Month: October 2023

Classic: Geaux Rocket Ride Drills Six Furlongs After Recovering From Slight Fever

Geaux Rocket Ride continued his preparations for the $6 million, Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 4 with a six-furlong work in company under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith Friday at the Arcadia, Calif., track.

Sent to the main track around 7:45 a.m., Geaux Rocket Ride completed the move in an official time of 1:13.80. His company-mate, the stakes-placed 6-year-old gelding Salesman, was timed in 1:14.20.

“It was a good work, especially for him,” Smith said of Geaux Rocket Ride. “He's never been the flashiest horse in the morning.”

Eleven days ago, Geaux Rocket Ride also drilled six furlongs, but the work was not recorded because of dense fog that left the colt out of view. Mandella on Friday said Geaux Rocket Ride emerged from that work with a slight temperature but bounced back quickly.

“We had to put him on an antibiotic,” the trainer noted. “Luckily, he got right through it. It didn't amount to much. We're happy. Next week he'll have a better work.”

A 3-year-old by Candy Ride, Geaux Rocket Ride has three wins and a pair of seconds in five starts this year. His victories for owner Pin Oak Stud include the Affirmed Stakes June 4 and G1 Haskell at Monmouth Park July 22. Most recently, Geaux Rocket Ride was second to Arabian Knight in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar Sept. 2, which is at the same 1 ¼-mile distance of the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Geaux Rocket Ride was among several horses to work Friday who are pointing to the Breeders' Cup. Three horses who won stakes here two weekends ago – Chatalas, Endlessly and Slider—all returned to the tab following their triumphs.

Chatalas, winner of the G2 Chandelier Oct. 7 for trainer Mark Glatt, went four furlongs in 47.40 seconds. The Gun Runner filly is pointed to the $2 million, G1 Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 3. Endlessly, winner of the G3 Zuma Beach on turf Oct. 8 for trainer Michael McCarthy, worked four furlongs in 48.20 seconds for the $1 million, G1 Juvenile Turf on Nov. 3. Also returning to the tab for McCarthy was Zuma Beach runner-up Ngannou, who also went a half mile in 48.20 seconds. Ngannou is possible for the Juvenile Turf.

Slider won the Speakeasy for 2-year-olds going five furlongs on turf Oct. 7 for trainer John Sadler. The Jimmy Creed colt worked four furlongs in 47.40 seconds for the $1 million, G1 Juvenile Turf Sprint Nov. 3.

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Geaux Rocket Ride Returns To the Worktab

Pin Oak Stud LLC's Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the GI TVG.com Haskell S. ahead of a runner-up effort in the GI TVG Pacific Classic, breezed three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.80 over the Santa Anita main track Friday morning as he resumed his serious preparations for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 4.

Taking to the track at around 7:45 a.m. PT, the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate was put through his paces by regular rider and four-time Classic winner Mike Smith, who pronounced himself pleased with the move.

“It was a good work, especially for him,” Smith said of Geaux Rocket Ride. “He's never been the flashiest horse in the morning.”

Geaux Rocket Ride breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 (3/11) Oct. 3 and also went six panels on Oct. 9, but a time was not recorded owing to heavy morning fog. Trainer Richard Mandella said that the colt spiked a bit of a temperature out of that work, but recovered quickly.

“We had to put him on an antibiotic,” said the conditioner, who saddled Pleasant Perfect (Pleasant Colony) to victory in the 2003 Classic, one of an historic four wins on the program. “Luckily, he got right through it. It didn't amount to much. We're happy. Next week he'll have a better work.”

 

 

 

Three stakes winners from two weekends ago also returned to the tab Friday morning. Chatalas (Gun Runner), victorious in the GII Chandelier S. for trainer Mark Glatt, drilled a half-mile in :47.40 (3/48) and is expected to make her next appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 3. Amerman Racing's Endlessly (Oscar Performance), who remained unbeaten in three starts in the GIII Zuma Beach S., geared up for the GI Juvenile Turf with a four-furlong move that was timed in :48.20 (19/48). Slider (Jimmy Creed), who earned a berth in the field for the GI Juvenile Turf Sprint courtesy of his score in the Speakeasy S., went a similar distance in :47.40.

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Saturday Insights: $1.3m Into Mischief OBS April Grad Makes Santa Anita Debut

9th-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 8:11 p.m. ET.
The rail-drawn URBAN LEGEND (Into Mischief) is one of three Bob Baffert trainees to debut in the Santa Anita finale. Out of MSW Singing Kitty (Ministers Wild Cat), the bay colt went for $300,000 at Keeneland September before bringing $1.3 million at the OBS April Sale. He is campaigned by Morplay Racing LLC, Rosedown Racing Stables, LLC and Kerri Radcliffe.

The Hall of Fame conditioner will also saddle Nysos (Nyquist), who was purchased by Baoma Corp. for $550,000 at OBS April, and British Isles (Justify). Out of GSW Purely Hot (Pure Prize) and a half-brother to GI American Pharoah S. champ Eight Rings (Empire Maker), the latter is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor.

Also set for his unveiling is Tracker (Curlin), who is out of GI Darley Alcibiades S. heroine Gomo (Uncle Mo). The $250,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $900,000 OBS March graduate is campaigned by Talla Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing and Robert and DeLynn Abernathy. TJCIS PPS

5th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 3:08 p.m. ET.
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds and trainer Jeff Engler send out Bedazzle 'Em (American Pharoah) for her first start. The $750,000 Keeneland September graduate counts GIII Schuylerville S. winner Just Cindy (Justify) as a half sister.

She'll face Red White and Blue Racing's Denim and Pearls (Into Mischief), who sold for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. The Brad Cox trainee is a full-sister to GIII Robert B. Lewis S. hero Newgate.

Whitham Thoroughbreds homebred Aunt Fannie (Uncle Mo), trained by Ian Wilkes, is a half-sister to GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. victor McCraken (Ghostzapper) and GIII Dogwood S. winner Four Graces (Majesticperfection). TJCIS PPS

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The Sun Shines Bright On Weekend Graded Stakes

I don't mean to tease any New York racing connections when I say this, but the real standout when it comes to racing this weekend might be the beautiful Fall weather.

Graded-stakes action is happening at Keeneland and Woodbine on Saturday and both tracks should feature sunny skies and seasonal, if perhaps slightly below-average, temperatures. That leaves the racing to heat things up and Keeneland takes center stage with the GII Lexus Raven Run S. over seven furlongs for the 3-year-old fillies. A field of nine will line up led by the nearly undefeated Alva Starr (Lord Nelson). Her only two losses, if you can call them that, were both narrow second-place efforts when facing tough company at Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs back in May. She's stepped up since, posting a 6 3/4-length win in Delaware's Dashing Beauty S. and topping that off with an 8 3/4-length romp in the GII Prioress S. at Saratoga Sept. 2. In her first work at Keeneland, she fired a best-of-18 bullet, going five furlongs in :58 Oct. 8 for trainer Brett Brinkman.

Situated just to the favorite's inside, Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief) went three-for-three to start her career before running second to Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. July 8. Third but well beaten behind Alva Starr as the odds-on favorite in the Prioress, the $500,000 KEESEP grad will look to turn the tables on that rival for Juddmonte and trainer Brad Cox.

Charles Town Oaks winner Vahva (Gun Runner) also brings a run of recent good form in for Cherie DeVaux. Third in that Victory Ride at Belmont, she posted a career-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure in that Charles Town win and her only two major defeats both came at the hands of MGISW winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) at the Fair Grounds earlier in the year. She's also one of only two fillies in the field (the other being Lady Radler {Kantharos}) with experience over the Keeneland oval.

North of the border, Woodbine plays host to the GIII Ontario Derby with thrilling Breeders' S. winner Touch'n Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) coming back off short rest. Fifth after a troubled trip in the King's Plate Aug. 20, the 3-year-old gelding just out-dueled talented filly Elysian Field (Hard Spun) on the grass to nab the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. Back on the Tapeta Saturday for his first try at 1 1/8 miles, he keeps leading rider Kazushi Kimura aboard.

Another Canadian Triple Crown race winner lines up just to inside with Prince of Wales S. victor Velocitor (Mor Spirit) turning back to the all-weather off that score in the slop at Fort Erie Sept. 12. And while the field won't have Elysian Field to contend with Saturday, they'll have another pair of fillies to test in GIII Selene S. winner Solo Album (Curlin), who faces the boys for the first time, and last-out Ontario Damsel S. heroine Forever Dixie (Quality Road), a respectable fourth in last year's GIII Grey S. against males, to the outside.

The racing returns to Kentucky Sunday with just a single graded-stakes race on the card: the GIII Rood and Riddle Dowager S. The marathon 1 1/2-mile turf contest for fillies and mares attracted the top two finishers of the GIII Ladies Marathon S. in Vergara (Noble Mission {GB}) and Transient (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). For the 5-year-old Transient, both of her prior starts over Sunday's distance were defeats to fellow entry Personal Best (Tapit) who also exits the Ladies Marathon from fourth. Only two of these fillies (the previously mentioned Vergara and Loved Reiko {Tapit}) have wins over this distance while there are several runners in the field trying the stretch out for the first time.

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