August, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

WinStar to Stand Two Phil’s

Three-time graded winner and runner-up in the 2023 GI Kentucky Derby Two Phil's (Hard Spun-Mia Torri, by General Quarters) will stand the 2024 season at WinStar Farm near Lexington. His retirement was previously announced after the chestnut suffered an ankle injury during his win in the June 24 GIII Ohio Derby. A fee will be revealed later.

“We have been looking for a Danzig-line horse that meets our standard of physicality, pedigree, and race record for some time now,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. “I think Two Phil's could have been the best 3-year-old in the country if his career had not been cut short after his dominant win in the Ohio Derby with a 5 Ragozin, 105 Beyer, and a negative 3/4 on Thorograph. However you look at it, he is top class.”

After a solid 2-year-old season which was highlighted by a win in Churchill's GIII Street Sense S., Two Phil's burst onto the national scene with placings in the GII Risen Star S. and GIII Lecomte S. prior to a dominant victory in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway in March, which propelled him to the Kentucky Derby. Bred by Phillip Sagan and campaigned by Sagan, Patricia's Hope LLC, and Madaket Stables, Two Phil's just missed to Mage (Good Magic) in the Derby. Skipping the rest of the Triple Crown races, he was routed to the Ohio Derby at Thistledown, where he attained a third consecutive triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure (105). His Beyers in the Jeff Ruby and Kentucky Derby were 101 and 105, respectively.

“From the time he came into my barn at two, Two Phil's was a standout,” said trainer Larry Rivelli. “He is the best horse I have ever trained, and I look forward to his babies.”

Two Phil's retires with a record of 10-5-2-1 and earnings of $1,583,450.

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Kentucky Derby Runner-Up Two Phil’s To Stand At WinStar Farm

Leading 3-year-old Two Phil's, who finished a close second in this year's Kentucky Derby, will stand the 2024 breeding season at WinStar Farm, the farm announced today.

A son of leading sire and Grade 1 winner Hard Spun, Two Phil's retires with five wins from 10 career starts, having amassed earnings of $1,583,450. A stud fee will be announced at a later date.

Bred in Kentucky by Phillip Sagan, and owned in partnership by Sagan, Patricia's Hope, and Madaket Stables, Two Phil's concluded his racing career with three consecutive performances recording triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures. The Larry Rivelli-trained runner ran a 101 Beyer in overpowering his rivals by 5 ¼ lengths in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park in March; He earned a 105 Beyer in finishing second by just a length in the Kentucky Derby; and equaled the 105 Beyer in a dominating 5 ¾-length win in the G3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in his final career appearance.

“We have been looking for a Danzig-line horse that meets our standard of physicality, pedigree, and race record for some time now,” said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager of WinStar Farm. “I think Two Phil's could have been the best 3-year-old in the country if his career had not been cut short after his dominant win in the Ohio Derby with a 5 Ragozin, 105 Beyer, and a negative ¾ on Thorograph. However you look at it, he is top class.”

Two Phil's guaranteed himself a spot in the starting gate for the 2023 Kentucky Derby with a convincing victory in the $700,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks at 1 1/8 miles, emulating his sire who also won the traditional Kentucky Derby prep 16 years earlier when it was named the Lane's End Stakes. Winning under wraps, Two Phil's covered the distance in 1:49.03 under jockey Jareth Loveberry.

In the 149th Kentucky Derby, Two Phil's delivered an exceptional effort and once again followed in the footsteps of his classic-placed sire, Hard Spun, who finished second in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. Two Phil's rated just behind the brutal early fractions of :22.35 and :45.73 and angled to the two-path entering the lane. He surged to the front in the stretch before being caught in the final strides by Mage. Despite being headed by Mage close to home, Two Phil's fought doggedly to the wire to finish a clear second from a hard-charging Angel of Empire who finished third.

Two Phil's once again brought his “A” game to the $500,000 G3 Ohio Derby in June. He rallied three-wide around the far turn of the 1 1/8-mile fixture, making the lead near the quarter-pole. He quickly opened a clear advantage and drew off through deep stretch to win easily in 1:49.60, defeating Bishop's Bay, who was previously second by a head to subsequent Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo in the G2 Peter Pan Stakes in May.

A well-traveled and versatile horse who did not need to take his racetrack with him, Two Phil's came out running at two. He broke his maiden in his second lifetime start at Colonial Downs, winning a six-furlong maiden special event in front-running fashion in the fast time of 1:09.79. Two Phil's captured the six-furlong Shakopee Juvenile Stakes at Canterbury Downs in his next outing, crushing his rivals in a hand ride by 9 ¾ lengths. He brought the curtain down on his freshman season with a runaway 5 ¼-length triumph in the $200,000 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs, giving him three wins from five starts as a juvenile.

“From the time he came into my barn at two, Two Phil's was a standout,” said Larry Rivelli. “He is the best horse I have ever trained, and I look forward to his babies.”

Among his esteemed sire's lifetime leading earners and his chief earner in 2023, Two Phil's is produced from the multiple stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed General Quarters mare Mia Torri, a half-sister to graded stakes-placed River Rocks and stakes-placed Go Gator Girl Go and an earner of $314,720.

The post Kentucky Derby Runner-Up Two Phil’s To Stand At WinStar Farm appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Injection Site Infections Are Uncommon For Routine Vaccines

Human skin is often first swabbed with alcohol before an injection is administered, in an effort to prevent bacteria from entering the wound made when the needle pierces the skin. Horses, however, rarely receive this cleaning procedure before an injection.

This is because the horse's hair coat reduces alcohol's effect. If the horse is very dirty, a vet may ask the owner to clean the area in which the injection will be given, but often she will just swipe the bottle top with alcohol and administer the injection.

Injection-site infections are uncommon in horses. A horse may develop localized swelling or a small abscess, but both of these often heal without treatment.

However, a horse that develops a large, painful swelling may have contracted an infection caused by clostridial bacteria, which can be life-threatening. Injections that are given on the side of the neck are easier to treat and drain if needed than injections given in the hip area.

Unlike a horse getting routine vaccinations, a horse receiving a joint injection will be thoroughly scrubbed and disinfected to reduce the likelihood of joint infections. The vet may also opt to shave the area to further reduce the chance of tissue contamination. A horse's immune system can't easily reach the fluid and tissue inside a joint, making the infection harder to treat should one take hold.

Friday’s Graded Turf Stakes Get The Weekend Started Early

With the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a bevy of graded stakes–marked by Saturday's GI Whitney S.–plus, the annual Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale which begins Monday, Upstate New York once again makes its case as the Thoroughbred fulcrum. To get the weekend started early, we have a pair of Friday graded turf stakes scheduled which will crown winners.

First, the $400,000 GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. for 3-year-old fillies serves as the middle sparkler in NYRA's Fasig-Tipton Turf Tiara series. Since Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) has elected to take on the boys in Saturday's GI Saratoga Derby, Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) will not have the opportunity to avenge her third-place finish when the pair faced one another in the GI Belmont Oaks July 8, a race which Aspen Grove won. Since arriving from Ireland, the Mark Casse trainee has continued to be a mark of consistency against graded company with her best finish coming with a victory in the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland back in April.

Opposing her bid to wear the tiara will be a number of European challengers, including Caroline Street (No Nay Never) and American Sonja (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) from Joseph O'Brien's yard. The former is a Group 3 winner in Ireland and she was well beaten last time out by Blue Rose Cen (Churchill {Ire}) June 18 in the G1 French Oaks at Chantilly. Also present here, from that same race, is Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}), who finished a respectable fifth. Trained by Jean-Phillippe Dubois, she was second in the G1 Prix Saint Alary at Longchamp May 14.

As for North American-based entries, Solo Album (Curlin), also from Casse's shedrow, won the GIII Selene S. July 1 at Woodbine, and Selenaia (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) from Jonathan Thomas's barn, who comes to New York after winning the GIII Honeymoon S. June 10 at Santa Anita, arrive in-form.

More Than Looks | Sarah Andrew

To mark the induction ceremony into horse racing's hallowed pantheon, the $500,000 GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. for 3-year-old colts going a mile on the Inner Turf brings together an interesting mix of American and European invaders.

Trainer Chad Brown saddles three entries with GISP Appraise (Ire) Kodiac {GB}), Mischievous Angel (Into Mischief) and Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while Graham Motion sends GSW and GISP Nagirroc (Lea) to the post after the bay colt finished third in the GIII Manila S. July 7 at Belmont Park. The winner of that race, More Than Looks (More Than Ready) from the stable of Cherie DeVaux, is also present.

The European contingent includes Ocean Vision (Ire) (U S Navy Flag), who has competed in Ireland, France and Qatar and is trained by Godolphin Flying Start program grad Tim Donworth, and Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Charlie Appleby, who will look to harness some of that late speed that he flashed the last time he was in North America when he won the GI Summer S. at Woodbine as a juvenile.

The post Friday’s Graded Turf Stakes Get The Weekend Started Early appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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