Month: July 2023

Grade 1 Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational victress Aspen Grove, bred and co-owned by Glen Hill Farm with Mrs. John Magnier, will look to double up on graded scores in Friday's Grade 3, $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational, a 1 3/16-mile Mellon turf test for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Saratoga Oaks is the middle leg of the Fasig-Tipton Fillies Turf Triple series, which began with Aspen Grove's victory in the 10-furlong Grade 1, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 8 at Belmont Park and concludes with the 11-furlong Grade 3, $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks Invitational on September 16 at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by James “Fozzy” Stack, Aspen Grove took the opening leg of the Turf Triple series with a determined three-quarter-length triumph in the Belmont Oaks, rallying from 4 1/2 lengths under returning pilot Oisin Murphy to collar the pace-setting Prerequisite in the final stages and complete the course in a final time of 2:04.09. She garnered an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, which was her first start outside of Europe.

“She seems like she's done well since her last race,” said Craig Bernick of Glen Hill Farm. “You always worry when they come over how they're going to adapt, but she obviously did fine at Belmont and it's gone according to plan in her training since she's been there. We're looking forward to running her again.”

Bernick said he is hopeful a quicker tempo will develop on Friday.

“I thought she did well in that last race because it was such a slow pace and there were a lot of horses in front of her,” Bernick said. “She did well with that setup. At Saratoga, the race is a little shorter and usually they go a little quicker. Hopefully, there's a truer pace because it's always a better race when there's a good gallop.”

Prior to the Belmont Oaks, Aspen Grove was a Group 3 winner in the Newtownanner Stud Irish EBF in August at The Curragh when ridden by the now-retired Mark Enright. The veteran jockey has helped care for the filly in her travels, and made the journey to both Belmont and Saratoga to help her settle and prepare for her American endeavors.

Bernick praised the work of Enright in managing her care as he assists the Irish-based Stack.

“Mark Enright traveled with the filly and the thought was if she won, Mark would stay with her and handle her for Fozzy in New York for an American campaign,” said Bernick. “Mark has been with her the whole time and she's had a good preparation, so hopefully she'll be able to do it again.”

Murphy will look to engineer a winning ride from post 10.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse holds a strong hand in Belmont Oaks third-place finisher Papilio [post 7, Javier Castellano] and graded stakes-winner Solo Album [post 1, Jose Ortiz].

D.J. Stable, Medallion Racing, Barry Fowler and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Papilio was trained by Stack for her first five races in Ireland, including a close runner-up effort in the Churchill in August at Tipperary. She made her first outing for Casse with a narrow head defeat in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride in March at Gulfstream Park and followed with her first graded triumph by a neck in the Grade 2 Appalachian in April at Keeneland.

“She's kind of unassuming,” said Casse. “But since we got her on the turf down at Palm Meadows, my assistant Nick Tomlinson said, 'This one's pretty good.' We had a pretty good idea before we even ran.”

Papilio entered the Belmont Oaks from close efforts in graded events at Churchill Downs when fourth in the Grade 2 Edgewood and second in the Grade 3 Regret. She stumbled badly at the start of the Oaks, causing Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano to lose an iron and considerable position heading into the first turn. Despite her troubles, Papilio rallied strongly in the final stages to finish third just one length back of Aspen Grove.

“She stumbled so hard and then the pace wasn't extremely fast,” said Casse. “She proved a lot to me that day. It's one thing when you close into a fast pace, but when you have the ability to run past horses like she did around the turn – she had a tremendous turn of foot. She could wind up being a very good horse.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Barber and Steven Rocco's Solo Album took six tries to break her maiden, but passed her first test against winners with flying colors when posting a dominant 6 1/4-length romp in the Grade 3 Selene on July 1 over Tapeta at Woodbine. There, she pounced from sixth-of-9 to coast home under Sahin Civaci and earn a field-best 92 Beyer.

Solo Album has earned both her wins over the Tapeta at Woodbine, and finished off-the-board in her lone outings on dirt and turf. Casse had mulled over a return to dirt for Solo Album in the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on August 19 at the Spa due to its 10-furlong distance, but decided to race the daughter of Curlin on the lawn after a lackluster five-furlong breeze in 1:01.33 over the Spa's main track Wednesday.

“I was considering the Alabama, but I worked her on the dirt and I'm just hoping she's Tapeta and turf,” said Casse. “She definitely is Tapeta. We'll see. She'll enjoy the distance of the Oaks.”

Trainer Joseph O'Brien also brings a pair of contenders in European invaders American Sonja [post 8, Joel Rosario] and Caroline Street [post 2, Tyler Gaffalione], who both make their U.S. debut.

Mark Dobbin's American Sonja finished a game third in the Group 3 Darley Irish EBF Brownstown on July 12 sprinting seven furlongs over good footing at Fairyhouse. The daughter of Tasleet stretches out considerably after making 5-of-7 lifetime outings at sprint distances, her farthest races coming in a pair of one-mile events when winning the Prix Volterra in June at Longchamp and finishing a close fourth in the Group 3 Cornelscourt in May at Leopardstown.

Marc Detampel and Michael Buckley's Caroline Street enters from a distant off-the-board effort in the Group 1 Prix de Diane Longines traveling 1 5/16 miles over good-to-soft footing in June at Chantilly. The No Nay Never dark bay scored two starts back in the 10-furlong Group 3 Blue Wind at Naas and finished a game second to the well-regarded Auguste Rodin in the Group 3 KPMG Champions Juvenile in September at Leopardstown.

Courtlandt Farm's Allamericanbeauty looks to return to the win column for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey on the heels of a troubled fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Wonder Again on June 11 at Belmont. The daughter of Into Mischief was forced to steady heading into the first turn of the nine-furlong route and could not make up enough ground late to reel in the victorious Prerequisite.

McGaughey said some immaturity may have contributed to Allamericanbeauty's traffic troubles last out, prompting him to add blinkers for Friday's engagement.

“I thought her last race was pretty good,” said McGaughey. “She's still a little green and was looking around a little bit. I put blinkers on her and I think that – and racing – will help. In the morning, she can still be a little bit green and get to looking at things. I think the blinkers and the distance will help her.”

Allamericanbeauty was a winner two starts back in a first-level allowance at Keeneland where she rallied from 10th-of-11 to land a determined half-length victory under Frankie Dettori. Her other try at graded level was an even fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks in March at Tampa Bay Downs.

Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez picks up the mount from post 5.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables' Selenaia streaks in off three victories for conditioner Jonathan Thomas, including a last-out score in the Grade 3 Honeymoon on June 10 at Santa Anita Park. The daughter of Sea the Moon graduated at second asking in September and followed with a tidy 1 3/4-length allowance score eight months later at Horseshoe Indianapolis ahead of her stakes debut in the Honeymoon.

Thomas said Selenaia's positive works off the layoff and her allowance coup prompted him to try her in stakes company in the Honeymoon, where she bested seven rivals by 3 1/4 lengths under Joe Bravo.

“She's kind of been touting herself for the last couple of months and she put a couple of very good works together and it gave us enough confidence to put her on a plane and go to Santa Anita,” said Thomas. “Thankfully, she showed up. I like the fact that she's got the ability to rate and finish it.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has been tasked with the ride from post 9.

Completing the talented field are Group 1-placed Elusive Princess [post 3, Flavien Prat] for conditioner Jean-Philippe Dubois; the Phil Bauer-trained stakes-winner Xigera [post 4, Julien Leparoux]; the multiple graded stakes-placed Saffie Joseph, Jr. trainee Honor D Lady [post 6, Manny Franco]; and two-time winner Strikingly Spun [post 11, Luis Saez] for trainer Joe Sharp.

The Saratoga Oaks is slated as Race 7 on Friday's 11-race program, which also features the Grade 2, $500,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in Race 8. 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/.

The post Belmont Oaks Winner Aspen Grove May Face ‘Truer Pace’ Test In Friday’s Saratoga Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will send out three top contenders in Appraise, Mischievous Angel, and Carl Spackler as he looks for a record-equaling seventh score in Friday's Grade 2, $500,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomores at Saratoga Race Course.

Brown, who is one victory shy of Hall of Famer Bill Mott's record, has enjoyed previous success in this event with Big Blue Kitten [2011], Takeover Target [2015], Camelot Kitten [2016], Bricks and Mortar [2017], Raging Bull [2018] and Public Sector [2021].

Klaravich Stables' Appraise [post 3, Flavien Prat], by Kodiac, graduated in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint here last July ahead of a fourth-place finish in the Skidmore that August over firm Spa turf. He finished a distant second to returning rival Mysterious Night in the Grade 1 Summer, a one-turn mile in September at Woodbine Racetrack to close out his juvenile campaign.

“We rested him last year with sore shins after the race in Canada and the horse came back fine. We were just patient with him,” Brown said. “He's grown a bit and I'm really pleased with the way the horse has developed physically.”

Appraise made a triumphant seasonal debut on July 8 at Belmont, posting a prominent three-quarter length score in a seven-furlong turf allowance versus older company that garnered a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I was very pleased with it and he came back fitter and stronger from the race,” Brown said. “I think he's set up to do fine. I do believe he'll handle the two turns no problem.”

Peter Brant and Parkland Thoroughbreds' impressive maiden winner Mischievous Angel [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] pounced to a three-quarter length debut win in a six-furlong maiden special weight on June 17 over firm Belmont green. The stylish score garnered a lofty 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He only has the one start at a sprint. He has to handle two turns, so we'll see,” Brown said. “His number was very fast, so I gave him time from that race to get over it and just pointed him right to a stakes – primarily because he can run against straight 3-year-olds.”

The Kentucky-bred Into Mischief gelding, a $600,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase, is out of the New York-bred Scat Daddy mare Sabrina's Angel, who is a half-sister to Empire State-bred 2018 Grade 1 Florida Derby-winner Audible.

The well-regarded Carl Spackler [post 10, Tyler Gaffalione] lost a heartbreaker in his January debut traveling 1 1/16-miles over firm Gulfstream turf, taking the lead at the stretch call only to be collared by eventual Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational-winner Far Bridge in the final jumps.

The Lope de Vega chestnut exited that effort to graduate by 8 3/4-lengths traveling one mile over the same course ahead of a last-out eighth in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 American Turf on May 6 at Churchill.

“He's a horse we've always been very high on. He went to Churchill and didn't handle the turf at all,” Brown said. “He came out of the race sick and I had to rest him a little bit and get him healthy. He came back training well. The prize money is big this year, so we're going to just take a shot.”

Carl Spackler is out of the graded stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Zindaya, who is a half-sister to 2011 Grade 1 Jamaica Handicap-winner Western Aristocrat.

Courtlandt Farms' General Jim [post 6, Luis Saez], a dual graded-stakes winner on dirt, will switch back to turf for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

The Into Mischief bay posted his first two wins traveling 1 1/16-miles over turf, graduating at second asking in September at Saratoga ahead of a sharp allowance score one month later at Keeneland. General Jim made his next four starts on dirt, taking the seven-furlong Grade 3 Swale in February at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile in May at Churchill Downs.

He enters Friday's one-mile inner-turf test for sophomores from a distant sixth-place finish in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun on June 10 at Belmont Park.

“He broke his maiden here on the turf and he was very impressive in an 'a other than' at Keeneland, so why not,” McGaughey said.

McGaughey said he expects Luis Saez will be able to engineer a close stalking trip when they exit post 6.

“He's got speed, too. He'll be laying up close,” McGaughey said.

General Jim has breezed three times over the Oklahoma training turf, including a half-mile move in 52.34 on Friday.

“He breezed good and galloped out good,” McGaughey said.

The $850,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the stakes-placed Curlin mare Inspired by Grace, a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner Off the Tracks and a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Concord Point.

Godolphin's Irish-homebred Mysterious Night [post 8, Richie Mullen] has finished off-the-board in two starts since taking the Grade 1 Summer last year at Woodbine for trainer Charlie Appleby.

The Dark Angel gelding finished seventh in the one-mile Group 3 Craven in April at Newmarket as the wagering favorite and followed on June 24 with a 12th-place effort in the seven-furlong Group 3 Jersey at Royal Ascot.

Mysterious Night, out of the Shamardal mare Mistrusting, is a full-brother to the Godolphin/Appleby-campaigned Althiqa, who won a pair of Grade 1s in 2021 on the NYRA circuit, taking the Just a Game at Belmont and the Diana at Saratoga. He will add blinkers for his Spa debut.

“He's looking really well,” said Chris Connett, Appleby's travelling assistant. “He's a Grade 1 winner at two and had two runs in the UK which have been slightly below par from what we'd like, but bringing him to America and get him on to quicker ground around the turns might just be where he really thrives. That's what we saw a from him as a 2-year-old in Canada.”

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented by Bat Flip [post 2, Jose Ortiz], who makes his first start since a prominent score on November 26 in the Central Park traveling one-mile over firm Aqueduct turf.

“It's kind of a tall order off the bench, but we like the way he's been training,” Pletcher said. “He seemed to really take to the grass and we're really pleased with that, so we thought we'd give him a chance. He just had a little hiccup where we had to stop on him for a while, but he's come back in great form.”

Owned by Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing, the Good Magic colt made his first two starts on dirt before a runner-up finish to next-out graded stakes-winner and returning rival Nagirroc in September over firm Belmont at the Big A turf. He entered the Central Park from a gate-to-wire maiden win in October traveling 1 1/16-miles over the same course, besting eventual Grade 2 Pennine Ridge-winner Kalik by 1 3/4-lengths.

Cherie DeVaux will saddle More Than Looks [post 1, John Velazquez], last-out winner of the Grade 3 Manila on July 7 at Belmont Park, for owner Victory Racing Partners.

The More Than Ready colt, bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms, was purchased for $135,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the stakes-winning Harlan's Holiday mare Ladies' Privilege, who is a full-sister to multiple graded stakes-winner Takeover Target – winner of the 2015 edition of the Hall of Fame. His third dam, Critical Crew, produced multiple Grade 1-winning New York-bred Critical Eye.

More Than Looks graduated at second asking in March over the Gulfstream Park synthetic, besting next-out winner Hidden Path, who is entered in Saturday's Dueling Grounds Derby at Ellis Park.

The dark bay bested older allowance company in June at Ellis Park, rallying from seventh to post a neck score ahead of a strong 1 1/2-length win in the one-mile Manila that garnered a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Nagirroc [post 7, Manny Franco], trained by Graham Motion for Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables and William Strauss, was a pacesetting third last out in the Manila.

The Lea colt made the grade in the six-furlong Grade 3 Futurity in October at Belmont at the Big A ahead of a good third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf traveling one-mile at Keeneland.

Nagirroc has hit the board in all three starts this year, finishing second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland ahead of a prominent 3 1/4-length score in the one-mile James W. Murphy on May 20 at Pimlico.

Bred in Kentucky by Chervenell Thoroughbreds, Nagirroc boasts a record of 8-3-2-3 for purse earnings of $407,550.

Graded stakes-placed Behind Enemy Lines [post 9, Joel Rosario] will look to avenge a narrow defeat to Major Dude last out on June 2 in the Grade 2 Penn Mile.

Trained by Jack Sisterson, the Sioux Nation colt made the lead at the stretch call of the Penn Mile but could not stave off the bid of Major Dude, who prevailed by three-quarters of a length.

The British-bred bay launched his career in Ireland for trainer Joseph O'Brien, winning at second asking over the Dundalk synthetic. He made a winning debut in April for Sisterson, taking the 7 1/2-furlong Cutler Bay by two lengths ahead of a troubled sixth in the 1 1/16-mile American Turf on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

Sisterson said Behind Enemy Lines, who has trained forwardly with six follow-up breezes over the Oklahoma training turf, will look for a similar trip as the Penn Mile with Joel Rosario taking over the reins.

“He'll break running. He doesn't want to be on the lead because he might race a bit free, so Joel will probably have him forwardly placed just behind the leaders and hopefully get a jump on the closers,” Sisterson said.

Rounding out a competitive field is European invader Ocean Vision [post 4, Oisin Murphy] for trainer Tim Donworth.

The U S Navy Flag bay, who sports a ledger of 10-4-0-2, enters from a solid effort on June 11 in the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac over good-to-soft going at Longchamp when dead-heating for fifth with Group 1-winner Belbek.

Donworth, a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start program, garnered his first listed stakes success when Ocean Vision captured the Prix de la Vallee d'Auge in August at Deauville.

The Hall of Fame is slated as Race 8 on Friday's 11-race card which also features the Grade 3, $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational in Race 7. 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/.

The post Chad Brown Will Saddle Three In Friday’s National Museum Of Racing Hall Of Fame Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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