Risen Star: Relationship Building Brings O Besos, West Point Thoroughbreds Together

Jeff Lifson, the executive vice president of West Point Thoroughbreds, always knew when the young, up and coming horseman Travis Foley made the call for him to buy into a horse, it would be for the right reason. It may have taken a bit longer than both had anticipated, but a partnership long in the making finally came to fruition this winter when West Point bought into Foley's Tagg Team Racing and Barrett Bernard's lightly raced O Besos, who has the look of a major contender in Saturday's $400,000 Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

Lifson met Foley, trainer Greg Foley's son and assistant, several years ago on the backstretch at Churchill Downs and a friendship was born. Greg Foley has long been a Kentucky mainstay and West Point has long been the same on the national scene. The Foley family routinely sells an interest in their horses, and West Point has never shied from getting a piece of a nice prospect. A mutually beneficial relationship made perfect sense.

“I've gotten to know Travis over the years because we've had horses with Dale Romans and their barns are right near each other (at Churchill),” Lifson said. “They've always wanted to find a horse to get in with West Point because I think they like how we work, so we've tried to connect over the years. Travis called me a day or so before Christmas and said, 'I think I've got one for you.'”

The “one” was O Besos, a son of Orb who had run a troubled, but encouraging, sixth on debut November 11 at Churchill, making up several lengths in the stretch after a tardy beginning. He used that experience builder as a prelude to his maiden win December 20 in his Fair Grounds debut, when he settled in fourth early before exploding late for a 5 ½-length win going 5 ½ furlongs.

Foley knew the time was right to reach out to Lifson, who was immediately intrigued.

“I watched the replay and everything kind of came together,” Lifson said. “I told Terry (Finley, West Point president and CEO) to watch the race and he was excited too. Even the Churchill sixth was a good race. Travis and I trust each other and they only want to enhance the relationship, so if they didn't like the horse, they wouldn't have called.”

West Point reached the pinnacle of the sport in 2017 when Always Dreaming, a horse they bought into prior to his win in the Florida Derby (G1), won the Kentucky Derby, which added to a trophy case that includes countless other graded stakes wins. Still, Lifson knows things aren't always as they seem, and buying into a young horse can be filled with pitfalls, too. With O Besos, who showed maturity beyond his years while settling behind horses and kicking clear late in his races, he knew West Point was getting a colt with a future that was squarely in front of him.

“You always worry about being late and not first to the party,” Lifson said. “Sometimes it works out fine, but other times they don't pan out. You're always guessing 'Is this the one?' But for a young horse, you couldn't ask for a better education. A lot of times a young horse will gun early, improve their position, and just bury others, but you don't always know what you have. Our best horses of all-time have not necessarily been the go to the lead types. If you want to dream the dream, you have to have a horse that has no problem with the challenges they will get during a race.”

West Point bought into O Besos after his maiden win and he ran for the new partnership for the first time in a local January 17 allowance. He again broke a step slow, trailed the six-horse field early, then once again powered home late, this time between horses, while winning by 2 ¼ lengths and getting the six furlongs in a sharp 1:10.57. Once again O Besos showed he doesn't need things his own way to deliver a top performance, which impressed Foley.

“In the 1X, I didn't really know how he ended up where he did, but in the aftermath, we're glad he did, we got a really good schooling, had to go in between horses,” Foley said. “That was a nice group too, and he pretty much beat them in a gallop.”

O Besos gets thrown into the deep end of the pool in the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star, as he'll run past 6 ½ furlongs and try two turns for the first time. As a son of Orb, who won the Derby in 2013, he's certainly bred for the added ground, and has a running style that figures to appreciate distance as well, though Foley knows you have to run them to find out for sure.

“The big question is whether or not he can stretch (out), especially going from three quarters to a mile and an eighth, but he looks like he's really getting going right at the end,” Foley said. “Some closing sprinters will fool you, but he deserves the chance. He has to prove it but he leads you to believe he will do it. If he can do it, great, if not, there's a lot of other options too.”

West Point have been down this path before—literally—as their stretch-running Commanding Curve was sixth in the 2014 Risen Star before building off that to run third in the Louisiana Derby before running second in the Kentucky Derby. Lifson won't complain if lightning were to strike twice.

“Ideally, we hope he'll handle two turns, run well, and we'll take the next step to the (March 20) Louisiana Derby,” Lifson said.” You can't argue with the Risen Star since we have a nice horse who has won a couple of races over that track. It's all a progression and we're hoping he can take it.”

O Besos is part of a robust 13-horse Risen Star field that is by far the deepest and most competitive Kentucky Derby prep to date, and it will award a total of 85 Derby qualifying points (50-20-10-5).

The field, from the rail out, with jockeys and trainers, is as follows:
Trainer Dallas Stewart Racing Stable's and WinStar Farm's homebred Starrininmydreams (post 1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.);
Godolphin's homebred Proxy (post 2 with John Velazquez for Mike Stidham);
Marylou Whitney Stables' homebred Beep Beep (post 3 with Miguel Mena for Norm Casse);
Greg Tramontin, Joel Politi, Brittlyn Stable, and Asaro Enterprises' Carillo (post 4 with James Graham for Tom Amoss);
Joe Peacock Jr.'s homebred Senor Buscador (post 5 with Luis Quinonez for Todd Fincher);
Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon (post 6 with Joe Talamo for Steve Asmussen);
Barrett Bernard, Tagg Team Racing, and West Point Thoroughbreds' O Besos (post 7 with Marcelino Pedroza for Greg Foley);
Kevin Porter's Sermononthemount (post 8 with Declan Carroll for Tim Dixon);
Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, and Steve Hornstock's Defeater (post 9 with Dean Saenz for Amoss);
Calumet Farm's homebred Santa Cruiser (post 10 with Adam Beschizza for Keith Desormeaux);
Juddmonte Farms' homebred Mandaloun (post 11 with Florent Geroux for Brad Cox);
Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith, and Spendthrift Farm's Keepmeinmind (post 12 with David Cohen for Robertino Diodoro);
Wayne T. Davis' Rightandjust (post 13 with Mitchell Murrill for Shane Wilson).

 

The post Risen Star: Relationship Building Brings O Besos, West Point Thoroughbreds Together appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Foley: Filly & Mare Sprint ‘Right Time’ To Try Sconsin Against Older Rivals

Lloyd Madison Farms' $250,000 Eight Belles (Grade 2) winner Sconsin will be in search of season-ending glory in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on Nov. 7 at Keeneland, but will have to face older rivals for the first time in her eight-race career.

“We had thought about running in the Raven Run after the Eight Belles to stay with 3-year-olds,” trainer Greg Foley said. “We got together with the owners and they said, 'What about the big one?' She was impressive coming from behind in the Eight Belles and I think will fit right with this group of horses coming from off the pace. I think we are taking a shot at the right time with her. Anytime you run a 3-year-old against older horses for the first time, you don't necessarily know what to expect. Since this is the end of the season, from here on out she'll be running against older horses.”

Sconsin is part of Lloyd Madison Farms' impressive homebred operation. She is by Include out of the former Foley-trained Sconnie. Prior to Sconsin's Eight Belles score, she finished third behind Mundaye Call in the $100,000 Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park and was the runner-up to Four Graces in the $100,000 Beaumont (G3) at Keeneland.

“We're just hoping for a honest pace and a fair track in the Breeders' Cup,” Foley said. “She's a beautiful filly and has all the right looks of a great horse. She was beautiful as a weanling, yearling and now a 3-year-old.”

Sconsin was one of 10 horses pre entered in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Post positions will be drawn on Monday.

The post Foley: Filly & Mare Sprint ‘Right Time’ To Try Sconsin Against Older Rivals appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sconsin Runs Down Favorite Four Graces In Eight Belles

Lloyd Madison Farms IV's homebred Sconsin overhauled favored Four Graces at the eighth pole to win the 65th running of the $300,000 Eight Belles Presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) for 3-year-old fillies by 2 ¼ lengths.

Trained by Greg Foley and ridden by James Graham, Sconsin covered the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:21.30.

“When this race came up on paper we sort of thought the pace scenario could work in our favor,” Foley said. “This filly was very impressive at Keeneland against Four Graces. She got a great ride by James (Graham) and cruised home. It's very exciting winning with a filly like this on such a big stage as the Kentucky Oaks. Hopefully we can do it again tomorrow with Major Fed in the Derby.”

Mundaye Call and Four Graces dueled through early fractions of :22.11 and :44.14 as Sconsin trailed in the field five. On the far turn, Sconsin began to pick off horses, drew even with Four Graces at midstretch and drew off for the victory.

Sconsin, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Include out of the Tiznow mare Sconnie, earned $186,000 with the victory to increase her bankroll to $301,512 with a record of 8-3-2-1.

“She ran huge. She likes this racetrack evidently,” Graham said. “They ran fast in front of her and she picked them off. Can't ask for any more than that. The two favorites are speed horses, so all you can hope is that they hook up and kill each other off. My filly was just happier today. Those two had pace pressure and we just finished them off.”

Sconsin returned $16.40, $3.60 and $2.40. Four Graces, ridden by Julien Leparoux, returned $2.60 and $2.10 and finished 1 ¾

lengths in front of Never Forget who paid $3.80 to show under Javier Castellano.

It was another length back to Mundaye Call who was followed by Extra Effort.

Julien Leparoux (rider, Four Graces, second) – “She ran a good race. We had speed, the other one had speed. She was maybe a little fresh but other than that, I tried to rate her but she was taking the bit. She ran a good race though.”

Ian Wilkes (trainer, Four Graces, second) — “The filly was a little fresh today, but let's not take anything away from the winner. The winner ran her race, she ran her race. That filly's been knocking on the door. Every race, she runs her race and she's right there. It looked like it was going to be the two of us (favorites) going out front and hope we didn't set it up. But the other filly ran good. I'm proud of my horse, she didn't quit. My filly runs her race. I've got to let her run her race. I freshened her up, I backed off her. I don't want to make excuses today. My filly ran good.”

The post Sconsin Runs Down Favorite Four Graces In Eight Belles appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Last to First Win for Sconsin in the Eight Belles

Sconsin had been comfortably beaten by both favorites–Four Graces and Mundaye Call (Into Mischief)–in her previous two outings, but benefitted from a duel between the chalks Friday to earn a breakthrough first graded success while representing the same connections as GI Kentucky Derby longshot Major Fed (Ghostzapper).

Away well enough, the bay dropped back to last of five down the backstretch as Mundaye Call sped off to post fast fractions of :22.11 and :44.14 with Four Graces breathing down her neck. Sconsin popped out for clear sailing as the chalks continued to throw it down into the lane, and rolled past her rivals down the center of the track to win going away.

“She ran huge,” said winning pilot James Graham. “She likes this racetrack evidently. They ran fast in front of her and she picked them off. Can’t ask for any more than that. The two favorites are speed horses, so all you can hope is that they hook up and kill each other off. My filly was just happier today. Those two had pace pressure and we just finished them off.”

Breaking through at second asking in a rained-off Fair Grounds sprint in February, the bay was a well-beaten second behind ‘TDN Rising Star’-earning Ain’t No Elmers (Goldencents) there Mar. 18. Fourth to Four Graces in a very productive track-and-trip optional claimer May 16, she romped by five lengths going a sixteenth shorter here a month later. Sconsin completed the exacta behind Four Graces in the GIII Beaumont S. at Keeneland July 10, and filled out the triple with another run from the back of the pack behind a head-turning performance by Mundaye Call.

“When this race came up on paper we sort of thought the pace scenario could work in our favor,” trainer Greg Foley said. “This filly was very impressive at Keeneland against Four Graces. She got a great ride by James [Graham] and cruised home. It’s very exciting winning with a filly like this on such a big stage as Kentucky Oaks [Day]. Hopefully we can do it again tomorrow with Major Fed in the Derby.”

Friday, Churchill DOwns
EIGHT BELLES S. PRESENTED BY TWINSPIRES.COM-GII, $300,000, Churchill Downs, 9-4, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:21.30, ft.
1–SCONSIN, 118, f, 3, by Include
                1st Dam: Sconnie, by Tiznow
                2nd Dam: In the Wild, by Forest Wildcat
                3rd Dam: Askrania, by Afleet
    1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Lloyd
Madison Farms, IV LLC; B-Lloyd Madison Farms LLC (KY);
T-Gregory D. Foley; J-James Graham. $186,000. Lifetime
Record: 8-3-2-1, $301,512. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Four Graces, 120, f, 3, Majesticperfection–Ivory Empress, by
Seeking the Gold. O/B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Ian R. Wilkes. $60,000.
3–Never Forget, 118, f, 3, War Front–Frivolous, by Empire
Maker. O/B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver.
$30,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 7.20, 0.90, 23.10.
Also Ran: Mundaye Call, Extra Effort. Scratched: Perfect Happiness, Purrfectly Claire. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:
Sconsin is the 23rd graded/group winner overall for sire Include, and 14th in North America to go with nine in Argentina. She is also the 23rd graded/group winner out of a Tiznow mare. Tiznow is most notably the broodmare sire of Derby favorite and four-time GISW Tiz the Law (Constitution). Sconsin’s dam Sconnie was a $90,000 KEESEP yearling buy in 2008, and competed for these same connections. She was second in a local sprint as a July 3-year-old before airing at Hoosier and earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure. Sconnie made just one more start, and Sconsin was her third foal. She since produced a Paynter filly Mar. 7 and was bred back to Include for 2021. Sconnie is a half-sister to local GSP Sentry (Silver Deputy).

The post Last to First Win for Sconsin in the Eight Belles appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights