Bertrando | Horse Racing Free Tips

John Shirreffs has saddled four starters in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic, and the closest he has come to a win in the Grade 1 fixture at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., was the third-place finish by Midcourt, off at odds of 7-1 and beaten 5 ¾-lengths by Maximum Security, in last year's 30^th running.

In providing Bob Baffert with a TVG Pacific Classic record-tying sixth victory, Maximum Security went postward as the 2-5 favorite. Of Baffert's six wins in the race, five have come with either the favorite or second betting choice. The outlier: Richard's Kid stunning at odds of 24.40-1 in 2009.

In Saturday's 31^st running of the 1 ¼-mile signature event of the summer meeting, Shirreffs has the 3-1 morning line favorite in San Diego Handicap winner Express Train. Baffert's lone entry is 20-1 Magic On Tap, who was nearly 12-1 in the San Diego, stumbled at the start and finished fifth of eight, beaten 6 ¾-lengths.

If the odds stay that way to post time, Shirreffs will have a Classic favorite for the second time. Bertrando, the 2-1 favorite in 1994 off his victory a year earlier when trained by Bobby Frankel, got caught up in a speed duel for the first three quarters and faded to eighth of nine.

Earlier in the 1994 meeting, Bertrando had provided Shirreffs with the first of what has now become 17 Del Mar stakes victories. A TVG Pacific Classic would be a welcome addition and Shirreffs has reason for optimism about the 4-year-old son of Union Rags, owned by the C R K Stable of Lee and Susan Seareing, who has four victories from 12 career starts and earnings of $659,300.

“I think he's coming into the race really well,” Shirreffs said.

And, as is always the case, Shirreffs, 76, will be focused intently on developments with his horse before, during and after the race.

“Like a lot of Union Rags (progeny) he can get a little hot (nerved up) in the paddock,” Shirreffs said. “He's probably going to get a little hot no matter what.

“But if he can control his nervousness a little bit and maintain his focus, he'll do really well. That's a sign for him. He controlled himself well in the paddock before the San Diego and ran a very good race.”

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 6 at Del Mar.

The TVG Pacific Classic field from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds in parentheses: Tripoli (Tiago Pereira, 5-1); Tizamagician (Flavien Prat, 5-1); Dr Post (Joel Rosario, 4-1); Royal Ship (Mike Smith, 7-2); Express Train (Juan Hernandez); Magic On Tap (Abel Cedillo); Independence Hall (Florent Geroux, 5-1); Sheriff Brown (Edwin Maldonado, 30-1), and Cupid's Claws (Umberto Rispoli, 15-1).

The post Express Train Puts Shirreffs In Pacific Classic Spotlight appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fresh off a gate-to-wire 92-1 shocker in the Crystal Water Stakes on the Santa Anita turf, Grinning Tiger will try to remain perfect at Los Alamitos in the $100,000 Soi Phet Saturday.

A one-mile event for 3-year-olds & up bred or sired in California, the Soi Phet – which was formerly named the Bertrando (2014-2019) – is the eighth of nine races. Post time is 1 p.m. Approximate post time for the Soi Phet is 4:30 p.m.

The stakes honors a gelded son of Tizbud, who won five stakes at Los Alamitos – including the race now named for him in 2014 and 2018 – for the Benowitz Family Trust, Mathilde Powell and Paul Viskovich and trainer Leonard Powell. Soi Phet, who was claimed for $16,000 in the spring of 2013 at Hollywood Park, retired at age 11 in 2019 with more than $1 million in earnings.

Owned by Tyree Wolesensky and trained by Anthony Saavedra, Grinning Tiger ended a five-race losing streak with his Crystal Water stunner, defeating seven rivals by nearly two lengths at the same distance he will be running Saturday.

Both of his wins at Los Alamitos were 7-1 upsets in sprints. He defeated state bred optional claimers going 5 ½ furlongs during the 2019 Summer Thoroughbred Festival and led throughout to win an optional claimer during the Los Angeles County Fair meet nearly two months later.

A son of Smiling Tiger and the Pioneering mare Karlee's Kitten, Grinning Tiger has won eight of 27 and banked $209,801.

Galilean is also 2-for-2 at Los Alamitos with his victories coming in 2018 when trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The Uncle Mo colt out of the El Prado mare Fresia won at first asking as a 2-year-old Sept. 22, then stretched out to the Soi Phet distance to win the King Glorious by nine lengths during the Winter meet that year.

Owned by a partnership that includes West Point Thoroughbreds, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith and now trained by John Sadler, Galilean is seeking his first win since taking the California Cup Derby Feb. 18, 2019. He's 3-for-8 with a bankroll of $382,948.

Trained by Phil D'Amato for Summit Racing LLC, William Branch, Jeff Owen, Jeremy Peskoff and Jackie Rojas, King Abner will be trying to improve upon a fifth place finish as the 4-5 favorite in this race last year.

The 6-year-old gray gelding by Hansen out of the Salt Lake mare Margarita Salt has won six of 25 and earned $399,309. He owns a win at Los Alamitos, scoring an optional claiming victory during the 2018 Winter meet.

Take the One O One will bid for a second consecutive win for owner Samantha Siegel's Jay Em Ess Stable and trainer Brian Koriner. The 5-year-old Acclamation horse went gate-to-wire at the Soi Phet distance May 22 in Arcadia.

Out of the Jump Start mare North Freeway, Take the One O One is 5-for-13 with earnings of $382,306.

Claimed for $20,000 by trainer Andrew Lerner for Alydom Racing LLC out of a turf win May 25, Three Ay Em, who hass won four of 13 and earned $125,799, will be looking for his second tally at Los Alamitos.

The 4-year-old son of New Year's Day and the Theatrical mare Potenza broke his maiden via disqualification in his fourth career start Sept. 8, 2018 when trained by Jeff Bonde.

Lerner will be trying for a second consecutive win in the Soi Phet. He clicked with the mare Queen Bee to You a year ago.

Brandothebartender will be looking for his first win on a surface other than turf.

Trained by Craig Dollase for Flawless Racing, Brian Flanagan and Michael Jarvis, the 7-year-old Tribal Rule gelding out of the Stravinsky mare Frysland is 0-for-4 on dirt. He's 6-for-34 overall with a bankroll of $460,984.

Lymebyrd will be making his first start in Southern California since 2018 for owners Don and Guy Brown and trainer Angelo Tekos.

The 7-year-old Limehouse gelding out of the Old Trieste mare, who has won six of 33 and earned $212,534, has a Los Alamitos victory on his resume. He broke his maiden by 7 ½ lengths against $20,000 claimers July 15, 2017 when trained by Dean Pederson.

Loud Mouth will stretch out to eight furlongs after finishing fourth of five in the Thors Echo Stakes June 13.

Trained by Steve Knapp for Thomsen Racing LLC, the 4-year-old Boisterous colt out of the Drama Cat mare Tale of the Cat has won four of 16 and banked $133,348.

From inside out, the field for the Soi Phet Stakes: Brandothebartender, Umberto Rispoli rides, 119 pounds; King Abner, Abel Cedillo, 119; Take the One O One, Jose Valdivia, Jr., 119; Three Ay Em, Aaron Gryder, 119; Loud Mouth, Drayden Van Dyke, 119; Grinning Tiger, Heriberto Figueroa, 124; Lymebyrd, Tiago Pereira, 119 and Galilean, Juan Hernandez, 119.

The post Grinning Tiger Back At Favored Los Al For Saturday’s Newly-Named Soi Phet Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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