Month: November 2023

Mr Fisk, a 3-year-old Arrogate colt, registered his first graded stakes victory Sunday at Del Mar as he came running strongly late to capture the 46th edition of the $101,000 Native Diver (G3) by 1 1/4 lengths.

The homebred colt races in the silks of Lexington-Ky.-based Larry Brookshire's Sunny Brook Stables. He is trained by Bob Baffert, who also trained his sire, and gave Del Mar's leading rider Juan Hernandez his fourth winner of the afternoon.

Finishing second in the 1 1/8 mile feature was Skinner, who went off as the 11-10 favorite in the race. Newgrange, third in last year's edition of the Native Diver, checked in third again, another 2 1/2 lengths farther back.

“This horse has really improved since this summer,” Baffert said of Mr Fisk, who entered the race following his victory in the Shared Belief (Listed) Sept. 3 at Del Mar. “He's a horse we knew would be late coming around. But he's changed so much since August. I was a little bit worried about the pace. It was a bit slow but Juan (Hernandez) realized they were going too slow and he made his move. He's still a little green, learning how to run, but he has a bright future.”

Final time was 1:49.69 on a track rated as fast. Mr Fisk paid $8.40 to win as the second choice in the seven-horse field.

“This horse has finally figured out how to run,” Hernandez said. “He put himself outside in the clear and he was traveling really good, very relaxed. He is very professional. I moved a little early to see if the horse in front of me was still waiting or if they wanted to go. I waited a little longer and then we hit the stretch. So I switched my whip, he switched leads, and that was it, we found an opening. I love this horse today because he loved the distance. I was waiting for this distance for him and it looks like he owned it. He always closes. The last couple of races he would break really, really sharp — just like today.”

Kentucky-bred Mr Fisk, a member of late sire Arrogate's second and next-to-last crop, has won three of his eight starts and earned a first prize of $60,000 Sunday to increase his lifetime bankroll to $185,700. His dam is the Manduro (GER) mare Plein Air (IRE).

The post ‘He Has A Bright Future’: Late Bloomer Mr Fisk Makes The Grade In Native Diver appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Leon King Stable Corp.'s Bentornato will likely be a prohibitive favorite in Saturday's $300,000 In Reality at Gulfstream Park on the strength of an undefeated record with three consecutive stakes victories.

Yet, the Jose D'Angelo trained son of Valiant Minister will still have much to prove in his bid to sweep the 2023 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old colts and geldings sired by accredited Florida stallions.

As dominant as he has been thus far in his highly promising career, Bentornato, who seeks to become the 11th juvenile to sweep the colt and gelding division, has yet to prove himself around two turns.

The In Reality will be contested at the two-turn distance of 1 1/16 miles, as will the $300,000 My Dear Girl, the FSS finale for fillies sired by accredited Florida stallions, on the opening weekend of the 2023-2024 Championship Meet at Gulfstream.

“He's a fast horse. I know he will be on the lead. I think we did everything for the horse to go the distance,” D'Angelo said. “The horse is very talented. We're going to be fine there.”

After rallying for a narrow debut victory at five furlongs July 1, Bentornato overcame early bumping to register an eye-catching 4¼-length front-running score in the six-furlong Proud Man Aug. 12. He came right back with a dominating 7½-length front-running win in the six-furlong FSS Dr. Fager before scoring by 2¾ lengths in the seven-furlong Affirmed.

“We've gotten him to relax, and the horse has responded,” D'Angelo said. “He's very good running like you want. He's learned so fast.”

His performance around two turns Saturday will likely decide the immediate future of the $170,000 purchase at the OBS March sale.

“I think this horse will make his future,” said D'Angelo, who ventured from Venezuela in 2017 and experienced much high-profile success in 2020-2021 with multiple graded stakes-placed Jesus' Team. “If he responds the way we think, we can point him to the Florida Derby (G1) and the [Kentucky] Derby (G1).”

Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount aboard Bentornato, who is stabled at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Harlow Stables LLC's Mattingly, runner-up in the Affirmed, has been entered for a rematch with Bentornato in the In Reality. Like the D'Angelo trainee, Mattingly will try two turns for the first time Saturday.

“I think he has a level head and he's rateable,” trainer Joe Orseno said. “I think he'll be fine going two turns.”

Gulfstream-based Mattingly turned in a solid dirt debut in the Affirmed after running once on turf – a second-place finish in the Royal Palm Juvenile in his career debut at Gulfstream– and three times on Tapeta – a stakes victory in the Hollywood Beach at Gulfstream, a runner-up finish in a Woodbine stakes, as well as a maiden score at Gulfstream.

Mattingly rallied from fifth to grab second place in the Affirmed with a less-than-ideal trip.

“I thought he would handle [dirt], but you never know,” Orseno said. “He didn't get the best trip. He got stopped and lost some momentum. He had to take up and get going again. He was coming on again. I am pretty excited about the race coming up.”

Edgard Zayas, who captured the Sunshine Meet riding title by a margin of 21 wins over his closest rival, is named to ride the son of Bucchero for the first time.

Just For Fun Stable Inc.'s Brawn brings open-stakes experience into the In Reality. The Ruben Sierra-trained son of Neolithic won his debut in August before turning in fourth-place finishes in both the Oct. 1 Aventura and Nov. 4 Armed Forces.

Leonel Reyes has the call on Brawn, who gained two-turn experience in the Armed Forces, a mile-and-70-yard stakes on Tapeta.

Secret Lover (Joe Bravo), Lasso (Luca Panici), Seminole Chief (Paco Lopez) and Cajun Fool (Miguel Vasquez) round out the field.

Two Turns 'The Difference Maker' In My Dear Girl

After Honey Dijon's second-place finish behind R Harper Rose last time out, trainer Joe Sharp knows only too well the challenge his filly will face in the $300,000 My Dear Girl.

Averill Racing LLC and Two Eight Racing LLC's R Harper Rose will bring an undefeated record, including a four-length triumph over Honey Dijon in the $200,000 Susan's Girl, into the My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile final of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.

Neither R Harper Rose nor Honey Dijon have raced beyond seven furlongs and will attempt to successfully negotiate two turns for the first time in the My Dear Girl.

“I think the two turns will be the difference maker one way or the other,” Sharp said.

Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained R Harper Rose is undefeated in her three career starts that she has won by a combined 16 lengths. The daughter of Khozan won at first asking by 6¼ lengths before capturing a 5½-furlong optional claiming allowance by 5¾ lengths. After missing the first leg of the FSS series with a fever, R Harper Rose romped to victory in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl.

Can the lightning-fast R Harper Rose carry her impressive speed around two turns?

“She's never done it. She'll have to do it first,” Joseph said. “I think she has enough class. I was more afraid of the seven furlongs than the mile and a sixteenth, but you still have to go out and do it. It's a different kind of tempo. Seven-eighths is harder. The two turns here are kinder. I think she'll get it.”

Edgard Zayas has the return mount aboard R Harper Rose, who will expand her options with a two-turn victory.

“We haven't thought beyond this race. This race is important for her, so let's get through this one,” Joseph said. “I think she's a filly that could become a graded stakes type.”

Joseph, who tied with Victor Barboza Jr. for the Sunshine Meet Crown Saturday, will also be represented in the My Dear Girl by Calypso Racing Stables LLC's Pardy Pleaser (Rocco Bowen), who has won one of four races all on Tapeta.

Sharp has reason to believe that Brad Grady's Honey Dijon will give it her best shot against R. Harper Rose in her two-turn debut.

“She's a filly that every time we've raised the bar, she's stepped forward,” Sharp said.

Honey Dijon broke her maiden in her second career start by 5¾ lengths in a 5 ½-furlong off-the-turf maiden special weight test at Saratoga Aug. 10. She went on to finish sixth, beaten by 2 ¾ lengths in the Untapable Stakes over the Kentucky Downs turf course Sept. 9 before returning to dirt in the Susan's Girl.

“It seemed like last time sprinting she was wanting a little more ground. She was well in front of the rest of the field. Saffie's horse, obviously, is super talented,” Sharp said.

“Everything about her says [Honey Dijon] will stretch out,” Sharp added. “I'm looking forward to seeing what she has going two turns.”

Paco Lopez will ride the daughter of Girvin for the first time Saturday.

Dancing N Dixie, campaigned by Quintessential Racing Florida LLC, Rocky Top Stable and LEMB Stable LLC, will bring the distinction of being the only filly with two-turn experience into the My Dear Girl. Trained by Mark Casse, the daughter of Neolithic has won both of her two-turn races at a mile and 70 yards, including a 3¾-length maiden score and a half-length triumph in the Nov. 4 Our Dear Peggy. Both races were contested over Gulfstream's Tapeta course.

Dancing N Dixie was fourth and a distant fifth in her two prior starts while sprinting on dirt.

Miguel Vasquez has the return call on Dancing N Dixie.

Jacks or Better Farm Inc.'s Fields of Green (Leonel Reyes) and BC Racing LLC's Haunted (Emisael Jaramillo), who finished third and fourth in the Susan's Girl, are scheduled to return in the My Dear Girl.

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Unrelentless (Joe Bravo), and Gelfenstein Farm LLC's Reina Mar (Angel Morales) round out the field.

The post Undefeated Bentornato, R Harper Rose Set For FSS Series Finales At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Virginia-bred Gigante angled out at the top of the stretch, collared Smokey Mandate inside the three-sixteenths pole, and kicked away late to win the off-the-turf $257,500 Commonwealth Turf on Sunday at Churchill Downs, closing day of the 134th Fall Meet.

The Not This Time colt won by 4½ lengths over 3-5 favorite Northern Invader, earning his fifth win from 12 career starts.

Gigante, who broke his maiden at Colonial Downs as a 2-year-old in his only other race on dirt, ran 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:44.46 to collect his fourth stakes win. Luan Machado rode the winner for the meet's leading trainer, Steve Asmussen.

Originally carded as a Grade 3 race, the race was shifted to the main track when track officials on Friday canceled turf racing for the remainder of the meet. The race's status will be reviewed by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Sent off at odds of 10-1, Gigante had to check off heels as the field of eight 3-year-olds raced into the first turn, but he settled nicely in fourth just behind J. P. Race, Wild Sean, and Smokey Mandate who raced three-wide through early fractions of :23.86, :47.56, and 1:12.12. When J. P. Race began to retreat leaving the final turn, Gigante spurted three-wide into contention and proved best down the lane.

“He's a very nice horse and Steve Asmussen and his team did a great job getting him prepared for this race,” Machado said. “I sat a beautiful trip behind the pace and he came with his closing kick down the lane. Every time I asked him, he dug in.”

Previously, Gigante won the Kitten's Joy at Colonial Downs at age 2 and prevailed in this year's Caesars Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis in May at odds of 33-1 and Secretariat (G2) at Colonial Downs in August at 22-1 odds.

“He's a beautiful Virginia-bred and it was great to see him dominate versus open company today,” Asmussen said. “I thought Luan gave him a great ride today. We're very fortunate to be in the position we're in with horses like him.”

Gigante returned $22.06 as the fourth betting choice. Northern Invader got up by a head for second, and Smokey Mandate was third in the eight-horse field.

Winters Lion, Lincoln Highway, Wild Sean, Worthington, and J. P. Race completed the order of finish. Anglophile, Runaway Storm, Ohana Honor, Irish Aces, Bal a Kazoo, Santorini, and Clyde's Get a Gun were scratched.

Gigante netted $150,350 for owners Iapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing and boasts career earnings of $915,475.

Gigante is out of the Empire Maker mare Summertime Green and was bred by Ann Mudge Backer and Smitten Farm. Taylor Made Sales Agency sent bay colt through the auction ring at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was bought by Andrew Dean for $120,000.

The post ‘Beautiful Virginia-Bred’: Gigante Rolls To Main Track Victory In Commonwealth Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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