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Gulfstream: Undefeated Bentornato In ‘Peak’ Condition For FSS Dr. Fager

Trainer Jose D'Angelo couldn't be happier with Bentornato leading up to Saturday's $100,000 Dr. Fager at Gulfstream Park, where the undefeated son of Valiant Nature will face nine rivals in the first leg of the 2023 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions.

“He's in peak of condition,” D'Angelo said.

That was not the case, however, leading up to the first two starts of his career, a late-rallying debut victory July 1 and a runaway triumph in the Proud Man Stakes Aug. 12.

Minor issues interrupted his training while preparing for his debut, while a fever left the strapping colt a workout short for the six-furlong Proud Man.

“From the start, we knew we had a very nice horse,” D'Angelo said. “He was a little green the first time out. For the second race, the stake, he got a fever three weeks before the race, so he had only two workouts. He won the stake on just two workouts. That's why I know we have a very nice horse.”

Bentornato, who has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Dr. Fager, may have been short of conditioning in his five-furlong debut, but his wide rally didn't come up short. He defeated next-out winner Big Effect by a neck. Distant third-place finisher Dewy's Beast also won his next start at Colonial Downs.

Despite less-than-ideal preparation, the D'Angelo trainee looked sharp in the Proud Man, in which he overcame early bumping to show the way into the stretch and draw off to win by 4 ¼ lengths.

Emisael Jaramillo, who was aboard for both victories, has the return mount.

Trainer Juan Alvarado is represented in the Dr. Fager by three entrants that were all first-out winners who raced at Saratoga in their second starts. BC Racing LLC's Dickens, who won his 4 ½-furlong debut June 10 by two lengths, finished third in the July 15 Sanford (G3) after setting a pressured pace. BC Racing LLC's Jive, finished seventh in the Sanford after winning his five-furlong debut May 19. Arindel's Lasso, who rallied from well back to capture his June 3 debut by 3 ½ lengths, raced evenly while finishing fourth in the Aug. 12 Saratoga Special (G2).

Dickens, a son of Adios Charlie who is rated second on the morning line at 4-1, turned in a bullet workout in his final preparation for the Dr. Fager while breezing a half-mile in 47 seconds from the gate.

“Dickens is fast out of the gate, but I don't think he needs the lead. Ideally, he's stalking some speed, but if he's up there it won't be a problem for him,” BC Racing LLC's Brian Cohen said.

Dickens and Lasso had been workmates while preparing for their respective debuts.

“Lasso, he's a green horse with a lot of ability. We'll put blinkers on him coming back here and I think it will move him forward and put him in the game,” said Cohen, Arindel's stable manager.

Edgard Zayas, who has ridden both Dickens and Lasso in all of their races, has been named on Dickens for the Dr. Fager. Hector Diaz Jr. has the mount on Lasso. Edwin Gonzalez, who rode Jive for his debut score, returns aboard the son of St. Patrick's Day.

Stonehedge LLC's Gentle Breeze, who finished second in the Proud Man, will seek to turn the tables on Bentornato Saturday. The Ralph Nicks-trained son of Cajun Breeze overcame bumping at the start of the Proud Man to rally for second. He previously graduated in a $25,000 maiden claiming race by 12 ¾ lengths over a muddy track.

Leonel Reyes has the return call aboard Gentle Breeze.

Nicks is also scheduled to saddle Northshore Drive for the Dr Fager. He is a son of Fort Loudon, who swept the 2011 FSS series, and is owned by Jacks or Better Farm, Inc., the FSS series' leading owner.

Donald Ming's Ninja Star is scheduled to make his first start at Gulfstream Park after breaking his maiden at first asking at 5 ½ furlongs and finishing second in a six-furlong allowance over Presque Isle Downs' all-weather surface.

Sonny Leon has the call on Ninja Star, who will be saddled for the first time by Scott Acker.

Donald Mensh and Laurie Plesa's Raging Fury, a son of Ami's Flatter who rallied to win his debut by a neck Aug. 5; Lawson Racing Stables' Sound of the Beast, a son of The Big Beast, who graduated Aug. 12 in his second start; and Cammarota Racing LLC's Secret Lover, a son of Khozan who finished third in a maiden special weight race at Saratoga in his second start, round out the field.

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Gulfstream: R Harper Rose Expected To Blossom In FSS Desert Vixen

R Harper Rose is scheduled to make her stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Desert Vixen at Gulfstream Park with just one-race experience. But, oh, what a race it was.

Averill Racing and Two Eight Racing LLC's filly, who will face seven in the six-furlong first leg of the 2023 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-old fillies sired by accredited Florida stallions, demonstrated abundant talent and immense potential while making her debut at Gulfstream Aug. 5. Out of a mare by Grade 1 sprinter Yes It's True, the daughter of Khozan ran to her breeding, breaking on top and extending her lead to 6 ¼ lengths at the finish of the 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race.

“She trained like a good horse, but obviously they have to show it on race day,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “She ran even better than she trained. We never let her run in the morning. We worked her with nice horses before she ran. Each time, she was well in hand.”

R Harper Rose, a $60,000 purchase at the OBS March sale for 2-year-olds in training, was no surprise to bettors who made her their 4-5 favorite in her debut. She has been installed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the six-furlong Desert Vixen.

“She's trained well. She's come back with two easy works. She makes everything easy. She's fast and she's talented. She's in good order,” Joseph said. “She's uncomplicated. She'll work however you want to work her, as fast as you want, as slow as you want. She has a good mind.”

Joseph is also scheduled to be represented by Christian Cruz's She Has Class, who will make her first start for Gulfstream's leading trainer after winning one of four starts.

Edgard Zayas has the return call on R Harper Rose, while Miguel Vasquez is scheduled to ride She Has Class for the first time Saturday.

Soldi Stable LLC's Welcome Back enters the Desert Vixen after debuting with a victory against winners Aug. 5 over Gulfstream Park's all-weather surface. The daughter of Adios Charlie rallied from last in a field of six that included stablemate Escape Room, the 3-5 favorite, to win by 1 ¾ lengths.

“We put her in the allowance to run with her workmate,” D'Angelo said. “She looked so good. She was a little green in the gate and to saddle, but she showed she has quality.”

Welcome Back, a 25-1 longshot winner, hit the gate while leaving from her rail post position.

“She's a nice-looking filly, very tall, big. She's training very good right now,” D'Angelo said.

Edwin Gonzalez has the return call aboard Welcome Back, who is rated second on the morning line at 3-1.

Arindel, whose homebred Lynx captured last year's Desert Vixen and Susan's Girl before falling short of a FSS sweep in the My Dear Girl, will be represented in this year's Desert Vixen by Mist. The homebred daughter of Brethren graduated in her fourth career start Aug. 20 while stretching out to 6 ½ furlongs.

“We always thought a lot of her. We think she's a filly that wants to go longer, but she's been getting better and better,” Arindel's stable manager Brian Cohen said. “She ran her first race, and she got sick. Maybe we ran her back too quick. I thought she could have won two back. Then, she put it together last time.”

Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount on the Juan Alvarado-trained Mist.

Leon Ellman, Glassman Racing LLC and Laurie Plesa's Epona's Hope enters the Desert Vixen off a troubled third-place finish in the six-furlong Sharp Susan Stakes, in which she encountered bumping at the start and a very wide trip. The Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained daughter of Adios Charlie closed off the pace to win her debut at 4 ½ furlongs at Gulfstream July 7 under Edgar Perez, who will once again be aboard Saturday.

Trainer Ralph Nicks is scheduled to saddle Fields of Green for Jacks or Better Farm Inc., the FSS series all-time leading owner, and Kitty's Pretty for Stonehedge LLC, which has also enjoyed considerable success in the series. Fields of Green easily graduated in her second start while dropping into a $25,000 maiden claiming race. Kitty's Pretty, a daughter of Khozan who won at first asking, finished off the board in the Sharp Susan.

Hector Diaz Jr. has the call on Fields of Green, while Leonel Reyes will ride Kitty's Pretty for the first time.

Ramiro Rosas-Medina's Florinda, who won one of her first four starts before finishing fourth in the Sharp Susan, will be ridden by Sonny Leon. Angel Rodriguez trains the daughter of Gone Astray.

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‘It’s More Than I Ever Dreamed Would Happen’: Latest Career Milestone ‘Huge’ For Trainer Kieron Magee

All things considered; Kieron Magee has done remarkably well at a job he never really wanted.

Nearly two decades ago, working as a salaried exercise rider for trainer Dale Capuano after having freelanced on the Maryland circuit for years since coming to the U.S. from Ireland, Magee knew a career change was coming.

Training horses? It wasn't at the top of his list. In fact, it wasn't even on his list.

“I galloped horses since I was a kid but my heart was running out. I broke my back twice and I was scared. I was 43 or 44, somewhere around there, and my heart was coming to an end quickly,” Magee, 62, said. “One of my owners, a guy called Bo Williams, said to me, 'Kieron, it's time you started training horses.' I said, 'Nah, I'm not going to do that.' He asked me what I was going to do and I said, 'I don't know, but it ain't training horses.'”

Williams and Magee's wife, Kelly, thought differently and their persistence in changing his mind paid off. What has followed is a career that includes multiple meet titles at historic Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park, being Maryland's overall leading trainer three times, more than $20 million in purse earnings and, most recently, reaching the 1,000 victory mark.

Magee's latest milestone came Aug. 27 during the Maryland State Fair meet in Timonium when Moshe Mark's Viking Queen, ridden by Carol Cedeno, got up in the final strides as the 1-5 favorite. It was the sixth career win for the 4-year-old filly, who Magee claimed for $5,000 two starts earlier.

“It felt like it took forever, but I'm glad to put it behind me as they say,” Magee said. “It's more than I ever dreamed would happen, believe me. I didn't want to do this when it was presented to me. I'd watched so many people struggle doing this and I was like, 'I don't want to do this.' So, to hit the thousand mark is huge. Huge.”

His father was working for Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis when Magee was born, but after a few years they returned to County Wicklow in his native Ireland, where he passed the love of horses on to his son. Magee eventually came back to the U.S. and landed in Maryland where, starting at Timonium, he worked as an exercise rider for hire.

“[I rode for] everybody. Anybody who'd pay cash. I was a cash kind of guy. Toward the end I went on salary for Dale Capuano for four or five years. There were some others I galloped for along the way, but mostly I freelanced,” Magee said. “I started galloping here in 1983. It was $5 a head at the time. Times have changed.”

At the same time, Magee said, he was battling substance abuse issues that landed him in rehab more than once before getting clean. He saddled his first winner, Cry of the Loon, July 16, 1999 at Monmouth Park, but wouldn't turn to training full time for another eight years.

“I thought maybe I'd get a job driving a truck or something like that. I kept saying there's no sense in my doing this. I'd watched people struggle all their lives with this and not win many races and go broke along the way and I just can't do it,” Magee said. “[Williams] said, 'That doesn't mean you'll be like that.' I didn't want to do it. I had a wife and a daughter and didn't want to do it.

“Well, he talked me into it and my wife talked me into it. She said, 'You know what? It's time to do something. I'm tired of being married to an exercise rider.' So, I took one horse for him. I had one horse I was breaking for him and he told me to just keep the horse. Then a couple days later he sent me three more and I called him and said, 'What's with these horses?' And he said, 'You can't make a living on one horse.' That was the beginning. Then Helen Marshall, one of my oldest owners, was the next one to join me and it went from there.”

Magee saw his starters, wins and purse earnings steadily climb, topping $1 million for the first time in a season in 2014. He averaged 117 wins over the next three years capped by a high of 127 in 2017 to go along with more than $2.5 million in purses earned, also a career best.

From 2014-16 no trainer won more races in Maryland than Magee. He owns or shares 10 meet titles – four at Pimlico, which he has called home since the early 1980s, and six at Laurel including its spring stand that ended May 7.

Magee worked hard and paid attention as he worked his way up, particularly during his time with Capuano and Scott Lake. Between 1993 and 2010 Capuano, who retired this year, and Lake won nearly four dozen training titles in Maryland. Together they have combined for more than 10,000 wins.

“I have to say I worked for some good people and not so good people and sort of combined it all,” Magee said. “I learned a lot from Dale Capuano. I did a short stint and worked for Scott Lake for a little while. He's not a big galloper, he's a big jogger. When I worked for him, he was winning a lot of races. That was in the mid-90s when he was rolling.”

Though his success has primarily come with claiming horses, Magee has trained several stakes winners and multiple six-figure earners. His best was Artful Splatter, a mare he claimed for $16,000 in 2019 at Laurel who would go on to win Laurel's Geisha and Delaware Park's George Rosenberger Memorial in 2020.

Line of Best Fit won her first start after joining Magee in the spring of 2016 and the following year ran third behind two-time champion and 2023 Hall of Famer Songbird in the Delaware Handicap (G1). Two starts later, Line of Best Fit capture the Shine Again at Laurel.

Another of Magee's hard knockers was Struth, who he claimed for $20,000 out of a May 2017 win at Pimlico and later that year won the Hockessin at Delaware and the Howard Bender Memorial at Laurel.

“I claimed them all,” Magee said. “Artful Splatter we took for $16,000 and she won around $400,000 for us. She was a fun horse. She loved the mud.”

Currently, Magee's top horse is Super C Racing Inc.'s Classier, who he claimed for $40,000 out of a March 19 win at Laurel. At one time trained by Bob Baffert, for whom he won the 2021 Los Alamitos Derby (G3), Classier was a winner of an off-the-turf Henry S. Clark April 29 at Laurel and most recently ran seventh in the Aug. 25 Russell Road at Charles Town.

“He's made [$124,282] since the claim,” Magee said. “We won the stake and a couple allowance races. He's a nice horse.”

Magee continues the quest for the next 1,000 wins at home, during Pimlico's boutique nine-day fall meet that runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 8-24. Eight months into 2023, he had 54 wins and $1.4 million in purse earnings from 237 starters.

“When they're supposed to win it's not a big deal, but when you don't expect anything and something good happens, that makes it so much more fun,” Magee said.

“Let me tell you, there were many times along the way where we struggled to make payroll, pay our bills and everything else. It hasn't always been easy,” Magee said. “The only sad thing is that my mother is not here to watch it all. She would have loved to have been on this ride.”

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Hall of Fame Jockeys Among Celebrities To Participate In Lexington’s Hope Center Golf Classic

The Lexington Community, in partnership with The Hope Center, announced Wednesday a list of prominent sports and other celebrities who will be participating The Hope Center Celebrity Golf Classic & Gala Dinner. The two-day event will be held on October 15 and 16 in Lexington, Ky. to support The Hope Center Veteran & Housing Initiative.

The list of participating celebrities announced today includes:

Hall of Fame jockeys Steve Cauthen, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Sandy Hawley, Bill Boland, Jacinto Vasquez, Alex Solis, and Chris McCarron;
Additional jockeys, including: Robby Albarado, Shane Sellers, Corey Lanerie, James Graham, and Jesus Castanon;
Breeders' Cup Classic-winning trainer Ian Wilkes;
Former KY Derby announcer Mike Battaglia;
Former University of Kentucky basketball player Kyle Macy;
Former Cleveland Browns player and Lexington native Frank Minnifield; and
Actor Marc McClure, best known for his role as Jimmy Olsen in the “Superman” films.

The Hope Center Veteran & Housing Initiative has been designed to continue the mission of The Hope Center, of providing shelter, housing, recovery, and support services, and to raise funds for the completion of The Hope Center's new Transitional Housing Center, a premier substance recovery center that will focus on serving the veteran community.

“We are honored to have the involvement of so many accomplished celebrities in The Hope Center Celebrity Golf Classic and Gala Dinner,” said Julie Hamilton, a member of the Executive Committee of the Hope Center Veteran & Housing Initiative. “Addiction and homelessness are issues that impact so many veterans, individuals, and families throughout the Commonwealth, and we hope that our event can raise the funds needed to offer greater access to recovery and support, through The Hope Center's Transitional Housing Center. We are deeply grateful for the support of these generous and talented celebrities, and we're thrilled for what promises to be a wonderful event in October.”

The two-day Hope Center Celebrity Golf Classic & Gala Dinner will begin on October 15^th with a dinner, a silent auction, and a live auction hosted at the Marriott Griffin Gate. Guests will have the opportunity to bid to play golf during the Golf Classic with their favorite Hall of Fame jockeys, athletes, and celebrities. Items available through the live auction include a one-week stay at a beach house on Abaco Island in the Bahamas, five nights on a luxury houseboat on at the Lee's Ford Marina on Lake Cumberland, and a one-week stay at a condo on the beach in Hilton Head, SC.

On October 16^th, all registered golfers will enjoy a full day of golf at the University Club. Hole-in-one prizes – including four new cars – will be offered throughout the course. In addition to these prizes, the event will feature a ticketed, $1 million hole-in-one shootout.

More information about The Hope Center Celebrity Golf Classic & Gala Dinner, including sponsorship information, is available at www.HopeCenterClassic.com.

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