Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Thursday, August 10
Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Thursday's meetings at Nottingham, Chepstow, Sandown, Brighton, Salisbury and Yarmouth.
Month: August 2023
Mott ‘Just Hoping For Good Weather’ With Title Defender Casa Creed In Fourstardave
LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed will take on a pair of multiple graded stakes winners in Annapolis and Emmanuel as he attempts to protect his title in Saturday's 39th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap going one mile over the Saratoga Race Course inner turf.
The Fourstardave is a “Win And You're In” qualifier, offering an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile in November at Santa Anita Park.
Casa Creed, who sports field-high earnings of $2,185,308, boasts a 5-3-0-2 record over the Spa turf. The 7-year-old Jimmy Creed bay's winning form at Saratoga includes triumphs in the 2019 Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame as well as the Grade 3 Kelso last out on July 15, where he raced to the outside of Annapolis down the backstretch before launching his bid around the far turn en route to a one-length victory. In last year's Fourstardave, Casa Creed bested eventual Champion Female Turf Horse Regal Glory by 1 1/2 lengths after finishing third in the prior two runnings.
A win in the Fourstardave would give Casa Creed a pair of dual victories in a Grade 1 on the NYRA circuit. He captured back-to-back editions of the Grade 1 Jaipur going six furlongs at Belmont Park in 2021-22 before finishing third to reigning Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel in this year's renewal on June 10.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said Casa Creed, who finished a close second in the Group 3 1351 Turf Sprint in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia, continues to train with vigor.
“He hasn't missed any days. He's been to the track, he's had a couple of nice works. We're just hoping for good weather,” Mott said. “He's one of those horses that really takes good care of himself. He's just in a good cycle. I guess he likes this time of year.”
Bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud, Casa Creed was a $105,000 purchase at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is out of the unraced Bellamy Road mare Achalaya, whose New York-bred yearling filly by Authentic sold for $725,000 to Live Oak Plantation at Day 2 of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale.
Luis Saez will pilot Casa Creed, who will carry 125 pounds, from post 6.
Bass Racing's Kentucky homebred Annapolis will attempt to turn the tables on Casa Creed as one of two Fourstardave aspirants for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.
The 4-year-old son of War Front raced to the inside of Casa Creed and fanned 4-to-5 wide around the far turn but could not reel in the winner in deep stretch. He entered the Kelso from a triumphant seasonal debut when defeating stakes-winner Churchtown by a head in the May 4 Opening Verse at Churchill Downs.
Annapolis enjoyed a prosperous sophomore campaign, which included a victory against elders in the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile in October at Keeneland, defeating Grade 1 winner Ivar and 2020 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Order of Australia. He won the Grade 3 Saranac prior to the Coolmore Turf Mile and was second to multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Nations Pride in last year's Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational.
Pletcher expressed hope that Annapolis can work out a more favorable trip when attempting his second Grade 1 conquest.
“We just didn't get away great. We got bottled up in the first turn and Casa Creed got the jump on us,” Pletcher said. “We were able to get to him late. This time, we'd like to get free a little bit sooner.”
Annapolis is full-brother to stakes-placed Nevisian Sunrise and is out of the Grade 1-placed dual surface star My Miss Sophia, whose half-brother Materiality won the Grade 1 Florida Derby in 2015.
Pletcher will also saddle WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's Emmanuel, who enters from two month's rest after winning the Grade 3 Poker on June 10 at Belmont Park and earned a career-high 100 Beyer Speed Figure. The dual surface winning son of More Than Ready was previously a close third in the Grade 3 Dinner Party on May 21 at Pimlico Race Course.
The bay colt sports a consistent 5-3-0-1 record this season, which kicked off with victories in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay in February and the Grade 3 Canadian Turf in March at Gulfstream Park. His only off-the-board effort this year took place when a distant seventh in the Grade 1 Marker's Mark Mile in April at Keeneland.
“He's doing well. We ran him back in three weeks following the Pimlico race, so we wanted to give him a little freshening for this race,” Pletcher said. “He's pretty versatile in his running style so we'll see how the field shapes up.”
Emmanuel initially contested dirt, winning his first two career starts and finishing third in the Grade 1 Blue Grass last April at Keeneland behind Zandon and Smile Happy before capturing his turf debut in last year's Grade 2 Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park.
Emmanuel, a $350,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the unraced Hard Spun mare Hard Cloth – a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Hawkbill and Free Drop Billy, a Grade 1 winner on dirt.
Current meet leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Annapolis [124 pounds] from post 4, while Emmanuel [121 pounds] will leave from post 1 in rein to Jose Ortiz.
Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse captured nonconsecutive runnings of the Fourstardave with multiple Grade 1-winning distaffer Got Stormy [2019, 2021] and will saddle three contenders for this year's running.
Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel and Peter Deutsch's Ice Chocolat [post 7, Joel Rosario, 118 pounds] brags the most graded stakes form of the Casse bunch and enters from a fourth in the Kelso. The Brazilian-bred Goldikovic 5-year-old was a close second in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier on May 14 over the all-weather surface at Woodbine Racetrack three starts back and was runner-up in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road on November 27 over the same course.
Gary Barber's My Sea Cottage [post 3, Dylan Davis, 114 pounds] will see a boost in class, entering from a local starter allowance score on July 13 going the Fourstardave distance. The Irish-bred Shalaa 5-year-old has yet to contest a graded stake, but has finished no worse than third in his previous seven starts.
Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber's Full Screen [post 2, Manny Franco, 115 pounds] will race with blinkers off in his second start for Casse, arriving from a fifth in a local one-mile allowance optional claimer on July 20. The Ontario-bred Big Screen dark bay won Woodbine's Elgin last August and Lake Ontario in November for his previous conditioner Julie Belhumeur.
Rounding out the field is the Naipaul Chatterpaul owned and trained So High [post 5, Ruben Silvera, 116 pounds], who races with cheek pieces off following a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 United Nations on July 22 at Monmouth Park.
The Fourstardave honors the “Sultan of Saratoga” who was best known for winning at least one race at the Spa every year from 1987-1994 in a racing career that featured 100 starts. Trained by Leo O'Brien and owned by Richard Bomze and Bernard Connaughton, Fourstardave was a 10-time winner at Saratoga, with five of those races taking place on the turf, including two editions of the West Point and back-to-back editions of his namesake race in 1990-91, which at the time was run as the Grade 3 Daryl's Joy.
The Fourstardave is carded as Race 9 on Saturday's 11-race program, which also includes the $150,000 Galway in Race 7 and the Grade 2, $200,000 Herb Moelis Saratoga Special 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 Mott ‘Just Hoping For Good Weather’ With Title Defender Casa Creed In Fourstardave appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Runaway Maiden Winner Rhyme Schemes Headlines Saturday’s Saratoga Special
Pura Vida Investments' impressive maiden winner Rhyme Schemes will look to take it to another level in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Herb Moelis Memorial Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Norm Casse, the Ghostzapper chestnut garnered a field-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating with a frontrunning 9 1/2-length romp at second asking on June 15 at Ellis Park in a key race that produced next-out winners Pass the Hat, Timberlake, and Beaudacious Colton.
Casse said he was expecting a good effort from Rhyme Schemes following an even sixth-place finish in his May 18 debut at Churchill Downs won by Wilson Q, who was a next-out second in the Bashford Manor. The runner-up in Rhyme Schemes' debut voyage, Gold Sweep, was a next-out winner of the Tremont, while the third-place Works for Me also graduated at next asking.
“We went in with a new game plan this year. The 2-year-olds that arrived early, we weren't going to crank them up,” Casse said. “He ran a sneaky good race on debut and he came back and we knew he was ready for his second start and he ran really impressively that day.”
Casse said Rhyme Schemes doesn't necessarily need the lead.
“I think that was a circumstance where he was the fastest horse in the race that day with gate speed and early speed,” Casse said. “The cool thing about Rhyme Schemes is he's a professional. You would think he's an older horse around the barn. He does everything right. I don't think he has any boxes he has to check to run a good race. He can be wherever he wants to be and hopefully he's talented enough to win.”
Rhyme Schemes has breezed back five times since his maiden score, including a half-mile in 49.33 seconds Saturday in his lone timed work over the Spa main track in company with older stakes-placed Mac Daddy Too.
“I thought he went really well. Here at Saratoga, I don't think you want to ask your horse to do too much breezing. The track is pretty demanding,” Casse said. “We like to get him out there and give him a nice maintenance move over the track and I was really happy with the way that he went. He worked with a good allowance horse and went heads up with him. It was a perfect work.”
The $210,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the Distorted Humor mare Katherine. His third dam, Turbo Dream, produced dual Grade 1-winner Dream Rush.
Ricardo Santana, Jr. retains the mount from the outermost post 6.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and St. Elias Stable's first-out maiden winner Haul [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] will make his Spa debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
Haul pressed the pace three-wide in his July 9 debut under the Spa's leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., taking command in upper stretch and powering clear to a three-length win in a final time of 1:05.64 for 5 1/2-furlongs over a fast main track at Belmont Park. The victory earned a 68 Beyer.
Haul has breezed back three times with two of those efforts over the Spa main track, including a half-mile in 48.13 Saturday.
“He's a professional colt who was able to win on debut and does everything right in the morning,” Pletcher said. “He took the race really well and has come back with a couple solid breezes. I'm very pleased with him.”
The Army Mule colt, a $260,000 purchase from the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Western Fame mare Western Kitty. His third dam, Tizso, produced 2012 Grade 1 Haskell-winner Paynter; while his fourth dam, Cee's Song, produced Hall of Famer Tiznow.
Courtlandt Farms' Edified [post 5, Joel Rosario], a $650,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, garnered a 69 Beyer for his 3 1/2-length debut maiden win on July 1 at Ellis Park.
Sent to post at odds of 9-1 from post 2 under returning rider Joel Rosario for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Edified stalked along the inside from third through the half-mile before tipping out and taking charge at the stretch call to win in a final time of 1:10.97.
Edified, by Tapit, is a half-brother to Grade 1-winner Constellation. He is out of the stakes-winning Not For Love mare For Royalty, who is a half-sister to Grade 2-winner Kiss to Remember as well as El Viento, a multiple Grade 1-winner in Puerto Rico.
Qatar Racing's Woodcourt [post 3, Jose Ortiz] was purchased for $95,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale following a second-out maiden win traveling 5 1/2-furlongs on June 17 at Ellis Park. He will make his stakes debut in the care of trainer Brendan Walsh.
The Ransom the Moon colt, previously trained and co-owned by John Ennis with Niall Collum, tracked in second position as odds-on favorite Balta set swift splits of 22.17 seconds and 45.07 over the fast main track. Balta opened up a two-length lead at the stretch call, but Woodcourt persevered with a two-wide run and took command inside the final sixteenth to secure the 1 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:04.90. Balta, a $685,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, graduated next out at the same course and is entered in Sunday's Ellis Park Juvenile.
Woodcourt has breezed back four times with three efforts over the Oklahoma training track, including a three-eighths work Tuesday in 35.20.
Rounding out a talented field are maiden winners Lasso [post 1, Edgard Zayas] for trainer Juan Alvarado; and Market Street [post 2, Jaime Torres] for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
The Saratoga Special is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race card which also features the $150,000 Galway in Race 7 and the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile, 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/.
The post Runaway Maiden Winner Rhyme Schemes Headlines Saturday’s Saratoga Special appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
PENN Entertainment Enters Online Sports Betting Agreement With ESPN
PENN Entertainment, Inc. (“PENN” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: PENN), owner/operator of racetracks like Penn National, Charles Town, Mahoning Valley, and Sam Houston, among others, has announced that it has entered into a transformative, exclusive U.S. online sports betting (“OSB”) agreement with ESPN, Inc. and ESPN Enterprises, Inc (together, “ESPN”).
ESPN Transaction Highlights:
- Exclusive Right to the #1 U.S. Sports Brand: PENN has secured the exclusive right to the ESPN Bet trademark for OSB in the U.S. for an initial 10-year term which may be extended for an additional 10 years upon mutual agreement
- Launch of ESPN Bet: The online Barstool Sportsbook will be rebranded ESPN Bet in the Fall of 2023; theScore Bet will continue to operate in Canada
- Deep Integration: ESPN Bet, operated by PENN Interactive, will benefit from exclusive promotional services across ESPN platforms including programming, content, and access to ESPN talent
- ESPN Becomes a Highly Aligned, Long-Term Strategic Partner: Agreement enables efficient customer acquisition and retention spend across premier sports content
- Mutually beneficial relationship through ongoing collaboration and warrants
- PENN has agreed to make $1.5 billion in cash payments to ESPN paid over the initial ten-year term and grant ESPN approximately $5001 million of warrants to purchase approximately 31.8 million PENN common shares that will vest ratably over 10 years, in exchange for media, marketing services, brand and other rights provided by ESPN
- Upon ESPN Bet meeting certain U.S. OSB market share performance thresholds, ESPN could receive bonus warrants to purchase up to an additional approximately 6.4 million PENN common shares
- ESPN will have the option, at its discretion, to designate one non-voting Board observer or, upon completion of year 3 of the agreement, designate a Board member subject to satisfying gaming regulatory approval(s) and a minimum ownership threshold
- Mutually beneficial relationship through ongoing collaboration and warrants
- Significant Value Creation Potential: Provides an estimated $500 million to $1.0 billion+ of annual long-term Adjusted EBITDA potential in our Interactive segment
- Rebranded iCasino Product: Powered by our new promotional engine, our new app will include a separate Hollywood-branded iCasino product in those states where permitted
Barstool Divestiture
- PENN Divests Barstool Sports to Founder David Portnoy: PENN sold 100% of the Barstool Sports, Inc. (“Barstool”) common stock to David Portnoy in exchange for certain non-compete and other restrictive covenants. PENN also has the right to receive 50% of the gross proceeds received by David Portnoy in any subsequent sale or other monetization event of Barstool
Jay Snowden, Chief Executive Officer and President of PENN, commented, “This transformative, exclusive agreement with ESPN marks another major milestone in PENN's evolution from a pure-play U.S. regional gaming operator to a North American entertainment leader. ESPN Bet will be deeply integrated with ESPN's broad editorial, content, digital and linear product, and sports programming ecosystem. ESPN Bet will also benefit from PENN's operational experience, extensive market access and proprietary technology platform, which successfully debuted in the U.S. this July.”
Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN, said, “After meeting with Jay and the PENN team, it was clear that they were the right long-term strategic partner to build ESPN Bet into a leading U.S. sports betting platform. We are confident that the combination of our unparalleled audience along with PENN's operational expertise and state-of-the-art technology provides us with a tremendous opportunity to serve the ever-growing number of consumers interested in betting.”
Mr. Snowden continued, “In connection with the transaction, we are selling Barstool back to founder David Portnoy. Barstool has been a great partner and we are thankful to Dave Portnoy, Erika Ayers, Dan Katz and their team for helping to rapidly scale our digital footprint across 16 jurisdictions in the U.S. and introducing their audience to our retail and digital products. The divestiture allows Barstool to return to its roots of providing unique and authentic content to its loyal audience without the restrictions associated with a publicly traded, licensed gaming company.”
“Our agreement with ESPN will provide us access to the largest ecosystem in sports, with 105 million+ monthly unique digital visitors, an audience of more than 370 million across social platforms, 25 million ESPN+ subscribers, and the nation's #1 fantasy database. PENN's ability to leverage the leading sports media brands in both the U.S. and Canada with ESPN and theScore, combined with our newly launched sports betting app, will allow us to significantly expand our digital footprint and catapult ESPN Bet into a strong podium position in this space. We believe we can achieve substantial adjusted EBITDA in our Interactive Segment over the coming years – and this will translate to very strong free cash flow generation for the Company and value creation for our shareholders,” concluded Mr. Snowden.
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