Pletcher Group Leads Keeneland Workers; White Abarrio Back On Track

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a total of 12 horses, all of whom are pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup races, for half-mile works at Keeneland Friday morning in advance of their Saturday departure to Santa Anita.

GII Pilgrim S. winner Agate Road (Quality Road) (Juvenile Turf) worked in company with Haul (Army Mule) in :49 flat (32/63). GI Darley Alcibiades winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (NetJets Juvenile Filles) went in company with GII Chandelier runner-up Scalable (Speightstown) (Juvenile Fillies) in :49.20 (37/63).

About Candied, Pletcher said, “She worked very well. She worked on the inside of Scalable. Finished up nicely, galloped out good. She was a little late on her lead change, which has kind of been a thing with her. But she did get it the second time when Luis (Saez) asked for it. And once she did, she leveled off nicely, finished up strong and galloped out great.”

As for Pletcher's older horses, GII Suburban S. winner Charge It (Tapit) (Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile) worked in :48.60 (17/63) while GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Bright Future (Curlin) (Classic or Dirt Mile) worked in company with Dreamlike (Gun Runner) (Dirt Mile or Classic) in :48.40 (9/63).

'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) (FanDuel Juvenile) went in company with Noted (Cairo Prince) (Juvenile) in :48.60 (17/63).

 

Life Talk (Gun Runner) (Juvenile Fillies) was in company with GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Locked (Gun Runner) (Juvenile) in :48 flat (6/63).

“Locked just does everything so easily and effortlessly,” Pletcher said. “He's a colt that we had high expectations for when he came in. He's a very quiet, laid-back colt. Unassuming, until we got serious with him, and then it was like, wow, this is a really nice colt. I thought his debut was sneaky impressive. I thought his mile maiden win at Saratoga was the most impressive 2-year-old performance of the meet. Then to come here and win (the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity) from an outside draw and a wide trip the entire way, I thought that was a very determined effort on his part. He's done everything well since then. We've been blessed with some very good 2-year-olds, and I think that he's right there with them.”

Life's an Audible (Audible) (Juvenile Fillies Turf) ran in company with Appellate (Constitution) in :48.80 (25/63).

GI Coolmore Turf Mile winner Up to the Mark (Not This Time) (Turf or Mile) breezed in company with Be You (Curlin) in :48.80 (25/63).

“Up to the Mark has had two good breezes now since his win in the (Coolmore) Turf Mile,” said Pletcher. “I thought we got what we wanted in terms of some good conditioning. Strong gallop out, seems to be doing well. We're going to continue to lean towards going in the Turf.”

At Santa Anita Friday, White Abarrio (Race Day) worked five furlongs in :59.80 (3/39). According to private clocker Gary Young, the 4-year-old went the final quarter mile in :22.80.

 

Trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., White Abarrio was originally slated to work this past Monday but that drill was postponed. Connections attributed the delay to an issue with White Abarrio's shoes. Noted blacksmith Ian McKinlay flew in Monday and re-shod White Abarrio. He galloped Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday prior to Friday's drill.

“He worked great. He cooled out great. We're thrilled,” Chip Dutrow said.

Working for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies was Chatalas (Gun Runner) for trainer Mark Glatt. Winner of the GII Chandelier S. Oct. 7, the filly worked five furlongs 1:01.00 (15/39).

Trainer Peter Eurton worked a trio of 2-year-old Breeders' Cup contenders: Flattery (Flatter), Stay Hot (Summer Front) and Dark Vintage (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Flattery worked four furlongs on the training track in :48 flat (2/12). Stay Hot worked four furlongs on the training track in a bullet :47.40 (1/12). Dark Vintage worked four furlongs on the main track in :47.40 seconds (2/37).

Trainer John Sadler worked the Speakeasy winner, Slider (Jimmy Creed), who went five furlongs in :59.80 (3/39).

Working towards the Juvenile Turf was Endlessly (Oscar Performance) for trainer Michael McCarthy. He drilled four furlongs in :47.80 (8/37).

Rounding out Friday's Breeders' Cup workers were Elm Drive (Mohaymen) and Where's My Ring (Twirling Candy), who is on the also-eligible list for the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Elm Drive, pre-entered in the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint, worked five furlongs on the training track in 1:03.20 (5/6) for trainer Phil D'Amato.

The post Pletcher Group Leads Keeneland Workers; White Abarrio Back On Track appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Pletcher Breezes Breeders’ Cup Dozen at Keeneland

Trainer Todd Pletcher breezed a remarkable 12 of his intended Breeders' Cup starters at Keeneland on Thursday morning over the main track. 

Heading the dozen was GI Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Bright Future (Curlin), who arrived in Kentucky this week from Saratoga. He worked five furlongs in 1:01.40. Also working five furlongs for a possible Breeders' Cup start was Charge It (Tapit), who covered the distance in 1:01.20. 

“We originally were going to work all of our Saturday (Nov. 4) horses tomorrow but with rain in the forecast for tomorrow, we moved it up a day,” Pletcher said. “It was a good morning, and I was pleased with all the works. They did what we wanted them to.” 

Among the dozen workers were three Grade I winners from Keeneland's Fall Stars Weekend. 

Coolmore Turf Mile winner Up to the Mark (Not This Time) breezed a half-mile in :50.20 in company with 2022 Coolmore Turf Mile winner Annapolis (War Front); Darley Alcibiades winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) worked a half-mile in :49; and Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner and `TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) worked a half-mile in :48.20. 

The remainder of the Pletcher brigade each worked half-miles: `TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road) (:49.60), `TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) (:48.40), Life Talk (Gun Runner) (:49), Life's an Audible (Audible) (:50), Noted  (Cairo Prince) (:49.60) and Scalable (Speightstown) (:49.60). 

Pletcher said he planned to give his runners one more work at Keeneland next Thursday or Friday before shipping to Santa Anita on Oct. 28. 

The post Pletcher Breezes Breeders’ Cup Dozen at Keeneland appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Mitole’s Booth Breaks Like A Shot, Blitzes To ‘Rising Star’ Honors

by Patrycja Szpyra and J.N. Campbell

Sporting the familiar Heiligbrodt colors of his sire, Booth (c, 2, Mitole–Sophia's Song, by Bellamy Road) showed talent ran in spades in his family on this Super Saturday unveiling, taking the Keeneland night cap at odds of 5-1 by blitzing out of the gate and never giving the rest of the field a chance en route to securing 'TDN Rising Star' honors.

The colt, owned in partnership by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm, and Whispering Oaks Farm, set all the fractions of :22.45, a half in :45.08 and :57.05 coming into the stretch before sailing home much the best by 5 1/4 lengths over favorite Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) to stop the clock in 1:10.23. The final time was 0.21 faster than what GSW Yuugiri (Shackleford) posted when winning the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. earlier on the card.

The winner is a half-brother to GI Jockey Club Gold Cup hero Bright Future (Curlin), who was purchased in 2020 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Repole Stables and St. Elias Stable for $350,000. Sophia's Song is also responsible for a yearling colt by Tiz the Law, foaled a colt by Maxfield May 4 and was bred to Jackie's Warrior for 2024. The dam herself hails from a busy family with MSW Tax Refund (Artax) and GSP Unbridled Beauty (Unbridled's Song) also claiming black-type in their careers on the track. The latter would later go on to produce GSP Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat), a Peruvian leading sire in his second career, and GSP Danny Boy (Harlan's Holiday). Through a daughter of Unbridled Beauty, Booth is also related to GI Hopeful S. shocker Nutella Fella (Runhappy), and another daughter of that mare counts MSP-Fr Demain (More Than Ready) to her tally.

Sophia's Song's winning half-sister Denali Dreamscape (Corinthian) has produced SW New Boss (Street Boss) as well as GSP Daydreaming Boy (Goldencents) while sibling Casey's Dreamin' (Unbridled's Song) can claim GIII Ontario Derby hero Ironestone (Mr Speaker) to her credit. This is the extended female family of two-time champion sprinter Housebuster; MGSW Elysea's World (Ire); and GSW & MGISP Quero Quero.

The Heiligbrodts purchased outright another juvenile son of Mitole at this year's OBS March Sale in Global Icon for $260,000. Bred by Jeff Ganje, the colt has yet to enter training. As for Booth, he is his first-crop sire's (by Eskendereya) 15th winner and second runner to gain the 'Rising Star' stamp of approval.

11th-Keeneland, $100,000, Msw, 10-7, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.23, ft, 5 1/4 lengths.
BOOTH, c, 2, by Mitole
                1st Dam: Sophia's Song {SW & GSP, $155,892}, by Bellamy Road)
                2nd Dam: Dreamscape, by Mt. Livermore
                3rd Dam: Big Dreams, by Great Above
Sales History: $120,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $225,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,350. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-L. William Heiligbrodt, Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm and Whispering Oaks Farm LLC; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

The post Mitole’s Booth Breaks Like A Shot, Blitzes To ‘Rising Star’ Honors appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Oct. 7 Insights: Well-Related Juveniles Debut on Both Coasts

2nd-KEE, $100k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:32p.m. ET
GALLANT MISCHIEF (Into Mischief), a $480,000 KEENOV purchase in 2021, will put his best foot forward in this first juvenile maiden on a packed Keeneland card for conditioner Mark Casse and owner Tracy Farmer. A half-brother to MGISW Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid), he comes into this contest with a string of very strong works at Ellis Park, including three successive bullets starting Aug. 17 (1/12), Aug. 30 (1/17) and Sept. 10 (1/22). Gallant Mischief is out of a half-sister to a host of accomplished 'Berties' including MGSW Hurricane Bertie; MGSW & GISP Allamerican Bertie-dam of MSW Homerun Berti and graddam of multiple course-record setter MSW & GSP Believe in Bertie.  TJCIS PPs.

11th-KEE, $100k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 6:18p.m. ET
Booth (Mitole), a $225,000 OBSMAR procurement this past spring, will take to the track after a Super Saturday of racing at Keeneland with an eye on breaking his maiden for trainer Steve Asmussen and the Heiligbrodts. Half-brother to GI Jockey Club Gold Cup hero Bright Future (Curlin), the colt can also count GI Hopeful S. winner Nutella Fella (Runhappy) in his extended female family.

To his inside and unveiling for the powerhouse WinStar and Siena Farms partnership is Rapoport (Consitution), who hails from the young broodmare Tiz Breathtaking (Tiznow), winner of the GIII Mazarine S. in Canada. This is the female family of the venerable Shared Account, dam of fellow Breeders' Cup champion Sharing, and of GSW Sparkle Blue (Hard Spun). The $300,000 KEESEP grad is trained by Todd Pletcher. Flying the flag for homebreds will be Godolphin's Nash (Medaglia d'Oro), who is out of a multiple graded stakes-winning half-sister to GSW Just Louise, dam of MGSW & MGISP Forbidden Kingdom. The half-brother to GSP Sara Street (Street Sense) will break from the rail for Brad Cox. TJCIS PPs.

6th-SA, $61k, Msw, 2yo, 1mT, 6:39p.m. ET
A princely $1.7 million KEESEP acquisition for Zedan Racing, Coach Prime (Quality Road) will debut from the far outside of a packed maiden for Bob Baffert. A half-brother to MSP Dr Oseran (Kitten's Joy), he hails most notably from the female line of Spunoutacontrol, who accounts for MGSW & MGISP Fed Biz; SW Spun Silk–dam of GISW Joking (Distorted Humor) and granddam of MGSW Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance); and the dam of three stakes winners on the New York circuit. This is the extended family of noted stallions Tale of the Cat and Johannesburg. TJCIS PPs.

The post Oct. 7 Insights: Well-Related Juveniles Debut on Both Coasts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights