France Go De Ina Settling in Well at Belmont

Yuji Inaida's France Go de Ina (Will Take Charge) visited Belmont's main track for the first time Friday to begin preparations for a start in the June 5 GI Belmont S. Trained by Hideyuki Mori said the Kentucky-bred was settling in well to his new surroundings after arriving at Belmont last Monday following his seventh-place finish in the GI Preakness S.

“It's been 15 years since I've been here,” said the 62-year-old with a laugh Saturday morning on the Belmont backstretch via translator Kate Hunter.  “I forgot how big it was. It looks like he has settled in well and is in very good condition. He looks like he has got all his weight back from after the race and all the travel.”

Japanese-based France Go de Ina was purchased by the conditioner for $100,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for owner Yuji Inaida.

In addition to trying to collect a $1 million bonus offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Belmont, France Go de Ina will look to provide Mori with his first win in North America with his eighth starter.

Mori brought Ski Captain to Churchill Downs in 1995 to finish 14th in the GI Kentucky Derby in his first venture to North America.

The 3-year-old is a two-time winner at Hanshin, including a maiden score Nov. 28 and an allowance win Dec. 19. He entered the Preakness off a sixth in the UAE Derby.

Mori expects France Go de Ina to improve off his latest effort following extensive travel to Baltimore for the 1 3/16-mile second jewel of the Triple Crown.

“He was good at the beginning, but he seemed to get a little tired at the end,” said Mori. “He went from Dubai to Japan and then Japan to the Preakness and he probably needed the race to be more fit for the Belmont.”

Mori said France Go de Ina is bred to enjoy the stretch out in distance to 12 furlongs.

“He's out of a Curlin mare, so we're hopeful he'll be able to stay the distance,” said Mori. “He will probably have a serious work on Tuesday or Wednesday before the race. He'll canter in the mornings and continue to build stamina.”

The post France Go De Ina Settling in Well at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Japan’s France Go De Ina Settles In For Belmont Stakes Attempt

Yuji Inaida's France Go de Ina, trained by Hideyuki Mori, visited the Belmont Park main track for the first time on Friday to begin preparations for a start in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

The 62-year-old Mori said the Kentucky-bred France Go de Ina was settling in well to his new surroundings after arriving at Belmont on Monday following his seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Preakness under Joel Rosario.

“It's been 15 years since I've been here. I forgot how big it was,” said Mori with a laugh Saturday morning on the Belmont backstretch via translator Kate Hunter. “It looks like he has settled in well and is in very good condition. He looks like he has got all his weight back from after the race and all the travel.”

Bred by Kidder Betz, B & K Canetti and Jim Betz, the Japan-based France Go de Ina was purchased by the conditioner for $100,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for owner Yuji Inaida.

In addition to trying to collect a $1 million bonus offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Belmont Stakes, France Go de Ina will look to provide Mori with his first win in North America with his eighth starter.

Mori traveled Ski Captain to Churchill Downs in 1995 to finish 14th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in his first venture to North America. The well-respected conditioner has been represented at the last two Breeders' Cup World Championships with Matera Sky [8th, 2019 Sprint], Full Flat [5th, 2019 Juvenile] and Jasper Prince [14th, 2020 Sprint].

France Go de Ina (by Will Take Charge) is a two-time winner at Hanshin Racecourse, including a maiden score on November 28 and an allowance coup on December 19. France Go de Ina entered the Preakness from a sixth in the UAE Derby following a poor start.

Mori said France Go de Ina should improve off the Preakness effort after extensive travel en route to Baltimore for his attempt at the 1 3/16-mile second jewel of the Triple Crown.

“He was good at the beginning but he seemed to get a little tired at the end,” said Mori of the Preakness effort. “He went from Dubai to Japan and then Japan to the Preakness and he probably needed the race to be more fit for the Belmont.”

Mori said France Go de Ina is bred to enjoy the stretch out in distance to 12 furlongs.

“He's out of a Curlin mare, so we're hopeful he'll be able to stay the distance,” said Mori. “He will probably have a serious work on Tuesday or Wednesday before the race. He'll canter in the mornings and continue to build stamina.”

Discussions on who will ride France Go de Ina in the Belmont Stakes are ongoing.

The post Japan’s France Go De Ina Settles In For Belmont Stakes Attempt appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Rombauer, ‘France’ Ship Safely to Belmont

Classic hero Rombauer (Twirling Candy), who races for John and Diane Fradkin, shipped in to Belmont Park around 10 a.m. Monday ahead of an intended start in the June 5 $1.5-million GI Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets. The colt earned a 102 Beyer for his GI Preakness S. heroics at Pimlico Saturday for trainer Michael McCarthy. He will be stabled with trainer Jonathan Thomas. Groom Leonel Orantes Aguilar reported that Rombauer had vanned to New York “very well”.

“It seems like he's in good physical shape,” McCarthy said, who is back at his southern California base. “He was pretty bright and alert on Sunday morning. He's a horse that takes very good care of himself, so we sort of read the signs from him and see what he's telling us. From what I can tell, he's no worse for wear.”

Second in the GI American Pharoah S. from four starts as a juvenile, Rombauer captured the Listed El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Feb. 13 before a third in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in early April.

Reflecting on his colt's win he added, “I got a lot of nice messages from people and there were a lot of people that reached out who I hadn't heard from in quite some time, so it was very nice.”

Also arriving at Belmont on Monday was Yuji Inaida's well-traveled France Go de Ina (Will Take Charge), who will also contest the third jewel of the Triple Crown. The chestnut colt, who was sixth in the G2 UAE Derby in March and seventh in the Preakness S., was accompanied by trainer Hideyuki Mori's traveling assistant Masaki Takano. The dual winner will resume training Friday, May 21.

“He seemed to travel really well, it was a trouble free trip,” said Takano through translator Kate Hunter. “This is a good experience for the horse because the racing here is so different. Over the course of the time that he's been here, he's been able to get used to the American style of doing things. That's helped him relax into the routine and hopefully it will lead to a better performance in the future.

“The extra length of the Belmont, and the experience he's gotten from racing once here already, it's likely we'll have a better chance to perform better based off his pedigree. We're looking forward to giving it another go.”

There is a $1-million bonus for any Japan-based horse who wins the Belmont.

The post Rombauer, ‘France’ Ship Safely to Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Preakness Hero Rombauer Arrives At Belmont Park ‘No Worse For Wear’

John and Diane Fradkin's homebred colt Rombauer, a decisive winner of Saturday's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course, arrived at Belmont Park on Monday to prepare for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets slated for June 5.

The 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes is the centerpiece of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival that runs from June 3 through Saturday, June 5. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Rombauer garnered a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his rallying 3 1/2-length score in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness, second jewel of the Triple Crown.

The Twirling Candy bay, who is based at Santa Anita Park, arrived at Belmont at around 10:00 a.m. on Monday morning and will be stabled with trainer Jonathan Thomas.

Accompanying the Preakness champ on the van ride from Maryland was groom Leonel Orantes Aguilar, who reported that the horse shipped to New York “very well.”

McCarthy returned to southern California, where he is primarily based at Santa Anita, but gave positive reports on how the horse emerged from his breakthrough performance.

“It seems like he's in good physical shape,” McCarthy said. “He was pretty bright and alert on Sunday morning. He's a horse that takes very good care of himself, so we sort of read the signs from him and see what he's telling us. From what I can tell, he's no worse for wear.”

The versatile Rombauer graduated at first asking on the Del Mar turf in July 2020 and completed his 2-year-old season on dirt with a second in the Grade 1 American Pharoah in September at Santa Anita and a closing fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Keeneland, which was won by 2-year-old champion Essential Quality.

Rombauer captured the El Camino Real Derby on the Golden Gate Fields synthetic in February to launch his sophomore season and followed with an even third in the Grade 2 Blue Grass in April on the Keeneland main track ahead of his Preakness effort.

It was a first American classic triumph for McCarthy, who was previously a longtime assistant to newly minted Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

“I got a lot of nice messages from people and there were a lot of people that reached out who I hadn't heard from in quite some time, so it was very nice,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy went on to say that Bo Hirsch's Ce Ce is a possibility for the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event on Belmont Stakes Day at 1 1/16 miles on the main track for older fillies and mares.

Yuji Inaida's France Go de Ina, trained by Hideyuki Mori, also arrived at Belmont on Monday following his seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Preakness under Joel Rosario.

Mori's travelling assistant Masaki Takano will oversee the two-time winner's preparations heading into the Belmont Stakes.

“He seemed to travel really well, it was a trouble free trip,” said Takano through translator Kate Hunter. “This is a good experience for the horse because the racing here is so different. Over the course of the time that he's been here, he's been able to get used to the American style of doing things. That's helped him relax into the routine and hopefully it will lead to a better performance in the future.”

Takano said that France Go de Ina, a two-time winner in Japan at Hanshin Racecourse, has settled into a nice rhythm training in North America and should be well prepared heading into his next engagement.

“The extra length of the Belmont, and the experience he's gotten from racing once here already, it's likely we'll have a better chance to perform better based off his pedigree. We're looking forward to giving it another go,” said Takano.

A $100,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Kentucky-bred France Go de Ina is by Will Take Charge and out of the Curlin mare Dreamy Blues.

France Go de Ina is a two-time winner at Hanshin Racecourse, including a maiden score on November 28 and an allowance coup on December 19. France Go de Ina entered the Preakness from a sixth in the UAE Derby following a poor start.

Takano said France Go de Ina will resume training on Friday morning.

A $1 million bonus is offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

The $1 million bonus is in addition to the $800,000 winner's share of the Belmont Stakes, which is contested at 1 ½ miles [2,400 meters], the same distance as classic races in Japan.

In 2016, the Japan-based Lani competed in all three legs of the Triple Crown, with his best showing being a third-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.

The Japan-based Master Fencer, who was elevated to sixth in the 2019 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, closed to finish fifth in that year's Grade 1 Belmont.

To qualify for the bonus, a horse must have made at least three starts in Japan prior to starting in the Belmont and must be nominated to North America's Triple Crown series. In the event of a dead heat, the connections will receive a $600,000 bonus.

The post Preakness Hero Rombauer Arrives At Belmont Park ‘No Worse For Wear’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights