Eclipse Champion | Horse Racing Free Tips

Stewart’s Resolute Racing And MiddleGround Capital To Sponsor April Keeneland Stakes, Goodnight Olive To Appear

John Stewart, who owns Resolute Racing and founded MiddleGround Capital, will sponsor two Keeneland dirt sprint stakes which will be run opening weekend of the Spring Meet, the track said in a release on Thursday.

Resolute Racing will add its name to the $600,000 GI Madison S. which will run on Saturday, Apr. 6, while MiddleGround Capital will sponsor the $400,000 GII Beaumont S. on Sunday, April 7.

“My partner Scot Duncan and I have always enjoyed taking our family, friends, co-workers and investors to the races at Keeneland,” Stewart said. “The Spring Meet is a significant event for the local community and the Thoroughbred horse racing industry. Everyone in Kentucky looks forward to the Spring Meet with enthusiasm and optimism. We are honored to support these prestigious events that historically represent the Bluegrass region as well as many of the best competitors in horse racing.”

John Stewart | Keeneland

Among the winners of the newly-minted Resolute Racing Madison is Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), who Stewart purchased last year and then retired from racing. Fans will be able to see the two-time Eclipse Award winner who is currently in foal to Not This Time while she is paraded in the Paddock between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. ET. Apr. 6 during Keeneland's Sunrise Trackside program.

“Keeneland is pleased to welcome Resolute Racing and MiddleGround Capital to our team of race sponsors,” Keeneland Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Christa Marrillia said. “Their participation signifies John Stewart's passion and growing involvement in the Thoroughbred industry.”

The post Stewart’s Resolute Racing And MiddleGround Capital To Sponsor April Keeneland Stakes, Goodnight Olive To Appear appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Sierra Leone Favored in Derby Future Wager

Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), winner of the GII Risen Star S., was the 7-1 favorite when Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday evening. Last year's 2-year-old champion Fierceness (City of Light) was second choice at 9-1.

“All Other 3-Year-Olds” closed as the 11-1 third betting option. Japan's G3 Saudi Derby winner Forever Young (Jpn) (Reel Steel {Jpn}) (12-1); GII Rebel S. winner Timberlake (Into Mischief) (12-1); GII Fountain of the Youth S. winner Dornach (Good Magic) (13-1); GIII Gotham S. winner Deterministic (Liam's Map) (16-1); allowance winner Conquest Warrior (City of Light) (16-1); and GIII Southwest S. winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents) (16-1) were next in the open betting pool.

In the lone Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, which was conducted concurrently with the KDFW Pool 5, 'TDN Rising Star' Impel (Quality Road) closed as the 7-1 favorite over champion 2-year-old filly Just F Y I (Justify), who was 8-1.

Betting on all future wagers over the three-day period was $458,269.

Total handle for the KDFW pool was $334,581 ($246,076 in the win pool and $85,506 in exactas). Betting on the Oaks Future Wager totaled $69,717 ($48,334 in the win pool and $21,384 in exactas). The Oaks/Derby Double, which requires bettors to correctly select the winners of both the races, handled $53,971.

Through the first four pools, a total of $1,676,353 has been bet on Derby future wagers, a 16% increase from last year's $1,444,099.

The year's sixth and final Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool runs from Apr. 4 through Apr. 6.

The post Sierra Leone Favored in Derby Future Wager appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Back to Work for Champion Pretty Mischievous

Last year's Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly Pretty Mischievous (f, 4, Into Mischief-Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit) recorded her first work since her championship campaign Thursday morning at Palm Meadows in Florida. The three furlongs she covered in :37.65 was her first breeze in nearly four months.

“She went nice, just an easy three-eighths and galloped out a half-mile,” said trainer Brendan Walsh. “It went good and we are glad to get her back on the work tab.

“We've done plenty of galloping with her the last few weeks at Palm Meadows to get a good bottom on her. She looks like she's done very well with her little break and we look forward to the year ahead.”

Pretty Mischievous captured the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Acorn S., and GI Test S. en route to championship honors. For more on her career and return to racing for another season, see our update earlier this month from Steve Sherack.

Walsh indicated the 'TDN Rising Star' does not have a specific target as yet.

“We'll just see how things fare down here,” he said. “We won't be in any rush with her. We'll let her tell us when she's ready.”

Continued Walsh, “We are very proud of her. She was a tribute to everybody on the Godolphin team and my own team here. Hopefully she moves forward this year and I think we can have another very good year with her if she does.”

The post Back to Work for Champion Pretty Mischievous appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Champion Forte Arrives At Spendthrift, Will Stand For 50k

2-year-old champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), whose retirement was announced earlier this week, has arrived at Spendthrift Farm where he will take up stud duty in 2024. His introductory fee will be $50,000 S&N and he is available for inspection by appointment.

“The first thing I think about Forte is just how much of an honor it is for us to bring a horse like him to Spendthrift. He's the fifth champion we've been fortunate enough to add to our stallion ranks since 2020, and that's a testament to what Mr. Hughes built and the commitment that Eric and Tammy Gustavson are now carrying forward,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “While we are disappointed for Mike [Repole] and Vinnie [Viola] that Forte wasn't able to end his great career like a champion deserves to, we are very grateful for our partnership with them. Forte is the first 2-year-old champion to retire to Spendthrift in more than four decades, since the likes of Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Lord Avie. That's some pretty special company, and we couldn't be more excited about his future.”

Racing for Repole Stable and Viola's St. Elias Stable, Forte was named champion 2-year-old colt after a season which saw him break his maiden by 7 3/4 lengths on debut going five furlongs at Belmont and pick up three consecutive Grade I victories in the Hopeful S., the Breeders' Futurity and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. As a 3-year-old, he took the GII Fountain of Youth S. and the GI Curlin Florida Derby.

“Forte has given us the ride of a lifetime on the track and done everything asked of him and more under tremendous training by Todd Pletcher,” said Viola. “We are blessed to have raced such a talented horse in partnership with Mike Repole, and excited about his prospects as a sire at Spendthrift Farm.”

Repole added, “Vinnie and I are so fortunate to be blessed with this ultra-talented colt. Forte's 2-year-old season, from breaking his maiden at five furlongs in May and winning three Grade I's including capping it off with a spectacular effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, left us in awe. To come back at three and win the Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby and Jim Dandy, and run second in the Belmont at 1 1/2 miles, was amazing. Forte is just a special horse.”

Forte retired with career earnings of $3,029,830.

“Forte just exuded class in everything he did, which is something you only see from those few special ones that come through,” Pletcher said. “Some probably won't quite appreciate how special he was because of the bad luck we faced this year. Obviously, the timing could not have been worse to have the foot bruise that kept him out of the Derby, and we have been battling a quarter crack on a different foot that was going to force us to miss the Breeders' Cup and all our goals for the fall and winter. I've been fortunate to train three colts that were champion 2-year-olds but Forte is the first to win three Grade I's at two. Horses like that don't come around often and we'll miss him in the barn.”

The post Champion Forte Arrives At Spendthrift, Will Stand For 50k appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post