GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity | Horse Racing Free Tips

Violence’s Forte Comes Out on Top of Breeders’ Futurity Battle

'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) launched a powerful move on the far turn, outbattled fellow 'Rising Star' and ultra-game pacesetter Loggins (Ghostzapper) and survived an objection in a thrilling renewal of Keeneland's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.

The last-out GI Hopeful S. winner, who was further flattered when third-place finisher and 'Rising Star' Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) resurfaced to take the GI Champagne S., sat a good trip in seventh in this first foray around two turns as runaway Churchill Downs debut winner and highly regarded 3-2 favorite Loggins was hounded on the inside through fractions of :22.94 and :46.36.

Forte, off at odds of 4-1, was shifted out four wide on the far turn and looked like he was on his way to a runaway victory with a sweeping blitz as they approached the short stretch. Loggins and jockey Florent Geroux, however, just kept on battling along the rail while Forte's rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. kept that foe in very tight quarters. After appearing to brush in deep stretch, Forte wanted it just a little bit more and fought his way to a well-earned neck victory. It was a long way back to longshot Red Route One (Gun Runner) in third. Geroux's claim of foul was disallowed by the stewards.

Forte, a runaway debut winner at Belmont May 27, was a disappointing fourth as the favorite in Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. July 16. He got back on track with a three-length tally at 6-1 in the slop in the seven-furlong Hopeful at the Spa Sept. 5.

“At the turn, he was still figuring it out,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “He's a young horse, and I had to start working really hard on him. He started doing it little by little, but by the time I got there and hit the lead he started acting a little green and laying in a little bit. I had to take a big hold of him the whole stretch. He didn't even let me ride him that well. The whole time I had to hold him and, that horse inside of me, take care of him at the same time as I win the race.”

Geroux added, “It was a good race. I got squeezed a little at the eighth pole. [Forte] came in a little bit on me and my horse was shifting, and I think it cost me the win.”

Pedigree Notes:

Forte, a $110,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, is one of six Grade I winners for Violence, who is also responsible for 39 stakes/14 graded winners. Both Forte and runner-up Loggins are out of mares by Blame. Winning owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, partners on GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner and young Spendthrift Farm stallion Vino Rosso (Curlin), teamed up on 31 yearlings for $12.84 million at last month's Keeneland September sale. Forte's dam Queen Caroline was purchased by Amy Moore of South Gate Farm for $170,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. The mare went on to win four stakes in Moore's colors before becoming one of the Virginia farm's first broodmares. Forte is the mare's first foal. She has a yearling colt by Uncle Mo, who brought $850,000 from Mayberry Farm at Keeneland September. She was bred to Not This Time for 2023. This is the extended female family of champion 2-year-old filly Folklore (Tiznow).

Saturday, Keeneland
CLAIBORNE BREEDERS' FUTURITY-GI, $600,000, Keeneland, 10-8, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.74, ft.
1–FORTE, 122, c, 2, by Violence
                1st Dam: Queen Caroline (MSW, $401,608), by Blame
                2nd Dam: Queens Plaza, by Forestry
                3rd Dam: Kew Garden, by Seattle Slew
'TDN Rising Star'. ($80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21
KEESEP). O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable; B-Southgate Farm
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $330,150. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-0, $555,150. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Loggins, 122, c, 2, Ghostzapper–Beyond Blame, by Blame.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. ($460,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC,
Steve Landers Racing LLC, Martin S. Schwartz, Michael Dubb,
Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber
Racing, LLC, Big Easy Racing LLC & Winners Win; B-Popatop,
LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $106,500.
3–Red Route One, 122, c, 2, Gun Runner–Red House, by Tapit.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $53,250.
Margins: NK, 6 3/4, HD. Odds: 4.43, 1.50, 59.79.
Also Ran: Instant Coffee, Newgate, Lost Ark, Two Phil's, Honed, Funtastic Again, Frosted Departure, Powerful, Bourbon Bash, Carmel Road, Good Heart. Scratched: Confidence Game, Jin Tong.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Violence’s Forte Comes Out on Top of Breeders’ Futurity Battle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Connect Colt ‘Rolls’ in Breeders’ Futurity

Rattle N Roll (Connect) provided his first-crop sire with a first Grade I win, and potentially a Breeders' Cup-bound colt to go along with his promising filly Hidden Connection, as he powered away to an impressive score in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.

A three-length, third-out, two-turn maiden winner at Churchill Sept. 23, the 8-1 shot stumbled slightly at the start and sat a midpack trip while saving ground as favored Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) cleared from his wide draw through fractions of :22.81 and :46.74. Shifted out by Brian Hernandez, Jr. entering the far turn, the Lucky Seven Stable colorbearer and $210,000 KEESEP graduate revved up with a flashy, four-wide blitz rounding the bend, struck the front as they hit the top of the short stretch and powered home an impressive 4 1/4-length winner.

Double Thunder (Super Saver), a last out winner of the Sapling S. at Monmouth, grabbed second ahead of the pacesetting Classic Causeway, who entered off a sharp debut score sprinting at Saratoga.

Rattle N Roll, a rallying third from far back behind subsequent GI Hopeful S. winner Gunite (Gun Runner) on debut sprinting beneath the Twin Spires June 26, bolted on the second turn and was pulled up in a nine-furlong test at Saratoga Aug. 26 prior to his maiden breaker.

“He made a start at Churchill in the spring and it was more of a test drive than anything, trying to teach him to finish and everything,” winning trainer Ken McPeek said.

“The race at Saratoga–we were miffed by that. His left eye was closed the next morning and the only thing we could figure is that he got hit in the eye with a rock or something. So we were like, 'OK, that was a head-scratcher, what was that about?' and then we went back to work. He's never done anything [like that] before or since.

McPeek continued, “I'm just real happy for the Mackin family. I love having the opportunity to be able to buy horses for people like them. You can't go into a race with 13 horses and be overconfident, because so much can happen, and I told my wife before the race, 'If the 13 horse rolls out of there early I think we've got a real chance,' because that horse really needed to rate to win, and I think it set up well for us.”

Hernandez, Jr. added, “All the credit really goes to the horse, being only his fourth start, to be able to sit back there and read the race and let it develop in front of him. When I got him outside, he showed what a good horse he is. He engulfed those horses pretty easily, and turning for home he switched leads. He knows his job and he just kind of went on about it.”

Pedigree Notes:

Rattle N Roll is the second stakes winner for freshman sire Connect, who is also represented by ultra-impressive and unbeaten GIII Pocahontas S. heroine and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies-bound Hidden Connection. This is the 52nd stakes/26th graded/ninth Grade I winner for broodmare sire Johannesburg. He was also represented by last weekend's GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine Going to Vegas (Goldencents).

The winning mare Jazz Tune, also responsible for a Tapwrit colt of 2020 (purchased by Oracle Bloodstock, agent for $55,000 at KEESEP), was bred to Liam's Map for 2022. Jazz Tune was purchased by St. Simon Place for $20,000 at the 2016 KEENOV sale. She RNA'd for $55,000 at the same sale two years later while carrying Rattle N Roll.

Saturday, Keeneland
CLAIBORNE BREEDERS' FUTURITY-GI, $500,000, Keeneland, 10-9, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.78, ft.
1–RATTLE N ROLL, 122, c, 2, by Connect
                1st Dam: Jazz Tune, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Rap and Dance, by Pleasant Tap
                3rd Dam: Dance Review, by Northern Dancer
   1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
   WIN. ($55,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $210,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Lucky Seven Stable (Mackin); B-St. Simon Place (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $300,000.
Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $379,460. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
   for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Double Thunder, 122, c, 2, Super Saver–Rattataptap, by
Tapit. ($60,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Phoenix Thoroughbred, LTD;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $100,000.
3–Classic Causeway, 122, c, 2, Giant's Causeway–Private World,
by Thunder Gulch. O-Kentucky West Racing LLC and Cooper,
Clarke M.; B-Kentucky West Racing LLC & Clarke M. Cooper
Family Living Trust (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $50,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 8.70, 7.20, 1.90.
Also Ran: American Sanctuary, Costa Terra, Mr. Bouma, Stellar Tap, Kevin's Folly, Great Escape, Seal Beach, Mac's Time, King Curlin, Don't Wait Up. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Connect Colt ‘Rolls’ in Breeders’ Futurity appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘Quality’ Remains Unbeaten in GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity

Attempting to follow up on a victory by fellow Godolphin-bred Maxfield (Street Sense) in last year’s GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity, Essential Quality (Tapit) thoroughly dominated his competition to score, thus earning a trip to next month’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Three paths wide into the first turn as Upstriker (Upstart) assumed the earning advantage, Essential Quality pressed that rival through an initial quarter in :23.97. Challenging for the lead despite pilot Luis Saez kept his feet set firmly in the dashboard, the homebred poked his head in front following a half in :48.86. Moving clear heading rounding the home turn, Saez asked his mount for more down the lane and the grey obliged, winning by a strong three-length margin over 52-1 longshot Keepmeinmind. Super Stock rounded out the trifecta.

Following the race, winning rider Luis Saez said, “Today he proved that he’s a very good horse. He did it pretty easy. He was a little green when he came to the track–he was looking around a little bit, but he took off. He was running. What a horse. I’m so glad I’m on this horse.”

An impressive four-length winner in his career debut going six furlongs at Churchill Downs Sept. 5, Essential Quality earned TDN Rising Star status in that sparkling performance as the 9-5 favorite. In his latest tightener for the Breeders’ Futurity, the colt worked five furlongs at Churchill in :59.80, the fourth fastest of 57 at the distance Sept. 26.

“We’ve had some very nice 2-year-old fillies, but this is probably the best [2-year-old colt] I’ve had as far as talent goes,” said trainer Brad Cox. “He’s our first Grade I winner as a 2-year-old colt. He means a lot to us. He showed us from Day 1 that he’s special, very talented. Luis did a good job of getting him to relax. He’s a very green horse. That was my concern today–could he put it all together? And he did. He pulled up a bit on the backside. He’s got some learning to do. If he can figure it out, he’s a serious animal.”

Pedigree Notes:
Essential Quality’s MSW and GSP dam is a daughter of Contrive (Storm Cat), whose daughter Folklore (Tiznow) won the 2005 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Belmont Park. Contrive was purchased by Godolphin for $3 million in foal to Pleasantly Perfect at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The 11-year-old Delightful Quality is the dam of a yearling colt by Uncle Mo, was barren to the same stallion for 2020 and was bred to Uncle Mo’s GI Kentucky Derby winning son Nyquist this past season. Essential Quality is bred on the cross over Gone West that is responsible for Tapit’s Grade I winner Zazu and additional graded winners Flashback, Bandbox, Ticonderoga and Golden Hawk.

Saturday, Keeneland
CLAIBORNE BREEDERS’ FUTURITY-GI, $400,000, Keeneland, 10-3, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.37, ft.
1–ESSENTIAL QUALITY, 122, c, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality
2nd Dam: Contrive, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Jeano, by Fappiano
TDN Rising Star 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Luis Saez. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $295,144. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Keepmeinmind, 122, c, 2, Laoban–Inclination, by Victory Gallop. O-Southern Equine Stable LLC; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (KY); T-Robertino Diodoro. $80,000.
3–Super Stock, 122, c, 2, Dialed In–Super Girlie, by Closing Argument. ($70,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen; B-Pedro Gonzalez & P.J. Gonzalez (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $40,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1HF, 4HF. Odds: 1.90, 52.70, 10.40.
Also Ran: Upstriker, Founder, Calibrate-(DH), Dixie’s Two Stents-(DH), King Fury, Notary.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post ‘Quality’ Remains Unbeaten in GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

NYRA Hosts Cross Country Pick 5 Saturday

The New York Racing Association, Inc. will host the Cross Country Pick 5, encompassing five Grade I contests from Belmont Park and Keeneland Race Course Saturday, Oct. 3.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5 is comprised of:

Leg 1 – Belmont, R7: GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (4:03 p.m.)

Leg 2 – Keeneland, R8: GI First Lady (4:51 p.m.)

Leg 3 – Belmont, R9: GI Belmont Derby Inv. (5:06 p.m.)

Leg 4 – Keeneland, R9: GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (5:24)

Leg 5 – Keeneland, R10: GI Shadwell Turf Mile (5:57 p.m.)

Live coverage will be available with America’s Day at the Races on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.
The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

The post NYRA Hosts Cross Country Pick 5 Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post