Breeders' Cup Challenge | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Improving’ Poetic Flare Can Give Bolger A First Sussex Victory

Jim Bolger has been involved in some iconic Goodwood finishes over the years including Alexander Goldrun's battle with Ouija Board in the 2006 Nassau Stakes and Dawn Approach's duel with Toronado in the 2013 Sussex Stakes. Dawn Approach's son, Poetic Flare, will arrive at Goodwood next week hoping to go one better than his sire and provide the indomitable Jim Bolger with a first success in the Group 1 Qatar Sussex Stakes on July 28 at Goodwood.

The Sussex is a “Win And You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup Mile this fall at Del Mar.

The County Carlow trainer believes his QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero, who confirmed himself as the leading 3-year-old miler in Europe when demolishing a high-quality field in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, has improved since Ascot.

“Poetic Flare has been very well since the St James's Palace Stakes. We're very happy with his work and he seems to be improving further. I was expecting and hoping for him to win at Ascot but possibly not as spectacularly as he did.”

Bolger has always held the colt in the highest regard and is thrilled that he has showed his quality this season.

“I felt from the Spring of 2020 that he would be our best 2-year-old and as things transpired, he could only partially prove that. I did view him all along as my Guineas horse so it was very pleasing that he could prove that this year.”

Kevin Manning has partnered Poetic Flare in all his starts to date and will once again be riding the horse who Bolger describes as the apple of Manning's eye.

“Kevin Manning loves him! For him, Poetic Flare can do no wrong. He's a very straightforward horse to ride as you can put him anywhere in the race and he always delivers.”

Poetic Flare's two Group 1 victories have come on good-to-firm ground and Bolger believes he is an even better horse on a sound surface.

“He handles soft ground but he's better on good ground. He is very well balanced, so I don't think Goodwood holds any problems for him.”

Poetic Flare has inherited many of Dawn Approach's attributes, but Bolger is hopeful that he can differ from him by going one better in next Wednesday's £1 million Qatar-sponsored contest, which is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

“He's a heavyweight in every regard and is over 500kg. He's a very easy horse to manage as he knows his job and he thrives on racing. He has a great appetite for eating and for working, he's just like his sire Dawn Approach in every way.”

“He has one more bit of work to get through and will then arrive at Goodwood on Monday. It's a very special race and a race I've not won before.”

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NBC Continues Coverage Of Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series With Saturday’s Haskell

Hot Rod Charlie, a hard-fought second in the Belmont Stakes (G1), headlines a seven-horse field of 3-year-olds set for Saturday's 1 1/8-mile, $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) live on NBC beginning at 5 p.m. ET. The winner of the TVG.com Haskell Stakes gains a “Win and You're In” berth into the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Haskell Stakes broadcast is the fourth program this year in the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” on NBC and NBCSN from some of North America's most iconic racetracks. The series leads to the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, to be held Nov. 5-6 and televised live on NBC and NBCSN. The complete series TV schedule can be accessed here.

The one-hour broadcast also will include the $500,000 United Nations Stakes (G1) on turf.

NBC Sports' coverage will feature commentary and discussion on-site at Monmouth led by host Britney Eurton, analysts Randy Moss and Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, who won 15 Breeders' Cup races including five victories in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, reporter Laffit Pincay, and handicapper/reporter Eddie Olczyk.

Hot Rod Charlie, owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss, and trained by Doug O'Neill, is the 6-5 morning line favorite in the 54th TVG.com Haskell Stakes. Winner of the Louisiana Derby (G2) at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans in March, Hot Rod Charlie finished third in the Kentucky Derby (G1), losing by just a little over 1-length. In the most exciting finish of this year's Triple Crown races, Hot Rod Charlie battled Essential Quality on even terms through the stretch of the Belmont Stakes in a gallant effort and finished 1 ¼ lengths behind the winner. Hot Rod Charlie will be ridden by Flavien Prat, who won this year's Preakness Stakes on Rombauer, from post position four.

Two other second-place finishers from the Triple Crown races, Juddmonte's Mandaloun and Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, should also figure prominently in the Haskell. Mandaloun, the 2-1 second choice, trained by Brad Cox, was forwardly placed in the Kentucky Derby and finished just a half-length behind Medina Spirit. He resurfaced next on June 13 in the 1 1/16-mile TVG.com Pegasus Stakes. After a poor start, Mandaloun rallied to win by a neck. Florent Geroux has the mount on Mandaloun, breaking from post three.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, trainer of Midnight Bourbon, has enjoyed great success at Monmouth Park. In 2007, Asmussen saddled Curlin to a third-place finish in the Haskell, but came back to Monmouth in the fall and won the Breeders' Cup Classic, clinching the Horse of the Year title. Two years later, the Asmussen-trained filly Rachel Alexandra captured the Haskell by 6 lengths and was later voted the 2009 Horse of the Year.

On Saturday, Midnight Bourbon, ridden by Paco Lopez from post six, is seeking his second win of the year since he captured the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at the Fair Grounds in January. Following a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Midnight Bourbon delivered a solid performance in the Preakness Stakes (G1), taking the lead in the stretch before being overtaken by Rombauer and losing by 3 ½ lengths.

An intriguing starter now joining the 3-year-old scene is Spendthrift Farm's Following Sea. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Following Sea, the 3-1 third choice, broke his maiden in a 6-furlong race at Oaklawn Park on April 10 by 5 ¾ lengths. He started next in a 6 ½-furlong allowance race at Belmont Park on June 3 and rolled to victory by 6 ½ lengths. Joel Rosario will ride Following Sea from post one.

The rest of the field is comprised of locally-based runners Antigravity (David Cohen, post two); Pickin Time (Nik Juarez, post five), and Basso (Isaac Castillo, post seven).

The 1 3/8-mile United Nations Stakes, which drew 10 starters, is led by the Cox-trained 7-year-old Arklow, who finished fourth in last year's race. Owned by Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger, and the Estate of Peter Coneway, Arklow comes into this year's renewal off a win in the Louisville Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs on May 15. Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael J. Caruso's Tribhuvan (FR), trained by Chad Brown, has made two starts this year at Belmont Park. He won the Fort Marcy Stakes (G2) on May 1, and finished second in the Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes (G1) on June 5.

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Max Player Outduels Mystic Guide To Take Suburban At Belmont

Max Player's last win came 17 months ago in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Belmont Park. In Saturday's Grade 2 Suburban Stakes, the son of Honor Code finally returned to the winner's circle after his long absence, and, in the process, earned a spot in the starting gate for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6.

Sloppy after a deluge earlier in the day, the Belmont surface had been kinder to horses running away from the rail, which is where jockey Ricard Santana, Jr. placed Max Player early in the ten-furlong Suburban, just off of leader Moretti. From the break, Moretti held a length advantage over Max Player on his outside and Mystic Guide on his inside, Happy Saver just behind them. In a race that had been billed as another battle between Happy Saver and Mystic Guide, it was Moretti that did all of the early running, with the rest of the field content to wait for the right moment to make their move.

As the field came out of that sweeping final turn, Mystic Guide made his run for the lead on the rail, moving toward the center of the track once he was clear of Moretti. On the outside, Max Player and Santana moved as well, meeting Mystic Guide halfway down the stretch. The two dueled for the race's last furlong with Max Player digging in to win the Suburban by a neck. Mystic Guide, making his first start since winning the Dubai World Cup on March 27, finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of Happy Saver in third. The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:01.95.

Moretti, Informative, and Prioritize rounded out the field. Find the race's chart here.

The G2 Suburban Stakes is a Win and You're In race for the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif. Winners receive a free and guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the corresponding Breeders' Cup race.

Ricardo Santana, Jr. credited Max Player for his fighting spirit in that stretch duel. “He was training really well,” Santana, Jr. said. “If you saw him in the paddock, he was looking unbelievable. He always runs well on this track. He always tries hard. Today, he broke well and put me right there. I took the spot and no one wanted to go. As soon as he felt him inside, he kept on fighting until the end.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen knew that the clear trip would give his colt confidence to finish the way he did. “He's been here since Pimlico and he had been doing really well,” said Asmussen assistant Toby Sheets. “He's kind of a funny horse. He always has more, but sometimes he doesn't give it. He had a clear trip today and that helped so much. He finished well. He needed a little confidence builder and he got one today. He ran a nice race.”

Bred in Kentucky by K & G Stables, Max Player is a 4-year-old colt by Honor Code out of the Not For Love mare Fools In Love. Consigned by Lane's End, he was a $150,000 RNA at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is owned by George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen. The G2 Suburban is Max Player's third career win in ten starts for earnings of $717,500.

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Ce Ce Ships East For ‘Win And You’re In’ Princess Rooney

Trainer Michael McCarthy has sent Ce Ce on a cross-country journey to Gulfstream Park on a quest to snag the biggest prize of the Spring/Summer Meet in Saturday's $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2).

The Southern California-based trainer has a history of big-race success at the Hallandale Beach track, having claimed the Championship Meet's richest event with City of Light's score in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in 2019.

“City of Light's win in the Pegasus was a nice introduction to Gulfstream,” McCarthy said. “We came back to Gulfstream for the Pegasus this year with Independence Hall, who I thought ran a very good third. It's a racetrack we've performed well at. We're obviously expecting more of the same this weekend.”

The Princess Rooney, a seven-furlong 'Win and You're In' Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race for fillies and mares, will headline Saturday's Summit of Speed program that will also feature the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3), a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up.

Ce Ce, 3-1 in the morning-line in a field of eight fillies and mares in the Princess Rooney, is a two-time Grade 1 stakes winner. The 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality scored back-to-back victories in the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita and the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn last year. Although Bo Hirsch LLC's home-bred mare's greatest successes have achieved in two-turn races, McCarthy said he was confident that she was ready for Saturday's one-turn challenge.

“I thought the seven-eighths would be a wonderful distance for her. It looks like there might be some rain down there this week, and I think she might like a wet-fast racetrack,” said McCarthy, who had considered the 1 1/16-mile Ogden Phipps (G1) on the June 5 Belmont Stakes (G1) undercard.

Ce Ce concluded her 2021 campaign with a fifth-place finish behind Monomoy Girl following an extremely wide trip in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland. The Kentucky-bred mare came back five-months later to capture a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance at Santa Anita by 3 ¼ lengths. She went back to two-turns in the Santa Maria, in which she bobbled at the start and faded to fourth.

“She had a nice little break after the Breeders' Cup – I thought her race in the Breeders' Cup Distaff was sneaky good,” said McCarthy, a former long-time assistant to Todd Pletcher before going on his own in 2014. “It was always our plan to give her some time off. She's come back good. These racetracks in California have gotten deeper and gotten looser. They don't seem to suit her.”

Ce Ce arrived at Gulfstream Tuesday evening. McCarthy has “deputized” Ralph Nicks to oversee her training and saddle her for the Princess Rooney in his absence.

Victor Espinoza, who rode American Pharoah for a sweep of the 2015 Triple Crown, will venture from Southern California to ride.

Gulfstream Park has also been a friendly venue for Holly Hill Stables LLC's Pacific Gale, who captured the Inside Information (G2) and Hurricane Bertie (G3) during the 2020-2021 Championship Meet. The John Kimmel-trained daughter of Flat Out is is scheduled to return to Gulfstream from New York to regain her winning form. The 6-year-old mare has finished third in the Vagrancy (G3) and fourth in the Bed o' Roses (G3) at Belmont since leaving South Florida.

Romero Maragh has the call on Pacific Gale (4-1).

Medallion Racing and partners' Estilo Talentoso, who captured the June 4 Bed o' Roses last time out, also has a fondness for the Gulfstream Park track, over which she will seek her third victory and second stakes success. The Juan Arriagada-trained 4-year-old daughter of Maclean's Music was Grade 1 stakes-placed twice this year prior to her first graded-stakes win at Belmont.

Javier Castellano will return to South Florida, where his Hall of Fame career in the U.S. began in 1997, for the riding assignment on Estilo Talentoso, the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Gary Barber's Laura's Light (7-2), a Grade 2 stakes winner on turf, will also represent Southern California in the Princess Rooney. The 4-year-old daughter of Constitution, who is trained by Peter Miller, is coming off a victory in the off-the-turf Ouija Board Stakes at Lone Star Park.

Florent Geroux, who guided Gun Runner to a victory in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in 2018, has the mount.

e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Sound Machine (12-1), who finished second behind Pacific Gale in the Hurricane Bertie and won the seven-furlong Musical Romance for Florida-bred fillies and mares last time out; and Windylea Farm LLC's Thissmytime, who finished second behind Pacific Gale in the Inside Information, are among the most accomplished South Florida-based fillies and mares entered in the Princess Rooney.

My Purple Haze Stables Inc's Heiressall (20-1) and Al Rashid Stables LLC's Hallawallah (20-1) will be the other South Florida-based Princess Rooney entrants.

Sound Machine, Thissmytime and Heiressall are eligible for a $25,000 'Win Only' bonus available to Florida-breds.

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