cross border | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Horse For Course’ Cross Border Brings Top Form To Sword Dancer

A winner of 10 races and nearly $1 million in purse earnings, Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border has saved his best for Saratoga. Trainer Mike Maker, enjoying a spectacular summer of his own at the Spa, is hoping to continue the magic in Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer.

The 1 ½-mile Sword Dancer, a 'Win and You're In' for the Grade 1, $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf November 6 at Del Mar, is one of seven graded-stakes – six of them Grade 1 – worth $4.6 million in purses on a blockbuster program highlighted by the 152nd running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Runhappy Travers.

Cross Border, a 7-year-old New York-bred son of turf champion English Channel, has made seven of his 35 career starts at Saratoga with six wins and a second, the latter coming in last year's Sword Dancer. Of his $948,821 lifetime bankroll, $544,400 has been earned at the Spa.

“He's a horse for course. I hope we have another rabbit to pull out of the hat,” Maker said. “I wish I knew [why]. I wouldn't have to train horses. The horse never has a bad hair day. He always looks well and trains well. Obviously, he has an affinity for up here, where he's had his best performances. So, we'll take it.”

Cross Border turned in one of his best efforts to date last out to win the Grade 2 Bowling Green by 1 ¼ lengths July 31. It was his second career graded triumph, the other coming in last year's Bowling Green following the disqualification of first-place finisher Sadler's Joy, who edged Cross Border by a neck at the wire.

“His last race was spectacular,” Maker said. “Obviously, we had a great setup and we'd have no problem getting that again.”

Cross Border has placed in four other graded-stakes, beaten a neck in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight in 2020 and third by 2 ¼ lengths in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf January 23, both at Gulfstream Park. He was a distant but decisive seconds in last year's Sword Dancer, won by Channel Maker over a course listed as soft.

The 2-1 program favorite for the Sword Dancer is Grade 1 United Nations winner Tribhuvan. Cross Border is the third choice in a field of seven at odds of 4-1.

“Last year we had a lot of rain and it was probably a bit softer than he would prefer,” Maker said, “But he still put in a good effort.”

Also for Three Diamonds Farm on Saturday, Maker will send out Doubly Blessed in the Grade 1, $600,000 Forego for older horses sprinting seven furlongs, marking the graded debut for the 4-year-old Empire Maker gelding.

“We entered an allowance race and it failed to fill, so we figured we'd give this a shot,” Maker said. “He's been doing great. Hopefully, he gets a hot pace to run into. We're looking forward to it.”

Doubly Blessed has not raced since May 29 when he scored by 1 ½ lengths in a second-level optional claimer in the Belmont Park slop. In his only other stakes appearance, he ran fourth in the 1 3/8-mile Stud Muffin March 27 at Aqueduct.

After beginning his career with seven turf races, the first two for previous trainer Jonathan Thomas, Maker moved Doubly Blessed to the dirt this year and he has responded with four wins and a second from six starts including three in a row at Aqueduct to open 2021.

“He had worked well on the dirt and we weren't getting the results we were expecting on the turf, so we figured we'd give it a shot,” Maker said. “Since he came off the turf, he turned the corner and has become a nice horse for us.”

Prior to the Forego, the shortest Doubly Blessed has run is one mile – the distance of each of his three wins this winter. Meet-leading rider Luis Saez will be aboard from post position 5 in a field of seven that includes Grade 1 winners Firenze Fire, Lexitonian, Mind Control, Mischevious Alex and Whitmore and 5-2 morning-line favorite Yaupon. Doubly Blessed is listed at 15-1.

“The competition is the main thing. The seven-eighths, one-turn doesn't bother me,” Maker said. “It's a pretty salty field. We're going to find out how he fits.”

Maker said Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife was doing well out of her third-place finish in the Grade 1 Alabama August 21, which followed back-to-back wins in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan May 14 at Pimlico Race Course and Grade 3 Iowa Oaks July 2 at Prairie Meadows.

“She's never missed a bite of grain coming out of the race and this morning she was a handful, so we're happy,” Maker said. “She ran a big race, and she came out of it super. We're pointing to the Cotillion.”

The Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles will be run September 25 at Parx Racing.

The post ‘Horse For Course’ Cross Border Brings Top Form To Sword Dancer appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Luis Saez Voted Jockey Of The Week After Graded Stakes Double

With two graded stakes wins including the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Luis Saez was voted Jockey of the Week for July 26 through August 1. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

On Saturday at Saratoga, trainer Brad Cox called on regular rider Luis Saez to pilot Champion Essential Quality in the highly anticipated Jim Dandy at nine furlongs. Starting for the first time since his victory in the G1 Belmont Stakes in June, Essential Quality was the heavy favorite in the field of five breaking from post position five. Saez and Essential Quality were four wide into the first turn but within 2-1/2 lengths of the frontrunner Dr Jack. The duo continued four wide into the far turn. As the field turned for home, Saez and Essential Quality made a sweeping outside move to take command at the three-sixteenths, but had to dig-in when challenged by Joel Rosario on Keepmeinmind. It was a race down to the finish line with Essential Quality pulling clear in the shadow of the wire in a final time of 1:49.92.

“I saw him (Keepmeinmind), but I had a lot horse and I knew he was going to finish,” said Saez.

Saez continued his winning ways in the next race, the Grade 2 Bowling Green. Riding for trainer Mike Maker, Saez and defending champion Cross Border were always within striking distance of the early leaders Channel Cat and Channel Maker. Saez angled Cross Border out from the rail out of the final turn to overtake Channel Cat in the final furlong and hit the wire in the front by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:16.36 for the 1-3/8 miles contest.

“He loves it here. This is a special horse that I love riding,” Saez said. “He always tries hard. Today he ran huge. It set up perfect with a good pace.”

Saez's weekly statistics were 41-8-4-6 for a 19.5% win rate and total purse earnings of $860,098 which led all riders. Saez was also leading rider in stakes earnings with $500,825.

Saez out polled fellow riders Corey Lanerie who won the Grade 2 Honorable Miss, Jose Lezcano who won the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Joel Rosario with two stakes wins, and Sheldon Russell with one stakes victory while registering his 1,500th career victory.

The post Luis Saez Voted Jockey Of The Week After Graded Stakes Double appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Wycoff’s Three Diamonds Farm Runners Find Their Niche On Turf

Meeting Cross Border in the winner's circle after his successful title defense in Saturday's Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga race course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., was a special moment for owner Kirk Wycoff. The long-missed sound of fans cheering, the magnitude of the 7-year-old's performance on the track, and the ever-significant ability to share the moment with his family; it all played a part in the emotion playing over Wycoff's face as he gave Cross Border a well-earned pat.

“We didn't go in thinking we were going to win, and a lot of people had kind of written him off, so for him to give that performance, it was very special,” Wycoff said. “I was glad for him that he got that double under his belt, and to see him win.”

The Mike Maker trainee is also listed as the winner of the 2020 edition of the Bowling Green, though that trip to the winner's circle came as a result of the disqualification of Sadler's Joy, who'd crossed the wire in front by a neck after impeding Cross Border at the sixteenth pole.

“Last year he did it with no fans and the disqualification, so it was nice to see him get the win today,” said Wycoff. “This horse has been a project, like so many we buy out of the horses of racing age sales in July.

“My son Jordan picked him out because of a race he ran for $16,000 at Woodbine, and we bought him for $100,000. He had multiple little issues, so we gave him time off like we do with all our horses. It took eight months until he was right. Whenever you own one that long — we bought him when he was four — you get attached to them and so does the whole team.”

Cross Border has been holding his own against some of the top turf horses in the United States for the past year, running second in the G1 Sword Dancer (Aug. 2020) and third in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf (Jan. 2021).

“I still think we could have won the Pegasus, but we didn't get the best trip,” Wycoff said. “In high level turf racing around two and three turns, the trip is extremely important; he got a great trip Saturday in the Bowling Green. He's a very handy horse, likes the tight turns at Saratoga and Gulfstream, so we'll keep that in mind when pointing him to future races.”

A return trip to the G1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga is likely the next target for Cross Border.

“It might be a little short for him, but he's definitely earned the right to run in a Grade 1 again,” said Wycoff.

Cross Border winning the Bowling Green

Meanwhile, Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm (named for his three children: Kirby, Ashley, and Jordan) will have several other runners coming up at Saratoga, including G2 Black-Eyed Susan and G3 Iowa Oaks winner Army Wife pointing to the Grade 1 Alabama.

Currently residing in Saratoga for the summer, Wycoff spent Monday afternoon at a charity golf event, and planned to accompany his wife Debra to the high-level show jumping competitions at Saugerties (about 1 ½ hours away) on other dark days. They'll reside in the bucolic horse racing town of upstate New York until it's time to head south for the Kentucky Downs meet.

Wycoff has loved horses for as long as he can remember, from taking riding lessons as a young man in Pennsylvania to acquiring his training license at Penn National as a hobby during college. He remembers mucking 40 stalls every morning before heading off to class!

Wycoff and his wife met through horse racing 44 years ago, and Debra is still riding today.

“My wife loves the jumpers, and still shows her amateur jumpers,” Wycoff said, referring to a division in which the height of the jumps is up to 1.3 meters, or approximately 4 feet, three inches. “It does make me nervous, certainly, but after 40 years of marriage, what you want as a husband is your wife to have a smile on her face.”

[Story Continues Below]

A managing partner of the Philadelphia-based private equity firm Patriot Financial Partners, Wycoff decided to get back into horse racing in the early 2000s, once he and Debra's children were old enough.

The couple ramped up their participation around 2010 when they were first introduced to Maker.

“We wanted to compete, to win, and in studying the business, we realized that we were not in a position then or now to buy very expensive, well-bred dirt yearlings and 2-year-olds,” Wycoff explained. “We love turf racing because it's typically very close, so we concentrated on a part of the business where people didn't want to be. A lot of thought has to go into the horses you buy and where you race them, and we had to find trainers who could train two-turn turf horses.

“It was apparent to us six years ago, when we claimed Bigger Picture, that horses that were middle level claiming horses at 1 1/16 miles could be stakes horses at 1 ¼, 1 ½ miles, if they were bred appropriately. According to my bloodstock advisers, I've unfortunately now made that obvious to everyone else!”

The Wycoffs and Maker have had significant success claiming horses and turning them into stakes competitors. Bigger Picture is at the top of that list: a $32,000 claim in November of 2015, he went on to win the G3 Red Smith in 2016, and the G3 John B. Connally Turf Cup and G1 United Nations in 2017.

Other claimers-turned-graded-stakes-competitors for the Wycoffs include Gianna's Dream and Roman Approval.

The Wycoffs have also found success with purchases from the sales rings including: G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Fire At Will, G1 winner Next Question, multiple G3 winner Field Pass, and G2 winner Hembree.

One of the benefits of having turf horses that run long, Wycoff explained, is being able to have sound horses into their 6- and 7-year-old seasons who often go on to have successful second careers. While his son Jordan particularly enjoys the racing aspect of the family business, Wycoff's eldest daughter prefers the aftercare side, and now has a four-stall barn of her own in Chester County.

Bringing the Wycoffs full circle is the fact that they just closed on a horse farm of their own in Lexington, Ky. It's a combination show jumping/Thoroughbred facility just a few miles away from the Kentucky Horse Park, and it's the first farm the couple has owned in over 40 years.

“Today the fence man sent me the bill to repair the fencing,” Wycoff quipped. “You know, whatever you plan for, it might not be what's next, but there's always something to be grateful for.”

The post Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Wycoff’s Three Diamonds Farm Runners Find Their Niche On Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Nets $26,699 For Winning Tickets

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 5 featuring action from Saratoga Race Course, Woodbine Race Track, and Monmouth Park, paid $26,699 for selecting all five winners for the 50-cent wager. The total pool was $125,652.

Four graded stakes comprised the wager, starting with the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks for 3-year-old fillies in Race 10 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. Leader of the Band, a 10-1 selection for trainer John Servis, posted a two-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile contest, hitting the wire in 1:43.44 under jockey Frankie Pennington. Leader of the Band returned $22.60 on a $2 win wager.

Lexitonian provided an even bigger upset in the $350,000 Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt in Saratoga's Race 8. The Jack Sisterson trainee, off at 34-1, dueled Special Reserve from the top of the stretch before kicking away under jockey Jose Lezcano for a half-length win, paying $70. Lexitonian, the biggest price in the nine-horse field, completed the six-furlong sprint in 1:09.38.

Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario got in on the action when Souper Munnings, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, bested Grey Seal by a neck to win a seven-furlong turf allowance for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Race 9. Souper Munnings, ridden by Patrick Husbands, won as the favorite, completing the course in 1:23.15 and returning $7.90.

Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., completed the final two legs, starting with Essential Quality's half-length win over Keepmeinmind in the $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles in Race 9. Essential Quality, who entered off a win in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes last out, set himself up for a potential start in the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 28 with his Jim Dandy score under jockey Luis Saez. The defending Champion 2-Year-Old paid $2.80 as the favorite, notching a final time of 1:49.92.

Cross Border closed the wager with a 1 1/4-length win in the $250,000 Grade 2 Bowling Green for 4-year-olds and up on the inner turf in Race 10. The Mike Maker trainee repeated as the Bowling Green winner, with Saez aboard, as the son of English Channel won the 1 3/8-mile marathon in 2:16.36. Cross Border paid $14.40.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

The post Saturday’s Cross Country Pick 5 Nets $26,699 For Winning Tickets appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post