Collusion Illusion | Horse Racing Free Tips

Collusion Illusion, Fashionably Fast Top ‘Win And You’re In’ Bing Crosby

The 3-year-old Collusion Illusion and the 5-year-old Fashionably Fast lead a nine-horse field of talented sprinters in Saturday's 6-furlong, $250,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) on NBCSN, with live coverage from Del Mar beginning at 7 p.m. ET. The Bing Crosby winner will receive an automatic berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The three-hour program, in association with TVG, marks the fifth telecast this year in the “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing” on NBC and NBCSN from some of North America's most iconic racetracks. The series leads to the 37th Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., scheduled for Nov. 6-7 on NBC and NBCSN. The complete series TV schedule can be accessed here.

Commentary and discussion for the telecast will be anchored by TVG's Todd Schrupp and Simon Bray. Post time for the Bing Crosby is 9:30 p.m. ET.

Collusion Illusion, trained by Mark Glatt and ridden by Flavien Prat, has won four of five starts, but will be challenging older horses for the first time. He comes into the Bing Crosby off an excellent performance in the 6 ½-furlong Lazaro Barrera Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park on June 20, winning by 3 ¼ lengths. Owned by Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider and John Xitco, Collusion Illusion won both his starts at Del Mar last year, breaking his maiden at 5 furlongs in July, and following up that performance with a win in the Best Pal Stakes (G2).

Collusion Illusion made his next start in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park on Sept. 27, and was pulled up in the stretch. After a nearly eight-month layoff, he returned in May for his 3-year-old debut with a sharp 3-length win in a 6-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita.

California-bred Fashionably Fast, trained by Dean Pederson and ridden by Tiago Pereira, won six consecutive races dating back to July of last year, including three at Del Mar, before stepping into graded stakes company in the 7-furlong Triple Bend (G2) at Santa Anita on June 7. He put up a tough battle against top older horse McKinzie into the stretch, but finished second by 1 ½ lengths.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert entered McKinzie in the Bing Crosby, but said Wednesday that he would be scratched.

Prior to the Triple Bend, Fashionably Fast opened this year winning the California Cup Sprint Stakes and the Tiznow Stakes at Santa Anita.

A challenge from Kentucky comes from Calumet Farm's 4-year-old Lexitonian, who is being shipped to California following a scratch at the gate in last Saturday's Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. A chestnut son of 2004 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Speightstown, Lexitonian, trained by Jack Sisterson and ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, finished third by less than a length in last October's Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. After a 10th-place finish in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn in April, Lexitonian rebounded with a solid win in a 7-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs on May 29.

Harris Farm's 6-year-old gelding Desert Law fought Cistron down the stretch in last year's Bing Crosby Stakes, finishing second by a half-length. A California-bred son of Desert Code, trained by Carla Gaines, Desert Law made his first start of this year in the 6-furlong Thor's Echo Stakes on June 13 at Santa Anita, finishing third as the even-money favorite. Desert Law will be ridden by Victor Espinoza.

W.C. Racing's 4-year-old gelding Wildman Jack, winner of four of nine starts, will make his dirt track debut on Saturday. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Wildman Jack, a bay son of two-time Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Goldencents, made his biggest career score on March 7 when he captured the Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint (G3) in stakes-record time at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. He was scheduled to make his next start in the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) at Meydan but the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. He returned to the U.S. and won the Daytona Stakes (G3) on the turf at Santa Anita on May 23 by a nose over Sparky Ville. However, in his most recent start, he trailed the field in the Shakertown Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on July 11.

The post Collusion Illusion, Fashionably Fast Top ‘Win And You’re In’ Bing Crosby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Glatt: Kentucky Derby ‘On Our Radar’ After Barrera Win By Collusion Illusion

Although it appeared Bob Baffert's Ragtime Blues may have had matters in-hand at the top of the stretch, the Mark Glatt-conditioned Collusion Illusion had only begun to fight, as he kicked into high gear and motored to an impressive 3 ¼-length tally in Saturday's Grade III, $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Flavien Prat, the bay colt by Twirling Candy got 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.03 and has his connections thinking about the first Saturday in September.

Breaking alertly from the rail in a field of five, Collusion Illusion was unhurried early as Phantom Boss and Ragtime Blues disputed the early running heading to the far turn. With Mike Smith encouraging Ragtime Blues, he assumed command a half mile out and appeared to get the jump on Collusion Illusion as he opened up a three length advantage a quarter mile from home.

“He had me a little worried there at the top of the stretch, but I think he's a pretty smart horse and Flavien has a lot of confidence in him,” said Glatt. He's very athletic, there's no wasted action in his stride.”

Is the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 a possibility?

“It's on our radar,” said Glatt, whose horse appeared to gallop out in front around the Club House turn by half a football field. “We paid the late supplement ($3,000). I don't know what's next. I just wanted to get by today. We'll need to stretch him out and figure out how to get enough points.”

A stirring three-length allowance winner going six furlongs off a 7 ½ month layoff on May 17, Collusion Illusion was off at 2-5 and paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10.

Owned by Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider and John Xitco, Collusion Illusion, who is out of the First Dude mare Natalie Grace, picked up his second graded stakes win and now has four wins from five career starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $248,751.

“Mike Smith opened up a little at the turn, so I wasn't super confident, but I knew as soon as we turned for home, if we switched leads, he would give me a good kick,” said Prat, who is now three for three aboard “Collusion.”

Ragtime Blues, who had won two of his three starts and was trying stakes competition for the first time, offered little resistance late while finishing 3 ¼ lengths in front of longshot Howbeit. Off at 2-1, Ragtime Blues returned $2.20 and $2.10.

Off at 43-1 with Umberto Rispoli, Howbeit paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.90, 44.73 and 1:09.66.

The post Glatt: Kentucky Derby ‘On Our Radar’ After Barrera Win By Collusion Illusion appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Collusion Illusion Headlines Short Field in Lazaro Barrera

Collusion Illusion (Twirling Candy) tops a five-horse renewal of the GIII Lazaro Barrera S. Saturday at Santa Anita. Opening his account with a pair of wins last summer at Del Mar, including the GII Best Pal S., the bay was pulled up and walked off in the GI American Pharoah S. when trying two turns at Santa Anita Sept. 27. Cut back to six panels for his sophomore bow in Arcadia May 17, he scored a decisive three-length victory.

Ragtime Blues (Union Rags) represents the powerhouse barn of Bob Baffert. Runner-up to the reopposing Howbeit (Secret Circle) on debut at Los Alamitos in September, the bay graduated next out at Oaklawn Apr. 24 and followed suit with an optional claimer score in Arcadia May 25.

Alcools (Gemologist) won on debut on the synthetic at Woodbine for owner/trainer Wayne Rice last August, after which he was privately purchased by Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber and transferred to Peter Miller. Ninth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint S. Sept. 7, he was sixth next out sprinting on dirt at Keeneland Oct. 5 and romped by 6 3/4 lengths going two turns on the Churchill main track 22 days later.

Rounding out the field is Phantom Boss (Shackleford), winner of the GIII Bashford Manor S. last term. He was last seen finishing fourth when trying turf in the local Desrto Code S. June 6 and the aforementioned Howbeit was also fourth last time in a main track optional claimer her May 25.

The post Collusion Illusion Headlines Short Field in Lazaro Barrera appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Collusion Illusion, Ragtime Blues Faceoff In Lazaro Barrera Stakes

Fresh off a huge allowance score going six furlongs, trainer Mark Glatt's talented Collusion Illusion will stretch out a half-furlong and make his second start off an extended vacation as he heads Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. The Barrera, named for the late Hall of Fame trainer, has attracted a field of five sophomores going 6 ½ furlongs.

Bob Baffert's speedy Ragtime Blues, a winner of his last two starts, will get the first time services of Mike Smith and also figures prominently in what will be his fourth career start.

COLLUSION ILLUSION: Owner: Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider & John Xitco; Trainer: Mark Glatt
An impressive winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar in his second start on July 21, this Florida-bred colt by Twirling Candy was then eased in the Grade 1, 1 1/16 mile American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27 and didn't resurface until May 17, whereupon he was a dazzling three-length allowance winner from off the pace going six furlongs. With Flavien Prat engaged to ride him back, Collusion Illusion looms large in the Barrera.

RAGTIME BLUES: Owner: SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable, LLC, Stonestreet Stables, LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III, John D. Fielding & Golconda Stables; Trainer: Bob Baffert
Second in his 5 ½-furlong debut at Los Alamitos on Sept. 21, this colt by Union Rags made his next start on April 24 at Oaklawn Park, as he led throughout and broke his maiden by a head going six furlongs. Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., at Santa Anita on May 25, Ragtime Blues was the 4-5 favorite in a six furlong allowance, a race he again went gate to wire in, winning by 2 ¼ lengths. With Smith taking over in his fourth start, he'll try to stretch his speed another sixteenth of a mile and will hope to hold the top choice off in deep stretch.

G3 LAZARO BARRERA STAKES
WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 12 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Collusion Illusion—Flavien Prat—124
Ragtime Blues—Mike Smith—122
Phantom Boss—Tiago Pereira—124
Alcools—Abel Cedillo—122
Howbeit—Umberto Rispoli—120

First post time for a 12-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Collusion Illusion, Ragtime Blues Faceoff In Lazaro Barrera Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post