Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Monday, August 28
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Monday's meetings at Epsom Downs, Ripon, Southwell, Chepstow and Cartmel.
Month: August 2023
Champ Elite Power Likely To ‘Go Straight To Breeders’ Cup’ After Forego Second
Trainer Bill Mott reported that Juddmonte's reigning champion male sprinter Elite Power will likely train up to his Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) title defense following a runner-up effort in the Forego (G1) Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
The chestnut 5-year-old son of Curlin entered the Forego from an eight-race winning streak, which included last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint as well as a victory in the last-out Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) on July 29 at Saratoga. In the Forego, he raced along the rail in third before launching an inside rally in the stretch to finish 1 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Gunite.
Mott said Elite Power would probably not target the $250,000 Vosburgh (G2) on Sept. 30 at Belmont at the Big A, a race he won last year en route to his Breeders' Cup accolade.
“He seemed fine,” Mott said of how Elite Power emerged from the Forego. “He'll more than likely go straight to the Breeders' Cup.”
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Funny Cide’s Ashes Buried in Public Location at Track
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – During a ceremony Sunday morning prior to the annual upstate New York Showcase Day, some of the ashes of the late GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness winner Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) were interred at Saratoga Race Course.
The popular New York-bred foaled at the nearby McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, and owned by the New York-based Sackatoga Stable, died at the age of 23 on July 17 from complications of colic at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. He won the 2003 Derby and Preakness and his attempt to sweep the Triple Crown series ended with a third-place finish in the GI Belmont S.
While five other Thoroughbreds are buried under markers on the grounds of America's oldest racetrack, Funny Cide is the first to be placed in a location–under a tree just behind the clubhouse–that is accessible to the public. Sackatoga managing partner Jack Knowlton said he is pleased the that New York Racing Association agreed to his request to place the memorial where it did. Knowlton said he worked with NYRA President and CEO David O'Rourke, NYRA executive VP Glen Kozak and Najja Thompson, the executive director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.
“I think they got the right spot,” Knowlton said.
Four horses–Fourstardave, APhenomenon, Mourjane and Quick Call–are buried near the jogging track in Clare Court in the backstretch. Hall of Famer and champion Go for Wand is buried in the infield. Knowlton said he pushed back on the suggestion to put Funny Cide's ashes in Clare Court.
“Different people said, 'Oh, great horses are buried there, do that. Maybe do something in the walking ring,” Knowlton said. “He's the people's horse and we wanted people to have access and let the fans see him. That's what was agreed upon and I think it's a great spot. All racing fans are going to have access to it and hopefully have good memories. Right now, we need good memories.”
Knowlton and Sackatoga partner Lew Titterton placed the metal box with the ashes in the site that had been prepared as Thompson addressed the crowd of about 50 people who attended. Trainer Barclay Tagg and his assistant Robin Smullen and his regular rider, Hall of Fame jockey Jose Santos, participated in the event.
Later, Knowlton said that some of the gelding's ashes will be buried at the Kentucky Horse Park, where he lived for 15 years and was a favorite of visitors, and at the McMahon farm.
The post Funny Cide’s Ashes Buried in Public Location at Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
Ireland-Based Bolshoi Ballet To Return For Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, Breeders’ Cup
Bolshoi Ballet drew off to an impressive 4 1/2-length score in Saturday's Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. The victory in the 12-furlong inner turf test for older horses provided Bolshoi Ballet with a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) in November at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Aidan O'Brien and piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the 5-year-old Galileo bay earned his second top-flight score on the NYRA circuit after taking the 2021 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1).
“He was good, wasn't he? I fancied him coming out here — he looked well,” said T. J. Comerford, traveling assistant for O'Brien.
The former O'Brien-trainee Stone Age, now in the care of Chad Brown, led at the five-eighths, but was no match for the vigorous run of Bolshoi Ballet, who was in command after 10 furlongs and in front by four lengths at the stretch call hitting the wire under a hand ride in a final time of 2:29.29 over yielding going.
The victory registered a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure – a 21 point improvement on his Belmont Derby score.
“He just kept it very simple,” said Comerford of the trip engineered by Velazquez. “He followed the pace and as the pace started to fall away, he took on Stone Age down the back and it was all easy from there. He just ran clear. I think he would be even better on a bit better ground.”
Comerford and Bolshoi Ballet will fly back to Ireland Sunday evening with a return trip for the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) on September 30 at Belmont at the Big A under consideration as a springboard to the Breeders' Cup.
Bolshoi Ballet, who was a dual Group 3 winner in his native Ireland as a sophomore prior to his Belmont Derby win, made only one start in 2022 before launching his comeback in April, coming into the Sword Dancer off a sixth-place finish at odds of 125-1 in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) July 29 at Ascot. He is campaigned by Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.
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