aqueduct | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cross Country Pick 5 Features Racing Action From Aqueduct, Oaklawn

The New York Racing Association [NYRA] will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring racing action from Aqueduct Racetrack and Oaklawn Park.

Live coverage will be available with America's Day at the Races on FOX Sports. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

The sequence will commence at Oaklawn with the $500,000 Essex [Race 7, 4:08 p.m. Eastern], a 1 1/16-mile test for older horses. Multiple graded stakes winner Tax [14-4-3-1, $982,060] will look to secure millionaire status, seeking his fourth career stakes win for trainer Danny Gargan. The 5-year-old son of Arch, owned by R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Hugh Lynch, arrives off an unplaced effort in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 23. Two starts back, Tax earned a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure for a gate-to-wire score in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday on Dec. 12 at the South Florida oval.

Silver State provides steep opposition as the consistent son of Hard Spun seeks his fourth consecutive triumph for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Last out, Silver State captured the Fifth Season at Oaklawn, a one-mile test for older horses on Jan. 23.

Action shifts to the Big A for the second leg of the sequence when a field of eight older horses assemble for a 6 ½-furlong optional-claiming event in Race 8 with a 4:24 p.m. post. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will send out the consistent Secret Rules, who has never finished off the board in eight lifetime starts. The son of Secret Circle arrives off a third-place finish going six furlongs as the beaten favorite on Feb. 15 at Aqueduct. McCourt Racing's Big Engine faces open company after finishing second in the Hollie Hughes against his New York-bred counterparts. Trained by Linda Rice, the son of Not For Love boasts a consistent 19-7-6-2 lifetime record, having never finished worse than second at Aqueduct.

The third leg will switch back to Hot Springs, Arkansas for Oaklawn's Race 8 [4:41 p.m.] – a six-furlong optional claiming event for older horses. Breaking from the rail for trainer Cipriano Contreras, One for Richie seeks a third straight win after previously racing for a $10,000 tag and tackling starter allowance company. Doubledown Stables' Royal Daaher will attempt to keep his consistent ways afloat for trainer Jimmy DiVito. The son of Daaher has finished in the money in his last four starts, including the last two at Oaklawn over off tracks.

The penultimate leg will be Saturday's featured event at Aqueduct – the $100,000 Correction for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. Hall of Famer Richard Mandella shipped in Amuse from southern California for her last start before retirement and a broodmare career. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro has garnered stakes black type on four occasions but looks to become a stakes winner in her final career finale. Awesome Debate, bred, owned and trained by Charlton Baker, seeks her third triumph in a row in her stakes debut. The Correction is carded as Race 9 with a 4:55 p.m. post.

The $150,000 Temperence Hill going 12 furlongs at Oaklawn Park will conclude the sequence. A 10-horse field was drawn for the dirt marathon event, which attracted graded stakes winners Tenfold and Campaign. Trained by Asmussen and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Tenfold, a son of Curlin, seeks his first win since taking the Grade 3 Pimlico Special in 2019. Woodford Racing's Campaign was a late-closing second in last year's Temperence Hill over a sloppy and sealed track. The Temperence Hill, carded as Oaklawn's ninth race, has a scheduled post of 5:13 p.m.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, March 13:
Leg A: Oaklawn Park – Race 7, $500,000 Essex (4:08 p.m.)
Leg B: Aqueduct – Race 8 (4:24 p.m.)
Leg C: Oaklawn Park – Race 8 (4:41 p.m.)
Leg D: Aqueduct – Race 9, $100,000 Correction (4:55 p.m.)
Leg E: Oaklawn Park – Race 9, $150,000 Temperence Hill (5:13 p.m.)

The post Cross Country Pick 5 Features Racing Action From Aqueduct, Oaklawn appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Red-Hot Jonathan Thomas Sets Sights On Wood Memorial With Nicky The Vest

Nicky the Vest, trained by Jonathan Thomas for owner Robert LaPenta, matched a career-best 83 Beyer last out in a dominant 11 3/4-length score in the $100,000 Gander, a one-turn mile for New York-bred sophomores on Valentine's Day at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y.

In victory, Nicky the Vest, bred in the Empire State by Highclere, became the first stakes winner for his sire Runhappy. Purchased for $110,000 at the 2019 OBS Yearling Sale, Nicky the Vest is perfect through two starts which includes a 3 1/4-length score on debut in December going the one-turn mile at Aqueduct.

Nicky the Vest covered a half-mile in 49.95 seconds on the Belmont dirt training track on February 26 and Thomas said the bay colt will return to the work tab on Monday as preparations continue for the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3.

“He's doing well. He'll breeze tomorrow and so far we're on target for the Wood,” said Thomas. “He came out of the Gander well and his energy level was good. The weather has been a little contentious the past couple weeks, so we didn't want to take having a nice track for granted and we went ahead and got him back a week earlier than we'd anticipated.”

Thomas said he will look to provide the lightly-raced Nicky the Vest with valuable experience in upcoming works.

“I might try next week to give him two horses as a target and give him the opportunity to take a little kickback,” said Thomas. “You never know if he might need to overcome a trip with that kind of scenario. But we'll also focus on some longer works so he doesn't come in too fresh and settles well.

“It's exciting. He's undefeated and he's done it by open lengths thus far,” added Thomas. “Every task from here on out is only going to get incrementally harder, but we like him a lot and we're going to give him every chance to succeed.”

Thomas, a multiple Grade 1-winning conditioner, is off to a flying start in 2021 with a record of 22-10-3-3 and purse earnings of $285,445. He credits that success to patient owners and being able to focus solely on training at Belmont.

“Our owners have been patient and have let these horses develop into their 3-year-old years,” said Thomas. “A lot of these horses have longer winded pedigree and that's something we don't have control over. You may want to debut them in August, but it's not the right thing to do and probably wouldn't run their best anyway. The barn is cycling in the right way and we've had a really good couple of months.”

Thomas sent out a pair of promising maiden winners for Augustin Stable at Turfway Park earlier in the week in Be Here and Siraneuse.

Be Here, a Kentucky homebred by Ghostzapper out of 2009 Champion Female Sprinter Informed Decision, earned a 62 Beyer for her 1 1/2-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on March 4. The sophomore grey colt, who was prepared at Belmont, earned a 62 Beyer.

Thomas said the colt will likely be nominated to the Wood Memorial.

“The Wood offers some opportunity,” said Thomas. “He seems to be very stamina laden and going to a mile and an eighth off of that, I wouldn't be as worried. Obviously, you'd like a little more seasoning but it isn't out of the question.”

Siraneuse, a sophomore filly by Tapit, was purchased for $450,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Bred in Kentucky by Vegso Racing Stable and Tapit Syndicate, Siraneuse earned a 78 Beyer for a rallying five-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on March 3.

Thomas said Turfway's Tapeta surface offered both young horses an alternative debut experience.

“Be Here doesn't act like a sprinter,” said Thomas. “The more ground he gets the better he will be. Also, after training here at Belmont, the verdict was out on whether or not he's a dirt horse. Obviously, we have no turf racing here on the immediate horizon, so I wanted to get him started.

“The same can be said of the filly, Siraneuse. Both horses were coming out of good works and those races were available,” continued Thomas. “I'm not certain they're dirt horses yet and I wanted to be careful and not debut them on the dirt and have a bad experience. There's a chance both will end up on the grass in New York.”

Last week's scores built on earlier Turfway success for Thomas with Augustin Stable sophomore filly homebreds Into Vanishing and Song of Innocence.

By Into Mischief and out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Vanishing, Into Vanishing graduated at third asking in December at Turfway and followed with a six-length optional-claiming win on January 15 at the Florence, Kentucky oval garnering a 70 Beyer in the one-mile trip.

Song of Innocence, by Munnings and out of the Pulpit mare Remember Then, rallied from seventh for a one-length score in a one-mile maiden special weight on January 29.

Thomas said Siraneuse, Into Vanishing and Song of Innocence will be nominated to the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle at nine furlongs on April 3 at the Big A offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers. The veteran conditioner also noted at least one is likely to enter the one-mile Bourbonette Oaks on March 14 at Turfway.

Thomas said Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert V. LaPenta's Gale has been retired following a 2 3/4-length score in the Geisha, a one-mile event for Maryland-bred or sired fillies and mares on January 16 at Laurel Park.

The 4-year-old Tonalist filly, who finished fifth in the Grade 3 Comely at the Big A in November, matched a career-best 86 Beyer for her first stakes score.

“She got really unlucky in the Comely,” said Thomas. “She went into that race as good as we've ever had her but it was an unfortunate trip and break. The whole thing was done before it got started.

“It was nice to get her a stakes win,” added Thomas. “She's a really pretty filly and from a talent perspective it was nice for her to go out a stakes winner. She has been retired and will be a broodmare. She's down in Kentucky at Gainesway.”

The post Red-Hot Jonathan Thomas Sets Sights On Wood Memorial With Nicky The Vest appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

$63,716 Payout In Cross Country Pick 5 From Aqueduct, Tampa Bay Downs

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 featuring a slate of all stakes from Aqueduct Racetrack and Tampa Bay Downs paid $63,716.50 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The sequence's total pool was $149,923.

Wall-to-wall stakes competition started with the Grade 2 Hillsborough for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up going nine furlongs in Race 9 at Tampa. Micheline rallied from third in the stretch to defeat Morning Molly by three-quarters of a length. The Michael Stidham trainee returned $11.20 on a $2 win wager, with Luis Saez calming his charge after she was reluctant to load but responded to firm handling to complete the course in 1:47.19.

Aqueduct got in on the action when Lake Avenue drew away to an impressive 6 3/4-length score in the Heavenly Prize for older fillies and mares going a one-turn mile in Race 8. The 4-5 favorite, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, bested an eight-horse field, kicking away from runner-up Portal Creek to hit the wire in 1:39.25 under jockey Manny Franco. Lake Avenue paid $3.90.

Back at Tampa, Domain Expertise completed a thrilling run to best Jouster by a nose in the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks for sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Piloted by Antonio Gallardo, Domain Expertise ran down the favorite Jouster in the final jumps. Conditioned by Chad Brown, Domain Expertise [$12.80], registered a final time of 1:41.12.

Aqueduct closed its stakes action with the first of two “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep races on the Cross Country Pick 5 docket, with Weyburn earning a big-price win at 46-1 for Jimmy Jerkens in the Grade 3 Gotham in Race 9 that had 50-20-10-5 points to the top-four finishers. Weyburn, ridden by Trevor McCarthy, captured 50 qualifying points when besting the Brown-trained Crowded Trade and Highly Motivated. Weyburn, who paid $95.50, edged Crowded Trade, off at 5-1, by a nose with 4-5 favorite Highly Motivated back in third. Freedom Fighter, a California shipper for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, ran fourth.

Alternating back to Tampa, Helium soared in the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby in Race 11. With 50-20-10-5 qualifying points also on the line, the son of Ironicus became his sire's first graded stakes-winner, outkicking Hidden Stash by three-quarters of a length under Jose Ferrer. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Helium rallied from 10th at the opening quarter-mile to pick up points for the “Run for the Roses,” returning $32.80 in the process. Moonlite Strike ran third and Unbridled Honor was fourth to also earn points.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

The post $63,716 Payout In Cross Country Pick 5 From Aqueduct, Tampa Bay Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

6-Year-Old Chateau Makes Graded Stakes Debut Winning One In Tom Fool

Michael Dubb's Chateau made his graded stakes debut on Saturday, and the veteran 6-year-old proved it was worth the wait after surging to the front and having plenty left in the tank en route to a gate-to-wire 3 1/2-length score in the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap for 4-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Chateau, who had made just two previous stakes appearances through his first 32 career starts, broke sharp under meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche from post 3, leading the six-horse field through swift opening fractions of 22.81 seconds for the quarter-mile with the half in 46.18 over the fast main track.

Chateau built on his advantage approaching the turn and was never seriously challenged in the stretch, besting a charging Wendell Fong to complete the six-furlong course in 1:12.10.

Chateau, who earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for a 1 1/2-length win against allowance company on January 18 going six furlongs, again led at every point of call at the Big A for trainer Rob Atras. The Flat Out gelding notched consecutive wins for the first time since 2018, when he won three in a row at the claiming and allowance levels.

“That was emotional,” Atras said. “He came running out of the gate and put away the other speed horse [Happy Farm], who is no slouch. Kendrick broke him so sharp. We had a plan; obviously it was no secret. He put away that horse and was controlling the race and got a little separation. When they turned for home, it didn't look like anyone was coming and Kendrick still had some horse. It was an amazing performance.

“We've always liked him and Kendrick has really figured out how to ride him. He's been a big help.”

Atras, who took over the training duties last year, has seen Chateau go 2-2-2 in his last six starts and now could earn the right to face even more challenging competition in the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap, with the seven-furlong sprint on the undercard of the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3 at Aqueduct.

“It might be pushing it for distance, but off this race anything is possible,” Atras said. “We'll see how he comes out of the race and go from there.”

Off at 7-2, Chateau returned $9.60 on a $2 win wager. The Kentucky bred improved his career earnings to $477,769.

“When you read into it and there's a lot of speed, nine times out of ten, it doesn't happen that way. I knew my horse had to be forwardly placed,” Carmouche said. “I figured him out last time. This time I knew Rob had given him enough time in between races where he could carry his speed a little longer.

Carmouche has been aboard for his last two victories.

“The track is a little different than last time and is a little deeper,” Carmouche said. “The speed is carrying. But no matter what I just had to let him run his race and carry him home.”

Gold Square's Wendell Fong, who gave trainer Natalia Lynch her first career win in the Fire Plug in January at Laurel Park, outkicked Speed Pass by 3 1/4 lengths for second.

“It set up perfect. He did everything he was supposed to do and our goal was to see if he could handle the track and he did his job today,” said Lynch, who said she excepts Wendell Fong to go to the Carter. “It's just really good to see him compete at this level again.”

Added Wendell Fong rider Trevor McCarthy: “He got a good break. The Baffert horse [No. 5, Speed Pass] broke bad and then rushed up to get position and I thought that was the horse that would take me there and be a good horse to follow. When I tipped out, he finished up strong. He just couldn't catch the speed horses. They were going at a pretty decent fraction and speed is pretty good here at Aqueduct.”

Pete's Play Call, the favorite, finished fourth, with Happy Farm and Share the Ride completing the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card highlighted by the $100,000 Biogio's Rose, a one-turn mile for state-bred fillies and mares 4-years-old and up in Race 7. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

The post 6-Year-Old Chateau Makes Graded Stakes Debut Winning One In Tom Fool appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post