Month: May 2023

Shortleaf Stable's Kentucky homebred Bubble Rock made an off-the-pace rush under Joel Rosario to score a half-length win in Sunday's $150,000 License Fee, a six-furlong Widener turf sprint for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.

Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, Bubble Rock rebounded from a narrow defeat last out to Gam's Mission in a one-mile allowance on April 16 over the Keeneland green when making her seasonal debut off a nearly five-month respite. The 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready out of the Giant's Causeway mare Reef Point notched the third stakes score of her career, adding to wins in the Grade 3 Matron at Belmont as a juvenile and the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere in November at Churchill Downs.

Bubble Rock emerged well from post 7 and was tucked into the two path to race in sixth as Yuugiri, who made her turf debut, bounded to the front to lead the field of nine through an opening quarter-mile in :21.66 over the firm turf. Hot Fudge and post-time favorite Star Devine moved within striking distance of Yuugiri as the field rounded the turn with Rosario swinging Bubble Rock to the outside to make her bid for the lead after the half-mile elapsed in :45.33.

Bubble Rock was full of run exiting the turn and into the stretch, racing four-wide and brushing slightly with Imagery before putting her head in front at the eighth pole. The Jose Ortiz-piloted Poppy Flower tracked behind Bubble Rock throughout and made up ground late in the lane, but could not collar her foe in time as Bubble Rock reached the wire first in a final time of 1:08.61.

The Cox-trained Goin' Good, who skimmed the rail down the backstretch and was tipped two-wide by Manny Franco mid-turn, ran on to pick up show honors by one length over Messidor. Imagery, Hot Fudge, Star Devine, Minaun and Yuugiri completed the order of finish. Spun Glass was scratched.

Rosario, who rode Bubble Rock in her last two outings when traveling one mile or farther, said a stalking trip was key on the cutback to outrun the other closers.

“They were going quick. It looked like I was in a good spot, and she did everything I asked her to do,” said Rosario. “She put me there nicely and ran a really nice race. I had horse and I had to wait to start moving forward. She has a nice kick – a nice turn-of-foot – in a sprint, I have to wait and then try to get the jump on the other ones.”

Bubble Rock banked $82,500 in victory and improved her lifetime record to 12-5-3-1 with $618,943 in total purse earnings. She returned $8.30 for a $2 win ticket.

Arnmore Thoroughbreds' Poppy Flower, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, also made her second start of a layoff after finishing a close third in an April 14 optional claimer at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Ortiz, who has ridden Poppy Flower in 10 of 13 starts, said he was pleased with the effort from the multiple stakes-winning daughter of Lea.

“Rosario was travelling well every step of the way, so I was very patient behind him,” said Ortiz. “I think that was the difference in the race – I had to wait for him to make his move. But he was the only horse moving good from the back of the pack, so I wanted to follow him every step of the way. When I found him at the half-mile, I said, 'this is my guy. He's traveling so well.' The last quarter was very fast and I was second best today. I'm very proud of the filly. She always tries.”

The post Bubble Rock Stalks, Then Pounces To Win License Fee At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Longshot Wizard of Westwood would've made his namesake proud as he relaxed and controlled Sunday's $100,000 Singletary Stakes but just missed as favored Mi Hermano Ramon was able to get up and win by head under Umberto Rispoli.

Trained by Mark Glatt, Mi Hermano Ramon got 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.70.

Although he bobbled slightly leaving the gate, Wizard of Westwood was quickly in control under Abel Cedillo through fractions of :23.96, :49.05, 1:13.17, and 1:37.21 and he enjoyed a one length edge a furlong from home over a group of four pursuers.

Allowed to idle midway around the turn, Mi Hermano Ramon, under confident handling, found himself fifth, with about 3½ lengths to make up turning for home with modest fractions to overcome.

“He is obviously a really good horse and if you look back at his race at Keeneland…Webslinger (third in the Grade 3 Transylvania going 1 1/16 miles on turf at April 7 at the Lexington track) came back and won at a big price Saturday at Churchill Downs (Grade 2 American Turf),” said Ryan Glatt, assistant to his father, Mark. “…If you really look at the form, you can pick this horse out. It was a slow pace today, but he got the job done.”

Fourth, beaten three lengths in the Transylvania, Mi Hermano Ramon was off at 3-2 in a field of six 3-year-olds and paid $5 for the win.

Bred in Kentucky by Red Baron's Barn, Mi Hemano Ramon is a chestnut gelding by Creative Cause out of the Suances mare Sassy Suances. Owned by his breeder along with Rancho Temescal and raced exclusively on turf in all five of his starts, Mi Hermano Ramon posted his first stakes win and his third overall victory. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $169,700.

“I was surprised a little bit when Game Time (one of three Michael McCarthy trainees and the eventual fourth place finisher) took back today,” said Rispoli, who was aboard for the first time. “…I had a ton of horse underneath me and I was just trying to put him in the clear. Credit to the barn, to Mark and everybody.”

In a gallant effort, Wizard of Westwood, off at 7-1 finished a half length better than his stablemate Escape Artist.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Escape Artist finished three-quarters of a length in front of Game Time, who was the second choice in the race at 2-1 with Juan Hernandez.

The post Mi Hermano Ramon Up In Time To Score First Stakes Win In Singletary appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Double B Racing Stables' Carter (G1) runner-up Repo Rocks returned to winning form with a powerful 5 1/4-length score in Friday's Westchester (G3), a one-turn mile for older horses, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Jamie Ness and piloted by Ruben Silvera, Repo Rocks tracked Expressman through fractions of :22.99 and :45.80 over the fast main track before taking over at the five-sixteenths and drawing clear to win in a final time of 1:34.96.

Repo Rocks will now target the $1-million Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 10 going a one-turn mile as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

“It's a big day–Belmont Day. We're very excited,” Ness said. “Hopefully, we have a good month of training.”

The 5-year-old Tapiture gelding has won five of six starts since join the Ness barn, taking the Let's Give Thanks and Blitzen at Parx before making the grade in the seven-furlong Toboggan (G3)  in January at the Big A with an 8 1/2-length romp that earned a career-best 111 Beyer.

Repo Rocks made his next two starts at Aqueduct, capturing the one-mile Stymie in February ahead of a runner-up performance to Doppelganger in the seven-furlong Carter Handicap on April 8.

Following the Westchester, Ness said the stretch out in distance and the sweeping turns at Belmont benefitted Repo Rocks.

“I thought the bigger track would be better, and I think a mile is his distance,” Ness said. “He's this big, long-striding horse. This is the trip I wanted, and it was perfect on the outside with one horse to chase.”

Ness also credited the prominent trip provided by Silvera, who took over from Andrew Wolfsont. Silvera has teamed up with Ness to win 340 races from 1,206 career starts.

“That's his kind of riding style. He's an aggressive gate rider,” Ness said. “He works him and gets on him in the morning.”

Ness said the lofty 109 Beyer earned Friday validates Repo Rocks tour de force in the Toboggan.

“It shows that the Toboggan wasn't a fluke and that he has it in him,” Ness said. “A lot of times, you run one big number and can never repeat it. He got pretty close to repeating it and it shows he's a legit horse. Now, it's my job to try and get him to run back to it again.”

Repo Rocks posted a trio of bullet works between the Stymie and the Carter and the lackluster effort prompted Ness to take his foot off the pedal heading into the Westchester.

“I think the Grade 1 got me and I pushed him a little harder for the Carter and he ran a little flat. You learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them again,” Ness said. “I brought him back to Parx [after the Westchester] and I think I'll take him to Fair Hill for a week to 10 days and then get back to work and point for the Met Mile. I'll probably put a couple breezes in him.”

Bred in Virginia by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, III, Repo Rocks boasts a record of 35-9-7-6 for purse earnings of $795,871.

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