Brendan Walsh | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hawthorne Derby Draws Field Of Seven; The Pizza Man Stakes Debuts Sunday

After rain dominated the first two weeks of racing for the fall Thoroughbred meet at Hawthorne Race Course, clear skies and warm temperatures have prevailed this week as three stakes races will return to the Hawthorne turf.

On Saturday afternoon a pair of turf stakes have been carded: the $60,000 added Illini Princes Stakes and $100,000 Hawthorne Derby, presented by BetMakers. On Sunday, the newly named The Pizza Man Stakes will be contested.

The Illini Princess is for Illinois-bred females, 3-year-olds and up to go at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The Hawthorne Derby, presented by BetMakers is an open stakes event for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on the grass. The Pizza Man Stakes is for Illinois-breds, 3-year-olds and up, also to be run at 1 1/16 miles on the Hawthorne turf.

A look at the three turf stakes:

Saturday – Race 4 – $60,000 Added Illini Princess Stakes

To be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, the $60,000 added Illini Princess Stakes is for Illinois-bred females, 3-year-olds and upward. The 2019 champ of this race returns as Bramble Queen is the 2-1 morning line favorite for owner Ballybrit Stable, LLC and trainer Mike Dini. A ten-time winner from 36 career starts, the well-traveled Bramble Queen has earned over $330,000 on her career. This summer, Bramble Queen became graded stakes placed when she rallied to finish third in the Grade 3 Modesty at Arlington Park. She followed that race with a victory in the Mike Spellman Memorial Stakes on August 14. Jareth Loveberry rides on Saturday.

Emmanuel Esquivel returns to Hawthorne to ride 4-1 second-choice W W Fitzy for trainer Cipriano Contreras. Despite only a couple of turf starts, W W Fitzy has been excellent on the main track, winning a tough optional-claiming allowance race this spring at Oaklawn and most recently taking a starter race at Belterra.

Three-year-old filly Katie M'Lady has been excellent on the turf for owners Cherrywood Racing Stables, II & Oak Rock Racing LLC. Trained by Michele Boyce, Katie M'Lady has won four of five turf starts on her young career, including a front-end score in the Sharon Kirby Memorial Stakes at Arlington on August 7. Regular rider Julio Felix will be aboard once again as Katie M'Lady is 5-1 in the morning line.

PP Horse Trainer Jockey M/L

1 Bramble Queen M. Dini J. Loveberry 2-1

2 Northern Alliance H. Rodriguez A. Rodriguez 30-1

3 Embarrassing H. Rodriguez J. Lopez 30-1

4 White Lies P. Miller A. Quinonez 20-1

5 W W Fitzy C. Contreras E. Esquivel 4-1

6 Launch Away M. Perez V. Santiago 12-1

7 Twelve Red Roses C. Banks E. Perez 50-1

8 Summer Day A. Mitchell R. Bowen 8-1

9 Cat Attack M. Boyce C. Roman 6-1

10 Beyond Proper C. Block J. Tavares 10-1

11 Katie M'Lady M. Boyce J. Felix 5-1

Saturday – Race 6 – $100,000 Hawthorne Derby Presented by BetMakers

After a three-year break, the Hawthorne Derby returns to the turf course to be contested at 1 1/8 miles. A competitive field of seven is led by 5-2 morning line favorite Last Samurai from the barn of trainer Dallas Stewart. Owned by Willis Horton Racing, LLC, Last Samurai just began his turf career this summer with a near miss in a Churchill allowance on June 6. He won his next out, a turf allowance score at Colonial before running ninth in the Dueling Grounds Derby on September 5. His most recent race was a near miss, losing by a neck in the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx on September 25. Jon Court rides on Saturday.

Trainer Brad Cox sends 7-2 second-choice Royal Prince for owner Steve Landers Racing, LLC. A winner of four of 11 starts in his career on the grass, Royal Prince has scored three times this year, taking the Black Gold at Fair Grounds, Bayou City at Sam Houston and most recently the Caesars via disqualification at Indiana Grand on September 8. Fernando De La Cruz rode in the Caesars and gets the return ride Saturday.

After four starts in Ireland to open his career, Modus Operandi (Ire) makes his second turf start in North America for trainer Brendan Walsh. The son of Frankel (GB), Modus Operandi started two weeks ago on the Keeneland turf, closing late after a slow start to finish sixth. The 4-1 third-choice in the Hawthorne Derby, Modus Operandi will be ridden on Saturday by Alonso Quinonez.

PP Horse Trainer Jockey M/L

1 Grey Streak G. Arnold, II D. Carroll 9-2

2 Last Samurai D. Stewart J. Court 5-2

3 Temper Tantrum A. Hernandez C. Emigh 8-1

4 Modus Operandi (Ire) B. Walsh A. Quinonez 4-1

5 Battle Scars C. Block D. Parker 20-1

6 Royal Prince B. Cox F. De La Cruz 7-2

7 Mohs P. McBurney J. Loveberry 5-1

Sunday – Race 5 – $60,000 Added The Pizza Man Stakes

Best known for his victory in the 2015 Arlington Million, Illinois-bred The Pizza Man broke his maiden over the Hawthorne turf course in 2012 and later that fall won The Buck's Boy Handicap, the namesake of this stakes event until this year. Weather could be a factor for the Sunday event as rain is in the forecast for this 1 1/16 mile turf event for Illinois-bred three-year-olds and up.

The wide-open field of 11 is led by 4-1 morning line choice Fly Nightly for owners Marsico Brothers Racing and trainer Brittany Vanden Berg. Fly Nightly has found the board in 10 of 11 starts on the year, including five victories. Claimed for $20,000 in May, Fly Nightly won a state-bred allowance in his second start for his new connections and followed that race with an open-allowance score. He finished fifth in the state-bred Black Tie Affair stakes on the Arlington turf before running a good third in another tough open allowance in his last out. Chris Emigh rides on Sunday.

Fifteen-time turf winner Cammack runs for owner Team Block and trainer Chris Block. The 2018 winner of this race and 2019 runner-up, Cammack is still going strong at 11-years-old as he was second two starts back in the Black Tie Affair. Jose Lopez will be aboard Cammack once again.

PP Horse Trainer Jockey M/L

1 Land Mark Deal C. Block D. Parker 6-1

2 Ioya Again C. Block J. Tavares 5-1

3 Fly Nightly B. Vanden Berg C. Emigh 4-1

4 One Way Home M. Perez R. Bowen 15-1

5 Cammack C. Block J. Lopez 9-2

6 What's Up Dude M. Cristel V. Santiago 12-1

7 Readthecliffnotes M. Boyce E. Perez 15-1

8 Blue Sky Kowboy M. Boyce C. Roman 6-1

9 Richiesgotgame L. Rivelli J. Loveberry 12-1

10 Iwillpersevere M. Slager S. Uske 30-1

11 Coming Up Aces P. Miller A. Quinonez 12-1

Hawthorne Race Course, Chicago's Hometown Track, races three meets in 2021. The spring thoroughbred meet concluded on April 25. The summer Suburban Downs at Hawthorne harness meet began Friday, May 7 and concluded on September 26. The fall thoroughbred meet opened October 8 and races through December 27. First post daily in October and November is 3:10 PM. In December, first post moves to 12:55 PM. For any information about Hawthorne Race Course visit the website www.HawthorneRaceCourse.com.

The post Hawthorne Derby Draws Field Of Seven; The Pizza Man Stakes Debuts Sunday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Maxfield To Skip Breeders’ Cup Classic In Favor Of Clark

After runner-up finishes in both the G1 Whitney and G1 Woodward this year, Godolphin's Maxfield will skip the Breeders' Cup Classic. According to the Daily Racing Form, the 4-year-old son of Street Sense will instead target the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26.

“He has such a good record at Churchill. We're going to skip California with him altogether,” trainer Brendan Walsh told DRF. “It's very important for him to win a Grade 1 this year. This probably gives him his best chance to get a Grade 1 at this stage of his career.”

Maxfield has won each of his four races at Churchill, including the G2 Stephen Foster earlier this year. In his 10 career starts, Maxfield owns seven wins, two seconds, and a third, with earnings of $1,550,902.

Maxfield to Bypass BC in Favor of Clark

Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense) will bypass an expected start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 6 and will instead point for the GI Clark H. at Churchill Downs 20 days later. The story was originally reported by the Daily Racing Form.

“He has such a good record at Churchill. We're going to skip California with him altogether,” trainer Brendan Walsh told the DRF. “It's very important for him to win a Grade I this year. This probably gives him his best chance to get a Grade I at this stage of his career.”

Maxfield's defection leaves top rider Jose Ortiz open for the Classic.

Winner of the 2019 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S., Maxfield is a perfect four-for-four at Churchill Downs. He broke his maiden there on debut, won the 2020 GIII Matt Winn S. and captured the GII Alysheba S. and GII Stephen Foster S. earlier this season. The bay most recently finished second in both the Aug. 7 GI Whitney S. and Oct. 2 GI Woodward S.

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Golden Pal Regains Winning Ways In Woodford Stakes Over Keeneland Turf

Prominent from the start, the Uncle Mo 3-year-old colt Golden Pal, proved too quick for his six rivals in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Woodford Stakes presented by TVG at Keeneland racecourse in Lexington, Ky.

Ridden by John Velazquez, the Wesley Ward runner went right to the front, fought off a challenge from Firecrow on the turn for home, then pulled away down the stretch under steady encouragement to win by 2 1/4 lengths. He covered 5 1/2 furlongs on good turf in 1:03.12 after fractions of :21.51, :44.53 and :56.67

“He was very game,” said Velazquez. “Before the race – I never rode him so I asked Julio (Garcia, an exercise rider and jockey for trainer Wesley Ward). He said, 'Just put your hands down and he'll run for you; even if he gets passed he'll run for you.' I left him alone and when the other horse (Firecrow) came to him and put the head in front, I was like, 'Hey, we got to come back and run.' I got after him, and he gradually got away from the other horse. It took me two or three jumps to engage him back into the race, and after that he was pretty good.”

Extravagant Kid, an 8-year-old turf veteran from the barn of Brendan Walsh, closed to be second, with County Final another half length back in third, Johnny Unleashed fourth, Inhalation fifth, Firecrow sixth and Charcoal seventh.

“We are delighted,” said Walsh. “We can never be disappointed with this horse. He ran great again. The winner is a very, very good horse. Extravagant Kid is a model of consistency.”

Owned by Mr. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg, Golden Pal was winning for the fourth time in seven career starts. He paid $3 to win as the 1-2 favorite. He was bred in Florida by Randall E. Lowe.

Golden Pal was coming off his worst performance, a seventh-place finish in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York racecourse in England on Aug. 20. One of his other defeats came when narrowly beaten in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in June 2020. Out of the crack sprinter Lady Shipman, by Midshipman (she finished second against males in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland in 2015), Golden Pal ran off three consecutive victories following the Norfolk, including a victory at Keeneland in the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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