Bob and Jackie | Horse Racing Free Tips

Adare Manor Headlines California Graded Stakes Action

Bob Baffert's ADARE MANOR (Uncle Mo) re-enters graded-stakes company with an expected start in the GII Santa Maria S. Saturday at Santa Anita. A runaway winner in her maiden-breaking score in early 2022, she romped by 13 lengths in the GIII Las Virgenes S. in her next start but missed qualifying for the GI Kentucky Oaks. Transferred back to Baffert's care after near misses in both the GII Santa Anita Oaks and the GII Black-Eyed Susan S., she faltered to sixth in the GI Cotillion before calling it a year last September. After making her 4-year-old debut with a second over seven furlongs at Santa Anita Feb. 18, she returned to the winner's enclosure with a gate-to-wire win against optional claimers at a mile Mar. 31 with a near career high 92 Beyer Speed figure.

Challenging her from either side is a pair of runners from the John Sadler barn in Kristenbosch (Midnight Lute) and Big Switch (Mr. Big). Kristenbosch picked up a Grade I placing behind Fun to Dream (Arrogate) in the GI La Brea S. Dec. 26 and added her own graded-stakes win in the GIII La Canada S. to open her season Jan. 15. She was most recently a narrow third, beaten just a length, in the GIII Monrovia Apr. 8. Big Switch owns several stakes wins, albeit against state-bred company, but was beaten just a head by the aforementioned Adare Manor in that same optional claimer Mar. 31 and has been off the board only twice in her eight-race career.

ANCIENT PEACE BACK ON TURF FOR PROVIDENCIA

After a commanding gate-to-wire maiden-breaking score Dec. 30, Ancient Peace (War Front) caught a rained-off contest when last spotted Apr. 8 but was well-adapted, responding with a six-length win on the Santa Anita main track. Back on the grass for her states debut, the John Sadler trainee will take on a pair of runners on either side starting with Doug O'Neill's stakes winner Broadway Girls (Army Mule). She's been in exclusively stakes company since breaking her maiden at Del Mar last November and picked up a win in the Blue Northern S. Dec. 30 before fading to sixth behind the undefated Faiza (Girvin) in the GIII Las Virgenes. On the outside, Paris Secret (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) won on debut in Ireland last October and was fourth in her American unveiling at Santa Anita Mar. 18 for trainer Phil D'Amato.

OLDER HORSES TURF AT GOLDEN GATE

Not to be left out of the California graded-stakes action, Golden Gate plays host to the GIII San Francisco Mile S. with Balnikhov (Ire) (Adaay {Ire}) looking to get back in the winner's circle after just missing by a nose in the GII Santa Anita Mathis Mile S. Dec. 26. The 4-year-old gelding, after spending his juvenile season in France, has picked up a pair of wins since coming state-side including the GIII Bryan Station S. at Keeneland last October.

Breaking from the far outside with plenty of speed, Dicey Mo Chara (GB) (Adaay {Ire}) nearly went gate-to-wire before just getting headed late in the GII Charlie Whittingham S. to begin his season Apr. 8. Now a 5-year-old for trainer Leonard Powell, the gelding has kept exclusively graded-stakes company dating back to a narrow third when beaten just a half-length in Golden Gate's All American S. last May. Two starts back he added graded-stakes winner to his resume with a score in the GII San Gabriel S. Dec. 26.

Also a potential speed factor to contend with, Bob and Jackie (Twirling Candy) had to settle for third after leading much of the way in the GIII American S. over the mile distance at Santa Anita Apr. 2.

The post Adare Manor Headlines California Graded Stakes Action appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Exaulted Stays Perfect On The Grass In American S.

Exaulted didn't even try the turf until his 11th career start back on Jan. 2 but the 6-year-old has more than made up for lost time with his third straight win on the Santa Anita grass course, taking the GIII American S. Sunday.

Entered off a pair of 93 Beyer Speed Figure efforts–a career high–against allowance and optional claiming company respectively, Exaulted earned 9-5 second choice honors for his first graded-stakes race since contesting the GII Triple Bend S. last May. Sent to the front after a sharp beginning from the middle of the gate, the bay was outsprinted to the lead by Bob and Jackie (Twirling Candy) to his inside as the field passed the wire for the first time in the one-mile event. Positioned just off that rival's hip up the backstretch through an opening quarter in :22.71, Exaulted stayed in that stalking spot as the top pair raced a few lengths ahead of favored Du Jour (Temple City) and Earls Rock (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}) who raced together in third and fourth. With a slight cue from jockey Juan Hernandez, the 6-year-old began to eat into the margin into the far turn, grinding away until the pair was head and head at the top of the stretch. The field swung out four wide for the battle to the wire but Exaulted had plenty left, pulling clear as 13-1 shot Irideo (Arg) (Easing Along) closed in behind him to be a non-threatening second.

“We just kind of ran out of options,” said winning trainer Peter Eurton. “He wasn't running as well as a 5-year-old…[something] just wasn't right, so I think as a last resort we thought we'd give him a try on the grass. I think [spacing] is the key for him with a long year. He is big, he's heavy…(Juan Hernandez) is just phenomenal, this guy. [He] is riding with no fear, he just so confident in his abilities and it shows you right there and in many other [cases].”

“We broke a little slow because he kind of moved before we broke, but it worked out fine,” added Hernandez. “The other horse went and I just stalked him and I was just really confident in him. He was in the bridle and around the three eighths, I thought I had a lot of horse.

Pedigree Notes:

A $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling back in 2018, Exaulted becomes the 18th graded-stakes winner for his sire, GI Malbiu S. winner Twirling Candy who had a strong week in the sales ring at OBS March last month, with a colt selling for $1 million and a filly bringing $900,000. This is the female family of GSW Rogue Romance (Smarty Jones) and MGSP Tizbig (Tiznow). Gilded Miracle, herself a half-sister to GSW Wonderlandbynight (Sky Mesa), has not produced a foal since 2019.

Sunday, Santa Anita
AMERICAN S.-GIII, $100,500, Santa Anita, 4-2, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.65, fm.
1–EXAULTED, 120, h, 6, by Twirling Candy
          1st Dam: Gilded Miracle, by Gilded Time
          2nd Dam: Onemiracleatatime, by Gulch
          3rd Dam: Katie Love, by Manila
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
($77,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg '18
FTSAUG). O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Jack Swain (KY); T-Peter
Eurton; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $60,000. Lifetime Record:
MSP, 14-4-3-4, $303,660. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Irideo (Arg), 124, g, 7, Easing Along–Infiltrada (Arg), by
Footstepsinthesand (GB). O/B-Pozo de Luna (ARG); T-Marcelo
Polanco. $20,000.
3–Bob and Jackie, 124, g, 7, Twirling Candy–Fateer, by
Eskendereya. ($190,000 4yo '20 KEENOV). O-Calvin Nguyen
and Joey C. Tran; B-Zayat Stables, LLC (KY); T-George
Papaprodromou. $12,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, NK. Odds: 1.90, 13.50, 10.30.
Also Ran: Du Jour, Earls Rock (Ire), Vanzzy.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO,
sponsored by TVG.

The post Exaulted Stays Perfect On The Grass In American S. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Santa Anita Trio Finishes Preparations For Pegasus World Cup Day Turf Races

Three Santa Anita-based horses finished final preparations for a pair of graded stakes to be run this Saturday on Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Trainer Dan Blacker's Hit the Road drilled five furlongs on turf prior to Sunday's Santa Anita races, as did the Richard Baltas-trained Bob and Jackie, both in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, while the Baltas-trained Bodhiccta went the same distance while readying for Gulfstream's G3, $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf.

All three came onto Santa Anita's one-mile main track via the quarter mile chute at about 11:45 a.m. and worked separately over the turf oval.

The G1 stakes-winning Hit the Road drilled five furlongs under assistant trainer and regular exercise rider Juan Landeros in 1:01.42 in what appeared to be a maintenance move. In his penultimate Pegasus work last Sunday, the 5-year-old horse by More Than Ready smoked five furlongs on turf in in 58.42.

Bob and Jackie, a winner of the G3 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, was the first horse on the turf and he went three furlongs in 35.80 en route to a final clocking of 59.77 under Jose Valdivia, Jr.

A 6-year-old horse by Twirling Candy, Bob and Jackie, a four-time stakes winner, will be looking for his second graded stakes win.

Bodhicitta, a 6-year-old English-bred mare, broke off about three furlongs behind her stablemate and worked five furlongs in preparation for the G3, $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf with Umberto Rispoli up in 59.61.

The G1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational heads a total of seven graded stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park and will feature a showdown between presumptive Horse of the Year Knicks Go and recent G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good.

Santa Anita will offer three graded stakes on Saturday, the G2, $200,000 San Vicente, the G3, $200,000 Palos Verdes and the G3, $100,000 Megahertz.

First post time on Saturday at Santa Anita will be at 12:30 p.m. PT. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Santa Anita Trio Finishes Preparations For Pegasus World Cup Day Turf Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Bob And Jackie Digs In, Edges Friar’s Road In Off-Turf San Gabriel

One of six grass races that were moved to the main track on Santa Anita's opening day on Sunday, the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes went to an ultra game Bob and Jackie, who kept to his task on the lead and prevailed by a nose over heavily favored Friar's Road.

Ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., Bob and Jackie, in his first ever try on dirt, was off at 5-1 and paid $12.00 and $4.20 with no show wagering. Contested at 1 1/8 miles, Bob and Jackie got the distance in 1:53.51.

“We were the speed of the race,” said Valdivia. “He broke well, but I had to use him quite a bit to make him take the lead. Once he did take the lead, he settled beautifully. His ears came up and he was just waiting for company. When I asked him, he was there for me. We worked our way up and then held on.

“He was kind of waiting around a little bit, but when the horses came to him, he dug in and tried to fight some more. But hat's off to Ritchie (trainer Baltas) and Calvin (co-owner Nguyen) for just taking a shot. It was already a short field and it was going to be even shorter so why not.”

Trained by Richard Baltas for owners Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran, Bob and Jackie, a 5-year-old horse by Twirling Candy out of the Eskendereya mare Fateer, picked up his fourth stakes win. Depending upon how the American Stakes Committee rules in the coming days, he could also have notched his first graded stakes win in a race that was originally designated at Grade 2 on grass but will be reviewed by the committee after it was moved to the main track following rain on Saturday.

With an overall mark of 16-5-5-1, Bob and Jackie picked up $120,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $484,631.

“Now I have to decide if I keep him on the dirt,” said Baltas. “He's been a grass horse the whole time. With the key scratches, we thought we would give it a try and see if things would go our way. We will see how he comes back and we'll go from there in deciding if we keep him on the dirt or go back to the turf.”

Off at 3-5 with Jose Ortiz, Friar's Road, who was last in a compact field of four early, rallied, but came up just short, while paying $2.40 to place.

Fractions on the race were 23.75, 49.29, 1:13.82 and 1:40.05.

The post Bob And Jackie Digs In, Edges Friar’s Road In Off-Turf San Gabriel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post