gulfstream park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Stronach 5 Returns Friday With Races From Laurel, Gulfstream

A field of 10 2-year-old fillies will kick off Friday's Stronach 5, featuring races from Laurel Park and Gulfstream Park as well as a low 12-percent takeout.

Laurel's seventh race begins the Stronach 5 at approximately 3:23 ET with maiden fillies going six furlongs. Miss Foxann, a daughter of Kantharos who was second in her debut at Laurel Nov. 5, is the 9-5 favorite for trainer Dale Bennett. Isabella's Glory, a daughter of Lea, finished third by just a neck Nov. 14 for trainer Jose Corrales. Leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez will send out first-time starter Always Mia, a $32,000 daughter of Flat Out.

Gulfstream's seventh race, a 6 ½ furlong event for fillies and mares at a claiming price of $20,000, serves as the second leg of the sequence. Ideal Breeze goes out first time for trainer Jorge Delgado, who is 29-percent first off the claim. Frankie's Girl drops in class off a third-place finish last out. Rakas makes her South Florida debut after starting four times at Woodbine. William Tharrenos takes over the training.

It's back to Laurel for the third and fourth legs of the Stronach 5. The third leg, Laurel's eighth race, an allowance event for fillies and mares around two turns, drew a field of eight including 8-5 favorite Award Wanted, a three-length winner against restricted company last out for John Robb. Mit Mazel, the runner-up to Award Wanted last time out, tries again for Claudio Gonzalez.

Laurel's ninth race, a $10,000 claiming event for fillies and mares, is a wide-open seven-furlong event. Torch Carrier, a 3-year-old by Uncle Lino, is the tepid 3-1 choice after breaking her maiden for $16,000 in October and following up with a second-place finish against $16,000 claimers in November. Tuff But Fair draws the rail and returns to Laurel after a sixth-place finish against similar Oct. 20 at Delaware. Digital Dream should be a factor after a wide trip last out.

The Stronach 5 concludes with Gulfstream's ninth race, a claiming event for fillies and mares at 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta. Charlotte the Brit enters off a pair of second place finishes on the Tapeta for Jorge Delgade. Christophe Clement sends out Smooth Pebble after a runner-up finish on the turf at Monmouth in September. Caffeine Rush goes out for the second time off a short layoff for Elizabeth Dobles.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Laurel Race 7: (10 entries, 6 furlongs) 3:18 ET, 12:18 PT
Leg Two –Gulfstream Race 7: (9 entries, 6 ½ furlongs) 3:26 ET, 12:26 PT
Leg Three –Laurel Race 8: (8 entries, 1 1/16 mile) 3:50 ET, 12:50 PT
Leg Four – Laurel Race 9: (12 entries,7 furlongs) 4:22 ET, 1:22 PT
Leg Five –Gulfstream Race 9: (10 entries, 5 ½ furlongs) 4:32 ET, 1:32 PT

Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

The post Stronach 5 Returns Friday With Races From Laurel, Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘We Hope He Goes Out A Winner’: Knicks Go’s Pegasus World Cup Start Will Be Bittersweet For Brad Cox

Having built one of the largest stables in America, trainer Brad Cox doesn't have much time to reflect on his escalating accomplishments. But he acknowledges thinking a lot about Breeders' Cup Classic Grade 1 winner Knicks Go's final career start coming in Gulfstream Park's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on Jan. 29.

In his first start since taking the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Knicks Go won the 2021 Pegasus to kick off a season that saw him go 5-for-7. The only defeats came in one-turn races: New York's Metropolitan Mile (G1) and the Saudi Cup.

“It's kind of weird, knowing this is going to be his last run,” Cox said. “We're enjoying still having him in the barn. Hopefully we're going to have prepared to the best of our ability when we lead him over there Pegasus Day. It's going to be very exciting. It's going to be bittersweet, but excited to give him one more run. Obviously, we hope he goes out a winner and we'll definitely be sorry to see him go.”

Until the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, the 2021 Pegasus was the most lucrative stakes that Cox had ever won. Knicks Go won't be his first champion, but he almost assuredly will be the trainer's first Horse of the Year.

Cox said that in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus he just wants “to see more of the same from him that we've seen the last two years.”

Knicks Go had his second workout since the Breeders' Cup on Sunday at the Fair Grounds, working a half-mile in 49 4/5 seconds.

“It's icing on the cake for sure,” Cox said of the Pegasus, “because he's delivered in a big way over the last few years – actually his whole career, what he accomplished at 2 as well. It will be neat to get one more run in him at the age of 6. He certainly doesn't look like a horse needing any time off or anything. He was let down a little bit for around five days at Taylor Made just for inspection for breeders to come over and look at him. But he was ready to get back and go to work, and hopefully it is icing the cake with the Pegasus.”

The “Go” part of the horse's name has proven fortuitous. Knicks Go indeed is a horse who stays on the engine.

“He's on the go, no doubt about it,” said Cox, who assumed training Knicks Go for his 4-year-old season. “He's just a really cool horse, he really is.”

While Knicks Go — a son of Haskell (G1) winner and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up Paynter — might not have the most fashionable pedigree, Cox believes that is countered by being a “throw-back” horse. He notes that Knicks Go won Grade 1 races at 2, 4 and 5, while winning two Breeders' Cup races and finishing second in the Juvenile — and could add another G1 at age 6.

“And he's got really what was everybody is looking for: speed,” he said. “I hope he gets an opportunity to get some top mares. Because he's got heart, determination, and speed, and hopefully he's set up for a big stallion career.”

“I thought [Gulfstream] going a mile and an eighth, would benefit his style,” Cox said of the Pegasus. “He runs the turns really well; we've seen that over the last year-plus. He does like that (two-turn) configuration of the mile and an eighth there at Gulfstream. Hopefully he'll get a good set up and be effective like he was last year. We know him a little better now than we did last year, and he's been super consistent.

“He kind of puts them away through the far turn, is where he gets his separation. People have to go all in. They go into chase mode, and they can't get to him while he's still cruising. Speed, that's his weapon. Horses are going into chase mode probably three-quarters of a way through the race, and he's still on cruise control.”

The post ‘We Hope He Goes Out A Winner’: Knicks Go’s Pegasus World Cup Start Will Be Bittersweet For Brad Cox appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Last Race Longshot Propels John Fisher To NHC Qualifier Win

Florida-based handicapper John Fisher was all but tapped out and ready to leave Hialeah Park's Champions Simulcast Center & Sports Bar late Sunday afternoon.

He was down to $100 from his total of five entries in the second-ever National Horseplayers Championship qualifying tournament staged at this iconic South Florida landmark.

Fisher bet his last money all to win on 22-1 longshot Cryptic Creed in the 10th race at Gulfstream Park. Less than two minutes later, jockey Jesus Rios guided the two-year-old maiden to a facile victory over the all-weather surface, producing a $45.40 payout that vaulted Fisher to victory over runner-up Phil Matzat and third-place finisher Ray Arsenault.

“I had packed up and I was at the door,” Fisher recalled. “I heard a big commotion from the tournament room and '10, it's the 10!' from the other handicappers. That was Cryptic Creed!”

The big payoff gave Fisher a total of $2,400 in tournament earnings, some $900 better than Matzat's $1,500, and almost $1,500 more than Arsenault's $908.

The champion collected $4,000 in prize money, with Matzat garnering $2,600 for second and Arsenault claiming $1,600 for third.

The top two finishers both earned seats in the National Horseplayers Championship finals at Bally's Las Vegas on Jan. 28-30, 2022, including hotel and airfare.

“I'll be there,” added Fisher. “I've been to 10 finals and I'm just as excited to go back for the 11th time! Champions was a great spot for the event. The staff treated us in a friendly and professional manner, and they fed us well!”

Overall, 46 handicappers purchased a total of 64 entries in the tournament and the Hialeah Park mutuel office reported a 74% handle increase over the average Sunday.

Champions Simulcast Center & Sports Bar, opened as “the go-to location” in South Florida for full-card simulcast wagering on Thoroughbred races in early 2016, features 180 television screens, 78 betting carrels (each with a 19-inch video monitor), 42 wagering windows, and space for 200 horseplayers complemented by an aggressive menu of simulcast wagering options.

The post Last Race Longshot Propels John Fisher To NHC Qualifier Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Gulfstream’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Guaranteed At $100,000 Wednesday

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $100,000 for Wednesday's program at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., two racing days after a jackpot of $407,067.66 was taken down by one lucky bettor Saturday.

Wednesday's Rainbow 6 sequence will be headlined by a mile optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up, featuring the return of Liam, who is unraced since finishing third in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Okla., in September 2020. The son of Liam's Map, who sold for $450,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale, is scheduled to make his first start for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

The post Gulfstream’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Guaranteed At $100,000 Wednesday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post