Tag: GI Whitney S.

Cody’s Wish Streaks Into Whitney

Cody's Wish (Curlin) will be heavily favored over five rivals to add another chapter to racing's feel-good story in Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga.

The Godolphin homebred, winner of last term's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the stallion-making GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park June 10, seeks his first career win beyond one mile in the nine-furlong Whitney, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

The 1-2 morning-line favorite, named after Cody Dorman, who was born with the rare genetic disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and is unable to walk or communicate without utilizing a tablet, is currently riding a six-race winning streak. He will exit widest of all from post six with regular rider Junior Alvarado aboard.

“We have reason to believe he could do it,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said of Cody's Wish tackling the additional distance. “He's come a long way. He was terribly green when we ran him at three in his first few races. He just didn't know whether to go forward or that sort of thing.”

Mott continued, “This is a very good horse and hopefully for our sake, he can go on. There's a great story that goes with him with Cody Dorman, so the whole scenario turns out to be very special.”

The field for the Whitney also includes: last term's GI Blue Grass S. winner Zandon (Upstart), runner-up to Cody's Wish in the Met Mile; and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit), a last out winner of the GII Suburban S. July 8 and fourth-place finisher in the Met Mile.

Saturday's stacked 12-race program at the Spa also co-features a fantastic renewal of the GI Test S. Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) cuts back to seven furlongs following top-shelf wins in the GI Kentucky Oaks May 5 and GI Acorn S. June 9. The rail-drawn, 9-5 morning-line favorite will face off versus unbeaten New York-bred Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic), a sharp winner of the GIII Victory Ride S. downstate July 8.

A field of nine will line up for the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational over the Mellon Turf Course, led by LSU Stable's GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Far Bridge (English Channel). Glen Hill Farm and Mrs. John Magnier's GI Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational S. winner Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify), cross-entered in Friday's GIII Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational, will instead take on the boys in the Saratoga Derby.

Last term's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint upsetter and GI Jaipur S. heroine Caravel (Mizzen Mast), meanwhile, will take on males once again in the GIII Troy S. on the Whitney undercard.

“She's been able to beat the boys three out of her last four and hopefully four out of her last five,” trainer Brad Cox said. “It would be exciting if she can do it again.”

Saturday's graded stakes action also includes Del Mar's GI Clement L. Hirsch, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be represented by the imposing duo of Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) and Fun to Dream (Arrogate) in the five-horse field. Adare Manor captured her third straight win in the GII Santa Margarita S. June 10 while Fun to Dream just got tagged by a head in the GI Beholder Mile S. last time Mar. 11.

The weekend's graded stakes action rolls into Sunday with upset GIII Schuylerville S. debut winner Becky's Joker (Practical Joke) headlining a field of 10 in the GIII Adirondack S. at Saratoga; the GIII La Jolla H. at Del Mar; Mountaineer Park's GIII West Virginia Derby and GIII West Virginia Governor's S.; and Ellis Park's GIII Pucker Up S.

The post Cody’s Wish Streaks Into Whitney appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

HOF Rider Jerry Bailey Talks Jim Dandy And More On Writers’ Room

It was a good week to have a Hall of Fame jockey on the TDN Writers' Room, presented by Keeneland, as the Green Group Guest of the Week and especially to have that jockey be Jerry Bailey, who knows a thing or two about analyzing a race for an audience. Bailey pulled no punches when asked about whether or not he felt Forte (Violence) should have been disqualified in the Jim Dandy Saturday at Saratoga.

“I thought it was a bad call,” said Bailey. “I thought he was the best horse in the race, but I thought he should have come down. The rules of racing state that even if you are not clear of somebody and you change paths and you interfere with their progress, which you clearly did, then you should be disqualified. I mean, if you look at the chart, even the chart says he forced his way out. I'm paraphrasing here, `repeatedly bumping with the outside horse.' And then he came back in and it was negligent. So, yeah, I thought he should have come down.”

Bailey said that the danger went beyond this one race. “Look, you want a safer product out on the track as you can possibly get for both horse and rider. And I'll tell you from experience, I went through it myself. I won't name the riders, but there were two or three in New York that the stewards let get carried away and go over the line repeatedly, and then the line gets farther and farther away and it gets more severe. And what happens is the riders take it into their own hands. If the stewards are not policing the riders and enforcing the rules, then the riders are left to police themselves. And that is not a good situation.”

Bailey also relived his exploits on Cigar, his Derby wins on Sea Hero and Grindstone, and told tales about his days in the jocks' room.

Elsewhere on the Writers' Room, also sponsored by Stonestreet, NYRA Bets, Lane's End Farm, XBTV, WinStar Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, and the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders, Randy Moss, Zoe Cadman and T.D. Thornton discussed (what else?) the Jim Dandy non-DQ, and the other big races of the weekend, previewed the upcoming Test, Whitney, and Saratoga Derby at Saratoga as well as the Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar, and discussed the top news stories. Those included Jason Servis's four-year prison sentence, Santa Anita's decisions on improvement expenditures in light of the closing of Golden Gate, and HISA's policy change on provisional suspensions.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

The post HOF Rider Jerry Bailey Talks Jim Dandy And More On Writers’ Room appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Cody’s Wish, Whitney Favorite From Outside Gate After Draw

Reigning GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner and MGISW Cody's Wish (Curlin) was installed as the 1-2 morning-line favorite and will exit from gate six after Wednesday's GI Whitney S. draw. The 96th running of the $1 million race is set for this Saturday, Aug. 5 and it offers a 'Win and You're In' berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November.

Cody's Wish Hall of Fame trainer, Bill Mott said after the draw, “Every time you bring a horse over like this, you stand the risk of getting beat. There's always somebody that's an up-and-coming horse and we certainly respect all the competition. This is a very good horse and hopefully for our sake, he can go on. There's a great story that goes with him with Cody Dorman, so the whole scenario turns out to be very special.”

When asked about the outside post, Mott said, “He hasn't been a great horse in the starting gate, so it's probably not a bad thing for him to be on the outside–he doesn't have to wait around in there long. He's gotten just a little anxious in there and he gets a little strong-headed sometimes in the gate. It's better to be out there, I think.

Since this will be the first time that his horse has stretched out beyond a mile in over a year, Mott said, “We're just guessing [he can do it]. He closed well at a mile last time and galloped out nicely. I think it was a good effort for him.

Whisper Hill Farm's Charge It (Tapit), winner of the July 8 GII Suburban S. in his latest start, was installed the 5-1 third betting choice on the morning line. He will exit post 2.

According to Mandy Pope, “He's been training awesome, racing great. Todd [Pletcher] is very happy with him and it's just awesome to be here. I bought his mom [I'll Take Charge] as a yearling [for $2.2 million] and then raced her and bred her. This is her second foal. I bred her to one of my favorite stallions, Tapit. Everything has just come together so nicely.”

The general manager of Whisper Hill Farm, Todd Quast, added, “He's a typical Tapit. He's had a few issues. He's had some things go on. Right now, he's bounced out of the Suburban great. I think two turns and backing up a little bit will suit him perfect. Cody's Wish is the best around, but we need to make him work for it.”

From the rail out, the complete field for the Whitney S. with morning-line odds:

1) Zandon (Upstart) (9-2)
2) Charge It (Tapit) (5-1)
3) Giant Game (Giant's Causeway) (20-1)
4) Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) (15-1)
5) White Abarrio (Race Day) (6-1)
6) Cody' Wish (Curlin) (1-2)

The post Cody’s Wish, Whitney Favorite From Outside Gate After Draw appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Smile Happy To Whitney; Rattle N Roll To Wait For JCGC Or Pacific Classic

Trainer Kenny McPeek confirmed Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy (Runhappy) for next Saturday's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga Race Course, but his stablemate for the same owner, Rattle N Roll (Connect), will take his show on the road.

Both horses last raced in the GI Stephen Foster S. July 1 at Ellis Park. McPeek said Rattle N Roll will target either the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga or the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Both races are run at 10 furlongs September 2 and are “Win and You're In” qualifiers for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Smile Happy, who captured the GII Alysheba S. May 5 at Churchill Downs, got his first glimpse of the Oklahoma training track Friday.

“He galloped really well this morning over the Oklahoma track,” McPeek said. “This was his first day here. We stood him in the gate, backed him out and gave him some gate schooling. He did well.”

Smile Happy last breezed July 22 at Churchill Downs, completing a half-mile move in 49 seconds.

“We've had plenty of work into him at Churchill. He had a work days ago with a long, strong gallop and I don't know that we'll breeze him at all,” McPeek said.

McPeek described the 4-year-old as a quirky horse that likes doing things his own way.

“He's a bit of an alpha. He wants to run the show, but the talent is unquestioned,” McPeek said.

McPeek said Smile Happy will be ridden by jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr.

The post Smile Happy To Whitney; Rattle N Roll To Wait For JCGC Or Pacific Classic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights