Barber Road | Horse Racing Free Tips

Filly Is No ‘Secret’ In Arkansas Derby

Having proven heads and shoulders above the local 3-year-old filly contingent, Briland Farm homebred Secret Oath (Arrogate) takes on the boys in Saturday's $1.25-million GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The chestnut figures a warm favorite to become the first of her gender to win the race since her Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas saddled Althea (Alydar) to score by seven lengths in the 1984 renewal, with future GI Belmont S. runner-up Pine Circle (Cox's Ridge) and GI Preakness S. hero Gate Dancer (Sovereign Dancer) noses apart in second and third.

A maiden winner and fifth to GIII Fantasy S. hopeful Dream Lith (Medaglia d'Oro) in last year's GII Golden Rod S., Secret Oath has been nothing short of sensational in annexing three starts at this meet by a combined 23 lengths. A handy allowance winner on New Year's Eve, the chestnut pummeled her rivals by 7 1/4 lengths in the Jan. 29 Martha Washington S. and again in the GIII Honeybee S. Feb. 26, with eyecatching bursts on each occasion.

Her trainer, whose success with fillies like Althea, Derby winner Winning Colors and Serena's Song is well-documented–has been impressed with Secret Oath's development.

“She's got a running style and the efficiency of motion is good,” Lukas said. “She places herself in the race. I would say the thing that's probably the biggest concern would be a traffic problem. She's very rangy and tall. I don't know about starting and stopping. In the Honeybee, they shut her down, then just 'Boom!' She amazed me that when she dove into the rail [turning for home], she just [took off)].”

Now, to be fair to Althea, who has contributed mightily to the American Stud Book down the years, Secret Oath faces competition not nearly as deep as Althea did 38 years ago. The progressive We the People (Constitution) kicked clear to graduate by nearly six lengths on his one-mile debut Feb. 12 and doubled up with a five-length allowance tally Mar. 12, good for 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Those wishing to take a contrarian view will note that the bay colt tracked a very slow pace on the latter occasion and won off like a 2-5 chance should.

Doppelganger (Into Mischief) makes his first start for trainer Tim Yakteen Saturday and has form through Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah), to whom he was a disappointing fourth in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. Jan. 29 at Santa Anita before chasing home that rival to finish a distant second in the GII San Vicente S. Mar. 5. The blinkers come off this afternoon.

Un Ojo (Laoban) outran longshot odds to be second to the promising Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the Feb. 5 GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct and looked beaten in this track's GII Rebel S. before surging home on perhaps the best part of the strip to post a half-length success, with Barber Road (Race Day) third.

Cyberknife (Gun Runner) bounced back from a below-par sixth in the GIII Lecomte S. in January with a sound three-length allowance score at the Fair Grounds Feb. 19 and is bound to go off at a price shorter than his 8-1 morning line.

The post Filly Is No ‘Secret’ In Arkansas Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Newgrange Faces Familiar Foes in Rebel

Bob Baffert trainee Newgrange (Violence), last seen taking Oaklawn's GIII Southwest S. Jan. 29 to up his record to three-for-three, faces 10 rivals including the next four Southwest finishers in Saturday's $1-million GII Rebel S. back in Hot Springs. Campaigned by the stallion-making conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, the handsome dark bay was a debut winner sprinting at Del Mar in November before stretching out to a mile to annex Santa Anita's GIII Sham S. Jan. 1. He seemed to be spinning his wheels for much of the Southwest, but leveled off well late to oblige as the 3-2 favorite. Baffert, whose runners remain ineligible to earn GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points, has won a record eight Rebels including the last two.

Second in the Southwest was Barber Road (Race Day), who also completed the exacta in Churchill's Lively Shively S. in November and the Smarty Jones S. in the local slop Jan. 1. Wide-drawn Dash Attack (Munnings) was an impressive winner of the Smarty Jones, but was a dull fifth in the Southwest–his first try over totally fast dirt.

Among the fresh faces in with a chance is MyRacehorse's Chasing Time (Not This Time), a 7 3/4-length optional claiming romper here Jan. 14 when stretched to two turns for the first time. He'll need to step forward from the 81 Beyer Speed Figure he earned last out, but will look to add to young sire Not This Time's extremely strong hand of Triple Crown hopefuls (click for more).

Should the pace fall apart, Un Ojo (Laoban) could pick up the pieces. The gelding returns to the Ricky Courville barn after two starts for Tony Dutrow at Aqueduct–a neck second in the lucrative NYSS Great White Way S. Dec. 18, followed by another runner-up outing from far back in the nine-furlong GIII Withers S. won on the front end by well-regarded Early Voting (Gun Runner) Feb. 5.

The post Newgrange Faces Familiar Foes in Rebel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

McPeek On Dash Attack’s Southwest Performance: ‘I Think We Left Him Short’

Locally based Dash Attack emerged in good order from his fifth-place finish in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds last Saturday, Jan. 29, at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., and will remain on the Kentucky Derby trail, his trainer, Kenny McPeek, said Tuesday night.

Dash Attack won his first two career starts, including the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1, before being beaten 7 ¾ lengths by heavily favored Newgrange in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest. Dash Attack was racing over a fast track for the first time in the Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

“I think between that racetrack being a little bit deep and cuppy, and we kind of had to adjust our work schedule, I think we left him short,” McPeek said. “He got tired in the race. He seemed to come back fine, but I wish I had done a little more with him in hindsight. But the night before, it was extremely cold and I don't think they had much water on it (track) and he didn't handle it well.”

Dash Attack splashed to a two-length victory in the one-mile Smarty Jones, which was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race. Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 26 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 2.

McPeek said Dash Attack “definitely” will be considered for the Rebel, which will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated qualifying races.

Dash Attack ranks No. 9 on the latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory.

“We're not ruling the Rebel out at all,” McPeek said. “We're going to kind of regroup and put another plan together and hopefully it unfolds a little better than the Southwest did.”

Southern California-based Bob Baffert said he will “definitely have something for the Rebel,” a 1 1/16-mile race the Hall of Fame trainer has won a record eight times. Barber Road, runner-up in the Smarty Jones and Southwest, is likely headed to the Rebel, trainer John Ortiz said.

Vivar is off the Kentucky Derby trail following his 10th-place finish in the Southwest, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday afternoon.

“We're going to give him a break and freshen him up,” said Cox, who trains Vivar for breeder/owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs. “Don't really think he's a dirt horse. Kind of always thought he was more grass. We've given him the opportunity and he really didn't answer the questions we were asking, so it's time to back up and give him some time and maybe point him for a grass campaign this summer.”

Vivar finished fifth in the Smarty Jones.

Source of original post

Newgrange Back To Southern California After Southwest Score

Heavy favorite Newgrange, in his first race outside California, came from off the pace at Oaklawn under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez to score a 1 ½-length victory in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds to remain unbeaten in three lifetime starts.

It was a record-tying fifth Southwest victory at the Hot Springs, Ark., track for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and his 18th overall in Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby prep series – all since 2010. Newgrange was exiting a front-running 2 ¾-length victory over stablemate Rockefeller in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) Jan. 1 at Santa Anita.

Although the Sham and Southwest offered 17 points (10-4-2-1, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby, Newgrange was running for purse money only because of Baffert's suspension from Churchill Downs. It stems from a possible medication violation involving his 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. No stewards' ruling has been issued, but a Feb. 7 hearing is reportedly set.

So, when Churchill Downs released its official Kentucky Derby leaderboard late Saturday afternoon, Newgrange, instead of topping the list with 20, had zero since Baffert trainees are ineligible to collect Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

“I'm not going to worry about that right now,” Baffert, a record seven-time Kentucky Derby winner, said in a phone interview moments after the Southwest.

In a text message Sunday morning, Baffert said Newgrange emerged in “great” shape physically from his Southwest victory and would be flown back to his Southern California base Tuesday.

Newgrange and Grade 3 winners Rockefeller and Messier were Baffert's three nominees to the Southwest, which is Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Newgrange and Messier worked against each other in a half-mile drill Jan. 23 at Santa Anita. Both horses were credited with :47.20, which ranked second of 114 times published at the distance.

Baffert, subsequently, opted to keep Messier home for the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 6 at Santa Anita and send Newgrange to Oaklawn for the Southwest. The colt arrived Wednesday – a day later than originally scheduled – following a flight from Southern California.

“I thought this horse kind of had a good mind,” Baffert said. “The ship in there is a little bit tougher now. You've got to go to Memphis (about 190 miles northeast of Hot Springs) and get them a van. I thought Newgrange's got a great mind and Messier's going to run here in the Bob Lewis with some other ones. Try to spread them out, try to see where they fit. So, that was the reason.”

After leading at almost every point of call in his first two starts, Newgrange showed a new dimension in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest.

Newgrange stalked front-runner Kavod down the backstretch, but appeared to be struggling on the second turn and in upper stretch. Newgrange ($5) found another gear inside the furlong marker and held late-running Barber Road safe in the run to the wire. The winning time over a fast track was 1:45.83.

“I think he needed it today,” Baffert said. “He had to really gut it out. Turning for home, I wasn't sure. Then, he came on. I thought it was a good spot for him and, hopefully, he just continues on. He showed today he's a pretty solid horse. I always try to bring my best horses up there that are doing the best.”

Baffert said next-race plans are pending for Newgrange, a son of Violence who has bankrolled $552,000 for a high-profile ownership group that includes SF Racing (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin) and Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke). Newgrange was purchased for $125,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby prep series continues with the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 2. Baffert has won the Rebel a record eight times.

“We'll definitely have something for the Rebel,” Baffert said. “I just don't know which one.”

Baffert's longtime traveling assistant, Jimmy Barnes, saddled Newgrange for the Southwest.

Barber Road collected four points for his runner-up finish Saturday and now has eight overall to rank 13th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference based on horses with highest point totals accumulated in qualifying races like the Southwest and the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1. Barber Road also finished second in the 1-mile Smarty Jones, Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race.

“Aiming for the Kentucky Derby now,” Barber Road's trainer, John Ortiz, said in a text message Sunday morning. “The dream is finally feeling very realistically possible. So, the next step would be the Rebel. Thoughts about going to Dubai have been put on the table as well, but most likely we'd love to stay home and run over the track he is loving right now.”

Barber Road finished 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Ben Diesel, a full brother to multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Will's Secret for trainer Dallas Stewart and breeder/owner Willis Horton of Marshall, Ark. Ben Diesel has three points to rank 24th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. Kavod is No. 26, earning two points with fourth-place finishes in the Smarty Jones and Southwest.

Smarty Jones winner Dash Attack is No. 9 following his fifth-place finish in the Southwest. Dash Attack has 10 points. Osbourne, eighth in the Southwest, is No. 20 with four points. Ignitis, 11th in the Southwest, is No. 31 with two points.
The Rebel will offer 85 total points (50-20-10-5) to the top four finishers. The Arkansas Derby is a 170-point race, with the winner receiving 100. The 2-3-4 finishers will receive 40, 20 and 10 points, respectively.

The post Newgrange Back To Southern California After Southwest Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post