cazadero | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rising Stars Set to Lock Horns in Deep Saratoga Special

With the outposted Roderick (Into Mischief) scratching in favor of a start in Saturday’s GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar, a field of 10 is set to face the starter for Friday’s GII Saratoga Special S.,headed by a trio of promising ‘TDN Rising Stars.’

Trainer Steve Asmussen, already a four-time winner of the Special, sends out Stonestreet homebred Cazadero (Street Sense), who looks to take his record to a perfect three-for-three. The May foal, a son of MSW & GISP Wild Gams (Forest Wildcat), set a pressured early pace before romping clear by 8 3/4 lengths on Churchill debut May 29 and showed a bit of a new dimension last time, sitting off a faster tempo before kicking home to win the June 27 GIII Bashford Manor S. by 4 3/4 lengths. Cazadero will attempt to join former Asmussen trainees Cuvee (2003), Kodiak Kowboy (2007), Kantharos (2010) and fellow ‘Rising Star’ Copper Bullet (2017).

“It’s nice to have a couple of races under his belt heading into a race like this at Saratoga,” said Asmussen’s chief assistant Scott Blasi. “He came in very well-respected and hasn’t done anything wrong yet.”

First-call rider Ricardo Santana, Jr. retains the mount on Cazadero, while Joel Rosario takes the call on Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music), a 2 1/2-length maiden winner at first asking in Louisville June 19. Second on that occasion was Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}), who franked the form of the winner when swooshing home to graduate by 8 1/4 lengths at Keeneland July 11, good for the ‘Rising Star’ nod. Jose Ortiz, aboard in Lexington, is at the controls again Friday.

Fresh off a 6 1/2-length defeat of hot favorite Mo Mischief (Into Mischief) in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden over this track July 18, ‘Rising Star’ Momos (Distorted Humor) will try to give Christophe Clement a seventh black-type win at the meet in the Special instead of just waiting for the meet-ending GI Runhappy Hopeful S. over seven furlongs Sept. 7.

“He’s coming back a little quick with three weeks in between races,” Clement said. “I could have trained for the Hopeful, but this is the best of the choices, so to speak. I just would like to keep him going short in a stakes on dirt and this was the logical one. He seems to be very fast, so why change something that is working?”

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Cazadero Bids For Third Straight In Saratoga Special

A field of 11 juveniles will look to make their star turn in Friday's 114th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite going six furlongs over the main track at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Rich in history, the Saratoga Special has been a launching pad for eventual champion horses dating all the way back to 1907 when Hall of Famer Colin won the event en route to an undefeated 15-for-15 career. In 1914, Regret won the Saratoga Special before becoming the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby the following year. Other prominent winners of the historic race include champions Morvich (1921), Blue Larkspur (1928), Top Flight (1931), Whirlaway (1941), Native Dancer (1952), Nearctic (1956), Bold Forbes (1975), Conquistador Cielo (1981), and Favorite Trick (1997).

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will attempt five victories in the Saratoga Special when saddling Cazadero, who is the lone starter in the field with a graded stakes triumph.

Owned and bred by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables, the bay son of Street Sense won the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 27 at Churchill Downs in his most recent start, which came after an 8 3/4-length romp on debut at the Louisville oval.

Cazadero has gotten acclimated to the Oklahoma training track, recording three works including a three-eighths bullet in 37.60 seconds on August 2.

Asmussen and Stonestreet teamed up to win the 2010 Saratoga Special with Kantharos, who also entered the race off a first-out Churchill maiden win followed by the Bashford Manor.

“Its nice to have a couple of races under his belt heading into a race like this at Saratoga,” said Asmussen's chief assistant Scott Blasi. “He came in very well-respected and hasn't done anything wrong yet.”

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. will retain the mount from post 6.

Asmussen also will saddle Jackie's Warrior, a bay son of Maclean's Music who won on debut on June 19 at Churchill Downs defeating next out winner and fellow Saratoga Special aspirant Therideofalifetime.

Owned by J. Kirk Robison, Jackie's Warrior registered an 81 Beyer for the effort, the same number that stablemate Cazadero recorded in his career debut.

“It was a very impressive maiden special weight at Churchill. Fast times and talented horses as well,” Blasi said. “With these babies you just have to get some experience in them and hope that they continue to move forward.”

Jockey Joel Rosario will be aboard from post 10.

Trainer Christophe Clement will attempt a seventh stakes win of the meet when saddling Momos for Ironhorse Racing Stable and Secure Investments.

The son of Distorted Humor was an impressive 6 ½-length winner in his Saratoga career debut on July 18.

“He's coming back a little quick with three weeks in between races,” Clement said. “I could have trained for the [Grade 1, $250,000 Runhappy] Hopeful [on September 7] going seven-eighths at the end of the meet, but this is the best of the choices, so to speak. I just would like to keep him going short in a stakes on dirt and this was the logical one. He seems to be very fast, so why change something that is working?”

Jockey Manny Franco retains the mount from post 7.

Stephen Fidel's Therideofalifetime boasts the highest career speed figure when registering an 85 Beyer in his second start when romping to an 8 ¼-length win at Keeneland on July 11.

Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, the chestnut colt is by Candy Ride and the first progeny out of the stakes-winning Proud Citizen broodmare Cosmic Evolution.

Jockey Jose Ortiz will pilot Therideofalifetime from post 9.

Breeze Easy's Roderick will attempt to mimic a sensational 8 ¼-length win on debut as he breaks from the far outside for trainer Wesley Ward.

The son of Into Mischief garnered a 73 Beyer for the win in the five-furlong maiden on June 21 Belmont Park, where he defeated next-out winner Zippy Baby.

A $550,000 purchase from last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Roderick is out of the Cherokee Run mare Cayala and is a full-sister to graded stakes winner One Liner. He comes from the same family as Grade 1 winners Daredevil and Albertus Maximus.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. returns aboard Roderick and will attempt a third Saratoga Special victory.

Trainer Antonio Sano sent out eventual multimillionaire Gunnevera to a 2016 Saratoga Special victory and will attempt to do the same with Magic Stables' Papetu, who breaks from post 1.

Like Sano's previous Saratoga Special winner, Papetu also is a chestnut son by Dialed In and arrives off a five-length maiden triumph at Gulfstream Park en route to an allowance optional claiming win on July 5 at the South Florida oval.

Papetu has trained forwardly heading into his graded stakes debut having recorded a half-mile drill over the main track at Gulfstream Park West in 47.60 seconds.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will ride Papetu.

Completing the field are Hold the Salsa [post 2, Dylan Davis], Garoppolo [post 3, Luis Saez], Caramel Chip [post 4, Luis Cardenas], Pickin' Time [post 5, Javier Castellano], and Market Alert [post 8, Jose Lezcano].

The Saratoga Special is slated as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Street Sense Colt Cazadero Punctual Favorite In Bashford Manor

Odds-on favorite Cazadero reaffirmed his dazzling 8 3/4-length debut win with another impressive performance at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in Saturday's 119th running of the $100,000 Bashford Manor (Grade III), beating County Final by 4 3/4 lengths while running six furlongs in 1:09.73.

Sent to post as the 2-5 favorite in a field of seven 2-year-olds, Stonestreet Stables' homebred Cazadero tracked pacesetter County Final, who blitzed his way to the front through swift fractions of a :21.24 and :45.12. Off the turn, jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. shook the reins on Cazadero, who quickly drew even with the leader at the three-sixteenths pole and asserted himself in deep stretch for the comfortable victory.

“He is an incredibly nice horse,” Santana said. “We sat in a really good spot today and was very comfortable. He kept finding his stride throughout the stretch.”

It was the record sixth Bashord Manor win for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who previously won the juvenile event with Lunarpal (2004), Kodiak Kowboy (2007), Kantharos (2010), Cinco Charlie (2014) and Sir Truebadour (2018).

“He's been a very fast horse in his training and handled everything very well today,” Asmussen said.

Cazadero's triumph was worth $60,760 and increased his bankroll to $106,160 with a perfect record in two starts. His debut win came May 29 at Churchill Downs in a five-furlong maiden special weight.

Cazadero is a 2-year-old son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense out of the Forest Wildcat mare Wild Gams. He was bred in Kentucky by his owner Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC.

“He was a later foal (born May 8, 2018) but we knew he was wickedly fast,” Banke said. “He grew up on our farm and has showed that speed in his two starts.”

Cazadero returned $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10. County Final, under James Graham at 16-1, paid $6.80 and $4.80 and finished 1 ¾ lengths in front of Herd Immunity who paid $4.60 to show under Brian Hernandez Jr. at 12-1.

Hulen, Hyperfocus, Gatsby and Crown and Coke completed the order of finish.

First run in 1902, the Bashford Manor is named for the former Louisville Thoroughbred breeding and racing farm that dominated the American racing scene in the early 1900s. George J. Long, a wealthy foundry owner, purchased Bashford Manor Farm in 1887 and developed his Thoroughbred operation that provided him two Derby wins as an owner, 1892 (Azra) and 1906 (Sir Huon), and three as a breeder, 1892 (Azra), 1899 (Manuel) and 1906 (Sir Huon). In addition, Bashford Manor also won the Kentucky Oaks in 1894 (Selika) and 1915 (Kathleen). The original Wilder family owned Bashford Manor. The Wilders were direct descendants of Lord Baltimore, whose English home was also called Bashford Manor. Long died in 1930 and the farm was eventually sold in 1973 to make way for the development of a mall complex, fittingly named Bashford Manor, that formally closed in 2003.

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Midnight Bisou Leading Charge Of The Asmussen Brigade On Churchill’s Closing Weekend

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is poised to close the 2020 Churchill Downs Spring Meet on a charge with 15 horses entered in the final three days of racing including 2019 Champion Older Dirt Female Midnight Bisou (3-5 on the morning line) in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis (GII) and promising juvenile Cazadero (8-5) in the $100,000 Bashford Manor (GIII).

“We're very grateful to be able to run horses of this quality during this 'new normal,'” Asmussen said. “Even though the schedule of racing has been altered, we remain grateful to have horses like (Midnight Bisou) to be able to run in stakes races such as the Fleur de Lis.”

Saturday's 11-race program is highlighted by the $500,000 Stephen Foster (GII) but many racing fans will be focused on the Fleur de Lis with a star-studded matchup between Midnight Bisou and last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Serengeti Empress.

“This has been an unprecedented year in more ways than one,” Asmussen said. “The (national) stakes schedule has not been as traditional as it used to be. We gave (Midnight Bisou) ample time to get over the trip and effort she put in at the world's richest horse race (the $20 million Saudi Cup) in February. She was quarantined in Chicago and eventually moved to Keeneland thereafter. Her time off lasted longer than expected, which wasn't ideal at the time but is now.”

Midnight Bisou (20-12-5-3—$7,250,000) has been nothing short of spectacular throughout her 20-race career. The now 5-year-old mare began her career on the 2018 Road to the Kentucky Oaks with victories in the $200,000 Santa Ynez (GII), $100,000 Santa Ysabel (GIII) and $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (GI) with previous trainer Bill Spawr. Midnight Bisou finished third behind Monomoy Girl in the 2018 Kentucky Oaks (GI).

“She's always been a beautifully kind filly to train,” Asmussen said. “She's become more confident in her training over the last two years.”

Saturday's Fleur de Lis is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Distaff Division” series race. The winner will get an automatic berth to the season-ending championship race on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“Her next two races will likely determine which (Breeders' Cup) race we could point toward,” Asmussen said. “We have constantly discussed where we are at with her training and progression but we know how well she performed against some of the world's best racehorses in Saudi.”

The Fleur de Lis field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Go Google Yourself (Brian Hernandez Jr., Paul McGee, 8-1); Another Broad (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 12-1); Chocolate Kisses (Declan Carroll, Mark Casse, 12-1); Serengeti Empress (Joe Talamo, Tom Amoss, 2-1); Midnight Bisou (Mike Smith, Asmussen, 3-5); Red Dane (Corey Lanerie, Charlie LoPresti, 50-1); and Motion Emotion (Julien Leparoux, Richard Baltas, 15-1).

Another top contender for the Asmussen barn entered Saturday is Stonestreet Stables' debut winner Cazadero in the Bashford Manor. The precocious 2-year-old son of Street Sense won his debut by 8 ¾ lengths at odds of 5-1. Asmussen's go-to rider Ricardo Santana Jr. will be in the irons for the six-furlong Bashford Manor, which will go as Race 8 on Saturday.

The Bashford Manor field, which features all first-out maiden winners, from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Crown and Coke (Miguel Mena, James Lawrence II, 30-1); Hulen (Corey Lanerie, Steve Asmussen, 5-1); Gatsby(Tyler Gaffalione, Juan Alvarado, 4-1); Hyperfocus (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 4-1); Herd Immunity (Brian Hernandez Jr., Peter Miller, 9-2); Cazadero (Ricardo Santana Jr., Asmussen, 8-5); and County Final (James Graham, John Ennis, 6-1).

Entering the final three days of the meet, Asmussen remained one win behind Dale Romans, 742-to-741, for the all-time leading trainer mark at Churchill Downs. Asmussen surpassed Romans' mark earlier in the meet but, in turn, Romans won five races in less than two weeks to retake his spot on top.

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