brad cox | Horse Racing Free Tips

Frosted’s Travel Column Turns The Tables on Clairiere in FG Oaks

'TDN Rising Star' Travel Column (Frosted) and the regally bred Clairiere (Curlin) have developed a competitive rivalry as they proceed down the GI Kentucky Oaks trail, with one apiece from their two prior meetings. Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks was billed as another match race between the two and it was Travel Column who broke the tie with a decisive score over Clairiere.

Awarded 2-1 favoritism over her familiar foe, Travel Column came away running from her outside post in this eight-horse affair, but was out-footed to the lead by fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin). The gray was content with pressing the pace from second through opening splits of :24.35 and :48.64 with Clairiere still yet to be heard from in her preferred position near the back of the pack. Turning up the heat a bit on the backstretch run, Travel Column seized command with five-sixteenths left to travel and stormed clear of her competition in the lane for a decisive victory. Clairiere tried to reel in the winner with a three-wide bid in the stretch, but failed to switch leads until the final strides and was never a serious threat, finishing 2 3/4 lengths back in second before galloping out in front.

A decisive debut winner at Churchill Downs Sept. 4, Travel Column checked in third in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland next out Oct. 2. Besting Clairiere for the first time when rallying from well back in the GII Golden Rod S. back at Churchill Nov. 28, the $850,000 FTSAUG buy changed tactics, attending the pace in the Feb. 13 GII Rachel Alexandra S., but was run down by Clairiere in the final strides to be second by a neck.

Pedigree Notes:

Travel Column is the only graded winner and one of two black-type victors from the first crop of MGISW Frosted with the other being Australian MSW & G1SP Ingratiating (Aus), who starts in the postponed G1 Golden Slipper S. next Saturday. She is also one 19 graded scorers and 34 black-type winners out of a daughter of Victory Gallop. Bayne and Christina Welker acquired Travel Column's dam Swingit for just $50,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale carrying a foal by Bodemeister and she has proven to be the bargain of a lifetime. That Bodemeister foal was a colt, who brought $310,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, and Travel Column summoned $850,000 at the same auction a year later. The Saratoga Sale was delayed to September, combined with the July Sale and New York-Bred Sale and moved to Kentucky, but the result for Swingit's latest foal was still a home run, in fact, her biggest to date. Her 2019 colt by American Pharoah–a May 5 foal now named Corton Charlemagne–summoned $1.25 million from bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, who was acting on behalf of Speedway Stables. The 17-year-old mare produced a City of Light colt May 13 of last year and was bred back to Audible.

Saturday, Fair Grounds
TWINSPIRES.COM FAIR GROUNDS OAKS-GII, $400,000, Fair Grounds, 3-20, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.75, ft.
1–TRAVEL COLUMN, 122, f, 3, by Frosted
1st Dam: Swingit (MSW, $345,353), by Victory Gallop
2nd Dam: Free Ransom, by Our Native
3rd Dam: Pay the Ransom, by J. O. Tobin
'TDN Rising Star' ($850,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-OXO Equine
LLC; B-Mr. & Mrs. Bayne Welker Jr. & Denali Stud (KY); T-Brad
Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $248,000. Lifetime Record: GISP,
5-3-1-1, $517,184. *1/2 to Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday),
G1SP-UAE, MGISP-USA, $2,278,028. Werk Nick Rating:
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Clairiere, 122, f, 3, Curlin–Cavorting, by Bernardini.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet
Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$80,000.
3–Souper Sensational, 122, f, 3, Curlin–Kateri, by Indian
Charlie. 'TDN Rising Star' ($725,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Live
Oak Plantation; B-Newtownanner Stud (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$40,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2, 2 3/4. Odds: 2.10, 3.40, 13.60.
Also Ran: Obligatory, Li'l Tootsie, Zaajel, Il Malocchio. Scratched: Moon Swag. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Frosted’s Travel Column Turns The Tables on Clairiere in FG Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Florent Geroux Making The Most Of Second Oaklawn Experience

Perhaps the surest bet this year at Oaklawn was that Florent Geroux would have a much bigger impact on the jockey standings than he did during his first stint as a regular in 2012 when he came to Hot Springs to ride primarily for powerful Midwest Thoroughbreds, which would threaten Dan Lasater's then-single-season record for victories by an owner (48).

Midwest finished with 42 victories, but Geroux didn't ride any of them after one its trainers at the meet, Jamie Ness, went in a different direction with riding assignments. Quietly, Geroux left Oaklawn after going winless in seven mounts.

Betting that Geroux would fare better in 2021, specifically because of his relationship with Brad Cox, Midwest's other trainer during the 2012 Oaklawn meet, has, as expected, been a financial windfall for the jockey's longtime agent, Doug Bredar.

Through Sunday, Day 23 of the now 51-day meeting, Geroux had ridden 23 winners from just 83 mounts and bankrolled $1,594,830 in purse earnings. He was tied for second in victories, No. 2 in purse earnings, first in stakes victories (five) and tied for first in graded stakes victories (two).

“Very happy,” Bredar said Thursday morning. “We were second-leading rider at Fair Grounds and a lot of people said to us: 'Are you nuts to leave there?' We're pretty much second-leading rider here now, so it's worked out really, really well.”

Geroux began building his relationship with Cox during the jockey's brief stay in Hot Springs almost a decade ago and has become the go-to rider for the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning trainer. Geroux, now among the country's most successful jockeys, normally winters at Fair Grounds, but decided to move his tack to Oaklawn after talking with Cox, who maintains large strings at both tracks. Purses are Oaklawn are the country's highest during the winter.

Geroux and Cox, through Sunday, were 10 for 32 together at this year's Oaklawn meet and had totaled $924,574 in purse earnings. They have teamed for three stakes victories – $150,000 Smarty Jones for 3-year-olds Jan. 22 (Caddo River), $250,000 Bayakoa (G3) for older fillies and mares Feb. 28 (Monomoy Girl) and last Saturday's $350,000 Azeri (G2) for older fillies and mares (Shedaresthedevil). Geroux also won the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older female sprinters Jan. 30 aboard Frank's Rockette for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and last Saturday's $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters aboard C Z Rocket for trainer Peter Miller.

“It's been special, very special,” Bredar said. “You hope when you make these plans that things turn out the way you want them to. We're tickled to death. Like I said, we're very, very excited. It's been a great year. I think we're fourth in North America in earnings. That's one of the highest numbers we've ever had. We've enjoyed our stay here. Everybody's treated us really, really well.”

Bredar said Geroux, 34, will “kind of finish up through the end of the month” at Oaklawn before Keeneland opens April 2, but “definitely come back” April 10 and April 17. Oaklawn's April 10 card will include four stakes races – $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds, $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older sprinters, $400,000 Oaklawn Mile for older horses and the $250,000 Carousel for older female sprinters – while Monomoy Girl is scheduled to run April 17 at Oaklawn in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares. The $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses is also April 17. Geroux is the regular rider of Monomoy Girl, a two-time Eclipse Award winner.

“It's gone better than whatever that year was,” Bredar said, referring to 2012. “It didn't work out real well. We're very thrilled that it turned out a lot better this year.”

Bredar also represents Martin Garcia and said Oaklawn's co-second-leading jockey in 2020 will ride regularly until the meeting ends May 1. Geroux and Garcia will both ride March 27 at Turfway Park, Bredar said.

Geroux, through Thursday, had 34 victories, including 10 stakes, in his Oaklawn career. His mounts had earned $3,599,825. Geroux is scheduled to ride the Cox-trained Warrior's Charge in his 2021 debut Thursday at Oaklawn. Geroux won the $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses last year at Oaklawn aboard Warrior's Charge.

Geroux's wife, Kasey, is the daughter of the late jockey Louis Spindler, who rode 27 winners at the 1973 Oaklawn meeting. That bulk of Spindler's victories were for Lasater, who won a then-record 48 races at the 1974 Oaklawn meet.

The post Florent Geroux Making The Most Of Second Oaklawn Experience appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mandaloun Looks to Solidify Claim in Louisiana Derby

Juddmonte Farms' TDN Rising Star Mandaloun (Into Mischief) attempts to follow up on a professional last-out score in the GII Risen Star S. in Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

Earning Rising Star status first time out going six panels at Keeneland last October, the bay followed up with another solid win while adding an additional furlong in a Churchill Downs optional claimer the following month. Heavily supported for his seasonal reappearance in the Jan. 16 GIII Lecomte S. in New Orleans, he had to settle for third, beaten two lengths, behind the re-opposing Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) and Proxy (Tapit), a length behind the winner. For his latest success in the nine-furlong Risen Star, the colt was fitted with blinkers for the first time, a move which likely helped move the colt forward, according to Brad Cox. As in the Lecomte, Proxy finished behind the winner.

“He got a lot out of the Lecomte and I think the blinkers propelled him forward as well in his second start [of the season],” explained Cox. “He got a lot out of his first two races, but the first time going two turns in the Lecomte, you can train as much as you want but there is nothing like the experience of going two turns. He also just got more experience. It was only the fourth start of his career. He is very accomplished horse with only four starts.”

Asked about the timeline in the run-up to the First Saturday in May, Cox said, “It was four weeks back to the Risen Star off the Lecomte. He is five weeks now to the Louisiana Derby, and if all goes well, we'll have six weeks to the [May 1] Kentucky Derby. He has continued to move forward in every start. I'm good with the six weeks in between [the Louisiana and Kentucky Derbies], because he's a good work horse because he gives you what you need in the morning. At the end of the day, I think he's cut out to be a mile-and-a-half horse with the Empire Maker on the bottom side. I am very confident we can show up and do what we need to do [in the Louisiana Derby]. Hopefully, we can move forward to the Kentucky Derby.”

Hoping to repeat his winning effort in the Lecomte, Midnight Bourbon, who drew one outside of Mandaloun in the seven-hole, will be reunited with Joe Talamo, aboard for the Winchell Thoroughbreds runner's two latest starts, including his Risen Star third.

“In the Lecomte we had a really good trip and got out to a pretty easy lead that day and were able to wire them,” recalled Talamo. “Last time, even when Mandaloun and Proxy went by, if you watch that race again, he was kind of coming on again in the gallop out. I think the added distance [of the Louisiana Derby] is only going to help him.”

Asked how he expects Saturday's race to unfold, Talamo said, “The race looks like it can almost be the exact same setup as the Risen Star. Rightandjust [Awesome Again] is a quick horse and I'm sure he's going to be in front, and unless something happens and nobody goes to the front, I'll go up and take it. If not, I'll be content to just track him.”

He continued, “I also really love his post because, if somebody goes out there, he is content to settle in second or third, too. Hopefully, we can just get a good trip. I think it'll be one of those races that, whoever gets the right trip, and from the quarter-pole home, we'll see who is the best. I really think the trip is going to suit Midnight Bourbon.”

A winner second time out going a mile at Ellis last August, the $525,000 KEESEP yearling purchase was runner-up in Churchill's GIII Iroquois S. before rounding out 2020 with a third in the GI Champagne S. Oct. 10.

“He's a big horse, but very athletic,” said Talamo. “Normally, a horse like that, it takes him a stride or two to get going. It's really amazing how good of a gate horse he is. He breaks very sharp for a horse that big. He's really smooth to ride. And he's one of those horses that you just try to be a good passenger and let him do the rest.”

The post Mandaloun Looks to Solidify Claim in Louisiana Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Clairiere and Travel Column Face Off Once Again in FG Oaks

Blue-blooded Clairiere (Curlin) and pricey yearling purchase Travel Column (Frosted) boast one win each from their two prior match-ups and one will break the tie Saturday in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks.

Clairiere came out on top by a gutsy neck in their last meeting in NOLA in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 13. Out of MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini), the Stonestreet Stables homebred won on debut going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs Oct. 25 and was second to Travel Column next out in that track's GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 28.

“The trip worked out perfectly for us in the Rachel Alexandra,” trainer Steve Asmussen told the Fair Grounds notes team. “At a mile-and-a-sixteenth, I think the fillies are competitive. It's the same distance on Saturday. We feel really good about our prospects going forward.”

Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' off her impressive career bow beneath the Twin Spires Sept. 4, Travel Column checked in third in Keeneland's GI Darley Alcibiades S. Oct. 2. Rallying from well back to take the Golden Rod, the $850,000 FTSAUG buy stalked from second early in the Rachel Alexandra and took control on the backstretch, but was run down by Clairiere in the final strides.

“I think she should get a good stalking trip from our post,” conditioner Brad Cox said. “There's no pace in the race. We're not going to sit back there and give someone the race. We didn't win [the Rachel Alexandra], but we were very, very pleased with the comeback and we expect her to move forward off that return. She's a very, very good work horse and she's been training great since that race.”

Undefeated Zaajel (Street Sense) takes on those rivals for the first time here. Charging home a 7 1/4-length winner in her seven-panel unveiling at Gulfstream Dec. 20, the Shadwell homebred scored a facile victory in the GIII Forward Gal S. in Hallandale Jan. 30. The bay tries two turns for the first time here, but her pedigree suggests that distance should not be a problem.

'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin) takes another crack at NOLA's leading ladies here after finishing sixth behind the top two in the Rachel Alexandra. A decisive debut winner on the Woodbine synthetic in September, the $725,000 FTSAUG purchase took the Glorious Song S. there Oct. 17 and rallied to be second when trying dirt at Fair Grounds in the Jan. 16 Silverbulletday S., but failed to fire last time after being bumped and clipping heels.

Rounding out the field are Rachel Alexandra third Moon Swag (Malibu Moon); Juddmonte homebred Obligatory (Curlin), who graduated at second asking at Gulfstream Feb. 7; two-time winner Li'l Tootsie (Tapiture); and Suncoast S. third Il Malocchio (Souper Speedy).

The post Clairiere and Travel Column Face Off Once Again in FG Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post