The online catalog for the single-session auction features Daily Racing Form and Equibase past performances along with Thoro-graph and Ragozin sheets, race replays and more.

Horses will be available for inspection at Keeneland on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The auction will start the next day at noon.

Highlighting the latest supplements are:

Dreamer's Disease, a gate-to-wire winner of the Delta Mile on Nov. 5 at Delta Downs to push his career earnings to more than $220,000. Bluewater Sales, agent, consigns the 4-year-old gelding.

Girl Afraid (Not This Time), a 2-year-old filly, was a 3 1/2-length maiden winner at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2. Out of the winning Dominus mare Dominating Woman, Girl Afraid is from the family of GI Preakness S. winner Codex and stakes winner Dance the Slew. She is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect.

Outofnothingatall (Super Saver) finished third in the Sorority S. at Monmouth Park in August and is entered in the My Trusty Cat S. on Friday at Delta Downs. The 2-year-old, who is from the family of Canadian Horse of the Year Peaks and Valleys and Grade III winner Cryptograph, is consigned by Bluewater Sales, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect.

Park On the Nile (Cairo Prince) was a debut winner at Churchill Downs and has earned more than $135,000 in two seasons of racing. The 3-year-old filly is from the family of Grade II winner Park Avenue Ball and stakes winner Beacon Hill Road. She is consigned by Hidden Brook, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect.

These supplements increase the total number of horses cataloged to the sale to 343.

Additional supplements will be considered until sale date.

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The seventh edition of the Better Talk Now, restricted to sophomores who have not won a stakes at a mile or over, saw Sifting Sands win his first career stakes and improve to 2-for-2 this year at Saratoga while extending trainer Chad Brown's meet-leading win total to 34 with six racing days remaining.

Sifting Sands broke well from the outermost post under jockey Manny Franco, tracking in third position as Dreamer's Disease led the eight-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in :23.79 and the half in :47.14 over firm going.

Jockey David Cohen kept Dreamer's Disease tucked inside out of the final turn and maintained the edge into the stretch, with three-quarters of a mile going in 1:10.96. Sifting Sands, who Franco put in the three-path when straightened for home, capitalized on running room by displaying an impressive late turn-of-foot, overtaking Wolfie's Dynaghost to his inside before collaring Dreamer's Disease in the final sixteenth, completing the course in a final time of 1:35.12.

“We learned not to get in his way too early. You can't grab him right away,” Franco said. “You have to give him his head and then when you get your position, just leave him comfortable. He seems like he likes it like that.”

The British-bred Sifting Sands won for the third time in five starts and for the second consecutive race after also getting his picture taken when besting allowance company on July 24 at Saratoga. The Dubawi colt, off at 8-1, returned $18.80 on a $2 win wager. He improved his career earnings to $139,190.

Brown said Sifting Sands has turned the corner after running a disappointing seventh in the 1 1/16-mile Woodhaven, his stakes debut in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., where he failed to make an impact after a wide trip with Franco aboard for the first time. The conditioner gave Franco the return call next out, with the move paying immediate dividends.

“I really have to compliment Manny. In his last two rides, they really worked as a team,” Brown said. “He had a disastrous race down at Aqueduct but we stuck with Manny because we thought we learned something with him and I learned a lot as well. He's really executed these last two races perfect by just letting him run. He can be a headstrong horse. He let him run into the first turn freely and get into position in his last two starts and that has made the difference.”

Sifting Sands raced just once as a juvenile, running sixth in his debut in September 2020 at Saratoga before being given a six-month freshening.

“Last summer here, [among] my male turf horses, he would have been in my top three I was looking forward to running. It just didn't work out in his 2-year-old year,” Brown said.

Brown said he could eventually stretch Siftings Sands out even further as he targets the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

“We'll see where he goes from here,” Brown said. “I think by the end of this year I could get this horse out to a mile and an eighth in the Hollywood Derby. We'll see between now and then what we do.”

Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith's Dreamer's Disease lost on a bad beat for a second consecutive time, having been bested by a neck last out when Step Dancer got up in the shadow of the wire in the New York Stallion Stakes Series Cab Calloway on July 28.

The Laoban gelding, who finished sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile last year at Keeneland for trainer Robertino Diodoro, still bested Wolfie's Dynaghost by two lengths for runner-up honors, earning stakes black type for a second time.

“He's a horse who can throw out some pretty rapid clips,” Cohen said. “You can see throughout his career for him a 23 and change and 47 is so much in his comfort zone and doing it easily; I was happy with those. Last time, we got away with a little slower times. We got run down by a good horse today. Congrats to the winner, but our horse dug in. I'm happy with his performance and he showed a lot of heart.”

Danzigwiththestars finished fourth, with Dr Jack, Ranger Fox, In Effect, and 3-1 favorite Straw Into Gold completing the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Wednesday with a 10-race card highlighted by the $150,000 Grade 3 With Anticipation for 2-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf in Race 9. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

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, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Sifting Sands Rallies Late To Win Better Talk Now At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trained by Robertino Diodoro and piloted by Joel Rosario, the Laoban bay was off a step slow from post 3 and raced behind horses as Midnight Bourbon set a moderate pace before being overtaken by Essential Quality, who prevailed by a neck.

“Nothing really went our way from the break. It was a very slow pace and we got trapped and never really got a clear run until it was way too late,” Diodoro said. “He ate dirt for a long ways and when things did open up at the top of the lane, you couldn't expect him to sprint home against those two horses after they went ;24, ;49 and 1:14. There was no pace to run at, at all.

“I think that's why Essential Quality had such a tough time getting by Midnight Bourbon down the lane; he walked everyone to sleep,” Diodoro added. “I thought we had him ready to go, but you need racing luck. He cooled out good last night. We'll let the horse tell us how he is and come up with a plan.”

Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith's maiden-winner Dream Lith worked a half-mile in :48.25 in company with 2-year-old gelding Paynt Your Wagon, who Diodoro claimed for $40,000 out of an off-the-board effort in his August 15 debut at the Spa.

“They were rolling right along,” Diodoro said. “We gave her something to run at and made sure she was in front at the wire. I thought she worked really well. She galloped out strong.”

Dream Lith, by Medaglia d'Oro, is pointed to the $300,000 Grade 1 Spinaway on September 5 at the Spa.

Flying P Stable's Lone Rock breezed a half-mile in :50.85 Saturday on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

The 6-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding has won seven of his last eight starts, including wins in the Grade 2 Brooklyn presented by Northwell Health in June at Belmont and the Birdstone last out on August 5 at the Spa.

Lone Rock is pointed to the 1 5/8-mile $300,000 Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational on September 18 at Belmont.

“Lone Rock is doing great. He'll ship down to Belmont next week and be ready for the 18th. He breezed great,” Diodoro said.

Diodoro boasts a record of 30-5-6-6 at the Spa summer meet heading into Sunday's card and will look to close strong with a number of stakes runners, including Dreamer's Disease who is entered in today's Better Talk Now.

“We'd like to pick off another win or two for sure, but it has been a good meet,” Diodoro said.

The post Keepmeinmind Gets 99 Beyer Speed Figure For Fourth In Travers, Dream Lith, Lone Rock Breeze appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 15th running of the NYSSS Spectacular Bid is one of two New York stallion stakes on Saturday's docket, along with the $150,0000 Cupecoy's Joy for sophomore fillies that is also contested at seven furlongs on the Widener course.

Dreamer's Disease will return to the turf after five consecutive main track appearances, including a sixth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Keeneland. Trainer Robertino Diodoro said the son of Laoban exited his last-out fifth place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Texas Derby over a sloppy and sealed track at Lone Star Park in good order and will now return to the turf, where he broke his maiden at second asking in August at Ellis Park.

“The horse has settled in here at Belmont quite well and we're excited to get him back on the grass and against New York-sired company,” Diodoro said. “We think this will be more to his liking. We were looking to get him back here and we thought this was a perfect spot. He ran great on the grass at Ellis and we thought this matched up well.”

Dreamer's Disease, owned by Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith, was bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stables. He started the year with a sixth-place effort in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on Kentucky Derby Day in May at Churchill Downs. He will be making his second start in a NYSSS race after running seventh in the Great White Way in a contest won by fellow Spectacular Bid contender Hold the Salsa in December at Aqueduct Racetrack.

David Cohen will ride from post 6.

“It really helps to have a horse with versatility,” Diodoro said. “Between the grass and New York-sired stakes, I think he'll fit in quite well. He has natural speed and I think the seven-eighths will hit him right on the head. I think the distance will be perfect for him.”

Step Dancer, owned by Hayward Pressman, Diamond M Stable and Donna Pressman, won his debut in September at Saratoga and followed with a third-place finish in his first race at Belmont in the Grade 2 Pilgrim in October. The Barclay Tagg trainee capped his juvenile year with a three-quarter length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Awad in October at Belmont.

After a nearly five-month break, Step Dancer made his 2021 bow in the Cutler Bay, finishing eighth in March at Gulfstream Park. Returning to Belmont, the War Dancer colt ran third against state-bred optional claimers on May 13.

Step Dancer, bred in New York by Sugar Plum Farm and Richard Pressman, will be contesting a sprint for the first time in his career, as each of his first five starts were contested going at least one mile. Dylan Davis will return to ride from post 13.

Repole Stable's Devious Mo, winner of the NYSSS Times Square in April going 6 1/2 furlongs on Aqueduct's main track, will make his first career turf start.

Devious Mo ran sixth last out in the Mike Lee held on a muddy and sealed Belmont track on May 31 and will now get the chance to see if grass can suit his style. The Laoban colt posted a personal-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory two months ago at Aqueduct and has won two of his four starts this year before trainer Rudy Rodriguez decided to make the surface change.

“The Mike Lee was pretty tough; he never ran his race, so hopefully now he likes the grass on Saturday,” Rodriguez said. “You have to see what they can do. This race is worth a lot of money, and with it being a stallion series, you want to take advantage of the opportunity. Hopefully, he likes the grass and we'll take it from there. He looks like a grass horse.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. who is set to return to racing Thursday after missing just two weeks after injuries sustained in a spill on June 4, is tabbed to ride from the inside post.

Hold the Salsa, owned, bred and trained by Richard Lugovich, will also compete on turf for the first time, making his first start in more than five months after running third in the Jerome on New Year's Day at the Big A.

As a 2-year-old, Hold the Salsa posted a 3-0-1 record in six starts, winning his debut in July at Belmont. Since that effort, the Hold Me Back colt has made six consecutive stakes appearances, including a pair of wins in seven-furlong sprints in the Bertram F. Bongard on October 2 at Belmont and the NYSSS Great White Way on December 6 at Aqueduct.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will ride from post 11.

The King Cheek, owned by Morris Kernan, Jr. and Jagger Inc., will make his Belmont debut with momentum after running second to Gershwin by two lengths in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Penn Mile on May 28 at Penn National. Trained by Jamie Ness, the Laoban gelding made his first 10 starts on the main track but will run on turf for the first time, drawing post 7 with Jaime Rodriguez aboard.

Conditioner George Weaver will send out King Moonracer, who will be looking to notch his maiden-breaking score after running third and second, respectively, in his first two starts on turf at Belmont. Owned by Spa City Stables, the Mission Impazible gelding, bred in the Empire State by Sequel Stallions New York, Twin Creeks and Eisaman Farms, finished one length back to Saratoga Flash in a runner-up effort last out sprinting six furlongs. Luis Saez will ride from post 5. Weaver also entered Sinful Dancer for the main track only.

DiRicio Racing and Breeding's Jacks American Pie is coming off his turf debut with a sixth-place finish last out on May 28 at Belmont. Trained by Chad Summers, the Micromanage gelding won once in the his first six starts on dirt before being switched to grass. Luis Rodriguez Castro will have the call from post 9.

Rounding out the field is Ocala Dream, who broke his maiden for Tom Morley in his fourth start on May 23 at Belmont, in his first stakes race [post 4, Junior Alvarado]; Barrage, a maiden for trainer Armando De La Cerda, from post 10 [Eric Cancel]; It's Gravy, third in the Damon Runyon in March and also in the NYSSS Times Square, for conditioner Kelly Breen [post 12, Joel Rosario]; Dancing Buck, who ran fourth in the Gander in February at Aqueduct before topping state-bred allowance company on the same track in April for trainer Michelle Nevin [post 2, Manny Franco]; Thunderbird Café, a maiden winner at second asking on May 8, for trainer Linda Rice [post 3, Hall of Famer John Velazquez]; and Market Alert, runner-up last out in the Mike Lee making his turf debut for trainer James Ryerson [post 8, Jose Lezcano].

Gods Will is also entered for the main track only.

The post Dreamer’s Disease Back On Turf For Saturday’s NYSS Spectacular Bid appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Cohen was aboard Dreamer's Disease, who was part of a torrid early pace in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile before tiring to finish sixth, 9 ¾ lengths behind powerful winner Essential Quality. Those same hot fractions helped Diodoro's other entrant, Keepmeinmind, finish third, beaten two lengths, after being last of 14 through a half-mile in a lively :45.31.

In retrospect, Cohen recalled several months later, it was a case of zigging when he should have zagged.

“I did have the choice,” Cohen said. “I have amnesia when it came to that, really. We worked them against each other a couple of times and this guy (Keepmeinmind) couldn't keep up with the other one. The other one was outworking him. Worked them both, rode them both.”

Cohen will be back aboard Keepmeinmind, when he makes his long-awaited 3-year-old debut in the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Saturday at Oaklawn. Keepmeinmind, a late-running son of Laoban, was among eight horses entered Tuesday for the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, Oaklawn's third of four Kentucky Derby points races.

Cohen, Oaklawn's leading jockey in 2019, rode Keepmeinmind three times last year, including a last-to-first maiden-breaking victory in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs in his last start. Prior to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Keepmeinmind finished second, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Essential Quality, in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1) at 1 1/16 miles Oct. 3 at Keeneland. Dreamer's Disease, ridden by Cohen, punched his ticket to the Breeders' Cup with a front-running allowance victory going a mile on the Breeders' Futurity undercard.

“I've always loved Keepmeinmind, but he was never there mentally,” Cohen said. “In his races, he was sucking back and I knew there was more horse underneath me. And then in the morning, we worked these two against each other and the other one was outworking him. It was a tough decision. I had one speed horse, one coming from behind.”

Cohen said his Breeders' Cup choice was made easier because both horses raced for their breeder, Southern Equine Stable LLC, adding it indicated he would ride both back – even if Dreamer's Disease won.

“I think I told them that this horse is better today, but he won't be in a month from now,” Cohen said, referring to Dreamer's Disease. “He got burnt up on the front end. We had like four different waves of pressure. Once one stopped, another one came. Once he got tired, another one came. I was fine with my decision, but it had a lot to do with knowing that I wasn't giving up a mount for good.”

Reunited with Cohen for the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Keepmeinmind was last of nine late on the second turn before passing two rivals on the inside turning for home and the remainder of the field on the outside in the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length. Keepmeinmind was the 2-1 favorite after going off 52-1 in the Breeders' Futurity and 30-1 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“On paper, there wasn't a lot of speed,” Cohen said. “I probably could have been a few lengths closer going into the (first) turn, but I just elected to get him to the back and let him relax and give us a few more options when it came to navigating where I wanted to go once I sat him down for his run. The issue that we were having with him in his first couple of starts was getting in tight and sucking out of there and then coming with a run. We threw blinkers on him and that seemed to really help that out. Before I sat him down for his run, I could have gone outside of some horses, but I still wanted to teach him something and let him do it the proper way. I probably had two, three extra gears there with him.”

Following the race, Keepmeinmind was sent to Kentucky's WinStar Farm and remained in light training there, Diodoro said, until shipping to Hot Springs in late December.

Cohen has regularly breezed Keepmeinmind in advance of his 2021 debut, which was originally scheduled to come in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 at Oaklawn before the race was postponed twice because of severe winter weather. Diodoro opted to pass the delayed Southwest (won Feb. 27 by unbeaten champion Essential Quality) and point for the Rebel after Keepmeinmind's training schedule was interrupted by snow and brutal cold.

Cohen said Keepmeinmind has progressed mentally since the Kentucky Jockey Club and already ranks him with Grade 1-winning millionaire sprinter Proud Tower Too as the best horse he's ridden in his career. Cohen rode his first winner in 2004 and guided Golden Ticket to victory (dead-heat) in the $1 million Travers Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds in 2012 at Saratoga.

“Seeing him develop and being part of his early career, before he's ever run, a lot of times you get on these horses when they're already good,” Cohen said. “But the way he's doing it, and does it so effortlessly, he's still not even at his full potential. I've got to think he's one of the top two I've ever sat on.”

The Rebel is one of five stakes races to be run Saturday at Oaklawn, the others being the $150,000 Temperence Hill for older horses at 1 ½ miles, $200,000 Hot Springs for older sprinters, $350,000 Azeri (G2) for older females at 1 1/16 miles and the $500,000 Essex Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles.

Racing begins Saturday at noon (Central), with probable post time for the Rebel, the 11th of 12 races, 5:16 p.m. The infield will be open, weather permitting.

The projected Rebel field from the rail out: Caddo River, Florent Geroux to ride, 122 pounds; Big Lake, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117; Hozier, Martin Garcia, 117; Get Her Number, Javier Castellano, 119; Twilight Blue, Brian Hernandez Jr., 119; Keepmeinmind, David Cohen, 119; Concert Tour, Joel Rosario, 117; and Super Stock, Joe Talamo, 117.

The Rebel will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby, which is limited to 20 starters. Keepmeinmind has 18 points to rank 12th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, according to Churchill Downs.

The Rebel is the final major local prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 10.

The post Cohen: Keepmeinmind ‘One Of The Top Two I’ve Ever Sat On’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In a TDN series last spring polling various juvenile consignors and buyers, the son of Uncle Mo was on several shrewd observers' lists as a predicted under-the-radar stallion.

“Laoban is a sneaky one that I'm not sure if a lot of people will notice,” Brandon Rice had said last March. “I can see that there's guaranteed speed, and I could see him having a break out year…They all have a pleasing physical type. Horses that stamp their progeny this way usually have at least some level of success.”

“There's been some buzz surrounding him by the breeze-up consignors,” Justin Casse had echoed. “He's by Uncle Mo, which should help with precocity, and he has the numbers. I think he has a chance to be a premier stallion in New York going forward.”

Casse was correct in hypothesizing Laoban's shot at becoming a premier stallion, but this year the young sire will have the opportunity to take it one step further by hosting his fifth book of mares in Kentucky.

One banner weekend at Keeneland's fall meet last year helped seal his destined Bluegrass move.

First his daughter Simply Ravishing took the GI Darley Alcibiades by over six lengths. Then the next day, his son Keepmeinmind ran second to Essential Quality (Tapit) in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.

Later that month, it was announced that Laoban would be relocating to WinStar Farm.

“Coming from New York, he stood his last season for $5,000,” said WinStar's David Hanley. “The difference in quality of mares he's getting now off a $25,000 fee, with the kind of physicals that he gets, I think he really has the possibility to be a big success as a stallion.”

Laoban wrapped up the 2020 season in second place on the freshman sire earnings list. His other top performers included Ava's Grace, his first winner from July who ran back to a third-place finish in the GII Adirondack S., dual New York-bred stakes winner Laobanonaprayer and Dreamer's Disease, who broke his maiden on the turf and switched back to dirt to go wire-to-wire and win an optional claimer at Keeneland by 4 1/2 lengths.

“From the kind of mares that he bred to consistently get these kind of runners, I think it speaks a lot to his future as a stallion,” Hanley noted.

Laoban, along with another son of Uncle Mo in Darley's Nyquist, led their class by graded stakes winners last year after Keepmeinmind became Laoban's second when he took the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. in November.

When Keepmeinmind enjoyed a brief freshening at WinStar following his win in the Jockey Club, Hanley said he recalls being awed by the youngster.

“Wow, what a nice horse he is,” Hanley said. “Every time you see him on the track, he's such an impressive physical specimen and a beautiful mover. A disposition just like Laoban himself, really laid back.”

Laoban's momentum didn't stop over the winter as several of his weanlings carried hefty price tags at the breeding stock sales.

A colt out of Dixie Gem (Stonesider) was the highest-priced weanling at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December Mixed Sale, going for $150,000 to Machmer Hall.

At the Keeneland January Sale, a colt out of Making a Point (Freud) sold for $120,000 to Cavalier Bloodstock in the first session. Later in the week, a colt out of Jade (Colonel John) sold for $70,000 as the highest-priced short yearling of the third session.

Then at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale, his filly out of Best Reward (Grand Reward) topped the sale, going to Sand Hill Stables for $175,000.

Hanley spoke on visiting this youngest crop at the sales over the past months.

“As they came out, they all had that similar sort of balance. They stand up square and have a beautiful shoulder. They walk off just like he does. Then when you go look at the mares and you see how much he moves those mares up physically, I thought it was quite astonishing because he was literally stamping his stock and they had his qualities. All beautiful horses off a $7,500 stud fee.”

He continued, “Then you look at the horse himself and he's such an impressive individual. He's got such stature to him. He's got the most beautiful shoulder, length of leg and a beautiful long, clean neck. He's such a classy horse to be around. I think that was evident in his stock as well.”

The next few weeks could prove to be defining for Laoban's early success as several first-crop 3-year-olds aim towards a start on Derby weekend.

Keepmeinmind is expected to return to the starting gate in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park on Mar. 13 while Simply Ravishing remains uncommitted to her next start, but is ranked highly in Bill Finley's most recent TDN Oaks Top 10. Meanwhile Laobanonaprayer looks to get her first victory against open company in this weekend's Busher Invitational S., where a win would earn 50 points towards the Oaks.

Hanley said Laoban has been well received by Kentucky breeders since his arrival, but that he is confident their new addition will see more success before the first Kentucky-breds hit the track. After filling a book of 122 in his first year, Laoban bred a combined 230 mares in his next three years at Sequel.

“He had very impressive 2-year-olds off a stud fee of $7,500,” he said. “When you look at the pedigrees they're out of, he has really moved those mares up. [His progeny to date] don't have very exciting pedigrees, just very good physicals. When you look at the mares that are booked to him this year, he's got 130 mares booked at a fee of $25,000. If he can continue to stamp his stock and produce the kind of quality that he had out of those lesser mares, I think the future for Laoban is really exciting.”

The GII Jim Dandy S. winner is out of stakes-placed Chattertown (Speightstown) and his half-sister produced Mr. Hustle (Declaration of War), a champion 2-year-old in Canada. His extended family also includes three-time Grade I winner I'm a Chatterbox (Munnings).

“He's out of a Speightstown mare and her second dam is by Danzig,” Hanley noted. “Being an Uncle Mo, he's an outcross for a lot of mares. Physically, he fits a lot of mares. He's a big horse, but he's very well-made. He's a great horse to be around. He's doing great in the breeding shed, has settled in really well and we're very happy with how it's going with him right now.”

The post Laoban Receives Warm Bluegrass Welcome appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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One of three stakes on the finale of the 18-day fall meet at the Big A, the 38th running of the Great White Way will be joined by the $250,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue for juvenile fillies and the $100,000 Garland of Roses for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

Owned by Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith, Dreamer's Disease started his career on dirt when eighth in July at Ellis Park. Trainer Robertino Diodoro moved the Kentucky-bred Laoban colt to turf for his next two starts, resulting in his second-out win on Aug. 8 at Ellis before running off the board in his stakes bow in the More Than Ready Juvenile on Sept. 7 at Kentucky Downs.

After posting a 4 1/2-length sore in his return to the main track on Oct. 3 at Keeneland, Dreamer's Disease stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the most challenging race of his career in the Breeders' Cup. Serving as the pacesetter in leading the talented field of 14 through the opening three ports of call, Dreamer's Disease tired in the stretch but still earned a personal-high 80 Beyer Speed Figure for his sixth-place effort in a contest won by Essential Quality.

“He's training well and bounced out of the race really good,” Diodoro said. “We were going to give him a break but with this race here, and how he came out of it, we figured to give it a shot. The distance sets up well, especially coming off a mile and a couple of ticks, I think it's going to suit him quite well.”

Dreamer's Disease shipped from his base in Kentucky to New York on Wednesday.

“He flew up well and went out to the track just a little while ago, so I think it's all-systems-go right now,” Diordoro said.

Diordoro said his charge has improved physically since starting his career this summer and has given the connections positive signs after posting victories on both turf and dirt.

“He's versatile and long-term I think that's going to come in quite handy,” he said. “He's filled out more and that's helped him a lot, and mentally, he's matured. He's a little bit of a high-strung horse, but he's starting to mature over the last couple months.

“When the dust settles, I think he is a dirt horse,” he added. “Time will tell in his career, but anytime you have a horse that's versatile that can run on both surfaces, it definitely helps.”

Jockey Dylan Davis will pick up the mount from post 7.

Mathis Stable's Uno was an impressive 3 ¾-length winner in his debut on Nov. 12 over a muddy and sealed Aqueduct track. Like Dreamer's Disease, Uno is also by Laoban, and the Todd Pletcher trainee registered a 76 Beyer for his win.

A $255,000 purchase at this year's Ocala Breeders' Sale, Uno was bred in New York by Spruce Lane, Built Wright, Lynn Farm, Will Robbins and Copper Beach et al. Jose Ortiz, aboard for the victory, will have the return call from post 11.

Stakes-winner Hold the Salsa won the Bertram F. Bongard against fellow New York breds going the Great White Way distance on October 2 at Belmont Park. Stretched out to a mile on Big Sandy on Oct. 24, the Hold Me Back colt ran fourth in the Sleepy Hollow for owner and trainer Richard Lugovich.

Making his first appearance at the Big A, Hold the Salsa, who won his debut on July 12 at Belmont, will depart from post 8 with Junior Alvarado aboard.

Horn of Plenty will have the services of Kendrick Carmouche, who entered Thursday's live racing action as the meet's leading jockey as he looks to secure his first New York riding title. Trained by Mike Maker, the Emcee gelding won his first start on October 18 at Belmont before running fourth in the six-furlong Notebook over an Aqueduct main track rated good on Nov. 14. Horn of Plenty drew post 9.

Windy Nations, a first-out winner in August at Monmouth Park in a maiden-claiming sprint, will be making his first start since a runner-up effort against claiming company on Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs for trainer Mike Maker [post 12, Manny Franco].

Rounding out the field is The King Cheek, who broke his maiden at third asking on Nov. 9 at Parx for conditioner Jamie Ness [post 4, Luis Rodriguez Castro]; It's Gravy, looking for his first win after two runner-ups and third-place effort in three starts for trainer Kelly Breen [post 2, Joel Rosario]; New York One, who has won two of his last three starts for trainer James Chapman [post 3, Ferrin Peterson]; Market Alert, third in the Notebook on November 14 for trainer James Ryerson [post 6, Jose Lezcano]; Prospect Mountain, a first-out winner on November 15 at Aqueduct for trainer James Ferraro [post 1, Benjamin Hernandez]; Jacoba, who will be making his first U.S. start after three races at Woodbine for trainer Jeremiah Englehart [post 10, Jorge Vargas, Jr.]; and Jacks American Pie, stepping up to stakes company after four maiden special weight appearances for trainer Karl Grusmark [post 5, Charlie Marquez].

The Great White Way is slated as Race 8 on Aqueduct's nine-race program, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

The post Breeders’ Cup Runner Dreamer’s Disease Headlines Sunday’s NYSSS Great White Way appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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To read previous editions of The Haiku Handicapper, click here.

#1 – Camp Hope
Impressive debut
Launches him in the deep end
This is a big ask

#2 – King Fury
Matured last time out
He's bred for a day like this
Must keep progressing

#3 – Reinvestment Risk
He's the class leader
If we pretend to ignore
Jackie's Warrior

#4 – Likeable
Late-bloom potential
Given his form, pedigree
Eye him for a price

#5 – Essential Quality
Classy pedigree
Classy Grade 1 progression
All the tools are there

#6 – Keepmeinmind
Shock second last out
And he nabs Jose Ortiz
A “hit the board” threat

#7 – Jackie's Warrior
The mountain to scale
Does he meet the hype head-on
Or begin descent?

#8 – Classier
Others have done more
But you can't ignore his barn
Off a hot debut

#9 – Sittin On Go
His dad loved Keeneland
Short-stretch finish line won't help
His deep-closing ways

#10 – Dreamer's Disease
The lesser entry
Of the Diodoro pair
Put bluntly, he'd shock

#11 – Next
Dual surface winner
Gaudy last-out score misleads
Not sure it's his spot

#12 – Hot Rod Charlie
Found new life on dirt
Great fit for an “other than”
Not the Breeders' Cup

#13 – Rombauer
Switch to dirt paid off
Another that might be felled
By Keeneland's short stretch

#14 – Calibrate
He'll have to run wide
And show something he didn't
In his limp class jump

Prediction
Good day for Darley
“Quality” tops Likeable
Eight, three fill it out

The post The Haiku Handicapper Presented By Form2Win: 2020 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Baffert and the ownership group of six partners elected to try Classier in the Juvenile, which has never been won by a horse in its second career start. Two weeks after his facile 6 ½-furlong victory, he will be trying two turns for the first time at 1 1/16 miles.

“He's lightly raced, but he could be a superstar,” Baffert said. “It's a tough race.”

Classier shipped from California with the rest of the Baffert runners Tuesday. He galloped a mile over the Keeneland main track Wednesday morning, ridden by exercise rider Erick Garcia.

Bred by Mary Sullivan, who rarely sells her young horses and races as Sullimar Stable, she decided to offer this colt out of Class Will Tell at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale. He was acquired for $775,000 by the partners SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. Three other investors have since come on board: Golconda Stables, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson.

Classier and jockey Florent Geroux will leave from post eight in the 14-horse field.

Baffert has won the Juvenile four times, one shy of the record held by D. Wayne Lukas. Baffert's most recent win came in 2018 with Game Winner.

Dreamer's Disease/Keepmeinmind – Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Dreamer's Disease and Keepmeinmind have brought trainer Robertino Diodoro back to the World Championships for the first time since his initial starter Broadway Empire finished ninth in the Dirt Mile at Santa Anita.

Both runners are listed at 30-1 on the morning line with Keepmeinmind breaking from post six under Jose Ortiz and Dreamer's Disease from post 10 with David Cohen.

“The six is perfect for Keepmeinmind,” Diodoro said. “The 10 for Dreamer's Disease; I don't mind that. All the speed is to the inside of us and I like that better than having it to the outside.”

Keepmeinmind is winless in two starts, the first in an off-the-turf race at Churchill Downs and then a runner-up finish in the Breeders' Futurity Oct. 3 at Keeneland. Dreamer's Disease has won two of four starts with one victory each on dirt and turf.

“Dreamer's Disease does both,” Diodoro said. “He loved Ellis Park but didn't care for that course at Kentucky Downs. With Keepmeinmind, the way he is training on dirt, turf is not in the near future as we plan to go to Oaklawn (which does not have a turf course) in the spring.”

But that is down the road. First things first on Friday.

“I'd like to see Dreamer's Disease at the half-mile pole a length in front,” Diodoro said. “We are going (to the lead) at all costs. Keepmeinmind … I'd like to see him get a good trip.”

The competition is one thing Diodoro is not concerned about.

“You start studying too much and you start second guessing yourself,” Diodoro said. “With two horses, I just worry about them feeling good and staying happy. I know what our strategy is and I can't change that.”

Essential Quality – Godolphin LLC's undefeated Essential Quality schooled in the gate and galloped 1 ½m and he continues to impress his trainer Brad Cox heading into Friday's Juvenile.

“He was great (this morning),” Cox said. “He was very professional. I couldn't ask for him to be doing better.”

Essential Quality enters the Juvenile off his maiden victory and a win in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. Cox feels he's capable of more.

“I really do believe he's maturing all the time,” Cox said. “When (jockey) Luis (Saez) came back after that last race, he said 'he's a machine, but he has a lot to learn.' I do think he's continuing the education process. I do think he'll move forward and he'll need to move forward. It's a solid race, deep field. He does have the experience here and he's a very talented horse.”

Jackie's Warrior/Calibrate – J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior, the 7-5 favorite, continues to make a favorable impression as he attempts to extend his unbeaten record to five.

“Very happy with him,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He's training wonderfully. It's a race with 14 2-year-olds, so we'll see what happens and go from there. Jackie's Warrior got a good post (post seven), but I was disappointed with Calibrate's draw (14).”

Next – Silverton Hill Farm's Wesley Ward-trained Next has raced on three surfaces in as many starts. A son of 2016 Juvenile runner-up Not This Time, he was sixth on debut over Woodbine's all-weather in June before winning a Kentucky Downs turf maiden Sept. 16. He returned on Oct. 24 at Keeneland and manhandled an allowance field by 11¾ lengths.

A good-looking gray colt, he wheels back on 13 days' rest and drew post 11 of 14. He will also be jockey Gerardo Corrales' first Breeders' Cup mount.

“He's coming back on short rest, which is always a negative for me, but he's feeling really good and I see no reason not to go,” Ward said.

“Looking at the numbers, he fits, plus it's our home track, so we're going to take a shot.”

Not This Time is currently the second-leading freshman sire, narrowly trailing 2015 Juvenile winner Nyquist.

Reinvestment Risk – A breakout winner this summer on debut at Saratoga, Klaravich Stables' Chad Brown-trained Reinvestment Risk enters the Juvenile as one of the key contenders challenging heavy favorite Jackie's Warrior. The son of Upstart—who was third in the 2014 Juvenile—has literally chased Jackie's Warrior in two subsequent Grade 1 starts, finishing second in both the Hopeful and Champagne over 7f and 8f. He steps up to 1 1/16 m and stretches out to two turns in another rematch on Friday, while breaking from post three of 14.

“I think this horse is looking for just a little more distance and some pace,” Brown said. “Additionally, I don't think he handled the Belmont track well in the Champagne. He wasn't moving the same on it, although he has come back and worked well on that track, when held together. I just think that moving forward, running in a big race like this and on a fresh track like Keeneland will serve him well.”

Brown seeks his second Juvenile victory, having won with Good Magic in 2017, while Klaravich Stables won the 2018 Juvenile Fillies Turf with Newspaperofrecord and 2019 Longines Turf with Bricks and Mortar.

Rombauer – John and Diane Fradkin's Rombauer, who has been galloping on the main track at Keeneland for the past three mornings under Osman Cedeno, punched his ticket to the Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance with a runner-up effort in the American Pharoah at Santa Anita.

“I thought the American Pharoah came up a little light numbers-wise,” trainer Michael McCarthy said of moving Rombauer from the turf where he made his first two starts to the dirt. “He had trained well and eaten some dirt behind horses in the morning. He had a wide trip (in the American Pharoah) but finished well.”

Rombauer drew post 13 for the 1 1/16m Juvenile, the same distance as the American Pharoah. Javier Castellano has the mount.

“Thirteen of 14 … he's not going to be part of the pace early anyway,” McCarthy said.

Sittin On Go – Albaugh Racing Stables' Sittin On Go was not exactly impressive when he first arrived at trainer Dale Romans' barn but that changed as his training advanced.

“He was under the radar until we started breezing him further distances at Churchill Downs,” Romans said. “He is a big, long striding horse and he just never gets tired.”

The son of Brody's Cause confirmed his ability by winning his career debut at Ellis Park on Aug. 16. He took his unbeaten streak to two by winning the Iroquois at Churchill Downs on Sept 5.

Albaugh Family Stables also campaigned Brody's Cause, who finished third in the 2015 Juvenile at Keeneland. The outfit purchased Sittin On Go for $65,000 as a weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. They offered him the following year at Keeneland's September Yearling Sale but he was listed as not sold on a final bid of $62,000.

Sittin On Go galloped 1 ½ m at Keeneland Wednesday morning.

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