brian lynch | Horse Racing Free Tips

Unbeaten Tobys Heart to Stretch Out Versus Graded Company in Return

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Tobys Heart (Jack Milton) is aiming for a return to action in either the GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream Park Feb. 27 or the GIII Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs Mar. 6. Both races are contested on grass at 1 1/16 miles.

Co-owned by Terry Hamilton and trainer Brian Lynch, the 3-year-old filly was impressive in a pair of efforts sprinting on the lawn last term.

After kicking off her career with a 'Rising Star' performance beneath the Twin Spires June 4–following a slow start, she unleashed an explosive run to graduate by 6 3/4 lengths–Tobys Heart followed up with a good-looking, come-from-behind score in a loaded renewal of Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. most recently Aug. 19 (video).

The second through sixth-place finishers in the Bolton Landing–Joy's Rocket (Anthony Cross) (second), Amanzi Yimpilo (Ire) (No Nay Never) (third), Mischievous Dream (Into Mischief) (fourth), Quinoa Tifah (Gemologist) (fifth) and Sweet Souper Sweet (First Samurai) (sixth)-have all added stakes victories since.

“She had two tiny chips removed from the front of her P1 on both ankles,” Lynch said. “We cleaned them up and gave her a little bit of time and I think it's been a blessing. She seems like she's blossomed–bigger, stronger filly. It gives you something to look forward to.”

Tobys Heart has posted eight workouts at Lynch's Palm Meadows base since mid-December, including a five-furlong spin in 1:03.45 (12/26) on grass Friday.

“She hasn't missed a beat since we put her back into training,” Lynch said. “We're looking to stretch her out and look forward to seeing what she shows us when we try her around two turns. She's doing everything right, so fingers crossed.”

Tobys Heart, a $5,500 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling, brought $45,000 from Alistair Roden Bloodstock on behalf of Hamilton and Lynch after breezing an eighth in :10 1/5 at OBS March.

Bred in Kentucky by Trackside Farms, Tobys Heart is from the second crop of young Crestwood Farm stallion Jack Milton. She is out of the stakes-winning Lil's Lad mare Pick of the Pack, a half-sister to GSW Great Attack (Greatness).

Lynch and his aforementioned longtime client also campaign recent GIII John B. Connally Turf Cup S. winner Spooky Channel (English Channel). The duo, of course, also teamed up on popular GISW Heart to Heart (English Channel).

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Spooky Channel Gets Perfectly Timed Ride To Win John B. Connally Turf Cup

Trainer Mike Maker had his streak of six consecutive victories in the John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, snapped last year when Brad Cox-trained Dot Matrix defeated Bemma's Boy and Marzo from Maker's deep stable of turf runners.

Maker came loaded again this year, with three starters in Sunday's $200,000, Grade 3 Turf Cup, just as he did in 2020. Once again, however, he had to settle for the minor awards as 3-2 favorite Spooky Channel, from the Brian Lynch stable, collared Maker's pace-setting Conviction Trade inside the furlong pole, then held off a furious late rally by Maker-trained Ajourneytofreedom to win by a neck.

Spooky Channel, a 6-year-old English Channel gelding owned by Terry Hamilton, was clocked in 2:30.94 on a firm grass course for the 1 1/2 miles of the Turf Cup. He paid $5 for the win, his ninth in 18 career starts. Ajourneytofreedom finished a length ahead of Conviction Trade, giving Maker a 2-3 finish for the second year in a row. Tenfold was fourth for trainer Steve Asmussen, with Ken McPeek-trained Signalman fifth in the field of a dozen older runners.

The John B. Connally Turf Cup was one of six stakes – two of them graded – offering over $1 million in purses on Sunday's Houston Racing Festival as Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas,

It was a big day for the track, with a record $5.3 million wagered on the 10-race card.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year's Houston Racing Festival and getting a record handle of $5.3 million,” said Frank Hopf, senior director of racing. “It was a team effort from everyone at Sam Houston and our thanks go out to all the horsemen and owners for supporting our meet. This would not be possible without our horseplayers, both here in Texas and nationally. It was a great day.”

Leparoux allowed Spooky Channel to settle into fifth position after breaking from the 10-post in the three-turn Turf Cup. Rafael Hernandez put Conviction Trade in front from the start, going an opening quarter mile in :24.57, a half mile in :48.97 and six furlongs in 1:14.00. Leparoux began asking Spooky Channel to pick it up with a half mile to run, the mile clocked in 1:40.52, and by the time they reached the quarter pole, after 1 1/4 miles in 2:05.67, he was on the front-runner's right flank.

Conviction Trade fought back and maintained a half-length lead with a furlong to run, but Spooky Channel finally put him away just as Ajourneytofreedom and Jesus Castanon emerged on the scene with a powerful stretch rally that came up just short at the wire.

“I have ridden him before and felt he would like this turf course,” said Leparoux. “Brian and I talked and we knew he would have enough to come off the pace and make his run. He left it up to me and the horse did exactly what he hoped for.”

Spooky Channel began his racing career for Hamilton in Arizona in the care of trainer Clay Brinson, winning six of his first eight starts at Turf Paradise, including the 1 7/8-mile Hasta La Vista Handicap.

After shipping east and being transferred to Lynch's barn (following one off-the-board finish at Canterbury Park), Spooky Channel has won three of nine, including the G3 W.L. McKnight Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January 2020. Following a sixth-place finish in the G1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park last July 4, was given some time off, then returned to be fourth in the G2 Ft. Lauderdale at Gulfstrealm Park on Dec. 12. He trained up to the Turf Cup at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.

“It was exciting to be part of the big stakes day at Sam Houston Race Park,” said Lynch from his base in South Florida. “Spooky Channel is a true marathoner and ran a great race. Julien is a multiple Eclipse winning rider and I am one of his biggest fans. I am grateful to my owner Terry Hamilton, who is also a great friend.”

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Admission Office Returns in Tropical Park

Amerman Racing LLC’s Admission Office (Point of Entry) will return from a six-month layoff in Saturday’s GIII Tropical Turf S. at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Brian Lynch, the 6-year-old finished in the top three on four occasions in 2019, including in the GII Fort Lauderdale S. at Gulfstream in December. Eighth in the Pegasus Turf, he rebounded to finish second in the 11-furlong GII Mac Diarmida S. at the Hallandale oval last February before coming home fourth in the 8 1/2-furlong Sunshine Forever S. in May. Most recently, he came from off the pace to score in Churchill’s Louisville S. June 13.

“We would have loved to run in the Pegasus Turf again, but he hasn’t run since June,” explained Lynch. “He needed some time off after his last race and the Pegasus Turf comes up too soon.”

He added, “He’s coming back at a distance that isn’t really ideal for him, but it’s a good starting point. The good thing about this race is there’s plenty of pace, which ideally suits

Gulfstream..He’s his own worst enemy. He gives himself too much to do. He needs the ideal trip and the heavens to open up. He needs a clean path. He’s such a big horse, when you get him stopped, it’s hard to get him started again. He can be his own worst enemy the way he takes himself out of it, but we’ve been seeing a lot of maturity in him.”

Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}) is undefeated in two starts in 2020, both over Woodbine’s Tapeta surface. A come-from-behind victor in a seven furlong optional claimer in October, the John Oxley and My Meadowview runner took the GII Kennedy Road S. at six furlongs Nov. 21. The Mark Casse trainee has won at distances ranging from six to nine furlongs throughout his career, including the 2018 GII Del Mar Derby. Tyler Gaffalione gets the call.

William Lawrence’s Analyze It (Point of Entry), favored at 2-1 on the morning line, will scratch due to a quarter crack issue per Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch.

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Admission Office Returns From Six-Month Layoff In Saturday’s Tropical Turf

Amerman Racing LLC's Admission Office will return from a six-month layoff in Saturday's $100,000 Tropical Turf (G3) at Gulfstream Park. In a perfect world, the 6-year-old son of Point of Entry would be bypassing the mile turf stakes to prepare for a second straight start in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 23.

“We would have loved to run in the Pegasus Turf again, but he hasn't run since June. He needed some time off after his last race and the Pegasus Turf comes up too soon,” said trainer Brian Lynch, noting a prep race would have been needed to make it back to the Pegasus Turf.

Admission Office, who is coming off a victory in the 1 ½-mile Louisville (G3) June 13 at Churchill Downs, is scheduled to meet eight other older horses in the Tropical Turf.

'He's coming back at a distance that isn't really ideal for him, but it's a good starting point,” Lynch said. “The good thing about this race is there's plenty of pace, which ideally suits Gulfstream. But if they get going too fast up front, it could set up for someone to come off the pace.”

Admission Office is a drop-back-make-one-run closer who has finished in the money in six of eight graded-stakes starts. In addition to his victory in the Louisville, he has finished second or third in five graded-stakes races, finishing a half-length behind the winner four times and losing the other race by a length.

“He's his own worst enemy. He gives himself too much to do,” Lynch said. “He needs the ideal trip and the heavens to open up. He needs a clean path. He's such a big horse, when you get him stopped, it's hard to get him started again. He can be his own worst enemy the way he takes himself out of it, but we've been seeing a lot of maturity in him.”

In his first start during Gulfstream's 2019-2020 Championship Meet, Admission Office finished second in the Fort Lauderdale (G2), beaten a half-length by Instilled Regard, earning a chance to run in the Pegasus World Cup Turf, in which he raced in traffic while finishing eighth.

“We took him out of his game and asked him early. He was in traffic and never got the chance to run,” said Lynch, whose stretch-runner finished 5 ½ lengths behind winner Zulu Alpha.

In his next outing, Admission Office came within a length of upsetting Zulu Alpha in the Mac Diarmida (G2), finishing second after taking the lead in mid-stretch. He raced evenly through the stretch to finish fourth after uncharacteristically stalking the early pace in the Sunshine Forever at Gulfstream in May. He finished his 2020 campaign on a winning note at Churchill in June.

Julien Leparoux has the return call aboard Admission Office.

William Lawrence's Analyze It, who is on Reserve List of Invitees for the Pegasus Turf, was entered in the Tropical Turf by trainer Chad Brown. The 6-year-old son of Point of Entry raced twice last year, winning the Red Bank (G3) at Monmouth in September, after being out of action for 22 months.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call on Analyze It, who was multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed in 2018.

Jordan Wycoff's Tusk is scheduled to defend his title in the Tropical Turf, which he captured by two lengths last season. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained gelding went to the sidelines following the race for 11 months, before returning Dec. 6 to finish a tiring eighth after setting the pace in the Claiming Crown Emerald at Gulfstream.

“He was coming off a long layoff. He got an easy lead and stopped but he got tired,” Joseph said. “He's been training forwardly since that race. He won this race last year, so we're going to give him a chance to win it again”

Luis Saez is scheduled to ride the son of Tapit for the first time Saturday.

John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm LLC's Ride a Comet, who captured the 2019 Del Mar Derby (G2), returns to turf after winning both of his 2020 starts, including the Kennedy Road (G2), over Woodbine's synthetic surface.

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride the Mark Casse-trained 6-year-old son of Candy Ride.

LRE Racing LLC and JEH Stable LLC's Casa Creed will seek to rebound from an 12th-place finish in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) at Keeneland in his return to Gulfstream Park, where he captured the Kitten's Joy and finished second in the Palm Beach (G3) in 2019. The Bill Mott-trained 5-year-old son of Jimmy Creed was winless in 2020 but finished third the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga.

Junior Alvarado has the call aboard Casa Creed.

Larry Pratt and Dave Alden's Doctor Mounty, Calumet Farm's Flying Scotsman, Green Lantern Stables LLC's Frostmourne, and Michael Hui's Hay Dakota round out the field.

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