breeders' cup sprint | Horse Racing Free Tips

Runhappy Gets First Graded Win from ‘Rising Star’ Following Sea

'TDN Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy) made the grade with a dominating win in Saturday's GII Vosburgh S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar.

Following Sea cleared the field of four from his outside draw and it was smooth sailing from there. The Spendthrift Farm homebred, off at odds of 5-2, cut out fractions of :22.59 and :45.24, and, after leaving the rail open as he cornered for home, hit the gas in the stretch to win for fun by 4 3/4 lengths.

Vosburgh defending champion and fan favorite Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) was second after breaking through the gate prior to the start as the favorite. Big figure earner Baby Yoda (Prospective) was a disappointing third in his stakes debut.

Following Sea, a blowout maiden winner and 'Rising Star' for Bob Baffert on the GI Arkansas Derby undercard, made three prior starts for Todd Pletcher. An eye-catching allowance winner at Belmont June 3, he stretched to two turns for the first time with a well-beaten third–elevated to second via disqualification–in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 17. Following Sea was a well-beaten third behind heavyweights Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in a very live renewal of the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. last time Aug. 28, which has produced five next-out winners.

“I thought he ran great,” Pletcher said. “We just wanted to take advantage of the outside post and see how everything unfolded. He really took all the strategy out of play in the first 50 yards. He broke great, put himself right on the front and it seemed like he was in hand throughout.

Pletcher continued, “We left the paddock with the idea that we won't take anything away that comes easily. If he breaks well, that's great. If he gets in a speed duel, that's okay, too. So, I said to use judgement and it looked like he made a decision pretty easily. When he made the lead that easily I was pretty confident. He looked like he kicked on pretty well and Joel [Rosario] wrapped up on him pretty late.”

As far as the Breeders' Cup Sprint goes, Pletcher said, “We'll play it by ear and see. I'll talk to the guys at Spendthrift and we'll come up with a plan. It's got to be in play.”

Pedigree Notes:

Following Sea is the fifth stakes winner and first graded winner for young sire Runhappy. This is the 35th stakes/13th graded winner for broodmare sire Speightstown.

Quick Flip–a winner of her first three starts at two, including Tampa's Sandpiper S.–was purchased by Spendthrift Farm carrying Following Sea in utero for $230,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. She is a half-sister to SW & MGSP Qahira (Cairo Prince) and SW Stormin' Lyon (Storm Boot), and hails from the family of GISW Mitterand (Hold Your Peace).

In addition to the stakes-placed Inspeightof (Orb), Quick Flip's most recent produce includes the 2-year-old, stakes-placed Into Mischief filly Gimmick, purchased by bloodstock agent Mike Ryan for $450,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, and a 2021 Hard Spun colt. Quick Flip was bred to Authentic for 2022.

Saturday, Belmont Park
VOSBURGH S.-GII, $232,500, Belmont, 10-9, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.20, ft.
1–FOLLOWING SEA, 118, c, 3, by Runhappy
                1st Dam: Quick Flip (SW), by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: Motel Lass, by Bates Motel
                3rd Dam: Devil's Lass, by Devil's Bag
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. O/B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Joel
Rosario. $137,500. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 6-3-1-2, $513,020. Werk
Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Firenze Fire, 124, h, 6, Poseidon's Warrior–My Every Wish, by
Langfuhr. O/B-Mr Amore Stables (FL); T-Kelly Breen. $50,000.
3–Baby Yoda, 118, g, 3, Prospective–More Than Speed, by
More Than Ready. O-Wachtel Stable, Barber, Gary, Pantofel
Stable, LLC and Zaro, Jerold L.; B-Kathleen Amaya, Alexandro
Centofanti & Raffaele Centofanti (FL); T-William Mott. $30,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 2HF, 4 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 1.15, 1.50.
Also Ran: Good Effort (Ire). Scratched: Jalen Journey.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Son of Midshipman ‘Reserves’ Spot in Sprint Starting Gate

Reformed claimer Special Reserve pressed, pounced and held on late to earn a guaranteed spot in the starting gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Friday.

Scooped up for $40,000 from Randy Morse and Doyle Williams out of an upset optional claiming tally at Oaklawn in February–good for what at the time was by far his best career Beyer Speed Figure of 92–the late-blooming 5-year-old won right back at that level (not in for the tag) in March before finishing second in the GIII Commonwealth S. over an additional furlong here Apr. 3. He made the grade in Pimlico's GIII Maryland Sprint Match Series S. May 15, bested Quick Tempo (Tapizar) and a next-out stakes winner in the Iowa Sprint at Prairie Meadows July 3 and had been off since finishing a close second in Saratoga's GI Alfred H. Vanderbilt H. four weeks after that.

Away on top, Special Reserve conceded the lead down the backside to freewheeling Quick Tempo through an opening quarter of :21.90. He took back over into a :44.69 half, opened up and then found the line just in time to hold off lightly raced Aloha West in the final strides.

“He broke really well, and it looked like [Sophie Doyle on Quick Tempo] came up right away, and he was fine with that,” said red-hot rider Joel Rosario. “He kind of settled a little bit there, nice and quiet, and then in the turn when the horse was backing up a little bit, he was just ready to go.”

When asked if he thought his charge could contend with Breeders' Cup-caliber sprinters, trainer Maker said, “I do believe that. I have a lot of faith in the horse. Joel did a fabulous job today I wasn't expecting to be on the lead today [out of the gate], but the horse was so quick.”

Saturday, Keeneland
STOLL KEENON OGDEN PHOENIX S.-GII, $250,000, Keeneland, 10-8, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:08.54, ft.
1–SPECIAL RESERVE, 120, g, 5, by Midshipman
                1st Dam: Love Spun, by Hard Spun
                2nd Dam: We Love Granny, by Home At Last
                3rd Dam: Granny Calling, by Blade
($60,000 Ylg '17 FTKJUL; $140,000 2yo '18 OBSMAR).
O-Paradise Farms Corp. and Staudacher, David; B-Russell L.
Reineman Stables Inc. (KY); T-Michael J. Maker; J-Joel Rosario.
$150,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 22-8-2-7, $638,647. Werk Nick
Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Aloha West, 120, c, 4, Hard Spun–Island Bound, by
Speightstown. ($160,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners; B-Robert Manfuso & Katharine Voss
(MD); T-Wayne M. Catalano. $50,000.
3–Mucho, 120, h, 5, Blame–Extent, by Pulpit. O-WSS Racing,
LLC and 4 G Racing, LLC; B-Claiborne Farm & Adele B.
Dilschneider (KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz. $25,000.
'TDN Rising Star'
Margins: NK, 2, 3. Odds: 1.20, 1.70, 13.40.
Also Ran: Endorsed, Sir Alfred James, Just Might, Quick Tempo. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
A green :21 2/5 breezer at the 2018 OBS March sale, Special Reserve is one of 22 graded/group winners for his sire–seven of which have earned that achievement in the Northern Hemisphere. He is one of 13 graded/group winners out of mares by Hard Spun.

The winner's dam was well beaten in four career starts. She is a half to GSW/MGISP Original Spin (Distorted Humor) and MSW/GSP Humor at Last (Distorted Humor). Love Spun sold to Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm for $6,500 carrying a full brother to Special Reserve. She produced a Cowtown Cat colt Mar. 28 before being bred back to that Ohio-based stallion for 2022.

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Favored Special Reserve Delivers In Phoenix

Despite not making his stakes debut until his 5-year-old son, Paradise Farms and David Staudacher's Special Reserve has proven he deserves a chance against the world's best sprinters next month at Del Mar. This Friday, the son of Midshipman delivered as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland, earning an expenses-paid berth for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Jockey Joel Rosario never panicked when losing the early lead, and kept Special Reserve driving through the finish line to hold off the late charge of Aloha West by a neck. Special Reserve completed six furlongs over the fast main track in 1:08.54, giving trainer Mike Maker his first victory in the Phoenix.

Special Reserve was very quick out of the gate, leading for the first sixteenth of a mile until Quick Tempo rushed up the inside to take command by a length. Quick Tempo led through fractions of :21.90 and :44.69, with Rosario waiting patiently in second on Special Reserve. Just Might was close up in third, while Mucho stayed near the rail in fourth.

Rounding the turn, Rosario allowed Special Reserve to take over and set him down for the stretch run. Just Might went three wide but failed to sustain his bid. Mucho had to wait for racing room as he moved by the tiring Quick Tempo, while Aloha West began to unleash his rally way out in the center of the course.

Special Reserve was kept to task through the wire, and had just enough left to fend off the challenge from Aloha West, winning by a neck at the wire. Mucho checked in third, while Endorsed closed to fill out the superfecta.

Bred in Kentucky by Russell L. Reineman, Special Reserve is out of the Hard Spun mare Love Spun. He commanded $60,000 as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale, and later brought a final bid of $140,000 at the OBS March 2-year-old sale. Special Reserve began his career in the barn of Randy Mores. He required six starts to break his maiden, and ran in the claiming ranks for a tag as low as $25,000.

Maker claimed Special Reserve for $40,000 in February of this year, and the horse has not finished worse than second since. He was second in the G3 Commonwealth at Keeneland in April, then won the G3 Maryland Sprint at Pimlico in July. Next out Special Reserve won the listed Iowa Sprint Stakes on July 3 at Prairie Meadows, and followed up that effort with a second in the G1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga on July 31, beaten just a half-length by Lexitonian.

Overall, Special Reserve's record stands at eight wins from 22 starts, with earnings of $638,647.

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Aloha West Steps Back Into Stakes Waters in Phoenix

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Aloha West (Hard Spun), a troubled fourth in his only previous stakes try, will try black-type competition again after a pair of well-graded Saratoga allowance victories in Friday's GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. at Keeneland, a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Graduating despite a slow start and early, wide move in his belated debut Feb. 7 at Oaklawn, the 4-year-old was again troubled at the break and ran fifth in an allowance there Mar. 13 before just missing by a nose in a local allowance Apr. 9. Circling the field en route to an easy five-length victory May 22 at Churchill, the $160,000 Keeneland September grad was pinched back early in the Kelly's Landing S. before rallying to get fourth under the Twin Spires June 25. Overcoming a ground-losing journey to gut out a Saratoga allowance/optional claiming success Aug. 1, he backed that up with a powerful score to clear his three-other-than condition with a career-high 102 Beyer last out at the Spa Sept. 2.

Given a slight nod on the morning line is Special Reserve (Midshipman), who has blossomed into an ultra-consistent stakes sprinter since being claimed by Mike Maker. A winner just three times in his first 15 starts for Randy Morse, the gelding was haltered for $40,000 out of a 22-1 upset of an Oaklawn optional claimer Feb. 6 and immediately paid dividends when annexing a similar spot while not being offered for the tag Mar. 13. A good second at 10-1 after setting the pace in the GII Commonwealth S. here Apr. 3, the bay scored back-to-back stakes successes in the GIII Maryland Sprint S. May 15 at Pimlico and Iowa Sprint S. July 3 at Prairie Meadows before proving his top-level bona fides when runner-up in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. July 31 at Saratoga.

The top Beyer and Thoro-Graph figure in the race belongs to Sir Alfred James (Munnings), who breaks from the widest seven-post. Third in the Aristides S. at Churchill May 29, the bay ran second in the Good Lord S. July 17 at Ellis before being dangled for a $62,500 tag by Al Stall in a Louisville optional claimer Sept. 24. Norman and Lola Cash bit, and were certainly glad they did when Sir Alfred James ran away to a 5 3/4-length victory, earning a 103 Beyer and negative-2 Thoro-Graph number.

Griffon Farms and Michelle Lovell's versatile Just Might (Justin Phillip) looks for his fifth consecutive stakes conquest. Off the board in the GII Shakertown S. and GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. on turf this spring, the chestnut annexed the Mighty Beau S. on the Churchill lawn and Da Hoss S. over Colonial turf before switching to dirt and picking up tallies in the Chesapeake S. at Colonial and Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. back at Churchill Sept. 18.

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