belmont park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Domestic Spending Powers to Manhattan Score

Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB})'s late-charging victory in the GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. gave Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables its second Grade I winner–and third winner overall–on the marquee card at Belmont Park Saturday.

Coming off a dead-heat score with Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) in the May 1 GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on Derby day, Domestic Spending was made the 3-2 favorite while seeking his third straight win at the top level. The bay gelding dropped well back and raced in the clear as Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Fr}) led the strung-out field through fractions of :23.81 and :46.95. Some 10 lengths back heading into the far turn, Domestic Spending made eye-catching progress turning for home. Fanned six wide at the top of the lane, he closed stoutly, switching leads late to spurt past the pacesetter and power clear. Tribhuvan held on for second, while Gufo (Declaration of War) closed from last to be third.

“We had a good trip,” said winning rider Flavien Prat. “He broke well and I got him to relax all the way around there. It was a pretty strong pace. When it was time to make a move, he responded very well. Then, he was floating a little bit down the lane when he was by himself. He ran a good race. He went a mile and a quarter well today. He showed a good turn-of-foot last time and today, with the strong pace it's hard to show the same turn of foot and he did. I think I had more in reserve. He was floating a little bit down the lane, but I felt that I had more horse.”

The win gave trainer Chad Brown his third straight Manhattan victory and Brown has won six of the race's last nine runnings.

“This has been an important race for us,” Brown said. “It is one of the premier turf races for males at a Classic distance in the country and I hold it in high regard. We point for it every year, and I've been so lucky, me and my team, to have some good horses through the years to work with.”

Domestic Spending, a 300,000gns TATOCT yearling, was a debut winner at Tampa Bay Downs last February and, following a Belmont allowance tally in June, suffered the only loss of his career to date with a third-place finish in the July 18 GII National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame S. He rebounded to get his head in front of Gufo to win the Aug. 15 Saratoga Derby Invitational and was a head to the good of Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) in the Nov. 28 GI Hollywood Derby. He returned from a six-month layoff and closed late to hit the wire in step with Colonel Liam in the Turf Classic.

“[Domestic Spending] has been a particular challenge,” Brown admitted. “We had to geld him after his 2-year-old year, even with that breeding, because he wouldn't train. We had several different people on our team working with this horse, down at Stonestreet [in Kentucky] and down in Ocala. So many people have touched this horse and really worked with him and got his natural ability out of him. The latest is Flavien, who is now getting along just terrific with this horse. It's really my team. They've done an outstanding job developing this horse. There was a point in time when he was a baby that I didn't think we'd ever get him to the races.”

The Klaravich colors were carried to victory earlier on the card by debuting Soft Power (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and by GI Acorn S. winner Search Results (Flatter).

Pedigree Notes:

Domestic Spending is the only foal out of stakes winner Urban Castle, who died in 2017. The mare was a daughter of group winner and multiple Group 1 placed Cloud Castle (GB) (In the Wings {GB}), who also produced group winner Queen's Best (GB) (King's Best) and multiple group placed Reverie Solitaire (Ire) (Nashwan). Domestic Spending's third dam, Lucayan Princess (Ire) (High Line {GB}), produced Group 1 winners Warrsan (Ire) (Caerleon) and Luso (GB) (Salse), as well as multiple group winner and multiple Group 1 placed Needle Gun (Ire) (Sure Blade).

RESORTS WORLD CASINO MANHATTAN S.-GI, $750,000, Belmont, 6-5, 4yo/up, 1 1/4mT, 1:59.08, gd.
1–DOMESTIC SPENDING (GB), 124, g, 4, by Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Urban Castle (SW-Eng), by Street Cry (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Cloud Castle (GB), by In the Wings (GB)
                3rd Dam: Lucayan Princess (Ire), by High Line (GB)
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien
Prat. $400,000. Lifetime Record: 7-6-0-1, $1,314,500. Werk
   Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tribhuvan (Fr), 118, g, 5, Toronado (Ire)–Mahendra (Ger), by
Next Desert (Ire). (€30,000 Wlg '16 ARQDEC; €58,000 RNA Ylg
'17 AROYRG). O-Dubb, Michael, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder
Stables and Caruso, Michael J.; B-Jean Charles Haimet, Elza &
Hannah Petit (FR); T-Chad C. Brown. $140,000.
3–Gufo, 118, c, 4, Declaration of War–Floy, by Petionville.
O-Otter Bend Stables, LLC; B-John Little & Stephen Cainelli
(KY); T-Christophe Clement. $75,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1 1/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.50, 15.90, 4.00.
Also Ran: Masteroffoxhounds, Rockemperor (Ire), Master Piece (Chi), Channel Cat, Colonel Liam, City Man, Bye Bye Melvin. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Domestic Spending Powers to Manhattan Score appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Silver State Proves His Mettle

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Silver State (Hard Spun) upped his win streak to six while providing trainer Steve Asmussen with a third GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. in the last four years. The historic Met Mile also gave Silver State an automatic spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile should his connections choose that event over the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. By My Standards (Goldencents) rallied to cut the winning margin to a length after missing the break, while stretching-out GI Carter H. hero Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief) settled for third. Odds-on Knicks Go (Paynter), last year's Dirt Mile romper and last seen checking in fourth in the lucrative Saudi Cup in February, showed the way before fading to fourth on a rare day when Eclipse-winning conditioner Brad Cox's runners seemed to not be firing their best shots–until the GI Belmont S. at least

Silver State was a fringe player on the 2020 Triple Crown trail, finishing second in the GIII Lecomte S. and third in a division of the GII Risen Star S. before a seventh-place run in the GII Louisiana Derby in March. He reemerged a seven-length romper over Keeneland's almost-a-mile Beard Course in allowance company last October, and hasn't looked back since. The bay cleared his '2X' at Churchill in November, followed by narrow scores in Oaklawn's Fifth Season S. Jan. 23 and Essex H. Mar. 13. He most recently got up by a half-length in the nine-furlong GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 17, pairing up his 101 Beyer Speed Figure top.

Let go as the 57-10 third choice, Silver State broke well enough despite pressure from both sides, and tucked in behind Knicks Go as Mischevious Alex rushed up to apply pressure. Shuffled back a bit and ridden along near a :46.31 half, he looked to be going well heading for home as the favorites knocked heads. Knicks Go floated Mischevious Alex very wide, and that gave Silver State a perfect path if he had the horse. He did, and pushed past the fading Knicks Go, outkicked Mischevious Alex and held safe By My Standards by a length.

“He broke really sharp today and put me in a great spot,” said winning rider Ricardo Santana, Jr., who escaped injury Friday at Churchill Downs when his mount broke through the temporary rail and caused the declaration of a no contest. “I was just a passenger today. He put me where he wanted to be. The rail opened, so I decided to go through it and he gave me the victory… Steve's done a good job with him. He gave him time off. He came back fresh last year and he's the best that he's been right now… The good thing about that horse is that he can do whatever you want to. He's really smart. I'm really impressed with him.”

Hall of Famer Asmussen took the 2018 Met Mile with Bee Jersey (Jersey Town) and 2019 renewal with Mitole (Eskendereya)–both were also piloted by his go-to jock Santana.

“I'm very proud of Silver State, the whole team, and the trip Ricardo gave him and the faith he has in the horse,” said Asmussen. “The Met Mile is an extremely significant win and one of the great races in American racing.

“This is six wins in a row for him. He's an absolutely beautiful Stonestreet bred that Ron Winchell and Mr. [Willis] Horton purchased and have campaigned. Their patience in allowing him to get to this level has been perfect.

“Silver State's one-turn races last year were brilliant. Ricardo knows the horse and has a great amount of confidence in him. He was away cleanly and he was traveling very comfortably. Ricardo's level of confidence in this horse, and it's obviously warranted, had a lot to do with the outcome today.

“This horse takes a step forward with every race. The one thing you really noticed at Oaklawn is every time he went to the wire like he was trying to win. He's a Met Mile winner. We built it up to this point. To be in this position today will give him the credit he deserves. That's the great part about racing. You have to earn it. That's what he did today. The Met Mile was our target since last fall.”

Saturday, Belmont Park
HILL 'N' DALE METROPOLITAN H.-GI, $955,000, Belmont, 6-5, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.45, ft.
1–SILVER STATE, 120, c, 4, by Hard Spun
                1st Dam: Supreme (SW-USA, GSP-Can, $162,789),
                                by Empire Maker
                2nd Dam: Mon Belle, by Maria's Mon
                3rd Dam: Regal Band, by Dixieland Band
   1ST GRADE I WIN. ($450,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Winchell
Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton Racing LLC;
B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen; J-Ricardo Santana, Jr. $535,000. Lifetime Record:
11-7-2-1, $1,765,094. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–By My Standards, 122, h, 5, Goldencents–A Jealous Woman,
by Muqtarib. ($150,000 2yo '18 OBSAPR). O-Allied Racing
Stable, LLC & Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Don Ladd (KY); T-W. Bret
Calhoun. $185,000.
3–Mischevious Alex, 124, c, 4, Into Mischief–White Pants Night,
by Speightstown. ($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. $100,000.
Margins: 1, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 5.70, 8.90, 3.55.
Also Ran: Knicks Go, Dr Post, Lexitonian.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Silver State is the 14th highest-level winner for good racehorse sire Hard Spun, whose runners perform at a variety of distances and over both surfaces. Among his recent standouts are 2019 Dirt Mile winner Spun to Run. The late Empire Maker is the broodmare sire of 27 graded winners and, for now, six Grade I winners–he is also the dam sire of current GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Mandaloun (Into Mischief). Among the six are GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner and GI Belmont S. also-ran Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}).

The winner's dam Supreme was a two-time sprint winner on dirt, but improved significantly when switched to the sod and was a stakes winner and GSP in dashes over that surface. Stonestreet paid $800,000 for Supreme in foal to Giant's Causeway at the 2013 Keeneland January sale. Supreme is out of a full-sister to GI Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. Supreme's 2-year-old Candy Ride (Arg) colt was a $95,000 KEESEP RNA turned $500,000 OBS March purchase by Yuji Hasegawa off a :10 flat breeze. Supreme produced an Uncle Mo colt last May but was not bred back.

The post Silver State Proves His Mettle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Althiqa Completes Godolphin, Appleby Exacta In Just A Game Stakes

It was clear in the stretch of the Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes that a gray horse under the Godolphin blue from the yard of trainer Charlie Appleby was going to end up in the winner's circle. After slipping past her stablemate through a tight rail seam, Althiqa took the honors over pacesetter Summer Romance.

Althiqua, a 4-year-old British-bred daughter of Dark Angel, was tucked in near the back of the pack by jockey Mike Smith during the opening jumps, while Summer Romance shot out to a multi-length lead. Zofelle followed Summer Romance from the inside post, along with New York Girl, but the leader was ahead by several lengths after the opening quarter in :23.43 seconds.

Summer Romance remained unchallenged through the next quarter-mile, and she set an opening half in :46.90 seconds as she led the field into the turn. In the meantime, Smith still sat chilly on the rail with Althiqa in eighth.

Summer Romance was still comfortably in the lead heading into the stretch, but many of the horses that had kept Althiqa tucked in through the early goings of the race fanned out wide, leaving the inside path wide open. Althiqa in the mid-stretch, and split between Zofelle and Always Shopping to take aim on her stablemate.

Jockey Luis Saez kept Summer Romance to task, but he left the rail open for Althiqa to slip through with about a sixteenth to go. Althiqa took advantage of the opening, and kicked away to win by three-quarters of a length over Summer Romance. Daddy Is a Legend ran evenly to finish third, 1 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

Althiqa finished the one-mile race in 1:33.90 over a turf course labeled as good, and she paid $16.80 to win.

Saturday's win improved Althiqa's lifetime record to five wins in 10 starts for earnings of $466,213.

The Just A Game was the first North American start for the Godolphin homebred, who was bred in Great Britain, out of the Shamardal mare Mistrusting. She spent the spring in Dubai, winning the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes over Summer Romance and finishing third to her stablemate in the G2 Balanchine prior to the Just A Game. She raced in Great Britain and France in 2020, earning Group 3 placings in both countries.

Summer Romance, an Irish-bred Kingman filly, also made her first North American start in the Just A Game. She raced primarily in England last year, highlighted by a win in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

To view the Equibase chart, click here.

G1 Longines Just a Game Quotes, Courtesy of the NYRA Press Office

Charlie Appleby, winning trainer of Althiqa (No. 8, $16.80) and runner-up Summer Romance (No. 9): “We're obviously delighted with it and we knew we had two competitive fillies. It's one of those days when we prepped well, I was confident they would run a big race and they justified it. They are two fillies who ran well over the winter in Dubai in Group 2s—one won the Balanchine and the other won the Cape Verdi—and they came out there to America and put it to the sword again. It's a great effort by the team there and we might think about leaving them there for Saratoga. Althiqa hit the line strong enough and she wasn't stopping. It was an opportunity to get a Group 1, and luckily we did.

“Mike [Smith, aboard Althiqa] gave us our first Grade 1 in the Breeders' Cup with Outstrip, so it's great to team up again. With Rebel's Romance [developed an infection and had to drop out of consideration for the G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets] earlier this week and this, it's just the ups and downs of it all. We've seen it here in the UK and you just have to roll with the punches.

“We'll definitely consider the Diana [Grade 1, $500,000 on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course] for both of our fillies.”

Sophie Chretien, traveling assistant to Charlie Appleby: “Things were not easy the last couple of weeks [after Rebel's Romance's situation] and we had to stay focused on our two fillies. They both have big hearts and I know they had a chance to run big. Everything turned out great. Sometime after the bad, you have the good, and here it is.”

Mike Smith, winning jockey aboard Althiqa (No. 8): “We laid midpack. She's got a big heart and she's very, very honest, so she's going to run good. You're just going to have to make a trip when it's time to move on. I was actually going to tip out, but she kind of leaned in like she wanted to drop to the fence, so I just let her. It was a small hole but [Appleby] told me she had a big heart, and she got on through there. She might suit American racing really well. We might want to keep her here.”

Luis Saez, jockey aboard runner-up Summer Romance (No. 9): “She ran pretty hard. I thought we were going to win. She never gave up. She came into the stretch running, and then Mike Smith came really fast. We just got caught. She never gave up and she tried to the wire.”

Manny Franco, jockey aboard third-place finisher Daddy is a Legend (No. 3): “I had a great trip; we never got stopped. I got the trip I wanted. I wanted to wait a little longer to make my move and that's what I did. The two fillies who beat me are nice and she made a good run.”

The post Althiqa Completes Godolphin, Appleby Exacta In Just A Game Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Godolphin Not Playing Around in Just a Game

A grey pair of Godolphin-owned, Charlie Appleby-trained fillies off at 7-1 and last seen competing in Meydan's G2 Balanchine S. in February dominated Saturday's GI Longines Just a Game S., with Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) running down fleet-footed stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) late. Longshot and fellow 'Rising Star' Daddy is a Legend (Scat Daddy) rounded out the trifecta. Trainer Chad Brown, who had three chances for his fifth-straight Just a Game title, could do no better than fourth with Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom).

Balanchine winner Summer Romance zipped out to the front as anticipated and cleared off comfortably as Althiqa was guided to the hedge in third last by Mike Smith. The leader still seemed to be in complete control after a half in :46.90 and six panels in 1:10.46, but Althiqa was loaded as she looked for running room at the top of the stretch. Smith tried briefly to tip wide, but then opted to go for an inside run and that proved the winning move–Althiqa squeezed inside of Summer Romance in the final sixteenth to prevail by 3/4 of a length.

“She's got a big heart and she's very, very honest, so she's going to run good,” said Smith. “You're just going to have to make a trip when it's time to move on. I was actually going to tip out, but she kind of leaned in like she wanted to drop to the fence, so I just let her. It was a small hole but [Appleby] told me she had a big heart, and she got on through there. She might suit American racing really well. We might want to keep her here.”

A stakes winner in France and group-placed both there and in Great Britain last year at three, Althiqa kicked off her campaign with a decisive tally in Meydan's G2 Cape Verdi S. going this distance Jan. 28 before running on for third in the Balanchine.

“We're obviously delighted with it and we knew we had two competitive fillies,” said Appleby, whose last Stateside victory came with Godolphin's Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. “It's one of those days when we prepped well, I was confident they would run a big race and they justified it. They are two fillies who ran well over the winter in Dubai in Group 2s–one won the Balanchine and the other won the Cape Verdi–and they came out there to America and put it to the sword again. It's a great effort by the team there and we might think about leaving them there for [July 17 GI Diana S. at] Saratoga. Althiqa hit the line strong enough and she wasn't stopping. It was an opportunity to get a [Grade I], and luckily we did.”

Appleby and Godolphin were also represented Saturday by smashing G1 Cazoo Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

As for the decision to enlist Smith, Appleby said, “Mike gave us our first Grade I in the [2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf] with Outstrip (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), so it's great to team up again. With Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}0 [having developed an infection and dropping out of consideration for the GI Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets] earlier this week and this, it's just the ups and downs of it all. We've seen it here in the UK and you just have to roll with the punches.”

Saturday, Belmont
LONGINES JUST A GAME S.-GI, $500,000, Belmont, 6-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:33.90, gd.
1–ALTHIQA (GB), 118, f, 4, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Mistrusting (Ire) (SW-Eng, $120,206), by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Misheer (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                3rd Dam: All For Laura (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby;
J-Mike E. Smith. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-2-3, $466,213.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++.
2–Summer Romance (Ire), 120, f, 4, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Serena's Storm (Ire), by Statue of Liberty
2nd Dam: Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: Serena's Sister, by Rahy
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT; €800,000 2yo '19 ARQMA).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Round Hill Stud (IRE); T-Charles Appleby.
$100,000.
3–Daddy Is a Legend, 118, m, 6, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Randie's Legend, by Benchmark
2nd Dam: Eternal Legend, by Gold Legend
3rd Dam: Eternal Search, by Northern Answer
($140,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Hill,
Jim and Susan; B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC (PA); T-George
Weaver. $60,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 7.40, 7.20, 12.30.
Also Ran: Regal Glory, Pocket Square (GB), Zofelle (Ire), Always Shopping, Abscond, Tamahere (Fr), New York Girl (Ire). Scratched: Blowout (GB), Sweet Bye and Bye. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Althiqa is the eighth highest-level winner and one of 37 group/graded winners for Dark Angel (Ire), who is also the sire of this April's impressive GI Maker's Mark Mile hero Raging Bull (Fr), and 2018's GI Shoemaker Mile S. upsetter Hunt (Ire). The late Shamardal has sired the dams of 30 graded/group winners, including six now at the top level.

Dam Mistrusting is herself a daughter of Group 2 winner and G1SP Misheer. Her 3-year-old son Magical Land (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has been second or third in all five outings for these connections, while Althiqa's 2-year-old full-sister Before Dawn (Ire) was second at Newmarket May 15 and a close fourth in the Kempton all-weather on Wednesday. Mistrusting produced a Dark Angel colt last term and a Kodiac (GB) filly this March.

The post Godolphin Not Playing Around in Just a Game appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post