Frankie Dettori | Horse Racing Free Tips

Frankie Dettori: Country Grammer Has ‘Rock-Solid Saudi Cup Credentials’

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA–Country Grammer (Tonalist) brings rock-solid credentials to the G1 Saudi Cup at Riyadh, according to his legendary rider Frankie Dettori, who says the Bob Baffert-trained 6-year-old can go one better than last year in Saturday's showpiece.

Dettori also described Baffert's other runner in the race, the unexposed Taiba (Gun Runner), as a force to be reckoned with as the 52-year-old spoke alongside fellow luminary in the saddle, Joao Moreira, in the build-up to the world's richest race.

“Country Grammer is very solid and never runs a bad race–touch wood he doesn't start now,” Dettori joked at a media event at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh Thursday morning.

“He was second last year, is tough and has travelled before, which is a plus. I would be foolish to say that I am confident but I am very pleased to ride him and he will give his best.”

Baffert has had the Saudi Cup on Country Grammer's agenda for a while now and elected to sidestep taking on the unbeaten champion Flightline (Tapit) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland in November, a decision Dettori hopes will be vindicated on Saturday.

He explained, “Bob and the Zedan Racing Stables, they skipped the [Breeders' Cup] Classic because they thought it would be tough to beat the good horse [Flightline]. He has been aimed at these two races, the Saudi Cup and then on to Dubai, so this was always the plan. We have 48 hours to go so fingers crossed we can get there and everything goes to plan.”

On Baffert's other runner Taiba, Dettori added, “He is also very solid. He has very little mileage on the clock and is a horse who I feel is still improving. He will be thereabouts as well.”

Moreira will partner the Noriyuki Hori-trained Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), a general 14-1 chance for the Saudi Cup, and said that the 6-year-old has been filling him with confidence in track work this week.

“Being realistic, this is probably one of the strongest dirt races in the world,” Moreira said. “However, this horse has impressed me in track work and is taking me into the race with a bit of confidence. I know we are challenging good horses but I am faithful that this horse can give his best.”

The Saudi Cup meeting will be the biggest event that Dettori has ridden at since announcing his farewell tour over Christmas. Like Dettori, Moreira is planning on exiting the stage, but said that he is hopeful of riding for another two seasons before calling time on his career.

He said, “I don't know if many people know but I have developed some health issue, which is pretty much a hip joint. People think I can just go there and get a hip replacement but it's been recommended by the doctors not to do it right now. I am in a great deal of pain and, what's best for me psychologically is to decide to do it [retire] on my terms. I'm not doing it right now and will continue to ride for another year and a half, maybe two years.”

Dettori, who was described as being an “idol” by Moreira, is more definitive on his retirement and explained that the Breeders' Cup remains the most likely curtain call.

He said, “I gave myself a year to do my last farewell. I am in Saudi Arabia just because I was asked to be here, I'd usually be in Dubai, and after that I will do the European programme. Royal Ascot should be my last meeting in England and then possibly the Breeders' Cup will be my last, or if something in the Melbourne Cup or other things materialise. But this year is my last. I will be 53 in December and I will finish on the top. It's hard to choose the right moment and my heart wants to carry on but I want to have another life after racing.”

Asked if he thinks that he will change his mind about retiring this year, Dettori responded, “At the moment, the plan is to stop at the end of the season. I am sure I am going to be asked that question a million times before then.”

On the next chapter, he added, “I have my eye on working in the media. That is the route that I am thinking of taking. There are other things, like buying a few horses and becoming a bloodstock agent, things like that, but I will have a couple of months to sit back and look at the whole picture. Not training, no, I wouldn't have the patience.”

The post Frankie Dettori: Country Grammer Has ‘Rock-Solid Saudi Cup Credentials’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘Luck And Lack Of Management!’ – Manhattan Jungle’s Overjoyed Breeder

She had achieved black-type success in France as a two-year-old last season and on Sunday Manhattan Jungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) took her tally of listed wins to two when scoring comfortably at Santa Anita under Frankie Dettori but you won't find her breeder Patrick Headon getting carried away with himself back in Ireland.

The County Offaly operator joked on Monday, “It's vindication for a lot of luck and lack of management!”

Of course, Headon was doing his best to deflect praise for his tried and trusted method of producing winners on a budget. Who's Steph (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) was the filly who got the name of Headon's Wraymount Stud in lights when collecting a string of Group 3 successes for Ger Lyons and Manhattan Jungle hails from a similarly well-bought mare of his.

Headon sourced Manhattan Jungle's dam Skylight (Ire) from Rathasker Stud at Goffs in 2015 for just €15,000. Llew Law (GB) (Verglas {Ire}), the dam of Who's Steph, was an even bigger steal at €5,000. One thing's for certain, Headon knows a bargain when he sees one, and he revealed on Monday that he is allowing himself to believe that the share price in Manhattan Jungle's pedigree could scale even higher in the coming months.

“She's a stakes winner at two and three now, and is also Group-placed. She's pretty solid,” he said. “I bought the dam off Maurice Burns at Rathasker–he never fails to remind me! I'm good friends with Maurcie and we gave €15,000 for Skylight at Goffs.

“Her first foal was very small and we sold her for just €1,600. She's by Gregorian (Ire) and went to Italy, where she managed to win. The second foal was by Dandy Man (Ire), and we got €12,000 for him to go to Italy as well. He was better, I think he won three or four out there, but then Manhattan Jungle came along to bring the pedigree to a new level.”

He continued, “We got €20,000 for Manhattan Jungle off Amy Murphy and her partner Lemos De Souza. They opened up a satellite yard in France, where she was trained and picked up that first listed win. She actually ran a big race for them at the Breeders' Cup.”

That Breeders' Cup effort came over a furlong or two too far but, even so, the signs were there that Manhattan Jungle could be suited by the demands of America.

Headon explained, “I was at a celebratory dinner for my nephew after he completed his PHD in engineering. We were celebrating in a restaurant on Wicklow Street but decided to escape to the pub next door to watch the Breeders' Cup. Of course, we were the only three eejits in the pub watching the race, and we thought a furlong out that it might just happen but then she ran out of petrol over that trip. She's won her listed race out there now, which is fantastic.”

Headon credits Manhattan Jungle for getting Skylight up and running as a broodmare but says that the Sioux Nation half-brother who was knocked down to Johnny Hassett for €90,000 at last year's Orby Sale at Goffs could elevate things to a new level.

He said, “If the Sioux Nation turns out to be good, it will put the icing on the cake. She has a colt weanling by Shaman (Ire) and is in foal to Invincible Army (Ire). My wife, my son and I had the book out at the kitchen table today and we were discussing where we might go with the mare this year.

“Bungle Inthejungle is a son of Exceed And Excel, so that Danehill (Ire) line has clicked with her before so we could look at something like that. Unless we go to something sexy, a complete outcross, I don't know. I haven't decided yet. Cotai Glory (GB) is Exceed And Excel and is an option, too.”

By his own admission, Wraymount Stud has been flying a little under the radar, largely down to the fact that many of Headon's clients are based abroad. However, the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners-owned and Michael McCarthy-trained Manhattan Jungle may do her bit to ensure that is no longer the case.

“The reason why we're slightly under the radar is that I keep a lot of stock here on the farm for clients in Italy,” he explained. “They've done very well with our stock in Italy and we bred the champion two-year-old filly from a couple of years ago out there called Telepathic Glances (Ire), who is by Pride Of Dubai (Aus).”

He added, “Broodmare sires are very important to us. Acclamation (GB) was starting to get going as a broodmare sire when we bought Starlight but now he is firmly established. I have a couple of Cape Cross (Ire) mares, but funnily enough, they aren't really firing for us as of yet. I like Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) as a broodmare sire as well. The reason why we bought Llew Law was because she was by Verglas, who we also liked.

“We keep six or seven four ourselves and then we have a few paying guests on top of that. We were at Goffs last week with a couple of yearlings and my son Tommy bought the Gregorian half-sister to Manhattan Jungle back for €5,000. She's not very big but she is well-made–she'll go to Bungle Inthejungle this year.”

The post ‘Luck And Lack Of Management!’ – Manhattan Jungle’s Overjoyed Breeder appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Twirling Candy’s Ag Bullet Holds On For Lady Of Shamrock Win

After an unsuccessful fifth behind GISW & 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin) on the dirt at Del Mar in November, Ag Bullet made the switch to the grass and immediately found success, posting a 3 1/2-length win Jan. 22 going 6 1/2 furlongs. Stretched out to one mile for the first time in Sunday's Lady of Shamrock S. at Santa Anita, the gray broke as the narrow 2-1 second choice behind eventual runner-up The Wild Grazer and showed good early speed to contest the tempo up front. Jockey Frankie Dettori, riding in place of an injured Joe Bravo, took Ag Bullet in hand to tuck back in second off early pacesetter Broadway Girls (Army Mule). Chasing while two wide around the far turn, she hit the front with a furlong to run and held off a closing The Wild Grazer to secure the narrow win.

Noble Grey has a 2-year-old colt, Innocent Man (Honor Code), and a yearling filly by Classic Empire. She is carrying a Mendelssohn foal for 2023. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

LADY OF SHAMROCK S., $101,000, Santa Anita, 2-12, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.82, fm.
1–AG BULLET, 120, f, 3, by Twirling Candy
                1st Dam: Noble Grey, by Forestry
                2nd Dam: Never Fail, by Holy Bull
                3rd Dam: Peaceful Intention, by Hold Your Peace
($30,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $220,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Calvin Nguyen & Joey C. Tran;
B-H & E Ranch (KY); T-George Papaprodromou; J-Lanfranco
Dettori. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $101,600.
2–The Wild Grazer (Ire), 120, f, 3, Gustav Klimt (Ire)–Texas
Katie (GB), by Clodovil (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Red Baron's
Barn LLC & Rancho Temescal LLC; B-Pat McGree (Ire); T-Jeff
Mullins. $20,000.
3–Princess Bettina, 120, f, 3, Will Take Charge–Aiden's Girl,
by First Dude. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Donald R. Dizney, LLC (FL);
T-Peter Eurton. $12,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.20, 2.00, 4.40.
Also Ran: Tea N Conversation, Nyvan, Broadway Girls, Quickly Park It.

The post Twirling Candy’s Ag Bullet Holds On For Lady Of Shamrock Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Amr Zedan Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast

Saudi businessman Amr Zedan has been an owner only since 2017, but in that short period of time he has more than made his mark on the sport. His Medina Spirit (Protonico) crossed the wire first in the 2021 GI Kentucky Derby, his Taiba (Gun Runner) won three Grade I races last year and he has what may be this year's hottest 3-year-old colt in GIII Southwest S. winner Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo). We found out more about Zedan and his racing operation on this week's Thoroughbred Daily News Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland. Zedan was the Green Group Guest of the Week.

Zedan doesn't buy a lot of horses at the sales, but he's not afraid to pay whatever it takes when his team targets a horse. In the case of Arabian Knight, he was purchased for $2.3 million at the OBS April sale. When he buys a horse, Zedan is thinking Derby.

“Our program is specifically tailor made for the Kentucky Derby,” Zedan said. “So every horse we target isa Kentucky Derby hopeful in our eyes. Obviously, once you're up there on the podium and carrying the Kentucky Derby trophy, I mean that feeling is difficult to describe. You just want to do it again and again and again. So that's the plan.”

That philosophy did and did not work with Medina Spirit, a bargain-basement buy at $35,000. He was first across the wire in the Derby but was later disqualified due to a positive for a therapeutic medication. Zedan and trainer Bob Baffert continue to fight the suspension in the courts.

“Look, I won the Derby, right? But I haven't lost it yet,” Zedan said. “There's a big yet there. Right now we're on to the appellate process and we are fully engaged. Let the chips fall where they may. I think we've got a great team and I honestly think we have a solid case. Once the facts are objectively reviewed, I think everything will be reinstated. That's my prerogative. So that's one. Two, I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. I just never felt any ill feelings or any animosity towards Churchill Downs or towards anyone for that matter. It's part of the sport.

Taiba was Zedan's best horse in 2022 and won the GI Santa Anita Derby, the GI Pennsylvania Derby and the GI Malibu S. But that wasn't enough to land the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old male. Though he won just one Grade I race, Epicenter (Not This Time) was named champion. For Zedan, that was a major disappointment.

“I didn't expect to win the Eclipse award, but I thought we might have a lot more votes than we got,” he said. “I thought we should have had gotten more than the 66 votes we got just to make it a bit of a closer race. I don't remember a horse that had won three Grade Ones that hasn't at least gotten more votes or let alone win the Eclipse award. So there is that element of disappointment.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored by Coolmore,https://lanesend.com/ https://lanesend.com/ the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, XBTV https://www.kentuckybred.org/and https://www.threechimneys.com/ West Point Thoroughbreds, Randy Moss and Bill Finley took a look back at the races run over the weekends that had implications for the Kentucky Derby. Which horse was most impressive? The consensus opinion was Gulfstream allowance winner Tapit Trice (Tapit), whose name, when properly pronounced, may not be what you think. Moss explained why. And has Frankie Dettori found his mount for the Derby in GIII Robert B. Lewis S. winner Newgate (Into Mischief)? Moss and Finley differed on that subject, with Moss explaining why he thinks Dettori will choose to ride on Derby Day in the U.K. in the GI 2000 Guineas Stakes. The show wrapped up with a look at Saturday's Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs, which features Eclipse Award winner Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) and the highly regarded Julia Shining (Curlin).

The post Amr Zedan Joins the TDN Writers’ Room Podcast appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post