Month: December 2023

Unbeaten California Sprinter Bolden To Enter Stud At Rancho San Miguel

Southern California sprinter Bolden, a dual-surface winner who exhibited sub-1:08 speed during his undefeated racing career, will initiate stallion duties at Rancho San Miguel in 2024.

The 5-year-old son of Santa Anita Park track record-holder and leading California sire Square Eddie will stand for an introductory fee of $3,500, live foal guarantee.

Bred in California by Reddam Racing, Bolden sold for $100,000 to owner Gary Hartunian's Rockingham Ranch as one of the top-priced colts at the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale in 2019, with trainer Peter Miller serving as agent.

Under Miller's conditioning, the precocious chestnut made an auspicious career debut in June of his 2-year-old season, defeating rival state-breds with a dominating, 5 1/2-length winning margin in a five-furlong maiden special weight race on dirt at Santa Anita.

Bolden's next three starts were made in rich allowance optional claiming company for trainer Phil D'Amato, beginning with a facile, six-length win on Santa Anita dirt at six furlongs. He was then switched to turf, and achieved the same successful results: a 7 3/4-length romp in a smashing final time of 1:07.50 for six furlongs on the grass at Santa Anita, followed by a 1 3/4-length grass victory at Del Mar in a brisk :55.81 for five furlongs in September 2023.

Overall, Bolden won all four of his races by a combined 21 lengths, and earned $177,540. He was installed as the wagering favorite by handicappers for each of his races, and lauded by his trainer with the ultimate praise for his natural abilities upon his retirement.

“Bolden is the most talented horse I have ever trained,” D'Amato said. “He was equally good on either surface.”

The strapping stallion prospect is by Grade 1 winner Square Eddie, a son of Smart Strike who holds Santa Anita's track record of 1:13.11 for 6 1/2 furlongs. He is one of three winning starters out of Bas, a multiple winner by Flower Alley. Among the notable members of his family is Bold Decision, a graded stakes performer and 5 1/2-furlong track record-setter at Aqueduct.

Bolden is available for immediate inspection at Rancho San Miguel. He also will be part of the stallion roster featured during the farm's open house and stallion show on Jan. 20, 2024.

The post Unbeaten California Sprinter Bolden To Enter Stud At Rancho San Miguel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Congalosi Prepares For New Venture In Horse Ownership

Edited Press Release From Horseshoe Indianapolis

With the close of racing for the 2023 season at Horseshoe Indianapolis comes a new venture for one individual.

Tom Congalosi was the winner of the $30,000 ownership option of an Indiana yearling through Road to Louisville, a contest sponsored by Horseshoe Indianapolis and Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (ITOBA). Tom is now the owner of a new filly named Highspeed Justice (Harry's Holiday), now in training for the 2024 racing season in Indiana.

“Never have I ever dreamed of owning a Thoroughbred horse,” said Cangalosi. “Yet today we own Highspeed Justice, purchased at the yearling auction at Horseshoe Indy in October. Pictures after the auction show an owner with the biggest smile possible. You have to wonder about life and the many little coincidences that occur throughout. What a wonderful opportunity.

Tom and his wife, Pat, reside in Georgetown, KY. The retired supply chain manager has followed horse racing for decades and has had friends that have dabbled in ownership, but this is the first time he had crossed over into the sport as a participant.

Tom is the second winner of a horse from the Road to Louisville contest, which spanned 16 weeks from mid-January to the Kentucky Derby the first Saturday in May. Each week, horseplayers were tasked to select horses in a mock $2 Win-Place-Show format with points accumulating toward the final. Jeffrey Hampton was the overall winner of the $1,000 grand prize but did not opt in for the $30,000 horse option. Therefore, Tom, who finished second, was the recipient of $500 as prize money along with the option to purchase an Indiana yearling at the ITOBA Fall Sale in October. That's where Tom took the plunge into horse ownership when the filly Highspeed Justice was sold to him for $6,700. The remaining balance of the option will go into an account to pay for expenses for the filly, who sold as the fifth horse in the sales ring.

Prior to the sale, Tom chose Tim Eggleston to train his new acquisition. Highspeed Justice is currently at Eggleston's farm in southern Indiana and began her training regime at the beginning of December.

“We started with our Quarter Horse yearlings first and got them broke and then started in on our Thoroughbred yearlings the first of December,” explained Eggleston. “So far, we really like the filly Tom (Congalosi) bought at the sale. She seems very sensible and is getting settled in. I think he got a nice value for the price, and we are excited to see what she can do next summer.”

As far as venturing into unknown territory, Tom is adjusting to his new role in racing. The longtime horseplayer has a deep passion for the sport that appears to be expanding with the addition of Highspeed Justice.

“Tom (Congalosi) has been great so far,” added Eggleston. “He's really trying to educate himself on being an owner and trying to understand all the things that go on behind the scenes with the filly. He and his wife, Pat, plan to come up to the farm to see her over the winter, so we are excited to have him as part of our team.”

Tom and Pat are currently taking care of small details, from licensing to designing their silks, in preparation for the racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2024.

“We are excited to be part of ITOBA and joining the many members that have built careers around the horse breeding and racing industry. You're never too old to learn. We look forward to the Spring meet and watching Highspeed Justice win her way to, wait a minute, I'm getting ahead of myself,” Tom laughed.

The post Congalosi Prepares For New Venture In Horse Ownership appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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No Bridle, (Almost) No Problem: Guillermo Rodriguez Nearly Wins Aboard Bridleless Horse At Mountaineer

Veteran jockey Guillermo Rodriguez needed to draw on every ounce of the experience he'd gained through 6,590 career starts to stay topside in a Sunday night $4,000 claiming race at Mountaineer Park in West Virginia.

His mount in the race, the 4-year-old colt Stealththirtyfour, appeared to break his bridle midway down the backstretch of the five-furlong sprint. Rodriguez gathered the bridle pieces and maintained his balance, but the colt began bearing out toward the center of the track as the field entered the far turn.

Luckily for Rodriguez, Luis Batista and Greenfelder were on his outside. Though Stealththirtyfour carried Greensfelder very wide, both jockeys' calm actions kept their mounts moving forward and in the race.

Straightening into the stretch, Batista made his move from the middle of the track aboard Greenfelder. Rodriguez found himself with a lot of horse, so he used his hands and heels to urge Stealththirtyfour on to the wire. The two horses battled nose-and-nose for the final 100 yards, with Greenfelder just prevailing over Stealththirtyfour by a nose.

Greenfelder paid $16.00 as the third choice, while Steaththirtyfour paid $2.40 to place as the heavy favorite.

Puerto Rico-born, Rodriguez has been riding since 2010 and had his best season yet in 2022 with 169 victories. He has won 127 races thus far in 2023 (91 of those at Mountaineer to be third in the current standings), bringing his career total to 781 victories.

Check out the video:

The post No Bridle, (Almost) No Problem: Guillermo Rodriguez Nearly Wins Aboard Bridleless Horse At Mountaineer appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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