Month: May 2023

Laurel Park-based Doppelganger, who became a Grade 1 winner with his upset triumph in the Carter Handicap April 8 at Aqueduct, continues to train forwardly in Maryland for an anticipated next start in the Met Mile (G1) June 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Doppelganger, who shares several common owners with 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) winner National Treasure, has breezed three times at Laurel since the seven-furlong Carter including a bullet five furlongs in 1:01.60 Wednesday, the fastest of 12 horses.

“Since the Carter, he's quite sharp,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He thinks he's a bear. Each race, each win, he seems to get higher on himself.”

Previously trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, 4-year-old Doppelganger ran second in the 2022 San Felipe (G2) and fourth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and went to the sidelines after a fourth in the Los Alamitos Derby last July. He has put together three consecutive wins for Russell including Jan. 27 and Feb. 24 allowances at Laurel, respectively going 1 1/16 miles and one mile.

“The time did him some good. We gave him some time and he's developed into a nice little horse,” Russell said. “He ran well in the Carter. He got a perfect set-up. I'm not convinced he's strictly one turn. That's not at all what I think he's capable of.”

Russell and the connections – SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable and Siena Farm – nominated and gave some consideration to the historic Pimlico Special (G3) May 19, contested at the Preakness distance of 1 3/16 miles, but opted to wait for the Met Mile.

“We always thought he could handle two turns. I ran him off the bench two turns in an a-other-than and he handled it well, but there's a different scenario when you're talking stakes horses and graded-stakes,” Russell said. “You don't want to go and try him at a mile and three-sixteenths and then cut him back 21 days later. We were thinking Special, but if we want[ed] Special we were going to kill the idea of the Met Mile. If he's a Grade 1 horse and he's going to be a better miler, that's the way we've got to go.”

Doppelganger provided both Russell and jockey Jevian Toledo with their first career Grade 1 victories in the Carter. Russell's first graded-stakes win also came at Belmont with Wondrwherecraigis in the 2021 Bold Ruler (G3), with Luis Saez up.

“We need to pick a path and stay with it and we feel like one turn right now is probably the best way to go,” Russell said. “Yes, it's going to be tough up there but as good as he's doing, we're going to take a big swing.”

The post ‘We’re Going To Take A Big Swing’: Russell Aims Doppelganger Toward Met Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Keeneland-based trainer Wesley Ward, who has 12 wins at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in England, on Friday sent out a group of horses he's planning to race there next month for half-mile works over a turf course labeled “good” at the Lexington, Ky., track. Among them were returning Royal Ascot contenders Love Reigns (IRE) and Twilight Gleaming (IRE) along with American Rascal, a 2-year-old colt by Curlin who is the first foal out of European superstar Lady Aurelia, trained by Ward, and the juvenile colt Fandom (GB). All owned by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables, the four horses captured races during Keeneland's Spring Meet in April.

Royal Ascot will take place June 20-24.

Friday's work was the first on grass for American Rascal, who opened his career April 20 with a 10¼-length win while racing 4 ½ furlongs on dirt. Ridden by Joel Rosario in that race, he was timed in :51.21, the fastest of the meet at the distance.

Ward, the Spring Meet's leading trainer with 12 wins, was pleased with the's effort from American Rascal (clocked in :50), whose workmate, Fandom (:49.60), won his April 27 debut on dirt by 6 ¾ lengths. (Click here for a video of the work.)

“Julio (Garcia) was on him,” Ward said about American Rascal. “I wanted him to work nice and relaxed. Today was an ultra-impressive workout.”

Ward intends to race American Rascal in the June 22 Norfolk (G2) but has not determined the Royal Ascot race for Fandom.

Ward said he thought American Rascal's talent would transfer to turf because of the success of Lady Aurelia, a daughter of Scat Daddy who won the 2016 Queen Mary (G2) and 2017 King's Stand (G1) at Royal Ascot and received the Cartier Racing Award as Europe's 2-year-old filly of the year.

“To look at this horse, he's all speed,” Ward said. “He looks like a running back: muscles on muscles, very compact. Just excited to see the next couple of works here. As long as all goes well, we're heading to the Norfolk and we're really excited about it.”

Working in company were Twilight Gleaming (:50) and Love Reigns (:50.40). (Click here for a video of the work.)

Twilight Gleaming, who won the April 15 Giant's Causeway (L) under Irad Ortiz Jr., at 2 in 2021 was second in the Queen Mary, won a stakes at Deauville in France and took the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) at Del Mar.

Love Reigns, who won the FanDuel Limestone (L) on April 14 with Rosario aboard, was fourth in the 2022 Queen Mary.

“Those were two nice works as well,” Ward said. “Julio (on Twilight Gleaming) broke off quite a bit behind Love Reigns and made up the ground down the lane, just comfortably. They finished together at the wire.”

Twilight Gleaming is being pointed to the June 20 King's Stand (G1), while Love Reigns could race in the June 23 Commonwealth Cup (G1).

Ward said he plans to send six horses to Royal Ascot. They include Three Chimneys Farm's Bundchen (:51.40), a 2-year-old filly by Gun Runner who worked today in company with Lael Stables' Arrest Me Red (:51), who is being pointed at the June 10 Jaipur (G1) at Belmont Park. (Click here for a video of the work.)

His remaining Royal Ascot candidate is Ed and Susie Orr's Candymaker, a 2-year-old Twirling Candy colt who won his debut four days ago on the turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Turf works at Keeneland are scheduled for the next two Fridays. Ward said his Royal Ascot squad would depart Indianapolis June 14 on a direct flight to London Stansted Airport. They will spend several days at nearby Chelmsford Racecourse before moving to Ascot.

Ward said Ortiz and Rosario will have Royal Ascot mounts on the horses they have been riding.

The post Ward’s Royal Ascot Arsenal Preps Over Keeneland Turf Course appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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