Month: June 2023

Led by Cruzeiro do Sul (Brazilian Derby, G1) winner Raptor's (BRZ) and multiple Group stakes-winning mare High Wire (BRZ), both trained by Luis Esteves, a field 18 runners, including seven Group 1 winners, has been entered in the Grande Premio Brasil (G1) June 18 at Hipodromo da Gavea in Rio de Janeiro. The winner of Sunday's 1 1/2-mile race will earn an automatic starting position into the US$4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) via the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

Now in its 16th season, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Raptor's, a 3-year-old Haras Do Morro homebred by Hat Trick (JPN), made his biggest career score last time out at Gavea. Sent off as the 6-5 favorite April 16 in the 1 1/2-mile Brazilian Derby, Raptor's took command on the turn for home and powered to a 4 3/4-length victory over To Sir With Love (BRZ) for his first career Group 1 win. Raptor's earned his first Group stakes win by taking the 1-mile Frederico Lundgren (G3) at Gavea last December. He started in two other Group 1 events this year at Gavea, finishing second Feb. 12 by 1 1/2 lengths in the 1-mile Estadio do Rio de Janeiro, and fourth March 12 in the 1 1/4-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado.

High Wire has dominated female competition at Gavea, winning five of her last six starts for Stud HRN, all at the 1 1/4 mile distance. A 4-year-old by Agnes Gold (JPN) out of the English Channel mare Fly by Wire (BRZ), she has 8 wins from 19 starts. As the odds-on favorite in her first two outings this year, High Wire won a March 12 stakes race by 7 3/4 lengths and followed up that performance with a 5 1/2-length win in the April 12 Riboletta (G3) over a heavy course. Should her connections decide not to challenge males on Sunday, High Wire has also been entered in the Grand Premio Roberto and Nelson Seabra (G1) on Saturday at Gavea.

Esteves has entered three more Grande Premio Brasil starters, including Stud Verde's 4-year-old Online (BRZ), who has also won his last three starts. A mark of versatility and consistency, this son of Agnes Gold has won seven races at distances ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/2 miles, and has finished in the money in eight of his last nine starts. His only off the board finish came in last year's Grande Premio Brasil, when he trailed the field of 10 runners. Online won his first Group 1 in March of 2022, taking the 1 1/2-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado at Gavea. This year he has earned two minor stakes victories at 1 mile and at 12 furlongs, the latter a 2 3/4-length win over Jet Class (BRZ) April 16 at Gavea.

Esteves's two other starters are Stud HRN's 5-year-old Olympic Kremlin (BRZ), who won the 2021 Cruzeiro do Sul (G1), and Stud Red Rafa's 5-year-old Osprey (BRZ), runner-up in the May 21 Nove de Maio (G2) over the course and 1 1/2-mile distance.

Haras Phillipson's veteran 6-year-old Nao Da Mais (BRZ), making his 31st start, has raced in Argentina, Brazil, England, and France. Trained by Antonio Barbosa, the son of T.A. Approval has won four Group 1 stakes, the biggest of them being the 2019 Carlos Pellegrini-International (G1) in Argentina. After racing in England in 2022, Nao Da Mais made his return race in Brazil May 7 at Cidade Jardim in Sao Paulo, finishing second by a nose to Doutor Sureno (BRZ) in the 1 1/2-mile Clasico Sao Paolo (G1). He has won six of 19 starts on turf.

Stud Angel's 4-year-old King Four (BRZ) will be trying the turf again after making his last six starts on dirt. Trained by Estanislau Petrochinski, King Four has a strong American racing connection. His sire, Siphon (BRZ), won eight races in the United States, including the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) for Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally. His broodmare sire, Val Royal (FR), won the 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). King Four won his seventh race in his 2023 debut May 7, taking the listed 1 3/8-mile Delegacoes Turfisticas at Cidade Jardim.

Haras Doce Vale's homebred To Sir With Love, a 3-year-old by My Cherie Amour (BRZ), has finished first or second in his last four races, and has made all eight of his starts at Gavea. Trained by Venancio Nahid, To Sir With Love will be trying Group 1 competition for the sixth time. To Sir With Love broke his maiden at 7 furlongs last May, and won again in the 1 1/4-mile Sandpit (G3) in November. He opened 2023 with a 5-length stakes win Feb. 5 going 10 furlongs, and then was second March 12 in the 1 1/2-mile Francisco Eduardo de Paula Machado (G1) before his runner-up finish to Raptor's in the Cruzeiro do Sul.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Grande Premio Brasil to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita Park. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.

The post Breeders’ Cup Challenge: High-Class Field Lines Up For Grande Premio Brasil appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A handful of US raiders targeting Royal Ascot were also on show at the National Stud Friday morning, including Classic Causeway (Kenneth McPeek) who is set to run in the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes and George Weaver's two juveniles, No Nay Mets and Crimson Advocate.

G2 Norfolk Stakes contender No Nay Mets is a son of 2013 Norfolk Stakes winner No Nay Never and is entered in the Goffs London Sale on Monday. He made an impressive debut in a Royal Ascot qualifier at Gulfstream Park last month.

Weaver's assistant Blair Golen said: “Since he has been here, No Nay Mets has settled in nicely. We have just been getting him accustomed to things. Everything we run on in America is pretty much flat, so we have been taking him out on the seven-furlong stretch here to get him used to things.

“We have come here to win. In American racing, there is very rarely a big field, so that is a big challenge. Luckily, we have Frankie Dettori riding him and, if anybody knows how to ride the course, it is definitely him. So I think that is to our advantage. It means everything to have him riding and, if that makes Wesley Ward jealous, then even better!”

No Nay Mets is owned by Alex Bregman, the Houston Astros All Star third baseman, who heads Bregman Family Racing LLC.

Crimson Advocate seized complete command of Gulfstream Park's Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies on May 13, giving trainer George Weaver a sweep of the two Royal Ascot qualifying stakes. 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 after his wins on May 13. “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.”

The post ‘We Have Come Here To Win’: George Weaver’s Juveniles No Nay Mets, Crimson Advocate Ready For Royal Ascot appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Co-trainer Sam Freedman believes that Artorius is the one to beat in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, the highlight on the final day of Royal Ascot.

Artorius came from near last to dead-heat for third in the six-furlong showpiece 12 months ago and arrives on the back of two excellent performances so far this year.

The Australian challenger registered a second G1 success in the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick on 4th March and was only three-quarters of a length behind Anamoe when fourth in the G1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill two weeks later.

Speaking from Charlie Fellowes' yard in Newmarket this morning, Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Anthony, said: “Artorius travelled over well. He only lost 4kg on the flight, whereas last year he lost 9kg, and he has put on 6 or 7kg since he arrived in Newmarket last Thursday night – he is thriving. He had a little blow on the watered gallop on Tuesday morning, not a lot just quickening up a furlong, and tomorrow morning he will do his main bit of work at Ascot – that is the plan eight days out.

“He is definitely stronger than last year and has come back a better horse. He was probably not going as well last year on the back of the carnivals. We stretched him out over seven and a half furlongs when he met Anamoe last time and he was beaten only three quarters of a length. Previous to that, he had won a Group One over six and a half furlongs and what you will see, hopefully, in his run is a little more practical speed. I am not suggesting that he is going to be up near the pace or anything like that but, hopefully, if he can be three or four lengths closer than 12 months ago, it will help. That is what we have been trying to work on for the past 12 months.

“We knew we needed to work on his speed from the gate before last year, but we thought it was a real balancing act to get him to relax and in his comfort zone. Since that run, we have done a lot of work with him to see if he could still finish off riding him a lot closer and he did that when winning a Group One two starts back. It is something we have consciously been working on and, at the level we are going to be racing at in this race, being the best sprint race in Europe, you can't afford to be giving 12 lengths with a couple of furlongs to go – you are probably not going to pick them up.”

Artorius is the ante-post favorite for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, with Hong Kong raider Wellington, Highfield Princess and Kinross heading the likely opposition.

Freedman said: “If you look at the form, he looks to be the horse with the best credentials. Wellington has good form in Hong Kong and we would consider him a danger, but I think our horse has improved into his 4-year-old season.

“Artorius is a versatile horse – he is not a five-furlong horse but has placed in a Group One over a mile. I think a stiff six furlongs with a stiff tempo is ideal and, at the end of that as you saw last year, he really comes into his own.

“I am not so concerned about the opposition, but more where he will end up and where he will get to in the run. I am confident taking on any of the sprinters in the world, but it is a case of getting the right transit and a bit of luck.”

James McDonald has been booked to ride Artorius, with Jamie Spencer having partnered the colt in all three European starts last year.

Freedman explained: “James McDonald has done a bit of work with him at home and knows the horse pretty well. He has been keen to get on the horse for a while.

“We offered the ride to Zac Purton but he is trying to break the record in Hong Kong and next port of call was always going to be Jay Mac. That is not to say that Jamie Spencer didn't ride him correctly last year – he rode to instructions and rode him very well.

“I think Zac would be pretty confident that Artorius would be the horse to beat over here if you were going to line him up against Wellington. I would not swap him for anything.

“I am a bit more relaxed than last year and not under as much pressure. He is a lot shorter in the market and there is a bit more expectation but last year it was the unknown and whether he was going to measure up – this year we know he is good enough.

“The trainer probably always wants him to stay another season and I would love to take him home for the Everest if we were given that opportunity. He has just got better and better with a bit of age. He was a Group One winner at two, at three he was excellent, and he is getting even better at four. The decision would be up to the owners.”

The post Royal Ascot: Favored Australian Raider Artorius Has Improved Gate Speed Ahead Of This Year’s QEII Jubilee appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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