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Singspiel Winner Count Again Headlines Sunday’s Northern Dancer Turf Stakes

Eight starters will chase the top prize in Sunday's $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T) this week at Woodbine, a 1 ½-mile grass engagement for 3-year-olds and upward.

Gail Cox will look to net the stakes double with E.P. Taylor Stakes favorite Rideforthecause's stablemate Count Again in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes.

The lightly raced 5-year-old son of Awesome Again has been impressive over his six lifetime outings.

On Sept. 19, the bay gelding, despite being heavily steadied into the far turn, drove to the front outside of the eighth-pole and secured a 1 ¼ length win in the Singspiel Stakes (G3T).

The final time for 1 ¼ miles over a “firm” E.P. Taylor Turf Couse was 2:00.67.

“He ran great,” praised Cox. “Again, it was exactly what he wanted to do, which is to go a distance. A mile-and-a-sixteenth was always a little short for him. So, the added distance… he was really good. He did win pretty easily.”

It was the first stakes engagement for Count Again, who Cox is counting on once again to come up big on the Woodbine grass.

“He's a very nice horse. I know anyone that's trained him has really liked him. He just had this and that which had bothered him, which led to him having some time off. He needed to get really good and comfortable. He seems to like training here. He does a fair amount of training on the dirt here, but he's been happy here, and has come out of his races really well.”

The third Sam-Son Farm homebred to see action on Sunday is Say the Word, a 5-year-old son of More Than Ready.

Third to Count Again in the Singspiel, the dark bay gelding was sixth in the 2018 Queen's Plate, going on to finish second in the turf Breeders' Stakes, third jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, in that same year.

The multiple graded stakes placed gelding, sporting a record of 4-2-4 from 24 career starts, is in search of his first stakes victory.

Cox believes Say the Word will relish the 1 ½-mile Northern Dancer distance.

“He was closing ground [in the Singspiel] and he didn't have the easiest of trips. I think he'll love this distance. He's another one that we had to send away to run farther. And that worked out. But he needs the distance and he doesn't like the Tapeta. He was originally set to run on it, but he just didn't like it.”

As for similarities between her trio of stakes hopefuls, Cox only sees a pair of obvious connections.

“Besides liking to go long and liking the turf, they don't really have anything in common. They're pretty different horses. Most of the time there's something that you're usually worried about, but they are all coming into these races well.”

Graded stakes champ Admiralty Pier, who won last year's Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T) at 21-1, will chase his sixth career victory in his 23rd start. Bred by Calumet Farm and owned by Hoolie Racing Stable and Bruce Lunsford, the son of English Channel finished second in both the Connaught Cup (G2T) and King Edward (G2T) before a sixth in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile on Sept. 19.

Ridgling Jungle Fighter, a 4-year-old son of Animal Kingdom, will get his fourth shot at graded stakes glory having contested last year's Ontario Derby (G3), and this year's Seagram Cup (G3) and Singspiel (G3T). Trained by Michael Doyle for Stronach Stables, the Kentucky-bred is 3-3-1 from 10 starts.

Staghawk Stables' 5-year-old Nakamura has never finished lower than fifth in his 17 career starts. The four-time winner, who won three straight races in 2019, will be making his second straight start at Woodbine after finishing fourth in the Singspiel (G3T) on September 19.

Peace of Ekati, owned by Colebrook Farms and bred by Charles Fipke, has eight top-three finishes from 16 starts. Trained by Ashlee Brnjas, the 5-year-old son of Tale of Ekati has finished second in his two previous starts. The Northern Dancer will be the chestnut gelding's first graded stakes appearance.

Five-year-old Sir Sahib, trained by Kevin Attard, looks for his first win since May 18, 2019. The Stronach Stables silk bearer has a 2-4-7 mark from 20 outings, and arrives at the Northern Dancer off a runner-up performance in the Singspiel. The son of Fort Larned will be ridden by Justin Stein.

An Ontario-bred 6-year-old son of Langfuhr, Woodbridge is 3-2-7 from 27 starts. The gelding, owned by the Estate of Gustav Schickedanz and Donald Howard, was fifth last time out in the Singspiel. The bay is trained by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Michael Keogh.

Sam-Son has a record seven Northern Dancer trophies, including three straight scores from 2002-04. Full of Wonder kicked off the natural hat trick, followed by back-to-back wins by Strut the Stage.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com. First race post time on Sunday is set for 1:10 p.m.

$300,000 Northern Dancer Stakes (Grade 1) – Race 5
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Say the Word – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Gail Cox

2 – Peace of Ekati – Daisuke Fukumoto – Ashlee Brnjas

3 – Sir Sahib – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

4 – Jungle Fighter – Rafael Hernandez – Michael Doyle

5 – Nakamura – Kazushi Kimura – Graham Motion

6 – Woodbridge – Sahin Civaci – Michael Keogh

7 – Admiralty Pier – Steven Bahen – Barbara Minshall

8 – Count Again – Luis Contreras – Gail Cox

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‘Very Nice Filly’ Rideforthecause Enters Sunday’s E.P. Taylor On Two-Race Win Streak

Seven fillies and mares will vie for top honors in Sunday's $600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1T), while eight starters chase top prize in the $300,000 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1T) this week at Woodbine.

The 64th running of the E.P. Taylor, a 1 ¼-mile turf test for fillies & mares, 3-year-olds and upward, is complemented by a trio of stakes events, including the 67th edition of the Northern Dancer, a 1 ½-mile grass engagement for 3-year-olds and upward.

Sunday's card will also see nine starters contest the $250,000 Nearctic (G2T), while eight hopefuls face off in the $100,000 Display Stakes.

Trainer Gail Cox has a trio of talented turfers taking up the Sam-Son Farm charge, namely, Rideforthecause in the E.P. Taylor, as well as Count Again and Say the Word in the Northern Dancer.

A 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride (ARG), Rideforthecause rolls into the E.P. Taylor off two straight scores, both of them contested at Woodbine.

After an allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles on the Toronto oval Inner Turf on Aug. 1, the bay was back in the winner's circle on Sept. 12, winning the Canadian Stakes presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2) at the distance of about 1 1/8 miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Sent off at 22-1, the second longest shot on the board, Rideforthecause, with jockey David Moran aboard, took the lead in mid-stretch and went on to a four-length score over mutuel favorite Cambier Parc.

“I always thought she was a very nice filly,” praised Cox. “I knew that she needed a distance of ground, and she never got to do that. A mile-and-a-sixteenth on our outer turf course isn't that far. He [Moran] had never ridden her before and he said that she just did it as easy as could be. He was quite impressed.”

“I thought she was being overlooked [in the Canadian]. That's all. I train her so I have a little different outlook. I thought she was being overlooked because it was such a perfect distance for her.”

Now, the Ontario-bred will go after her fifth win in what will be the 11th start of her career.

Cox, who campaigned Sam-Son's El Tormenta to a 44-1 shocker in last year's Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T), is hoping to add another graded crown to her list of accomplishments on Sunday.

“She has been doing really well this year. It seems like she has become a little more settled with age. She was, as a young horse, a bit of a handful. She was nervous, but she's become way more settled. She's doing great. I wouldn't trade places with anyone. She's training well and she looks good. I'm very happy with her.”

Court Return, a 4-year-old daughter of Court Vision, goes after her second (Eternal Search Stakes) added-money title and first graded triumph. Bred and owned by Ivan Dalos, the Ontario-bred is 3-2-1 from 11 career starts.

Etoile, from the stable of Chad Brown, will look to build off a second-place effort in the Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) on Aug. 15 at Woodbine. The 4-year-old French-bred daughter of Siyouni has three wins and a pair of seconds from nine lifetime starts for the ownership group of Peter Brant, Mrs. M.V. Magnier, and Mrs. Paul Shanahan.

Multiple graded stakes winner, 4-year-old Elizabeth Way, goes for her third graded title. Trained by Roger Attfield, the daughter of Frankel won The Very One Stakes (G3T) and Nassau Stakes (G2T) this year. Owned by John McCormack, the chestnut is 3-2-2 from 12 career starts.

Pretty Point, trained by Patrick Gallagher, goes after her first stakes crown. The 4-year-old daughter of Point of Entry launched her career with three starts at Woodbine before heading to California. She arrives at the Northern Dancer off a fifth in the Rodeo Stakes Drive (G1T) on Sept. 26.

Secret Message, a 5-year-old daughter of Hat Trick (JPN), seeks her seventh win in what will be the 19th start of the dark bay's career. Trained by Graham Motion, the well-traveled dark bay mare won the 2019 running of the Nassau (G2T).

Bred and owned by Augustin Stable, Theodora B. aims for her third straight stakes score after taking the Dance Smartly (G2T) on Aug. 15 at Woodbine, and the TVG Stakes on Sept. 15 at Kentucky Downs. The daughter of Ghostzapper has a record of 6-5-3 from 18 lifetime starts.

The E.P. Taylor Stakes is the final event in Woodbine's Ladies of the Lawn Series. At the conclusion of the series, the connections of the top three point-earners will receive $75,000 in bonuses ($50,000 for first, $15,000 for second, $10,000 for third). Elizabeth Way (18 points), Rideforthecause (10 points) and Theodora B. (10 points) are the top three point-earners to date. The inaugural winner of the 2019 Ladies of the Lawn Series was Starship Jubilee, Canada's reigning Horse of the Year.

Flying Trapeze won the inaugural running of the E.P. Taylor Stakes (known as the Nettie Handicap until 1981) in 1956. Trainers Lou Cavalaris Jr., Frank Merrill Jr., and Maurice Zilber have won three editions of the race. Kitty Girl (1957, 1958) is the only two-time winner.

$600,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (Grade 1) – Race 7
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Rideforthecause – David Moran – Gail Cox

2 – Pretty Point – Luis Contreras – Patrick Gallagher

3 – Etoile – Rafael Hernandez – Chad Brown

4 – Theodora B. – Justin Stein – Michael Dickinson

5 – Court Return – Daisuke Fukumoto – Josie Carroll

6 – Secret Message – Kazushi Kimura – Graham Motion

7 – Elizabeth Way – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield

The post ‘Very Nice Filly’ Rideforthecause Enters Sunday’s E.P. Taylor On Two-Race Win Streak appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Friday’s Stronach 5 Features Four Tracks, Four Tough Maiden Races With $100,000 Guarantee

The Stronach 5 will feature races Friday from Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, Laurel Park and Gulfstream Park West along with an industry-low 12-percent takeout and a $100,000 guaranteed pool.

Four of the five races in the popular Stronach 5 will be maiden events. Races from Santa Anita and Golden Gate will feature 2-year-old maidens while races from Gulfstream West and Laurel will feature maiden 3-year-olds and up. The only race in the sequence not for maidens will be the second leg, Laurel's seventh race, an optional claimer at six furlongs on the main track.

Friday's races and sequence

· Leg One – Gulfstream West 8th Race: (12 entries, 7 ½ furlongs turf) 3:58 ET, 12:58 PT

· Leg Two –Laurel Park 7th Race: (8 entries, 6 furlongs) 4:04 ET, 1:04 PT

· Leg Three –Laurel Park 8th Race (9 entries, 1 mile) 4:49 ET, 1:49 PT

· Leg Four –Santa Anita 3th Race: (10 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 5:08 ET, 2:08 PT

· Leg Five –Golden Gate Fields 3rd Race: (8 entries, 1-mile) 5:25 ET, 2:25 PT

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The Stronach 5 In the Money podcast, hosted by Jonathan Kinchen and Peter Thomas Fornatale, will be posted by 2 p.m. Thursday at InTheMoneyPodcast.com and will be available on iTunes and other major podcast distributors

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

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Pimlico Special Winner Harpers First Ride Among 245 Pre-Entries For Oct. 24 Maryland Million Day

Harpers First Ride, recent upset winner of the historic Pimlico Special (G3), three defending champions and a total of seven past winners are among 245 pre-entries in 12 stakes on the 35th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program Saturday, Oct. 24 at Laurel Park.

Five of the races on the Maryland Million program are scheduled to be contested over Laurel's world-class turf course, including the return of the $100,000 Turf Sprint following an eight-year absence. Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Wednesday, Oct. 21.

First race post time on Maryland Million Day is 11:25 a.m.

MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride sprung a front-running upset of favored Triple Crown-tested Owendale in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course, for his second consecutive stakes win following the 1 1/16-mile Deputed Testamony Sept. 5 at Laurel, where the 4-year-old gelding owns six wins from seven career starts for Claudio Gonzalez, Maryland's leading trainer the past three years.

Harpers First Ride is among 16 pre-entries to the $150,000 Classic, the richest race on the Maryland Million program, for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles. Also pre-entered are defending champion Forest Fire, trained by Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner John Servis; multiple stakes winner Cordmaker, third by two necks in the 2019 Pimlico Special; Laddie Liam, unraced since winning the 2019 Maryland Juvenile Futurity last December for trainer Hugh McMahon, eight wins shy of 1,000 for his career; 2019 Heft Stakes winner Monday Morning Qb; 2019 Classic runner-up Prendimi; and 2019 Iowa Derby winner Top Line Growth, four-for-four lifetime at Laurel.

Big Bertha Stable and Stormy Stable's Taco Supream is pre-entered to defend his title in the $100,000 Sprint for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, who upset the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) with Laki Oct. 3 at Pimlico, Taco Supream was most recently sixth in the six-furlong Polynesian Sept. 5 at Laurel to Eastern Bay, beaten a nose in the De Francis and one of four Sprint pre-entrants trained by Gonzalez.

Also prominent among 24 Sprint pre-entrants are Linda Zang's homebred Lewisfield, Maryland's champion sprinter of 2019 and winner of the 2018 Sprint for trainer Jeff Zunco; multiple stakes winner Introduced, whose four wins from seven tries at Laurel include the 2019 Miss Disco Stakes; and multiple stakes-placed Whereshetoldmetogo.

Kevin P. Morgan's Maryland homebred Mr. d'Angelo sprung a 17-1 upset in last year's $100,000 Turf for 3-year-olds and up traveling 1 1/8 miles, and tops 19 pre-entries for 2020. Second by a neck in an open one-mile allowance Sept. 17 at Laurel, the 4-year-old gelding is joined by Somekindofmagician and Pretty Good Year, respectively second and third in last year's Turf, separated by a half-length; and Nick Papagiorgio, 12-for-16 in the money at Laurel including six wins.

A total of 28 horses were pre-entered in the $100,000 Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and older sprinting seven furlongs, led by Hello Beautiful and Limited View, whose multiple stakes wins include the 2019 and 2017 Maryland Million Lassie, respectively; three-time stakes-winning 4-year-old Las Setas; Never Enough Time, winner of the Alma North at Laurel and Skipat at Pimlico in her last two starts; 2020 Delaware Oaks (G3) winner Project Whiskey; stakes winner Artful Splatter; and Coconut Cake, riding a three-race win streak; and Introduced.

The $100,000 Ladies for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles on the grass received 14 pre-entries including No Mo Lady, third in the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette (G3) last out Oct. 3 at Pimlico; Artful Splatter, upset winner over Anna's Bandit in the Geisha Stakes Jan. 20 over Laurel's main track; Shifra Magician, who has earned all seven of her career wins on the turf and was fourth, beaten a half-length, in last year's Maryland Million Turf Distaff Starter Handicap; and Something Magical, fourth in the 2019 Ladies.

Last run in 2012 and won in each of its final three years by late Mid-Atlantic legend Ben's Cat, the $100,000 Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs drew 27 pre-entries in its return, led by A Great Time, a dramatic come-from-behind winner of the five-furlong The Very One Oct. 1 at Pimlico and Mike Trombetta-trained stablemate Oldies But Goodies, winner of the 2019 Ben's Cat Stakes sprinting on grass; and So Street, Love You Much and Joseph, respectively second, third and fifth in the 5 ½-furlong Laurel Dash Sept. 7.

Most popular among horsemen was the $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, which attracted 31 pre-entries led by Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, undefeated in two starts including the Small Wonder Stakes Sept. 26 at Delaware Park. Street Lute is also among 24 pre-entries to the $100,000 Nursery for 2-year-olds, along with Jamestown Stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion and First State Dash winner Singlino. Both the Lassie and Nursery are contested at six furlongs.

Back for the fourth straight year are the $50,000 Turf Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, which drew 20 nominations including 2018 winner Barin, and $50,000 Turf Distaff Starter Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older, both at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

Rounding out the stakes action are the $40,000 Distaff Starter Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older and the $40,000 Starter Handicap for 3-year-olds and up, both sprinting seven furlongs.

Edgar Prado leads all Maryland Million jockeys with 18 wins, one more than fellow Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez. Dale Capuano and Hall of Famer King Leatherbury, who together have combined for more than 10,000 career victories, rank 1-2 among Maryland Million trainers with 11 and 10 wins, respectively.

Named for the late Hall of Fame and 13-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster who helped launch the groundbreaking concept in 1986, the Jim McKay Maryland Million has evolved into the second-biggest day on the state's racing calendar behind only the Preakness Stakes (G1). 'Maryland's Day at the Races' celebrates the stallions who stand in the state as well as a rich and diverse racing history that dates back to the founding of the Maryland Jockey Club in 1743.

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