aqueduct | Horse Racing Free Tips

Into Mischief’s Doppelganger Upsets Carter

'TDN Rising Star' Doppelganger (c, 4, Into Mischief–Twice the Lady, by Quiet American) finished up full of run down the stretch to upset Saturday's GI Carter H. at the Big A.

The longest shot on the board at odds of 17-1, he caboosed the field of six early and was up a spot into fifth through an opening quarter in :22.40. Under a ride on the far turn, the bay had his work cut out for him a quarter of a mile from home. Steered out and into the clear by Jevian Toledo on the outside in deep stretch, he came rolling over the top to get the money by 1 1/4 lengths. Heavily favored Repo Rocks (Tapiture) was second; Expressman (Liam's Map) was third.

Doppelganger–previously campaigned by Bob Baffert and Tim Yakteen in Southern California–won his first two starts this term for trainer Brittany Russell at Laurel, a two-turn allowance Jan. 27 and a one-turn mile optional claimer last time Feb. 24. He earned a co-career high Beyer Speed Figure of 89 in his latest. Doppelganger was second in last year's GII San Felipe S. and third in the GIII Affirmed S. He concluded his sophomore campaign with a well-beaten fourth in the Los Alamitos Derby July 9.

“It's huge,” Russell said after recording her first Grade I victory as a trainer. “Especially this horse. This is the first horse that the group sent me last year. We opted to give him some time and let him develop, and it's nice to see that it pays off. It's a job well done to the whole team and rewarding to see the patience pay off.”

She continued, “The fact that were able to run him in the 'a other than' and then he comes back in the 'two other than'–this horse thinks he's on top of the world. He doesn't know what races he won in when he won at Laurel. He's just had a lot of confidence and trained well. I've been getting feedback in the morning from everyone that he's getting better and today it showed.”

The GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. on June 10 at Belmont Park could be a potential target for Doppelganger going forward.

Pedigree Notes:

Doppelganger becomes the 15th Grade I winner and 64th graded winner for his all-conquering sire Into Mischief. Quiet American is now the broodmare sire of 18 Grade I winners. Doppelganger's SW & MGSP dam Twice the Lady, a $105,000 purchase by Offset Bloodstock at the 2022 Keeneland November sale, produced a colt by Improbable this year. She was previously a $350,000 purchase by Doppelganger's breeder WinStar Farm at the 2013 FTKNOV sale.

Saturday, Aqueduct
CARTER H. PRESENTED BY NYRA BETS-GI, $300,000, Aqueduct, 4-8, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:23.25, ft.
1–DOPPELGANGER, 118, c, 4, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Twice the Lady (SW & MGSP, $312,204), by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Catherine's Crown, by Chief's Crown
3rd Dam: Catherine's Bet, by Grey Dawn II
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($570,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine M. Donovan, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brittany T. Russell; J-Jevian Toledo. $165,000. Lifetime Record: 10-4-1-1, $442,400. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Repo Rocks, 122, g, 5, Tapiture–Hawaiian Love, by Not For Love. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($35,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $70,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Double B Racing Stables; B-Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin (VA); T-Jamie Ness. $60,000.
3–Expressman, 117, c, 4, Liam's Map–Spangled Banner, by Tiz Wonderful. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($145,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $140,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $325,000 2yo '21 EASMAY). O-St. Elias Stable; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD & Bridlewood Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $36,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, HF. Odds: 17.90, 0.80, 7.90.
Also Ran: Today's Flavor, Bold Journey, Little Vic. Scratched: White Abarrio.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Gazelle Produces Yet Another Longshot Winner on Oaks Trail

Less than 24 hours after Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) caused a 20-1 boilover in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland, Promiseher America (American Pharoah) followed suit with another long-odds victory in Saturday's GIII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct.

Taking a steep rise in class, having graduated by better than a half-dozen lengths going this track's one-turn mile Feb. 19, the $75,000 OBS April graduate was alertly away and settled just off the flank of the rail-drawn Capella (Quality Road) through a half-mile in a moderate :49.60 as favored Occult (Into Mischief) raced with the pace three wide. Asked to claim the front-runner nearing the stretch, Promiseher America wrested command with about a quarter mile to travel, but soon had Occult breathing down her neck. The 26-1 outsider–the only horse to jump at a double-digit quote–turned back that challenge passing the eighth pole and Charging Girl (Dialed In), a latest fourth in what is shaping as a productive renewal of the GIII Honeybee S. Feb. 25, began to find her best finishing kick down the center of the track. But Promiseher America had just enough to narrowly annex the final local GI Longines Kentucky Oaks prep.

“She was super impressive last time and I said, 'Let's go the nine furlongs. We can always go back to the [first-level allowance] if we need to,'” said trainer Ray Handal, winning his first graded stakes. “But I like the idea of two turns. She's just built like a two-turn kind of horse. She obviously had to step up. It was one of those races where whoever took the biggest step forward would win this race today and she was in the realm of them and she hung on.”

Pedigree Notes:

Promiseher America is the 20th worldwide winner at the graded/group level for her sire and 34th black-type winner overall. She is also the 221st stakes winner and 114th graded or group winner out of a daughter of the influential Unbridled's Song. She is inbred 4 x 3 to GI Kentucky Derby hero Unbridled.

On behalf of his clients Robert and Lawana Low, Jacob West acquired Promisedyouheaven for $370,000 with this filly in utero at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, where the mare's then-weanling colt by Practical Joke fetched $240,000 from OXO Equine. Second dam Hurricane Bernie, winner of the 2007 Canterbury Park Lassie, is a half-sister to Mizdirection (Mizzen Mast), two-time winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Promisedyouheaven is the dam of a yearling filly by Curlin and is due to Constitution for her foal of 2023.

Saturday, Aqueduct
GAZELLE S.-GIII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 4-8, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:51.41, ft.
1–PROMISEHER AMERICA, 118, f, 3, by American Pharoah
                1st Dam: Promisedyouheaven, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Hurricane Bernie, by Sea of Secrets
                3rd Dam: Deceptive, by Clever Trick
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($75,000
2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom F.
McCrocklin,; B-Robert & Lawana Low (KY); T-Raymond Handal;
J-Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0,
$198,138. Werk Nick Rating: C+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gambling Girl, 118, f, 3, Dialed In–Tulipmania,
by Empire Maker. ($200,000 Ylg '21 SARAUG). O-Repole
Stable; B-Gallagher's Stud (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $50,000.
3–Shidabhuti, 120, f, 3, Practical Joke–A. P. Candy,
by Candy Ride (Arg). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($77,000 Wlg
'20 KEENOV; $310,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Peter M. Brant;
B-Gabriel Duignan & Gerry Dilger (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.
$30,000.
Margins: HF, 1HF, 2. Odds: 26.50, 5.70, 3.05.
Also Ran: Capella, Occult, Frosty O Toole.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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All Eyes on Final Round of Major Derby Preps

A week after champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) solidified his status as the horse to beat on the first Saturday in May, the final round of major GI Kentucky Derby preps offering 100 points to the winner will share the spotlight on an absolutely stacked Saturday afternoon of racing.

Forte's Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), an impossible come-from-behind winner in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 11, will exit from the rail in a deep renewal of the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. Luis Saez has the mount aboard the Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable colorbearer, who has been tabbed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

“Not exactly the draw we wanted, but he did win the allowance race at Gulfstream Park from post one [going a mile Feb. 4],” Pletcher said.

The Blue Grass field of 11 also includes: runaway GIII Gotham S. winner Raise Cain (Violence); last term's GI Champagne S. one-two 'Rising Star' Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) and Verifying (Justify); and GII Risen Star S. runner-up Sun Thunder (Into Mischief).

Blazing Sevens adds blinkers following a head-scratching eighth in the GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 4. Verifying was fourth as the favorite in a sloppy renewal of the GII Rebel S. Feb. 25. Sun Thunder closed into slow fractions to finish fifth in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 25.

Practical Move (Practical Joke), ranked in the second spot behind Forte on TDN's Derby Top 12 brought to you by Fasig-Tipton, will shoot for his third straight victory for Tim Yakteen in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby. Last term's GII Los Alamitos Futurity S. winner kicked off his sophomore campaign with an impressive victory over the re-opposing duo of Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Skinner (Curlin) good for a field-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the GII San Felipe S. Practical Move is the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the field of nine.

Yakteen will also tighten the girth on former Bob Baffert runner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third-place finisher National Treasure (Quality Road). The last-out GIII Sham S. Jan. 8 third-place finisher was a late scratch from the San Felipe due to a bruised foot.

Yakteen saddled Taiba (Gun Runner) and Messier (Empire Maker) to a one-two finish in last year's Santa Anita Derby. Both were previously trained by Yakteen's aforementioned former boss.

“When you run horses, they are all your horses,” Yakteen said. “It gives you the same feeling.”

A field of 13, led by the Brad Cox-trained impressive GIII Withers S. winner and 5-2 morning-line favorite Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), will look to punch their ticket to Louisville via the Big Apple in the GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. The Gary and Mary West homebred is drawn widest of all in post 13.

“I think he's a horse that does like a mile and an eighth and beyond,” Cox said. “Since he's already shown success in New York, we decided that would be the best spot for him.”

Cox also trains distant GIII Gotham S. runner-up Slip Mahoney (Arrogate), who makes his two-turn debut in the Wood.

Pletcher and the late Hall of Famer “Sunny” Jim Fitzsimmons currently share the record of seven Wood Memorial victories.

Pletcher will have three chances to capture the standalone record via last out Gulfstream optional claimer winner Classic Catch (Classic Empire) and highly regarded maidens Dreamlike (Gun Runner) and Crupi (Curlin). The rail-drawn Dreamlike adds blinkers following a pair of runner-up finishes in South Florida. Crupi was seventh while making his sixth career start in the GII Risen Star S. Feb. 18.

“It's an interesting trio,” Pletcher said. “One thing we feel good about is all three horses will appreciate the mile and an eighth.”

Breeders' Cup Winners Return at Keeneland…

A pair of Breeders' Cup winners will return to Lexington to kick off their 2023 campaigns on the Blue Grass undercard.

Champion female sprinter Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), last seen putting an exclamation point on a brilliant campaign in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 5, will take on four rivals, including GI Cotillion S. heroine Society (Gun Runner), in the GI Madison S. The 2022 GI Ballerina H. winner is the 2-5 morning-line favorite.

Last term's 42-1 GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint upsetter Caravel (Mizzen Mast), meanwhile, will face males once again a race later in the 5 1/2-furlong GII Shakertown S.

Keeneland's 11-race card also includes the GII Appalachian S. and GIII Commonwealth S., respectively.

Pair of Kentucky Oaks Preps on Tap…

Who will be favored in this year's wide-open GI Kentucky Oaks?

We'll have our answer following Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks and GIII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct.

A field of six, topped by the imposing Chad Brown-trained duo of unbeaten Busher S. heroine Shidabhuti (Practical Joke) and Busanda S. winner Occult (Into Mischief), could vie for favoritism in South Ozone Park. Brown won the 2021 renewal with Search Results (Flatter), who followed with a painful second in the Kentucky Oaks.

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin), winner of Santa Anita's GIII Las Virgenes S. Jan. 28 and GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 5, is the headliner in the Santa Anita Oaks, but remains ineligible for the Kentucky Oaks. Last term's GI Starlet S. heroine is a perfect four-for-four for Baffert, who is currently banned from competition at Churchill Downs.

The Santa Anita Oaks field of nine also includes last term's GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S. winner and Santa Ysabel second-place finisher And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate); and impressive Santa Anita maiden winners Clearly Unhinged (Into Mischief) and Window Shopping (American Pharoah).

Saturday's graded stakes action is rounded out by Aqueduct's GI Carter H. and GIII Bay Shore S. and Santa Anita's GII Charles Whittingham S. and GIII Monrovia S.

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Second Chances: Candy Ride Colt a ‘Second-Half Horse’ for Spendthrift

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

A little racing experience may be, ahem, just what Ocasek (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}–Shananies Song, by Eltish) needed.

Carrying the name of Ric Ocasek, the late frontman for The Cars, the Spendthrift Farm colorbearer wasn't off to the sharpest of beginnings from his rail draw and was forced to steady in the early stages traveling 6 1/2 furlongs on debut for Chad Brown in the opener at the Big A last Sunday.

Pushed along by Dylan Davis while trailing the field of five through an opening quarter in :22.39, Ocasek hit the gas entering the far turn and was rolling while four wide approaching the quarter pole as well-meant firster Harrodsburg (Constitution) kicked for home in complete control.

Still racing on his left lead down the stretch, Ocasek finally switched over a furlong from home and finished up nicely in a field-best :31.82 to cut Harrodsburg's margin of victory to 2 1/4 lengths.

Ocasek, a $440,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, earned a rock solid 83 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“I think in the first start, mostly I just want to see them finishing strong,” Spendthrift Farm General Manager Ned Toffey said.

“We never really thought he was gonna be a real early horse. It was very encouraging the way he ran on. Chad was very positive about what he saw and the numbers he ran.”

Toffey added, “With a little luck, he feels like he might be a nice second-half horse for us.”

Bred in Kentucky by Charles T. Matses, Ocasek's leading sire Candy Ride is responsible for 17 Grade I winners, including the brilliant Gun Runner.

Out of the stakes-winning and very productive Eltish mare Shananies Song, a homebred for Matses, Ocasek is a half-brother to Favorable Outcome (Flatter), GSW & MGISP, $522,818; Mouheeb (Flatter), GSW-UAE, $192,966; Bellamentary (Bellamy Road), SW & MGSP, $216,200; and last year's GIII Fantasy S. runner-up Beguine (Gun Runner).

What's next for the Triple Crown-nominated Ocasek?

“That's really more up to Chad,” Toffey replied. “We certainly feel like this horse is gonna be best going farther. He came out of the race well. Certainly, the plan will be to stretch him out, whether that happens in his next start or after that. We'll see how things go with him, but we're very encouraged so far.”

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