ellis park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Saturday Insights: Loaded Maiden Kicks Off Alabama Day Card

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency
1st-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, post time: 1:05 p.m. ET
While the GI Alabama S. takes centerstage later on in the program, the Saturday lid-lifter at Saratoga looks a key race in prospect, with any number of booming pedigrees and lofty pricetags on display. Peter Leidel signed the ticket at an even $1 million for RAYMOND (Into Mischief) at Keeneland September last fall, with the colt's breeder Stonestreet Stables staying in for a share. The Apr. 21 foal is the third foal to the races from Stonestreet's GSW & GISP Teen Pauline (Tapit), whose daughter Cambria (Speightstown) took out the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2019. Robert Clay's Grandview went to $600,000 for Gilded Age (Medaglia d'Oro) at KEESEP, a son of Grade I-winning juvenile filly Angela Renee (Bernardini), who was purchased by Don Alberto Corp. at Fasig-Tipton November in 2015. The full-sister to MGISW sire To Honor and Serve and half to SW & GISP is from the family of MGSW India (Hennessy), dam of Japanese dual-surface G1SW Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and of Silver Strand (Frosted), an impressive Saratoga debut winner Aug. 19. Peter Brant's Triple Elvis (Into Mischief), a $700,000 purchase by Demi O'Byrne out of last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, is a half-brother to multiple Grade III-winning turf router Made You Look (More Than Ready) and counts the irrepressible 11-time Grade I and Eclipse Award winner Serena's Song (Rahy) as his second dam. The supporting cast includes WinStar Farm & Siena Farm's Napa Valley (Flatter), whose cleverly named dam Mandrell (Dubawi {Ire}) is adaughter of MGISW Country Star (Empire Maker); Jay Em Ess homebred Union Lights (Union Rags), a half-brother to dual Grade I winner By The Moon (Indian Charlie) and GSP Wonderful Light (Tiz Wonderful); and $420,000 KEESEP grad Major General (Constitution). TJCIS PPs

Another 'Mischief'ous Colt Down to Debut…

7th-SAR, $100,000, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:55 p.m. ET
The second division of the maiden lacks perhaps some of the depth of the first, but MY PRANKSTER (Into Mischief) will be well-backed to open his account at first asking. Purchased by Robert and Lawana Low for $600,000 at Fasig-Tipton last September, the bay is the second to the races for his dam My Wandy's Girl (Flower Alley), a champion in Puerto Rico who won was third in the GI Gazelle S. once repatriated and added the GII Barbara Fritchie H. the following season. My Wandy's Girl is a half to the dam of MSW/MGSP Sagauro Row (Union Rags). Triumphant Road (Quality Road) is out of California MGSW turf distaffer Foxysox (GB) (Foxhound), the dam of MSW Curlin's Fox (Curlin). A $310,000 short yearling at KEEJAN in 2020, the dark bay fetched $475,000 at OBS March after breezing in :10 1/5. Reserve Currency (American Freedom) cost $40,000 at FTKSEL last year, but was hammered down to Klaravich Stables for $375,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic in May (breeze), the second most-expensive of 38 of his sire's first-crop juveniles reported as sold this year. TJCIS PPs

Best Looking For Some Headline News at Ellis…

5th-ELP, $51K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, post time: 3:42 p.m. ET
PAGE ONE (Practical Joke) cost Larry Best's OXO Equine $260,000 at KEENOV in 2019, a price which ranks as the second-priciest among the 35 of his sire (by Into Mischief)'s first-crop weanlings sold that year. The Elm Tree Farm-bred colt is out of the stakes-placed Bailzee (Grand Slam) and is a half-brother to the promising Witsel (Nyquist), a debut winner by 13 1/4 lengths over the winter at Tampa and narrow runner-up to 'TDN Rising Star' Beau Liam (Liam's Map) in a stakes-quality first-level allowance at Saratoga July 17. TJCIS PPs

Baffert Debuts Well-Bred Quality Road Pair…

4th-DMR, $70K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, post time: 6:34 p.m. ET
RHETORIC, a $600,000 KEESEP acquisition, makes his first trip to the races for SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables et al, and is the first produce to race from Hard Not To Like (Hard Spun), winner of the grassy GI Diana S. at Saratoga and the GI Gamely S. on this circuit, who twice realized seven-figure prices when offered at KEENOV–$1.5 million in 2014 and $2.2 million the following year. Hard Not To Like is a half-sister to Credit River (More Than Ready), who belied odds of 41-1 to break his maiden at first asking in the Ontario Racing S. at Woodbine last September. Baoma Corp. paid $400,000 for Kamui at KEENOV in 2019 and attempted to pinhook the colt at KEESEP the following year, only to take him home when bidding stalled out at $875,000. The bay is out of a half-sister to MGSW Tequilita (Union Rags) and hails from the female family of Offlee Wild and Dynaformer. TJCIS PPs

The post Saturday Insights: Loaded Maiden Kicks Off Alabama Day Card appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Super Stock Back On Top In Ellis Park Derby

The $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby appeared to be heavily favored Super Stock's race to lose, given that he was the winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. But that was if he ran to his Arkansas Derby form, rather than his pair of fourth-place finishes in the Texas Derby and Iowa Derby in his last two starts.

For trainer Steve Asmussen, the key was riding Super Stock like Ricardo Santana did in the Arkansas Derby: getting into the race as part of the pace. That happened, and Super Stock hounded the early pace before taking command and drawing off to a 3 3/4-length victory over There Goes Harvard.

Asmussen got be North America's all-time winningest trainer by caring about every race. But Super Stock also holds a special attachment to the trainer. His parents, Keith and Marilyn, own the son of Florida Derby winner Dialed In in partnership with Nashville talent mogul Erv Woolsey, a long-time client.

“He ran a very good race, and it's great to see him back in the winner's circle,” Asmussen said by phone following Super Stock's first victory since the Arkansas Derby, after which he finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby. “Obviously he's a very special horse for the whole family. He makes a lot of people happy when he wins.

“The Lone Star race, the racetrack was absolute sea of water, drawn 13, just was never in the right spot,” he said of the Texas Derby. “And I did not like his trip in Iowa at all, and that was the change in tactics.”

Which was: “To ride him like he did in the Arkansas Derby.”

Ellis Park allowance winner Colonel Bowman broke for the early lead, setting legitimate fractions into the stretch. Super Stock stalked in second place throughout before taking over the lead and pulling away for the clear win over runner-up There Goes Harvard. The final time over the mile and a sixteenth was 1:48.89.

“He broke good, and I was happy when he was in the place I wanted him to be,” said Santana, in from Saratoga to ride Sunday at Ellis Park for Asmussen. “When I was sitting second to that other horse, I knew he would be running hard at the end.”

Jockey Joe Talamo was pleased with runner-up There Goes Harvard's effort.

“We had a really good trip,” he said. “I really thought I had the winner turning for home. Hats off to them (Super Stock and Ricardo Santana). They kept running. But my horse ran a really good race.”

It was another two lengths back to Indiana Derby runner-up Sermononthemount and jockey James Graham. Colonel Bowman tired to fourth in the field of six 3-year-olds.

“He ran good, I thought,” said Graham. “They were just quicker than him early. I was trying to be aggressive. I just wasn't quick enough to hold my spot. He tried to run them down. They went fast the first quarter, backed it up and then went again. I just couldn't get back on terms.”

Super Stock went off as the even-money favorite and paid $4 to win. The colt now has three wins in 12 starts, with two seconds and two thirds, while increasing his career earnings to $957,677.

“He's trying, he's trying,” Asmussen said of Super Stock nearing millionaire status.

The post Super Stock Back On Top In Ellis Park Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘Rising Star’ Carribean Caper Earns First Stakes Win at Ellis

'TDN Rising Star' Carribean Caper took the next step Sunday to earn her first stakes win and fourth victory overall from as many trips to the post. An eight-length romper at Fair Grounds Feb. 13, the dark bay had an easy time with first-level optional claiming foes at Keeneland Apr. 2, and resurfaced from a freshening to clear another condition here July 10. Favored in the wagering over formidable foe Magic Quest–who had run faster than Carribean Caper in her last two, both wins–she tugged her way up in between foes while hard held and was eventually given her head to move up to Magic Quest's right flank after a :23.43 quarter. Ratcheting up the pressure after a :46.26 half, she hit another gear in the final furlong to inch clear.

The winner, who was an $825,000 in utero purchase at Keeneland November, has a 2-year-old half-sister named Bombdiggity (Into Mischief) who was a $600,000 KEESEP yearling; a Tapit yearling half-sister who brought $990,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga last Monday from West Point Thoroughbreds, Scarlet Oak Racing and NBS Stable; and a foal half-brother by Quality Road. Dam Checkupfromzneckup, who hails from the extended female family of A.P. Indy, was bred back to Quality Road for 2022.

RUNHAPPY AUDUBON OAKS, $99,250, Ellis, 8-15, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.09, ft.
1–CARRIBEAN CAPER, 118, f, 3, by Speightstown
                1st Dam: Checkupfromzneckup (SP, $187,470), by
                                Dixie Union
                2nd Dam: Unbridled Lassie, by Unbridled
                3rd Dam: Lassie Connection, by Seattle Slew
'TDN Rising Star' ($250,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK-TYPE
WIN. O-Columbine Stable LLC.; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Albert M. Stall, Jr.; J-Colby J. Hernandez. $60,570. Lifetime
Record: 4-4-0-0, $177,490.
2–Magic Quest, 118, f, 3, Nyquist–Magical Ride, by Storm Cat.
O/B-G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II.
$19,700.
3–Minute Waltz, 118, f, 3, Nyquist–Is It Safe, by Yes It's True.
($425,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Candy
Meadows LLC (KY); T-Philip A. Bauer. $9,850.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, 3. Odds: 1.00, 2.90, 6.90.
Also Ran: Malloy, Rookery, Altered Shot, Forever Boss.
Click for the Equibase.com chart.

The post ‘Rising Star’ Carribean Caper Earns First Stakes Win at Ellis appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Goldencents Exacta in Ellis Debutante

Verylittlecents (Goldencents) survived an objection to lead home a one-two finish for her sire in Sunday's Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante S.. Fourth behind GIII Schuylerville S. heroine Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) in her Churchill unveiling June 18, the :10 flat OBSMAR breezer broke through by daylight second out going five panels here July 11, good for a standout 70 Beyer Speed Figure. Right to the front under Joe Talamo, the bay doled out splits of :23.19 and :46.30 while going easily. They stacked up behind her rounding the bend, and Verylittlecents entered the stretch a bit off the fence, prompting Golden Sights to go for a rail run. Verylittlecents was guided back down inside to close that door, and she kept finding from there to prove clearly best in a time that would would prove significantly quicker than what the boys would go in one race later. The runner-up's rider lodged an objection, but he never really had to stop riding and the stewards made no change. The winner's dam, who is a half to GSW No Dozing (Union Rags), produced a Brody's Cause filly last term.

RUNHAPPY ELLIS PARK DEBUTANTE S., $125,000, Ellis, 8-15, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.32, ft.
1–VERYLITTLECENTS, 120, f, 2, by Goldencents
                1st Dam: Pinch Me, by Arch
                2nd Dam: Stay Awake, by Pulpit
                3rd Dam: Mila, by Unbridled
($50,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $85,000 RNA 2yo '21 OBSMAR).
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Randy Patterson; B-Kellie & Tim
Holland & Ramon Rangel (KY); T-Randy L. Morse; J-Joseph
Talamo. $76,380. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $111,980.
2–Golden Sights, 118, f, 2, Goldencents–Celestial Sighting, by
Eskendereya. ($40,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $15,000 Ylg '20
OBSOCT; $100,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-September Farm, LLC,
Union Park Thoroughbreds, LLC, Jonathan Wilmot, Rick
Howard & Black Fern LLC; B-Taylor Made Stallions, Inc. (KY);
T-Rodolphe Brisset. $24,800.
3–Manasota Sunset, 120, f, 2, Outwork–Highestmaintenance,
by Macho Uno. ($65,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN). O-Joe Sharp;
B-Pocket Aces Equine LLC (KY); T-Joe Sharp. $12,400.
Margins: 2HF, 2HF, HF. Odds: 1.30, 10.50, 2.80.
Also Ran: Chopin Drive, Southern Sky, Mohaylady. Scratched: Joyrunner.
Click for the Equibase.com chart.

The post Goldencents Exacta in Ellis Debutante appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post