Month: June 2023

Belmont at Big A Fall Meet Offering 40 Stakes Worth $8.8M

The Belmont at the Big A Fall Meet will offer 40 added-money events worth nearly $8.8 million, officials from the New York Racing Association announced Saturday.

Due to ongoing capital improvements at Belmont Park, the fall meeting will be staged for the second straight season at Aqueduct from Thursday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Oct. 29, and will feature three Grade I events and a half-dozen 'Win and You're In' qualifiers in a variety of Breeders' Cup divisions.

The GIII Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks over 11 furlongs on turf, the final leg of the Fasig-Tipton Fillies Turf Triple, kicks off the stakes action Saturday, Sept. 16, and the program scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30 will feature four graded events, highlighted by the $500,000 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at a mile and four panels on the grass. That card also includes the GII Woodward S., the GII Gallant Bloom S. and the GII Vosburgh S., offering the winner a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. An additional pair of qualifiers are set for Sunday, Oct. 1, both for the juvenile set at 8 1/2 furlongs on turf, the GII Miss Grillo S. for fillies and the GII Pilgrim S. for the boys.

The 'Win and You're In' action continues Saturday, Oct. 7, with the running of the $500,000 GI Champagne S., a Breeders' Cup Juvenile prep, and the filly counterpart, the $400,000 GI Frizette S. The card also includes the GIII Belmont Turf Sprint, the GIII Fasig-Tipton Waya S. and the GIII Jockey Club Derby, shortened from a mile and a half to a mile and three-eighths. The Sunday, Oct. 8, program features the last of the Breeders' Cup qualifiers, the GIII Futurity S., a feeder into the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, as well as the GII Beldame S. and the GIII Matron S.

The one-mile GII Kelso S. has been renamed the Forty Niner S. and will offer the top three finishers all-expenses paid berths into the GI Cigar Mile H. during the Aqueduct fall meeting. The Oct. 28 card also includes the GII Mother Goose S., previously held during the spring/summer meet at Belmont, the Listed Awad S. and the Listed Pumpkin Pie S.

The Belmont at the Big A meeting concludes with Empire Showcase Day, the richest events of which are the Empire Classic and Empire Distaff, each worth $250,000.

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McPeek Double-Handed For ‘Win & You’re In’ Stephen Foster With Smile Happy, Rattle N Roll

Lucky Seven Stable's multiple graded stakes-winning colt Smile Happy headlines an accomplished field of eight older horses entered for next Saturday's 42nd running of the $1-million Stephen Foster (G1) at Ellis Park.

Run at 1 1/8 miles, the Stephen Foster will go as Race 10 of 11 at 4:26 p.m. (CT). First post is 11:45 a.m. The Stephen Foster is the centerpiece of a six pack of stakes events Saturday at the Henderson, Ky. track. The other featured races on the program are the $400,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), the $400,000 Wise Dan (G2), the $225,000 American Derby (Listed), the $225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed), and the $225,000 Tepin.

Smile Happy won his second career Grade 2 contest on Kentucky Oaks Day May 5 at Churchill Downs when he powered home to a two-length score in the Alysheba. As a 2-year-old, Smile Happy was victorious in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) before he tested the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The son of Runhappy qualified for last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) but finished eighth behind Rich Strike. Trained by Kenny McPeek, Smile Happy's 4-year-old record includes an allowance victory and a third-place finish in the Oaklawn Mile (G3). Jockey Corey Lanerie will have the mount aboard Smile Happy in the Stephen Foster and the duo will break from post No. 5.

Another top entrant in the Stephen Foster is Smile Happy's stablemate Rattle N Roll. Also owned by the Mackin Family's Lucky Seven Stables, Rattle N Roll won the $225,000 Blame Stakes (G3) in his most recent start. Prior to his 1 ¼-length score in the Blame, Rattle N Roll was victorious in the Pimlico Special (G3) and Ben Ali Stakes (G3). Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., who has been aboard both Smile Happy and Rattle N Roll in their most recent starts, will have the mount from post 4.

Godolphin's Grade I winner Proxy will ship in to Ellis Park for the Stephen Foster. Trained by Mike Stidham, Proxy narrowly got by Last Samurai to win the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in late April. Among Proxy's other accolades in his career includes a three-quarters of a length win in last fall's Clark Stakes (GI) at Churchill Downs. The well-traveled Proxy has five career wins from 16 starts and has banked earnings of $1,775,970. Joel Rosario will ride Proxy and break from the rail.

Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy achieved Grade I glory two starts ago in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). The speedy son of Shackleford is based in California for trianer Ed Moger Jr. but has traveled to tracks throughout the country including Oaklawn, Prairie Meadows, and Gulfstream Park. Stilleto Boy was the pacesetter in the Oaklawn Handicap but could not hold off Proxy and Last Samurai. Among the other notable victories in Stilleto Boy's include the 2021 Iowa Derby and the 2022 California Stakes (G2). Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux will make the journey from California to Henderson for the mount and break from post 2.

Another horse that could show speed in the Stephen Foster is Gary and Mary West's West Will Power. Trained by Brad Cox, West Will Power dueled on the lead in the Alysheba but gave way late to Smile Happy. Prior to the Alysheba, West Will Power dominated six rivals by 4¾ lengths in the New Orleans Classic (G2) at Fair Grounds. Jockey Flavien Prat will ride the six-time winner from post 6.

The complete field for the Stephen Foster Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Proxy (Joel Rosario, Mike Stidham)

2. Stilleto Boy (Kent Desormeaux, Steve Moger)

3. Speed Bias (Luis Saez, Ron Moquett)

4. Rattle N Roll (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ken McPeek)

5. Smile Happy (Corey Lanerie, Ken McPeek)

6. West Will Power (Julien Prat, Brad Cox)

7. Last Samurai (Cristian Torres, Wayne Lukas)

8. Happy American (James Graham, Neil Pessin)

The Stephen Foster is a “Win and You're In” Challenge Series event for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). The winner of the Stephen Foster will receive an automatic entry to the 2023 running of the Classic and have their pre-entry and entry fees waved along with a travel stipend if they are traveling outside the state of California. The Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at Santa Anita on Nov. 3-4.

The post McPeek Double-Handed For ‘Win & You’re In’ Stephen Foster With Smile Happy, Rattle N Roll appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Belmont At The Big A Fall Meet To Offer 40 Stakes Worth $8.78 Million

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) Saturday announced the stakes schedule for the 28-day 2023 Belmont at the Big A fall meet.

As previously announced, the 2023 Belmont Park fall meet will be conducted at Aqueduct Racetrack due to ongoing major capital improvement projects at Belmont Park. The fall meet will begin on Thursday, September 14 and run through Sunday, October 29 and includes three Grade 1s and six Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” qualifiers. The meet will offer a total of 40 stakes worth $8.78 million in total purses.

The Belmont at the Big A stakes action kicks off on Saturday, September 16 with the 11-furlong Grade 3, $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks, the final leg of the lucrative Fasig-Tipton Fillies Turf Triple for sophomore fillies.

The following week will see the first New York-bred stakes of the meet with the $125,000 John Hettinger for fillies and mares on Friday, September 22, followed by the Grade 3, $150,000 Noble Damsel for fillies and mares and the state-bred $125,000 Ashley T. Cole for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday, September 23. The weekend concludes with a pair of seven-furlong sprints worth $125,000 for state-bred juveniles on Sunday, September 24 in the Bertram F. Bongard and its female counterpart, the Joseph A. Gimma.

Saturday, September 30 features a loaded card of four graded events, including the first Grade 1 of the meet in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on turf. The card is supported by a triad of Grade 2 events in the $400,000 Woodward at nine furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, the $250,000 Gallant Bloom at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares, and the $250,000 Vosburgh, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up that awards the winner a berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint in November at Santa Anita Park as part of the “Win and You're In” series.

The weekend wraps up with two more Grade 2 “Win and You're In” qualifiers on Sunday, October 1 with both events slated for juveniles at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The $200,000 Pilgrim awards a berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf while the $200,000 Miss Grillo for fillies awards a berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Saturday, October 7 provides another stacked card of graded events, led by two Grade 1 “Win and You're In” qualifiers at one-mile for juveniles in the $500,000 Champagne [Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile] and $400,000 Frizette [Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies]. The card is supported by the Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs; the Grade 3, $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya at 1 3/8 miles for fillies and mares; and the Grade 3, $500,000 Jockey Club Derby for sophomores, which will see its distance shortened to 1 3/8 miles from its previously-run distance of 1 1/2 miles.

Graded action continues into the Sunday, October 8 card, including the final “Win and You're In” event of the meet with the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity for juveniles sprinting six furlongs on the lawn in hopes of securing a spot in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. Also featured are the Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame at nine furlongs for fillies and mares; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron for juvenile fillies sprinting six furlongs on the turf.

Saturday, October 28 will offer four stakes, including the Grade 2, $300,000 Forty Niner, which was previously run as the Kelso. The one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up will offer the top-three finishers a free nomination and starting fee in the Grade 2 Cigar Mile to be run during the Aqueduct fall meet. Forty Niner, a multiple Grade 1-winner on the NYRA circuit, captured the 1988 Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga Race Course en route to victory in the inaugural running of the NYRA Mile Handicap which later became the Cigar Mile.

The October 28 card also includes the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies that was previously held during the Belmont spring/summer meet; the Listed $135,000 Awad for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on turf; and the Listed $135,000 Pumpkin Pie for fillies and mares sprinting seven furlongs.

Other graded events slated for the Belmont at the Big A fall meet are the Grade 2, $200,000 Sands Point for sophomore fillies traveling nine furlongs on the grass on October 14; the Grade 3, $150,000 Knickerbocker for 3-year-olds and up at nine furlongs on the grass on October 15; and the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs on October 27.

The fall meet's stakes action concludes on closing day, Sunday, October 29, with Empire Showcase Day, which includes eight New York-bred stakes valued at $1.6 million in total purses. The card is highlighted by two nine-furlong events worth $250,000 in the Empire Classic and its counterpart, the Empire Distaff for fillies and mares. Empire Showcase Day will also include four $200,000 stakes in the Sleepy Hollow, Maid of the Mist, Mohawk and Ticonderoga, along with a pair of $150,000 stakes in the Iroquois and Hudson.

For the complete Belmont at the Big A stakes schedule, visit www.NYRA.com.

The post Belmont At The Big A Fall Meet To Offer 40 Stakes Worth $8.78 Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Sunday Insights: Levon Debuts For Sadler At Los Alamitos

7th-LRC, $45K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 7:05 p.m.
Trainer John Sadler debuts LEVON (Practical Joke) for Talla Racing and Central Dispatch (Arrogate) for Hronis Racing. The stablemates both worked a bullet five furlongs from the gate in :59 1/5 (1/12) at Los Alamitos June 10. The former is a $750,000 KEESEP buy whose dam Gal Factor (The Factor) counts GI Arkansas Derby hero Super Stock (Dialed In) as a half brother. Trainer Bob Baffert will saddle first-time starter Confucius (Candy Ride {Arg}) whose dam Mumtaazah (Tapit) is a half-sister to Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Ginger Brew (Milwaukee Brew) and MGSW Bourbon Bay (Sligo Bay {Ire}). TJCIS PPS

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