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Halina’s Forte Another Stakes Winner For Mitole

Since impressing on debut in maiden special weight company at Churchill Downs last November, Halina's Forte has spent her last two starts in stakes races, earning placings in both the Fern Creek S. and finishing off 2023 as the beaten favorite at Fair Grounds in the Letellier Memorial S. Dec. 23. Racing in New York for the first time Saturday, the 2-1 top choice broke quickly was out outsprinted by a trio of runners to her inside. Relegated to a wide fourth as the leaders opened up a gap back to her, Halina's Forte began a sustained bid midway around the far turn, reeled in pacesetter Ghalia Princess from three wide and drove past with a sixteenth to run to pick her first stakes win.

“She broke very well,” said winning rider Eric Cancel. “I wasn't scared of what position I could get with her. I just wanted to have a clean trip–I didn't have any trouble with her. She had a little trouble last time when she ran, so I think that really cost her a lot. But today, that wasn't the case. I just kept in the clear and once I started asking her, she just started picking it up.”

A third stakes winner from the first crop of Mitole, Halina's Forte is a half-sister to the dam of SW/MGSP Whateverybodywants (Giant Oak) and out of a half to GSW/GISP sire Astrology (A.P. Indy) and MGSW Lunerpal (Successful Appeal). Lunarlady has not produced a foal since Halina's Forte and was not reported bred for this year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

#4 HALINA's FORTE ($6.20) wins the $100,000 Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct. The three-year-old filly by @SpendthriftFarm's Mitole gets her first stakes score for trainer Philip Bauer with @Ericcancel85 aboard. pic.twitter.com/SFYTNPkUt9

— TVG (@TVG) February 17, 2024

RUTHLESS S., $100,000, Aqueduct, 2-17, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:26.26, gd.
1–HALINA'S FORTE, 118, f, 3, by Mitole
                1st Dam: Lunarlady (SW), by Yes It's True
                2nd Dam: Quiet Eclipse, by Quiet American
                3rd Dam: June Gift, by Hold Your Peace
($130,000 Ylg '22 OBSWIN; $250,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Bill & Corinne
Heilegbrodt & A.F.& B. Vanlangendonck (FL); T-Philip A. Bauer;
J-Eric Cancel. $55,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, $149,900.
2–Ghalia Princess, 118, f, 3, American Pharoah–Ghalia, by
Medaglia d'Oro. ($575,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK
TYPE. O-Sumaya U.S. Stable; B-International Equities Holding,
Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $20,000.
3–Value Area, 118, f, 3, More Than Ready–Her Smile, by
Include. ($210,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners and Gary F. Lewin; B-KatieRich Farms
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $12,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2HF, 10. Odds: 2.10, 2.25, 7.60.
Also Ran: Low Society, Reconcile, Tiarella, Most of All.

The post Halina’s Forte Another Stakes Winner For Mitole appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Eric Cancel: ‘The People Who Mean The Most Are The People That Stick With You’

Just one live race day remains in 2021 to complete a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit. The NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of New York-based racing personalities to get their reflections on a memorable year.

It did not take Eric Cancel, 25, long to display his capabilities, leading all apprentice riders in earnings in 2015 and becoming a finalist for Outstanding Apprentice that year.

After six years of competing on the NYRA circuit, Cancel enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2021, winning six races on the final day of the Aqueduct winter meet to secure his first NYRA riding title.

This year provided Cancel with a handful of accomplishments, including his first multiple graded stakes-winning year capturing the Grade 3 Withers with Risk Taking and the G2 Fort Marcy with Tribhuvan for trainer Chad Brown; and the G3 Soaring Softly with Bye Bye for conditioner Christophe Clement. Heading into the final day of racing in 2021, Cancel is also enjoying his best season in wins [147] and purse earnings [$9.9 million]. Both of Cancel's parents, Efrain Cancel and Gezzela Algarin, were jockeys in his native Puerto Rico.

How does it feel to have enjoyed your most successful year yet?

Cancel: “It feels wonderful. I'm very grateful for the opportunities I've been getting on the racetrack. Not just from the trainers, but from the owners. The grooms, hotwalkers and everyone do a great job with all the horses that we ride. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here. My agent [P. J. Campo] has done a great job.”

What contributed to your success in 2021?

Cancel: “I just try to stay focused and keep looking forward to what I want in my career. All the stakes that I have been able to ride and win, have been great. Winning some of the first few stakes of the year in New York meant a lot to me. It just kept me going and opened more doors for me. It was just a good thing to have in my career.”

You had a six-win day in March to become leading rider at the Aqueduct winter meet. How big was that?

Cancel: “Unbelievable. I never thought I would be able to pull it off. Not too many riders have been able to do that. I know Dylan Davis did it a few years back. It isn't anything easy and to be able to do it is something really memorable. It's something that I'll always be very proud of.”

What does it mean to have highly-regarded trainers like Chad Brown and Christophe Clement putting you on more horses?

Cancel: “It's a really big help. Being able to ride for those people that have better horses really puts you in a better spot. It makes other people see how much ability you have. With that kind of help they gave me, it kept on building on my momentum.”

You've won stakes this year for Gary Sciacca and Jorge Abreu, who have been big supporters of yours for a while. How important are those relationships?

Cancel: “They've been there since scratch. They're the ones that always have given me a hand and I'll always be appreciative of them just for sticking with me. It's not easy sometimes when you go up and down. The people who mean the most are the people that stick with you, even when you're struggling a little bit. In this case, thank God I've been able to keep on building up. I've always stuck with them the same way they've always stuck with me.”

Talk about the differences between riding at all three NYRA tracks.

Cancel: “I feel like I ride better at Belmont with the wider turns. I've been trying to make a change in my style of riding at both Saratoga and Aqueduct to try and save more ground and put my horses in better positions. Belmont is a little easier because the turns are wider and you don't have to struggle that much to keep a horse where you want them to be. I'm trying to do the best job I can and trying to put everything I'm leaning together to try and keep it going.”

Both of your parents were riders, how much of an influence have they been?

Cancel: “They had a huge influence on me. I've always been around racing since I was a little kid. As soon as they started watching me get into racing a lot, they kept on pushing me into it. They always were there for me when I needed it. They taught me from scratch so I'm grateful for them and all the people that have had something to do with it.”

What are your goals for next year?

Cancel: “My main goal is to try and keep doing better every year. In the future, I have goals to be in the Breeders' Cup and the Kentucky Derby. That's one of the main things we all look forward to as jockeys. I just take everything day-by-day. I don't rush things and I try to let things fall into place. If I have the opportunity, I'll take the opportunity. If not, I'll just keep riding it out until I get it.”

The post Eric Cancel: ‘The People Who Mean The Most Are The People That Stick With You’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mystic Eyes Earns Black Type With Stewart Manor Victory

MeB Racing Stables and Vincent Esopi's Mystic Eyes earned black type in her first two stakes starts, setting the pace before finishing second in the Ainsworth in September at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., and a competitive third in the Grade 3 Matron on October 9 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The daughter of Maclean's Music broke through on Saturday, going gate-to-wire and fending off Hot Fudge's last charge to post a victory by a neck in the $100,000 Stewart Manor for juvenile fillies going six furlongs on Belmont's inner turf course.

The fourth running of the Stewart Manor, which marked the last of four stakes on the 10-race card on the penultimate day of the Belmont fall meet, saw Mystic Eyes break sharp from post 3. Under jockey Manny Franco, the Kentucky bred led the 10-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in :21.75 and the half in :44.75 over firm going, with Benbang in close pursuit.

Hot Fudge, who tracked the pace from the inside under jockey Eric Cancel, gained ground in the final furlong, pressing Mystic Eyes to the wire before the pacesetter completed the course in a 1:09.97 final time to secure her second win in four career starts.

Mystic Eyes, a debut winner by 4 1/2 lengths on August 5 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., before her pair of stakes placings, has never finished off the board for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“She's fast. You just have to control her speed a little because she's a type of horse who just wants to go,” Franco said. “I tried at some point in the race to give her a breather and save something for the end, and that's what we did. She was ready for today's race. I'm just happy to be on her.”

Mystic Eyes, the 8-5 favorite bred by Pursuit of Success, returned $5.20 on a $2 win wager. She improved her career earnings to $164,000.

“I thought she broke well. She has a lot of speed and used that today,” said Byron Hughes, assistant to Pletcher. “She got into a nice rhythm and did a great job on the front end without using too much. And she was able to hold off the competition. It was a nice win. We'll see what comes out of it. I imagine we'll head south pretty soon.”

Hot Fudge, trained by Linda Rice, bested Gal in a Rush by a half length for second in her first start since running seventh in the Grade 1 Frizette on October 3 at Belmont.

Benbang, Rigby, Flip My Id, Charlee O, The Club, Still My Babe, and Stand Up Comic completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Sunday with Closing Day of the Belmont fall meet. The 10-race card, which features an 11:50 a.m. first post, will feature a pair of stakes in the $150,000 Zagora for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/2 miles on the turf in Race 4 at 1:18 p.m. and the $150,000 Grade 3 Nashua for 2-year-olds in a one-turn mile on the main track in Race 9 at 3:43 p.m.

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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 Mystic Eyes Earns Black Type With Stewart Manor Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mischievous Kiss Makes Bold Move To Take Chelsey Flower At Belmont

A pair of recent maiden graduates at Belmont Park stepped up in class with little trouble and finished one-two in Saturday's $100,000 Chelsey Flower for 2-year-old fillies, with the Carl Pollard homebred Mischievous Kiss coming out on top over Caironi by a half length in the 1 1/16-mile event on the Widener turf course at the Elmont, N.Y., track.

Having both broke their maidens on October 2 over this same Widener course going seven furlongs, Mischievous Kiss and Caironi were overshadowed in the betting by another impressive Belmont maiden winner in Shad Nation. But the exacta proved too much for the rest of the field, as the runner-up finished 4 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Kneesnhips.

In addition to their nearly identical profiles entering the race, Mischievous Kiss [trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott] and Caironi got similar trips from off the pace, which proved to be the place to be as longshots Lady Milagro and Evangeline Allons tussled through solid early splits of :23.40 for the opening quarter-mile, :46.91 for the half, and 1:11.27 for three-quarters over firm going, with Misthaven perched just to their outside.

Mischievous Kiss, ridden by Eric Cancel, was the first to make a move into the teeth of that swift pace, launching a bold and ultimately winning rally leaving the far turn. Caironi and jockey Kendrick Carmouche followed their lead, but Mischievous Kiss gained enough separation in the stretch, forcing Carioni to settle for second while completing the course in a 1:42.89 final time.

“Eric gave her a great trip,” said Leana Willaford, assistant to Mott. “The horses we figured to show some early speed did just that. He let her relax and get into stride, and when he asked her, she was there for him. The longer she's been around, the more maturity she's shown, and she handled things real well today.”

The victory marked Mischievous Kiss' second from just three career starts, while the Mike Miceli-trained Caironi was making only her second start. The winner, by Into Mischief out of a Kris S. dam, returned $16.20 on a $2 win wager. Her career earnings now stand at $116,500.

“Her next step is between Mr. Pollard and Bill,” Willaford added. “She'll probably head to Florida with no more turf racing [in New York].”

Following Caironi in second was Kneesnhips, who finished two lengths ahead of fourth-place finisher Ouraika. Shad Nation, Misthaven, Philly Eagles, Evangeline Allons, and Lady Milagro completed the order of finish.

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Live racing resumes Sunday with Closing Day of the Belmont fall meet. The 10-race card, which features an 11:50 a.m. first post, will feature a pair of stakes in the $150,000 Zagora for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/2 miles on the turf in Race 4 at 1:18 p.m. and the Grade 3, $150,000 Nashua for 2-year-olds in a one-turn mile on the main track in Race 9 at 3:43 p.m.

The post Mischievous Kiss Makes Bold Move To Take Chelsey Flower At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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