October, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Commandeer No Match For Pioneering Spirit In Two-Horse, Off-Turf Knickerbocker

A. Bianco Holding Limited's Pioneering Spirit proved superior to his lone foe Commandeer in Friday's Grade 3, $150,000 Knickerbocker, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up that was moved from the outer turf to the main track, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Linda Rice, Pioneering Spirit visited the winner's circle for the sixth time since being haltered for $40,000 out of a March maiden claiming tilt at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old son of American Pharoah has hit the board in 8-of-10 starts for Rice, including his Knickerbocker score and a stakes win on turf in the Bernard Baruch in September at Saratoga Race Course, which followed a Grade 1 placing when third in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer in August.

“When I claimed him, he had been running on the dirt, but he had never won a race on the dirt – that's a negative,” said Rice. “But he really trains well in the morning and breezes well on the dirt. That doesn't always hold true from turf to dirt – a lot of grass horses will [work well on dirt] and then not perform on it.”

Piloted to victory by Jose Ortiz, Pioneering Spirit broke the best of the pair but kept back as the Dylan Davis-piloted Commandeer took command along the inside and raced a half-length ahead of his pressing rival through splits of 23.91 seconds and 47.02 over the sloppy and sealed going.

Ortiz nudged Pioneering Spirit to move closer approaching the turn before turning his mount loose after three-quarters in 1:11.06. Pioneering Spirit responded to urging with aplomb and drew clear of the Jimmy Toner-trained Commandeer in the stretch, clocking one mile in 1:37.35 and cantering home down the center of the course when shown a right-handed crop to complete the course 15 3/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:51.42.

Wicked Finn, St Anthony, Rockemperor, Master Piece and Siege of Boston were scratched. King Cause was scratched at the gate, which led to the match race.

Rice said she was confident in both Ortiz and Pioneering Spirit.

“I haven't been in very many match races. This might be the first one,” said Rice. “He's very tactical this horse and he has a beautiful way of moving. He has a very efficient stride and great mechanics. Jose put the heat on the other horse and it worked.”

Ortiz, who was aboard Pioneering Spirit for the first time since an optional claiming win in July, said he knew the race was won in the far turn.

“At that point, I felt very confident and comfortable at the three-eighths pole,” said Ortiz. “I felt like Dylan's horse was struggling a bit over the backside, off the bit a little. From that point on, I just applied more pressure, more pressure and my horse was traveling well under the bridle. I was very happy at that point.”

Rice added Pioneering Spirit could come under consideration for the $150,000 Artie Schiller, a one-mile turf test for 3-year-olds and up, on November 12 here for his next outing.

Bred in Kentucky by International Equities Holding, Pioneering Spirit banked $82,500 in victory, boosting his total purse earnings to $530,750 through a record of 20-6-4-2. He returned $3.40 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Belmont at the Big A with a nine-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of every day of Belmont at the Big A on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont at the Big A, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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‘TRF Cheers To 40 Years’ Day Staged at Keeneland

Highlighted by a special check presentation in the winner's circle, the leadership of Keeneland recognized October 20th as “TRF Cheers to 40 Years” Day at Keeneland in celebration of the Foundation's four decades of commitment to the welfare and retirement of Thoroughbred racehorses.

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) has been a pioneer in aftercare for retired racehorses since its founding in 1983. Joined by TRF Board Member Katie LaMonica and Warden Abby Caudill of Blackburn Correctional Complex, the Keeneland team presented the TRF with a donation of $4,000 toward the care of the TRF herd in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The TRF currently operates three farms in Kentucky, caring for 70 horses, including 40 at the TRF Second Chances farm at Blackburn Correctional Complex and 9 at the TRF Sanctuary Farm at Chestnut Hall.

The TRF will also host a table on the apron during Sunrise Trackside Saturday, Oct. 21 between 8 and 10 a.m.

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Leopardstown Debut for Galileo Son of Legatissimo

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features a Galileo (Ire) son debuting at Leopardstown.

16.46 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, c/g, 8fT
BLACKPOOL (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) is an exciting newcomer for Aidan O'Brien in a maiden he has targeted with some smart types in recent times, being the third foal and first runner out of the G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Nassau S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Legatissimo (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). He is one of a trio from the Ballydoyle stable which unleashed Galileo's Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) in 2020, including another son of that much-missed sire in Double Agent (Ire), a full-brother to the triple group 2 winner and G1 Yorkshire Oaks runner-up Free Wind (Ire).

13.20 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, f, 7f 23yT
AZADA (IRE) (Siyouni {Fr}) is a significant debutante for The Aga Khan and Dermot Weld, being a half-sister to the five-times group 1 hero and sire The Autumn Sun (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}). Weld has won four of the last 10 renewals of this maiden, including two of the last three with this owner-breeder's runners including 12 months ago with the subsequent G1 Irish 1000 Guineas fourth Tarawa (Ire) (Shamardal).

13.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €16,000, 2yo, c/g, 7f 23yT
SPOKEN TRUTH (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is another notable newcomer from the Dermot Weld stable on this intriguing card, being the fourth foal out of Moyglare's excellent producer Joailliere (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who provided the operation with last year's brilliant G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs (Ire) also by Frankel. Also responsible for the listed scorer and G2 Champions Juvenile S. third Reve De Vol (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), the homebred meets a Ballydoyle outsider in the similarly-unraced Autumn Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a Peter Brant homebred son of his triple graded-stakes winner and multiple grade I-placed Quidura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

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Gulfstream Park: Mandatory Payout Rainbow 6 Features Florida Sire Stakes

The wagering sequence of Saturday's mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., will feature second-leg action of the $2.2 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions.

The $200,000 Susan's Girl, starring undefeated R Harper Rose, will be renewed in Race 8, while the $200,000 Affirmed, headed by undefeated Bentornato, has been carded as Race 10 in the sequence that will span Races 6-11.

While the Florida Sire Stakes races will co-headline the sequence, the $100,000 Gil Campbell Memorial is bound to keep the bettors' interest between races with an anticipated showdown between graded-stakes winner Dean Delivers and win-machine Big and Classy in Race 9.

In their only previous meeting, Michael Yates-trained Dean Delivers defeated Bobby Dibona-trained Big and Classy by 2 ¼ lengths in the six-furlong Smile Sprint (G3) July 1 at Gulfstream.

The Gil Campbell Memorial, a one-turn mile stakes for registered Florida-breds that offers a $50,000 FTBOA bonus to a registered Florida-bred winner, will present a challenge for both talented sprinters, who have yet to score in limited opportunities at the distance.

Dean Delivers raced twice at the one-turn mile distance during the 2022-3023 Championship Meet, both times in graded stakes, finishing fourth in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) and third in the Fred Hooper (G3).

“I think the mile is definitely the end of his distance. The mile is certainly not his best distance,” Yates said. “I think it all depends on the pace of the race.

Big and Classy finished second behind graded-stakes veteran Long Range Toddy in the Edwin T. Broome Memorial overnight handicap in his only try at the distance.

Dean Delivers followed up his sharp score in the Smile Sprint with a third-place finish behind Elite and Gunite in the July 29 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga in his most recent effort.

“They're good horses. They're probably two of the best sprinters in the world,” Yates said.

The Vanderbilt was run over a sloppy sealed track.

“I thought it was a really good effort. He broke sharper than he ever has and made the lead pretty easy, I don't think the sloppy sealed track is his favorite surface. He ran on it at Gulfstream and his numbers dropped,” Yates said.

Dean Delivers has distinguished himself as a fighter during a 17-race career that has produced five victories and seven second-place finishes, as well a two third-place finishes.

“I was just going over his PPs on Equibase – first, second, first, second, first second. Looking back, what a horse,” Yates said. “He just gives it to you every time you lead him over there.”

Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount aboard Yates' homebred son of Cajun Breeze.

Big and Classy, who was claimed for $10,000, has won eight of his last 10 races, including 3 ½-length romp in the seven-furlong Jackson Bend overnight handicap Sept. 23.

The Rainbow 6 has gone unsolved for five programs, resulting in a jackpot pool carryover of $53,612.86. The pool is expected to surpass $250,000 Saturday.

On mandatory-payout days, the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the wager's six-race sequence. The carryover jackpot is usually only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool usually goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winner, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

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