Month: October 2023

Weekend Lineup Presented By Sky Racing World: Final Fall Days At Keeneland, Stars Of Tomorrow I At Churchill

The final weekend before Breeders' Cup is held at Santa Anita Park will feature plenty of eyes on the last-gasp preparations for this year's World Championships, but it also offers plenty of stakes action on the Eastern side of the continental U.S.

The Fayette serves as the closing-day feature of the 17-day Fall Meet at Keeneland: it features a Group 1 winner in Chile, a Grade 2 winner at Santa Anita, and five Grade 3 winners among 14, including two also-eligibles, entered for the 1 1/8-mile contest.

The Grade 2 Forty Niner (previously the Kelso), is one of three stakes on Saturday's lucrative 11-race program at Aqueduct, including the Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose, and the listed $135,000 Awad.

For the third time this fall, the jumpers return to Virginia on Saturday, where they'll compete for $325,000 in purses at the International Gold Cup Races at Great Meadow Race Course in The Plains, the second richest program on the National Steeplechase Association autumn calendar. The card consists of eight races – over timber, hurdles, and a mixed bag of obstacles – as well as events for runners at all levels of competition from maiden claiming to stakes. In all, 57 horses have been entered.

On Sunday, the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense Stakes is the featured event on opening day of the 21-day Fall Meet at Churchill Downs, and offers the winner 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby for 2024. The 11-race program will feature all 2-year-old racing. Two races prior to the Street Sense is the $200,000 Rags to Riches Stakes (Listed) for 2-year-old fillies.

A total of 100 New York-breds are entered for a special 10-race card on Closing Day Sunday at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet to celebrate the best of New York for the annual Empire Showcase Day, featuring eight stakes races worth $1.6 million, led by the $250,000 Empire Classic and $250,000 Empire Distaff.

Saturday

3: 48 p.m. – Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes at Aqueduct

Xigera will look to make the grade in Saturday's $250,000 Mother Goose, a nine-furlong route for sophomore fillies. Trained by Philip Bauer, the Nyquist dark bay has flashed talent on turf and dirt, taking the Tepin over the Ellis Park green in July and the Seneca Overnight last out on September 23 over the Churchill Downs main track.

Defining Purpose [post 7, Junior Alvarado] earned Grade 1 glory in April at Keeneland with a 20-1 upset score in the Ashland when posting a prominent half-length score over Punchbowl, who was a neck better than returning rival Julia Shining. Trained by Kenny McPeek, the Cross Traffic grey followed with a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks but redeemed herself off a two-month break by winning the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks. She was last seen finishing a distant fifth in the Grade 1 Cotillion contested at 1 1/16-miles over a sloppy and sealed main track on September 23 at Parx.

Chad Brown trainee Occult [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] exits a third-place finish in the Cotillion, rallying from last-of-9 to finish 1 3/4-lengths back of Ceiling Crusher, who successfully shipped in from the West Coast. Brown will also saddle a pair of sophomore contenders for Klaravich Stables in dual graded stakes-placed Undervalued Asset [post 4, Manny Franco] and maiden winner Peak Popularity [post 2, Dylan Davis].

Foggy Night [post 1, Jose Lezcano], winner of the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks in July for trainer Butch Reid, Jr., will look to make amends from a distant sixth-place finish last out in the Grade 1 Cotillion.

The regally-bred Julia Shining [post 3, Javier Castellano] made the grade at second asking here for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, overcoming a bobbled start to post a neck score in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Demoiselle over sloppy and sealed footing. Julia Shining followed with third-place efforts in the Suncoast in February at Tampa Bay Downs and the aforementioned Ashland in April at Keeneland. Last out, she was eased when ninth in the Grade 1 Alabama in August at the Spa where she has continued to work regularly over Oklahoma training track.

Mother Goose Entries

4:53 p.m. – Grade 2 Forty Niner Stakes at Aqueduct

Stakes-winner Everso Mischievous will make his first start in graded company in Saturday's $300,000 Forty Niner, a one-mile test for 3-year-olds and up that was previously run as the Kelso, at Belmont at the Big A. Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the sophomore son of Into Mischief was last seen winning the seven-furlong Harrods Creek on September 23 at Churchill Downs where he raced one length off the pace in second under Cristian Torres before taking command at the stretch call and drawing off to a 3 1/4-length victory in a final time of 1:22.15.

Graded stakes-winning Maryland-bred Double Crown [post 1, Jose Gomez] looks to defend his title in this event on the heels of a closing third-place effort in the Maryland Million Classic on October 14 at Laurel Park. Trained by Ray Ginter, Jr., the son of Bourbon Courage won the Polynesian against open company two starts back at Pimlico Race Course with a driving finish up the rail.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown sends out a strong pair in dual graded stakes-placed Accretive [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Dr Ardito [post 5, Manny Franco].

Film Star [post 4, Jose Lezcano] arrives at the Forty Niner in impressive form as he makes his ninth outing for trainer Linda Rice after being haltered for $75,000 out of a win in April at Keeneland. The Flatter bay was most recently second to Zandon in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Woodward.

Completing the field are the pair of multiple graded stakes-placed Synthesis [post 8, Isaac Castillo] and five-time winner Business Model [post 7, Dylan Davis] for owner/trainer David Jacobson; Swiftsure [post 6, Kendrick Carmouche], who enters off a pair of wins for trainer Horacio De Paz.

Forty Niner Entries

5:16 p.m. – Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland

A Group 1 winner in Chile, a Grade 2 winner at Santa Anita, and five Grade 3 winners are among 14, including two also-eligibles, entered for the 66th running of the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland on Saturday.

O'Connor (CHI) has the 2022 Gran Premio Latinoamericano (G1) at the top of his 10-win resume. Now trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., O'Connor is winless in five starts this year but is graded stakes-placed in three of those races. He most recently was fifth in the Woodward (G2) Oct. 1 at Belmont at the Big A. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 9.

Also coming in from New York is Law Professor. Trained by Rob Atras, Law Professor is a four-time stakes winner with his biggest victory coming in the Santa Anita Mathis Mile (G2) in 2021. He was most recently was third in the Woodward. Florent Geroux has the mount from post 8.

The Grade 3 winners in the field are Happy American, King Fury, Giant Game, Il Miracolo, and Best Actor.

Fayette Entries

Sunday

5:35 p.m. – Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill

Generous Tipper, the recent third-place finisher in the Breeders' Futurity (Grade 1), tops a field of eight 2-year-olds for the $200,000 Street Sense Stakes (G3) on “Stars of Tomorrow I” at Churchill Downs. Generous Tipper, trained by Kenny McPeek, was a 7 ½-length maiden special weight winner on closing day of the Ellis Park meet in late August. The son of this race's namesake, Street Sense, finished third to Locked and The Wine Steward three weeks ago in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. will retain the mount from the rail.

The Street Sense field also includes eye-catching debut winner Parchment Party. Owned by Pin Oak Stud and trained by Bill Mott, Parchment Party rallied from 11 lengths off the early pace to win a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on Sept. 15 at Churchill Downs. The son of Constitution will once again be ridden by James Graham from post No. 5.

Other Street Sense entrants include Iroquois (G3) third-place finisher Liberal Arts; Belmont at Aqueduct eight-length maiden winner Moonlight; and gutsy Churchill Downs maiden special weight winner Informed Patriot.

The Street Sense is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season where the top five finishers will be awarded points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale towards qualifying for the 150th Kentucky Derby.

Street Sense Entries

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Sky Racing World: Final Fall Days At Keeneland, Stars Of Tomorrow I At Churchill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Pletcher Group Leads Keeneland Workers; White Abarrio Back On Track

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a total of 12 horses, all of whom are pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup races, for half-mile works at Keeneland Friday morning in advance of their Saturday departure to Santa Anita.

GII Pilgrim S. winner Agate Road (Quality Road) (Juvenile Turf) worked in company with Haul (Army Mule) in :49 flat (32/63). GI Darley Alcibiades winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (NetJets Juvenile Filles) went in company with GII Chandelier runner-up Scalable (Speightstown) (Juvenile Fillies) in :49.20 (37/63).

About Candied, Pletcher said, “She worked very well. She worked on the inside of Scalable. Finished up nicely, galloped out good. She was a little late on her lead change, which has kind of been a thing with her. But she did get it the second time when Luis (Saez) asked for it. And once she did, she leveled off nicely, finished up strong and galloped out great.”

As for Pletcher's older horses, GII Suburban S. winner Charge It (Tapit) (Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile) worked in :48.60 (17/63) while GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Bright Future (Curlin) (Classic or Dirt Mile) worked in company with Dreamlike (Gun Runner) (Dirt Mile or Classic) in :48.40 (9/63).

'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) (FanDuel Juvenile) went in company with Noted (Cairo Prince) (Juvenile) in :48.60 (17/63).

 

Life Talk (Gun Runner) (Juvenile Fillies) was in company with GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Locked (Gun Runner) (Juvenile) in :48 flat (6/63).

“Locked just does everything so easily and effortlessly,” Pletcher said. “He's a colt that we had high expectations for when he came in. He's a very quiet, laid-back colt. Unassuming, until we got serious with him, and then it was like, wow, this is a really nice colt. I thought his debut was sneaky impressive. I thought his mile maiden win at Saratoga was the most impressive 2-year-old performance of the meet. Then to come here and win (the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity) from an outside draw and a wide trip the entire way, I thought that was a very determined effort on his part. He's done everything well since then. We've been blessed with some very good 2-year-olds, and I think that he's right there with them.”

Life's an Audible (Audible) (Juvenile Fillies Turf) ran in company with Appellate (Constitution) in :48.80 (25/63).

GI Coolmore Turf Mile winner Up to the Mark (Not This Time) (Turf or Mile) breezed in company with Be You (Curlin) in :48.80 (25/63).

“Up to the Mark has had two good breezes now since his win in the (Coolmore) Turf Mile,” said Pletcher. “I thought we got what we wanted in terms of some good conditioning. Strong gallop out, seems to be doing well. We're going to continue to lean towards going in the Turf.”

At Santa Anita Friday, White Abarrio (Race Day) worked five furlongs in :59.80 (3/39). According to private clocker Gary Young, the 4-year-old went the final quarter mile in :22.80.

 

Trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., White Abarrio was originally slated to work this past Monday but that drill was postponed. Connections attributed the delay to an issue with White Abarrio's shoes. Noted blacksmith Ian McKinlay flew in Monday and re-shod White Abarrio. He galloped Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday prior to Friday's drill.

“He worked great. He cooled out great. We're thrilled,” Chip Dutrow said.

Working for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies was Chatalas (Gun Runner) for trainer Mark Glatt. Winner of the GII Chandelier S. Oct. 7, the filly worked five furlongs 1:01.00 (15/39).

Trainer Peter Eurton worked a trio of 2-year-old Breeders' Cup contenders: Flattery (Flatter), Stay Hot (Summer Front) and Dark Vintage (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Flattery worked four furlongs on the training track in :48 flat (2/12). Stay Hot worked four furlongs on the training track in a bullet :47.40 (1/12). Dark Vintage worked four furlongs on the main track in :47.40 seconds (2/37).

Trainer John Sadler worked the Speakeasy winner, Slider (Jimmy Creed), who went five furlongs in :59.80 (3/39).

Working towards the Juvenile Turf was Endlessly (Oscar Performance) for trainer Michael McCarthy. He drilled four furlongs in :47.80 (8/37).

Rounding out Friday's Breeders' Cup workers were Elm Drive (Mohaymen) and Where's My Ring (Twirling Candy), who is on the also-eligible list for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Elm Drive, pre-entered in the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint, worked five furlongs on the training track in 1:03.20 (5/6) for trainer Phil D'Amato.

The post Pletcher Group Leads Keeneland Workers; White Abarrio Back On Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Jess’s Dream, Son Of Rachel Alexandra, Pensioned From Stud Duty With Sights On A New Career

Jess's Dream, the first foal by Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra and a veteran stallion in Florida, has been pensioned from stud duty and gelded, with the goal of starting a new career as a track pony.

Owner Stonestreet Farms made the announcement on Friday via its social media channels.

Jess's Dream is currently residing at the Stonestreet Training Center in Summerfield, Fla., where he will work as a track pony for the next generation of Stonestreet runners. The farm stated he would be restarted under tack in 2024.

Jess's Dream, an 11-year-old, gained national attention as the first foal out of 2009 Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra. His sire, the Hall of Famer Curlin, also brought home a pair of Horse of the Year titles for the Stonestreet operation, and the horse's name was an homage to the vision of Stonestreet Farm's late owner Jess Jackson.

He would be one of just two foals out of Rachel Alexandra – the other being the Grade 1-winning Bernardini filly Rachel's Valentina – before the mare was pensioned from production due to recurring foaling complications.

Jess's Dream was placed in the barn of trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, but a variety of maladies kept him from making his lone career start until the summer of his 4-year-old season in 2015.

Jess's Dream appeared green and hopelessly outclassed in the early stages of the race, trailing the leader by more than 18 lengths in a 1 1/8-mile race in Saratoga. He was still barely passing stragglers as the field turned for home, but he unleashed an incredible turn of foot down the Saratoga stretch and blew past the field to win by a length.

The horse was retired to Ocala Stud in Florida for the 2017 breeding season, and he has compiled 90 winners from four crops of racing age, with combined progeny earnings of more than $7.3 million.

His top runners include Grade 3 winner Chess's Dream and stakes winners Dreaming of Snow, Beth's Dream, and Intrepid Daydream.

The post Jess’s Dream, Son Of Rachel Alexandra, Pensioned From Stud Duty With Sights On A New Career appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Restrepo And Partners Buy Horse To Run At St. Moritz White Turf Meet

For the last three or four years, bloodstock agents Ramiro Restrepo, Bo Bramagen, and Clay Scherer had talked about attending the White Turf races in St. Moritz, Switzerland as fans. The races are among the most unique in the world. They're held every February and run over a frozen lake that is packed down with snow, creating a spectacle unlike anything, anywhere in the world of horse racing. The races have been held since 1907.

“We always thought that the St. Moritz white turf races were so cool, so appealing,” Restrepo said.

In a few months, the three will be in St. Moritz, but not as fans but as owners. At this week's Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale 2023 they bought a horse named Cumulonimbus (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) with the specific goal of sending him to Switzerland to compete in the biggest race of the meet, the Feb. 18 Grosser Preis von St Moritz. The horse cost 150,000 guineas.

The race will be contested at a mile-and-a-quarter and the purse is 100,000 Swiss Francs, which equals about $110,000 U.S.

“Last year, we decided to forget about going in there as fans,” said Restrepo, part owner of 2023 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic). “We decided why don't we try to win this thing. We spent the year putting our heads together and tried to figure out the best way to approach it.”

Part of that approach is to involve a large contingent of friends and colleagues. The three decided to sell 50 shares in the horses and Restrepo said that about 40 have already been sold.

“We wanted to put forth a strong investment to acquire a prospect who we could have some fun with running in Switzerland and, also, going forward, run in a couple of other international races and just have fun,” Restrepo said. “We want to put 40-50 horsemen together and put aside the competition and the egos. We want this to be more a brotherhood and sisterhood of horsemen, whether its consignors, owners, breeders, someone who works for a sales company. We just want to make this a fun thing. We spend all year fighting each other in sales ring and on racetrack. Here is a chance for all of us to come together under one banner as equal shareholders and have a great time competing in a unique international race.”

But how do you find the right horse for a race that is not run on dirt, grass or a synthetic surface, but on snow? What is there to go on?

The group put European bloodstock expert Martin Buick, the brother of jockey William Buick, in charge.

“Martin Buick helped us out through the process,” Restrepo said. “We were going through potential horses in this horses of racing age sale and looked at previous horses that won this race and their ratings. We did our homework and Martin was our eyes and ears on ground.”

Restrepo said winners of the Grosser Preis von St Moritz tend to be close to the pace early because those in the back can be hindered by what can be a heavy kickback of snow. Considering the conditions, you also need a horse with proven stamina. Restrepo believes that Cumulonimbus is a perfect fit for the race.

“This one fell in our lap,” Restrepo said. “He has the style for it. He's won handicaps with Frankie Dettori and Hollie Doyle up, so you know he has some class. He just kind of fit the bill.”

Cumulonimbus has been turned over to U.K. based trainer George Baker, no stranger to the White Turf races. He won the 2020 Grosser Preis von St. Moritz with Wargrave (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“This is something fresh, something new that we wanted to try,” Restrepo said. “What could be better than to spend a weekend of racing with a good group of people? This race is a bucket list item for a lot of people. It's easy to see why and we'd love to win it.”

The post Restrepo And Partners Buy Horse To Run At St. Moritz White Turf Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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