arklow | Horse Racing Free Tips

GISW Arklow Advances At Thoroughbred Makeover

GISW Arklow (Arch), one of the most accomplished horses competing at the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover at the Kentucky Horse Park this week, is adding another achievement to his resume as he advanced in the Field Hunter preliminary round under amateur rider Gina Gans, the Retired Racehorse Project said in a release late Thursday night.

The former Brad Cox trainee, who earned over $3 million during his racing career, turned in three relaxed rides over two days of competition and has made it to the weekend. The 9-year-old will have the opportunity to take part in his division's Finale Championship on Saturday.

“He's just so fun,” said Gans. “When we had the big gallop up the hill today [in the Mock Hunt], he really took a big hold of me… but when we got to the top of the hill, he stopped in the check and just looked around. I think that's really hard for a lot of Thoroughbreds to be able to turn it on and switch it off–you show him something and he gets it and he's calm and cool. The biggest difference is the brain on him. His brain being so good makes such a difference–he could do anything.”

Click here for a complete Thoroughbred Makeover schedule.

The post GISW Arklow Advances At Thoroughbred Makeover appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

GISW Arklow Among Thoroughbred Makeover Entrants

Out of the 404 entrants, the leading earner in this week's Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by the Thoroughbred Charities of America, at the Kentucky Horse Park is GISW Arklow (Arch).

After being gelded once his racing career ended last year at this time, the former Brad Cox trainee with a $3,025,996 in earnings over a seven-year career for Donegal Racing will be ridden in the event by Gina Gans in the field hunting division. The 9-year-old will jump obstacles at the Horse Park's grass steeplechase course.

Recently retired racehorses from across the U.S. will participate in the largest Thoroughbred retraining competition in the world in various disciplines including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, jumping, polo, ranch work and freestyle with Keeneland serving as a major sponsor.

Click here for more information.

The post GISW Arklow Among Thoroughbred Makeover Entrants appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Corniche Returns in Amsterdam

Champion Corniche (Quality Road) makes his highly anticipated return to the races and first start for trainer Todd Pletcher Sunday in Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S.

The 'TDN Rising Star' spent some time at WinStar after his championships season and, with Bob Baffert serving his suspension, was sent to Pletcher in May with an eye on the late season sophomore highlights. (Click here for Pletcher's thoughts in Mike Kane's Saturday feature).

“We're hoping that with the good fortune we had with his sire Quality Road and him making his debut for us in the Amsterdam, which produced a track record performance, that hopefully some of that good fortune will follow through here,” said Pletcher, who seeks his fifth Amsterdam win.

While he will be the favorite, he won't have it easy. Corniche is joined by Grade I winner Gunite (Gun Runner) and graded stakes-winning fellow Pletcher trainee My Prankster (Into Mischief), who finished one-two in Churchill's Maxfield S. last out July 3. The champ also faces one of his former shedrow mates from the Baffert barn in GISW Pinehurst (Twirling Candy).

Also on tap at Saratoga Sunday is the GII Bowling Green S. for turf marathoners. Grade I winners Arklow (Arch) and Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Juju's Map Headlines Monmouth Oaks

Never worse than second in a juvenile campaign that included a win in the GI Darley Alcibiades S., Juju's Map (Liam's Map) looks to return to winning ways Sunday in the GIII Monmouth Oaks. Making her seasonal debut with a dominant optional claimer score on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard, the dark bay checked in third as the favorite last out in Belmont's GII Mother Goose S. June 25.

She will be made to work for it though with the presence of Meydan sensation and 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings), who receives Lasix for the first time Sunday. The $425,000 OBSAPR acquisition was second in the Mother Goose after rallying for sixth in the Oaks.

A pair of Gun Runner fillies look to add to their sire's stakes success at Monmouth last weekend in SW Shotgun Hottie and GSP Runaway Wife.

Sunday's graded action wraps at Del Mar with the GII Eddie Read S., where GII Charles Whittingham S. top two Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy) and Masteroffoxhounds (War Front) top the field.

The post Corniche Returns in Amsterdam appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

After Sanford Win, Hopeful Likely Next for Mo Strike

Nasser Bin Omairah's Mo Strike (Uncle Mo), winner of Saturday's GIII Sanford S., will likely make his next start in the Sept. 5 GI Hopeful S., trainer Brad Cox confirmed Sunday.

“He's great and looks fantastic. I think the right thing to do, from a timing standpoint, is to look at the Hopeful and work our way back from there,” Cox said Sunday. “I think we'll skip the [Aug. 13 GII] Saratoga Special, because it's asking a lot of him and this gives him more time. We brought him back quick off of his maiden win, so he'll have all summer here. It's a great place to be, so there's no rush.”

Mo Strike was Cox's third winner of the three-day old Saratoga meeting. The trainer will look to add to his graded tally in the coming weeks with Caravel (Mizzen Mat) looking to repeat in July 23 GIII Caress S. and Arklow (Arch) making his 8-year-old debut off a nine-month layoff in the July 31 GII Bowling Green S.

Caravel and Arklow both breezed over the Oklahoma turf training track Sunday, the former working a half-mile in :49.60 (24/52) with jockey Tyler Gaffalione up and the latter drilling five furlongs in 1:01.72 (2/15).

Cox said he was particularly impressed with the way Caravel has trained since her win in the June 10 GIII Intercontinental S.

“She was amazing. She was amazing last week [:47.22 (1/29)] and this week she was too, but a little more steady–a maintenance move,” Cox said. “Tyler was on her; he's worked her several times in Kentucky and she looks like she's set up for a big race Saturday. I don't know if we need to see any improvement from her, just more of the same. She likes it up here and we're hoping she can duplicate her run from last year.”

Arklow has not raced since finishing fifth in the GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont last October.

“It's a tall task off the layoff, but he's shown the ability to run really well off layoffs,” Cox said. “Last year, his first race back was in the Louisville H. and he won that. I'm pretty happy with how he's doing.”

The post After Sanford Win, Hopeful Likely Next for Mo Strike appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post