Tag: breeders’ cup mile

Spa Notebook: Lovell Looking To Two Turns for Damon’s Mound

Trainer Michelle Lovell, who sent out 'TDN Rising Star' Damon's Mound (Girvin) to win Saturday's GII Saratoga Special S., said Sunday that she was not ruling out either the seven-furlong GI Hopeful S. Sept. 5 or the Oct. 5 GI Champagne S. at the Belmont at the Big A meet going a one-turn mile, but is more inclined to get the colt some two-turn route experience for his next appearance.

“Everything's on our radar,” said Lovell. “We'll see how he is. He's never had a bad day, so I don't expect him to.”

Damon's Mound was awarded an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his defeat of fellow 'Rising Star' Gulfport (Uncle Mo) Saturday.

“He's been so great,” said Lovell. “Everything went to perfection. Even the way the race set up. We were really happy to track the frontrunners. [Jockey] Gabriel [Saez] put an excellent ride on him. The rest is history. It's in the history books.”

Lovell is a former jockey and posted three runner-up efforts at Saratoga during her time in the saddle, but was thrilled to finally have her picture taken Saturday.

“We celebrated at dinner,” said Lovell. “I took my groom and some friends and just had a nice dinner. I had so many congrats from so many people. Saratoga is super special, obviously, that's an understatement. Getting to [be in the winner's circle] was awesome.”

Breeders' Cup Mile Likely Plan For Casa Creed…

After finishing third in the GI Fourstardave H. in each of the past two seasons, LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) finally got over the hump Saturday with a last-to-first defeat of odds-on 'TDN Rising Star' Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) at the Spa. The 6-year-old was earning his third career top-level success on the weekend, having most recently successfully defended his title in the six-furlong GI Jaipur S. on the Belmont S. undercard June 11. But where it comes to a future appearance on Breeders' Cup weekend, part-owner Lee Einsidler is fairly certain of where the entire will end up.

“[The Turf Sprint] is only 5 1/2 [furlongs] sprinting at Keeneland, which is a little short for him,” Einsidler said. “From what we saw yesterday, if all goes according to plan, I'm sure we'll show up in the Mile as long as he's training great and feels great.”

Casa Creed has faced the starter in the Mile the last two years, finishing 12th to Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) at Keeneland in 2020 and eighth behind Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) last year at Del Mar. Einsidler, who owns Casa Creed in partnership with New York sports radio personality Mike Francesa, is confident his charge can go better this time around.

“[Trainer] Bill Mott and I were in his stall a few weeks ago and he said 'Lee, he's better today than he's ever been in his entire career.' He's just been flourishing,” Einsidler recalled. “They say a lot of horses are at their best at five. Yesterday was the best performance of his career and he's a 6-year-old. He's just amazing. I'd say right now, he's at the total top of his game.”

Casa Creed, who was just touched off in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia and was a sound fifth in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, could make one interim start prior to the Breeders' Cup, but could also be trained straight into the race, Einsidler said.

“If he's telling us he has to run, we'll run him there which is fine because you got four weeks to the Breeders' Cup and a trip over the course,” Einsidler said. “He's run there before, but now he's much better today than he was then. So, I think the idea of running him over there makes all the sense in the world, but if Mott wants to wait and train him up to the Breeders' Cup, that's why he's in the Hall of Fame. He makes those decisions.”

   And 2022 may not be the end of the road.

“If he stays sound and he's doing great, we'll run him next year,” said Einsidler. “There's a stallion career somewhere for him, but I'm all about racing so that's what we're going to do.”

The post Spa Notebook: Lovell Looking To Two Turns for Damon’s Mound appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Schnell Meister Looks To Bounce Back in Yasuda Kinen

So strong and so accomplished are the 18 runners signed on for Sunday's G1 Yasuda Kinen that Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who went this close to winning the G1 Dubai Turf on a magical evening for Japan this past March, is no better than a 30-1 roughie in early wagering. Seventeen others, including four females, will head to the post for the country's premier spring mile event, which offers the winner a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, in early November.

After besting Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the age-restricted G1 NHK Mile Cup at this course and distance last May, Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) was a cracking third to Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and the enormously talented Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in this event before turning the tables on Danon Kingly in the G2 Mainichi Okan over 1800 metres in October. He found only Gran Alegria too strong in the G1 Mile Championship in November, but was a highly disappointing eighth in the Dubai Turf on seasonal debut Mar. 26.

“The results were unfortunate in Dubai,” said trainer Takahisa Tezuka. “They weren't representative of his ability. After the race, I sent him to the farm for two months. He recovered right away, and things have all gone smoothly since returning to the stable. His physique has changed since he turned four and he's much more of a miler now. The change to the Tokyo 1,600 meters should be a plus.”

 

Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) was narrowly beaten in the G1 Shuka Sho going 10 furlongs last October, but has a pair of strong efforts at the mile under her belt this term. Second to the in-form Elusive Panther (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) when blocked at a crucial stage of the G3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai at headquarters Feb. 6, the bay bobbled when about to commence her rally in the sex-restricted G1 Victoria Mile May 15 and could not quite reel in the classy Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}).

“She hasn't been able to give it all she has in her last two starts, but she's run consistently,” said Yu Ota, assistant to trainer Tetsuya Kimura. “I think she can compete well against male horses. If she can go to the gate in good shape and get a smooth trip, things should go well.”

Elusive Panther was having his first run of the season in the Tokyo Shimbun Hai and carries a four-race winning streak overall into what is clearly his toughest task to date.

Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) has a similarly progressive profile to Elusive Panther and while it appears he handles any underfoot conditions, he does seem to up his game when there is juice in the ground. The dark bay rattled home from third last to run down Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the Apr. 24 G2 Yomiuri Milers Cup at Hanshin over a course listed as good, but which appeared to be easier than that.

Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), a two-time winner of the G1 February S. on the local dirt track, tries the grass for just the second time in his career, while dual Group 3 victress Lotus Land (Point of Entry) stretches back out to arguably her best trip, having attacked the line to be runner-up to Naran Huleg (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) in the six-furlong G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen Mar. 27.

 

The post Schnell Meister Looks To Bounce Back in Yasuda Kinen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Count Again Locks Up BC Berth in Shoemaker

Seven-year-old Count Again (Awesome Again) sliced through horses and blew past heavily favored Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) in the lane to annex Monday's GI Shoemaker Mile S. at Santa Anita. Picking up an automatic spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile later this year, Count Again's victory was the fourth on the card for East Coast invader Irad Ortiz, Jr.–with a runner-up finish in the only other race run to that point–and was won in notably similar fashion to Ortiz's score in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup one race earlier.

Count Again was content to caboose the field early as 2-5 Smooth Like Strait was forced to stalk through splits of :22.54 and :45.58. The chalk blew the race apart on the turn, but Count Again immediately caught the eye in the scan for potential challengers. Having been guided out into the clear and already into second as noses pointed for home, Count Again's momentum could not be stopped as he took over at the eighth pole and built his advantage to 2 1/4 lengths at the line. Masteroffoxhounds (War Front) gave trainer Phil D'Amato the first and third finishers. The winner stopped the clock in a snappy 1:32.40.

“I just followed instructions,” said Ortiz. “Phil told me to let him do his thing and don't rush him. He has a big turn-of-foot. The horse was ready to run today, was ready to win.

“They went a little fast, but I wasn't too far [back]. Honestly, I was happy where I was with my horse. Most of the time, he comes from off the pace. I just wanted to be in contact with the field and when he put me right there in the first turn…I said, 'Why not', let him be there and he responded really well. When I went through horses at the quarter pole, Phil told me to make sure to keep him outside down the stretch. In the clear and that's what I did. When we were in the clear, I asked him and he took off.”

A Grade III winner over 10 panels at Woodbine in 2020 for his breeder Sam-Son Farm and trainer Gail Cox, Count Again was bought into by Agave Racing and transferred to D'Amato ahead of a last-to-first score in that November's GII Seabiscuit H. The gelding's form had been somewhat in and out since then, but he kicked off his 7-year-old season with a course-and-distance victory in the Feb. 5 GIII Thunder Road and doubled up in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile Mar. 5. Count Again was most recently sixth in a slow-paced running of Keeneland's GI Maker's Mark Mile Apr. 15, finishing one spot ahead of next-out GII Dinner Party S. winner Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Smooth Like Strait was third that day after setting the pace.

“He was in great position today and turning for home, he had the leader measured,” D'Amato said. “He was sitting on a big race today. This puts him in a position to win the Breeders' Cup Mile in November.”

Monday, Santa Anita
SHOEMAKER MILE S.-GI, $500,500, Santa Anita, 5-30, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:32.40, fm.
1–COUNT AGAIN, 126, g, 7, by Awesome Again
            1st Dam: Count to Three (SW & GSP, $398,651),
                                by Red Ransom
            2nd Dam: Countus In, by Dancing Count
            3rd Dam: Cloudy and Warm, by Cloudy Dawn
O-Agave Racing Stable & Sam-Son Farm; B-Sam-Son Farm
(ON); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $300,000. Lifetime
Record: 17-7-1-4, $1,069,915. *1/2 to Ransom the Moon
(Malibu Moon), MGISW, $884,829. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
   Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Smooth Like Strait, 124, h, 5, Midnight Lute–Smooth as
Usual, by Flower Alley. O/B-Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Michael W. McCarthy. $100,000.
3–Masteroffoxhounds, 122, h, 5, War Front–Outstanding (Ire),
by Galileo (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Rockingham Ranch;
B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY); T-Philip D'Amato.
$60,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 3HF, 1. Odds: 2.50, 0.40, 6.30.
Also Ran: Heywoods Beach, Restrainedvengence, Dance Some Mo. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Count Again's half-brother Ransom the Moon was purchased privately from Sam-Son by Mark Martinez's Agave Racing and Jeffry Wilke before going on to take back-to-back renewals of the GI Bing Crosby S. in 2017 and 2018 for D'Amato. The Calumet Farm resident has first 2-year-olds this season, with his top seller fetching $375,000 at the recently concluded Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale.

Count Again is one of 15 Grade I winners for the late fellow Ontario-bred Awesome Again. He has an unraced 3-year-old half-sister by Pioneerof the Nile who breezed a half-mile at Woodbine Sunday in :47.60 (190/87); and a Malibu Moon 2-year-old half-sister purchased for $30,000 at KEEJAN '22 by Shannondoe Farm. Count to Three was bred to Not This Time for 2022 but a foal has not yet been reported. Count Again's second dam won the GI Matriarch S. on this same circuit.

The post Count Again Locks Up BC Berth in Shoemaker appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘Horse Of A Lifetime’: Two-Time Breeders’ Cup Mile Winner Da Hoss Dies At 30

Two-time Breeders' Cup Mile Winner, Da Hoss, died Sunday, Jan. 2, at the Kentucky Horse Park where he had retired after a successful five-year racing career. At the age of 30, the gelding passed away due to infirmities of old age. Da Hoss had been living at the Kentucky Horse Park since January 2000.

“We will miss Da Hoss greatly. He was a fan favorite as he proved that spirit can triumph over adversity,” said Nicole Rivera, Interim Deputy Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “I would like to extend a special thank you to Rob Willis and the Hall of Champions staff for the great care and affection they showed Da Hoss during his time here at the park.”

Sired by Gone West, out of Jolly Saint, Da Hoss was foaled on January 18, 1992. Wall Street Racing bought the lowest priced Gone West foal, Da Hoss, as a Keeneland September yearling for $6000 that same year. After racing as a two-year-old for trainer Kevin Eikleberry and Wall Street Racing, an 85 percent interest in Da Hoss was sold to Prestonwood Farm. He was immediately shipped to Fair Hill training center to start training with Michael Dickinson and Joan Wakefield.

Da Hoss is one of only five horses to win the Breeders' Cup Mile twice, and the only horse to win twice in non-consecutive years. Between the 1996 and 1998 Breeders' Cup Races, Da Hoss was injured three times and did not race for nearly two years. His inspiring finish in the 1998 Breeder's Cup Mile produced one of Tom Durkin's most memorable race calls, as he exclaimed: “The greatest comeback since Lazarus!”

“He was our horse of a lifetime,” said trainer Michael Dickinson of Tapeta Farm. “We all loved him. He brought us so many highs, even with his problems, we knew he would never let us down. He gave his all and loved to win. He was spoiled but deserved to be. He loved going out in one of his grass fields with his best friend Boomer for two or three hours every day. He knew he was special. It was comforting to know he was always well looked after by everyone at the Kentucky Horse Park where he enjoyed a wonderful retirement.”

Da Hoss shared the Kentucky Horse Park Hall of Champions with other Champion horses including Thoroughbreds Go For Gin, Funny Cide and Point Given, Standardbred pacers Western Dreamer and Won the West, and Standardbred trotter Mr. Muscleman.

Like the other great Hall of Champions horses that died in retirement at the park, Da Hoss will be buried in the Memorial Walk of Champions.

The post ‘Horse Of A Lifetime’: Two-Time Breeders’ Cup Mile Winner Da Hoss Dies At 30 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights