares bested fellow Mark Casse trainee Miss Speedy by 1 ¾ lengths.

There was an early tussle on the front end with Forest Drift, to the inside, and Hard Edge, just to her outside, going head-to-head through early fractions of :22.57 and :45.03 for a half mile. Husbands kept a patient hand aboard Our Flash Drive, the duo sitting chilly in third as the field readied to navigate the turn for home.

Our Flash Drive then glided past the front-runners in early stretch and pulled away with ease down the lane as Miss Speedy and U.S. invader Baby No Worries rallied late for the runner-up prize, with the former gaining the upper hand by a half-length.

The final time was 1:10.12.

“She's legit,” praised Husbands. “Anything you want her to do, she'll do. She broke sharp and I was just behind the speed, and I didn't want the speed to come back and get stopped behind it. So, by the three-eighths pole, I tipped her out into the clear and she got the job done.”

It was the second straight graded stakes victory for the 5-year-old Ghostzapper mare, who came into the Whimsical off her 2022 season-closing victory in the Woodbine's Bessarabian (G2) in November.

The Florida-bred has four graded triumphs to her name, including the 2021 Selene and Ontario Colleen, both Grade 3 events.

Bred and owned by Live Oak, Our Flash Drive was produced by unraced Dynaformer mare Dynamotor. She returned $3.40 for the win and is now 6-3-1 from 15 career starts. After a seventh and a fourth to start her career at Saratoga in the summer of 2020, the bay broke her maiden the following June at Woodbine, the start of a three-race win streak.

Miss Speedy, Baby No Worries, Owen's Tour Guide, Forest Drift, Hard Edge, Ambassador Luna, and Basalt Street completed the Whimsical's order of finish.

“You come here, and people treat you with respect and you work hard and get it,” said Husbands, of his riding milestones. “It pays off in the long run.”

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