golden state series | Horse Racing Free Tips

Leggs Galore Outfoots Fran’s Valentine Rivals At Santa Anita

In her first two turn assignment, William Sims' homebred Leggs Galore went to the lead and never looked back, taking Sunday's $100,000 Fran's Valentine Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., by three quarters of a length over heavily favored Warren's Showtime. Trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, Leggs Galore got one mile on turf in 1:34.85.

With a pair of scratches earlier in the day, the Fran's Valentine was reduced to a field of four older California-bred fillies and mares. To the surprise of no one, Leggs Galore bounced out of the gate from her rail post and turned the race into a virtual parade to the far turn, with Kristi's Tiger a length and a half off the lead three furlongs out and Warren's Showtime another half length back.

With the chestnut Warren's Showtime in high gear mid-way around the turn, she had the leader well within her sights while two lengths back turning for home, but Leggs Galore never backed up and in fact maintained her advantage on the gallop out around the Club House turn.

“The main thing with her is trying to get her to relax, get a breather down the backside,” said Gonzalez, who has now ridden the 4-year-old daughter of Bayern in her last six starts, winning five of them. “I knew that if she got it, that little breather, that she would be just fine because her speed is her main weapon and she proved that today.”

A well beaten sixth as the 6-5 favorite in the six furlong turf Mizdirection Stakes versus open company here on April 17, Leggs Galore was the second choice today at 2-1 and she paid $6.00 and $2.60 with no show wagering.

“It opens the big door, to where we have two options and just kind of pick the right spot that suits her best,” D'Amato said, when asked by TVG's Britney Eurton about winning around two turns. “There's a nice little Grade 3 at the end of the meet and I might try her in there,” said D'Amato. “I think it's the Wilshire ($100,000, at one mile on turf June 20). When I saw 23, I was thinking 22 and change, 23 if we are lucky, and when I saw that, I thought we had no excuses and we'll see what she's made of. Ricky did a beautiful job.”

Out of Sims' Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore now has three stakes wins and six victories from nine overall starts. With today's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $322,708.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, consistent Warren's Showtime was perhaps done in by the short field as much as anything else, as she attended the pace, but was unable to threaten the winner despite mounting a solid stretch rally.

Off at 3-5, Warren's Showtime paid $2.10 to place while finishing 3 ½ lengths clear of Pulpit Rider.

Fractions on the race were 23.00, 46.77, 1:10.96 and 1:22.93.

The Fran's Valentine, named for the multiple Grade 1 stakes winning Earl Scheib homebred daughter of Saros, is part of the lucrative Golden State Series. Sponsored by the CTBA, the Golden State Series is for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

Live racing resumes on Friday, with first post time for an eight-race card at 1 p.m. Fans are advised that admission gates will open at 7 a.m. for Preakness Day simulcasting on Saturday, with Infield Admission gates opening at 9 a.m.

The post Leggs Galore Outfoots Fran’s Valentine Rivals At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sensational Star Stretch Was Closing Time For Brandothebartender

For once, the old man was not late to the party. Brandothebartender, at age eight the oldest horse among seven California-breds in Sunday's $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita, flew late under Umberto Rispoli to win going away by 1 ¼ lengths, his first recognized win in his last 20 starts, going back to Dec. 31, 2018. Trained by Craig Dollase, the California-bred gelding by Tribal Rule got six furlongs on turf in 1:08.51 at the Arcadia, Calif., track.

Taken in-hand from his outside post, “Brando,” although a joint last with Prodigal Son heading to the far turn, was only four lengths off the lead. Turning for home with two horses beat, Rispoli angled five-deep and Brandothebartender did the rest, easily reeling in the front-runners for a decisive win.

“He's such a versatile horse,” said Rispoli, who's ridden Brandothebartender eight times, finishing second three times and third on four occasions. “He's a fighter, he's the kind of horse that you will love for life. … Obviously today the key was to be on the outside and give him a clean run, without any trouble. Last time, that stakes on the dirt (third by a neck in the one mile Tiznow on Feb. 28), I thought I was the winner at the quarter pole, but he's old. He can save his energy, he knows to do it, so I'm glad that he gave me back the stakes today.”

Off at 5-2 in his fourth career appearance in the Sensational Star, Brandothebartender paid $7.40, $3.80 and $2.60.

“I'm just so happy for these owners,” said an ebullient Dollase. “They're new to the business and we've had a lot of seconds and thirds, but the wins have been tough to come by. Looking at the race, I thought he could win because of the way it set up. It looked like there was plenty of speed and there was. I loved the outside post today and it worked out. This horse brings it every time. He's eight years old, but he doesn't know it!”

Claimed 25 starts back for $40,000 by owners Flawless Racing, Brian Flanagan and Michael Jarvis, Brandothebartender notched his second career stakes win, with his first coming in the California Flag Handicap at five furlongs on turf here on Oct. 20, 2018.

Out of the Stravinsky mare Frysland, Brandothebartender is now 42-7-6-15 and with today's winner's share of $60,000, has earnings of $608,364.

(Although Brandothebartender won a 1,000 yard race five starts back on Dec. 19 at Los Alamitos, it does not count as a Thoroughbred win, as it was a mixed breed race).

Jamming Eddy, who was third, about one length off the lead set by favored Jetovator at the top of the lane, finished second by a neck over Desmond Doss. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Jamming Eddy was off at 4-1 and paid $4.40 and $2.80.

Desmond Doss, who battled back gamely under Abel Cedillo, was the third choice at 3-1 and paid $2.80 while finishing a nose better than Jetovator.

Fractions on the race were 21.44, 44.67 and 56.62.

The Sensational Star is part of the lucrative Golden State Series which is sponsored by the CTBA and is for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

Racing will resume with an eight-race card on Friday, with first post time at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Sensational Star Stretch Was Closing Time For Brandothebartender appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Shades Of Enola Gray: Leggs Galore Speeds To Irish O’Brien Victory

William Sims' homebred Leggs Galore was long gone in Sunday's $100,000 Irish O'Brien Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as she waltzed to a 2 ¼-length win, which was her fifth consecutive triumph dating back to Aug. 7. Trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, Leggs Galore, a 4-year-old California-bred filly by 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern, got six furlongs over a firm turf in 1:08.17.

Breaking like a rocket from her outside post position, Leggs Galore opened up a four- length cushion after the first quarter mile and it was readily apparent no one was capable of pressuring her, thus assuring the brilliantly fast grey her second consecutive stakes win over the course in what may've been her best effort to date.

“This race, she really started to remind me of Enola Gray (a California-bred gray that was a multiple stakes winner on turf and a winner of the 2017 Irish O'Brien) the way she won today,” said D'Amato, who notched his meet-leading 10th stakes victory. “I gave Ricky the option. I just told him to play the break, if they wanted to come get her she could rate, she's done it before, but I mean she broke like a rocket and there was no looking back.”

A handy winner of the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint on Jan. 16, Leggs Galore was off as the 6-5 favorite in a field of seven older fillies and mares bred or sired in California and she paid $4.60, $2.60 and $2.20.

“She's just so special, she's so fast and talented,” said Gonzalez, who has now ridden her to four consecutive wins. “Phil said she's rated before, so I had options but the way she broke there was only one way, just keep going. She was so relaxed, she was looking around, her ears were pricked, just having fun out there. I was just a happy passenger.”

Out of the Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore is now unbeaten in five turf starts from seven overall races. With today's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $262,208.

In what amounted to a separate race, Bella Vita, who was third around the turn, drove up the rail in a solid effort for second money, finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of Sadie Bluegrass. The second choice at 8-5 with Flavien Prat, Bella Vita paid $2.60 and $2.20.

A non-threatening second into and around the turn, Sadie Bluegrass held third by a head over Nardini. Based at Golden Gate Fields, Sadie Bluegrass was ridden by Brayan Pena and paid $3.40 to show while off at 5-1.

The Irish O'Brien gave Gonzalez a riding double and D'Amato picked up his 21st overall win, putting him third in the standings, one behind Bob Baffert and Peter Miller.

Fractions on the race were 21.94, 44.37 and 56.08.

The Irish O'Brien is part of the lucrative Golden State Series. Sponsored by the CTBA, the Golden State Series is for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

The post Shades Of Enola Gray: Leggs Galore Speeds To Irish O’Brien Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

30% Increase To Del Mar Summer Stakes Purses Led By $250,000 Boost To Pacific Classic

Building on the positive news it announced last week concerning a 30% increase to overnight purses and major enhancements to its popular “Ship & Win” program, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., released this year's summer stakes schedule showing a similar healthy increase of 30% to its major stakes compared to the 2020 racing season.

In 2020, the track presented 32 major stakes worth $5,175,000. For this year there will be two additional stakes and total purses will be $6,750,000, a value increase of 30%.

Twenty-one of this season's major stakes show increases from 2020 beginning at $25,000 and rising to $250,000. Notable in those escalations are an additional quarter-million dollars added to the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic, raising it to $750,000; $150,000 to the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile making it worth $300,000, and $100,000 each to the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap (up to $300,000) and the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap (now worth $250,000).

“This is one of the strongest stakes schedules in Del Mar's history,” said David Jerkens, Del Mar's racing secretary. “We have increased purses virtually across the board. I am really excited to see the level of quality our stakes program will attract, especially being the home of the Breeders' Cup this year.”

Del Mar again will host the Breeders' Cup this fall, presenting the World Championships on Friday and Saturday, November 5 and 6. Del Mar hosted the Breeders' Cup previously in 2017.

Two stakes that took a hiatus in 2020 will return in 2021, the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes and the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, both carrying $100,000 purses.

Del Mar once again will present a power-packed program around its signature event, the TVG Pacific Classic, scheduled for Saturday, August 21. As it has done for the past several years, the track will offer four additional stakes that afternoon: the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks; the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap; the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, and the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes.

It also will feature a stakes tripleheader on its opening day, Saturday, July 17. The traditional opening day headliner – the $100,000 Runhappy Oceanside Stakes – will be on the bill, joined by the Grade 2, $250,000 San Diego Handicap and the Osunitas Stakes, an overnight offering that carries an $80,000 purse.

There will be six Grade 1 events over the course of the summer – the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday, July 31; the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Sunday, August 1; the Del Mar Oaks and the TVG Pacific Classic, both on Saturday, August 21; the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sunday, September 5, and the $300,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Monday, September 6, which is closing day.

As it has in all recent seasons, Del Mar will present five Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races all of which give their winners automatic admittance and entry fees to parallel Breeders' Cup races. They are:

Bing Crosby Stakes (guaranteeing admission and entry fees to the $2 million BC Sprint); Clement L. Hirsch Stakes ($2 million BC Distaff); the Del Mar Handicap ($4 million BC Turf); TVG Pacific Classic ($6 million BC Classic), and the $200,000, Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes ($2 million BC Dirt Mile).

Further, the track once more will tender its usual complement of eight California-bred stakes, part of the Golden State Stakes Series that consists of 36 stakes worth more than $4.4 million. Those stakes are the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes, the $150,000 California Dreamin' Stakes, the $175,000 Real Good Deal Stakes, the $100,000 CTBA Stakes, the $100,000 Graduation Stakes, the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes, the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes and the $100,000 I'm Smokin Stakes.

Del Mar will open with Saturday and Sunday (July 17, 18) cards, then go into a Thursday through Sunday format for the balance of the meet leading up to the closing card on Labor Day Monday, September 6. First post daily will be 2 p.m.

The list of stakes follows:

DATE	RACE / CONDITIONS	PURSE / DISTANCE
Sat. Jul 17	RUNHAPPY OCEANSIDE STAKES Three-year-olds, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o in 2021	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sat. Jul 17	SAN DIEGO HANDICAP (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$250,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles
Sat. Jul 17	Osunitas Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since September 1	$80,000 Added 1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 18	COUGAR II STAKES (Gr. III) Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 1/2 Miles
Sun. Jul 18	Wickerr Stakes* Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o in 2021	$80,000 Added 1 Mile (T)
Thu. Jul 22	Daisycutter Handicap* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$80,000 Added 5 Furlongs (T)
Fri. Jul 23	FLEET TREAT STAKES Fillies, Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$175,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 24	EDDIE READ STAKES (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$250,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Jul 24	SAN CLEMENTE STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 25	CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' STAKES Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Fri. Jul 30	REAL GOOD DEAL STAKES Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$175,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 31	BING CROSBY STAKES (Gr. I) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 01	CLEMENT L. HIRSCH STAKES (Gr. I) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles
Thu. Aug 05	CTBA STAKES Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 1/2 Furlongs
Fri. Aug 06	SORRENTO STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies, Two-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 07	YELLOW RIBBON HANDICAP (Gr. II) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 07	BEST PAL STAKES (Gr. II) Two-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 08	LA JOLLA STAKES (Gr. III) Three-year-olds	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 08	GRADUATION STAKES Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 14	CTT & TOC Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$80,000 Added 1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 15	SOLANA BEACH STAKES Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Fri. Aug 20	RANCHO BERNARDO HANDICAP (Gr. III) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Added 6 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 21	TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC (Gr. I) Three-year-olds & up	$750,000 Guaranteed 1 1/4 Miles
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR OAKS (Gr. I) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR MILE (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR HANDICAP (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 21	TORREY PINES STAKES (Gr. III) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile
Sun. Aug 22	GREEN FLASH HANDICAP (Gr. III) Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 Furlongs (T)
Fri. Aug 27	Tranquility Lake Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since February 1	$80,000 Added 1 Mile
Sat. Aug 28	PAT O'BRIEN STAKES (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 29	SHARED BELIEF STAKES Three-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile
Fri. Sep 03	GENEROUS PORTION STAKES Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sat. Sep 04	DEL MAR DERBY (Gr. II) Three-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Sep 04	JOHN C. MABEE STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Sep 04	I'M SMOKIN' STAKES Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Sep 05	DEL MAR DEBUTANTE (Gr. I) Fillies, Two-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sun. Sep 05	DEL MAR JUVENILE FILLIES TURF Fillies, Two-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Mon. Sep 06	DEL MAR JUVENILE TURF Two-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Mon. Sep 06	RUNHAPPY DEL MAR FUTURITY (Gr. I) Two-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs

* Indicates Overnight Stakes

The post 30% Increase To Del Mar Summer Stakes Purses Led By $250,000 Boost To Pacific Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post