gretzky the great | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Storm’ Rolling in For Jeff Ruby

A field of 11, headed by Joseph Morey Jr.'s Hush of a Storm (Creative Cause), aim to take advantage of the Kentucky Derby points on the line in Saturday's GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park. Drawing the 2 hole, the William Morey trainee kicked off his career finishing eighth against $150,000 maidens on the dirt at Churchill last November, but rebounded in fine style to win with ease while trying the Tapeta for the first time going a mile a Turfway in December. A narrow winner facing optional claiming company Jan. 6, the New York bred recorded his biggest success to date when winning the 8 1/2-furlong John Battaglia Memorial S. Feb. 26. Aboard for all three wins, Santiago Gonzalez gets the call.

Hoping to turn the tables on Hush of a Storm is Battaglia third Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), the sole Grade I winner in the field. Campaigned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbreds, the Ontario bred was runner up in his career bow over the Woodbine turf last July before graduating in an off-turf test over that track's synthetic surface the following month before eking out a win in the grassy 6 1/2-furlong Soaring Free S. Aug. 23. Favored for the Sept. 20 GI Summer S., the bay came home an easy 3 1/4-length winner, but failed to carry that form in his seasonal finale, tiring to sixth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland Nov. 6.

“After the Breeders' Cup, Gretzky had some minor ankle surgery and so, we missed some time with him,” said Mark Casse. “I knew if I was going to make a dirt start that I was going to have to race him two or three more times. So, the reason I went to the Battaglia was just simply because it's not as tiring.”

As for his Battaglia performance, Casse added, “He definitely was a little short, unfortunately. We drew the one [hole] and I told the rider, look, I want you to put him into the race. I don't like coming from the one and letting horses run by you and then they go in front of you and next thing you know, you're last. So, we asked him to run away from there. And unfortunately, he caught some pressure from a long shot that kind of ran ahead and was with him for three-quarters-of-a-mile. He put that horse away and then two more came at him, two more that had to be a lot fitter than we were, so I was proud of our horse.”

“I thought he tried and ran hard, staying back,” he concluded. “But more importantly, he's trained very well since then. And I'm excited. I'm very happy we picked up Chris Landeros to ride him. In my opinion, nobody rides Turfway Park like Chris Landeros. So, I think that's a big plus for us.”

While a top rung performance could pave the way to the Kentucky Derby starting gate, Casse indicated Canada's first jewel of the Triple Crown is far more likely for the colt.

“Is the derby a possibility? I wouldn't rule it out,” said Casse. “He would have to give us a tremendous performance though in the Jeff Ruby and then we'd have to come up with a plan on the Derby. But Queen's Plate is definitely in our crosshairs. And with him being a Canadian bred, it's a million dollars and it's such a prestigious race. We've been fortunate enough to win it a couple of times. We'd like to win it again.”

Also exiting the Battaglia, M Racing Group's Like the King (Palace Malice) makes the jump into graded company following a runner-up in the Battaglia. A runaway winner going a mile on the turf at Belterra last September, the Wesley Ward trainee finished third in an off-turf test at Keeneland a month later but found himself back in the winner's circle going a mile at Turfway Dec. 4. Drawing the inside stall this time, the colt will be ridden for the first time by Drayden Van Dyke.

The post ‘Storm’ Rolling in For Jeff Ruby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hush Of A Storm, Gretzky The Great Headline 100-Point Jeff Ruby Steaks

Joseph P. Morey Trust's $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes winner Hush of a Storm, along with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Grade 1-winning colt Gretzky the Great top a field of 12 3-year-olds that were entered in Saturday afternoon's 50th running of the $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) – the premiere stakes event at Turfway Park's meet.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks is one of six stakes events on Saturday's 12-race afternoon spectacular at Turfway, which begins at 1:10 p.m. (all times Eastern). The centerpiece 1 1/8-mile race over the synthetic Tapeta surface is carded as Race 11 with a post time of 6:25 p.m. Wagering is available online at www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks will award the top four finishers points on a 100-40-20-10 scale towards a spot in the starting gate for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

The other stakes races on Saturday's card are the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), a Championship Series race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks worth 50-20-10-5 points to the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1); $150,000 TwinSpires.com Kentucky Cup Classic (Listed); the $100,000 Rushaway; the $100,000 Latonia Stakes; and the $65,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes.

Hush of a Storm, trained by Bill Morey and ridden by Santiago Gonzalez, was the 1 ½-length winner of the Feb. 26 Battaglia Memorial, the local prep for the Jeff Ruby Steaks. The Creative Cause colt had to survive an inquiry and objection in the race after he lugged in and appeared to affect fellow rivals Like the King, Gretzky the Great and Hard Rye Guy in the stretch. Following a review of the race, the stewards issued no change to the order of finish. Hush of a Storm is a perfect 3-for-3 over the Tapeta surface at Turfway. He broke his maiden by 5 ½ lengths on Dec. 19 and followed up that win three weeks later with a half-length first-level allowance score. His only blemish came in a seven-furlong maiden claiming $150,000 race over the dirt at Churchill Downs. Hush of a Storm drew post No. 2.

One of the other top rivals in the Jeff Ruby Steaks is $250,000 Summer (G1) winner Gretzky the Great. Named after the NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, the Nyquist colt was the even-money favorite in the Battaglia Memorial. In that race, he was pressured on the lead for nearly one-mile before giving way to Hush of a Storm. The Mark Casse-trainee will get a jockey change to Chris Landeros for the Jeff Ruby Steaks and will break from post 10.

Another horse likely to garner attention in the race is SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) runner-up Tarantino. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Tarantino began his career on turf at Del Mar in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He finished second in the $101,000 Zuma Beach at Santa Anita prior to his transfer to Brisset. Immediately after he entered Brisset's string in South Florida, he defeated six rivals in a first-level allowance over the turf at Gulfstream Park. His most recent start was a fourth-place finish in the $300,000 Fountain of Youth (GII) where he was defeated 5 ¼ lengths by Greatest Honour. Jockey Florent Geroux will ride from post 7.

The complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Hush of a Storm (Gonzalez, Morey); King's Ovation (Albin Jiminez, Dale Romans); Awesome Gerry (Martin Garcia, Saffie Joseph Jr.); Sainthood (Gerardo Corrales, Todd Pletcher); Smiley Sobotka (Declan Cannon, Romans); Tarantino (Geroux, Brisset); Moonlite Strike (Rafael Hernandez, Joseph); Hard Rye Guy (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes); Gretzy the Great (Landeros, Casse); Dyn O Mite (Deshawn Parker, Keith Desormeaux); and Hockey Dad (Rafael Bejarano, Doug O'Neill).

Hard Rye Guy and Hockey Dad were not nominated to the Triple Crown at the early closing but could become eligible with a $6,000 late payment that is due on Monday.

The National Weather Service forecast for Florence, Ky. calls for a gorgeous afternoon of racing with sunny skies and a high temperature of 71 degrees.

The post Hush Of A Storm, Gretzky The Great Headline 100-Point Jeff Ruby Steaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Prep Winner Hush Of A Storm Tops 63 Nominees Chasing Derby Points In Turfway’s Jeff Ruby Steaks

Joseph P. Morey Trust's $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial winner Hush of a Storm topped a roster of 63 horses that were nominated to the premiere race of Turfway Park's meet, the $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (Grade 3).

The Jeff Ruby Steaks, a Road to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series race, will be one of six stakes events carded on Saturday, March 27 at the Florence, Ky. oval. The 1 1/8-mile event over the new Tapeta synthetic surface will award the Top 4 finishers 100-40-20-10 points for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on May 1.

New for 2021, the point structure in the Jeff Ruby Steaks and its counterpart for 3-year-old fillies, the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks, were both boosted from their previously offered 10-4-2-1 points. The Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) offers the Top 4 finishers 50-20-10-5 points toward the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on April 30.

Other stakes on the afternoon card will be the $150,000 TwinSpires.com Kentucky Cup Classic (Listed) for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles; the $100,000 Rushaway for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles; the $100,000 Latonia Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile; and the $65,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs. Nominations for all six races cumulatively worth $815,000 closed Saturday and will be available at https://www.turfway.com/horsemen.

“This is the day of racing many of us in the jocks room look forward to,” said jockey Chris Landeros, who ranks second in Turfway Park's jockey standings with 26 wins. “I chose to stay home this winter to ride at Turfway and the meet has been great to us so far. I'm looking forward to ending it with a bang.”

The Jeff Ruby Steaks is likely to be featured by Hush of a Storm, who garnered 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with his victory in the Feb. 26 John Battaglia Memorial. Trained by Bill Morey, Hush of a Storm is scheduled to be joined in the starting gate by the top four finishers of the Battaglia Memorial: M Racing Group's runner-up Like the King; Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's third-place finisher Gretzky the Great; and Bourbon Lane Stable's fourth Hard Rye Guy.

Trainer Mike Maker has six wins in the Jeff Ruby Steaks, including victories in the last two editions with Somelikeithotbrown (2019) and Field Pass (2020), respectively. Maker nominated six horses to this year's Jeff Ruby Steaks including $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Fire At Will.

The Bourbonette Oaks had 57 nominations. Maker won two of the last three runnings of the Bourbonette Oaks with Go Noni Go (2018) and Queen of God (2020). He nominated four fillies to this year's race including Albert Frassetto's $65,000 Cincinnati Trophy runner-up Phantom Vision. In the 6 ½-furlong Cincinnati Trophy, the local prep for the Bourbonette Oaks, she was defeated two lengths to Hartwell Farm and SF Racing's 15-1 upset winner, and fellow Bourbonette Oaks nominee, Wait for Nairobi.

Another featured event on the day is the Kentucky Cup Classic for older horses. The 65 nominees include Crystal Racing Enterprises and Contreras Stable's back-to-back Kentucky Cup Classic winner Nun the Less. Trained by Cipriano Contreras, Nun the Less was on the sidelines since his victory in last year's event but has been training at Turfway Park for a possible three-peat attempt.

Turfway Park's 12-race daytime spectacular will be drawn Wednesday, March 24. Fans can watch and wager on Turfway Park at TwinSpires.com – the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Inc.

The post Prep Winner Hush Of A Storm Tops 63 Nominees Chasing Derby Points In Turfway’s Jeff Ruby Steaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Grade 1 Winner Gretzky The Great Makes 3-Year-Old Debut In Friday’s Battaglia Memorial

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's $250,000 Summer Stakes (Grade 1) winner Gretzky the Great is primed for his 3-year-old debut as the 3-1 favorite in Friday's $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park.

For the first time this year, the John Battaglia Memorial joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby Prep Season and will award the Top 4 finishers points on a 10-4-2-1 scale. The 1 1/16-mile event run over the Tapeta surface is carded as Race 5 with a post time of 8:16 p.m. (all times Eastern). The race attracted a full field of 12 3-year-olds with one also-eligible entrant. First post on Friday's program is 6 p.m.

The John Battaglia Memorial is named after Turfway Park's former General Manager and father of Churchill Downs longtime oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. The race annually serves as a steppingstone to the $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3), which will be run for the 50th time this year at the Florence, Ky. track on Saturday, March 27.

Gretzky the Great, trained by Mark Casse, previously ran sixth in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) and was defeated 6 ¼ lengths by Fire at Will – one of the top interests in Saturday's $300,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. Prior to his sixth-place effort Gretzky the Great had a trio of victories including his 3 ¼-length score in the Sept. 20 Summer run at one-mile on the turf. The Nyquist colt has one prior start on the Tapeta surface where he broke his maiden by 4 ¼ lengths. Gerardo Corrales will have the mount from the rail.

In total, the race attracted six Triple Crown nominees including Robert LaPenta's recent three-length maiden winner Kinetic Sky, who is slated in invade Turfway for trainer Brad Cox from his Fair Grounds base. The son of Runhappy will be ridden by Deshawn Parker from post No. 5.

Another horse likely to garner attention is Sandin Syndicate Stable's $100,000 Ellis Park Juvenile winner Pico d'Oro. Trained by Bill Morey, Pico d'Oro will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time. In his last start, the son of Curlin finished third in the $97,000 Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct. John McKee will ride Pico d'Oro from post 6.

The complete field for the John Battaglia Memorial from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Gretzky the Great (Corrales, Casse, 3-1); The Predicament (Rafael Hernandez, Tim Hamm, 20-1); Twirling Mamba (Albin Jiminez, John Ortiz, 10-1); Like the King (Rafael Bejarano, Wesley Ward, 7-2); Kinetic Sky (Parker, Cox, 9-2); Pico d'Oro (McKee, Morey, 8-1); Hard Rye Guy (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes, 15-1); Hush of a Storm (Santiago Gonzales, Morey, 10-1); Fort Moultrie (Rodney Prescott, Reeve McGaughey, 20-1); Notable Exception (Declan Cannon, Jack Sisterson, 30-1); Catman (Manny Esquivel, Mike Maker, 15-1); Warrior in Chief (Robby Albarado, Kenny McPeek, 8-1). Also-eligible: Bakwena (Prescott, Darrin Miller, 20-1).

The post Grade 1 Winner Gretzky The Great Makes 3-Year-Old Debut In Friday’s Battaglia Memorial appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post