Tag: belmont

Queen Picasso Rules The Soaring Softly

Though trainer Christophe Clement had to scratch his expected morning-line favorite from this event, he had more than enough talent waiting in the wings as Queen Picasso (GB) (Kingman {GB}), off a debut victory at Gulfstream Apr. 5, made it two-for-two with a win in the GIII Soaring Softly S.

Unveiled around two turns in south Florida, the half-sister to G1SW Acclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) had already proven her affinity for the grass while her main rival, race-time favorite Lady Beth (Hard Spun), was forced to debut over the all-weather track at Gulfstream in a rained-off contest Feb. 2. Shortened up to the seven furlongs Saturday, Queen Picasso enjoyed a dream trip, jumping alertly and moving between rivals to race comfortably just off the outside of GIII Matron S. winner American Apple (American Pharoah). The field remained tightly bunched through an opening quarter in :23.06 and it was apparent that Jose Ortiz's filly wanted to run. She began to inch up on American Apple as they made their way around the far turn and the top pair was nearly on even terms past the quarter pole. With plenty left despite contesting a :45.83 half mile, Queen Picasso really began to draw away inside the furlong marker to win going away over American Apple.

“Jose [Ortiz] gave her a good ride,” said Clement. “They told me a lot of them [Kingman progeny] get a mile, so she might be a miler. She won well. The only thing I told Jose was to be careful, she can be a touch aggressive and a touch rank. I think he was a bit worried that the horse on the lead [No. 3, American Apple] would steal the race and that's the reason he kept at it.”

Pedigree Notes:

A top-five leading sire in Europe, Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) earned his 36th graded/group winner in the Northern Hemisphere Saturday with Queen Picasso's win. Aris (Ire) (Danroad {Aus}) has produced five winners from six foals to the make the races–her best being Acclaim (Ire), winner of the G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret. The dam herself is a half-sister to MG1SW Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who went on to produce a pair of group-placed Galileo full-siblings in Delphina (Ire) and Delano Roosevelt (Ire). Further back in the family is European champion 3-year-old colt Montjeu (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Queen Picasso's now 2-year-old half-brother by Advertise (GB) failed to meet his reserve when bringing a final bid of 280,000gns.

Saturday, Belmont Park
SOARING SOFTLY S.-GIII, $169,750, Belmont, 5-27, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:21.24, fm.
1–QUEEN PICASSO (GB), 118, f, 3, by Kingman (GB)
             1st Dam: Aris (Ire) (SP-Ire), by Danroad (Aus)
             2nd Dam: Cumbres (Fr), by Kahyasi (Ire)
              rd Dam: Floripedes, by Top Ville (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. (200,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Siena Farm LLC, Michael E. Kisber, Peter Deutsch & The Elkstone Group, LLC (Stuart Grant); B-D. Farrington And Canning Downs (GB); T-Christophe Clement; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $138,250. *1/2 to Aclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), G1SW-Fr, MGSW-Eng, GSP-Ire, $595,666. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–American Apple, 123, f, 3, American Pharoah–Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick. ($600,000 RNA 2yo '22 KEENOV). O-KatieRich Stables LLC; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Daniel Leitch. $35,000.
3–Lady Beth, 118, f, 3, Hard Spun–Boreale, by Makfi (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $67,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $390,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Richard Schermerhorn; B-J. D. Stuart, P. C. Bance & Godolphin (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $21,000.
Margins: 2, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 2.85, 2.45, 1.10.
Also Ran: Quarrel, Senior Prank. Scratched: Love Appeals.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

 

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Graded Stakes ‘Triple’ Kicks Off Memorial Day Weekend

A graded stakes trio, led by the GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita, will kick off Memorial Day weekend on Saturday afternoon.

The lightly raced 5-year-old Bruce Chandler homebred Spirit of Makena (Ghostzapper) looks for his third straight victory for trainer George Papaprodromou following a 1 1/2-length score over the re-opposing Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) in the GIII San Carlos S. last time Mar. 11. Spirit of Makena is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. The field of seven also includes last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up and popular 9-year-old gelding C Z Rocket (City Zip), an earner of more than $2 million.

Santa Anita's nine-race program also features a field of seven turf sprinters–led by last out Siren Lure S. winner and 9-5 morning-line favorite Whatmakessammyrun (We Miss Artie)–in the GIII Daytona S.

A field of six 3-year-old fillies, meanwhile, will line up in Belmont's GIII Soaring Softly S. going seven furlongs over the widener turf course. Christophe Clement will saddle Moyglare Stud Farm homebred and 6-5 morning-line favorite Love Appeals (Speightstown), who enters off a sharp optional claiming win sprinting over the Aqueduct lawn Apr. 27.

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Cox Pointing Angel of Empire, Hit Show For Belmont

The prospective field for the GI Belmont S. picked up a pair of top contenders Monday when trainer Brad Cox confirmed that he is pointing Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) and Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) to the final leg of the Triple Crown. Neither has run since the GI Kentucky Derby, where Angel of Empire, the favorite in the race, finished third and Hit Show was fifth.

“They both had their first works back after the Derby on Sunday and we're getting them ready to go for the Belmont,” Cox said. “They looked great this morning and, hopefully, we'll get them back on the work tab on either Saturday or Sunday.”

Angel of Empire breezed a half-mile in :49.0 and Hit Show worked the same distance in :49.40. Both works were at Churchill Downs.

“I'm very happy with Angel of Empire and with the way he came out of the Derby,” the trainer said. “He ran hard and I feel like we saw that the first three, four days after the Derby. Since, he's bounced back well. It was the same thing with Hit Show. For a couple of days after the Derby he was tired. Both ran hard and well. For me, it was an easy decision to skip the Preakness and turn our attention toward the Belmont.”

Like all other trainers in the race, Cox won't know if his horses can handle the 12 furlongs until they try it on June 10.

“It is the great unknown, but with both I have confidence that they'll get it,” he said. “Angel of Empire is one that I always thought had enough speed to be involved. He doesn't necessarily have to be on the lead. I don't know who else is running yet, but I'm confident he'll break and be able to get involved early. With Hit Show, with what he showed us in the Kentucky Derby, I think he's another one who should break well and be up there. People have come to the conclusion that you don't want to be a deep, deep closer in the Belmont. That normally doesn't work out for you.”

Angel of Empire figures to be one of the favorites in the Belmont. He missed by just 1 1/2 lengths in the Derby as the 4-1 choice and before that won the GI Arkansas Derby. Hit Show started his year with a win in the GIII Withers S. and then finished second in the GII Wood Memorial S., losing by just a nose.

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Forte Works At Belmont, Takes Step Closer To Belmont S.

Eclipse Award winner Forte (Violence) worked a half-mile in :50.31 breezing Sunday morning at Belmont Park, which has him back on a path to make it to the GI Belmont S. It was his first work since he was scratched the morning of the GI Kentucky Derby by a state veterinarian due to a foot bruise.

After the scratch, Forte was placed on the vet's list in Kentucky for 14 days, which meant he could not run in the GI Preakness S.

“He looked very good in this work and everything is pointing in the direction of the Belmont,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.

There is one more hurdle to be cleared before he can became eligible for the race. Pletcher said that Forte will work again on Friday and will do so before a veterinarian. If the vet is satisfied with the work he will be officially cleared.

When asked if he thought Forte would pass that test, Pletcher replied: “Knock on wood, but I am super happy with him right now.”

It will be a less-than-ideal scenario for Forte coming into the Belmont. His work Sunday was his first in 22 days and he will be entering a mile-and-a-half race off a 10-week layoff. His last race was the win in the GI Florida Derby on April 1.

Pletcher doesn't think those obstacles are insurmountable.

“I think we have a chance to have him at his best,” said Pletcher, a four-time Belmont Stakes winner. “He's got a high degree of natural fitness. This morning he did everything very effortlessly and galloped out nicely and wasn't blowing at all. He pulled up and came back to the barn. And we still have time for two more good, solid works which I think would have him ready to go. It will be 10 weeks between races and it's a mile-and-a-half, but he gives me the impression, despite missing that little bit of training, that he's retained his fitness very well.”

It's been a tough few weeks for Forte and his connections, who had to watch a horse in Mage (Good Magic) that Forte beat twice go on to win the Kentucky Derby.

“It's been very frustrating and very disappointing,” Pletcher said. “Most of all I'm disappointed for the owners, the connections and especially for the horse. He seems to be the most talented colt in the group and for him to not get that chance to run was frustrating. I probably jinxed this horse when I talked about how perfectly everything was going during the winter and early spring. Thankfully, it was just a foot bruise. He's fully recovered from it now and is training the way we've grown accustomed to seeing him train.”

Pletcher said he could have as many as four horses in the Belmont. Tapit Trice (Tapit), who was seventh in the Derby, is a definite go. He said he will consult with the owners of Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo), who was 14th in the Derby, before making a decision regarding his Belmont status. Prove Worthy (Curlin), a recent maiden winner at Churchill, is also under consideration.

Though Tapit Trice didn't run his best in the Derby, he could be among the favorites in the Belmont. Pletcher has a history of taking horses who didn't bring their “A” game to the Derby and, after passing the Preakness, having them ready to go for a big effort in the Belmont. It's a pattern he followed last year with Belmont winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), who was fifth in the Derby.

“This path has worked well for us in the past,” Pletcher said. “He's a horse that I've always felt would suit the Belmont very well. He's by Tapit, who has had a lot of success in the Belmont. He's out of a Dunkirk mare and we finished second in the Belmont with him.  He's a big, long-striding colt and I think the big, wide sweeping turns at Belmont will suit him very well. We've seen in a couple of his races, including the Tampa Bay Derby, that he doesn't run tight turns really well. The bigger oval at Belmont will really suit him.”

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