california angel | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rich Strike Looks to Bolster Resume in Clark

GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Rich Strike (Keen Ice) hopes to strengthen his case for a year-end championship title as he takes on his elders in the GI Clark H. Friday at Churchill Downs.

Right now, the 3-year-old male divisional title could go any way. Taiba (Gun Runner) and Cyberknife (Gun Runner) each have a pair of Grade Is to their credit and Epicenter (Not This Time) won the GI Runhappy Travers S. In addition to finishing second in the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

Rich Strike only has one top-level score to his name, but it's a big one, taking home the roses at a whopping 80-1. Skipping the GI Preakness S., he failed to fire in the GI Belmont S. in June, but showed improvement when fourth in the Travers. The chestnut missed by just a head to the gutsy Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the GII Lukas Classic at this venue Oct. 1 and was fourth last out, behind third-place Taiba, in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Rich Strike clearly loves Churchill Downs, having broken his maiden by 17 1/4 lengths in his other start at this venue, and could put himself in the dual Grade I winner category just in time.

The Derby winner won't have it easy, however. He faces a host of talented challengers, including GII Hagyard Fayette S. romper West Will Power (Bernardini). Runner-up Fulsome (Into Mischief), a four-time Grade III winner, and third-place Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) also return here. Also worth strong consideration is Godolphin homebred Proxy (Tapit), last seen closing to be third behind Classic runner-up Olympiad (Speightstown) in the GII Stephen Foster S. at this oval July 2.

Churchill's post-Thanksgiving card also features the GII Mrs. Revere S. for 3-year-old turf fillies. GII Rubicon Valley View S. runner-up California Angel (California Chrome) tops the field, but should the Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) who won the GIII Matron S. show up this time, she could be in trouble.

Aqueduct plays host to a pair of graded events, the GIII Long Island S. for female turf routers and the GIII Comely S. for sophomore fillies on the main track. The latter features the return of dual graded winner Kathleen O. (Upstart). Opening her account with a quartet of victories, including the GII Davona Dale S. and GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, the dark bay suffered her first career defeat when rallying for fifth in the GI Kentucky Oaks and has not been seen since.

Godolphin homebred Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) won a graded event at this oval in the spring, the GIII Gazelle S., and missed by a neck last out here in the GIII Turnback the Alarm H. Nov. 4.

GI Cotillion S. runner-up Morning Matcha (Central Banker) and Seneca Overnight S. one-two Sixtythreecaliber (Gun Runner) and Falconet (Uncle Mo) also return in this competitive field.

Rounding out Friday's graded action is the GII Hollywood Turf Cup S. at Del Mar.

The post Rich Strike Looks to Bolster Resume in Clark appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Dolce Zel Can Give Brown First Valley View

Hard though it may be to believe, a 3-year-old filly trained by Chad Brown has never won the GIII Rubicon Valley View S. at Keeneland, but Dolce Zel (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) appears to be equipped to be the one to get the conditioner on the board Friday afternoon.

Winner of the GIII Florida Oaks in her U.S. debut in March, the bay was runner-up to future GISW Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}) in this track's course-and-distance GII Appalachian S. Apr. 9 and got a bit of a freshening following a third in Churchill's GIII Edgewood S. May 6. Back to winning ways in the GII Lake George S. at Saratoga July 22, Dolce Zel and five others were undressed by front-running stablemate Haughty (Empire Maker) in the GII Lake Placid S. Aug. 20 and settled for second. Irad Ortiz, Jr., the only rider she's known in this country, is back in the irons.

California Angel (California Chrome) caused a 17-1 upset in the GII Jessamine S. at this venue 54 weeks ago and is winless in six subsequent tries, though she has not run poorly. Runner-up in the Mar. 12 LaCombe Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds, the chestnut returned from a six-month vacation to be third in the Sept. 5 Dueling Grounds Oaks, whose runner-up Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) returned to win the GII Sands Point S. at Aqueduct. She backs up on 13 days' rest, having been beaten just two lengths into fourth behind Dolce Zel's stablemate Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) in the GI QE II Cup.

Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) was among the best turf sprinters of her generation last season, with a victory in the GIII Matron S. The Shortleaf homebred proved she could handle a route of ground when taking out the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy over the Turfway all-weather in March and she was surely in need of the run when a weakening sixth in the 6 1/2-furlong Music City S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 13.

The post Dolce Zel Can Give Brown First Valley View appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Oaks Prep: Promising Cocktail Moments Faces Turf Filly California Angel In Inaugural Untapable Stakes

Dixiana Farms and trainer Ken McPeek enjoyed a memorable moment, and perhaps a cocktail or two, after their promising filly ran off the screen on debut during the “Stars of Tomorrow” card at Churchill Downs. Now they can only hope that Cocktail Moments can take the next logical step in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Untapable Stakes over a 1 1/16 miles distance that is foreign to her. Restricted to 2-year-old fillies, the Untapable offers 10-4-2-1 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Dismissed at odds of 26-1 on Nov. 27, the 2-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo was an unhurried tenth of 12 in the early stages of her debut. Nearing the turn of the seven furlong contest, she made a bold move while still in hand and was hung six-wide before engulfing her foes in the stretch and drawing off to win by 9 ¼ lengths, leaving the betting public stunned.

“They (the public) never bet me first time out, it's ok,” McPeek said. “I typically allow a horse to take some dirt in the face. In a way the debut is kind of a schooling race for me. I've had a list of horses in my career that we sent first time out and it blew their mind, so I just don't like doing that, gunning them away from there. For what, my ego? My win percentage?”

“Some of them win,” McPeek continued. “We've had a nice list of first timers this year that won from a little bit off the pace. That helps in their development. It's worth getting beat on occasion for their long-term development. That's always been my approach.”

Installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite, she'll join forces with jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. for her first route try from post 5 of 8 on Sunday.

“I think she'll handle the route without any trouble,” McPeek said. “She's still got some learning to do. She acts like she's got the turn of foot where if she gets in a nice rhythm and kicks on, that should be fine. Eric Heitzmann, my former assistant, is going to saddle him for me. She had a nice maintenance breeze at Fair Grounds on Wednesday. Four weeks after her maiden win, it's perfect timing for us to be there.”

The unquestioned class of the field is Chris Walsh's California Angel. Purchased for just $5,500 as an Ocala OPN 2-year-old in training, this daughter of California Chrome has already far exceeded expectations, upsetting the Jessamine (G3) on the Keeneland turf on Oct. 13 at odds of nearly 18-1. She would follow-up finishing 11th of 14 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Del Mar, but she was only beaten four lengths by the winner. In her lone dirt start in career start number two of four, California Angel finished a late closing third of 11.

“I'm not worried about the dirt,” trainer Leonard said. “She'll handle the dirt just fine. I just put her on the grass and it happened she liked the grass but we're confident she will run well on the dirt.”

Having worn blinkers in all of her previous starts, California Angel will not wear the hood on Sunday. With Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. piloting her for the first time, the 4-1 second choice will leave from post position two.

“She didn't need them,” Leonard explained. “I think with the blinkers, she was looking around and couldn't see enough. She's ready for that. Hopefully she'll lay closer not as far behind with the blinkers off. She's maturing and growing a little bit. Nothing I haven't seen before. She's still the same. Doing very well. I think she will run really well.”

With a post time of 4:35 p.m. CT, the Untapable is scheduled as race 10 on the 13-race card. The remainder of the field with post position, jockey/trainer and morning line odds is as follows: Columbine Stables' Fannie and Freddie (post 1, Colby Hernandez/Al Stall, Jr., 9-2 ML), a dominant local maiden winner in her first try last out; Mike Dini's (owned & trained) Alittleloveandluck (post 3, Jereth Loveberry/Dini, 12-1 ML), a last out maiden winner against Florida-bred company on the Gulfstream Park Tapeta; Elements Racing's Implosion (post 4, Mitchell Murrill/Steve Margolis, 10-1 ML), the winner of a sales restricted maiden special weight event two starts back at Churchill Downs; Miacomet Farm's Feeling Happy (post 5, James Graham/James Baker, 8-1 ML), who is 3 for 3 in the money with her lone win coming in a sales restricted maiden special weight sprint at first asking at Churchill Downs in late September; Jeff Ganje and Omar Aldabbagh's Shotgun Hottie (post 7, Florent Geroux/Tom Amoss, 6-1 ML), a maiden of a sales restricted race in her first try around two turns last out at Churchill Downs; and Rebecca Hillen, Stonecrest Farms and Bruno De Julio's North County (post 8, Adam Beschizza/Brendan Walsh, 9-2 ML, who is perfect from two starts, both routes, over turf and Indiana and then slop at Keeneland. — Kristufek

The post Oaks Prep: Promising Cocktail Moments Faces Turf Filly California Angel In Inaugural Untapable Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Breeders’ Cup Diaries: California Angel’s Fan Club Is Growing

This is the fourth installment in our daily diary series following trainer George Leonard's first trip to the Breeders' Cup. Find Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.

Thursday morning was a study in contrasts for the George Leonard barn when compared to the quiet atmosphere of the day before. Leonard and his wife of nine years, Isabel, chatted with rider Chester Bonnet Wednesday while they awaited the opening of the track for training, trading their impressions of various contenders in the Classic and Distaff. Leonard has been popular with the press all week as he prepares California Angel for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, so now and then he'd entertain questions from one reporter after another.

By Thursday, he had a small crowd gathered outside his part of the barn, many of them snapping cameras or taking cell phone photos of the chestnut filly who has captured the imaginations of so many racing fans. Owner Chris Walsh is on hand of course, but 'Angel' has attracted a following of California Chrome fans – including Chrome trainer Art Sherman.

As Angel and Bonnet made their way to the chute, waiting to step onto the track, Sherman came around the corner and stopped to observe the filly.

“She's a pretty filly; I really like her,” said Sherman. “I told him they're always a lot better when they become 3-year-olds. Chrome really turned the page when he got to be a 3-year-old.

“I see the flash. I see that look in her eye, and he had the same look, wanting to do something. She's kind of aggressive, a little bit. And that was him, too.”

He stopped by the barn as the filly cooled out for a photo opportunity with Leonard and Walsh. Leonard mused that there were so many images being captured of his filly this week that he'd probably never be able to see them all.

Joining the fan club this week was Victoria Leonard, George's sister, who flew in from Louisiana on Wednesday. Victoria worked for George for a time, but is no longer in the racing industry. Still, growing up in the Leonard family gave her a thorough education in horses – and like George, she knows a good one when she sees it.

“That's the crazy thing, she's still got a lot of growing to do and learning to do,” said Victoria.

Victoria grew up the only girl amongst four brothers, pitching in with the family horses before and after school and on the weekends. Their father trained from the early 1970s until just before his death in an auto accident 13 years ago. When he wasn't training, he worked on a gas pipeline. His days were long and the work was hard. Victoria says George shares their father's work ethic.

“Daddy was strict; kind of like George,” she said. “Good person, gentle, but they run a tight ship. That's how we grew up.”

It's an emotional week for Victoria, seeing her brother get the chance so many small trainers dream of but never catch. All the more touching for her is that he has done it with a daughter of California Chrome. Victoria considers herself a “Chromie” as the Kentucky Derby winner's fans are called.

“I've always wanted to have [a California Chrome] and for us to have one and her to be so special … I have no words,” she said, noting that Chrome's humble beginnings were part of what brought his story to life for her. “The passion of his connections, it reminded me a lot of our family. We grew up in horse racing. My dad was the one hollering at the races. As a matter of fact, when our horses would run, my brothers would tell me, 'Get away from me' because I'd be the one screaming and hollering, and they said it was embarrassing.”

Isabel Leonard shared her thoughts on California Angel's journey with reporters on Thursday also:

Angel did not disappoint her audience. She went cantering down the chute to the veterinary station, where horses are observed under saddle at a jog before their workouts as part of the Breeders' Cup's enhanced regulatory procedures. Bonnet took her around for her usual gallop and she did her trademark skipping lead changes in an attempt to get away from him. Towards the end of the gallop, he said she was making him work hard to keep her from taking off. She is ready.

With this new attention has come offers. Leonard hasn't said how many or how much, but told reporter Jennie Rees Thursday morning that Walsh has turned down quite a few, and for that he's grateful. Both owner and trainer feel as Sherman does, that with a 2-year-old showing promise could turn into anything by the time she turns three. They want to be there when she realizes her full potential.

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