Month: May 2023

Trainer Charlie Appleby will look to continue a strong run of stateside form when he sends out Godolphin's British homebred Warren Point in Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Man o' War, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older horses, at Belmont Park.

The Man o' War is slated as Race 5 on Saturday's lucrative 11-race card, which also features the Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan in Race 6 and the Grade 3, $175,000 Runhappy in Race 9. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

Appleby, based in Newmarket, England, sent out Ottoman Fleet to an impressive score in last weekend's Grade 2 Fort Marcy here. He has previously won graded races in New York with Althiqa [2021 Grade 1 Just a Game; 2021 Grade 1 Diana], Nations Pride [2022 Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational, 2022 Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby Invitational], and With The Moonlight [2022 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational].

Warren Point will be piloted by Frankie Dettori from post 2 carrying a co-field high 122 pounds. He launched his 4-year-old campaign on February 3 with a three-length score in the 10-furlong Royal Crown Prince Cup at Bahrain while racing off a four-month layoff.

The Dubawi gelding returned two weeks later to finish a close second in the 12-furlong Group 1 HH The Amir Trophy at Doha, landing a half-length back of the victorious Russian Emperor. Under jockey William Buick, Warren Point jostled with rivals through the early stages as In The Night and Broome set the tempo. Warren Point, in need of racing room as the field turned for home, was switched to the outside and came with a run but could not reel in the early move of Russian Emperor. Broome, who finished fifth, exited that event to win the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan Racecourse.

Appleby said he was pleased with the determination shown by Warren Point in his first top-flight test.

“I was delighted with the run,” Appleby said. “It was a big step up from that race in Bahrain to the Group 1 standard. I was disappointed we didn't get our head in front, but it was a bit of a messy affair. The positives we took out of the race is that he's a horse that deserves to be campaigning at that level.”

The improving bay is out of the Dubai Destination mare Gaterie, who is a half-sister to multiple Group 2-winner Dartmouth. Warren Point won 4-of-6 sophomore starts in England, completing his 2022 campaign in October with a prominent score traveling 12 furlongs over the Kempton Park synthetic.

Appleby said he is hopeful Warren Point will enjoy a stalking trip under Dettori, who guided both Nations Pride and With The Moonlight to runner-up efforts in Grade 1s here last year in the Belmont Derby Invitational and Belmont Oaks Invitational, respectively.

“He's a horse that can latch on. I'm happy for him to take the lead, but he is versatile,” Appleby said. “If you pop him in front, he'll prick his ears and go. But I'd rather give him a target than for him to be the target.”

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Morris Bailey, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso's multiple graded-stakes placed Soldier Rising [post 6, Jose Ortiz, 118 pounds] will look to make the grade in his seasonal debut for trainer Christophe Clement.

The 5-year-old Frankel gelding boasts a consistent record of 15-4-5-3 for purse earnings of $722,497, including a pair of optional-claiming scores last year in New York. The late-running bay has endured troubled trips in his stakes outings, closing from last-of-10 and 11 lengths off the pace to miss by a length to stablemate Gufo when a wide third in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer in August at Saratoga. He followed with a similar back-of-the-pack move in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational in October at Belmont at the Big A, steadying at the sixteenth pole and settling for fourth.

Soldier Rising, last seen finishing off-the-board in the Grade 2 Red Smith in November at Aqueduct, wintered at Payson Park in Florida and shipped up to New York on Friday.

“He's doing great,” said Clement, who won this event in 2009-10 with Gio Ponti. “He needs a bit more racing luck, but he's done well otherwise. We'll take them on.”

John D. Gunther's lightly-raced Kentucky homebred Howe Street [post 5, Flavien Prat, 118 pounds] faltered as the favorite when sixth in his stakes debut last out in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 22 over good going at Keeneland.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, the 4-year-old Honor Code colt finished second to eventual graded-stakes placed Bay Street Money on debut last April at the Big A. He returned nine months later to take a pair of turf tilts at Gulfstream Park, graduating at one mile in January and following with an impressive 4 1/4-length score on March 5 traveling 11 furlongs.

Last out, Howe Street, with Flavien Prat aboard for the first time, stalked from fifth in a three-wide position and advanced to third into the final turn but failed to fire down the lane and finished 5 1/2-lengths back of the victorious returning rival Verstappen, who was a head better than fellow Man o' War combatant Red Knight.

Abreu said Howe Street will race without blinkers for the first time on Saturday.

“He was too keyed up with the blinkers on him,” Abreu said. “Flavien said for the mile and a half, he should be relaxed a little bit more. He didn't run a bad race, he just got tired the last eighth of a mile. He's a very lightly-raced horse and has kept good company. We'll give him another shot.”

Howe Street, out of the Street Sense mare Street Rumor, is a half-brother to graded-stakes placed Conviction Trade.

Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's multiple Grade 1-winning multimillionaire Channel Maker [post 3, Joel Rosario, 122 pounds] won this event in 2019 in his lone attempt.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the evergreen 9-year-old English Channel gelding boasts a record of 51-9-6-5 for purse earnings in excess of $3.7 million. Bred in Ontario by Tall Oaks Farm, Channel Maker has amassed an impressive list of honors, including a Sovereign Award as Canada's Champion 3-Year-Old Colt in 2017 and an Eclipse Award as the 2020 Champion Turf Male.

In addition to the 2019 Grade 1 Man o' War, his graded wins include the Grade 2 Bowling Green [2018], Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational [2018, 2020], Grade 1 Sword Dancer [2020], and Grade 2 Elkhorn [2022].

He enters from a pair of off-the-board efforts in the McKnight and Elkhorn, but returns to the familiar Belmont turf where he was won 4-of-12 starts.

Trainer Mike Maker will be represented by a pair of contenders in multiple graded-stakes winning New York-bred Red Knight [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 122 pounds] and graded-stakes winner Value Engineering [post 8, Manny Franco, 122 pounds].

Trinity Farm's millionaire homebred Red Knight, a 9-year-old Pure Prize gelding, banked more than $400,000 last year with wins in the Colonial Cup at Colonial Downs and Grade 2 Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs. He opened his current campaign with a rallying effort in the Grade 3 William L. McKnight in January at Gulfstream Park, closing from last-of-11 to win by one length over next-out Grade 2 Mac Diarmida-winner and stablemate Value Engineering.

Red Knight, who has won 4-of-10 starts over the Belmont turf, enters from a narrow head defeat to fellow Man o' War combatant Verstappen in the Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 22 at Keeneland.

Michael Hui and Phil Forte's Value Engineering was purchased for $35,000 in November at the Keeneland Horses of Racing Age Sale. The former Chad Brown trainee was subsequently transferred to Maker and has since posted a record of 4-2-1-0, including a win in the 13-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Handicap in December.

The 7-year-old Lemon Drop Kid gelding followed with a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 William L. McKnight before making the grade with a close stalking performance in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Mac Diarmida in March. Last out, he finished a distant eighth in the Elkhorn.

Andrew Farm, For the People Racing Stable and Windmill Manor Farm's Verstappen [post 4, Declan Cannon, 122 pounds] made the grade last out in the aforementioned Grade 2 Elkhorn for trainer Brendan Walsh.

The 4-year-old War Front gelding, a $325,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, has won 2-of-3 starts this year. The late bloomer registered a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure with a runner-up effort to Wolfie's Dynaghost in the nine-furlong Kentucky Cup Classic in March while competing on the Turfway Park synthetic.

Rounding out the field is the multiple graded-stakes placed Strong Tide [post 7, Florent Geroux, 118 pounds] for trainer Michael Lauer. The 6-year-old English Channel bay finished third in the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup here traveling two miles in June.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.

The post Appleby Hopes Warren Point Gets A Target To Run At In Saturday’s Man O’ War Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hilbert and Thomas E. O'Keefe's 9-year-old warhorse Drafted will return off a brief layoff to attempt a repeat score in Saturday's Grade 3, $175,000 Runhappy at Belmont Park.

The six-furlong test for older horses will be Drafted's first start since finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap on March 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack for trainer David Duggan. The gray Field Commission gelding was a one-length winner of last year's Runhappy, where he progressed through each point of call to collar graded stakes-winner Chateau in deep stretch.

Following a dual Group 3-winning campaign in Dubai from 2017-20 with trainer Doug Watson, Drafted joined Duggan's stable and made his debut for the Irish conditioner when fifth in the 2020 Grade 3 Fall Highweight at Aqueduct. He won his ninth start for Duggan with an emphatic 4 1/2-length score in the Grade 3 Toboggan last February at the Big A, where he garnered a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure before capturing the Runhappy two starts later.

Initially slated for stakes action at Laurel Park, Drafted remained at Duggan's Belmont barn due to issues with the main track at the Maryland oval.

“He's training well now and we freshened him up a bit after the last race,” Duggan said. “Originally, we were going to go to Laurel with him and then with everything going on with the track down there we decided to scratch that idea. We wanted to take a step back and go the conservative route with him.”

Drafted is the field's lone millionaire, bragging earnings of $1,176,943 through a 35-10-3-5 record. Although he has proven to be a very useful horse over the years, Duggan admits that he can be a bit difficult to train.

“He gallops with the pony in the mornings. We keep it fairly simple with him,” Duggan said. “When he works, he works fast. It's basically just maintenance after that. He isn't the easiest to ride and is a bit hard to control. But he put us back on the map and has been a great horse to be around. He's a bit like a rockstar, he's got that ambiance to him.”

Breaking from post 1, Drafted will be reunited with jockey Jose Ortiz, who piloted the horse to his Toboggan and Runhappy conquests last year.

Mr Phil will make his second start off an eight-month layoff for trainer Rob Atras.

The 6-year-old Mr Speaker gelding went gate-to-wire in an April 20 allowance optional claimer, where he fended off a late rally from fellow Runhappy aspirant Stage Left to win by a neck. The victory was his ninth career trip to the winner's circle and first start since finishing a distant third in the restricted Tale of the Cat on August 10 at Saratoga Race Course.

After claiming Mr Phil from trainer Jim Ryerson last February, Atras saddled the talented bay to three straight wins, including a local seven-furlong allowance optional claimer where he earned a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure. He followed with a distant fifth to 2021 Champion Sprinter Jackie's Warrior in the Grade 2 True North in June at Belmont.

Mr Phil spent his downtime with Bruce Jackson at Fair Hill Training Center.

“I think the freshening really helped him. He was at Bruce Jackson's for a while and they always look good coming back from there. He put a good foundation underneath him so I didn't need to do too much to get him ready,” said Atras, who saddled Chateau to a runner-up effort in last year's Runhappy. “He had a big winter last year rattling off a few wins and then he met some pretty stiff competition. He tailed off in form just a little bit after that tough winter, so we gave him a little break and took care of a few things to try to get him back in form.”

Mr Phil was the pacesetter in all four of his victories for Atras. But nevertheless, Atras said he's not a horse that needs the lead. He came from off the front end in three of his wins for Ryerson.

“He does get quite brave on the front end, but I don't think he needs to be there,” Atras said. “If he can break sharp and be in the front, that's always a positive, but he has come from right off the pace before.”

Mr Phil, owned by Sanford Goldfarb, Madaket Stables, Jorge Casal and The Estate of Ira Davis, will break from post 6 under Manny Franco.

Trainer Butch Reid, Jr. will saddle the highly consistent Beren, who returns to Big Sandy for the first time since May 2021 when capturing both the Gold Fever and an off-the-turf edition of the Paradise Creek.

Owned by St. Omer's Farm and Christopher Feifarek, Beren has finished no worse than third in his last seven starts dating back to a 3 1/4-length score in the Jump Start in October against fellow Pennsylvania-breds at Parx Racing.

Beren, a seven-time stakes winner, has proven to be a well-traveled specimen having notched stakes victories over four different courses. In addition to Belmont and Parx, he won the Danzig in October 2021 at Penn National and the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash in July at Laurel Park.

“He's doing extremely well so we decided to take a shot,” Reid, Jr. said. “He's been fantastic and he's danced every dance and gives it his all every time he goes over there. He certainly doesn't need to take his racetrack with him. He handles it well. Parx has been a little deep lately, so that's one of the reasons I decided to send him over there. I think he'll handle the track well, especially if there's some rain. He likes an off track.”

Reid, Jr. spoke volumes of Beren's sire Weigelia, who was a multiple-graded stakes winning sprinter.

“I've had many of them over the years and they've all been cash cows,” Reid, Jr. said. “They're solid, solid horses that you can take anywhere.”

Beren is out of multiple graded-stakes winning Maryland-bred Silmaril, who won at least one stakes race for five consecutive years and banked just over $1 million in earnings.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pick up the mount aboard Beren from post 2.

Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Candy Man Rocket will try to make amends following an uncharacteristic 10th in the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap on April 15 at Oaklawn Park.

Following a narrow runner-up to Beren in the 2021 Gold Fever, the son of Candy Ride was out of action until the following February when capturing a seven-furlong Gulfstream Park allowance optional claimer in wire-to-wire fashion for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. Despite being forced to the sidelines once more, he earned a career-best 94 Beyer off an 11-month layoff with an allowance optional claiming win at the South Florida oval on January 21 before winning the Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 25.

Junior Alvarado will retain the mount from post 4.

Completing the field are Twisted Ride [post 3, Andy Hernandez], who rides a four-race win streak for trainer Michael Moore, and the David Jacobson-owned and trained Stage Left [post 5, Javier Castellano] – winner of the King T. Leatherbury at Laurel Park last out.

The Runhappy honors Jim McIngvale's 2015 Champion Sprinter, whose memorable victories include the Grade 1 King's Bishop [now the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial] at Saratoga, the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita.

The Runhappy is carded as Race 9 on Saturday's 11-race program, which also features the Grade 1, $600,000 Man o' War and the Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan. First post is 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont Park spring/summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.

The post ‘He’s A Bit Like A Rockstar’: Veteran Drafted Out For Title Defense In Saturday’s Runhappy appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hard Edge chases her first added-money win in Saturday's Grade 3 $150,000 Whimsical Stakes, at Woodbine.

Trained by Stuart Simon, Hard Edge will take on seven rivals, including multiple graded stakes winner and multiple 2022 Sovereign Award finalist (female sprinter, older main track female) Our Flash Drive, in the six-furlong Whimsical, a main track event for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and upward.

A daughter of Hard Spun, Hard Edge went 2-3-1 from seven starts in 2022. Overall, the Chiefswood Stables' homebred is 3-5-2 from 11 career outings, with $220,890 (U.S.) in lifetime earnings.

The 5-year-old mare, who owns a 2-2-0 mark from four efforts at six furlongs, capped off her most recent campaign with a 3 ¾-length win over the distance on the Woodbine main last November.

The Whimsical will mark Hard Edge's first start of the year. ​

“You wish they were all like her,” praised Simon. “She's so easy to train and is very laid-back in her training. But every time the gate opens, she answers the bell. If they were all like her, it would be an easy game. She can be a little aggressive around the barn. She's not a pet, but she's just a good eater, a good doer, and does everything right. She's never too hard on herself.”

Hard Edge debuted in September 2021, finishing second in the 6 ½-furlong Tapeta race. She followed it up with a second and third before breaking her maiden that December courtesy of a gritty head score at 6 ½ panels over the Tapeta.

Her only previous stakes appearance came in last year's Sweet Briar Too Stakes, where she was fourth, only 1 ¾ lengths behind eventual champion female sprinter Hazelbrook, in the 6 ½-furlong Tapeta tilt for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up.

“She's been working well leading up to this. Usually, she's not a great work horse in the morning, but she has been this spring. She seems to be as good or better than she ever has. So, we're looking for a big race.”

Regular rider Eswan Flores gets the call.

First-race post time on Saturday is 1:10 p.m., with the Whimsical scheduled as the afternoon's eighth race. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.

$150,000 Whimsical Stakes

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Miss Speedy – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

2 – Forest Drift – Daisuke Fukumoto – Robert Tiller

3 – Our Flash Drive – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

4 – Owen's Tour Guide – Rafael Hernandez – Willie Armata

5 – Baby No Worries – Antonio Gallardo – Tim Girten

6 – Ambassador Luna – Declan Carroll – Mark Casse

7 – Basalt Street – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

8 – Hard Edge – Eswan Flores – Stuart Simon

The post ‘You Wish They Were All Like Her’: Hard Edge Seeks Winning Edge In Woodbine’s Whimsical appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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