halladay | Horse Racing Free Tips

Chances Galore in Deep Shadwell Mile

Last-out Grade I winner Halladay (War Front) is favored on the morning line for Saturday’s GI Shadwell Turf Mile S. at Keeneland, but there are strong contenders up and down the lineup of the 11-horse “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Dual stakes placed last fall as a sophomore, Harrell Ventures’ gray captured the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream to close his season before running fourth in the GIII Tampa Bay S. Feb. 8. Scoring victories with triple-digit Beyers in an optional claimer and the Sunshine Forever S. this spring in Hallandale, he settled for fourth when taken off the lead in the GII Bernard Baruch H., then reverted to his previous tactics and went wire to wire in the GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 22 at Saratoga.

Chad Brown, who failed to crack the superfecta with a quartet of challengers in the Fourstardave, is back with another foursome here. ‘TDN Rising Star’ Analyze It (Point of Entry) leads the charge in his second start off a long layoff. Winning his first three outings by a combined 15 3/4 lengths, the bay then finished second by a neck in the GIII Pennine Ridge S., by a head in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. and again by a neck in the GI Secretariat S. Fourth as the chalk in this event two falls ago, he went to the bench after a third in the 2018 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile and returned after over 22 months off to take the GIII Red Bank S. last out Sept. 5 at Monmouth.

Lightly-raced Flavius (War Front) dons the Juddmonte colors for Brown. Two-for-three in Ireland for Dermot Weld, he was fourth in his first two Stateside starts before running third with late traffic trouble in the First Defence S. June 7 at Belmont. The homebred put it all together with a late-running triumph in the Tourist Mile S. last out Sept. 7, earning a career-high 105 Beyer. Rounding out the Brown contingent are MGISW Raging Bull (Dark Angel {Ire}), who removes blinkers following a mild fifth in the Fourstardave, and Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a Group 1 winner in Great Britain who is winless so far in five North American starts.

Longshot contenders include Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), Born Great (Scat Daddy) and Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}). Casa Creed, last year’s GII Hall of Fame S. winner, ran two sneaky-good races to start his 4-year-old campaign and closed well to be third in the slow-paced Fourstardave. Born Great, who has run just three times, looks to strike while the iron’s hot after scoring two sharp successes in a seven-day span at Kentucky Downs. Ivar, a dual Group 1 winner in Argentina, upset a Churchill optional claimer with a 100 Beyer two back and was a strong third after dueling on a fast pace in the Tourist Mile.

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Pletcher-Trained Happy Saver Targeting Jockey Club Gold Cup; Dr Post To Be Freshened

Wertheimer and Frere's undefeated stakes winner Happy Saver and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes runner-up Dr Post will both bypass next Saturday's Grade 1 Preakness for trainer Todd Pletcher, with the conditioner saying the former of the two will target the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Happy Saver, by Super Saver, graduated on June 20 at Belmont and followed with a nine-furlong allowance score on July 26 at Saratoga ahead of a driving 1 1/2-length score last out in the nine-furlong Federico Tesio on September 7 at Pimlico.

He worked a bullet five eighths in 1:01.09 Friday on the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. Pletcher said extra time between races will benefit the lightly raced Happy Saver.

“I was happy with his work yesterday and I just decided I like the extra week and it looks to be a shorter field here,” said Pletcher. “He's done everything we've asked of him so far. It's pretty hard to win your first three races at three different tracks and stretch out to win a stakes at a mile and an eighth. He's been very impressive and we're happy with his development.”

Last year, the Pletcher-trained Vino Rosso crossed the wire first in the Jockey Club Gold Cup but was demoted to second after a rugged stretch run with Code of Honor, who was elevated to victory. Vino Rosso exited that effort to win the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

A win by Happy Saver would provide Pletcher with his first Jockey Club Gold Cup score.

“The Jockey Club has been a frustrating race for us. We've had some tough losses and last year's was especially tough but it was a great stepping stone to a great win in the Classic, so it would be fun to win it,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said he preferred not to look too far into the future for Happy Saver with regard to a potential start in the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland.

“One race at a time,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said St Elias Stable's multiple graded-stakes placed Dr Post, who finished fourth last out in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on September 5 at the Spa, is enjoying some downtime at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.

“We sent him to Kentucky to give him a little bit of a freshening. He'll get some turn out time at WinStar and join us back in Florida in December,” said Pletcher.

The Quality Road colt graduated at second asking in March at Gulfstream Park ahead of a score in the 1 1/16-mile Unbridled at the Hallandale Beach oval. After completing the exacta in the Belmont Stakes, Dr Post was a distant third in the Grade 1 Haskell won by eventual Grade 1 Kentucky Derby champ Authentic.

Pletcher will be well represented in the Grade 1, $250,000 Belmont Derby Invitational, a 10-furlong turf test for sophomores offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, in which he will saddle Farmington Road and No Word with Mo Ready also under consideration for the October 3 tilt.

“We're looking at the Belmont Derby for all three. It's a good opportunity for 3-year-olds on the turf,” said Pletcher.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Chrysalis Stables and Robert LaPenta, Farmington Road rallied from last-of-five to capture a Colonial Downs allowance route last out on July 29 in his turf debut.

Wertheimer and Frere's No Word, a dark bay son of Silent Name, boasts a record of two wins and three thirds from six career starts all on turf. The dark bay closed to finish third last out in the Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 15 at the Spa, defeated a half-length to victorious Domestic Spending.

Repole Stable's Mo Ready, a New York homebred son of Uncle Mo, boasts a record of 7-2-1-1 and captured a one-mile state-bred turf allowance last out on August 15 at Saratoga.

Harrell Ventures' Halladay made the grade with a sparkling performance last out in the Grade 1 Fourstardave on August 22 at Saratoga that garnered a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

The 4-year-old War Front colt breezed a half-mile in 48.75 Friday on the Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on October 3 at Keeneland.

“The breeze went well. He's doing great and will ship out on Monday for the Shadwell Mile,” said Pletcher. “He ran so well in the Fourstardave we wanted to give the race there at Keeneland a try and give him a race over the course. Hopefully, it will be a good stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup Mile.

The ultra-consistent grey boasts a record of 14-6-2-4 with purse earnings of $517,485.

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Pletcher Back On Top At Saratoga; Irad Ortiz Jr., Klaravich Stables Also Claim Titles

Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Klaravich Stables finished atop their respective standings with the trio finishing as the leading trainer, jockey and owner for the 40-day summer meet at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., that concluded on Labor Day Monday.

“It doesn't get old and it doesn't get easier,” said Pletcher. “I've been fortunate to have won it that many times, but I still have a tremendous appreciation for how hard it is to do. I have a lot of great owners and I'm grateful for the opportunities with so many good horses.”

Pletcher returned to familiar territory, finishing as the leading trainer for the Saratoga summer meet for the 14th time in his illustrious career, tallying 32 wins.

Pletcher, who won his first Saratoga crown in 1998, won the H. Allen Jerkens award as the meet's top conditioner for the first time since 2017, registering a record of 32-23-15 with 142 starters. His success ended reigning four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown's run of two consecutive meet titles and three in four years. Brown finished second with 28 wins.

Pletcher expressed his gratitude for the team effort in securing the title.

“It means a lot to the whole team,” said Pletcher. “A lot of people put in a lot of hard work. We were understaffed coming in and a lot of guys and girls put in a lot of work for this. I'm grateful for that and happy to be a part of the achievement.”

Among Pletcher's highlights was saddling Halladay for his Grade 1 Fourstardave triumph on August 22 while racking up stakes wins with Spinoff [Alydar], Nonna Madeline [Summer Colony] and Moretti [Birdstone].

“Halladay winning the Fourstardave stands out for me,” said Pletcher. “Grade 1 wins are hard to come by and that was a big win.”

The 53-year-old Pletcher won six Saratoga training titles consecutively from 2010-15 and tallied his most wins in a summer meet with 40 in 2017.

“Someone said to me this morning if I won that it would be the fourth different decade I've won a training title and I thought that was kind of cool,” said Pletcher. “I'd say aside from the first one in 1998, this was the next most rewarding.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. earned the Angel Cordero, Jr. Award for the third time overall and first since 2018, finishing with 59 wins to top younger brother Jose Ortiz [58 wins] and Joel Rosario [48] in third. Ortiz, Jr. won his first crown in 2015.

“It's very special. My agent [Steve Rushing] did a great job and I'm very thankful for all the trainers and owners, without them I would not be here,” said Ortiz, Jr., who missed three days of racing late in the meet with a wrist injury. “After my injury, I had to take off a few days and they still named me on their horses and gave me the confidence and the opportunity.”

The 28-year-old native of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico compiled a 59-47-43 record in 282 mounts, totaling earnings of more than $4.4 million with a winning percentage of better than 20 percent.

A memorable meet was highlighted by his winning ride aboard Improbable in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 1, part of a day in which he registered four wins in total. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Improbable marked the second Whitney winner in three years for Ortiz, Jr., who also was victorious with Diversify in 2018.

Ortiz, Jr. won 10 stakes at the meet including graded scores in the Grade 3 Peter Pan aboard Country Grammer on Opening Day; the Grade 3 With Anticipation on Fire At Will; and the Grade 2 Honorable Miss with Come Dancing on Sunday.

The veteran rider won with 5-of-8 mounts on July 23rd during a 10-race card at the Spa, led by a victory aboard Fresco in the NYSSS Statue of Liberty.

Ortiz, Jr. said he enjoyed the daily competition with his brother.

“We have fun,” said Ortiz, Jr. “He wants the best for me and I want the best for him.”

Klaravich Stables was once again the top Saratoga owner, recording 13 wins, 11 runner-up finishes and 17 third-place efforts from 58 starts. The win total was three more than the next-closest competitors in Repole Stable. Headed by Seth Klarman, the stable again teamed with Brown for its meet highlights, which included the stakes scores of Selflessly in the Grade 3 Lake George and Domestic Spending in the Saratoga Derby Invitational.

Live racing will now shift to Belmont Park for the 27-day fall meet, featuring 38 stakes worth $5.58 million in purse money, that will kick off on Friday, September 18 and run through Sunday, November 1.

The post Pletcher Back On Top At Saratoga; Irad Ortiz Jr., Klaravich Stables Also Claim Titles appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Bloodlines: Halladay Clears The Path For Tapit’s High-End Broodmare Sire Career

A front-running victory in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 22 made Halladay the 51st group or graded stakes winner for his sire War Front (by Danzig), as well as the sire's 22nd Grade 1 winner; Halladay also became the first North American Grade 1 winner for broodmare sire Tapit, who has been the leading general sire in North America three times.

Tapit mares have already produced Group 1 winners in Japan and Australia. In June of 2020, Gran Alegria won the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo to pair with her victory last year in the G1 Oka Sho (Japan 1,000 Guineas). Overall, the bay daughter of the great sire Deep Impact has won five of eight starts and $4.1 million. Gran Alegria's dam, Tapitsfly, also won a pair of Group 1 races, the First Lady at Keeneland and the Just a Game Stakes at Belmont, as well as the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly Turf when it was instituted as a listed race (now G1). At the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November sale, Tapitsfly sold as a broodmare prospect for $1.85 million to Katsumi Yoshida.

Tapitsfly came from Tapit's second crop of foals, and Hightap, the dam of Halladay, came from the gray sire's first crop. Now they lead the stallion's producers of quality.

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. and Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, Halladay went to the 2017 Keeneland September sale, was led out of the ring unsold at $225,000, changed hands privately thereafter through Steve Young, agent, and races for Harrell Ventures LLC.

Hightap's first four foals had brought about $1 million for the breeders, and Halladay was the broodmare's fifth foal. The handsome gray did not show his stakes quality immediately, not getting his first black type until a third-place finish in the English Channel Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 26 last year.

Just a few days later, his dam, Grade 3 winner Hightap, went through the ring at the 2019 Keeneland November sale in foal to Union Rags (Dixie Union) and sold for $85,000 to Hidden Brook, agent. The mare produced a chestnut filly on Feb. 11 for owners John Gardner and Frank McEntee. Hightap was initially bred back to the Danzig stallion Hard Spun but would not get in foal and was sent to champion Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) shortly before that champion's unexpected death, and she is in foal on a May 11 cover.

Sergio de Sousa, managing partner at Hidden Brook, said that Hightap is a “really good-looking mare, and she produced a pretty foal. Both the mare and foal have been entered in the Keeneland November sale” later this fall, but whether they go to the sale or not may depend on other factors, such as the status of sales during the pandemic and the economics of the September yearling market.

Hightap's new owners take an active interest in selecting mares for their breeding program, and Hidden Brook partner Dan Hall said, “The current owners went through the November catalog and picked out the ones that interested them. They like mares with a little age that look like they would be discounted in the marketplace, then we look at the physicals for them. This was a nice mare in foal on an early cover to a top sire, and there looked like a lot of upside. John is involved in our racing partnerships, but they seem to be a little more interested in the breeding side of the game.”

For the breeders of Halladay, Hightap has a gray yearling filly by Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Candy Ride) who is entered in the 2020 Keeneland September sale as Hip 1396, which is in Book 3 of the lengthy auction. Depending on the filly's looks, vet report, and what Halladay accomplishes between now and then, the Gun Runner filly has the potential to be one of the breakout lots of the day.

So there's a silver lining for all those associated with Hightap because, as Dan Hall noted about buying the dam of a newly minted Grade 1 winner, “You'd like to say you're smart, but in this game, you have to be lucky.”

And surely the luckiest participant in the Hightap saga is Jay Goodwin, who bought the Empire Maker half-sister to Halladay for himself and partner Cloyce Clark for $5,500 at the 2019 Keeneland January sale.

Goodwin said, “She'd just turned two, didn't have the greatest x-rays, and the mare hadn't produced any black type at that point. But I love Empire Maker; I love Tapit. With that pedigree, I knew I couldn't go wrong, and I knew if any of the other runners got black type in that family, it would go hot.

“From the first, my intention was to go on with her a broodmare, not try her as a racehorse,” Goodwin said. “So, I turned her out and never brought her up, except to trim her feet, and put her under lights at the end of 2019.”

Named Highschool, the gray is in foal to Mitole (Eskendereya), the 2019 Eclipse Award winner as champion sprinter whose successes included the Metropolitan Handicap and Breeders' Cup Sprint, on a March 15 cover and is entered in the November sale at Keeneland.

Goodwin said, “It's better to be lucky than good.”

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