dustin dugas | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lady Rocket Gets A Slice Of Pumpkin Pie At Belmont

Irad Ortiz, Jr. completed a stakes double by guiding Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and Ten Strike Racing's Lady Rocket to a prominent score in Sunday's second division of the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Earlier on the card, Ortiz, Jr. guided Truth Hurts to a rail-skimming score in the first division of the Pumpkin Pie for trainer and co-owner Chad Summers.

“They split the race so I got lucky I ended up on the right two horses,” said Ortiz, Jr. with a laugh.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 4-year-old daughter of Tale of the Cat entered from a runner-up effort to Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint contender Bella Sofia in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom Handicap on September 26 at Belmont.

The graded stakes-placed Always Carina, with Jose Ortiz up, broke alertly and battled gamely on the lead with Lady Rocket through splits of :23.22 and :46.70 over the sloppy and sealed main track.

Lady Rocket edged clear of Always Carina through the turn as Glass Ceiling was angled off the rail late in the turn by Dylan Davis and set her sights on the leader. Lady Rocket, two lengths clear at the stretch call, was kept to task by Ortiz, Jr. and stayed on strong to secure a narrow head score over Glass Ceiling in a final time of 1:24.11.

Lake Avenue, Always Carina, Regal Retort, and Easy to Bless rounded out the order of finish. Piedi Bianchi and Don't Call Me Mary were scratched.

Ortiz, Jr., who was aboard for the Gallant Bloom effort, said his filly fought gamely to secure the win.

“I was just looking at the wire, trying to get there and keep riding hard and straightforward,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “I concentrated on the win, so I just kept riding. She gave me everything she had.”

Dustin Dugas, assistant to Cox, said the plan was to find a prominent trip for the dark bay, who was a gate-to-wire winner of the Pink Ribbon on August 27 at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town, W. Va.

“Before the race, Brad I and talked about it and we wanted to get her on the bridle and away from there on a good note,” Dugas said. “She broke out of there running. Irad said maybe around the turn, he might have moved a touch early, which ultimately at the end of the race made it a little closer, but she dug in deep and found that class she needed to get to the wire first.”

Bred in Kentucky by La Ciega and Tale of the Cat Syndicate, Lady Rocket banked $55,000 in victory, while improving her record to 10-5-3-1. She returned $5.20 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing returns Friday at Belmont Park with packed 10-race card which includes the $200,000 Ticonderoga for New York-bred fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf; the $150,000 Tempted for juvenile fillies going a one-turn mile; the $100,000 Awad for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on the turf; and the $100,000 Atlantic Beach, a six-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Lady Rocket Gets A Slice Of Pumpkin Pie At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Bubble Rock Best In Matron At Belmont

Shortleaf Stable's homebred Bubble Rock reeled in pacesetter Mystic Eyes and staved off the late-running Gal in a Rush to secure a half-length score in Saturday's $150,000 Grade 3 Matron, a six-furlong inner turf sprint for juvenile fillies, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Brad Cox and piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., who captured his 3,000th career win here on Thursday, Bubble Rock entered from a dominant 3 1/4-length maiden score sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over the Mellon turf on September 3 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Mystic Eyes, with Manny Franco up, broke alertly and led the field through a half-mile in :44.24 over the firm going with Makin My Move tracking her early foot from second position.

Bubble Rock, who settled outside rivals in third, advanced four-wide through the turn and gradually picked off Makin My Move before surging past a stubborn Mystic Eyes to secure the win in a final time of 1:08.01.

Gal in a Rush, who exited the outermost post 9 under Dylan Davis, saved ground in the early going before tipping out and rallying strongly down the lane to complete the exacta by a half-length over Mystic Eyes.

The victory marked the second Matron score for Ortiz, Jr., who captured last year's edition aboard Royal Approval.

“She's nice. Last time she won and finished well, too,” said Ortiz, Jr., who has piloted Bubble Rock in all three starts. “I just did the same thing today. I waited for my time to go and when I asked her, she finished up really strong again. She's got a really good size to her and she always finishes well, so I think she'll be alright.”

Dustin Dugas, the New York-based assistant for Cox, said Bubble Rock has matured over the course of her campaign.

“She's progressed a lot mentally,” Dugas said. “She's been a very nervous filly to work with and she's kind of taken some time. She's really progressed mentally and physically she's a very big, good-looking filly and moves great.”

Rounding out the order of finish were Makin My Move, The Club, Lady Danae, Dufresne, High Arabian, and Mainstay. Benbang was scratched along with the Wesley Ward-trained duo of Poppy Flower and Chi Town Lady, who are both slated to take on the boys in Sunday's Grade 3 Futurity.

Bubble Rock is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Reef Point, who is a half-sister to millionaire Blue Chipper – winner of the 2019 Group 1 Keeneland Korea Sprint in Seoul and third-place finisher in that year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

A Kentucky homebred, Bubble Rock banked $82,500 in victory while improving her record to 3-2-1-0. She paid $7 for a $2 win wager.

Live racing returns Sunday at Belmont Park with a nine-race card featuring the $250,000 Grade 2 Beldame for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going nine furlongs; the $150,000 Grade 3 Futurity for juveniles going six furlongs on the turf, a “Win And You're In” for the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint; and the $150,000 Grade 3 Knickerbocker going nine furlongs on the turf for 3-year-olds and upward. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

The post Bubble Rock Best In Matron At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Vault Wins Ruffian With Powerful Stretch Rally

Vault capitalized on a patient ride by jockey Joel Rosario, rallying from last of six older fillies and mares to overtake Water White from the outside in deep stretch before powering home a 1 3/4-length winner in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Vault, a Pennsylvania bred trained by Brad Cox making just her second career graded stakes start, was unhurried breaking from the inside post, content to let Gibberish lead the field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.57 seconds and the half in 47.24 over the fast main track.

Taking back under Rosario, Vault saved ground entering the turn as 6-5 favorite Lake Avenue temporarily took command over Water White. Nearing the top of the stretch, Rosario tipped out his charge, as Gibberish and Water White were kept to the inside and Lake Avenue pressed on from the outside.

Vault found a seam between Lake Avenue and Water White, splitting the contenders in surging to the front. Water White, encouraged by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., gamely pursued Vault, but the 5-year-old Jump Start mare pulled away in a final time of 1:35.81 to notch her second consecutive win.

“She was a little slow out of there,” Rosario said. “Brad said to let her be comfortable where she was and come with a run and she did. She was pretty amazing.

“I was trying to stay inside, keep away from the dirt [kick back] and save some ground,” he added. “It looked like maybe I could go through inside, but then maybe not. So, I looked to go in between or maybe outside. When they split, I just went right in the middle [inside of Lake Avenue]. It was perfect.”

Owned by Kueber Racing, Barlar, Madaket Stables and Little Red Feather Racing, Vault entered off her first win of her campaign with a 1 3/4-length score against allowance company going 1 1/16 miles on March 27 at Oaklawn Park.

Her first foray over Belmont's Big Sandy was just her second career stakes appearance and first since a sixth-place effort in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher in July at Monmouth Park. She shipped in from her base at Churchill Downs and impressed her connections in her New York debut.

“They had her down in Kentucky and it took us a while to figure her out, but now it looks like we got the wheels spinning finally and she showed it today,” said Dustin Dugas, assistant to Cox. “The guys in Kentucky had her ready to roll. I'll talk to Brad and let him decide where we go next. He'll sit down with the partners and figure out a game plan from there.”

Vault improved to 7-6-2 in 21 career starts. She returned $8.80 on a $2 win wager.

EV Racing Stable's Water White, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, bested Our Super Freak by a length for second.

“I got a perfect trip,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “She got through on the inside and did everything right. We just got beat today. I was happy with it.”

Lake Avenue, Saguaro Row and Gibberish completed the order of finish that saw a finish of 1-thorugh-6 in program numerical order.

The 45th running of the Ruffian is named for the five-time Grade 1-winner and 1976 Hall of Fame inductee who was trained by Frank Whiteley, Jr. Ruffian, the 1974 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and 1975 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly, broke down in a match race against Kentucky Derby-winner Foolish Pleasure in 1975. She is buried in the Belmont infield.

Live racing at Belmont resumes Thursday with a nine-race card that features a 3:05 p.m. Eastern first post.

Starting on May 1, Belmont Park re-opened to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

The post Vault Wins Ruffian With Powerful Stretch Rally appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Knicks Go, Charlatan Battle in the Desert

Knicks Go (Paynter) and Charlatan (Speightstown), a pair of major forces headlining the American racing scene in 2020, take on 12 others in Saturday's $20-million Saudi World Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Both Grade I winners in their latest starts, the pair represent two of America's leading trainers, Brad Cox, who took home his first Eclipse Award last season, and Bob Baffert, a 2020 finalist who had previously annexed four training titles.

Knicks Go, winner of the 2018 GI Breeders' Futurity S. while under the care of Ben Colebrook, marked his debut for Cox and Korea Racing Authority in 2020 with a victory in an 8 1/2-furlong optional claimer at Oaklawn last February. Off for the ensuing seven months, the grey romped by 10 1/4 lengths in a Keeneland optional claimer in October before posting an emphatic win in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at the Lexington oval Nov. 7. Well supported for his 2021 bow in the Jan. 23 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream, the Maryland bred once again proved best, winning by 2 3/4 lengths.

Knicks Go was keen during a 1600-meter gallop Friday morning under assistant trainer Dustin Dugas.

“He loves to train and is so difficult to handle sometimes,” Dugas said. “But he has a lot of talent, obviously, and is sitting on a big race. He's very, very fast and is extremely tough.”

It wouldn't be a big-money event without a Baffert-conditioned runner, and the Hall of Fame trainer is represented by the lightly-raced Charlatan in the latest renewal of the nine-furlong Saudi Cup. In his latest work prior to leaving the U.S., the chestnut completed seven furlongs in 1:24.60 at Santa Anita Feb. 7.

“[Charlatan] is doing well,” Baffert told the TDN. “He has a great mind and is getting over the track well. We feel good about our chances, but they still have to get around there. I love the way he worked when he left here. I didn't do much with him there, just a light little half [mile]. He was ready to run.”

An impressive winner in his first two starts at Santa Anita last winter, the SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Racing and Stonestreet Stables runner finished first but was demoted to ninth after testing positive for a banned substance in the May 2 GI Arkansas Derby before being forced to the sidelines with a minor ankle injury. The colt returned to action with a brilliant score in the Dec. 26 GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita.

Accompanied by Mike Smith, Charlatan drew post 9, while Knicks Go–who will be partnered by Joel Rosario–will exit stall five.

“He has to break well, but he has a nice post,” said Baffert. “Knicks Go is in there [and] Charlatan likes a target. [In the Malibu], he had [SW] Nashville [Speightstown] as his target and that worked out alright. It is a mile-and-an-eighth, but that long stretch gets demanding in the final sixteenth. There are good horses in there.”

No stranger to Riyadh, Prince A A Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) was second in last season's Saudi Derby and will try to go one better in this year's Cup.

Jockey David Egan, who was in the irons in the Saudi Derby, has been aboard the 4-year-old for the last three mornings at track work.

“Similar to last year, Mishriff has been thriving since he arrived here in Riyadh,” he said. “He seems to really enjoy the style of training and the surface here in Saudi Arabia. He looks amazing, feels fresh and has been moving fluently up to the race.”

Following his Saudi sojourn, the Irish bred reeled off three consecutive victories over the summer, including Chantilly's G1 Prix du Jockey Club and the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. He finished eighth in his latest start in Newmarket's G1 Qipco Champion S. in October.

“Mishriff looks stronger again since I saw him in Newmarket at the end of last year and he has traveled extremely well,” said Ted Voute, racing manager to Prince A A Faisal. “He has thrived over the winter. He looks well and ready for the race.”

He added, “David said he changed legs easily going into the turns and was a natural from that point of view. We're looking forward to the race.”

Japan offers a worthy contender in Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}). Last December's G1 Champions Cup winner enjoyed an easy canter on the dirt track before a gate-schooling session Friday.

“He shipped to Dubai last year [for the Dubai World Cup Carnival], but had to fly back to Japan due to the cancellation of the race meetings. I think the travel experiences helped him a lot this time,” explained trainer Ryuji Okubo. “Last year, he lost 10 kg during the trip to Dubai, but this year he only lost 4 kg when he flew into Saudi Arabia. He is enjoying it here and is feeling really good. He is a very straightforward horse.”

Asked about his charge's inside post position, Okubo added, “He will start from barrier one, so we can make ground all the way through the race. I understand the American horses are very fast, but I expect Chuwa Wizard can track them and overtake them with his strong closing speed.”

The post Knicks Go, Charlatan Battle in the Desert appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post