extravagant kid | Horse Racing Free Tips

Leinster had a more eventful trip than it might appear in Saturday's Grade 2 Woodford Stakes, owing to the strap from his over girth coming loose from its keepers, but it didn't hinder what was otherwise a stellar performance in the turf sprint.

The 5-year-old son of Majestic Warrior carried on what has already been a successful 2020 at Keeneland, after winning the track's marquee turf sprint race of the July meet, the G2 Shakertown Stakes, in track-record time. Adding another Keeneland win puts him in a strong position to carry that home-course advantage into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at the same track.

On Saturday, Leinster broke sharply under jockey Luis Saez, and stayed within striking distance of leader Just Might. The strap on Leinster's girth was already loose and swinging by the time the field got through an opening quarter in :21.90 seconds, but Saez remained secure in the irons throughout the trip.

Just Might led the field through the turn and held on to the advantage, but Leinster gradually drew even with the pace setter approaching the final eighth, and he kicked on to win by a half-length over a late-gaining Extravagant Kid. Just Might continued on for third.

Leinster stopped the clock in the 5 1/2-furlong race in 1:01.59 over a fast turf course, a tick slower than his course-record time at the same distance in the Shakertown, which he completed in 1:00.86. He won the race for owners Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables, and Jean Wilkinson, and he was trained by Rusty Arnold. Leinster paid $7.80 to win as the favorite.

To view the full race chart, click here.

Quotes from the $150,000 Woodford Presented by TVG, courtesy of the Keeneland notes team

Rusty Arnold (winning trainer of Leinster)

“We had a little setback – he had a foot problem. We actually were going to run him at Kentucky Downs. We didn't get to run. Maybe it's a blessing because he stayed right here on his home track. He got to work on this turf course a couple of times – I think that's a big edge. Worked out good.”

Luis Saez (winning rider)

“He broke pretty sharp. He put me on the lead, but we didn't really want to be there. We wanted to track somebody. We had a perfect position, and I had a lot of horse. He just took off.”

Tyler Gaffalione (rider of runner-up Extravagant Kid)

“I am very pleased with his effort today. He has a tendency to kind of wait on horses when he makes the lead, so I was trying to time it right. We got beat by a really nice horse. I am pleased with what my horse gave today and I am looking forward to next time.”

The post Leinster Has Girth Troubles, Kicks Off Anyway In Woodford Stakes At Keeneland appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Breaking from the No. 1 post position and saving ground throughout, Diamond Oops rallied from last to win Friday's Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., giving jockey Florent Geroux his fifth win of the afternoon on the Kentucky Oaks day card.

Owned by Diamond 100 Racing Club LLC, Amy E. Dunne, D P Racing LLC and Patrick L. Biancone Racing LLC, the 5-year-old gelding by Lookin At Lucky is trained by Biancone. He covered 5 1/2 furlongs on turf rated good in 1:04.18 and paid $10 as the 4-1 second choice in the wagering.

Extravagant Kid, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, finished second as the 2-1 favorite, beaten a neck, with Just Might a length back in third and Chaps fourth in the field of 12 older turf sprinters.

The win was the first on grass for Diamond Oops, who was bred in Kentucky by Kin Hui Racing Stables and produced from the Whywhywhy mare, Patriotic Viva. His best previous turf performance in three starts came last fall at Keeneland when second, beaten three-quarters of a length by Bowies Hero, in the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile while battling on the front end throughout.

Diamond Oops was shuffled back to the back of the field after the break as Wellable led the field through an opening quarter mile in :22.58 under pressure from Just Might. The latter took command on the turn, the half mile clocked in :45.85, but Extravagant Kid quickly emerged on the scene and appeared to be headed to victory.

Geroux and Diamond Oops began passing horses on the turn after trailing early, following Extravagant Kid on the inside. He came off the rail to pass Wellabled in midstretch, then closed strongly for the win.

“He ran big. He's an amazing horse,” said Geroux. “Patrick (Biancone) always told me this horse has a little bit of some kind of physical problems, but he has the heart of a champion. He'll run on any kind of surface, any distance, from six furlongs to a mile. We saw him last year when he almost pulled it off in the (Grade1) Shadwell Turf Mile. I have no idea what's next for him, because he runs turf, he runs dirt, he does everything.”

Winner of two G3 races in 2019 at Gulfstream Park, the Smile Sprint and Mr. Prospector, Diamond Oops finished fourth behind Mucho Gusto in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 25. Given 4 1/2 months off, Diamond Oops then ran second in an overnight handicap at Gulfstream in June and trained up to the Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Palm Meadows in South Florida.

The victory in the $250,000 race was worth $144,150, upping his earnings to $938,590. He's won six of 15 career starts.

Brendan Walsh, who trained runner-up Extravagant Kid, said: “He ran well. Looked like he had the race won. He did that the one time he got beat here at Churchill, he made the front a little too soon. But in fairness to (jockey) Tyler (Gaffalione), he thought he had everybody covered. You can't just sit on him. He had to go with it, and we got caught out. But hat's off to the winner. They won the race. But he showed up again. We can't ask for much more than that. It would have been nice to win, but there you go.”

Geroux's five wins came in race 5 aboard Travel Column, a 2-year-old filly from the first crop of Frosted who was impressive breaking her maiden in her debut; in race 7 with Flabbergasted in an allowance race; in race 11, the G1 La Troienne aboard Monomoy Girl; and race 12 aboard Shedaresthedevil in the G1 Kentucky Oaks.

The post Diamond Oops Gives Geroux Fifth Win On Oaks Day In Twin Spires Turf Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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