August, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

One In Vermillion Continues ‘Derby Hunting’ In West Virginia

One in Vermillion, who was purchased at an Arizona Thoroughbred auction for $26,000 by his owner, Jonathan Kalman, as a yearling late in 2021, has earned $328,840 in 10 starts since his career debut April 13, 2022, at Turf Paradise in Arizona.

Now, he will attempt to win his first graded stakes in the Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby on Sunday evening.

The 3-year-old California-bred colt by Army Mule made three starts in 2022 and came away with two stakes scores in the Open Spring Futurity and Lost in the Fog Juvenile at Turf Paradise. He began 2023 with a win in the Riley Allison Derby at Sunland Park in New Mexico, which would be his third of five victories thus far.

His connections tried One in Vermillion in the G3 Sunland Park and the G1 Santa Anita Derby in California, and he finished fifth both times. He bounced back to win the seven-furlong Laz Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita and was shipped to Canterbury Park in Minnesota with Southwest-based trainer Esteban Martinez to perhaps take a shot at some of the prominent Midwestern events for 3-year-olds.

One in Vermillion won an allowance race upon his arrival at Canterbury and followed up with a second-place finish in the Canterbury Derby. He then was shipped to Prairie Meadows in Iowa for the Iowa Derby, in which he led from gate to finish only to be disqualified and placed second behind How Did He Do That for drifting out late in the stretch.

The effort, however, was enough for Martinez and Kalman to try another Derby.

“These things happen,” Martinez, who shipped One in Vermillion to Mountaineer early to prepare for the Derby, said of the disqualification. “I think he'll go long. It's more about how he handles the track, but he always tries hard, and I think he has got a chance. I hope I'm right. The horse is feeling good right now.”

In many of his races One in Vermillion has been on the lead, and in half of his starts has carried that speed all the way. He has been ridden by Harry Hernandez, the leading rider for the 2022-23 Turf Paradise meet and current leading rider at Canterbury, in eight of his races.

“Harry really likes this horse,” Martinez said. “Wherever the horse goes, he wants to go with him. He's very excited about riding in the West Virginia Derby.”

Martinez, who began training in 2017, is usually based in Arizona in the fall and winter and Minnesota in the spring and summer. He has won 107 races with purse earnings in excess of $2 million.

The West Virginia Derby program will begin at the special Sunday post time of 5 p.m. ET. The Grade 3 West Virginia Governor's Stakes is set for 7:40 p.m. followed by the Derby at 8:15 p.m.

The post One In Vermillion Continues ‘Derby Hunting’ In West Virginia appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Patches O’Houlihan Continues To Dodge Defeat In Undefeated Season

“If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball,” is the famous line delivered by 3-year-old gelding Patches O'Houlihan's namesake character in the movie Dodgeball.

Frank Di Giulio Jr. doesn't know if his homebred can dodge a wrench, but he definitely knows he can run. The son of Reload has four wins in 2023, including the first two legs of the Ontario Sires Heritage Series.

“He's just blossomed as a 3-year-old. I don't think (trainer Robert Tiller), or I expected him to be as good as he is so it's a nice surprise for sure,” said Di Giulio Jr.

His most recent victory was on Sunday July 30 at Woodbine Racetrack in the $100,000 Lake Superior Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

Originally scheduled for six furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, it was moved to the Tapeta main track after heavy rain on Saturday.

'Patches' won at five furlongs on the Inner Turf in the Lake Huron Stakes on July 8, and the extra eighth of a mile was no issue. He used his trademark early speed to win gate to wire by five lengths.

“It was a little nerve wracking the day before not knowing whether it was going to stay on the grass or not,” said Di Giulio Jr. “We would've run if it was firm I think, but it being a little softer we were just a little nervous about it. It's a lot easier to run him on the main track where we knew he had already won before. Then the fact that he won like that was very rewarding and very exciting.”

Established in 2021 by Ontario Racing's Thoroughbred Improvement Program Committee, the Heritage Series is comprised of three $100,000 legs, and a $100,000 final, with separate divisions for 3-year-old males and females by registered Ontario sires.

There is also $70,000 in bonus money distributed to the top three series finishers in each gender.

Di Giulio Jr., an Ontario owner and breeder for nearly 40 years, is a strong believer in the Ontario Sire Heritage Series, and the type of racing opportunities it provides Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

“These races are hugely important and beneficial. It gives owners an opportunity to run their horses and get black type and encourages people to breed in Ontario,” said Di Giulio Jr. “It's important to support the local industry and breed Ontario sires, and it's just another reason to do that having these opportunities. It's very important in my opinion.”

As an Ontario based owner, and breeder, it's no surprise that Di Giulio Jr. has a history with Patches O'Houlihan's family.

He originally purchased his dam Maythefourthbwithu at the 2012 CTHS Ontario Mixed Sale, and campaigned her for three seasons where she earned over $260,000 USD.

Patches is her fourth foal since retiring to the breeding shed, and it was a marriage of convenience that led to his breeding.

“(Maythefourthbwithu) is boarded at Northern Dawn Stables with Sherry MacLean, and Reload was on the same farm,” said Di Giulio Jr. “He's a big strong horse, and I thought he would suit her physically, and we would give him a try since he was right there in her own backyard.”

Di Giulio Jr. and Tiller are pointing Patches O'Houlihan towards the Lake Erie Stakes on Sept. 12 at Fort Erie Race Track, the third leg of the Ontario Sire Heritage Series, which will be contested over 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt.

Another strong result would go a long way towards Patches locking up the $20,000 first place prize awarded to the top finisher in the four Heritage Series races.

“We are taking it one race at a time, and don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves,” said Di Giulio Jr. “but that race is an obvious spot for him, and it is one we have our eye on.”

The post Patches O’Houlihan Continues To Dodge Defeat In Undefeated Season appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Five-Horse Hirsch Will Be ‘All About The Break’ For Baffert-Trained Duo

A showdown of sorts is set to take place Saturday afternoon on the main track at Del Mar. Two trainers, co-champions of last year's training title, will pit their best distaffers against each other in the G1 Clement Hirsch, a 'Win and You're In' for the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Out of barn 'A' is Philip D'Amato and his two fillies, Elm Drive and Desert Dawn. And out of Barn 'FF' is Bob Baffert and his one-two punch of Fun to Dream and Adare Manor. A field of five will go to the gate for the Hirsch. Trainer John Sadler's Kirstenbosch is the one crashing the party. The short field doesn't bother D'Amato.

“There are two speed horses in the race, Elm Drive and Adare Manor,” D'Amato said. “It's not like there are six speed horses there in a dirt sprint. If both of them are smart about it, they both should have good chances to win.”

“It's all about the break,” Baffert adds. “If you don't break well you're in trouble. A small field means they're all tough, they all see each other. They're doing well and all you can do is hope is that they get the trip.”

Baffert's Fun to Dream, the Cal-bred Horse of the Year in 2022, has never finished worse than second in eight career starts. She won two races at Del Mar last year, the Fleet Treat in the summer and the Betty Grable in the fall, both Cal-bred stakes races. She stepped out into open company and won the G1 La Brea and the G2 Santa Monica before losing by just a head to A Mo Reay in the G1 Beholder.

Baffert says the key to keeping a horse like Fun to Dream in form is the spacing of races.

“If you can give them time in between races that helps,” Baffert says. “Just like they did with Flightline. It's tough when you're going for the Triple Crown. That's why those horses like American Pharoah and Justify were so superior. There's only a few that are made like that.

“Fillies are a little bit tougher to keep in form,” Baffert continues. “They get light on you. You have to be careful there.”

Baffert's other filly, Adare Manor, is riding a three-race win streak, the last two of which were Grade II's, the Santa Maria and the Santa Margarita, both of which she won by over four lengths.

“We freshened her up,” Baffert says. “She's just a big, long jumpin' mare. She's got a big long stride on her. We've been pointing for this race. It's a good spot and they're both doing really well.”

D'Amato is just as confident about his chances.

“She's given me three good performances in a row,” D'Amato says about Elm Drive. “So I feel she's in a real good form cycle right now. She followed up her last race with two fine drills. It's a five-horse field in a Grade I; we're going to take a shot.”

He is not too concerned with Elm Drive stretching out.

“She's gone six and a half on the long stretch at Los Al,” D'Amato says. “So I think a little softer fractions going two turns here should be right up her alley.”

D'Amato says he's looking for improvement from Desert Dawn, who was runner-up to Blue Stripe in last year's Clement Hirsch.

“Last race she was taken out of her game,” D'Amato says. “There was one speed horse in there and she was trying to chase Adare Manor, which was not good for her. She's shown an affinity for this track so this time I don't think she's going to have to change her style. She'll get her feet under her and come with a run.”

The mile and a sixteenth $400,000 Clement Hirsch is the 10th of 11 races on the Saturday card. Approximate post time is 6:30 p.m.

Here's the field from the rail with the jockeys and the morning line odds: Elm Drive (Ricky Gonzalez, 8-1); Fun to Dream (Ramon Vasquez, 9/5); Adare Manor (Juan Hernandez, 4/5); Kirstenbosch (Hector Berrios, 10-1), and Desert Dawn (Umberto Rispoli, 5-1).

The post Five-Horse Hirsch Will Be ‘All About The Break’ For Baffert-Trained Duo appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

New Format Introduced For 2023 Indiana Mixed Sale

The Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (ITOBA) is introducing a new format for the 2023 Fall Mixed Sale. This year will feature a live yearling sale, a paddock sale, and a mixed digital sale.

The live yearling sale will be held on Oct. 14 at the Horseshoe Indianapolis Receiving Barn at 1 p.m. This sale will feature up to 80 Indiana-bred, Indiana Sired, and out-of-state yearlings.

The paddock sale will also take place on Oct. 14 immediately following the conclusion of the live yearling sale at Horseshoe Indianapolis. This sale will only feature horses of racing age.

The mixed digital sale will be held from Oct. 16-19 on HorseAuctionsUSA.com. This sale will feature weanlings, broodmares, horses of racing age, and RNAs from the live yearling sale.

ITOBA is accepting registrations for the mixed digital sale until Friday, Sept. 1. To register, simply visit www.ITOBA.com/fall-sale and print, fill out, and mail in all documents to:

Austin Nicks
Nicks Auction Service
P.O. Box 220
Sellersburg, IN 47172

“We believe the new format of the ITOBA Mixed Sale allows all of the horsemen and horsewomen in Indiana to get involved,” said ITOBA President Pat McGhee. “We have a live yearling sale followed by a live paddock sale of racehorses from Horseshoe Indianapolis. We follow that with an online digital sale for weanlings, broodmares and horses of all ages on the horseauctionsusa.com website. The different formats combined with live broadcast and online bidding on our yearling sale allow us to reach a much broader audience throughout the country. Indiana's new format allows everyone to get involved and take full advantage of the great breeding program and purses offered in the Hoosier State.”

The post New Format Introduced For 2023 Indiana Mixed Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post