Month: July 2023

Rodeo Creek Racing's Grade 1-winner Blazing Sevens will strive to make his Hall of Fame grandsire proud in winning the dual Horse of the Year's namesake race in Friday's $135,000 Curlin going nine furlongs over the main track at Saratoga Race Course.

The event for non-winners of a graded sweepstakes at one mile or over in 2023 honors the 2007-08 Horse of the Year, who became the first North American thoroughbred to reach the $10 million earnings mark.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown, Blazing Sevens is one of three contenders in the race that is sired by Curlin's 2017 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Good Magic, who also was conditioned by Brown.

Brown owns more Curlin conquests than any other trainer with four wins, including in 2016 with Curlin progeny Connect.

Blazing Sevens, who boasts field-best earnings of $895,250, has not raced since a hard-fought second to National Treasure in the Grade 1 Preakness on May 20 at Pimlico Race Course. In the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, Blazing Sevens was wide entering the first turn and stalked the pace down the backstretch before engaging with National Treasure in the stretch drive, coming up a head shy of victory.

Blazing Sevens burst onto the scene with a 6 1/4-length maiden victory on debut last July here before finishing a distant third in the Grade 1 Hopeful at the Spa and capturing the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont at the Big A under Flavien Prat, who will return to the saddle for Friday's race from post 3.

“He's been doing well and it's nice to have the Curlin as an option for him. Flavien is available to ride and I'm happy to have him back on,” Brown said.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will seek to match Brown's four Curlin wins when saddling blue-blooded Lost Ark [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr.].

Owned by Harrell Ventures, the Violence bay is a half-brother to 2022 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest. Lost Ark enters from his sophomore debut on June 9, when besting older allowance company going 1 1/16 miles at Monmouth Park.

Last season, he was an impressive debut winner at Belmont Park before capturing the Sapling at Monmouth. He was a distant sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity in October at Keeneland before being eased in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which was won by stable mate Forte.

“I thought it was good,” Pletcher said of Lost Ark's last effort. “I was always concerned about going in that two-other-than condition with a 3-year-old, but he seemed to handle it pretty well. Hopefully, he set himself up for the Curlin.”

Pletcher said he is hoping to use the Curlin as a stepping stone to bigger races in the latter part of the year.

“We were a little disappointed with how he ended last season because he was training with Forte and holding his own, so we felt like based on his first couple races and the way he was training that he belonged in that group [at the Breeders' Cup] and he didn't quite show up. But, I think he's benefitted from the time off now,” Pletcher said.

Woodford Racing, Lanes End Farm, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone and Edward J. Hudson, Jr.'s Perform [post 1, Jose Ortiz], also a son of Good Magic, enters from a distant sixth in the Preakness for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.

The bay colt finished second to Lost Ark on debut last July before finishing behind Kentucky Derby winner Mage as well as Derby contenders Disarm [fourth] and Raise Cain [eighth] in the maiden ranks. He broke his maiden in his two-turn debut on March 11 at Tampa Bay Downs before capturing the Federico Tesio on April 15 at Laurel Park.

Perform is out of the Tale of Ekati mare Jane Says, whose dam Judy B is a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Mendelssohn, Hall of Famer and four-time Eclipse Award-winner Beholder as well as perennial North American leading stallion Into Mischief.

LNJ Foxwoods Kentucky homebred Scotland [post 4, Junior Alvarado] rounds out the Good Magic-sired trio as he makes his two-turn debut for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who won this event with Hofburg in 2018.

The chestnut gelding came from well off the pace to win on debut going seven furlongs in March at Gulfstream Park before utilizing stalking tactics when second in an April allowance at Keeneland going the same distance. He enters from a head score against winners in June going a one turn mile at Churchill Downs.

Completing the field is Eduardo Soto's Il Miracolo [post 5, Luis Saez], who will look to get back on track after a distant seventh in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 10. Trained by Antonio Sano, the son of Gun Runner went gate-to-wire in his two lifetime wins, both of which took place going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park.

The Curlin is slated as Race 4 on Friday's nine-race program, which also features the Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George in Race 9. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown brings five chances to claim his seventh victory in Friday's Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Brown-trained contenders are led by graded stakes-winner Liguria [post 4, Flavien Prat], who enters from a strong three-quarter-length triumph over stablemate Tax Implications [post 3, Manny Franco] in the one-mile Wild Applause on June 24 at Belmont Park. There, she pounced from four lengths off the pace under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to cross the wire first in a final time of 1:35.01 and earn a career-high 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

The daughter of War Front, owned by Alpha Delta Stables, won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante in December at Del Mar before a five-month respite that ended with a close fifth-place effort in the Grade 2 Edgewood in May at Churchill Downs where she was defeated 1 1/2 lengths by the victorious Heavenly Sunday.

Brown spoke highly of Liguria and said the bay filly ranks among the top of her division.

“She's in top form right now,” Brown said. “She's training outstanding. She's a nice prospect – one of the better 3-year-old turf fillies I think. She's found her form back in the second start of the year and she looks pretty good coming into this race.”

Tax Implications tracked close to Liguria throughout the Wild Applause to duel with her down the lane and come up just shy of victory, garnering an 86 Beyer. Owned by Klaravich Stables, Tax Implications graduated by 6 3/4 lengths on debut going one mile in September at Monmouth Park and closed out her juvenile campaign with a runner-up effort stablemate Implicated in the Chelsey Flower in October at Belmont at the Big A.

“It was her first race off the layoff and she'll improve,” said Brown. “They both ran very well.”

Wise Racing's Revalita [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione] has posted three consecutive strong performances at the graded level for Brown, including a last-out third in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Wonder Again on June 11 at Belmont. The Recoletos French-bred was nine lengths behind the pace through the first quarter-mile, but made up ground throughout under Jose Ortiz to finish just 1 1/4 lengths back of her victorious stablemate Prerequisite.

Revalita, who moved stateside in March after beginning her career in her native France with trainer Joel Boisnard, is in search of her first win since a seven-furlong allowance coup in September over soft turf at Le Lion D'angers in France. She finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride for her American debut in March ahead of a close runner-up effort by the same margin in the Grade 2 Edgewood.

“She's a stakes-level horse that's been knocking on the door,” said Brown. “Cutting back to a mile, we'll have to see if it proves maybe just a tick short for her. She's got a nice turn of foot and she's doing well.”

Rounding out the Brown-trained contingent are a pair of winners for Klaravich Stables in Utilization Rate [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Surge Capacity [post 2, Joel Rosario]. The former arrives from a five-length victory at third asking in a May 27 maiden going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont while the latter garnered an 80 Beyer for a 1 1/2-length debut score in a June 10 maiden tilt going the same distance at Monmouth.

“They're only maiden winners, but both of them won impressively by many lengths and I've always thought a lot of them,” said Brown. “I don't see an allowance race that fits them anywhere or any other stake that I really want to take them to, so those two are entered from limited opportunities. I really do think they're graded stakes-level fillies. I don't know off maiden wins, but it wouldn't surprise me either.”

Siena Farm, Michael Kisber, Peter Deutsch and the Elkstone Group's Queen Picasso looks to double up on graded scores after taking the Grade 3 Soaring Softly on May 27 at Belmont.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the Kingman bay, who is undefeated in two starts, tracked a half-length off the pace in second through first half-mile of the seven-furlong sprint before pouncing with a well-timed cue from Jose Ortiz to kick clear at the top of the stretch and win by two lengths.

Queen Picasso is out of the Danroad mare Aris – a half-sister to multiple group stakes-winner Again – and is a half-sister to multiple group stakes-winner and sire Aclaim.

Ortiz retains the mount from post 1.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle Donald R. Dizney's stakes-winner Princess Bettina [post 9, Dylan Davis] for her second start since moving east from the barn of Peter Eurton this spring. The Will Take Charge filly broke her maiden at third asking in October at Santa Anita and won the Arcadia oval's one-mile China Doll in March for her first triumph against winners.

Princess Bettina made her first outing for Pletcher in the one-mile Penn Oaks on June 2 at Penn National where she tracked in fifth through the first two points of call and improved to third when racing two-wide at the quarter pole, but failed to kick clear down the lane and settled for show honors.

“She's doing well. We didn't exactly get the trip we wanted at Penn,” said Pletcher. “We'll probably employ some different tactics here. She came in to us in excellent condition and she's a pretty easy filly to train. She's enthusiastic without overdoing it and she's been pretty straightforward.”

Completing the field are two-time winners Tryinmyheartout [post 8, John Velazquez] for trainer Jose Camejo and Secret Money [post 10, Javier Castellano] for trainer Brendan Walsh; and the stakes-placed Lil Miss Moonlight [post 6, Luis Saez] for conditioner Timothy Hamm.

The Lake George is slated as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race card, which co-features the $135,000 Curlin in Race 4. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

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Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple Grade 2 winner Wicked Halo headlines a field of seven filly and mare sprinters that entered Sunday's first running of the $125,000 Twin Bridges Stakes at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The six-furlong Twin Bridges was carded as the sixth race on the nine-race card. First post is 11:45 a.m. (all times Central) and the Twin Bridges will go to post at 2:18 p.m.

The ultra-consistent Wicked Halo has won seven of her 14 lifetime starts including victories in the Prioress Stakes (G2) and Raven Run (G2). Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Wicked Halo won her seasonal debut at Oaklawn in the Matron Stakes then was a game runner-up to Matareya in the Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs. Wicked Halo will be ridden by Cristian Torres out of post No. 7.

Another accomplished filly that entered the Twin Bridges was Monarch Stables' five-time stakes winner Last Leaf. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Last Leaf has yet to find the winner's circle in 2023 but sports a narrow runner-up effort to Frank's Rockette in the Roxelana Stakes and a third-place finish to Echo Zulu in the Winning Colors (G3). As a 3-year-old, Last Leaf was victorious at the “Pea Patch” in the Audubon Stakes over fellow Twin Bridges rival Gunning. Jockey Corey Lanerie has the call on Last Leaf from post 3.

Here is the complete field for the Twin Bridges from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Tap Dance Fever (Francisco Arrieta, Bret Calhoun)

2. Gunning (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)

3. Last Leaf (Lanerie, Kenneally)

4. Speedometer (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)

5. Dealing Justice (Martin Garcia, Riley Mott)

6. Non Violence (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun)

7. Wicked Halo (Torres, Asmussen)

The Twin Bridges Stakes is named in honor of the iconic two bridges adjacent to Ellis Park that connect Henderson and Evansville, Ind. over the Ohio River. The construction of the bridges was completed during the Great Depression in 1932 and has undergone several name changes over the last nine decades. So, locals simply call them the “Twin Bridges.”

When the project was nearing completion there were many suggestions on what the name should be including, “The Dade Park Bridges.”

In a 1931 article published by Owensboro, Ky.'s Messenger and Inquirer they stated, “It has been officially decreed that when you approach the Dade Park Bridge over the Ohio River from the south that it will be the 'Henderson-Evansville Bridge' and when approaching from the north it will be labeled the 'Evansville-Henderson Bridge.' Can it be possible that Henderson and Evansville are jealous of Dade Park?”

If fans are heading over the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges (aka the Twin Bridges) to Ellis Park Racing & Gaming Sunday they will be able to enjoy Dollar Days sponsored by the Kentucky HBPA. The day will feature several discounted food and beverage items including $1 hot dogs, chips, ice cream, soft drinks and $2 beer. For more information, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.

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Trainer Greg Foley will attempt to keep his stakes hot streak intact when Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry Stephens' O Besos makes his 5-year-old debut in Saturday's $125,000 Jeff Hall Memorial at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson, Ky.

The 6 ½-furlong Jeff Hall Memorial is slated as Race 8 of 9 with a post time of 3:22 p.m. (all times Central) First post is 11:45 a.m.

O Besos is a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Orb and an alumni of Kentucky Derby 148 where he crossed the wire fifth. The four-time winner finished fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and has been on the sidelines since. As a 3-year-old, O Besos finished third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and second in the Matt Winn (G3). Jockey Corey Lanerie will have the mount from post No. 2.

Last year's Jeff Hall Memorial winner Necker Island will defend his title for his owners The Scherr Boys and trainer Chris Hartman. The eight-time winning son of Hard Spun defeated two rivals last time out in the $225,000 Mighty Beau at Ellis Park, his first victory since last year's Jeff Hall Memorial. In last year's event, Necker Island overcame a tough start and edged clear late of Tut's Revenge for a neck victory. Jockey Mitchell Murrill will be back aboard from post 3.

Another accomplished horse that entered the Jeff Hall Memorial is Here Mi Song. Owned by Nathan Hayden and trained by Billy Stinson Jr., Here Mi Song pulled an 11-1 upset victory in the Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. The 5-year-old gelded son of Cross Traffic sports a solid record of 20-5-7-1 with purse earnings of $599,193. Regular rider Alex Achard will be in the irons from post 9.

Here is the complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Chasing Time (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)

2. O Besos (Lanerie, Foley)

3. Necker Island (Murrill, Hartman)

4. Droppin G's (Luan Machado, Jerry Antonuik)

5. Solidify (Yoel Navas, Juan Cano)

6. Go West (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun)

7. Classier (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kieron Magee)

8. Tut's Revenge (Francisco Arrieta, Shea Stuart)

9. Here Mi Song (Achard, Stinson)

The Jeff Hall Memorial is named in honor of the longtime Director of Racing Operations at Ellis Park who died last year at age 75. Ellis Park recently unveiled the new name for the winner's circle, “The Jeff Hall Winner's Circle.”

For more information about racing and gaming from Ellis Park, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.

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