Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Horse Racing Free Tips

Exceed and Excel’s Mischief Magic Rallies to Win the BC Turf Sprint for Godolphin

LEXINGTON, KY–Godolphin's Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) started off the Breeders' Cup action on an unseasonably warm and picture perfect day at Keeneland Friday in style with a late-rallying victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Dispatched at 6-1 in this 5 1/2-furlong event, the homebred was off slowest of all, leaving him trailing the field early. Meanwhile Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) and previously unbeaten Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) sped out to the early lead, dueling through a :21.65 opening quarter. American Apple (American Pharoah), a 51-1 shot, charged up the fence to take the lead approaching the far turn, just as William Buick asked Mischief Magic to begin his bid. The flashy bay responded, taking closer order up the fence to put himself in contention, but still had plenty left to do entering the bend. Stuck behind a wall of horses at the top of the stretch as Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) took control, Mischief Magic attempted to get out of traffic, but was quickly blocked off. However, another seam opened just in time as Speed Boat Beach called it quits and Mischief Magic punched through horses, forging clear late for a one-length score in front of a very appreciative crowd.

Dramatised held second with Private Creed (Jimmy Creed) in third. Tyler's Tribe was pulled up and vanned off after bleeding in this first start without Lasix.

“I have to say I knew they were going to go hard,” winning trainer Charlie Appleby said. “From the gate, William [Buick] is riding in such great form and has so much confidence in his horses. I can see what he was doing. He was just going to get him on his lead. But he made a lovely run (up the backside) and he was trying to angle out and just got pushed back (inside). He didn't do the horse any harm as I said to William, the one thing he wants is to give him gaps. Give him daylight and the old bugger just might have a second chance. Fantastic ride by William and great effort by all the team. Great to be back.”

“I expected to him to be outpaced early,” Buick said. “He's a comfortable closer at six furlongs at home. I knew the 5 1/2 furlongs here with the speed in the race would catch him out early. I knew if I got behind a horse that would take me into the straight, he would finish off real good. He felt super.”

The jockey continued, “He ran very well in the middle part (of his last race). It was a good race at Newmarket. This is only his sixth race. He's still learning. He enjoys this ground and everything came together for him today.”

As for the runner-up, trainer Karl Burke said, “She ran a fantastic race. We couldn't have asked for anything more, really. She's just a little bit slow for gate speed, which we were always a little bit concerned with, but Ryan (Moore) gave her a beautiful ride and was committed to go down the rail once we were slow away. Maybe we were a bit lucky to get the gaps in the straight. We thought we had it won a half-furlong out. Fair play–Charlie's horse is a very good horse. She's probably a stiff five-furlong horse.”

Breaking through at second asking at Goodwood in July, Mischief Magic romped in an allowance at Newmarket next out Aug. 13. He followed suit with a victory in Kempton's G3 Sirenia S. Sept. 3 and was fourth when last seen in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket Sept. 24.

Pedigree Notes:

Mischief Magic represents Sheikh Moahmmed's operation from top to bottom. The chestnut is the 17th Grade I winner for Darley Australia's Exceed and Excel and his second Breeders' Cup winner, following 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Outstrip (GB). He is also the 11th top-level scorer out of a daughter of Elusive Quality, who is now the broodmare sire of a whopping four Breeders' Cup winners. The other three all came on dirt with subsequent Eclipse winners in two-time GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Roy H, GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint victress Shamrock Rose and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality, who is also a Godolphin homebred. Mischief Magic is bred on the same Exceed and Excel/Elusive Quality cross as MG1SW Guelph.

His unraced dam Veil of Silence, also a product of the Godolphin operation, is a daughter of English and Irish Highweight and MG1SW Gossamer (GB) (Sadler's Wells), who is a full-sibling to European Horse of the Year Barathea (Ire). Mischief Magic is the second graded winner for his dam, who is also responsible for GSW Sound and Silence (GB). The 16-year-old mare's most recent produce is a full-sister to Mischief Magic.

Friday, Keeneland
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT-GI, $920,000, Keeneland, 11-4, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.41, fm.
1–MISCHIEF MAGIC (IRE), 122, c, 2, by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
                1st Dam: Veil of Silence (Ire), by Elusive Quality
                2nd Dam: Gossamer (GB), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Brocade (GB), by Habitat
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charles Appleby;
J-William T. Buick. $520,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng,
6-4-0-1, $607,317. *Full to Sound And Silence (GB), GSW-Fr,
MSW & GSP-Eng, SP-USA, $244,281. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dramatised (Ire), 119, f, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Katie's Diamond
(Fr), by Turtle Bowl (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Clipper
Logistics; B-Branton Court Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke. $170,000.
3–Private Creed, 122, c, 2, Jimmy Creed–South Andros, by
Sky Mesa. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($45,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $155,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Mike
McCarty; B-Sierra Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $90,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 2. Odds: 6.92, 12.96, 10.33.
Also Ran: Persian Force (Ire), Lady Hollywood (GB), American Apple, Sharp Aza Tack, Love Reigns (Ire), Speed Boat Beach, Oxymore, The Platinum Queen (Ire), Tyler's Tribe. Scratched: Bushido, Mounsieur Coco, No Nay Hudson (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Exceed and Excel’s Mischief Magic Rallies to Win the BC Turf Sprint for Godolphin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Laurel River, Bran Scratched for Saturday; Oceanic Draws In

Two main-body entrants in Saturday's Breeders' Cup races, Laurel River (Into Mischief) and Bran (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}) were announced as vet scratches Friday. The former, a Juddmonte homebred conditioned by Bob Baffert, was set to ride a three-race win streak into the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He was last seen annexing the GII Pat O'Brien S. at Del Mar Aug. 27 with a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure and was the 9-2 co-third choice on the morning line. Hronis Racing's Bran, meanwhile, was 15-1 in a wide-open GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. The John Sadler pupil most recently upset the GII Fanduel Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 10. With the scratch of Bran and prior defection of first also-eligible Dancing Buck (War Fancer), Oceanic (Constitution) draws into the Turf Sprint. Owned by Surfside Stables and trained by Jordan Blair, the two-back Da Hoss S. winner was most recently second behind defending champ Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Woodford S. over course and distance Oct. 8.

The post Laurel River, Bran Scratched for Saturday; Oceanic Draws In appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Ward Seeks Record Fourth BC Turf Sprint Win

To say that trainer Wesley Ward knows his way around turf sprinters is an understatement. To underscore the point, Ward has annexed the last three editions of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and will try to add a record fourth consecutive win in the race with Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile) and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).

Adding even great importance to this year's renewal, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg Ltd.'s 4-year-old–already a two-time Breeders' Cup winner following victories in the 2020 GII Juvenile Turf Sprint and last year's GI Turf Sprint-will be retiring to Ashford Stud following this weekend's race. A total of 22 horses have won a pair of Breeders' Cup races, however, only two–Hall of Fame members, Goldikova and Beholder–have three victories.

As for Ward, he stands in a tie with several other trainers who have won on three occasions in the same race, a victory in the Turf Sprint would make him the first trainer in the 39-year history of the event to win the same race four years in a row.

“I think that says a lot for how I've been professing this horse to be so great from the onset,” said Ward. “The only thing that he hasn't done that I wish he could do would be to go back to Royal Ascot and win [G1] The King's Stand and he won't get a chance to do that. But, if he can win three Breeders' Cups, that really puts him in an elite company. That's for sure.”

Golden Pal kicked off 2022 with a win in the GII Shakertown S. on his home track at Keeneland before missing the break at Royal Ascot in June. In the Aug. 5 GIII Troy S. at Saratoga, Golden Pal got away to a slow start, but showed rallied to win by a head.

“Our plan going in was to take him back. So that kind of helped us a little bit,” recalled Ward. “We want to kind of use that as a prep to if something happened, if in here in the Breeders' Cup if the pace was hot that we could teach him something how to rate sit back off the pace. So it all worked out. He kind of didn't come out as quickly as he has and after the first 10 jumps Irad [Ortiz Jr] got him to relax. When he turned for home, off he went and won. It all worked out according to what I wanted to teach him.”

In his latest start, the bay led from gate to wire in the Oct. 8 GII Woodford S. to stay perfect in four races at Keeneland.

For his career finale, Golden Pal drew Post eight and is the 2-1 favorite on the morning line.

In contrast to Golden Pal's Breeders' Cup experience, Lael Stable' Arrest Me Red will debut in the Breeders' Cup. In his most recent start, he was third the GII Turf Sprint S. Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs. He won the GII Turf Sprint S. at Churchill Downs in May and was runner-up in the GI Jaipur S. June 11.

“If I didn't have Golden Pal, I'd be singing his praises,” Ward said. “As you can see by his form, he's never runs a bad race. He's a hard-trier, and we're spacing him out. He's a big, heavy colt. Once we switched him back to the grass, he just took to it like a fish to water.”

He added, “This is one that we're going to be pointing for Ascot next year, as he'll sort of move up to the top. We'll be looking at The King's Stand with him next year. So, we're going to keep him here in Kentucky. In years past, we've taken him to Florida. He's really training very, very well. I'd be looking for him to run a big, big race.”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez returns to the saddle. The two, leaving from post 7, are 15-1 on the morning line.

Rounding out Ward's trio is Stonestreet Stables' Campanelle hit the board in all three starts this term, including wins in the Giant's Causeway S. and GIII Ladies' Sprint S. The winner of the G1 Prix Morny and G2 Queen Mary S. last year, she also finished third in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. earlier in June.

Jockey Frankie Dettori, who rode her to her wins in Europe, will be aboard in the Turf Sprint. They will leave from post four and are 8-1 on the morning line.

“She is coming into the race phenomenal,” said Ward. “I am expecting a lot from her as well. The thing about her is that she is going to come from just slightly off the pace to where if it's a hot pace up front she's going to come running.”

The post Ward Seeks Record Fourth BC Turf Sprint Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“It’s Been a Good Run So Far:” Ward Prepares for Possible Last Dance with Campanelle

Wesley Ward would be the first to admit that he has a soft spot for his globe-trotting Breeders' Cup contender Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB} – Janina {GB}, by Namid {GB}).

“It's hard not to like a filly that has accomplished what she has,” he said with a smile. “Just from being around her, you know how special she is.”

For over two years, Campanelle has been a consistent presence in Ward's converted tobacco barn adjacent to the Keeneland grounds. The Stonestreet Stables representative has thrived on racing's biggest stages throughout her career, earning two victories at Royal Ascot and claiming the 2020 G1 Darley Prix Morny in Deauville, but soon she will make what could well be the final start of her career on her home turf in Lexington.

Over the weekend, the 4-year-old put in her final work over the Keeneland turf, going five furlongs in 1:03.80 on Saturday in preparation for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Ward spoke highly of how Campanelle is coming into the race.

“She thrives at Keeneland and I'm sure she's probably going to run the race of her life. Every workout is better than the next and she's glowing right now. I think she's going to have a great chance here.”

From there, Campanelle will take one of the shorter journeys of her career to travel to Fasig-Tipton for the 'Night of the Stars' Sale, where she will sell as Hip 272 with Eaton Sales as a racing or broodmare prospect.

Ward has been high on the Irish-bred daughter of Kodiac from the beginning. Picked out by Ben McElroy from Book 1 of the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, Campanelle stood out as soon as she arrived in Lexington in the spring of her juvenile year.

“She was a big, beautiful filly and you could tell that physically, she was the standout of that particular group that Ben had sent in,” Ward recalled. “When we started training her we could really see the athleticism, and as soon as we got her on the grass, it was like a fish to water. She just took right off.”

The winner of the G2 Queen Mary S. and G1 Darley Prix Morny during her juvenile season, Campanelle returned to the prestigious Ascot meet at three to defeat males in the 2021 G1 Commonwealth Cup.

This year, the long-striding turf sprinter opened her season with a win in the Giant's Causeway S. at Keeneland, finished in a dead heat for third in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. in her third trip to Ascot, and then got her first graded stakes win on American soil in the GIII Mint Ladies Sprint S.

“The thing about this filly is that she runs on any track and on any surface as far as conditions go,” Ward explained. “She'll run if it's a deep, soggy going or if it's a hard, firm turf. She just runs on anything there is. Every time you lead her over she tries so hard and physically, she's just a beautiful filly. Anyone could take a look at her and know that she's at the upper echelon of Thoroughbred racing right now.”

Stonestreet's Barbara Banke echoed that Campanelle has the looks and the heart to rank her among the elite members of Stonestreet's accomplished racing stable.

“It's really special to have a horse that can win among stakes competition in three different countries in England, France and the United States,” Banke said. “She carries herself well and she has a sense of dignity. She's got a lot of fight and she always gives it her best effort.”

Placing Campanelle in the Fasig-Tipton November Sale was no easy decision for Banke, but the commercial breeder said that ultimately, she believes that it will put Campanelle in the best position for success as she moves on to the next chapter of her career.

“When she goes on to be a broodmare, I think that she's worthy of the best turf sires in the world,” Banke explained. “Those are found more in Europe or Japan. Stonestreet is a very hands-on, detail-oriented breeding operation here in Kentucky and I don't think I could give her the focus and oversight she deserves if she were somewhere else. I think she needs to go to the elite turf sires. Someday we will have those here in America as well, but for her, I think this is the best thing. She will become the queen of someone's breeding operation.”

“Campanelle really reflects the international nature of our business today,” said Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning. “She's a tribute to the vision and the passion of an owner like Barbara Banke. Barbara's commitment to racing and breeding is really second to none and it's cool to see how they developed a plan of pointing these brilliant horses to Royal Ascot and they been able to succeed with it on several occasions.”

“I think the thing that makes Campanelle so attractive to buyers around the world is the combination of speed and consistency,” he continued. “She has answered the bell at Royal Ascot for three years in a row. She's by Kodiac, who has certainly done it the hard way but has been a tremendous stallion in Europe for many years. She's got worldwide appeal. It would not be surprising to see her produce major runners wherever she happens to go from here.”

Sara Gordon

Before Campanelle goes through the ring at Fasig-Tipton, Banke is looking forward to watching the brilliant filly represent her gold and burgundy colors one last time.

“I'm feeling pretty confident going into the Breeders' Cup and the people in the barn are feeling pretty confident in her as well,” Banke said. “She has some good competition in the race, including her stablemate Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), but she's a fighter and so I think my money is on her.”

Ward is also anticipating the return to the Breeders' Cup with his star filly, but he added that he is holding out hope that it won't be their last race together.

“When she goes in the ring, I'll have mixed emotions,” he admitted. “I'll be proud of what our team has accomplished with her, but I'll be sad if she doesn't come back to our barn. She is very lightly raced and is very sound. She is just peaking right now. I believe that with whatever hands she lands in, she's going to have a big year next year. Hopefully she comes back to our tobacco barn here, but whatever happens, it's been a good run so far.”

To take a look at more 'Spotlight on the Night of the Stars' features, click here.

The post “It’s Been a Good Run So Far:” Ward Prepares for Possible Last Dance with Campanelle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post