Florent Geroux | Horse Racing Free Tips

Monomoy Girl Takes On ‘Bisou Upsetter Vexatious In Friday’s La Troienne

Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, The Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables' Monomoy Girl, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2018, headlines of a field of eight for Friday's 35th running of the $500,000 La Troienne presented by Oak Grove Racing & Gaming (GI) at Churchill Downs.

The La Troienne, for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, is one of six graded stakes on Friday's 13-race program that begins at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) and is headlined by the 146th running of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). The La Troienne will go as the day's 11th race with a 4:50 p.m. post time.

Also on the program is the 17th running of the $400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the 65th running of the $300,000 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the main track, the 36th running of the $300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf and the 26th running of the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII) for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs on the grass.

Trained by Brad Cox, Monomoy Girl has won five Grade I races in her career that has produced more than $3 million in earnings. Two of her biggest victories came at Churchill Downs where she won the 2018 Kentucky Oaks and the 2018 Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI).

Winner of the Ruffian (GII) in her most recent start, Monomoy Girl will be ridden in the La Troienne by Florent Geroux and break from post position eight.

Among the competition lined up to face Monomoy Girl is defending champion She's a Julie and Vexatious, who upset Midnight Bisou in Saratoga's Personal Ensign (GI) on Aug. 1.

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim and Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables' She's a Julie notched her second Grade I victory in the Ogden Phipps at Belmont in June. Trained by Steve Asmussen, She's a Julie will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. and break from post position six.

Calumet Farm's Vexatious, fourth in the 2017 Kentucky Oaks in her lone main track try at Churchill Downs, was second in the Ruffian to Monomoy Girl before winning the Personal Ensign. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Vexatious will break from post position two under Tyler Gaffalione.

The field for the La Troienne, with riders and weights from the inside, is: Horologist (John Velazquez, 120 pounds), Vexatious (Gaffalione, 123), With Dignity (Julien Leparoux, 118), Saracosa (Martin Garcia, 118), Risky Mandate (David Cohen, 118), She's a Julie (Santana Jr., 123), Lady Kate (Javier Castellano, 118) and Monomoy Girl (Geroux, 123).

The post Monomoy Girl Takes On ‘Bisou Upsetter Vexatious In Friday’s La Troienne appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mike Smith, Irad Ortiz To Ride At Kentucky Downs For The First Time In 2020

Kentucky Downs' deep jockey colony is getting even deeper for the six-date run of all-grass racing that offers among the richest purses in the world.

The RUNHAPPY Meet at Kentucky Downs kicks off on Labor Day, Sept. 7 and continues on Sept. 9, 10, 12, 13 and 16.

Kentucky Downs leads North America in average field size, and this meet figures to lead 2020 in the number of world-class jockeys riding those horses. The track will be the laser focus of American racing after Saratoga and Del Mar close on Labor Day, with New York's Belmont Park not opening until Sept. 18 and California's Santa Anita Park opening Sept. 19. Averaging $2 million a day in purses, Kentucky Downs is luring the most accomplished riders from New York and California along with the already deep Kentucky colony.

Nine of America's top 10 riders by 2020 purse earnings will be at Kentucky Downs (in order of purse ranking): Irad Ortiz, Joel Rosario, Tyler Gaffalione, Luis Saez, Ricardo Santana, Flavien Prat, Jose Ortiz, Javier Castellano and Florent Geroux. The top seven riders in victories at Saratoga heading into Thursday's racing are all confirmed for at least part of the meet.

“We already had one of the most talented riding colonies in the world, but this year it's going to be absolutely incredible,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' senior vice president and general manager. “It's not only our lucrative purses, but because we have averaged about 11 horses a race in recent years, there are lots of opportunities for riders instead of just a handful of jockeys dominating. At $2 million in average daily purses, you don't even have to win for coming here to be a profitable venture. Plus, jockeys tell me just how much fun it is to ride this course as a change of pace from always turning left around an oval.”

Among the top riders participating at Kentucky Downs for the first time will be Hall of Famer Mike Smith, two-time defending Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz, rising California star Umberto Rispoli and Joe Talamo, who relocated from California to Kentucky this year. In addition, Hall of Famers John Velazquez and Castellano, who between them have ridden only a handful of races at Kentucky Downs, will ride the entire meet after coming to Kentucky for Churchill Downs' rescheduled Derby Week.

After Saratoga's summer meet ends Labor Day, Irad Ortiz, two-time Kentucky Downs defending riding champion Jose Ortiz and Rosario will ride the remaining five days. Jose Ortiz, who will be riding for the fourth year at Kentucky Downs, said during last year's meet that he's been urging his brother Irad to fit Kentucky Downs into his annual circuit.

“He really wants to go,” said Jose Ortiz, who said Irad missed last year's meet because of a suspension for a riding infraction. “He said he'd like to ride the track. I was telling him how it is: Uphill, downhill, long stretch.”

Smith, who will ride at Kentucky Downs for the first time in his Hall of Fame career, is coming in for the Sept. 12 showcase Calumet Farm Day card to ride turf sprint standout Jolie Olimpica in the $500,000, Grade 3 Real Solution Ladies Sprint for trainer Richard Mandella, who likewise is running horses at America's most unique race meet for the first time.

Smith could ride additional days as his business dictates. Nominations to all Kentucky Downs' stakes closed Wednesday, Aug. 26.

“I'm excited about getting the opportunity to ride there,” said Smith, whose only prior visit to Kentucky Downs came in 2018 to sign posters commemorating his Triple Crown victory aboard Justify. “I've never ridden there. I love going over to Europe to ride, and the course at Kentucky Downs is so much of a European racetrack. I thought it was a beautiful track. It was my first time to see it in person and not just on TV. I thought I was back in Ireland or something.”

Rispoli, a two-time champion in his native Italy, started riding full-time in California this year after being based in Hong Kong. He's battling Flavien Prat for leading rider at this Del Mar meet. Prat, Del Mar's reigning summer titlist along with earning Santa Anita's winter-spring crown, will start riding at Kentucky Downs Sept. 9, with Rispoli at the track at least Sept. 12 and 13, their agents said.

Velazquez' only prior experience at Kentucky Downs was a pair of off-the-board finishes in 2018. His new agent, Ron Anderson, plans to change that.

“I'm anticipating winning some races with him — and Joel,” said Anderson, also the agent for Rosario, who rode three of five days at Kentucky Downs last year. “They've got to be on the right horse. If they're not, it's my fault.

“I think I've got action for both riders.”

Castellano rode at Kentucky Downs for the first time last year to great effect, with two wins and two seconds in five starts. “I'm looking forward to it,” he said of riding all six days this year.

As soon as the New York Racing Association announced the delayed start to Belmont's fall meet, Kiaran McLaughlin got to work securing business for Kentucky Downs. McLaughlin left his long-time training career in April to become the agent for Saez. The jockey rode two days at Kentucky Downs in 2018, including winning Dueling Ground Derby with Channel Cat, and one day last year. He'll be riding the final five days this year.

“It just made too much sense to go,” McLaughlin said. “It's an opportunity to ride for some very nice purses, and we're not missing anything at Belmont.”

The post Mike Smith, Irad Ortiz To Ride At Kentucky Downs For The First Time In 2020 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Max Player Works at Churchill for Derby

Max Player (Honor Code), third in both the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. behind expected GI Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution), worked in company Monday morning at Churchill Downs as he continued his preparations for the Sept. 5 Derby. Under jockey Florent Geroux, Max Player completed a five-eighths work in :59.60 during the 15-minute window set aside exclusively for Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks contenders.

Off at approximately 7:30 a.m., Max Player began the move two lengths behind his stablemate, Allege (Uncle Mo), and finished on even terms at the wire. He recorded splits of :23.80 for the quarter and :35.80 for three furlongs, galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.60.

“He worked really well behind his workmate,” said Geroux, who was deputizing for rider Ricardo Santana, Jr., who is scheduled to have the mount for the Derby. “I think he will like the 1 1/4-mile distance in the Derby. I was working the horse this morning because Ricardo is still at Saratoga. Steve [Asmussen] has given me many great opportunities in my career so I always try to help when he needs me. I will be on [trainer] Bob Baffert’s horse Thousand Words [Pioneerof the Nile] in the Derby.”

Sporting the colors of George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp., Max Player was trained by New York-based Linda Rice through the Aug. 8 Travers before being transferred to Asmussen. Never off the board in five career starts, he opened his sophomore campaign with a win in the GIII Withers S. Feb. 1 prior to his placings in the Belmont and Travers.

The post Max Player Works at Churchill for Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Max Player Works ‘Really Well,’ Covers Swift Five Furlongs In Company At Churchill Downs

George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred's $1 million Travers Stakes (Grade I) third-place finisher Max Player recorded a swift five-furlong move in :59.60 Monday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Max Player, who was recently transferred to the care of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen from New York-based conditioner Linda Rice, worked at 7:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) during the exclusive 15-minute training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders. Max Player, who breezed with jockey Florent Geroux up, began his work two lengths behind stablemate Allege and worked through fractions of :23.80 and :35.80. Max Player finished even with his workmate at the wire and continued to gallop out in front through six furlongs in 1:12.60.

“He worked really well behind his workmate,” said Geroux, who was filling in Monday for Max Player's Derby rider Ricardo Santana Jr. “I think he will like the 1 ¼-mile distance in the Derby. I was working the horse this morning because Ricardo is still at Saratoga. Steve has given me many great opportunities in my career so I always try to help when he needs me. I will be on (trainer) Bob Baffert's horse Thousand Words in the Derby.”

Also training during the special training window was Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo, who galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Edgar Medina for trainer Juan Avila. The son of Uncle Mo is scheduled to have his final move before the Kentucky Derby on Saturday morning.

Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's former $100,000 claim Necker Island returned to the track following his walk day on Sunday with an easy jog under exercise rider Hillary Hartman. Necker Island, trained by Chris Hartman, is tentatively scheduled to work on Saturday with jockey Miguel Mena aboard.

Prior to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks training window, Lloyd Madison Farm's Major Fed galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:15 a.m. under exercise rider Margarito Fierro. Trained by Greg Foley, the $300,000 Indiana Derby (GIII) runner-up is scheduled to have his final work on Friday or Saturday. Approximately 45 minutes following Major Fed's gallop, West Point Thoroughbreds and Pearl Racing's $600,000 Arkansas Derby (GI) third-place finisher Winning Impression had a light 1 ½-mile gallop with trainer Dallas Stewart's exercise rider Emerson Chavez in the saddle.

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's $200,000 Ellis Park Derby runner-up Attachment Rate had a scheduled walk day following his half-mile move in :48.60 Sunday morning.

On the Longines Kentucky Oaks front, Mark and Nancy Stanley's graded stakes placed Tempers Rising galloped 1 ½ miles at 6:30 a.m. under Chavez. Also making an appearance Monday morning at Churchill Downs was Flurry Racing Stables, Qatar Racing Limited and Big Aut Farms' $200,000 Indiana Oaks (GIII) winner Shedaresthedevil, who jogged with exercise rider Edvin Vargas up for trainer Brad Cox. Her stablemate, Juddmonte Farms' $600,000 Alabama Stakes (GI) runner-up Bonny South, galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Gustavo Abrego.

The post Max Player Works ‘Really Well,’ Covers Swift Five Furlongs In Company At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post