Month: November 2023

Trainer Robert Falcone, Jr. operates a bustling operation with 28 horses stabled in New York at Belmont Park and another 15 head each at Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana and Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida.

The busy conditioner will be hoping that his Castle Chaos, listed at 30-1 on the morning line, will be able to wreak a little havoc in Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets before he hops a southbound plane.

“I'll be watching the Cigar Mile and then straight to JFK and getting on a plane at 5:30 to Florida. I've got one in at Gulfstream the next day,” Falcone, Jr. said. “I'll stay at Palm Meadows for a few days and then fly to the Fair Grounds to watch those horses train for a few days and then back to New York.”

Falcone, Jr. haltered Castle Chaos, a 5-year-old Palace Malice bay, for $75,000 out of a runner-up effort on debut in September 2021 at Saratoga Race Course on behalf of owners Sanford J. Goldfarb, Nice Guys Stables and Beast Mode Racing.

Castle Chaos would graduate two starts later in December 2021 at the Big A in a seven-furlong maiden special weight. He continued to race through that winter and finished third in a first level one-turn mile allowance here last February, but ended his 4-year-old campaign with a trio of off-the-board efforts.

“He had a couple bad races and then we tried the grass and it didn't work out. We gave him some time off and found a little issue with him and then brought him back,” Falcone, Jr. said. “It wasn't anything serious. He had a little bone bruising. He's been good since he came back.”

Castle Chaos returned victorious in June, a full calendar year later, to post a 1 1/2-length score in a six-furlong optional-claimer on June 3 at Monmouth Park and was a prominent third when stretched out to a two-turn mile next out in July at the New Jersey oval.

“We brought him back at Monmouth sprinting and he ran a big race that day,” Falcone, Jr. said. “He was probably too sharp to go the two turns back at Monmouth. He went a little quick around there and burned himself out early.”

Falcone, Jr. has since decided the gelding is more effective around one turn and was pleased to see Castle Chaos close from last-of-8 to finish second, defeated a neck at 36-1 odds, traveling seven-furlongs in August at Saratoga. He subsequently landed a troubled-trip third in September sprinting here.

“We always thought he was going to be a one-turn horse – one-turn mile, to be exact,” Falcone, Jr. said. “He just couldn't get up in time at Saratoga.”

Castle Chaos found an ideal local one-turn mile last out and edged clear to a 1 1/4-length score that garnered a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure. The runner-up in that event, Winit, is entered back on Saturday's undercard at the Big A.

“We finally got chance to run him a one-turn mile again last time and he ran a big race,” Falcone, Jr. said. “Obviously, this is a big step up but I'm taking a shot with him – he's doing good.”

Castle Chaos, out of the winning Flatter mare Queen Victoria, has breezed back twice, including a half-mile in 48.66 Saturday over the Belmont dirt training track. He will exit post 9-of-12 Saturday with Dylan Davis aboard.

“We'll let Dylan do his thing. He's a horse that sits and comes from right off them. It turns out pretty good when there's a lot of speed in the race, so drawn outside is fine,” Falcone, Jr. said. “In a one-turn mile, you have a long way to the turn so hopefully they can work out a trip. There should be some pace to close in to.

“He's doing really good and really coming into himself,” Falcone, Jr. continued. “He's acting like he's ready to go again. Hopefully, he can duplicate his effort from last time or better.”

And even though the workload may be heavy for the multiple graded stakes-winning trainer, the anticipation of a big race helps to keep him motivated.

“The excitement of having that many horses and always being active and running different places, it keeps you on your toes,” Falcone, Jr. said. “Any tiredness or exhaustion you get, the excitement helps push you through it.”

The post Cigar Mile: Robert Falcone ‘Taking A Shot’ With 30-1 Chance Castle Chaos appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 2023-2024 Championship Meet will get underway Friday at Gulfstream Park with the return of turf racing during the elite winter session that will host World Class Thoroughbred racing through March 31.

A Gulfstream Park calendar giveaway has been scheduled for Friday and Saturday. The popular calendars featuring exquisite photos of memorable races from last season will be available while supplies last.

Live racing will be offered four days a week Thursday through Sunday before a five-day race week begins Dec. 24. First-race post time is set for 12:10 p.m. daily.

A completely renovated turf course that has been widened by 15 feet will be unveiled Friday with two grass races on the opening-day schedule – a mile optional claiming maiden for 2-year-old fillies in Race 1 and a five-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up in Race 8, featuring the return of Yes I Am Free, who has won the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3) the past two years, in a stakes-quality field. There will no longer be runups in turf races.

Three races on turf are scheduled for Saturday, when the Tropical Turf Pick Three will debut. The $3 minimum wager, which has a low 15-percent takeout, will be available on the last three turf races every Saturday and Sunday. Races 1, 8 and 11 will make up Saturday's Tropical Turf Pick Three. Atone, who won this year's $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), is scheduled to make his return to Gulfstream in Race 8. On days when racing is taken off the turf, the races will be contested on Tapeta.

A mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool will be held Saturday. There is a $125,000 guaranteed gross jackpot pool on Friday's opening-day card.

The 2023-2024 Championship Meet will feature 68 stakes worth $14.875 million. The $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1), the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) on Jan. 27 and the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on March 30 will be among 34 graded stakes to be renewed.

The Pegasus World Cup Day program, a celebration of World Class racing, entertainment, fashion, food and fun, will feature seven graded stakes. The Pegasus World Cup, a 1 1/8-mile invitational for 4-year-olds and up, has established itself as the first major target of the new racing season for the classic division. The Pegasus World Cup Turf, a 1 1/8-mile invitational that will be contested by 4-year-olds and up, over Gulfstream Park's new turf course. The $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf (G3), a 1 1/16-mile invitational for fillies and mares 4-years old and up, will also be contested Jan. 27 on the turf course that is scheduled to host 38 stakes during the Championship Meet.

The Curlin Florida Derby, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds that has established itself as the premier Triple Crown prep, will headline the March 30 program that will offer eight stakes, five graded. The $150,000 Mucho Macho Man, a mile stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, will kick off the Road to the 73rd running of the Curlin Florida Derby on the New Year's Day program Jan. 1, followed by the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 1 and the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) March 2.

The $300,000 In Reality and $300,000 My Dear Girl, the final legs of the 2023 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series, will kick off the stakes schedule Saturday. Undefeated Bentornato will bid to sweep the colts & geldings division series in the In Reality, while unbeaten R Harper Rose heads the fillies division in the My Dear Girl.

Saffie Joseph Jr. will seek his third consecutive Championship Meet training title. The 36-year-old conditioner prevailed over Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, 47-42, in the win column. Pletcher, an 18-time Championship Meet titlist, will seek to regain the throne.

Irad Ortiz Jr. will be on a quest to win back-to-back Championship Meet riding titles after amassing a dazzlingly total of 128 victories during the 2022-2023 stand.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez and Joe Bravo, who have wintered in Southern California the last few years, have returned to Gulfstream Park's jockey colony for the 2023-2024 Championship Meet. International stars Oisin Murphy and Sean Levey are scheduled to compete during the Championship Meet. Vincent Cheminaud, Chris Emigh will also ride during the winter meet for the first time.

Trainers John Ortiz and Brittany Vanden Berg are among the new faces for the Championship Meet.

The post Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet Begins Friday; Turf Racing Returns On Newly Renovated Course appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The $150,000 Valedictory Stakes (G3), set for 1 ½ miles on the Tapeta this Sunday at Woodbine, has attracted 14 starters, including War Court.

The marathon test, for 3-year-olds and up, will mark the 11th career start for the son of Declaration of War-Kindersley, who has posted three wins, a second and two thirds in his past seven starts.

Trained by Layne Giliforte for owner and breeder Chiefswood Stables, War Court won his final two starts of 2022 and notched his third career victory, by 3 ½ lengths over 1 1/16 miles on the Tapeta on August 24th.

In his latest start, the Durham Cup (G3) on October 7, the Kentucky-bred finished fifth, 3 ½ lengths behind the winner, in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta event.

“I thought he ran well for his first stakes race,” said Giliforte. “It was a pretty decent group of horses, and he ran a very credible race for his first time against that type. As obvious as it is, the start before, on August 24th, was so impressive. It was a competitive group, and he was able to draw away from them.”

After a pair of tough results, eighth and seventh, respectively, to launch his career in the summer of 2021, War Court finished fourth in his return to racing the following August. One race later, he broke his maiden in a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race at Woodbine.

Giliforte, who has 913 career wins, is pleased with how War Court has continued to elevate his game.

“He has turned out to be quite consistent. He's a lightly raced horse and we've tried to be selective with spots. He's a horse that comes from off the pace and has an aggressive late-pace kick, which is always a timing issue. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it isn't, depending on the pace. He tries every time, he's consistent, and he's talented. I think the distance of the race is something we are excited about. It's something that speaks to his stamina.”

The Valedictory has been on the radar for a long time.

“We've always wanted to run him in this race, so getting the chance this year, I think he is going to flourish with the distance. He has shown us a lot the past two years.”

War Court has also shown a spirited side in the barn since he arrived on the Woodbine backstretch.

A green cone sits outside his stall.

“He's a bit of an aggressive type. He'll come at you. I joke with the groom Lindsay [Robinson] all the time – he doesn't like me. I've tried to pet him and go in his stall, and he comes at me with both ends. I watch the groom duck under his head, and War Court doesn't do anything. I duck under his head, and he comes at me with his jaws wide open.”

Other starters include multiple graded stakes winner Millie Girl, graded stakes winner Palazzi, multiple graded stakes placed English Conqueror, Lake Ontario Stakes winner Jim's Hope, and graded stakes placed Luckman, So High (GB), and Win for the Money.

Last year, Wentru and Who's the Star dead-heated for first in the Valedictory. Pumpkin Rumble won consecutive editions, in 2018 and 2019. Try On, ridden by Alf Bavington, won the first running in 1952.

First post for Sunday is 1:05 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com, bet365, and the Dark Horse Bets app.

Valedictory Stakes (G3, Race 7)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Prideofdistinction – Jose Campos – Martin Drexler

2 – Conglomerate – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

3 – Jim's Hope – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Paul Buttigieg

4 – So High (GB) – Kazushi Kimura – Naipaul Chatterpaul

5 – Luckman – Jason Hoyte – Vito Armata

6 – War Court – Christopher Husbands – Layne Giliforte

7 – Rapper Zapper (S) – Keveh Nicholls – Michael Doyle

8 – Win for the Money – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

9 – Seventyseven Stone – Jeffrey Alderson – Paul Lepiane

10 – Collective Force – Ryan Munger – Rachel Halden

11 – Millie Girl – Rafael Hernandez – Catherine Day Phillips

12 – Palazzi – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

13 – Meyer – Eswan Flores – Martin Drexler

14 – English Conqueror – Justin Stein – Darwin Banach

The post ‘I Think He Is Going To Flourish With The Distance’: War Court Tries 1 1/2 Miles In Woodbine’s Valedictory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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