News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Program Trading Gives Brown, Klaravich Another Hollywood Derby

Denied as the heavy favorite at Colonial Downs by the undefeated Integration (Quality Road) in the GIII New Kent County Virginia Derby last time out Sept. 9, Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) got back on track to take his fourth win in five starts in the GI Hollywood Derby.

A winner of his first three starts, the Chad Brown trainee reached the pinnacle two starts back with a narrow victory over Webslinger (Constitution) on a lucky on-the-turf weekend in Saratoga in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational Aug. 5. Given a rest after being run down late in that Virginia Derby, the Klaravich Stables entry shipped west to enjoy closing weekend at Del Mar and lined up opposite Webslinger once more as the 4-5 favorite.

From the far outer gate, Program Trading broke alongside his uncoupled stablemate Redistricting (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and the two Klaravich runners both took back off the early speed out of the chute as a trio of runners battled for first call. With just a single rival behind him, the favorite took his time through a :23.17 opening quarter as Charlie Appleby's Godolphin runner Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) paced the group. A group of five runners raced bunched together up the backstretch while the pair of Saratoga Derby runners were several lengths off the speed but the pack began to come together into the far turn as the half went in :47.19. Tipped out into the far turn, Program Trading picked it up under Flavien Prat as Redistricting blew the turn and was pulled up to his outside. Now suddenly with plenty of room to run, the bay quickly found himself third while three wide for the lead with a furlong to run. Webslinger fired a threatening shot close to home but Program Trading just held on to deny his rival once more by nearly the exact same margin.

“He was actually pretty relaxed before the race,” said Prat. “We had a good trip; the pace was pretty fair. He relaxed well, he had a good turn of foot. Luckily there was a horse in front of me that bolted around the turn so I had a clear path. As soon as I asked him to make a run, he was there for me. I think he will still improve. He has run well every time.”

With the win, trainer Chad Brown tied Charlie Whittingham with a fourth Hollywood Derby while owner Klaravich Stable picked up a record third win in the closing-weekend feature.

Pedigree Note:
Program Trading is one of two winners from two to race out of a half-sister to G2 Park Hill S. winner and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. runner-up Silk Sari (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and full-sister to Andrew Rosen's Fashion Fund (GB). His third dam was the 2002 champion 3-year-old filly in England, highlighted by a 4 1/2-length win in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. Dreamlike is the dam of the a 2-year-old filly by Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and a yearling filly by Pinatubo (Ire) who sold for 260,000gns at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and was exported to the United States. She last reported a weanling colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).

Saturday, Del Mar
HOLLYWOOD DERBY-GI, $301,000, Del Mar, 12-2, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.82, fm.
1–PROGRAM TRADING (GB), 122, r, 3, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
                1st Dam: Dreamlike (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                2nd Dam: So Silk (GB), by Rainbow Quest
                3rd Dam: Gossamer (GB), by Sadler's Wells
(250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm Stud (GB); T-Chad C. Brown;
J-Flavien Prat. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $695,250.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Webslinger, 122, g, 3, Constitution–Arana, by Hard Spun.
($45,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $25,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $45,000
RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR; $50,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-D. J. Stable
LLC; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$60,000.
3–Silver Knott (GB), 122, g, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–God Given
(GB), by Nathaniel (Ire). (725,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Charles
Appleby. $36,000.
Margins: NK, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.90, 3.80, 4.80.
Also Ran: Watsonville, Santorini, Reiquist, Redistricting (GB). Scratched: Maltese Falcon (Ire), Seal Team (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Program Trading Gives Brown, Klaravich Another Hollywood Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Honey Dijon Turns Tables In My Dear Girl; Owner-Breeder, Jockey, Sire Girvin Sweep FFS Finales

Honey Dijon got the better of heavily favored R Harper Rose to win the $300,000 My Dear Girl, giving owner-breeder Brad Grady, jockey Paco Lopez and sire Girvin, a sweep of both FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series finales Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Honey Dijon ($8) saved ground along the inside behind pacesetting R Harper Rose, who was undefeated in three starts, before swinging to the outside on the turn into the homestretch and wearing down the 3-5 favorite to win by 2¾ lengths under Lopez, who rode three winners on Saturday's 11-race program.

The Joe Sharp trainee's second victory in five starts in the 1 1/16-mile FSS fillies final followed Jack Sisterson-trained Seminole Chief's 12-1 upset score for Grady and partner David Grund, Lopez, and former Ocala Stud sire Girvin in the 1 1/16-mile FSS colts and geldings final.

Honey Dijon, who broke her maiden at Saratoga by 5¾ lengths in her second career start, had finished second behind R Harper Rose by four lengths in the Oct. 21 FSS Susan's Girl at seven furlongs.

“I was really happy to see her be able to stretch out like that. It looks like she's an improving filly,” said Sharp, who watched Honey Dijon's triumph from Fair Grounds. “This opens up a who new door for us. We're going to give her a little freshening for her 3-year-old campaign.”

R Harper Rose finished second, 7¼ lengths ahead of Haunted, in her first start around two turns. R Harper Rose, a daughter of Khozan, set sharp fractions of :23.19 and :46.78 for the first half mile before tiring in the stretch.

“We got beat. She ran her race and just got beat. That's all you can say,” R Harper Rose's trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “She got beat fair and square, no excuses. We'll give her a little break and then backtrack with her.”

Due to an untimely fever, R Harper Rose was scratched from the $100,000 Desert Vixen, the six-furlong first leg of the FSS series Sept. 9 for which she had been installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite on the strength of a dazzling 6¼-length front-running debut romp Aug. 5. She bounced back quickly with a sharp 5¾-length front-running optional claiming allowance triumph at 5½ furlongs Sept. 22 before running away with the $200,000 FSS Susan's Girl by fourth lengths Oct. 21.

Honey Dijon, who is out of the Empire Maker mare Archangelus, ran 1 1/16-miles in 1:45.60.

Girvin was relocated from Ocala Stud to Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky. for the 2023 breeding season.

The post Honey Dijon Turns Tables In My Dear Girl; Owner-Breeder, Jockey, Sire Girvin Sweep FFS Finales appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Road To KY Derby: Mage’s Brother Dornoch Re-Rallies, Battles Back To Win Remsen Thriller

By Lynne Snierson for NYRA

Dornoch dug down deep and defeated a rapidly closing Sierra Leone at the wire in Saturday's $250,000 Remsen (G2), a nine-furlong test for 2-year-olds, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

In an exhilarating photo finish, Dornoch, who was seemingly beaten by his rival inside the sixteenths pole when Sierra Leone went by him, courageously re-rallied on the rail under strong urging by Luis Saez and secured the trophy for owners West Paces Racing, R.A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables.

Trained by Danny Gargan, the winner of the 2022 Remsen with Dubyuhnell, Dornoch took a major step toward the first Saturday in May by earning 10 qualifying points on the Road to the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1). The bay colt, who is by Good Magic out of the Big Brown mare Puca, and thus a full brother to 2023 Derby victor Mage, refused to lose.

On a muddy and sealed track that had been playing kindly to inside speed all afternoon, he went to the lead in the 10-horse field and set fleet fractions of :23.09 and :46.97 for the first half-mile, 1:11:56 for six furlongs, and 1:37.42 for the mile. He looked like the sure winner late in the race, but then Sierra Leone came storming wide from all the way at the back of the pack and was gaining ground with every stride under Jose Ortiz.

The two colts engaged in a fierce battle to the wire, with Sierra Leone, a $2.3-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase trained by Chad Brown, coming up just short by a nose.

“It was pretty good fractions. I had everyone on top right there, but he was pretty comfortable. When he has pressure, he's OK, but when he feels alone, he kind of look around. But he's learning. He's a pretty good horse,” said Saez of Dornoch. “He's a pretty nice horse, but I feel like he's still learning. When he kind of feels a little alone, he was a little lost. As soon as the other one [Sierra Leone] came to him, he saw him and he want to beat him. I can't describe this. He wants to win the race.

“Jose tried to close, but he's a big horse and he got through,” Saez continued. “It's pretty difficult to come back, but he has a big stride, and two jumps – he was right there. I was pretty surprised. Every day, you learn something new from horses, and this is a pretty special horse. Last time, he kind of was the same, but he ran with different horses. Today was a pretty tough race, and he proved that he's a pretty good horse.”

Two starts back, Dornoch was the runner-up in Monmouth Park's Sapling with Kendrick Carmouche up and in his effort prior to Saturday's test was the dominant 6 1/2 length winner of a 1 1/16 miles maiden at Keeneland on Oct. 14 while never switching leads and running greenly. He was significantly more professional in the Remsen.

“Kendrick told me, when he rode him at Monmouth, he said, 'Danny, if I had more time.' When he saw the horse go by him, he said he gets to playing around, which he bounced off the rail today and when he gets out there by himself he loses focus. He said if he sees another horse, he's going to run back to him and today he proved it,” said Gargan, who called Dornoch the best horse he's ever trained. “It was something that was always said but never proven until today, but that was pretty impressive because I thought the other horse went way past him. For him to dig in and fight back like that, especially after the half mile in :46, three quarters in 1:11, he ran the whole race.”

Dornoch's final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.30.

Sierra Leone [who earned 5 Derby qualifying points) finished 4 3/4 lengths in front of Drum Roll Please [3 points], with Moonlight [2 points], Where's Chris [1 point], Copper Tax, Domestic Product, Billal, Le Dom Bro, and Private Dancer rounding out the order of finish.

Jose Ortiz said he was pleased with the trip he engineered for Sierra Leone.

“He broke good, they went plenty fast. He just sit there, he was relaxed,” Ortiz said. “I make a move at the half a mile and he responded nicely. He was lugging in a little bit in the stretch and the other horse [Dornoch] looked like he was waiting. When he felt me, he came back. I think it was a good race from him [Sierra Leone]. My horse kept coming. He ran a bit greenly, but I'm proud of him. It was a big step up.”

On his wide bid into the stretch Ortiz explained, “He was running so good to the other horses, and I didn't want to get him stopped. So, I went wide with him.”

Drum Roll Please, a Brad Cox trainee and maiden winner last out, was trying stakes company and the distance for the first time and rider Javier Castellano was pleased with the colt.

“I loved my trip. I liked the way he did it. He stepped up in class and did it very professionally. He ran two turns for the first time, I liked the way he did it from the beginning until the end. He passed horses, was behind horses, took dirt in the face, was a great experience for him, especially with a lot of horses and a lot of kickback. It was very nice and professional,” he said.

Gargan, who said they were lucky to get the colt for $325,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Oracle Bloodstock, agent signed the ticket, outlined what's next for Dornoch as the connections set sights on the Run for the Roses and the Triple Crown campaign.

“He's a big, big horse. We are going to give him some time off and take him down to Palm Meadows, kind of like Nick Zito taught me when I was his assistant. We will tack walk him for a couple weeks, two to three weeks, play around with him, let him grow into that frame and start looking for races later, probably sometime in March. Two races, maybe three before the Derby,” said the trainer. “He's a very special horse.”

Bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine, Dornoch banked $137,500 in victory while improving his record to 4 2-2-0. He returned $5.40 for a $2 win bet.

“This is the first leg of a long journey, I hope,” said co-owner Randy Hill, alluding to the Kentucky Derby, in the winner's circle.

The post Road To KY Derby: Mage’s Brother Dornoch Re-Rallies, Battles Back To Win Remsen Thriller appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Freewheeling Hoist The Gold Cruises To Cigar Mile Win, Tops Exacta For Sire Mineshaft

Dream Team One Racing Stable's Kentucky homebred Hoist the Gold became racing's newest millionaire with a powerful front-running score in Saturday's $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Dallas Stewart and piloted by John Velazquez, who suggested targeting the one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up, Hoist the Gold zipped through splits of :22.41, :44.88 and 1:09.04 through six furlongs over the muddy and sealed track and powered home 4 1/2-lengths clear of the late-running Senor Buscador.

Hoist the Gold, a 4-year-old Mineshaft colt, won the six-furlong Phoenix (G2) in October at Keeneland with Velazquez aboard, but faltered to sixth last out when exiting post 3-of-8 in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.

“What a race. Johnny picked the right race for us,” said Stewart. “He told us at Breeders' Cup the horse doesn't like dirt in his face. He said, 'Just let me ride him the way I want – run him a mile at Aqueduct and he won't get beat.' He was 100 percent right.”

Hoist the Gold, carrying 121 pounds, put away pace-pressing Pipeline and opened up by five lengths at the stretch call with a rail-riding Coastal Mission trying and failing to cut into the margin. Senor Buscador, who was last-of-12 early under Junior Alvarado, had saved ground down the backstretch but tipped eight-wide turning for home and began to pick off rivals one-by-one. Senor Buscador rallied gamely but there was no reeling in Hoist the Gold, who stopped the clock in a final time of 1:34.28.

It was 4 1/4-lengths back to 32-1 longshot Castle Chaos in third with Three Technique, Coastal Mission, Offaly Cool, Dr Ardito, High Oak, Pipeline, Accretive, Everso Mischievous and Cascais rounding out the order of finish.

Stewart credited Velazquez for executing a perfect trip.

“At the eighth pole, he kicked in another gear and got in front of them some more,” Stewart said. “He made that separation and that's the sign of a good horse. I just hate that they took the Grade 1 away, but he showed he's a good horse and we'll take the $500,000 and head down the road.”

Velazquez, who won this event last year with Mind Control, said he felt confident turning for home.

“Right before the quarter pole, I didn't feel anybody around me. I was like, 'Man, they're going to have to really run because I know when he switch the lead, he goes on again,'” said Velazquez, who notched his fourth Cigar Mile win following additional success with Left Bank [2001] and Tonalist. “I didn't feel anybody, but I made him switch the lead and made sure he keep his mind running, because when he gets to the stretch, he runs but he gets out at the same time. I had to keep him busy as well.”

The Todd Fincher-trained Senor Buscador closed from last-of-9 to take the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 San Diego Handicap in July at Del Mar and utilized those same deep-closing tactics in his next three outings – all in Grade 1 company – when fourth in the 10-furlong Pacific Classic at Del Mar, third in the nine-furlong Awesome Again at Santa Anita and seventh, defeated 5 1/4-lengths by the victorious White Abarrio last out in the 10-furlong Breeders' Cup Classic.

Although the 5-year-old, also by Lane's End stallion Mineshaft, raced closer to the pace when taking the one-turn mile Grade 3 Ack Ack last October at Churchill Downs, he could see them all after the opening quarter-mile with Alvarado aboard for the first time..

“He fell back. I didn't want to change his running style, I let it be,” Alvarado said. “At the turn, I started picking it up, I tried to see if I could find any room between horses on the inside and there was nothing. There was just too many horses there so I had to swing outside and I knew at that point I was running for second, but I had to still give it a try. He was game, the track was against him today, and he still put up a good effort.”

Hoist the Gold, out of the Tapit mare Tacit Approval, enjoyed Grade 1-placings at seven-furlongs when third in the Malibu last December at Santa Anita and with a runner-up effort to Cody's Wish in the Churchill Downs in May.

He banked $275,000 in the Cigar Mile to take his career earnings in excess of $1.1 million and improve his record to 26-5-6-3. Hoist the Gold returned $19.40 for a $2 win bet.

The post Freewheeling Hoist The Gold Cruises To Cigar Mile Win, Tops Exacta For Sire Mineshaft appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post