Churchill Downs | Horse Racing Free Tips

Oct. 31 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

WELL-BRED GODOLPHIN FILLY DEBUTS AT CHURCHILL

8th-CD, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 4:36p.m.

Godolphin homebred ANOUSH (Candy Ride {Arg}) makes her career bow in this spot for trainer Brendan Walsh. A half to SW Sunset Wish (Malibu Moon), the bay’s second dam is GISW Cara Rafaela, who produced champion and top sire Bernardini (A.P. Indy) and the GISP dam of MGISW Love and Pride (A.P. Indy). Steve Asmussen unveils Whisper Hill homebred Happy Success (Bernardini), a half-sibling to Grade I-winning sire Brilliant Speed (Dyanformer) and SW & GSP Souper Speedy (Indian Charlie). This is also the family of Canadian Horse of the Year With Approval (Caro {Ire}); Canadian champion Serenading (A.P. Indy); and MGISW Touch Gold (Deputy Minister). Rigney Racing’s $425,000 KEESEP buy Minute Waltz (Nyquist) also debuts here. She is out of a half-sister to Grade I winners Justin Phillip (First Samurai), and Greenpointcrusader (Bernardini); as well as graded winners Successful Mission (Successful Appeal), Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory) and Algorithms (Bernardini). TJCIS PPs

The post Oct. 31 Insights appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Cox ‘A’ Team, Essential Quality Work Towards ‘Future Stars Friday’

A trio of Brad Cox-trained juveniles headed towards the ‘Future Stars Friday’ Breeders’ Cup program at Keeneland Nov. 6, got in their final major moves at soggy Churchill Downs Friday morning.

The first of the threesome at 9 a.m. was Godolphin’s ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Essential Quality (Tapit), who figures the second choice in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on the strength of his 3 1/4-length victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland Oct. 3. The hombred son of Grade III-placed Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality) worked five furlongs outside of his MGSW stablemate Mr. Misunderstood (Archarcharch) in 1:01, with early fractions of :12 flat and :24 1/5, according to track clocker John Nichols.

“Essential Quality is growing up well. He’s continuing to learn and I’m very pleased with how he’s progressing,” said Cox, who has won three Breeders ‘Cup races in the last two years. “He has a ton of raw talent which he’s shown in both of his starts. We added blinkers to him over the summer to help him focus a little bit more and they’ve really helped. We have experience around two turns and we have experience at Keeneland, which is always helpful. It’s 1 1/16 miles, so it’s a short stretch. You need to be in position when you turn for home.”

Next to hit the track was Abarta (Into Mischief), who completed the exacta for his sire behind ‘Rising Star’ Mutasaabeq in the GII Bourbon S. at Keeneland Oct. 4. Prepping for the Juvenile Turf, the $200,000 Keeneland September graduate breezed a half-mile in :47.60 outside of SW & GSP Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in splits of :11.60, :23.80 and :35 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.40.

“Abarta had a really nice late kick in the Bourbon to run second,” Cox said. “He didn’t have the best of trips but really showed some adversity that afternoon. I think it’s good he has already run well over that course.”

Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) earned her ‘Rising Star‘ at first asking at Churchill Sept. 1 and validated that effort with another front-running success in the GII JP Morgan Chase Jessamine S. in Lexington Oct. 7. Purchased for 280,000gns out of last year’s Tattersalls October sale, the bay drilled a half in :48.60 (:24.40, :36.80), starting her work two lengths behind the unraced Palm Cottage (American Pharoah).

“Aunt Pearl acted like she could really run at the start,” Cox commented. “The good ones kind of do that–they’ll let you know there is a lot of talent there. Given the pedigree, we were optimistic she’d be able to carry her speed around two turns. We thought about taking her to Saratoga over the summer, but when Churchill’s condition book came out I thought it might be better to keep her at home. It’s turned out really well so far.”

Other Breeders’ Cup-bound workers at Churchill included:

Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo, Juvenile fillies), 4f in :48.20
Sittin On Go (Brody’s Cause, Juvenile), 4f in :47.40
Smiley Sobotka (Brody’s Cause, Juvenile), 4f in :47.60
Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}), Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4f in :48.60

The post Cox ‘A’ Team, Essential Quality Work Towards ‘Future Stars Friday’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Cox-Trained ‘Future Stars’ Log Final Workouts Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup

With one week remaining until “Future Stars Friday” at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, trainer Brad Cox's 2-year-old trio of Abarta (Juvenile Turf), Aunt Pearl (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Essential Quality (Juvenile) logged their final works on Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

Godolphin's undefeated $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (Grade I) winner Essential Quality was the first of the Cox workers at 9 a.m. (all times Eastern). With Florent Geroux aboard, Essential Quality worked five furlongs in 1:01 outside of Flurry Racing's multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Misunderstood. The duo clipped through early fractions of :12.2 and :24.1, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

Moments later, Donegal Racing and Newton Anner Stud Farm's $200,000 Bourbon (GII) runner-up Abarta worked a half-mile in :47.60 outside of Juddmonte Farm's stakes winner Set Piece (GB). Abarta breezed through splits of :11.60, :23.80 and :35 with a five-furlong gallop out of 1:00.40.

Geroux returned to the track about 10 minutes later aboard Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael Kisber and The Elkstone Group's $150,000 Jessamine Stakes (GII) winner Aunt Pearl (IRE) and worked a half-mile in :48.60 outside unraced 2-year-old filly Palm Cottage. Aunt Pearl started two lengths behind her workmate and worked through fractions of :24.80 and :36.80.

“We have some really nice 2-year-olds in our barn this year,” Cox said. “A lot of them have already shown early promise. Essential Quality is growing up well. He's continuing to learn and I'm very pleased with how he's progressing. He has a ton of raw talent which he's shown in both of his starts. We added blinkers to him over the summer to help him focus a little bit more and they've really helped. We have experience around two turns and we have experience at Keeneland, which is always helpful. It's 1 1/16 miles, so it's a short stretch. You need to be in position when you turn for home.

“Abarta had a really nice late kick in the Bourbon to run second. He didn't have the best of trips but really showed some adversity that afternoon. I think it's good he has already run well over that course.

“Aunt Pearl acted like she could really run at the start. She and Essential Quality were two of them that really jumped out to us early in their training and showed they have some ability. The good ones kind of do that – they'll let you know there is a lot of talent there. Given the pedigree we were optimistic she'd be able to carry her speed around two turns. We thought about taking her to Saratoga over the summer but when Churchill's condition book came out I thought it might be better to keep her at home. It's turned out really well so far.”

Also on the Friday work tab was trainer Dale Romans trio of juvenile contenders: Girl Daddy (four furlongs, :48.20), Sittin On Go (four furlongs, :47.40) and Smiley Sobotka (four furlongs, :47.60). Trainer Mark Casse also worked Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) contender Spanish Loveaffair four furlongs in :48.60.

More than two inches of rain fell in the Louisville area on Thursday and it caused several trainers to alter their training for their Breeders' Cup contenders. There are 27 Breeders' Cup contenders scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs (with race): Arklow (Turf), Art Collector (Dirt Mile); Beau Recall (Mile), Bell's the One (Filly & Mare Sprint), By My Standards (Classic), Casa Creed (Mile), Crazy Beautiful (Juvenile Fillies), Factor This (Mile), Global Campaign (Classic), Got Stormy (Turf Sprint), Harvey's Lil Goil (Filly & Mare Turf), Hog Creek Hustle (Sprint), Knicks Go (Dirt Mile), Lady Kate (Distaff), Manny Wah (Sprint), Monomoy Girl (Distaff), Mr Freeeze (Dirt Mile), Mr Money (Dirt Mile), Owendale (Dirt Mile), Sally's Curlin (Filly & Mare Sprint), Sconsin (Filly & Mare Sprint), Silver Dust (Dirt Mile), Simply Ravishing (Juvenile Fillies), Swiss Skydiver (Distaff/Classic), Title Ready (Classic), Tom's d'Etat (Classic), War of Will (Dirt Mile).

In total, there are 43 Breeders' Cup contenders based at Churchill Downs and Trackside Louisville. That is the most of any location pre-entered into this year's event. Next is Keeneland with 39 contenders followed by 38 international runners, 25 from Belmont Park and 21 based at Santa Anita.

The post Cox-Trained ‘Future Stars’ Log Final Workouts Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

2021 Kentucky Derby: Churchill Hoping For 40-50 Percent Fan Capacity

Churchill Downs is hoping to welcome fans at as high as 50 percent capacity at the 2021 Kentucky Derby, CEO Bill Carstanjen told investors on Thursday's third-quarter earnings call. According to the Courier-Journal, Churchill's regular capacity is 165,000 people, so there could be as many as 82,500 fans at the Run for the Roses.

“We are starting with the assumption that we will limit the number of reserved seats to 40 to 50 percent of capacity, and we will delay selling any general admission tickets … until we are closer to the date of the Derby,” Carstanjen said.

Carstanjen added that he expects the company to retain the first Saturday in May date for the 2021 Kentucky Derby.