Month: September 2023

Tok Tok Dodges Raindrops To Win Kitten’s Joy At Colonial

Dodging raindrops, Tok Tok (Quality Road) ran home a winner in his second career race for Graham Motion after he broke his maiden over the grass sprinting at Colonial Downs by half a length July 27.

Sent off as a 5-1 shot here, the bay colt broke alertly, moved to rail and then settled third into the first turn as filly Determined Sail (Bernardini) showed the way. Under a slow half at :50.17, Tok Tok launched his bid around far turn, was hemmed in briefly, but once free, he ran on nicely to win over the surging Triple Espresso (Omaha Beach).

Out of an extended female family which includes leading sire Tapit (Pulpit) and MGISW Rubiano (Fappiano), the winner is his dam's first to the races, but he does have a yearling full-brother, while In Tune visited Curlin for next year.

KITTEN'S JOY S., $125,000, Colonial Downs, 9-9, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.11, fm.
1–TOK TOK, 120, c, 2, by Quality Road
1st Dam: In Tune (GSW, $229,350), by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Wichitoz, by Affirmed
                3rd Dam: Ruby Slippers, by Nijinsky II
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Wertheimer Et Frere (KY); T-H. Graham Motion; J-Jorge Ruiz. $75,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $111,000.
2–Triple Espresso, 120, c, 2, Omaha Beach–Natural Rush, by Indian Charlie. ($325,000 RNA Wlg '21 KEENOV; $350,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $25,000.
3–Determined Sail, 117, f, 2, Bernardini–Involuntary, by City Zip. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-D Hatman Thoroughbreds; B-2500 Determined Stud (MD); T-Phil Schoenthal. $13,750.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 5.20, 2.70, 31.50.
Also Ran: Randazzo, Because the Night, Mission Ready, Manabi, Mainstream Sellout, Massif, Blue Creek, Skellig Island, Silver Front, Sharp Tones.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Tok Tok Dodges Raindrops To Win Kitten’s Joy At Colonial appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Twirling Candy’s Gear Jockey Doubles Up in Ainsworth Turf Sprint

In a mad scramble for the wire in Saturday's $1-million GII Ainsworth Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs, 23-1 Calumet homebred Gear Jockey (6, h, Twirling Candy–Switching Gears, by Tapit) got a desperate head down in front of 3-2 choice One Timer (Trappe Shot) and 11-1 Bad Beat Brian (Jack Milton). It was a repeat of his success in this same race two years ago when it was a Grade III, albeit by a far slimmer margin.

Final time for the six furlongs was 1:10.59. The Turf Sprint is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” race, giving Gear Jockey an automatic berth into the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.

The winner was prominent throughout, stalking the :21.77 and :45.08 early fractions set by Bad Beat Brian. Gear Jockey didn't give the leader a comfortable time of it while pressuring from the outside. The duo remained one-two until late stretch with Bad Beat Brian digging in gamely, but Gear Jockey determinedly stuck his head in front as One Timer–who won the GII Franklin-Simpson S. over this course last year–closed down the middle and entered the scene from the outside. The largest margin between the first seven horses across the wire was a neck.

“He broke very sharp. He gave me the same race he gave me two years ago when he won here,” said winning rider Jose Lezcano. “To be honest with you, I knew it was going to be very close… I was very happy for the horse. He is a tough horse and he tries all the time. I am very happy for [trainer] Rusty [Arnold] and his whole team. They work very hard.”

Gear Jockey brings his best to Kentucky Downs, as he won this race in 2021 with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure, his top to date, but had neglected to find the winner's circle since until Saturday and makes it two-for-two over the Kentucky Downs lawn. He was coming off a sixth-place finish in the July 22 Van Clief S. at Colonial Downs–his first start since last November–behind Front Run the Fed (Fed Biz), who finished sixth in Saturday's Turf Sprint. While he hasn't shied away from top competition and has just the two Kentucky Downs graded stakes on his CV, Gear Jockey has faced and finished just behind some of the best grass sprinters of the last few years. His five graded placings include the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and the 2022 GII Shakertown S.

“We're pretty happy,” said trainer Rusty Arnold. “He's a favorite. I thought he had lost his edge. He's had his issues and we thought we had him in pretty good shape. He loves this course. Two times he's won on it, so obviously he does. Great ride. Very happy.”

 

Pedigree Notes:

Thanks to the healthy purses at Kentucky Downs, Gear Jockey is the richest of Twirling Candy's 43 black-type winners, although the stallion's 18 graded winners also include GISWs Concrete Rose, Pinehurst, Gift Box, and Rombauer, as well as four additional Grade I winners. The son of Candy Ride (Arg) stands alongside his sire at Lane's End. Gear Jockey is also one of 90 stakes winners out of daughters of Tapit, whose 2023 successes as a broodmare sire have catapulted him into the leading damsire of the year. Gear Jockey joins luminaries such as Cody's Wish, Pretty Mischievous, and Arcangelo on the Gainesway sire's 'best-of' list as broodmare sire for 2023.

Calumet bought Switching Gears for $20,000 at the 2017 Keeneland January sale with Gear Jockey in utero. The mare is out of a half-sister to GISW and sire Stroll (Pulpit). Her most recent foal is a yearling colt by Bravazo. She was bred to Mandaloun for next term.

Saturday, Kentucky Downs
AINSWORTH TURF SPRINT S.-GII, $998,667, Kentucky Downs, 9-9, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.59, fm.
1–GEAR JOCKEY, 121, h, 6, by Twirling Candy
                1st Dam: Switching Gears, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Pace, by Indian Ridge (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Maid for Walking (GB), by Prince Sabo (GB)
O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II; J-Jose Lezcano. $589,680. Lifetime Record: GISP, 24-5-2-6, $1,586,651. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–One Timer, 121, g, 4, Trappe Shot–Spanish Star, by Blame. ($21,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT). O-Patricia's Hope LLC and Richard Ravin; B-St. Simon Place LLC (KY); T-Larry Rivelli. $192,800.
3–Bad Beat Brian, 121, g, 6, Jack Milton–Ultimate Class, by During. ($22,000 RNA Wlg '17 KEENOV; $16,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $115,000 2yo '19 EASMAY). O-Marsico Brothers Racing LLC; B-Pope McLean, Pope McLean Jr., Marc McLean & Phil Hager (KY); T-Brittany A. Vanden Berg. $96,400.
Margins: HD, NK, NK. Odds: 23.30, 1.50, 11.84.
Also Ran: Olympic Runner, Cogburn, Front Run the Fed, Eamonn, Dr Zempf (GB), Dream Shake, Counterstrike, Noble Reflection. Scratched: Anaconda, Nobals.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Twirling Candy’s Gear Jockey Doubles Up in Ainsworth Turf Sprint appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Regal Realm Powers Gate To Wire In Ladies Turf

Augustin Stables homebred Regal Realm struck for a breakthrough graded stakes triumph Saturday when breaking first from the gate and leading all the way to win the $1-million Castle Hill Gaming Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs.

Sent off at 6-1 odds under Florent Geroux, the 4-year-old Animal Kingdom filly was winning her fourth race from five outings this year and her fifth in 12 career starts.

She landed her first stakes win June 21 at Canterbury Park in the Lady Canterbury, then finished second in the De La Rose Aug. 2 at Saratoga as a tune-up to Saturday's lucrative 1 1/2-length win. The $604,560 winner's share lifted her career purse earnings to $819,757.

Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Regal Realm paid $14.16 for the victory.

Sparkle Blue finished second, and White Frost was third in the field of seven fillies and mares.

Ladies Turf Quotes

Winning trainer Jonathan Thomas, Regal Realm: “She's been training great. We were looking forward to getting her here. I thought Flo did a great job of getting her to the lead comfortably. She looked super with her body language. Took to the track very well. We're just thrilled. Really, really happy for Mr. Strawbridge. Great owner-breeder, fantastic guy to work with. So this was really special to do for him.”

(On first graded stakes win) “Oh yeah. She's a beautiful filly herself, great family, adding some graded stakes black type. And the million dollars doesn't hurt at all. We're just thrilled.”

Jockey Florent Geroux, 1st, Regal Realm: “She broke super fast and made the lead very easily. We just wanted to see how she broke. We thought she might be forward because of a lack of speed in the race. When she jumped very well I just took control of the race. Sh did it very easily and she really liked the track. She had more and felt great.”

Alice Clapham, assistant trainer to Graham Motion, trainer of runner-up Sparkle Blue: “She ran great. We weren't sure about backing her up to the mile, but she ran really well. Just maybe ran out of ground.”

Jockey Vincent Cheminaud, 2nd, Sparkle Blue: “She ran very well, we had a very good trip. The winner was in front and I wanted to relax my filly. She finished very good. I tried to keep my position in the last turn. I'm happy. The winner is a good filly.

The post Regal Realm Powers Gate To Wire In Ladies Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

D’Angelo Trainees Sweep Florida Sires Stakes At Gulfstream

After Welcome Back barely prevailed in the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies, Bentornato proved much the best in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, giving trainer Jose D'Angelo a sweep of Saturday's FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

In the first leg of the series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions, Soldi Stable LLC's Welcome Back eked out victory by a nose following a troubled trip, while Leon King Stable Corp.'s  never gave D'Angelo an anxious moment while scoring by 7 ½ lengths.

“I'm very happy,” D'Angelo said. “Last year, it was my goal to pick up and train horses for the Florida Sire Stakes. We worked hard at the sales. Thank God, we won both races.”

Bentornato, it should be noted, is Italian for “welcome back”.

Bentornato, who was purchased fBentornatoor $170,000 at the OBS March sale for 2-year-olds in training, remained undefeated in three starts while following up a 4 ¼-length triumph in the six-furlong Proud Man at Gulfstream Park Aug. 12.

“I was very confident in him today. In his last stake he wasn't really ready because he had a fever before the race and missed a couple of very important workouts,” D'Angelo said. “For this race, I just worked him two times, easy for him, without company. Last race I had to push him to get ready.”

The son of Valiant Minister, the 2-5 favorite in a field of nine, broke alertly from his outside post position and advanced along the backstretch to hook up with Dickens approaching the far turn without pressure from jockey Emisael Jaramillo. Asked to pick up the pace on the far turn, Bentornato quickly opened up a clear lead on the turn into the homestretch and drew off with authority. Bentornato ran six furlongs in 1:11. 44 off half-mile fractions of 22.33 and 45.51 seconds.

Dickens, who was coming off a third-place finish in the Sanford (G3) at Saratoga, held gamely to finish second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Jive.

Bentornato will be pointed toward the next two legs of the Florida Sire Stakes, the $200,000 Affirmed at seven furlongs Oct. 21 and the $300,000 In Reality at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 2.

“I think he will go longer, because of the way he trains,” D'Angelo said.

Welcome Back, who inherited the role of favorite when 7-5 morning-line favorite R Harper Rose was scratched Saturday morning due to a fever, was coming off an impressive debut victory that came against winners on Tapeta in a July 29 optional claiming allowance.

The strapping, long-striding daughter of Adios Charlie, got away from the gate well to chase pacesetter Field of Greens along the backstretch with Epona's Hope to her outside. Jockey Edwin Gonzalez was forced to check Welcome Back on the far turn when Epona's Hope made an outside move to the lead, allowing Mist to get the jump on her with an outside move of her own. Gonzalez made a four-wide move on the turn into the homestretch as Mist set her sights on Epona's Hope. It took Welcome Back time to get untracked and employ her huge stride, but she was able to prevail over Mist by a nose at the wire.

“My filly was a little green, between horses, she'd never run between horses. So today she was between horses and she's so big, so I have to check a little when the 8 [Epona's Hope] comes down. She almost clipped heels,” Gonzalez said. “When I take her out, she grabbed her spot, and she came running.”

Welcome Back ($3.60) ran six furlongs in 1:14.28 off half-mile fractions of 23.46 and 46.68 seconds. Mist finished second under Emisael Jaramillo, a half-length ahead of Epona's Hope and jockey Edgar Perez.

The Soldi Stable homebred sported an equipment change that may well have meant the difference between victory and defeat.

“We put on her today a new bit. She looked much better today because when Edwin wants to move her, she responds very well,” D'Angelo said. “I'm very happy with the race.”

Welcome Back will be pointed toward the $200,000 Susan's Girl, the seven-furlong second leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series Oct.21. The $300,000 My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile series final, is scheduled for Dec. 2.

“I think the hard race for her is going to be this one because she's perfect to go long,” D'Angelo said. “I was afraid this race was going to be too short for her, so I'm happy she won the race.”

The post D’Angelo Trainees Sweep Florida Sires Stakes At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights