Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Lucky Seven Stables' multiple graded stakes winner Smile Happy continues his preparation toward the July 1, $1 million Stephen Foster Stakes (Grade 1) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming and will likely face a field of nine rivals, according to racing officials. The Stephen Foster winner will earn an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic this fall at Santa Anita.

Run at 1 1/8 miles, Stephen Foster is the centerpiece of a six pack of stakes events July 1 at Ellis Park. The other featured races on the program are the $400,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), the $400,000 Wise Dan (G2), the $225,000 American Derby (Listed), the $225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed), and the $225,000 Tepin. Entries for all of those races will be drawn Saturday. Here are the probable entrants, according to the Ellis Park Racing Office:

The Stephen Foster: Call Me Fast (trainer Michael Puhich); Happy American (Neil Pessin); Last Samurai (D. Wayne Lukas); Promise Keeper (Dallas Stewart); Proxy (Mike Stidham); Rattle N Roll (Kenny McPeek); Smile Happy (Kenny McPeek); Speed Bias (Ron Moquett); Stilleto Boy (Ed Moger Jr.); West Will Power (Brad Cox)

The $400,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), run at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares 4-year-old and up: A Mo Reay (Brad Cox); Bellamore (Simon Callaghan); Heartyconstitution (Joe Sharp); Moon Swag (Brendan Walsh); Sixtythreecaliber (Tom Amoss).

The $400,000 Wise Dan (G2), run at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 4-year-olds and up: Camp Hope (Kenny McPeek); Set Piece (GB) (Brad Cox); Tut's Revenge (Shea Stuart).

The 108th running of the $225,000 American Derby (Listed), run at 1 1/16 miles on turf for 3-year-olds: Desert Highway (Jerry Antonuik); Mo Stash (Vicki Oliver); Wadsworth (Brad Cox).

The 13th running of the $225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed), run at 6 ½ furlongs for 3-year-olds and up: Bango (Greg Foley); Happy Jack (Doug O'Neill); Hesmyhoneybadger (Tom Amoss); Miles Ahead (Paul McGee); Pro Oxidant (Eddie Kenneally); Surveillance (Keith Desormeaux).

The 4th running of the $225,000 Tepin, run at one-mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies: Bling (Vicki Oliver); Girl Named Charlie (Tom Amoss); Heavenly Sunday (Brad Cox); Metaphysical (Jeff Hiles); Safeen (Eddie Kenneally); Santa Fe Gold (Bret Calhoun); Wonderfull Lady (FR) (Brendan Walsh); Xigera (Phil Bauer).

The Stephen Foster will be the first Grade 1 ever run at Ellis Park. General Admission is free but fans who wish to purchase upgraded seats can do so at www.ellisparkracing.com.

The post Smile Happy Likely To Face Nine Rivals In July 1 Stephen Foster At Ellis Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Valiant Force became the joint longest-priced winner ever at Royal Ascot when causing a 150/1 shock in the G2 Norfolk Stakes, the same starting price as 2020 Coventry Stakes victor Nando Parrado.

Despite having been beaten on both previous starts, the Adrian Murray-trained colt shot away from his rivals entering the final furlong, winning comfortably by a length and a quarter at the line to give jockey Rossa Ryan his second winner of the week.

The win earned Valiant Force an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint this November at Santa Anita Park.

It was a first Royal Ascot winner for Murray and Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing, which had placed at the meeting eight times before, not least in this corresponding race 12 months ago.

Malc, representing last year's winning trainer Richard Fahey, was second at odds of 66/1, with 7/4 favourite Elite Status a further half-length behind in third.

Murray said: “I can't believe it. I fell into racing by accident. A friend of mine got me involved in the Flat. It's magic. We were third here on Tuesday [in the Coventry Stakes] and I wondered if that would ever happen again.

“We knew Valiant Force was a nice horse and I couldn't believe the price – he was only beaten less than a length by His Majesty first time out and was 150/1 today. It didn't make sense – I knew he was much better than that. It's the stuff of dreams. It's great for the small man. I'm based in Mullingar and have had some right nice jumpers in the past. I love it, love racing.”

Ryan, who was retained by Amo Racing until last autumn, said: “To be fair to the lads, they were confident he would run a big race. If you take away his last run at the Curragh when he was [left] on his own, he's run a stormer first time out in a Listed race and that's the most important form.

“He's bred well, he's bred to be a sprinter by Malibu Moon and if you look at him, he's something else to look at – he was almost the stand-out in the paddock beside Karl Burke's horse.

“He jumped well and did everything right – he was just in a rhythm and when I took a lead off Kevin [Stott on Thunder Blue] outside the two, I was always in a rhythm. I could have probably won further if something had come at me.

“He's got the job done and to be still associated with Amo Racing is a big part for me. To get Kia [Joorabchian, head of Amo Racing] his first Royal Ascot winner is redemption for defeat last year.”

Fahey said of Malc: “I am delighted, absolutely over the moon. We thought we had a nice bunch, but it's so tough here and you need everything to go right. I just felt with a couple of the others it didn't go right, but today everything went right, he stuck his head down and had a go.”

Asked whether he feels this is a pure five-furlong horse, he added: “To be honest, we feel he is a six-furlong horse but at Ascot you've nearly got to get six. Mid-part of the race there, I'm not saying that's where we lost it, but we just got a little bit outpaced and the winner got through strong. But I would have taken that well before the race.”

Oisin Orr added: “Malc has run a lovely race. His inexperience maybe just told today. He got a bit outpaced mid-race and he stayed on well. I think he's going to come on when he goes up in trip.”

Elite Status' trainer Karl Burke said: “He's a lovely horse with a great future in front of him. The Prix Morny was always the target before today, so whether that's changed – I'm just going to see Sheikh Obaid now – but I would imagine we will step him up into that type of race. He's a proper Group horse. He is not the finished article yet.”

Joel Rosario said of American Rascal: “He broke real well out of there and they kind of got away a little bit from me. It was his first time here and it was all a little different for him. We will go on to the next one.”

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The television schedule for the 2023 “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In” has been modified, it was announced Wednesday by Breeders' Cup Limited.

Now in its 10^th year on NBC Sports, the series spotlights North America's top horses as they compete for an automatic starting position, and free entry, into a corresponding divisional race at the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The 40th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Consisting of five live programs, the 2023 Challenge Series will be anchored by two NBC broadcasts, one FOX broadcast, and two CNBC programs. The July 1 Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) program has been removed from the television lineup due to logistical challenges presented by the shift of the race to Ellis Park.

NBC and Peacock kick off the action July 22 with the Haskell Stakes (G1) from Monmouth Park. On Aug. 12, Breeders' Cup and NYRA will partner to provide special coverage of the Fourstardave Stakes (G1) on FOX from Saratoga Race Course. NBC and Peacock resume coverage Sept. 16 with the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1) at Woodbine Racetrack, where an automatic qualifying position for a Future Stars Friday turf race will also be on the line. A blockbuster weekend of racing will be presented Oct. 7-8 on CNBC and Peacock, with coverage from Santa Anita Park and Keeneland Race Course.

All Breeders' Cup Challenge Series coverage on NBC and CNBC will be simul-streamed on Peacock. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via authentication.

Horses from around the globe will participate in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, which features 80 qualifying races in 11 countries. Many of the Breeders' Cup Challenge races, including the Stephen Foster, will also be televised on FanDuel TV, which will provide extensive special programming in the run-up to the World Championships.

The complete Challenge Series television schedule can be viewed at BreedersCup.com/races/challenge-series.

The post Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Television Schedule Modified; Stephen Foster Program Scrapped appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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