Welcome to Noel Michaels’ Weekend Winners, the place to go for weekend best bets and spot plays from veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer Noel Michaels. Check back every week for a couple of highlighted selections designed to help you cash a few bets and make some money.
Month: June 2023
Belmont Stakes Analysis: It’s ‘Show’ Time
Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) can make some noise at what has to be a terrific price in Saturday's GI Belmont S. He continues to improve with each of his six career starts for trainer Brad Cox, and was a bit unlucky in his last two tries. The handsome gray came up just a nose short with a wide trip after bouncing off rivals down the stretch in the GII Wood Memorial S., then was a respectable fifth after racing too close to a scorching pace in the GI Kentucky Derby.
By the sire of Gun Runner out of a two-time graded stakes-winning Tapit mare going 1 1/8 miles, Hit Show is certainly bred to handle Classic distances. He also gets plenty of stamina from his Canadian champion second dam Milwaukee Appeal (Milwaukee Brew), who hit the board in the GI Alabama S. as well as two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown facing males. Hit Show boasts the right running style for the Belmont and should sit a perfect trip just off the early leaders if he's good enough.
Tapit Trice (Tapit) looks like the one to beat for four-time Belmont winning trainer Todd Pletcher if he can overcome his slow-starting ways in what appears to be a race without a whole lot of pace signed on.
Arcangelo (Arrogate) has come on nicely in his last two, led by a game win in the local prep GIII Peter Pan S., and still has room to take another leap forward while making his two-turn debut.
Sherack Selections: 1-#7 Hit Show (10-1). 2-#2 Tapit Trice (3-1). 3-#3 Arcangelo (8-1).
The post Belmont Stakes Analysis: It’s ‘Show’ Time appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
GISW V. E. Day Arrives At Old Friends
Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky, welcomed V. E. Day this week, the retirement farm said in a release Friday.
The 2014 GI Travers S. hero, V. E. Day (English Channel–California Sunset, by Deputy Minister) came to Old Friends following the death of his owner-breeder Magalen O. Bryant in 2021. Bryant's representative, Johnathan Miller, and her daughter, K. C. Graham, visited Old Friends earlier this year when it was decided that the stallion would retire from stud duty.
“V. E. Day was a courageous Travers winner and we inquired about his post-breeding career last year,” said Michael Blowen, president and founder of Old Friends. “We're very excited that his owner trusts us with her magnificent chestnut.”
Foaled in Kentucky on April 21, 2011, V. E. Day was trained by James Jerkens for Bryant his entire American racing career. After a stint racing in France as a 6-year-old, he retired with $1,044,061 in earnings over 17 career starts.
During his stud career, the stallion stood at Waldorf Farm in New York, Lovacres Ranch near Warner Springs, California and Buck Pond Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.
The post GISW V. E. Day Arrives At Old Friends appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Calmly Bids to Emulate Grand-Dam Zomaradah in Oaks d’Italia Tattersalls
The round of Italian Classics continues on Sunday with the G2 Oaks d'Italia, which this year is sponsored by Tattersalls for the first time.
Hollie Doyle is set to take the ride on the G3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1,000 Guineas) winner Shavasana (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who is trained by Stefano Botti and has been purchased since her Classic success by Katsumi Yoshida.
She will face 13 rivals at San Siro racecourse, including the second and third in the Premio Regina Elena, Estrosa (Ire) (Sioux Nation) and Aquila Reale (GB) (New Bay {GB}).
Peter Schiergen won last year's Oaks d'Italia with Nachtrose (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who is set to run in Saturday's G3 Lester Piggott S. at Haydock, and this year four German-trained runners are declared for the race along with three from France.
Heading the French trio is the Dubawi (Ire) filly Calmly (GB), a winner for King Charles at Kempton in January when trained by John and Thady Gosden but who now races for Team Valor, in whose colours she won the Listed Premio Maria Incisa Della Rochetta in Milan last month. Calmly, whose paternal grand-dam Zomaradah (GB) (Deploy {GB}) won the Oaks d'Italia in 1998, is trained by Jerome Reynier, who also won the G2 Premio Presidente Della Repubblica in Rome with Skalleti (Fr) a day after the filly's victory at San Siro.
With a prize fund of €388,000, there will also be vouchers offered by Tattersalls, for 15,000gns and 7,500gns to the owners of the winner and runner-up respectively.
Commenting on the inaugural sponsorship of the Italian Classic, Tattersalls Chairman Edmond Mahony said, “Tattersalls has a long-standing and hugely valued relationship with Italian racing, and we are delighted to add the Italian Oaks to the Tattersalls portfolio of Classic and Group 1 sponsorships in Europe. Italian buyers have always played a prominent part in the yearling and breeze-up sales at Tattersalls and we are confident that the valuable bonuses will be well received.”
The post Calmly Bids to Emulate Grand-Dam Zomaradah in Oaks d’Italia Tattersalls appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
