Month: May 2023

RED TR-Racing's Rich Strike, the 80-1 upset winner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1), headlines a deep field of seven for the 20th running of the $600,000 Alysheba (G2) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The Alysheba will be the first of seven stakes races Friday at Churchill Downs, and will go as the fifth race with a 12:43 p.m. post time.

Trained by Eric Reed, Rich Strike will be making his first start of 2023 after closing his 2022 campaign with an off-the-board finish in the Clark (G1). Sonny Leon retains the mount and will break from post three.

While Rich Strike may be the sentimental favorite, the betting public figures to key in on a trio of established older runners – Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, Gary and Mary West's West Will Power, and Willis Horton's Last Samurai.

Trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector was a 4 ½-length winner of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) prior to running second in the New Orleans Classic (G2). The earner of more than $4 million, Art Collector will be ridden by Junior Alvarado and break from post one.

Second in the Clark last fall and recent winner of the New Orleans Classic, West Will Power has earned more than $1 million in compiling a 15-6-7-0 record. Trained by Brad Cox and will be ridden by Flavien Prat and break from post four.

Last Samurai, an earner of more than $2 million and a three-time graded stakes winner, comes into the Alysheba off a narrow defeat in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 22. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Last Samurai will break from post two and be ridden by Luis Saez.

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

1. Art Collector (Alvarado, 123 pounds),
2. Last Samurai (Saez, 118),
3. Rich Strike (Leon, 118),
4. West Will Power (Prat, 120),
5. Smile Happy (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118),
6. Milliken (Julien Leparoux, 118),
7. Giant Game (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).

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Briland Farm's Secret Oath, winner of last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), returns to the scene of her biggest triumph as she headlines a field of 10 for the 38th running of the $750,000 La Troienne (G1) for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Churchill Downs.

The La Troienne will go as Friday's ninth race on the 13-race program with a 4:04 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time. First post Friday is 10:30 a.m.

Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Secret Oath has earned more than $2.1 million in her career with more than $400,000 of it coming this year with a victory in the Azeri (G2) and a runner-up finish on April 15 to Clairiere in the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn Park. Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the two starts in 2023, has the call Friday and will break from post position four.

Four other Grade 1 winners are in the field headed by defending La Troienne winner Pauline's Pearl, who is owned by Stonestreet Stables. The others are Hunter Valley Farm's A Mo Reay, Peter Blum Thoroughbreds' Society, and Klaravich Stables' Search Results.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Pauline's Pearl returns to the races following an off-the-board finish in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita on March 11. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post position nine.

Trained by Brad Cox, A Mo Reay comes into the La Troienne off a victory in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita in March. Florent Geroux has the mount and will break from post position 10.

Society, who won the Cotillion (G1) in September for Asmussen, returned to the races April 8 with a third-place finish in the Madison (G1) going seven furlongs at Keeneland. Jose Ortiz has the mount and will break from post position seven.

Search Results, winner of the 2021 Acorn (G1) and runner-up in that year's Kentucky Oaks, returns to the races off a six-month layoff for trainer Chad Brown. Search Results will break from post two under Flavien Prat.

The field for the La Troienne, with riders from the rail out, is:

1. Played Hard (John Velazquez),
2. Search Results (Prat),
3. Sixtythreecaliber (Edgar Morales),
4. Secret Oath (Gaffalione),
5. Soul of an Angel (Jesus Castanon),
6. Classy Edition (Irad Ortiz Jr.),
7. Society (Jose Ortiz),
8. Desert Dawn (Umberto Rispoli),
9. Pauline's Pearl (Rosario),
10. A Mo Reay (Geroux).

All starters will carry 123 pounds.

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David Miller, Eric Grindley and John Werner's Three Technique, the 36-1 upset winner of the inaugural Knicks Go last year, will face 11 rivals in Saturday's second running of the $175,000 race for 4-year-olds and up going a mile on the main track.

The Knicks Go is the day's sixth race with a 1:14 p.m. post time.

Trained by Jason Cook, Three Technique returned from a five-month layoff by finishing fourth in a 6 ½-furlong sprint last month at Keeneland. Rafael Bejarano has the mount and will break from post seven.

The chief obstacles to a Three Technique repeat are graded stakes winners Masqueparade and Promise Keeper.

FTGGG Racing's Masqueparade, winner of the 2021 Ohio Derby (G3) and third in that summer's Jim Dandy (G2), makes his return to the races off a nine-month layoff for trainer Al Stall Jr. A winner of two of three starts at Churchill Downs, Masqueparade will be ridden by Joel Rosario and break from post two.

Also coming off a similar layoff is Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Rock Ridge Racing's Promise Keeper. Trained by Dallas Stewart, Promise Keeper won the 2021 Peter Pan (G3). Promise Keeper will break from post eight and be ridden by Luis Saez.

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

1. Gulfstream Way (Jarerth Loveberry, 118 pounds),
2. Masqueparade (Rosario, 118),
3. Baby Yoda (Javier Castellano, 118),
4. Perfect Flight (Manny Franco, 120),
5. Surly Furious (Jose Ortiz, 120),
6. Zozos (Florent Geroux, 118),
7. Three Technique (Bejarano, 120),
8. Promise Keeper (Saez, 118),
9. Kneedeepinsnow (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118),
10. Noble Drama (Juan Hernandez, 118),
11. Kupuna (Rey Gutierrez, 118),
12. Caddo River (Tyler Gaffalione, 118).

The post Last Year’s Emotional Knicks Go Winner Three Technique Faces 11 Rivals In 2023 Edition appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lael Stables' Arrest Me Red, winner as the favorite in this race in 2022, headlines a field of 14 for the 29th running of the $500,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Twin Spires Turf Sprint will go as Saturday's seventh race at Churchill Downs with a 1:56 p.m. post time.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Arrest Me Red came off a four-month layoff to finish a close third after a wide trip in the Shakertown (G2) at Keeneland last month. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post 10.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Big Invasion, winner of the William Walker (Listed) here last Derby Week, looms as the top challenger to Arrest Me Red. Trained by Christophe Clement, Big Invasion has posted a 9-7-1-1 record on the grass and he returned to the races after a six-month layoff to win the Silks Run (Listed) at Gulfstream Park to kick off 2023. Joel Rosario has the mount and will break from post four.

The field for the Twin Spires Turf Sprint, with riders and weights from the rail out, is:

1. Nobals (Gerardo Corrales, 121 pounds),
2. Go Bears Go (IRE) (John Velazquez, 121),
3. Evan Sing (Jose Ortiz, 121),
4. Big Invasion (Rosario, 121),
5. Necker Island (Chris Landeros, 121),
6. Bad Beat Brian (Chris Emigh, 121),
7. Nothing Better (Manny Franco, 121),
8. Just Might (Colby Hernandez, 121),
9. Oceanic (Edgar Morales, 121),
10. Arrest Me Red (Irad Ortiz Jr., 121),
11. Motorious (GB) (Flavien Prat, 123),
12. Carotari (Luis Saez, 121),
13. Artemus Citylimits (Tyler Gaffalione, 121),
14. Nobler Reflection (Umberto Rispoli (121).

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