Month: September 2023

Summer Breezes: Uncle Mo Firster Brings Big Pricetag to Del Mar

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar.

Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. To follow are the entries for Saturday at Saratoga and Del Mar:

Saturday, September 2, 2023
Saratoga 1, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 12:40 p.m. ET
Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze
Echo Baybe (Ire) (Cable Bay {Ire}), FTMMAY, 115,000, :10.3
Consignor: Top Line Sales LLC, agent
Buyer: Legion Bloodstock, agent

 

Reagan's Flame (Flameaway)-AE, OBSAPR, 185,000, :10.1
Consignor: Eddie Woods, agent
Buyer: Cherie De Vaux, agent

 

Tammy Lynn (Distorted Humor), OBSMAR, 170,000, :10
Consignor: The True Farm
Buyer: Spendthrift Farm

 

Saratoga 6, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 3:26 p.m. ET
Ocala Rocket (Hard Spun), OBSJUN, 450,000, :9.4
Consignor: de Meric Sales, agent
Buyer: Frank Fletcher Racing Operations

 

Stolen Magic (Good Magic), FTMMAY, 85,000, :10.2
Consignor: Paul Sharp, agent
Buyer: Emerald Sales, agent for KEM Racing

 

Vin Santo (Vino Rosso), OBSJUN, 110,000, :21.1
Consignor: Ocala Stud, agent
Buyer: Bruce Brown, agent

 

Zverev (Oscar Performance), OBSAPR, 330,000, :10.2
Consignor: Eisaman Equine, agent
Buyer: Cherie De Vaux, agent for Belladonna Racing V

 

Saratoga 7, 2yo, 7f, 4:00 p.m. ET
Deposition (Constitution)-AE, FTMMAY, 77,000, :10.3
Consignor: Woodford Thoroughbreds, agent
Buyer: Trin-Brook Stable

 

Del Mar 3, 2yo, 6f, 5:30 p.m. ET
Arthur (Uncle Mo), OBSAPR, 675,000, :10.1
Consignor: Gene Recio, agent
Buyer: Benjamin Gase

 

Beneficial (Malibu Moon), OBSMAR, 375,000, :10
Consignor: James Layden, agent
Buyer: Three Amigos

 

Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso), OBSJUN, 300,000, :20.4
Consignor: McKathan Bros Sales, agent
Buyer: Three Amigos (PS)

 

Del Mar 4, 2yo, (S), 5 1/2f, 6:00 p.m. ET
Takes Three (Nyquist), OBSAPR, 400,000, :10
Consignor: Wavertree Stables Inc (Ciaran Dunne), agent
Buyer: Slugo Racing

 

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Weekend Lineup Presented By HIWU: Two Major Classic Preps On Offer

There will be five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In races scheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 2, highlighted by a pair of contests offering automatic starting positions to the $6 million Classic.

One Classic prep is offered on each coast: the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, and the $1 million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.

Proxy and Rattle N Roll are the New York headliners, while 3-year-olds Geaux Rocket Ride and Arabian Knight take on nine other rivals on the West Coast.

Saratoga will also host the Flower Bowl (G2), which provides the winner a free spot into the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Then, 2-year-olds are in the spotlight at The Spa on Sunday and Monday in the G1 Spinaway and G1 Hopeful.

Also at Del Mar on Saturday, the winner of the Del Mar Handicap presented by Japan Racing Association (G2) will gain an automatic starting position into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), and the winner of the Green Flash Handicap (G3) will earn a “Win and You're In” for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Saturday and Sunday will also feature live racing action from Kentucky Downs' boutique grass meet.

Saturday

6:18 p.m. – Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga

Grade 1 winner Proxy will make his Empire State debut in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup going 10 furlongs. Proxy, a son of Tapit, is a six-time winner over four different ovals and enters from a victory in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup on July 22 going nine furlongs, where he led from start-to-finish.

Trainer Kenny McPeek will saddle Grade 1 winner Rattle N Roll, who was last seen posting a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on July 1 at Ellis Park. The 4-year-old Connect colt earned his Grade 1 accolade in his stakes debut, when conquering the Breeders' Futurity in October 2021 at Keeneland. He entered the Stephen Foster from a string of three graded stakes triumphs over as many racetracks, each of which produced a triple-digit Beyer. Rattle N Roll captured the Grade 3 Ben Ali on April 22 at Keeneland [101] before shipping to Pimlico Race Course to take the 1 3/16-mile Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 19 [101], followed by a triumph in the Grade 3 Blame on June 3 at Churchill Downs [100].

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will seek his second Jockey Club Gold Cup triumph when saddling Bright Future [post 8, Javier Castellano]. Bright Future defeated second-level winners by 4 3/4 lengths last out on July 21 traveling nine furlongs over the local going, where he earned a career-high 100 Beyer. The three-time winning son of Hall of Fame inductee Curlin, who won the Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2007-08, made his lone stakes performance in the Grade 2 Brooklyn on June 10 going 12 furlongs at Belmont Park. He finished a distant eighth in his lone off-the-board placing.

Trainer Josie Carroll will bring a pair of formidable contenders by way of Canada in last out graded stakes-winners Tyson [post 6, Manny Franco] and Duke of Love [post 7, Luis Contreras].

Completing the field are Grade 2 Suburban second and third-place finishers Clapton [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Unbridled Bomber [post 2, Dylan Davis], as well as three-time winning stakes-placed Warrior Johny [post 3, Junior Alvarado].

Jockey Club Gold Cup Entries

6:28 p.m. – Grade 3 Mint Millions Stakes at Kentucky Downs

The first stakes offering a $2 million purse in Kentucky Downs history is all set as the Grade 3 mile Mint Millions headlines Saturday's 11-race card at the FanDuel Meet.

A capacity field of 12 older horses was entered in the Mint Millions, with California-based multiple graded-stakes winner Cabo Spirit expected to scratch out of Thursday's opening-day $500,000 FanDuel Tapit Stakes to run for the bigger money. Money talks, and the Mint Millions attracted the entry of British's Group 1-placed Ancient Rome, trained by Charlie Hills with European standout jockey Jamie Spencer named to ride.

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher entered Annapolis, winner of last year's Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile against older horses, in what would be a three-week turnaround from the colt's close second in Saratoga's Grade 1 Fourstardave.

Among the favorites for the Mint Millions figures to be the Greg Foley-trained Stitched, winner of the Grade 2 Wise Dan held at Ellis Park.

Kentucky Downs' all-time leading trainer Mike Maker, who finished 1-2 in the last year's stakes with Somelikeithotbrown and Atone, comes back with Atone and adds Max K. O.

Winning the Ellis Park prep to earn a fees-paid berth in the Mint Millions was the Rodolphe Brisset-trained Hozier, who in his prior start was a very good fourth in the Grade 2 Wise Dan run at Ellis Park.

At age 8, Gray's Fable is back for another crack at the Mint Millions. The gelding finished a close fifth last year race after winning the prep race at Ellis Park. He returned to the Kentucky Downs Preview Mint Millions four weeks ago, rallying to finish fourth but beaten 1 1/4 lengths.

Others entered in the Mint Millions: multiple Grade 1-placed Get Her Number as trainer Peter Miller ships in from California, Saratoga's Lure winner Smokin' T, Canadian-based Churchtown and Dhabab.

Mint Millions Entries

9:00 p.m. – Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar

A pair of 3-year-olds – Geaux Rocket Ride and Arabian Knight – were on top of the list for the Pacific Classic's morning line with the former – winner of the $1-million Haskell Stakes vs. 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park in New Jersey last out on July 22 – penciled in as the favorite at 5-2 and his 3-year-old rival, who finished third in the Haskell, next in line at 3-1.

Geaux Rocket Ride, who will be ridden once again by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, drew Post 1, while “Knight” has Del Mar's former top rider, Flavien Prat, in the tack and they'll start from Post 9.

The third soph – Skinner, stakes-placed in his last three outings – is 10-1 in the morning line and he and rider Hector Berrios will come out of Post 11.

The top threat among the older runners in the bunch is also trained by Baffert in Defunded, a four-time Graded stakes winner who will go off at 4-1 in the morning line under Del Mar's top rider, Juan Hernandez.

Besides its rich purse and Grade 1 prestige, the Pacific Classic is also a “Win and You're In” race for this year's $6,000,000 Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be contested at Santa Anita on Saturday, November 4. The Pacific Classic winner is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate for the country's richest race with all fees paid for entry.

Pacific Classic Entries

Sunday

5:10 p.m. – Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga

Brightwork brings a perfect 3-for-3 record into Sunday's $300,000 Spinaway for 2-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. Brightwork, by fourth-crop sire Outwork, announced her presence as a major force to be reckoned with in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Adirondack on August 6 at Saratoga. She stalked a swift pace in between horses from third down the backstretch before tipping out wide around the far turn en route to an easy five-length score.

Four-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown will send out highly impressive maiden winner Ways and Means. Jockey Flavien Prat, who retains the mount from post 8, was described as “poised like a statue in the irons” by the Equibase chart as Ways and Means strolled home a 12 3/4-length winner while earning a 90 Beyer for the win.

Hall of Famer Bill Mott will saddle Sugar Hi [post 3, Junior Alvarado], who impressed in her Opening Day debut at the Spa with a six-length win. The daughter of Twirling Candy earned an 80 Beyer from her first-out graduation going 5 1/2 furlongs, where she sat a close second off a pace set by returning rival Lady Moscato before dueling with her foe in upper stretch and kicking clear to victory.

Trainer Kenny McPeek will saddle Wonder Ride [post 7, Julien Leparoux] following a winning debut on August 13 at Saratoga. There, the daughter of leading third-crop stallion Gun Runner rated a close third down the backstretch and won by a half-length in an effort which garnered a 72 Beyer.

Gary Contessa, who trained 2018 Spinaway winner Sippican Harbor, will send out Becky's Joker [post 5, Javier Castellano], who won her career debut at 21-1 odds in Opening Day's Grade 3 Schuylerville going six furlongs. There, Becky's Joker raced from one length off the pace down the backside and pounced to a 3 1/4-length score. The daughter of Practical Joke was a lackluster seventh in the last out Grade 3 Adirondack, where she finished 15 1/4 lengths back off Brightwork.

Hall of Famer and three-time Spinaway winner Steve Asmussen will saddle Closing Act [post 4, Jose Lezcano] following a third-place finish in the Schuylerville. The Texas homebred Munnings chestnut previously captured the Astoria on June 11 at Belmont Park following a triumphant neck score on debut on May 11 at Churchill Downs.

Completing the field are Miz Sense [post 1, Manny Franco] for Hall of Famer and six-time Spinaway winner Todd Pletcher; Lady Moscato [post 2, John Velazquez] for Hall of Famer and six-time Spinaway winner D. Wayne Lukas; the Tom Amoss-trained Alys Beach [post 6, Dylan Davis]; and Lemorian [post 10, Fernando De La Cruz] for conditioner Michelle Elliott.

Spinaway Entries

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Carl Spackler Proves Deserving Favorite In Saranac, Will Point To Keeneland’s Grade 1 Turf Mile

Carl Spackler, trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, backed up his heavy 1-5 favoritism and doubled up on Saratoga Race Course graded stakes scores in Friday's 116th running of the Grade 3, $175,000 Saranac for sophomores traveling 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf.

Carl Spackler, an Irish-bred chestnut by Lope de Vega, captured the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame just three weeks ago over good going at the Spa, defeating fellow Brown trainee Appraise by 2 1/4 lengths.

Leaving from post 2 under Tyler Gaffalione, Carl Spackler left in good order, but Taking Candy broke sharpest of all to his inside and assumed command into the first turn. Carl Spackler was one length behind in second through an opening quarter-mile in 23.58 seconds over the good going. It was a gap of four lengths back to Lost Ark in third, followed by Mendelssohns March and Yacowlef trailing the field.

Carl Spackler briefly matched strides with Taking Candy down the backside but took back to his initial stalking position through a half-mile in 48.56. The field grew more compact nearing the far turn with Taking Candy still controlling the tempo through three-quarters in 1:12.56 as Gaffalione lightly coaxed a loaded Carl Spackler. An all-out Taking Candy fought Carl Spackler valiantly in upper stretch, but there were no yips or shanks for Carl Spackler, who strolled home an in-hand 3 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:42.23.

Taking Candy held second three-quarters of a length ahead of third-place finisher Lost Ark, a half-brother to 2022 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest. Mendelssohns March and Yacowlef completed the order of finish. Activist Investing, Freedom Trail, and main track only entrant Gilmore were scratched.

Named after a main character portrayed by Bill Murray in the film Caddyshack, Carl Spackler now boasts a 5-3-1-0 record with his lone off-the-board effort taking place when eighth as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 2 American Turf on May 6 at Churchill Downs. A runner-up in his January 21 debut at Gulfstream Park to eventual Grade 1 winner Far Bridge, Carl Spackler was a sharp 8 3/4-length winner one month later at the same oval.

Carl Spackler utilized new tactics in the Saranac when sitting right off the pace as opposed to making up 6 1/2 lengths in the Hall of Fame with Gaffalione aboard for the first time.

“That day I wanted to be a little more forwardly placed, but we had a little hiccup out of the gate,” Gaffalione said of the Hall of Fame effort. “What I loved is that he relaxed back there and showed a real nice turn of foot that day, and that gave me confidence moving forward that I can place him wherever I need to. He's very talented.

“He was traveling well within himself,” Gaffalione added, regarding the Saranac. “I just wanted to try and get him to shut off. We have bigger things down the road, so didn't want to do too much today.”

Brown, who captured his third Saranac, said he expected to see his horse on the lead given the compact field.

“Once we had a target, I felt pretty good. I thought we would be on the lead actually, but Tyler knows this horse so well and, with all his horses, he comes well prepared,” said Brown, who saddled previous Saranac winners Public Sector [2021] and Raging Bull [2018]. “These short fields with a short price can be tricky sometimes, and I just said, 'Look, ride it loose and if you go to the lead, which I expect, fine. If someone really wants to go, it's even better,' because with a target, it worked out perfect.”

Brown mentioned the possibility of tackling older horses with Carl Spackler, who could make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Coolmore Turf Mile on October 7 at Keeneland, which was won last year by Saranac victor Annapolis.

“I'm looking at what I want to do with him in early October at Keeneland, and I just thought it was too big of a gap because we're going to possibly go after the Coolmore Mile, which will be a tall order,” Brown said. “I wasn't crazy about the eight weeks [off] for this horse, so I ran it by Bob [Edwards, owner of e Five Racing Thoroughbreds] and he said, 'Whatever you feel is right for the conditioning and development of the horse.' It all worked out.

“I love a little cutback into a mile in a bigger field with some pace,” Brown continued. “Again, tall order, [but] he'll get a little bit of a weight break being a 3-year-old, and as long as he's healthy and doing well, that's where he'll run.”

Bred in Ireland by Edwards' Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Carl Spackler is out of the Brown-trained and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds-campaigned graded stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Zindaya, who is a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Western Aristocrat.

“It's very rewarding and I trained this horse's mother for the Edwards family – it was one of our first big winners together, and to see her handsome colt that she threw out here winning two stakes at the same meet at Saratoga is hard to do, I know that very well,” Brown said.

Carl Spackler, who returned $2.50 for a $2 win wager, banked $96,250 in victory which enhanced his lifetime earnings to $432,250.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with a 12-race card featuring the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup in Race 11 – a “Win And You're In” for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic, the Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl – a “Win And You're In” for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, the Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress and the listed $150,000 Harvey Pack. First post is 12:40 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 Carl Spackler Proves Deserving Favorite In Saranac, Will Point To Keeneland’s Grade 1 Turf Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘Locked’ and Loaded: Gun Runner Colt Secures ‘TDN Rising Star’ Honors at the Spa

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With this smashing victory in the fifth race Friday, Locked (Gun Runner) graduated summa cum laude with 'TDN Rising Star' honors from the 2-year-old maiden special weight ranks at Saratoga Race Course.

A month after his career debut went awry, Locked turned in a top-notch performance under Jose Ortiz, scoring by 7 1/4 lengths and covering the mile in 1:36. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said it is likely that the chestnut colt will run next in the GI Champagne S. or the GI Breeders' Futurity S.

Locked is co-owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm. He is out of the Malibu Moon mare Luna Rosa and was purchased for $425,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sale.

Eclipse chairman Brian Spearman said the colt really delivered in his second trip to the races.

“We ran him Whitney weekend up here, came in third, stumbled a little bit coming out,” Spearman said. “Todd has always thought very, very highly of him. We were hoping what we saw today would be exactly what we thought, so we're super excited.”

Locked found trouble at the start of the Aug. 5 race and ended up at the rear of the field of 10, but he did rally and managed to hit the board in the six-furlong contest. Pletcher said getting a second crack against maidens can be a benefit.

“I think sometimes it's better for their development,” Pletcher said. “In that debut he got a lot of dirt in his face. He got a lot of experience, a lot of education that paid off. He showed good tactical speed today, put Jose right into the race.”

Locked and Ortiz were bumped a bit leaving the gate, but promptly grabbed a pace-pressing position outside of Arteta (Take Charge Indy), who led the field through splits of :23.96 and :47.72. They moved to the front just under a half-mile from home and were never challenged.

“Jose said he was travelling very comfortably, all the way down the backside,” Pletcher said. “When he kind of squeezed him, he jumped underneath him and finished up impressively. The final time, I thought, was exceptional.”

Spearman said that Eclipse founder and president Aron Wellman, the decision-maker on purchases, identified the colt bred by Rosa Colasanti as a top prospect.

“He loved the horse from the beginning,” Spearman said. “He loved the confirmation. He talked about the pedigree. He loved the mare. For him, I think it was the total package and once he saw him at the sale I think he was convinced we've got to try to get this one. So we did.”

Locked was no surprise to bettors, who made him the 2-5 favorite. He paid $3.50 to win.

Although the result of the first race was disappointing, Pletcher said he was better for the outing.

“He did what a lot of first timers to do, climbed from the kickback,” Pletcher said. “But when he levelled off, he really came with a strong late run and an exceptional gallop out. He came back with two dynamite breezes afterwards. We've been pointing to this race since we knew it was here and we were expecting good things from him.”

5th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-1, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.00, ft, 7 1/4 lengths.
LOCKED, c, 2, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon
                2nd Dam: Gabriellina Giof (GB), by Ashkalani (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Paola Quatraro (Ire), by Cure the Blues
Sales history: $425,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $70,350. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Walmac Farm; B-Rosa Colasanti (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

Locked (Gun Runner) became the eighth 'TDN Rising Star' for his leading young sire with a powerhouse performance at second asking at Saratoga Friday afternoon.

The Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm colorbearer wasn't much of a secret as the 3-4 favorite while stretching to a mile after rallying smartly from last after some trouble at the start to finish a very promising third sprinting on debut for Todd Pletcher at Saratoga Aug. 5 (Second Chances series).

Locked, a $425,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, bumped with a rival at the start this time, but was still away in good enough order to secure a perfect spot in an outside second. Ready to pounce beneath Jose Ortiz through fractions of :23.96 and :47.72, the chestnut could wait no longer, and took over with authority approaching the three-eighths pole. Locked hit the top of the stretch in complete control and was handed confidently down the lane en route to a 7 1/4-length tally over Drum Roll Please (Hard Spun) while stopping the timer in a sharp 1:36 flat.

Bred in Kentucky by Rosa Colasanti, Locked was produced by a winning half-sister to MGISW Gabby's Golden Gal (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW & GISP Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). The Gun Runner/Malibu Moon cross is already responsible for GSWs Shotgun Hottie and Runninsonofagun. Locked is also bred similarly to MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner), who is out of a Flatter mare.

Locked's dam produced a colt by Caravaggio in 2022 and a filly by Tiz the Law this year. She was bred back to Early Voting. —Steve Sherack

 

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