Tag: aqueduct

Search Results Stays Perfect in the Gazelle

Klaravich Stables' Search Results (Flatter) remained undefeated and stamped her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks with a decisive victory while making her two-turn bow in Aqueduct's nine-panel GIII Gazelle S. Saturday. Graduating by four lengths in her six-panel unveiling at Gulfstream Jan. 3, she captured the one-mile Busher Invitational S. at the Big A next out Mar. 6. Hammered down to 2-5 favoritism to repeat in this step up to graded company, the $310,000 KEESEP acquisition was away in good order from the outside post in this eight-horse affair. Settling in an eager second, the bay kept pacesetting Alwayz Late (Animal Kingdom) honest through a :24.88 first quarter and :50.09 half-mile. Charging up beside the leader on the backstretch, Search Results stuck her nose in front just before the three-eighths pole and stormed clear of her competition in the lane to win as she pleased. Late-running Maracuja (Honor Code) closed the gap to 2 3/4 lengths at the line and Army Wife (Declaration of War) filled the show spot.

It was the fifth win on the card for rider Irad Ortiz and his third graded victory of the day, having captured both the GI Carter H. and GIII Bay Shore S. earlier in the day.

“She relaxed so good,” Ortiz said. “She did everything right. We broke out of there and had a target. Going into the last turn, I had plenty of horse, I was just waiting to make my move. When I asked her, she really picked it up.”

“I thought she was very professional today,” said winning trainer Chad Brown. “She maybe lost focus when she surged to the front and there was no one around her in deep stretch. When she had a horse in front of her, I loved the way she was moving into the bit. I was relieved to see that she could handle the mile and an eighth. We were cautiously optimistic, but you always have to see them do it first to be sure.”

As for the Apr. 30 GI Kentucky Oaks, Brown said, “If she comes out of it in good shape, that would be the next step and it's something we've been working towards. Although she got her season started late, she seems to be catching up fast on this crop. She seems like one of the contenders, at least, so we're thankful for that.”

 

Pedigree Notes:

Search Results is the 21st graded winner for Flatter and one of 57 black-type winners by that Claiborne stallion, who also sired Saturday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. runner-up Pass the Champagne. The Klaravich colorbearer is also the ninth graded scorer and one of 23 black-type winners out of a daughter of Candy Ride (Arg). Search Results is the third foal out of Co Cola, who followed the winner with a Flatter colt, who was purchased by Nick de Meric for $100,000 at Keeneland September and is entered in the upcoming OBS April Sale as Hip 644. Co Cola aborted a foal by West Coast in 2020 and was bred back to Nyquist for this year.

Saturday, Aqueduct
GAZELLE S.-GIII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 4-3, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:54.14, ft.
1–SEARCH RESULTS, 120, f, 3, by Flatter
                1st Dam: Co Cola (GSP), by Candy Ride (Arg)
                2nd Dam: Yong Musician, by Yonaguska
                3rd Dam: Alljazz, by Stop the Music
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($310,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0,
$299,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Maracuja, 119, f, 3, Honor Code–Patti's Regal Song, by
Unbridled's Song. ($200,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Beach Haven
Thoroughbreds LLC; B-River Bend Farm Inc., Austin Musselman
& Janie Musselman (KY); T-Rob Atras. $50,000.
3–Army Wife, 118, f, 3, Declaration of War–Tread, by Arch.
($50,000 Ylg '19 FTKFEB; $190,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Three
Diamonds Farm; B-J D Stuart & AR Enterprises, Inc. (KY);
T-Michael J. Maker. $30,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 3 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 18.60, 14.60.
Also Ran: The Grass Is Blue, Alwayz Late, Mia Martina.  Scratched: Hybrid Eclipse, Song of Innocence.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Mischevious Alex Breaks Through With Grade 1 Performance In Carter Handicap

Returning to New York a little more than a year after his resounding victory in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct Racetrack last March, Mischevious Alex became a Grade 1 winner on Saturday at the Big A, taking the $300,000 Carter Handicap with ease as the odds-on favorite under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

A compact-but-talented group of five assembled for the seven-furlong Carter, and the winner certainly delivered a Grade 1-caliber performance, rallying from off the pace to prevail by 5 ½ lengths and light up a stellar undercard for the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino.

Departing from post 4, the Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained Mischevious Alex broke well and sat in third position early as the fleet-footed Chateau went out to lead the field down the backstretch through an honest opening quarter-mile of 23.09 seconds, with Souper Stonehenge in second, multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control in fourth, and Shoplifted at the tail of the field.

Chateau spurted away from the trailing quartet around the far turn, picking up the pace to run a half in 45.89, but Mischevious Alex and Ortiz remained patient while perched three-wide on the track. Turning for home Chateau maintained a sizable advantage, but once straightened out for the drive Mischevious Alex came with steady strides, gobbling up ground to overtake the frontrunner at the eighth pole and from there drawing off handily before being geared down nearing the wire.

“I broke so well and the other horse [Chateau] went, so there was some speed. I was in no hurry,” said Ortiz, Jr.. “I just rode him with confidence and patience. Turning for home, I changed leads on him and he just took off.”

The win was a long time coming for Mischevious Alex, who burst onto the scene last year as a 3-year-old for trainer John Servis with daylight wins in the Gotham and Grade 3 Swale at Gulfstream Park before his sophomore year was cut short after disappointing performances in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course and Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park.

Transferred to Joseph for his 4-year-old campaign, the son of Into Mischief won a pair of races at Gulfstream in style, including the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on February 13, prior to his breakthrough score on Saturday, which gave the young Florida-based horseman just his second Grade 1 victory.

“I was a little concerned early in the race,” said Joseph. “He was a little far back and I know the track has been heavy and I didn't know if he could make up that much ground. Obviously, he was giving Irad some feel and he rode him with a ton of confidence. He ran well but I didn't expect him to win a Grade 1 as easy as he did. Mind Control is a Grade 1-winner and the horse on lead, Chateau, going seven-eighths might be a tad further than what he wants to go, but he has been very impressive. I have a lot of respect for the competition.”

A popular choice at the windows, Mischevious Alex returned $3.70 on a $2 win wager and completed the seven-furlong distance in 1:23.97. Notching his seventh win from just 12 career starts, the bay colt bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm also increased his career earnings to $614,730 for owners Cash is King LLC and LC Racing.

The classy millionaire Mind Control rallied to get second beneath Junior Alvarado, finishing a length in front of Souper Stonehenge in third. It was another neck back to Chateau in fourth, who distanced Shoplifted by 17 ¾ lengths.

“We were stuck on the rail a little bit but that's how it goes,” said Mind Control's trainer Gregg Sacco. “We took what they gave us. The winner ran dynamite, take nothing away from him. Congratulations to Saffie and his crew. We were coming off a little bit of a break and we'll meet again down the road. We're very proud of Mind Control. It was a great way to start the year.”

As for Mischevious Alex's next assignment, it would appear the Grade 1, $1 million Metropolitan on June 5 at Belmont Park on the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes undercard is squarely in play, though the Met Mile may not be an ideal spot for the brilliant sprinter, according to Joseph.

“Chuck [of Cash is King Racing] has always wanted to go to the Met Mile because we want to make him [Mischevious Alex] a stallion,” said the trainer. “Winning a Grade 1 today takes a lot of pressure off. In my opinion, he wants to sprint six or seven furlongs. Can he get a mile? Yes, against the right company. But it all depends on who shows up. The Met Mile is definitely under consideration and then the two Grade 1s at Saratoga [Forego and Vanderbilt]. There's a lot of options. Hopefully, he comes out of it good and then we'll make a game plan.”

With Aqueduct closed on Easter Sunday, racing resumes at the Big A next Thursday with a scheduled first post of 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

The post Mischevious Alex Breaks Through With Grade 1 Performance In Carter Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Drain The Clock Under Wraps Taking Bay Shore As Heavy Favorite

Saturday's stakes action at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., kicked off when Drain the Clock solidified his 1-5 favoritism while capturing his second graded stakes triumph, going gate-to-wire in the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore for 3-year-olds.

The Maclean's Music chestnut colt cut back in distance for the seven-furlong sprint after finishing second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on February 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Drain the Clock was a step slow leaving the gate under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., but quickly established command. Two-time winning Parx invader Beren, who stumbled at the start, kept close company to the outside in second as Drain the Clock led the compact five-horse field through opening fractions of 23.68 and 47.97 seconds over the fast main track.

Around the turn, Drain the Clock extended his advantage as Beren began to relinquish. Ortiz, Jr. got busy aboard his charge nearing the quarter pole and opened up a 4 ½-length lead in upper stretch.

Drain the Clock lugged out slightly nearing the furlong marker as Ortiz, Jr. went to the left hand with Whiskey Double launching a late bid to the outside. By the sixteenth pole, Ortiz, Jr. had Drain the Clock under wraps as he strolled past the finish line a 1 3/4-length winner in a final time of 1:25.97. Whiskey Double made up considerable ground to get second, 5 3/4 lengths ahead of Too Boss in third.

Beren and Garoppolo rounded out the order of finish.

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig, Drain the Clock improved his record to 7-5-1-0, with his other graded stakes win coming two starts back in the Grade 3 Swale on January 30 at Gulfstream Park, which also was at seven furlongs.

“He just wants to break out of there. He broke a little [slow] out of there but he put himself right away into the race and took me to the lead,” said Ortiz, Jr., who returned to New York fresh off a riding title at Gulfstream Park. “I let him relax and then I asked him to go and he was running hard to the wire.”

The victory was a first graded stakes win in New York for Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., who will have a string at Belmont Park this summer for the first time.

“I thought he kicked away well at the top of the lane and did what he had to do. If you ease up on him, he's going to relax,” Joseph, Jr. said. “The five [Beren] didn't get a good break, unfortunately, and we didn't get pressed. If that horse went, we were going to sit. He's a very versatile horse and he doesn't need the lead.”

A NYRA Grade 1 could be in order for Drain the Clock, as Joseph, Jr. listed the $400,000 Woody Stephens on June 5 at Belmont Park and the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 28 at Saratoga as long terms goals for the talented colt.

“I'll talk it over with the ownership group. The Woody Stephens was in play even before this race but this puts it even more up there,” Joseph, Jr. said. “It's definitely on the radar. The Woody Stephens and Allen Jerkens are the types of races you want to be in. If we could win one it would be nice, if we could win both it would be great.”

Bred in Kentucky by Nick Cosato, Drain the Clock is the third offspring out of the Arch mare Manki, whose two other progeny of racing age are winners.

Drain the Clock banked $110,000 in victory while improving his lifetime earnings to $319,550. He returned $2.70 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Mischevious Alex Dominates In the Carter

Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) took his 2021 record to a perfect three-for-three and scored a career high Saturday in Aqueduct's GI Carter H. Breaking sharply alongside the fleet-footed Chateau (Flat Out), the 4-5 chalk allowed his foe to dictate terms, sitting two lengths back in second as Chateau clocked a :23.09 first quarter and :45.89 half-mile. Chateau turned for home in front, but Mischevious Alex was just winding up. The bay inhaled the pacesetter by mid-stretch and rolled clear with ease under a hand ride from Irad Ortiz to win by 5 1/2 lengths. Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) got up for second and Souper Stonehenge (Speightstown) was third with Chateau fading to be fourth out of five. It was the second graded win on the card for both Ortiz and trainer Saffie Joseph.

“I was a little concerned early in the race,” Joseph said. “He was a little far back and I know the track has been heavy and I didn't know if he could make up that much ground. Obviously, he was giving Irad some feel and he rode him with a ton of confidence. He ran well, but I didn't expect him to win a Grade I as easy as he did. I have a lot of respect for the competition.”

As for what's next, Joseph said, “[Part-owner] Chuck [Zacney] has always wanted to go to the [GI] Met Mile because we want to make him [Mischevious Alex] a stallion. Winning a Grade I today takes a lot of pressure off. In my opinion, he wants to sprint six or seven furlongs. Can he get a mile? Yes, against the right company. But it all depends on who shows up. The Met Mile is definitely under consideration and then the two Grade Is at Saratoga [Forego and Vanderbilt]. Hopefully, he comes out of it good and then we'll make a game plan.”

“He came to Saffie's barn in December and he took it from there,” Zacney said. “This was always our goal. We felt this horse deserved a Grade I. That's what we were shooting for, and now he has it.”

Romping by seven lengths in Gulfstream's GIII Swale S. in February of last year, Mischevious Alex followed suit with a facile score in Aqueduct's GIII Gotham S. a month later. With COVID-19 halting racing in much of the country, he did not make his next start until June 20, finishing fourth in Belmont's GI Woody Stephens S. Sixth next out in the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at Saratoga Aug. 1, the $75,000 KEESEP buy was subsequently shelved for the season and transferred from John Servis to Joseph in the interim. Kicking off 2021 with a decisive optional claimer score at Gulfstream Jan. 10, Mischevious Alex captured the GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint S. last time Feb. 13.

 

Pedigree Notes:

Mischevious Alex is the ninth Grade I winner by leading sire Into Mischief and is also one of 39 graded winners and 92 black-type scorers by the red-hot stallion. He is also the fourth Grade I winner out of a daughter of Speightstown and one of 11 graded winners and 30 black-type victors out of mares by that WinStar stalwart. The winner is bred on the same Into Mischief/Speightstown cross as MGISW Mia Mischief and MGSW & MGISP Engage. His dam White Pants Night is a half-sister to GSW Hebbronville (Majesticperfection); MSW & GSP Master of Disaster (Dance Master) and SW A Day For Dancing (Dance Master). Mischevious Alex was her second foal and she has since produced the 3-year-old gelding Great Gasby (Tiznow); a juvenile colt by Outwork; and a yearling colt by Wicked Strong. White Pants Night was bred back to Audible last season.

Saturday, Aqueduct
CARTER H.-GI, $291,000, Aqueduct, 4-3, 4yo/up, 7f, 1:23.97, ft.
1–MISCHEVIOUS ALEX, 123, c, 4, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: White Pants Night, by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: More d'Amour, by Tour d'Or
                3rd Dam: Love Connection, by Master Derby
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($75,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $140,000 RNA
2yo '19 OBSAPR). O-Cash is King LLC and LC Racing; B-WinStar
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $165,000.
Lifetime Record: 12-7-1-1, $614,730. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ 
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mind Control, 123, h, 5, Stay Thirsty–Feel That Fire, by
Lightnin N Thunder. O-Red Oak Stable (Brunetti) & Madaket
Stables, LLC; B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco.
$60,000.
3–Souper Stonehenge, 118, g, 5, Speightstown–
Onepointhreekarats, by Medaglia d'Oro. O-Live Oak
Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL); T-Mark E. Casse. $36,000.
Margins: 5HF, 1, HD. Odds: 0.85, 2.60, 18.00.
Also Ran: Chateau, Shoplifted. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

 

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