Horse Racing Free Tips

Master Spy Leads All The Way In Cup And Saucer At Woodbine

Master Spy seized the lead in the 84th running of the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes and never looked back to secure his first stakes triumph on Saturday afternoon at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

The popular Mark Casse trainee led the field of nine gate-to-wire over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course in the 1 1/16-mile feature showcasing Canadian-bred 2-year-olds.

Jockey Patrick Husbands put Master Spy on top, warding off early inside pressure from second choice Credit River and setting fractions of :24 to the quarter, :48.11 to the half-mile mark and 1:12.71 to three-quarters over firm turf. Turning for home, Master Spy kept clear as Threefiftyseven launched an all-out charge in second and opened up 3 1/4 lengths down the stretch to score in 1:42.67. Giant Waters edged out Beyond My Dreams for third.

“The riders saw the first two races run on the turf today that the winners came from behind so I was telling myself, I hope the [other] riders stick with that plan and I can get an easy lead,” said Husbands after his astute front-end strategy landed him and the rising star in the winner's circle.

“It's amazing to see that every time I leave the gate, he was relaxed. He was never rank at all. It showed me that if anybody won't leave today, I didn't mind.”

Fresh off a maiden-breaking victory last month over one mile when making his E.P. Taylor turf debut, Master Spy was sent postward as the 5-2 bettors' choice here and paid $7.30 to win.

Now two-for-four in his career, the dark bay colt, who was a runner-up in the Victoria Stakes on August 2, earned his first added-money score for owner Tracy Farmer.

Bred in Ontario by Bernard and Karen McCormack, the Silent Name–Smart Catomine colt was a $72,000 yearling sale purchase from the 2019 Keeneland September sale and now boasts more than $235,000 in purse earnings. He is a half-brother to 2017 Prince of Wales Stakes champion Cool Catomine and Wild Catomine, who defeated 2014 Horse of the Year Lexie Lou in the Fury Stakes.

Husbands has won the Cup and Saucer a record six times and Casse has campaigned five winners in the event. They have joined forces for three of their wins including victories with Star Contender in 2012 and Conquest Enforcer in 2015.

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Harvey’s Lil Goil Prevails In Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

The Estate of Harvey Clarke and Paul Braverman's Harvey's Lil Goil grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch and then held off all challengers to win the 37th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length over Micheline at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

Trained by Bill Mott and ridden Martin Garcia, Harvey's Lil Goil covered the 1 1/8 miles on a turf course rated as good in 1:48.72. The victory is the second in the race for Mott, who saddled Crown Queen to victory in 2014.

Sweet Melania set the pace with Harvey's Lil Goil lapped on her outside through fractions of :23.89, :47.75 and 1:12.16. The two hit the top of the stretch as a team only to have Harvey's Lil Goil quickly spurt away and open a daylight advantage.

Favored Magic Attitude (GB) made the first run at her and then Micheline finished fastest of all to grab second but unable to catch Harvey's Lil Goil. The result reversed the finish of the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs Sept. 10 when Micheline prevailed by a neck.

“She has a lot of natural speed,” said Garcia. “She's fast – you can do whatever you want. After the break, I moved outside and she was really comfortable by herself. When it was time to go, I asked and she responded.”

Bred in Kentucky by Clarke, Harvey's Lil Goil is a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the Tapit mare Gloria S. The victory was worth $300,000 and increased Harvey's Lil Goil's earnings to $561,529 with a record of 8-4-1-1.

“We were pretty confident with her,” said Kenny McCarthy, assistant to Mott at Keeneland. “She ran a super race for us at Kentucky Downs (finishing second to QE II runner-up Micheline in the Sept. 10 Dueling Grounds Oaks) in her last out and had trained really well in between. She's a little superstar. She pretty much goes on any surface for us. At least in my mind, I think the turf probably is a little bit easier for her to handle.”

Harvey's Lil Goil paid $9.20, $5.20 and $3.20. Micheline, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $9.20 and $4.40 and finished a half-length in front of Magic Attitude, who paid $2.40 to show under Javier Castellano.

It was another half-length back to Red Lark (IRE), who was followed in order by California Kook, Hendy Woods and Sweet Melania.

Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET. Keeneland will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $34,998.45 and a Super High 5 carryover of $58,378.55.

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Sunday Insights: Juveniles from Prominent Families Have a Lot to Live Up To

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

COLTS FROM FLAMBOYANT FAMILIES READY TO SHINE

8th-BEL, 63K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, post time: 4:47 p.m. EDT

A $470,000 Keeneland September yearling for the partnership of Peter Brant and Robert LaPenta, Chad Brown’s MILES D (Curlin) is the first foal of an unraced Bernardini mare who hails from the exceptional Personal Ensign (Private Account)’s immediate family. That Broodmare of the Year’s Breeders’ Cup-winning and -producing daughter My Flag (Easy Goer) is Miles D’s granddam. The depth of this family seems limitless, but the graded winners in the last two years alone descending from My Flag’s daughters include Teresa Z (Smart Strike) and Performer (Speightstown). Including all the stars that trace to Personal Ensign would be an exercise in awe. Miles D will have to work for the win though, as hailing from the barn of John Terranova for Eric Fein is Original (Quality Road), whose unraced Empire Maker dam is a half-sister to GSWs Statuette (Pancho Villa), Academy Award (Secretariat), and Good Mood (Devil’s Bag). No fewer than 40 black-type performers descend from Original’s prolific granddam, Mine Only (Mr. Prospector), highlighted by GISWs Golden Ticket (Speightstown), Leofric (Candy Ride {Arg}), Well Chosen (Deputy Minister), and Telling (A.P. Indy). Original himself brought $425,000 at the OBS Spring sale after working two furlongs in :21 1/5. Speaker’s Corner (Street Sense) is a Godolphin homebred who is liable to improve as a second-timer for Bill Mott with an added furlong. His unraced dam is a Bernardini daughter of GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff and GI Acorn S. winner Round Pond (Awesome Again), who also produced Dubai Group 1 winner Long River (A.P. Indy).

FILLY OUT OF TWO GENERATIONS OF CANADIAN CHAMPIONS DEBUTS AGAINST COLTS

5th-WO, 126.8K, Msw, 2yo, 1m70y (AWT), post time: 3:29 p.m. EDT

Mark Casse unveils filly CURLIN’S CATCH (Curlin) against the boys. She’s a runaway winner on pedigree, as her dam is Catch the Thrill (A.P. Indy), Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2006 and already producer of stakes horse Chic Thrill (Smart Strike). Granddam Catch the Ring (Seeking the Gold) was likewise a Canadian champion and third dam Radiant Ring (Halo) was a GSW & GISP in the U.S. before being named Canada’s 2003 Outstanding Broodmare. Curlin’s Catch has been working well over the all-weather surface here, including a bullet :46 2/5 four panels (1/22) Sept. 16 and a more-recent :59 4/5 five furlongs (4/14) Oct. 1. Breeze Easy LLC picked her up for $430,000 at the OBS Spring sale after the filly worked a furlong in a sharp :10 1/5.

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Mr Freeze Holds Off Aurelius Maximus In Fayette At Keeneland

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Mr Freeze surged to the front on the far turn and then held off a late bid from Aurelius Maximus by a neck to win the 63rd running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Hagyard Fayette Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

Trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Javier Castellano, Mr Freeze covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track in 1:50.71. It is the third victory in the race for Romans, who previously won with M B Sea in 2003 and Pick of the Litter in 2014.

Mo Mosa shot to the lead out of the gate with Aurelius Maximus in closest pursuit and Mr Freeze racing in the clear just off the pace through fractions of :24 and :49.06. Approaching the half-mile pole, Mr Freeze and Crafty Daddy joined the front two with Mr Freeze four wide.

On the far turn, Mr Freeze had assumed command and opened a daylight advantage that was more than enough to hold his rivals at bay in the run to the wire.

“Today he ran like his old self,” said Romans. “That was a rough trip for him. I wasn't expecting him to be four wide on both turns and stalking horses, but he showed what a good horse he really is.”

“I had a beautiful trip,” Castellano countered. “I like the way everything unfolded in the right place for my horse. Usually my horse goes to the lead, but they got the jump on us in the first turn. I was in really good position outside. Turning for home, I was very encouraged that he would get it done. He fought all the way to the wire and never let the other horse pass him. I am very proud of him. “

A Keeneland sales graduate, Mr Freeze is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of To Honor and Serve out of the Tabasco Cat mare Heavenly Cat. It is the fourth graded stakes victory for Mr Freeze, who added $120,000 to his bankroll and pushed his earnings to $1,561,950 with a record of 16-6-4-2.

Romans said a start in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland is not out of the question. “We're going to have to talk about it,” he said. “We talked about the Dirt Mile (G1) before, but we'll have to talk about everything (Mile and Classic-G1). Everything's on the table.”

Mr Freeze paid $5.20, $3.40 and $2.40. Aurelius Maximus, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., returned $4.40 and $3.60 and finished three-quarters of a length in front of Title Ready, who paid $3.40 to show under Corey Lanerie.

It was another neck back to Coastal Defense, who was followed in order by Captivating Moon, Rated R Superstar, Crafty Daddy, Mirinaque (ARG) and Mo Mosa.

Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET. Keeneland will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $34,998.45 and a Super High 5 carryover of $58,378.55.

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