GII Gulfstream Park Oaks | Horse Racing Free Tips

The Two Towers Of Graded Stakes, Oaklawn And Gulfstream, Align Saturday

If you do not happen to be a Lord of the Rings devotee, then as a horse racing fan you might assume that Gandalf, Frodo, Saruman and Sauron were just names some eccentric owners concocted to toy with The Jockey Club.

Well, for true disciples of Tolkein, you understand the 'Two Towers' reference is a major theme in the trilogy, but for our purposes it simply denotes coverage.

This Saturday, both Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park are those poles of power when it comes to authoring graded stakes. Their cards feature Kentucky Derby and Oaks points races.

So, get your palantir ready–alright, alright–here is the slate for Saturday.

The Eye of Timberlake

The GI Arkansas Derby offers 100 Derby points to the winner at Oaklawn as the town of Hot Springs will be invaded by horse enthusiasts who are keen to watch a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars' do battle.

Timberlake (Into Mischief) earned that merit badge at second asking as a 2-year-old. Though he was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the Brad Cox trainee certainly came out of the break to put on a show in last month's GII Rebel S. The WinStar and Siena-owned colt has the Beyer figures to prove he belongs among the top contenders for the first Saturday in May.

“I really like the timing of the Arkansas Derby to the Kentucky Derby,” said Cox. “Obviously, he has the experience there now after winning the Rebel. I kind of thought the Rebel was the spot when we were getting started this winter. That worked out well and it leads nicely to the Arkansas Derby.”

Muth | Benoit

Opposing him are some other strong candidates like the winner of the GIII Southwest S. Mystik Dan (Goldencents), as well as Liberal Arts (Arrogate) and Time for Truth (Omaha Beach), but Timberlake's main rival is Zedan Racing's Muth (Good Magic). The $2-million 2023 OBS March topper is the latest shipper to Oaklawn for trainer Bob Baffert. Though his connections cannot collect Derby points, his front-running speed makes him a threat. The 3-year-old began his career with a 'Rising Star'-effort at Santa Anita back in June. After running second to Fierceness (City of Light) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he cut back to take the GII San Vincente S. in early January.

The road to the GI Kentucky Oaks travels down Central Avenue and through the GII Fantasy S. The top three finishers from the GIII Honeybee S. return in Lemon Muffin (Collected), Tapit Jenallie (Tapit) and West Omaha (West Coast), but there are some true 'x-factors' drawn. One of them is Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), who was last seen as the runner-up in the GII Golden Rod S. at Churchill Downs in November. Also making the Fantasy gate are the top two runners from the Sunland Park Oaks–undefeated Recharge (Gun Runner) and Candy Aisle (Gun Runner).

One other graded race on Saturday in Hot Springs is the GIII Oaklawn Mile.

Fierceness In His Voice

Coming into the GI Curlin Florida Derby, champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness is looking to get back to the winner's circle after running third in his only start this year. Owned by Repole Stable, the Todd Pletcher trainee is going to get another crack at the horse that won the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 3, Hades (Awesome Slew).

Fierceness | Ryan Thompson

“Normally I'd be afraid of the outside post but Forte won from the 11 last year so you can overcome that,” said Pletcher. “Everybody knows Gulfstream two-turn races are tricky and I think that's why the start is so important, getting away cleanly. I think what happens in a lot of these two-turn races is the jockeys are so conscious of having to get to the first turn in good position that it can get a little rough leaving the gate sometimes. … The horse gives you a lot of confidence watching him breeze. It seems like he's in really good form, so we're expecting a good performance from him.”

Among the other challengers who are chasing the 100-point Churchill Downs offering is another 'Rising Star'. Conquest Warrior (City of Light) garnered honors from the paper when he won by five lengths going nine furlongs against optional claimers in Hallandale Mar. 1.

“I feel good,” said Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey about Conquest Warrior. “We've had two good races here and I still have a pretty fresh horse. He's trained good over it. He's had a race going a mile and an eighth here, which he handled, obviously, very easily. He came out of it good. I don't think we took anything out of him.”

In the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks–the local 100-point Kentucky Oaks feeder–'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke) gets back on track for trainer Chad Brown. The Klaravich homebred debuted a winner by 12 3/4 lengths at Saratoga last summer and was last seen running second in the GI Spinaway S. upstate.

Standing in her way is the heroine of the GII Davona Dale S., Fiona's Magic (St Patrick's Day), and Power Squeeze (Union Rags), who returns to South Florida after raiding the Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Gulfstream Park undercard has three other graded races as part of the program, including the GII Pan American S., the GIII Ghostzapper S. and the GIII Orchid S.

The post The Two Towers Of Graded Stakes, Oaklawn And Gulfstream, Align Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The Kentucky Oaks Top 10 For March 28

Things are heating up and the prospective field for the GI Kentucky Oaks is starting to take shape. Tarifa (Bernardini) won the GII Fair Grounds Oaks last Saturday and is very much looking like the horse to beat in the Kentucky Oaks.

At Turfway Park, the former claimer Everland (Arrogate) earned her way into the Oaks with a win in the Bourbonette Oaks. Two huge preps will be run this Saturday–the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks and the GIII Fantasy at Oaklawn.

Here's a look at the latest installment of our Kentucky Oaks Top 10:

1) TARIFA (f, Bernardini–Kite Beach, by Awesome Again)

O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: 'TDN Rising Star', MGSW, 5-4-0-0, $518,925. Last start: WON Mar. 23 GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Kentucky Oaks Points: 150. Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, May 4.

Tarifa is as solid as they come. She won her second straight Oaks prep when capturing the Fair Grounds Oaks presented by Fasig Tipton by three-quarters of a length. It wasn't a dominant win but it was more than enough to get the job done. She's lost just once in her career and seems to improve with every start. She's good now and it appears that trainer Brad Cox has yet to tighten the screws to the point where she has peaked. He was, however, concerned that Tarifa was rank entering the first turn. “I would like to tell you she is settling down and relaxing, but that didn't work out well in the first turn,” Cox said. “Still, she was able to overcome it. She needs to learn to relax in the race, and obviously next time we will be facing a larger field. She needs to learn to chill out and relax. We will continue to work with her.” Cox has won the Oaks twice since 2018 and seems poised to pick up his third win in May.

2) IMPEL (f, Quality Road–Your Love, by Flatter) O/B-Juddmonte (Ky); T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: 'TDN Rising Star' 2-2-0-0, $115,200. Last Start: WON Oaklawn AOC, Mar. 3. Kentucky Oaks Points: 0. Next Start: GI Ashland S., KEE, April 5.

Has become everybody's wise-guy horse. Though she's run just twice and never in a stakes race, she was made the 7-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby Oaks Future Wager. It's easy to see why people like her. After breaking her maiden, she blew away a field of allowance horses at Oaklawn to win by 8 1/2 lengths. The real test will come when she faces off against the cream of the crop in the Ashland at Keeneland on Friday, April 5. “I think she's very good,” Cox said. “She's got a great mind. She doesn't overtrain. She's not super, super aggressive and does whatever you ask of her.” If she blows away the field in the Ashland she'll likely be the favorite in the Oaks over stablemate Tarifa.

3) JODY'S PRIDE (f, American Pharoah–Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy) O-Parkland Tbreds & Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (Ky); T-J Abreu. Lifetime Record: MSW & GISP, 4-3-1-0, $590,250. Last start: WON Mar. 2 Busher S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 65. Next Start: GI Ashland S., KEE, April 5.

The connections of this filly keep changing their minds about where she is going to run. After winning the Busher S. at Aqueduct they announced they would stay in New York for the GIII Gazelle S. Instead, it's on to the Ashland. “We got a race under our belt. She's going to have to face [Just F Y I] at some point again, so this might be the time to face her,” trainer Jorge Abreu told the Daily Racing Form. The horse seems to be flying under the radar because of low-profile connections, but she' the real deal. She's 3-for-4 lifetime and the only defeat came against Just F Y I (Justify) in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

4) JUST F Y I (f, Justify–Star Act, by Street Cry {Ire}) O/B-George Krikorian (Ky); T-Bill Mott. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo filly, GISW, 3-3-0-0, $1,317,750. Last start: WON Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Kentucky Oaks Points: 40. Next Start: GI Ashland S., KEE, April 5.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott had to alter his filly's schedule after she was scratched from the GII Davona Dale because of a fever. But Mott said that his Eclipse champ has recovered and will go next in what will be a loaded Ashland at Keeneland. “Her next scheduled start is now the Ashland,” he said. “She needed the extra time to get ready.” From the standpoint of Beyer figures she needs to get faster as her best number last year was a 79. That's not going to get in done in a race like the Oaks.

Kopion | Benoit

5) KOPION (f, Omaha Beach–Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop) O-Spendthrift Farm; B-Tall Oaks Farm (Ky); T-Richard Mandella. Sales history: $270,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-1-0, $116,600. Last start: 2nd Feb. 10 GIII Las Virgenes S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20. Next Start: GII Santa Anita Oaks, SA, April 6.

Hall of Fame Richard Mandella is bringing this filly along slowly. After she won the GIII Santa Ynez S., Mandella skipped the next prep on the schedule, the March 3 Santa Ysabel S. The plan now is to go in the GII Santa Anita Oaks on April 6. She'll be up against it in the Santa Anita Oaks as the race is also expected to feature 'TDN Rising Star' Kinza (Carpe Diem) the best 3-year-old filly in the West. But she's trained by Bob Baffert, who is still under a ban at Churchill Downs, and won't be running in the Oaks. That leaves Kopion as the West Coast's best hope.

6) WAYS AND MEANS (f, Practical Joke–Strong Incentive, Warrior's Reward) O/B-Klaravich Stables (Ky); T-Chad Brown. Lifetime Record: GISP, 'TDN Rising Star,' 2-1-1-0, $117,750. Last start: 2nd Sept. 3 GI Spinaway S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 0. Next Start: GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, March 30.

Remember her? She romped in her maiden voyage when winning at Saratoga by 12 3/4 lengths. She returned in the GI Spinaway S. and was second despite clipping heels down the backstretch. She's returning this Saturday for the Gulfstream Park Oaks, which will be her first race in nearly seven months. Off that layoff and with her having just one prep before the Oaks, can Chad Brown have her ready? The answer is yes. She's been working steadily and Brown is a master when it comes to having his horses ready for big races. With Flavien Prat committed to Tarifa, Brown has given the riding assignment to Irad Ortiz Jr.

7) OUR PRETTY WOMAN (f, Medaglia d'Oro–Dazzletown, by Speightstown) O-Courtlandt Farms; B-Woods Edge Farm, LLC and Godolphin; T-Steve Asmussen. Sales History: $900,000 ylr '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSP, 3-2-1-0, $150,200. Last start: 2nd Mar. 23 GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Kentucky Oaks Points: 50. Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, May 4.

Came into the Fair Grounds Oaks with a lot of potential and a lot to prove. She broke her maiden at the Fair Grounds and then romped in an allowance race there. Both were run over sloppy tracks. Facing Tarifa in the Fair Grounds Oaks, she would need to step it up, and that's what she did. She didn't win, but set the pace and put up a fight in the stretch as Tarifa beat her by less than a length. It was just her third lifetime start, so she should continue to improve. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will be looking for his first Oaks win since 2014 with Untapable (Tapit).

Lemon Muffin | Coady Photography

8) LEMON MUFFIN (f, Collected–Pelt, by Canadian Frontier)

O-Aaron Sones; B-Mr & Mrs Theodore R Kuster & Collected Syndicate (KY); T-D Wayne Lukas. Sales history: $20,000 yrl '22 KEESEP; $140,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-1-4-0, $305,250. Last start: WON Feb. 24 GIII Honeybee S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 50. Next Start: GIII Fantasy S., OP, March 30.

The goal for this Wayne Lukas trainee will be to prove that her win in the GIII Honeybee S. wasn't a fluke. She came into that race as a maiden who had never run beyond seven furlongs or around two turns. Yet, she put it all together and won by 3 1/2 lengths at odds of 28-1. Lukas has won the Oaks five times and his sixth win would allow him to pass Woody Stephens as the winningest trainer in Oaks history. Lukas has shown a lot of faith in young Keith Asmussen by giving him this mount. Lemon Muffin is a horse who could run terribly in the GIII Fantasy S. or maybe she's just hitting her best stride. It's a tough call.

9) FIONA'S MAGIC (f, St Patrick's Day–Mollie's Magic, by Factum) O/B-Stonehedge, LLC (FL); T-Michael Yates. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-2-0, $250,910. Last start: WON Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 60. Next Start: GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, March 30.

She's a tough Florida bred by a sire, St. Patrick's Day, who stands for just $3,500. But she can run. She's never been worse than second in five career tries and is coming off a win in the Davona Dale S. for trainer Michael Yates. The Gulfstream Park Oaks will be her big test and her first race around two turns. She loses the services of jockey Tyler Gaffalione and will be ridden instead by Jorge Ruiz.

10) LESLIE'S ROSE (f, Into Mischief–Wildwood Rose {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) 'TDN Rising Star' O-Whisper Hill Farm; B-John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services (Ky); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $1,150,000 yrl '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 'TDN Rising Star', GSP, 3-2-0-1, $89,950. Last start: 3rd Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S. Kentucky Oaks Points: 15. Next Start: GI Ashland S., KEE, April 5.

A $1.15 million purchase at Keeneland September, she looked like a horse that could be anything after a maiden and allowance win at Gulfstream. Trainer Todd Pletcher stepped her up in class for the Davona Dale and the results were mixed. Pounded down to 3-10 favoritism she was third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths. But at no point did it look like she was going to win the race. It's possible that she just had an off-day. We'll know more after her next start–the Ashland.

The post The Kentucky Oaks Top 10 For March 28 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Affirmative Lady Launches AMO Racing’s U.S. Operation

The GII Gulfstream Park Oaks brought a new contestant into the GI Kentucky Oaks picture in victress Affirmative Lady. The connections of the blossoming daughter of Arrogate are newcomers not only to the Oaks trail, but to racing in the U.S. After launching its American stable two years ago, AMO Racing celebrated its first graded stakes win in the States with Affirmative Lady's score on Saturday.

Founded by football agent and businessman Kia Joorabchian, AMO Racing has proven to be a force on the other side of the Atlantic in recent years. Top performers are led by last year's G2 July S. winner Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who is new to stud at Tally-Ho Stud this year, plus multiple Group 1-placed Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and a host of Group 2 winners including Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Crypto Force (GB) (Time Test {GB}).

Joorabchian is based in London, but he made sure to be on site at Gulfstream for Affirmative Lady's two-length victory.

“It was probably the best moment that we've had in U.S. racing so far,” he said. “I knew she was not going to be a favorite, but I flew to Miami to see her run. It's a long way for me to go, but in my heart of hearts I knew she would pull off a great performance. She has so much ability and when you watch her work, you can see it. ”

A $210,000 Keeneland September buy, Affirmative Lady was among the first yearlings that AMO Racing purchased in America. Joorabchian remembers finding the filly well because, while he and his agent Robson Aguiar loved her at first sight, not many other buyers were interested.

“When I bought her, everyone was telling me that it wasn't a great buy,” he recalled. “No one really thought much of her other than Robson and me. She looked a little bit backward at the time, but she was very sweet. Her composure and the way she walked was amazing. We knew she wouldn't be early because she wasn't quite on her toes moving the way you would expect a fast, sharp 2-year-old.”

Just as Arrogate didn't truly blossom until later in his career, Joorabchian hypothesized that his new purchase would need plenty of time to develop. He knew he needed to find a patient conditioner and decided that Graham Motion was the perfect candidate.

“Graham really liked her from the word go,” Joorabchian said. “I think it's a credit to Graham. He took something that maybe wasn't the hip, trendy kind of horse. We actually paid a considerable amount for her at the time because Arrogate wasn't popular. I think with the Arrogates, early in their career people thought he was disappointing. But he's proving to be a great stallion and it's really unfortunate that he's not around because she is special.”

Affirmative Lady was winless in two starts at Keeneland last fall, but she touted her potential when she ran a close second to Julia Shining (Curlin) in the GII Demoiselle S. After she ran third in her sophomore debut in the Busada S. at Aqueduct, Motion sent the filly to Gulfstream. She broke her maiden there with first-time blinkers on Feb. 26. before she was sent off at 8-1 in the Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Following the victory, Motion said that the more he watches replays of the race, the more he is impressed with his trainee's performance.

Crispy Cat wins the Texas Glitter S. | Lauren King

“There were moments during the race where I was concerned,” Motion admitted. “I thought between the half-mile pole and the three-eighths pole that she might have been struggling a bit. But I've watched the race a couple of times now and once she got in gear, I thought she really came on and got away from them. She just toughs it out. When I asked Luis about it, he said he was never concerned. He thought he always had the horse, which reassured me. I think she wants to go farther. I believe a mile and a sixteenth is too short for her.”

While the Gulfstream Park Oaks was the biggest victory so far this year for AMO Racing, they've had plenty else to celebrate recently. One week before Affirmative Lady's win, they had their first stakes winner in America with Crispy Cat (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) in the Texas Glitter S. The colt was a Group 2-placed juvenile in England before he transferred to Jorge Delgado for his 3-year-old season.

Also last Saturday, AMO Racing had the winner of the first juvenile contest of the year in Ireland with Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). On the same day, 3-year-old Mischievous Doll (Into Mischief) broke her maiden at Turfway Park for Paulo Lobo.

“It was a fantastic week from Ireland to Miami to Kentucky,” said Joorabchian. “Affirmative Lady was the height of it. We've been very patient with her and it was one of the highlights of my racing career because it was the horse that no one really wanted, but that we loved.”

2023 is already AMO Racing USA's biggest year yet and the operation is just getting started. Joorabchian said that their string here is upwards of three times the size of what it has been the past two years. Nearly 20 horses purchased here are aiming for the starting gate this year and another 20 are shipping in from Europe.

“I'm hoping that within the next few years, we will be pretty balanced between having the same number of horses here as we do in Europe, or maybe even more here,” said Joorabchian.

Asked about the appeal of racing in the U.S., Joorabchian explained that he was drawn to better competition and more prize money.

“U.S. racing is moving upwards,” he said. “The competition is much tougher because you have much bigger prize money. If you do well here, you're really rewarded. If you do well in the U.K., it's more about the value that you're creating in your horses rather than the prize money. I think the competition is much better here as well. You're competing against more people across the spectrum. As an owner like me, I want to compete with more people and be more on level terms and I think the U.S. creates much more competition.”

AMO Racing USA horses are gearing up for 2023 campaigns with trainers all across the country.

Jorge Delgado trains recent stakes winner Crispy Cat, who Joorabchian said is pointing toward the Keeneland race meet and perhaps after that, a trip to Ascot. Delgado's string also includes Olivia Darling (Palace) a 4-year-old filly who ran second in the Minaret S. at Tampa Bay in February; New York Thunder (Nyquist), who won his first two starts at Gulfstream late last year as a juvenile and is now training at Keeneland; and Kingmax (Ire) (Kingman (GB}), a Group 3-placed 4-year-old colt looking to make his U.S. debut in the coming weeks.

Kia Joorabchian | Tattersalls

Paulo Lobo's fleet of AMO horses includes recent maiden winner Mischievous Doll (Into Mischief) and Thunder Love (GB) (Profitable {Ire}), who came to America last year as a 3-year-old and scored a win at Turfway in February. Hurricane J (Nyquist) ran seventh in last year's GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile after two consecutive juvenile wins, but was unplaced in his sophomore debut in February. He now looks to get back to his winning ways in the Lafayette S. at Keeneland on Friday.

“We still have really high hopes for him,” said Joorabchian. “We just think he needed a little more time and I'm hoping this next race will be a lot better.”

Wesley Ward has added a few AMO European exports to his stable with Lady Hollywood (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), the winner of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg last September who finished a credible fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, as well as three-time group winner Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}).

“We have a really exciting group of horses,” reflected Joorabchian. “Racing is something that I have a passion for and the passion is just getting bigger and bigger. I hope we can achieve some fun things because we're putting a lot behind it.”

Despite many Group 2 and Group 3 wins and quite a few Group 1 placings, AMO Racing is still searching for its first Group/Grade I victory. Their next chance might be on the first Friday in May.

Motion, who will be will be seeking his first Kentucky Oaks win, said that Affirmative Lady came out of last weekend's race in fine shape.

“She got a lot of dirt in her eyes and had a sore eye the next morning, but it looks good now,” he said. “She'll stay in Florida for a few weeks and probably ship to Keeneland around the 17^th and we'll breeze her that weekend. The timing has been great. To be able to give her five more weeks until the Oaks really couldn't be better.”

Joorabchian said he has not yet been to the Kentucky Derby or the Oaks, but added that he is looking forward to this year's experience with Affirmative Lady and hoping for many more trips there in the future.

“When you're racing at the level that we're at now, your dream is to get to the Oak and the Derby, so this is going to be a very special moment,” he said. “We have put this filly through some tough tasks and she has come through in all of them. She has already hit her expectations and everything now is a bonus.”

The post Affirmative Lady Launches AMO Racing’s U.S. Operation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post