gary barber | Horse Racing Free Tips

Philly Eagles, Make Mischief Work Ahead Of Next Starts

Tracy Farmer's Philly Eagles, with exercise rider Janelle Castonguay up for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, breezed a half-mile in :50.26 Sunday over the inner turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., in preparation for the $100,000 Chelsey Flower, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for juveniles fillies on October 31.

“I was happy with the way she went,” said Casse assistant Shane Tripp. “The turf was a little bit soft from the rain we had last night, but she did it well within herself.”

A maiden winner at Doncaster in June for her former trainer Alice Haynes, the Havana Gold bay made her North American debut with a solid fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Miss Grillo over firm Belmont turf October 2 where she was bumped at the break and checked.

“I really loved the effort she gave. It was a pretty stout group,” Tripp said. “She's doing well and has acclimated well. I like where she's at now compared to Saratoga. I'm looking forward to leading her over.”

Gary Barber's multiple graded-stakes placed New York-bred Make Mischief worked five-eighths in 1:00.91 Friday over Big Sandy in preparation for the 1 1/16-mile $250,000 Empire Distaff on Saturday's Empire Showcase Day card.

“She worked really well. She loves it here. I like the way she gets across the main track,” Tripp said.

The Into Mischief bay graduated at first asking in June 2020 over Big Sandy and followed with runner-up efforts in the Grade 3 Schuylerville and Grade 2 Adirondack, both at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Through nine sophomore starts, Make Mischief has posted a record of 3-1-2, including a win in the Maddie May in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., and a close third in the Grade 1 Acorn in June at Belmont. She finished second by a neck last out in the nine-furlong Fleet Indian on August 27 at the Spa.

“She's a warrior that will give you everything she has every time. I'm pleased with how she's coming into it,” Tripp said. “She's an open-company type horse. Her last effort upstate against state-breds was impressive. I expect her to run well.”

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Longshot Indian Peak Victorious In California Flag At Santa Anita

Longshot Indian Peak settled nicely off the early pace and mounted a furious stretch rally under Juan Hernandez to outrun favored North County Guy by a head in Sunday's $100,000 California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. In his third start for Peter Miller and his first try down the hillside turf course, Indian Peak got about 6 ½ furlongs in 1:12.52.

The California Flag Handicap, named for the High Card Ranch's homebred millionaire who won the 2009 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, is part of the lucrative CTBA sponsored Golden State Series for California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up.

Breaking from the far outside in a field of nine, Indian Peak was sixth, about five lengths off the lead at the half-mile mark while well within himself. Six-wide and on the move at the dirt crossing, Indian Peak pinned his ears and outran North County Guy late in a thriller.

“He felt really comfortable, he's a nice horse,” said Hernandez, who won yesterday's California Distaff Handicap run down the hill with Warren's Showtime. “He tries all the time. I rode him before, maybe three or four times (when based at Golden Gate Fields, dating back to December of 2019) and he's the kind of horse that always comes with a run at the end.

“Peter Miller told me to just sit there and make one run and then before the quarter pole, before we crossed the dirt, he started running, so I just let him run. He picked the lead right after we crossed the dirt and we were fighting the inside and outside (horses), but we made it…”

Most recently a well-beaten fifth by North County Guy in 1 1/16-mile turf allowance as the 7-5 favorite on Aug. 20 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Indian Peak was off at 16-1 and paid $35.80, $11.20, and $5.40.

A 4-year-old California-bred gelding by Comic Strip out of the Roar mare Ms. Booty, Indian Peak, who was originally conditioned by Golden Gate Fields-based Quinn Howey, is currently owned by Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable.

A winner of Santa Anita's Snow Chief Stakes in only his third start at age three on June 20, 2020, Indian Peak registered his second stakes win today and improved his overall race record to 20-6-3-1. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $333,532.

The 7-5 favorite, North County Guy ran too good to lose, finishing a head in front of Unbridled Ethos. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, North County Guy paid $3.40 and $2.60.

With Ricky Gonzalez up, Unbridled Ethos was off at 9-1 and paid $5.00 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths clear of Whooping Jay, who lacked racing room turning for home.

Fractions on the race were :22.00, :44.06, and 1:06.65.

Live racing resumes with first post time for an eight-race card on Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific.

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God Of Love, Fast Feet Make It A Casse Exacta In Cup and Saucer At Woodbine

Dual Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse hit the exacta with winner God of Love and runner-up Fast Feet in the 85th running of the $251,200 Cup and Saucer Stakes Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

While 7-2 choice Fast Feet set the early tone in the 1 1/16-mile turf classic for Canadian-bred two-year-olds, it was 7-1 stablemate God of Love, a son of Cupid, who finished strongest of all to take the spoils.

Fast Feet, bred and owned by Gary Barber, arrived at the Cup and Saucer off an impressive first-time out win in September, and looked sharp again, taking his 10 rivals through an opening quarter of :25:53, as Mentoring kept close tabs on the leader, with Dancin in Da'nile following in third. God of Love, with Rafael Hernandez aboard, was well back in the pack, sitting in ninth.

Fast Feet continued to set the pace, still operating on a half-length lead over Mentoring through a half in :50.44, as God of Love was still well back in eighth.

Heading into the final turn, Fast Feet began to pick up the pace and attempted to draw away from his pursuers. God of Love, ninth at Robert Geller's three-quarters call, still had plenty of work ahead of him.

After methodically picking off his rivals one by one, God of Love set his sights on his stablemate and began to carve into the former's lead, going on to secure a 1 ¾-length score in a time of 1:47.86 over a yielding E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Stronger Together finished one length behind Fast Feet for third and Dancin in Da'Nile took fourth.

“I tried to get the times, tried to get closer, because I know the turf is soft and we didn't want to be stuck behind too many horses, but he refused to go early,” said Hernandez. “He said, 'Nah.' He was staying back, so I said we will try to make it in one run. I put him in gear, and he gave one run, and he came flying down the lane.”

The Ontario-bred returned $17.10 for the win.

Owned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, God of Love, bred by the late Bill Graham, was seventh as the favorite in his career bow, a 5 ½-furlong Tapeta race, on September 12 at Woodbine.

Hernandez, who teamed with Casse to win three races at Woodbine on Saturday, including the Overskate Stakes, thinks there are even better days ahead for the chestnut colt.

“He can go on both (surfaces). He just needs to go longer. The longer he goes, the better he's going to go.”

It was the sixth Cup and Saucer crown for Casse and his third straight.

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Spanish Loveaffair Scores Upset In Pebbles Stakes At Belmont

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Michael Hernon, and Gary Barber's Spanish Loveaffair posted her first victory in more than a year, besting a stacked field that included eight stakes winners in Sunday's $150,000 Pebbles for 3-year-old fillies going one mile over firm Widener turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Spanish Loveaffair, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, entered the Pebbles off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 21 over a yielding turf at Saratoga, where she hit the gate at the start, stalked the pace from second, and came up empty in the stretch. On Saturday, the now three-time winner regained her triumphant form.

Breaking from post 10 under Junior Alvarado, Spanish Loveaffair rated a close third to the outside of Jordan's Leo, while Spirit of Bermuda commanded the field down the backstretch. Nearing the far turn, through a half-mile in :49.25, Spanish Loveaffair inched her way into second and leveled up to even terms with the pacesetter a few strides outside the quarter-pole.

Spirit of Bermuda dug in gamely in upper stretch, but ultimately gave way as Spanish Loveaffair drew off to a 2 ¼-length score in a final time of 1:35.82. Jordan's Leo finished second, one length ahead of Runaway Rumour in third.

Spanish Loveaffair earned her second career stakes victory after capturing the Sharp Susan in August 2020 on firm going at Gulfstream Park. She crossed the wire first in her seasonal bow in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride on February 27 over firm footing at the South Florida oval, but was disqualified to fourth. She earned graded stakes black-type when finishing second in the Grade 2 Jessamine in October 2020 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the Grade 3 Regret on May 29 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Off at 30-1, Spanish Loveaffair rewarded her backers in $2 win payouts of $63.

The Pebbles was the first time Spanish Loveaffair had run over firm going since the Herecomesthebride.

“I thought with it being dry that she'd run well,” said Casse assistant Shane Tripp. “She's got enough speed to put herself in the race and Junior did a great job riding her. She's a miler through and through. I'm really proud of her.”

Alvarado said he was confident Spanish Loveaffair could outrun her odds.

“I couldn't believe the price,” Alvarado said. “I was talking with Shane and I thought we looked sneaky good in here. We weren't the favorite – I knew that for sure – but on paper she didn't look like a 30-1 shot.

“She ran great on firm turf at Gulfstream and today she got firm ground and ran very well,” Alvarado continued. “I was trying to hustle out of there because I didn't have a good post, so I had to try and get some position in the first part of the race. I followed in second and we were going pretty slow, so I wasn't in a rush at that point. I was taking my time to make sure I had enough horse to finish the race and she responded very well.”

Alvarado said the cutback in distance suited Spanish Loveaffair.

“A little turn back helped her for sure,” Alvarado said. “She's been running with tough company and she had a couple races where she didn't run that well, but it was soft turf. I had to hope with a little firmer turf she was going to run much better.”

Rounding out the order of finish were Our Flash Drive, Plum Ali, Spirit of Bermuda, Nazuna, Minaun, Third Draft, Keeper of Time, and Lovestruck.

Spanish Loveaffair enhanced her lifetime earnings to $236,590 after banking $55,000 in victory. The Karakontie bay's record now stands at 10-3-2-0. Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Spanish Loveaffair is out of the Unusual Heat mare Spanish Bunny, making her a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Spanish Queen. She was bought for $35,000 from the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by her breeder.

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Live racing resumes on Thursday with a nine-race card. First post is 2:05 p.m. Eastern.

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.

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