Ambivalent | Horse Racing Free Tips

Spielberg Favored to Continue Baffert Streak in Bob Hope

With the ongoing Del Mar meet renamed a few years ago to honor Hollywood icon Bing Crosby, it seems only fitting that a colt named Spielberg (Union Rags) would take his shot in the GIII Bob Hope S., the race formerly known as the Hollywood Prevue S. The $1-millon Keeneland September graduate should jump a warm favorite for the seven-furlong affair, a race won by his trainer Bob Baffert no fewer than six times in its last nine runnings and 10 times dating back to 1996.

Runner-up on debut and in the GI Del Mar Futurity to the talented Dr Schivel (Violence), the chestnut was never truly dangerous when third in the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita Sept. 20. He was more workmanlike than spectacular in graduating by a mile here 13 days ago, but is nevertheless the one they’ll have to beat.

Weston (Hit It a Bomb) is the only member of the Bob Hope sextet with a graded victory to his credit, having earned a neck success in the GII Best Pal S. Aug. 8 prior to a third in the Futurity, where Spielberg was 3 3/4 lengths ahead of him.

Ambivalent (Constitution) enters the Bob Hope a five-time maiden, though he did cross the line third in the Best Pal, only to be disqualified to fourth. A close third in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf S. Sept. 7, he turns back off a distant sixth to Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music) in the GI Champagne S. over a mile Oct. 10.

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Roderick Heads West for Best Pal

Runaway Belmont debut winner Roderick (Into Mischief), scratched out of Friday’s deep GII Saratoga Special S., has been tabbed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar.

Roderick crushed a trio of rivals on debut for trainer Wesley Ward on Long Island June 21, including runner-up Zippy Baby (Cairo Prince), who returned to graduate next out at Saratoga.

Purchased by Breeze Easy for $550,000 as a KEESEP yearling, Roderick is a full-brother to GIII Southwest S. winner One Liner and hails from the same female family as Grade I winners Albertus Maximus (Albert the Great) and Daredevil (More Than Ready).

Highly regarded maiden Ambivalent (Constitution), a $550,000 OBSMAR graduate, looks to go one better following a strong second-place finish on debut behind wire-to-wire winner Weston (Hit It a Bomb) going 4 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita June 21 (Second Chances).

Santa Anita debut winner Herd Immunity (Union Rags) is the lone runner in the field with stakes experience, entering off a well-beaten third in Churchill’s GIII Bashford Manor S. June 27.

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Second Chances: Ambivalent

In this continuing series, TDN’s Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

After kicking off his career with a promising runner-up effort at Santa Anita last month, the highly regarded 2-year-old Ambivalent (Constitution) will look to go one better at the upcoming Del Mar meeting.

“Being a son of Constitution, which is just a huge feather in your cap, he’s a horse that we’ve been excited about from day one,” two-time GI Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill said.

Purchased for $550,000 by Reddam Racing at OBS March after gliding through a quarter in :20 4/5 from the Wavertree Stables consignment, the long-striding dark bay was sent off as the 2-1 second choice in his unveiling going 4 1/2 furlongs June 21 (video).

Outfooted in fourth in the early stages, Ambivalent traveled nicely on the inside behind the top three approaching the quarter pole. Kept along the fence by Mario Gutierrez as the front-running Weston (Hit It a Bomb) left the rail open as they straightened, Ambivalent continued on nicely while scraping the paint down the lane and reported home 1 1/4 lengths adrift the sharp pacesetter.

“He acts like the longer, the better,” O’Neill said. “He didn’t have the cleanest of trips in his debut, and going 4 1/2, it’s hard to win if you don’t have a real good, clean trip. I thought he ran dynamite. The goal is July 18–it’s the second straight maiden at Del Mar going 5 1/2, so he’ll have an extra furlong to navigate, which should benefit him.”

Bred in Kentucky by J. Stephen McDonald, Ambivalent was a $95,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Red Wings prior to bringing the second-highest price for a colt in Ocala this March. He was produced by a Smart Strike-winning daughter of MGSW Roshani (Fantastic Light).

Ambivalent returned to the worktab with an easy three-furlong breeze in :36.40 (2/5) in Arcadia July 1.

“He’s doing really well,” O’Neill concluded. “We just put a little easy breeze into him and he’s down at Del Mar now. We’re hoping to breeze him this Friday, that’s the game plan. He came out of his debut in good shape. Like all these athletes, you just got to keep them injury free. The sky’s the limit with this guy. He’s got a real bright future.”

Previous standouts featured in ‘Second Chances’ include: GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), Royal Ascot G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), MGISW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. runner-up Candy Tycoon (Twirling Candy).

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Sunday’s Racing Insights

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2nd-BEL, $64K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:50 p.m.

Wesley Ward has a pair of Keeneland-based juveniles entered in this spot. Breeze Easy’s Roderick (Into Mischief) was a $550,000 KEESEP yearling and is a full-brother to two-turn GSW One Liner. He hails from the extended female family of highest-level winners Albertus Maximus, Daredevil and King Charlemagne. Roderick’s stablemate Copley (Air Force Blue) is from a Ned Evans family that includes the likes of Grade I winners Swagger Jack and Malibu Prayer. Winfromwithin (Into Mischief), just a $100,000 September yearling, was produced by a half-sister to turf MGSW and MGISP Shakis (Ire) (Machiavellian). Zebra Cake (Runhappy), yet another September buy ($200,000), is out of a half to GSW Mo Tom (Uncle Mo) and SW and MGISP juvenile Beautician (Dehere). Further down the page is talented GII Black-Eyed Susan S. winner Red Ruby (Tiznow). Peter Vegso homebred Berhanu (The Factor) is out of a debut and stakes-winning full-sister to GSW juvneile Aegean (Northern Afleet). TJCIS PPs

3rd-SA, $50K, Msw, 2yo, 4 1/2f, 4:30 p.m.

Doug O’Neill-trained Ambivalent (Constitution) was a $95,000 KEESEP yearling turned $550,000 OBS March juvenile–the fourth-highest price paid at that auction–off a powerful :20 4/5 breeze. The Reddam Racing colorbearer is a grandson of MGSW turfer Roshani (Fantastic Light). TJCIS PPs

11th-SA, $50K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 8:33 p.m.

Bob Baffert will saddle a pair of well-bred fillies here. Newcomer Provocation (Into Mischief), a $350,000 OBS April pick-up last year (:20 3/5), is out of GISW Meadow Breeze (Meadowlake), making her a half to ‘TDN Rising Star‘ and turf GSW Magic Star (Scat Daddy) and GISP juvenile Royal Copy (Bodemeister). Meadow Breeze is half to GISW Overanalyze (Dixie Union), GISP Majesto (Tiznow) and GSP Mighty Monsoon (Forestry). Grand Farm Family’s Himiko (American Pharoah), a $1-million Fasig-Tipton November weanling, was eighth with some trouble when debuting in a turf sprint here May 16. She’s a half to the talented GISW and fellow Baffert pupil Bodemeister (Empire Maker). GSW and GISP dam Untouched Talent (Storm Cat), a $5,000,000 Fasig-Tipton November seller in 2012, is also responsible for MGISP Fascinating (Smart Strike). Himiko shares a second dam in MGSW Parade Queen (A.P. Indy) with last week’s GI Ogden Phipps S. heroine She’s a Julie (Elusive Quality).TJCIS PPs

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