Chad Brown | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sunday Racing Insights: Hyped-Up Bezos Makes First Start for Avengers

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5th-SA, $61K, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, 4:03 p.m. ET

The day has finally arrived for the buzzed-about Bezos (Empire Maker) to kick off his career for Bob Baffert and the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers. The $400,000 KEESEP yearling has been working so well at Santa Anita that he was bet down to 26-1 in the GI Kentucky Derby future pool that closed Jan. 24 without having yet made an afternoon appearance. His tab includes a :59.40 (1/39) gate breeze Jan. 21 in which he bested graded-placed older stablemate Speed Pass (Bodemeister) by some five lengths (XBTV Video). The bay is a half to MSP Fortunate Girl (Hard Spun) from the family of GSWs Palmeiro (Pleasant Tap), Dynaslew (Dynaformer) and 2019 GII Remsen S. winner Shotski (Blame).

Baffert has also entered Michael Lund's Tivoli Twirl (Twirling Candy). The bay was a $95,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling turned $375,000 OBS April juvenile after a :10 flat breeze. He's been working quickly at Santa Anita as well, and prepped for this with a :59.20 (1/64) solo five eighths last Sunday (XBTV Video). The bay is a half to MSW Saythreehailmary's (Repent) and SW Afleet Alexandra (Northern Afleet).

Three runners hit the board in their respective debuts, with Mr. Impossible (Munnings) the toughest-looking of that bunch on paper. The Simon Callaghan trainee earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure when running second here Jan. 15 to Baffert 'TDN Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense). He's out of graded-winning turfer Qaraaba (GB) (Shamardal), already the dam of GSW and GISP Californiagoldrush (Cape Blanco {Ire}) and last year's GII Zenyatta S. heroine Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo).

Twin Creeks homebred Law Professor (Constitution) is out of a MSW half-sister to pricey GISW Celestine (Scat Daddy).

TJCIS PPs

6th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:10 p.m. ET

Favored on the morning line at 5-2 in this stacked field is Repole Stable's Iced Latte (Pioneerof the Nile). The $250,000 KEESEP yearling is out of fellow Todd Pletcher pupil Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon), winner of the 2010 GI Ruffian H. for late owner/breeder Ned Evans. From a typically deep family, Malibu Prayer sold for $2 million in foal to Smart Strike during the blockbuster dispersal of Evans's stock at the 2011 Keeeneland November sale.

Peter Brant's Boston Post Road (Quality Road) was a $525,000 FTSAUG yearling bred on the same cross as her connections' GISW Dunbar Road (Quality Road). She's a full to MSW and GSP Top Quality and a granddaughter of GSW Sweet Fervor (Seeking the Gold) from the family of GSWs Concerto, Illusioned and Codified.

Brant's cousin Joe Allen also gets in on the action with $650,000 Keeneland September acquisition Red Hot and Blue (Candy Ride {Arg}). The rail-drawn Shug McGaughey pupil hails from the extended female family of McGaughey-trained Phipps standouts like Point of Entry, Pine Island and Pleasant Home.

Sabana Farm homebred Hitech Is Back (Outwork) is out of stakes winner Hitechnoweenie (Harlan's Holiday), making her a half to last year's local GIII Forward Gal S. and GII Davona Dale s. heroine Tonalist's Shape (Tonalist). Dream About Me (Medaglia d'Oro) was a $450,000 Saratoga yearling out of a daughter of GISW juvenile Mi Sueno (Pulpit) and granddaughter of GISW Madcap Escapade (Hennessy). TJCIS PPs

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Capo Kane Back for More in Withers

Bing Cherry Racing and Leonard Liberto's Capo Kane (Street Sense), a romping 6 1/4-length winner of the one-mile Jerome S. at Aqueduct Jan. 1, will look to add a furlong and a graded race to his resume in the GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct Saturday. Trained by Harold Wyner, the bay colt was runner-up in his seven-furlong debut at Parx Oct. 28. He graduated by a front-running 4 1/2 lengths going one mile and 70 yards at Parx Nov. 25 and had everything his own way when loose on the lead in the Jerome last time out.

Chad Brown sends out Klaravich Stable's Risk Taking (Medaglia d'Oro). Off the board sprinting over the main track at Belmont and over the Aqueduct lawn to open his career last fall, the bay colt graduated over track and trip Dec. 13.

Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out a pair of maiden winners in the Withers. Repole Stables, St Elias Stables and Michael Tabor's Overtook (Curlin), a $1-million KEESEP yearling, was a two-length winner while shedding blinkers in a one-mile special weight at Aqueduct in his third start Dec. 20.

“I think he's learning,” Pletcher said of the son of Grade I winner Got Lucky (A.P. Indy). “He's gained some confidence with the experience and we felt like the blinkers needed to come off. He got a nice hot pace to run at which helped. He's an improving horse who is bred to get better with more distance and more time. We've seen him making progress throughout the fall and winter. This is a big step up, but hopefully he's up for it.”

Pletcher also saddles Donegal Racing's Donegal Bay (Uncle Mo). The bay gelding opened his career with a sixth-place effort going 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga last August and was last seen romping to a front-running 4 1/4-length maiden score going one mile at Gulfstream Dec. 12.

“I think it was the additional time, having a start under his belt as well as having some good works leading into that,” Pletcher said of that graduation effort. “He also got a better start, which a lot of horses do in their second race. He has a pretty high-cruising speed. Pedigree-wise, he's bred to go that far. It's a big step up from a maiden race, but we're hoping for a big run.”

Donegal Bay has been prepping for his stakes debut at Pletcher's winter Florida base in Palm Beach Downs where he worked four furlongs in :49 flat (1/16) last Friday.

“It's a bit of a tricky race,” Donegal Racing's Jerry Crawford said. “This is the time of year where some horses get better and some don't, and he needs to get better on Saturday if he can turn himself into a contender. Obviously, there's a fair amount of front-end speed and they'll be asked to go a mile and an eighth at the same time. Donegal Racing has always been treated exceptionally well in New York and have had some good success up there.”

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Saturday’s Racing Insights: Pletcher Barn Sending Them Out in Droves

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7th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:10 p.m.

Todd Pletcher sends out a pair of flashy firsters in what looks like a particularly salty maiden event. Dupuis (Distorted Humor) will carry the same Robert and Lawana Low silks as his stablemate Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), winner of last month's GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. A $165,000 FTKOCT yearling, Dupuis topped the OBS July 2-year-old sale at $700,000 off of a :10 flat work. The Apr. 30 foal hails from the family of Florida speedsters Bahamian Squall and Apriority. The meet's leading trainer will also be represented by $400,000 KEESEEP yearling Democracy (Quality Road). He is a half to SW and MGSP turf sprinter Into Mystic (Into Mischief) out of a half to GSWs Savorthetime, Rogue Romance and Island Bound.

Collaborate (Into Mischief), trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. for a formidable partnership in Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing, is out of MGSW dirt router Quiet Temper (Quiet American) from a productive Phipps family. The $600,000 FTSAUG yearling's local series of works included a head-turning 1:00.07 bullet breeze from the gate Dec. 27 (XBTV video).

William Farish homebred Bears Watching (Karakontie {Jpn}) is half to none other than his connections' MGISW and $2.7-million earner Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}). Campeador (Jack Milton) is half to last year's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational romper Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man), while $125,000 FTKNOV weanling Black Belt (Not This Time) is out of fleet-footed GSW Pica Slew (Pico Central {Brz}). Mo More (Uncle Mo), a $390,000 September acquisition, is out of a half to GSW and MGISP Money Multiplier (Lookin At Lucky).

Debut runners-up Jeebar (Frosted) and Buck Moon (Malibu Moon) boast an experience edge. TJCIS PPs

10th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 4:44 p.m.

Todd Pletcher has two more sophomore colts set to try this one-turn mile. Siena Farm homebred Tallis (Uncle Mo) is the first foal out of her connections' MGSW front-running turfer Isabella Sings (Eskendereya). He'll be joined by $160,000 KEESEP buy Promise Keeper (Constitution), who was fourth in a sprint here Jan. 9. Promise Keeper's year-older half-brother War Stopper (Declaration of War) has won his last two locally for Pletcher in allowance company and could be poised for a return soon to stakes.

Chad Brown has a strong pair of his own. Higher Quality (Tiznow) was a $600,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase by Juddmonte. His stakes-placed dam is half to none other than champion 3-year-old and dual Classic winner Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet). Shadwell homebred Mutasallem (Union Rags) is out of a half to 1999 G1 Dubai World Cup winner Almutawakel (GB) (Machiavellian). He outworked recent Tampa runner-up St .Joe Louis (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by open lengths from the gate at Payson Park Jan. 11 (XBTV Video). TJCIS PPs

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Essential Quality Leads Group Of 326 Early Nominees To Triple Crown

Led by 2-year-old champion and two-time Grade 1 winner Essential Quality, a total of 326 3-year-old Thoroughbreds were made eligible to compete in this year's Triple Crown during the early nomination phase, which closed Jan. 23.

Each of the 326 horses from the 2018 foal crop were made eligible through a $600 payment to compete in any leg of the Triple Crown series. The 2021 Triple Crown opens Saturday, May 1 with the 147th running of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. The 146th Preakness, its 1 3/16-mile second jewel, is set for Saturday, May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. The 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes, the series' 1 ½-mile final leg, is scheduled for Saturday, June 5 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Essential Quality, owned by Godolphin, is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (GIII) on Feb. 15 at Oaklawn, according to his trainer Brad Cox. The champion 2-year-old of 2020 was one of 14 horses Cox nominated to this year's Triple Crown series.

Trainer Todd Pletcher led all conditioners with 45 horses nominated to the Triple Crown followed by Bob Baffert (23), Steve Asmussen (22) and Chad Brown (18).

Godolphin led all individual owners with 11 horses nominated followed by Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm with 10.

Overall, 42 stakes winners were nominated to the Triple Crown. Among them are Brooklyn Strong (Remsen); Caddo River (Smarty Jones); Capo Kane (Jerome); Fire At Will (Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf); Get Her Number (American Pharoah); Greatest Honour (Holy Bull); Jackie's Warrior (Champagne); Keepmeinmind (Kentucky Jockey Club); Life Is Good (Sham); Medina Spirit (Robert B. Lewis); Midnight Bourbon (Lecomte); Senor Buscador (Springboard Mile); Sittin On Go (Iroquois); Spielberg (Los Al Futurity).

Total nominations were 21 fewer horses than last year's 347 during the early stage, a slip of 6.1%.

Early Triple Crown Nominees by the numbers:

· $1.5 million: Tied for the highest public auction purchase price between Conquer the World (2019 Fasig Tipton August) and Golden Whim (2019 Keeneland September Yearling).

· 265: Number of Kentucky-bred horses. Other states represented are California (5), Florida (14), Illinois (1), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), New Jersey (1), New York (17), Pennsylvania (2), Virginia (1), Washington (2) and West Virginia (1).

· 20: Horses produced by top sire Into Mischief. He's followed by Curlin (14), Uncle Mo (14) and Constitution (13).

· 14: Horses foaled outside of the United States. Other countries are Canada (7), Ireland (4) and Japan (3).

· 13: Number fillies that were nominated. Among them are champion 2-year-old filly and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) winner Vequist and Ashland (GI) winner Simply Ravishing.

· 5: Number of horses nominated who are based in Japan including Zennippon Nisai Yushun winner Alain Barows (JPN) and Cattelya Sho winner Lemon Pop.

Horses not nominated during the early phase can be made eligible until Monday, March 29 with a $6,000 payment. Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through payment of a supplemental nomination fee due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: the Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($100,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

Thirteen horses have swept the Triple Crown series: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018).

The full list of Triple Crown nominees is available here: 2021 Early Triple Crown Nominees

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