December, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Soul Sacrifice First Stakes Winner For Home Of The Brave

Casner Racing LP's Soul Sacrifice stalked the early pace before seizing the lead in late stretch to win the $50,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes on Friday at Remington Park and become the first stakes winner for Oklahoma sire Home of the Brave.

An unraced 10-year-old son of Tiznow out of stakes winner Well Dressed, by Notebook, Home of the Brave is a full brother to Well Armed, a gelding best known for his win in the 2009 Dubai World Cup (G1) by a record-breaking 14 lengths. Also a Grade 1 winner in the United States, Well Armed amassed career earnings of nearly $5.2 million.

Home of the Brave stands at Caines Stallion Station near Wynnewood, Okla.

In the Jim Thorpe, Soul Sacrifice skimmed the rail under jockey Jose Alvarez coming down the stretch, squeezing inside pacesetter and runner-up Eakly and kicking on for the win.

The 3-year-old gelding out of the Super Saver mare Dulces Suenos scored by 1 1/4 lengths in the one-mile race for 3-year-old Oklahoma-breds. He returned $8.60 for the win after finishing the trip in 1:39.30 on a muddy (sealed) track.

Soul Sacrifice, who is trained by Shawn Davis, earned $30,000 for Casner Racing and was bred in the name of Susan Casner. He has won half of his eight starts this year and improved his overall record five wins from 11 career starts and $99,079 in purse earnings.

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Glatt Takes Los Alamitos Winter Meet Title, Three Tie For Leading Jockey

The six-day Winter Thoroughbred Meet at Los Alamitos concluded Sunday with Mark Glatt topping the trainer standings with seven victories, three more than Bob Baffert and Peter Miller.

It was the second local training crown for Glatt, who shared the 2016 Spring meet title with Doug O'Neill.

Baffert had the most wins (15) for the year at Los Alamitos, combining the Winter meet with the September (Sept. 15-24) and Los Angeles County Fair (June 23-July 9) seasons.

Diego Herrera, Edwin Maldonado, and Juan Hernandez shared the Winter riding title with six wins each.

Hernandez was the leader for the year with 19 victories, one more than Herrera.

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Last Call London Overpowers Pacesetter Late For King Glorious Victory

After a stretch-long duel with pacesetter Stolen Treasure, Last Call London got up in the final strides to win the $101,000 King Glorious Stakes Sunday, the final day of the Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos.

The neck victory by the Stay Thirsty gelding gave trainer Peter Miller a sweep of the track's two stakes for California-bred or sired 2-year-olds. He won the $100,000 Soviet Problem a week earlier with Pavel filly Madison Rae, who led throughout to post a 9-1 upset.

Owned by Tom London, Eugene Zondlo, and breeder Terry Lovingier, Last Call London, who was second for most of the journey, prevailed by a neck as the 2-1 second choice. Racing without blinkers for the first time, he completed one mile in 1:38.15 and returned $6 for the victory. He's won twice in eight starts and earned $156,870.

Stolen Treasure, the only member of the field of seven with a win at the distance, wound up five lengths clear of third-place finisher and 19-10 favorite Mici's Express as the 7-2 third choice.

“I kind of left things up to (Hernandez),'' said Miller, who also won the 2022 King Glorious with Giver Not a Taker. “I thought for him to help the horse away from there and get a position. I really liked where we were sitting when I saw the fractions.

With Edwin Maldonado aboard, Stolen Treasure clocked fractions of :24.36 for the opening quarter mile, :48.67 for a half mile and 1:13.59 for six furlongs as the winner drew to within a head in early stretch.

“I felt we were in the right spot if we were good enough,” Miller said. “I felt this horse would run long. He's a big, leggy horse and always acted like a route horse, so I'm glad he got an opportunity today.''

The stakes win was the third of the meet for Hernandez, adding to his daytime meet record total. He now has 17 local successes.

“(Miller) and I both thought this horse wanted to run long,'' said Hernandez. “He relaxed nicely and was very strong in the stretch. (Stolen Treasure) gave him a good battle, but my horse really dug in.''

Last Call London is out of the Empire Way mare Zo Lo's Lov and sold for $37,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of Racing Age Sale, where Lovinger's Lovacres Ranch consigned him.

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Kimura, Casse Top Woodbine’s 2023 Standings

Woodbine's 2023 meet concluded Sunday with Kazushi Kimura earning his third consecutive jockey crown courtesy of 161 wins, and Mark Casse topping the trainer leaderboard for the 15th time courtesy of 113 wins.

Born in Hokkaido, Japan, Kimura joined the Woodbine jockey colony in 2018 and made an immediate impact. His first victory came aboard 70-1 longshot Tornado Cat, and his first stakes win came aboard Speedy Soul in the Muskoka. He finished that first season sixth in the standings with 89 wins.

The 2019 Eclipse Award winner as North America's outstanding apprentice, Kimura also won the Sovereign Award equivalent in both 2018 and 2019. He was also the 2021 and 2022 Sovereign recipient as Canada's outstanding rider.

This year, Kimura won 15 stakes, seven of them graded, at the Toronto oval, including a quartet of Grade 2 events (the Kennedy Road with Flag Of Honour (AUS); the Bessarabian with Loyalty; the Autumn with Wolfie's Dynaghost; the Eclipse with Treason).

“I am very grateful to all the trainers and owners who gave me an opportunity to ride so many great horses this year,” said the 24-year-old. “I'd like to thank the grooms, exercise riders, hot walkers, gate crew, outriders, and everyone who makes our sport so great. And I would like to thank all the horses, the stars of our sport and the best athletes you will find.”

Sahin Civaci was second with 129 wins (15 of them stakes), followed by Rafael Hernandez, who posted 119 wins. Patrick Husbands led all riders with 16 stakes triumphs.

Casse recorded 24 Woodbine stakes victories, 10 of them graded. A lifetime winner of over 3,640 races, the dual Hall of Famer won the King's Plate and Plate Trial with Paramount Prince. His graded scores included the E.P. Taylor (G1) and Nassau (G2) with Fev Rover (IRE), the Royal North (G2) and Whimsical (G3) with Our Flash Drive, and the Highlander (G2) with Lucky Score.

Martin Drexler was second courtesy of a career-best 86 Woodbine wins. Kevin Attard finished third with 71 wins.

Bruno Schickedanz, last year's Sovereign winner as Canada's top owner, led the way with 58 wins. It is the 10th straight year he has led Woodbine in victories.

Patches O'Houlihan led all horses at the meet with six wins, followed by Light the Lamp, who recorded five victories.

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