Tag: harper’s first ride

Claudio Gonzalez Wraps Up Another Leading Training Title At Laurel

Midwest Thoroughbred, Inc.'s Tayler's Chrome, a juvenile daughter of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, captured Sunday's opener at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., to clinch the fall meet championship for trainer Claudio Gonzalez.

Ridden by Angel Cruz, Tayler's Chrome ($7.60) pressed the pace for a half-mile and took a 2 ½-length lead into the stretch before drawing off to win by five in 1:38.28 over a fast main track in the one-mile waiver maiden claimer for 2-year-olds. One of three horses in for a $40,000 tag, she was not claimed.

It was the 25th win of the fall meet for Gonzalez, putting the title out of reach for runner-up Brittany Russell, who would later win with impressive second-time starter Little Huntress, her 24th victory from just 49 starters. Gonzalez also won with 3-year-old filly Originaly From Dot ($3.80) in Race 7

Gonzalez, a 44-year-old cancer survivor, has now won 12 of the last 13 meets in Maryland dating back to Laurel's 2017 spring stand, and owns or shares 15 titles overall. With just New Year's Eve remaining on the live racing calendar in 2020, he will finish with the most wins in the state for a fourth consecutive year.

“When we win the title it's not only for me, it's for all the people working for me. It's a team; everyone is excited. No matter what, in the end we want to win. It's a good feeling,” Gonzalez said. “It's very special for everybody. My assistants, the grooms, everybody. There are very good trainers here and that's why to win the title is a special, special feeling.”

Gonzalez entered the Christmastide Stakes Day program Dec. 26 tied with Russell at 22 wins. Trying to become just the fourth female to lead the trainer standings in Maryland following Karen Patty (1992), Mary Eppler (2016) and Linda Rice (2017), Russell won the $100,000 Dave's Friend with Whereshetoldmetogo.

But Gonzalez captured the $100,000 Native Dancer with historic Pimlico Special (G3) winner Harpers First Ride and $100,000 Anne Arundel County with 2-year-old filly Miss Leslie – a horse he claimed for $25,000 two starts prior – to retake the lead.

Claimed by Gonzalez for $30,000 out of a Sept. 14, 2019, win at Churchill Downs, MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride won for the seventh time in 11 starts in 2020, four of those wins coming in stakes – the Deputed Testamony, Richard W. Small and Native Dancer at Laurel and Pimlico Special at Pimlico Race Course.

A gelded 4-year-old son of Grade 1 winner Paynter, Harpers First Ride has earned $495,623 this year, growing his career bankroll to $573,055. He will figure in the conversation for Maryland-bred Horse of the Year along with Knicks Go, who went three-for-three in the Midwest this year topped by a victory in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

“The horse surprises me every race he runs. Every race he runs better and better. He walked today and he walked like he knows he won. It's really good when you see that,” Gonzalez said. “He won four stakes, he won the Pimlico Special, and all the stakes he won he won good. It's the first time I've had a horse like that. With Harpers, every day is special. From the day we claimed him, he started doing good.”

Among the early 2021 stakes for 4-year-olds and up going a route of ground at Laurel are the $75,000 Jennings for Maryland-bred/sired horses at one mile Jan. 16, the $100,000 John B. Campbell at about 1 1/16 miles Feb. 13 and $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at 1 1/8 miles March 13. Gonzalez said the connections will keep all their options open for the soon-to-be 5-year-old.

“He proved that he won his races easy and maybe he has to take the next step and race with the big guys and see how he does,” he said. “It all depends on how he's doing after the race, day by day, and we'll make a decision what we're going to do.”

Gonzalez has 99 wins in Maryland this year heading into Thursday's fall meet-ending program, where he has five horses entered. Russell does not have any horses entered on Thursday. Gonzalez also finished first overall in 2017, 2018 and 2019 but said this year takes on added significance, especially since live racing was paused in the state for 2 ½ months from mid-March to late May due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Aside from Harpers First Ride, Gonzalez's other stakes winners this year were 3-year-old Lebda in the Miracle Wood and Private Terms, Princess Cadey in the Beyond the Wire and Completed Pass in the Laurel Dash.

“I don't pay attention to those things. It's not like I have just really good horses. A lot of the horses we have we claimed. They do a little bit better and they run. Like [Saturday], the filly we claimed [Miss Leslie] and she won the stake. You never know,” Gonzalez said.

“The horses tell me where I have to put them. Every race they go, they say ok I'm ready for the next step and we go,” he added. “It's special this year because for everybody it was a strange year with the coronavirus. It's extra special for everybody.”

Notes: Wonder Stables, Robert LaPenta and Madaket Stables' Little Huntress ($2.40) broke running and never looked back in rolling to a front-running 14-length maiden special weight romp over five rivals in Race 3. The winning time for seven furlongs was 1:23.94 over a fast main track … A gray or roan daughter of first-crop sire Frosted, record-setting winner of the 2016 Met Mile (G1), Little Huntress was the first of three winners on the card for jockey Jevian Toledo, followed by Introspection ($4) in Race 6 and Gimme's Goldengirl ($5.20) in Race 9. Toledo has tripled in back-to-back days and has 39 wins, three behind meet leader Sheldon Russell … There will be carryovers of $17,538.82 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 and $332.99 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for the Thursday, Dec. 31 closing day program. Tickets with five of six winners in Sunday's Rainbow 6 each paid $69.56.

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Harpers First Ride Caps Off 2020 With Native Dancer Win

MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride put the finishing touches on an outstanding 2020 season by dismissing a bid from fellow multiple stakes winner Cordmaker at the top of the stretch and rolling home a 3 ¼-length winner in Saturday's $100,000 Native Dancer at Laurel Park in Maryland.

The 53rd running of the 1 1/8-mile Native Dancer, first held at old Bowie Race Course in 1966, was among three stakes for 3-year-olds and up on the undercard of a Christmastide Day program of eight stakes worth $850,000 in purses led by the $150,000 Allaire du Pont (Grade 3).

In a pair of six-furlong springs earlier on the card, Whershetoldmetogo captured the $100,000 Dave's Friend for males and Dontletsweetfoolya won her fifth straight race in the $100,000 Willa On the Move for fillies and mares.

Favored at odds of 1-5 over his six rivals, Harpers First Ride ($2.40) registered his seventh win from 11 starts this year and fourth stakes win, none bigger than the historic Pimlico Special (G3) Oct. 2 at Pimlico Race Course. The winning time was 1:48.56 over a fast main track.

Jockey Angel Cruz, riding for fall meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez, positioned Harpers First Ride behind pacesetting 45-1 long shot Saratoga Jack through a quarter-mile in 24.61 seconds, with Cordmaker and Hall Pass battling side by side behind the top two. Harpers First Ride was in front after a half in 48.39 seconds and went six furlongs in 1:11.53 when Cordmaker – third in the 2019 and 2020 Pimlico Special – came calling. They straightened for home together but Cordmaker was unable to sustain his drive and got passed by Forewarned for second.

“Claudio told me to get a good position and just sit behind the speed. The speed's on the outside so [I] just [tried to] get him to relax and go on from there,” Cruz said. “At the top of the stretch I had so much horse, when I asked Harper he responded very well. When Cordmaker came by me I just sat patient and waited a little bit and when I asked him he responded for me. He's just a game horse. He fights to the end.”

Harpers First Ride won four of his last five starts to cap 2020, all of them in stakes – the Deputed Testamony, Pimlico Special, Richard W. Small and Native Dancer. He owns eight wins from 10 career tries at Laurel with one second and one third.

 Whereshetoldmetogo Proves Best in $100,000 Dave's Friend
Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing Stable's Whereshetoldmetogo came with a determined run through the stretch on the far outside and edged clear to a three-quarter-length triumph in the $100,000 Dave's Friend.

It was the third consecutive win and second straight in a stakes for Whereshetoldmetogo ($6), racing for the fourth time since joining Laurel trainer Brittany Russell. The 5-year-old El Padrino gelding ran six furlongs in a sharp 1:08.55 over a fast main track.

Jockey Jevian Toledo, subbing for regular rider Sheldon Russell, was unhurried in the early going as 25-1 long shot Charge to Victory ran a quarter-mile in 22.13 seconds before being overtaken by 13-time career winner Penguin Power after a half in 44.63. Put in the clear leaving the backstretch, Whereshetoldmetogo began rolling on the outside around the turn and was set down for a drive once straightened for home.

“Brittany told me not to rush him out of there and just leave him alone wherever he's comfortable,” Toledo said. “I just let him break and settle and when I felt he was trying to move I made my move, and he gave me everything he had. He's a really nice horse.”

Taco Supream put in a strong effort to be second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Penguin Power. Laki, favored at 4-5, was another two lengths back in fourth with multiple stakes winner and first-time gelding Lebda finishing fifth.

Whereshetoldmetogo has crossed the wire first for three straight races, but was disqualified to second in the Sept. 26 New Castle Stakes at Delaware Park for interference before rebounding to edge Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) winner Laki by a nose in the Frank Y. Whiteley Nov. 28 at Laurel.

'Sweet' Streak Reaches Five in $100,000 Willa On the Move
Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya extended her win streak to five races, putting away main rival Malibu Mischief at the top of the stretch and sprinting clear to her second straight stakes victory in the $100,000 Willa On the Move.

Dontletsweetfoolya ($4.20), favored at even money in a field of eight, hit the wire 2 ¼ lengths in front in 1:09.47 for six furlongs over a fast main track. It was the closest a horse had come to beating the daughter of Grade 1 winner Stay Thirsty during her streak, where she had won by an average of 6 ½ lengths.

“Ever since we drew the one-hole we were kind of dreading it, especially with the weather coming in. The track guys did a fantastic job with working this rail all day,” winning trainer Lacey Gaudet said. “We've had rain and cold weather and this rail is beautiful so it did give us a little more confidence when we led her over here. [There was] a lot of speed; being on the inside we knew she was going to be pressed pretty hard and she just keeps coming back at them.”

Jevian Toledo, aboard for the entirety of the streak, hustled Dontletsweetfoolya from their rail post and was quickly joined by Malibu Mischief, a New York shipper that had won her six straight races. Malibu Mischief pressed Dontletsweetfoolya through fractions of 22.40, 44.81 and 56.75 seconds but was no match once they straightened for home, when Dontletsweetfoolya drew off to her fifth win in eight career starts.

“I didn't tell Jevian anything. He rides this filly with confidence and he knows her very well,” Gaudet said. “He got to the paddock and I gave him a fist bump and said, 'It's up to you now.' That's kind of what we've done the last few races with her, and he gets her home.”

Hisbiscus Punch, off at 21-1, edged Malibu Mischief by a half-length for second with Club Car just a neck back in fourth.

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Pimlico Special Winner Harpers First Ride Aiming To Close Out 2020 With Native Dancer Win

MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride, winner of the historic Pimlico Special (Grade 3) over Preakness (G1) weekend in October, will get one more chance to add to what has been a spectacular season in the $100,000 Native Dancer Saturday, Dec. 26 at Laurel Park.

The 53rd running of the 1 1/8 mile Native Dancer, first held at old Bowie Race Course in 1966, is among three stakes for 3-year-olds and up on the undercard of a Christmastide Day program featuring eight stakes worth $850,000 in purses led by the $150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3).

Sprinters three and older will go six furlongs in the $100,000 Dave's Friend for males and $100,000 Willa On the Move for fillies and mares. Post time for the first of nine races is 12:25 p.m.

A gelded 4-year-old son of G1 winner Paynter, Harpers First Ride has won six of 10 starts with two seconds, one third and more than $435,000 in purse earnings in 2020. Three of those wins have come in stakes – the 1 3/16 mile Pimlico Special Oct. 2 at Pimlico Race Course and the Sept. 5 Deputed Testamony and Nov. 28 Richard W. Small, each going 1 1/16 miles at Laurel Park.

Maryland's three-time defending year-end training champion Claudio Gonzalez claimed Harpers First Ride for $30,000 out of a Sept. 14, 2019 win at Churchill Downs in his third career start, and he has amassed a lifetime record of 9-2-1 and a $513,055 bankroll in 16 races.

“Everybody likes to dream, but all the time he proves he can run with the good horses. He showed class since the day we claimed him,” Gonzalez said. “He came into the barn and every day he improved. He got better and better and he has never been a problem for us.”

Harpers First Ride has won three of his last four races, the exception being a runner-up finish to Monday Morning Qb in the 1 1/8 mile Maryland Million Classic Oct. 24 at Laurel, beaten 3 ¼ lengths. He bounced back with a three-length triumph in the Richard Small that produced the second-highest speed figure of his career.

“He had a perfect trip the last time. The time before he was on the outside the whole race and the last time it was much better,” Gonzalez said. “For me, the distance is not a problem. He's the kind of horse that can run all day.

“I cannot say anything bad about him. He does everything right. He's more mature,” he added. “Even when he breezes, if you ask him a little, he goes, and if you relax with him, he relaxes. You can see it in the races. When he runs, if you push him he can take the lead or he can come from behind. The horse is just a nice horse.”

Harpers First Ride will face a familiar foe in Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker, a fellow multiple stakes winner that he beat in the Deputed Testamony, Richard Small and Pimlico Special, the latter a race where Cordmaker has run third two consecutive years, beaten three lengths combined. Winless in seven tries this year, the 5-year-old son of Hall of Famer Curlin is one of three horses in the field to have banked more than a half-million dollars, the third being Tri-Brook Stables Inc.'s G3-placed Forewarned.

Air Token, owned and trained by Jose Corrales, takes a three-race win streak into the Native Dancer, the most recent coming Dec. 13 in a 1 1/16 mile optional claiming allowance at Laurel against older horses. The 3-year-old Golden Lad gelding's only previous try at 1 1/8 miles came on the grass, when he ran second in the Maryland Million Turf Starter Handicap Oct. 24 after taking a 5 ½ length lead into the stretch.

“I think the horse will be fine. He's been running the distance and he's also run the short distances,” Corrales said. “I think the horse is going to perform OK. He's got enough air for that. I think the first race that he ran on the grass he opened up too much and he just got caught.”

Included in Air Token's win streak is a victory in the seven-furlong Concern Stakes Nov. 28 at Laurel by a neck over Francatelli. He came off the pace to win that race as well as a restricted allowance against his elders one start prior, but last out won in front-running fashion. Air Token has four wins, two seconds and a third from nine starts since being claimed by Corrales for $10,000 out of an Aug. 1 win at Laurel.

“He doesn't need to be in front. He's a horse that if he can sit back he'll have a kick at the end,” Corrales said. “I'm just going day by day with this horse. This horse is showing me something every time. When I claimed this horse for [$10,000], I'm thinking if he can win for [$16,000] I'll be happy or I'll drop him back for [$10,000]. But he's getting better. Horses to me are like people, they need opportunity. You never know how far you can go and this horse has done that.”

Hall Pass, Saratoga Jack and V.I.P. Ticket complete the field.

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Harpers First Ride, Whereshetoldmetogo, Air Token Take Laurel Fall Festival Of Racing Stakes

MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride, Maryland-bred winner of the historic Pimlico Special (G3) last month, swept past his rivals on the far outside around the turn and powered through the stretch to a three-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Richard W. Small at Laurel Park in Maryland.

The 25th running of the Small at about 1 1/16 miles and $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley at six furlongs, both for 3-year-olds and up, were among six stakes worth $600,000 in purses on the Fall Festival of Racing program that included the $100,000 Concern for 3-year-olds sprinting seven furlongs.

Favored at even money in a field of 10 featuring fellow graded-stakes winners Name Changer and Monongahela, multiple graded-stakes placed Cordmaker and Bal Harbour and Mexican Triple Crown winner Kukulkan, Harpers First Ride ($4) completed the distance in 1:41.92 over a fast main track.

It was the second career Small victory for trainer Claudio Gonzalez following Afleet Willy in 2017 and first for Angel Cruz, also aboard for wins in the Pimlico Special and Primonetta that preceded a last out second to Monday Morning Qb in the Maryland Million Classic.

“He's a special horse,” Cruz said. “He gave me my biggest win of the year and he just gave me another one. Those horses are special. They mean a lot, and when you get on them, it means more.”

Bal Harbour, dropping out of graded-stakes company for the first time in 12 races dating back to December 2018, and multiple Pennsylvania-bred stakes winner Wait for It battled through a quarter-mile in 23.14 seconds and a half in 46.24 with Cordmaker – third in the 2019 and 2020 Pimlico Special – and 2019 Iowa Derby winner side-by-side tracking in behind.

Having settled by himself in fifth, Harpers First Ride got his cue rounding the far turn responded by coasting to the lead on the extreme outside. Set down by Cruz at the top of the stretch, the 4-year-old gelding sprinted clear as Cordmaker took second and Name Changer edged Top Line Growth by a length for fourth.

Forewarned, Midnight Act, Monongahela, Bal Harbour, Wait for It and Kukulkan completed the order of finish.

“We knew there a couple horses that had a lot of speed and my horse is just a game horse and he's even, he doesn't have that much speed. But he broke good and I sent him and he sat behind the pace. He just relaxed for me and on the far turn, I had a lot of horse,” Cruz said. “When I tapped him he responded to me. I had tons of horse. He ran his heart out today.”

Whereshetoldmetogo Edges Laki in $100,000 Frank Whiteley
Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing Stable's Whereshetoldmetogo, disqualified from a stakes win in his previous start, outran favored Laki down the stretch and survived a double claim of foul to capture the eighth running of the $100,000 Frank Whiteley.

Laki broke sharply from his outside post but ceded the early lead to longshots Arthur's Hope and Zenden, in front after a sharp opening quarter-mile in 21.59 seconds. Day the Music Died, who broke a step slow, rushed up the rail to be third with Laki settled in fourth.

Whereshetoldmetogo ($9.80), racing in mid-pack early on, began gaining ground quickly along the inside around the turn as the half went in 44.42 seconds and Laki was steered to the far outside. Whereshetoldmetogo and jockey Sheldon Russell split Day the Music Died and Zenden approaching the stretch and took over the lead as Laki swept in to challenge on the outside. The two battled through the lane with Whereshetoldmetogo holding off Frank J. De Francis Dash (G3) winner Laki by a nose.

Both jockey Horacio Karamanos and trainer Damon Dilodovico lodged a claim of foul against Whereshetoldmetogo while fourth-place finisher Charge to Victory claimed against Laki, both incidents coming outside the quarter pole. Both were disallowed.

“We had a good trip. He came up the inside,” winning trainer Brittany Russell said. “I know we had a little issue there and I was hoping we didn't get DQ'd but it looked like it wasn't as big of a thing as maybe we originally thought. I felt like our horse was full of run and he's tough and he's game and he kept his head down, so I was confident.”

It was the second stakes win of the day for husband and wife, who teamed up with Hello Beautiful in the $100,000 Safely Kept. Whereshetoldmetogo was racing third time for Russell, having run fourth in the Sept. 5 Primonetta at Laurel and disqualified to second for lugging in mid-stretch of the Sept. 26 New Castle after hitting the wire 1 ½ lengths in front.

Air Token Flies Past Favored Francatelli to Win $100,000 Concern
Air Token, owned and trained by Jose Corrales, wore down favored stakes winner Francatelli through the stretch and edged clear to a 16-1 upset in the fourth running of the $100,000 Concern.

It was the first stakes win in his 12th career start for Air Token ($35.60), who completed seven furlongs in 1:22.29 under jockey Horacio Karamanos for this second straight victory. Horse and rider teamed up to win an off-the-turf allowance Nov. 7 at Laurel.

“I think this horse can go longer but Mr. Corrales made the decision to run seven-eighths. We expected him to run good because the horse is really improving a lot,” Karamanos said. “I know him. I rode him one race before, one mile, and he won in good time. I thought he was going to give me a nice kick. Sometimes he flattens out but today he didn't and he won nice.”

Francatelli, a turf stakes winner in September bet down to 1-2 off a third-level optional claiming allowance last out Oct. 30 at Laurel, set fractions of 22.73 and 45.28 seconds for a half-mile under moderate pressure from Carey Times and stakes-placed Johnny Ritt. Karamanos settled Air Token in mid-pack along the rail until tipping out around the turn, setting their sights on the leader and steadily gained ground to win by a neck.

“We just sat behind the speed. Mr. Corrales told me to not rush him,” Karamanos said. “He broke out of the gate really nice. I saw [Francatelli] was the favorite. At the top of the stretch he was moving outside clear and nicely. He gave me a really nice kick and fought to the wire. He ran big today. I was confident all the way around.”

Golden Candy ran third, two lengths behind Francatelli, with 40-1 long shot Informative another 3 ¼ lengths back in fourth. Multiple stakes winner Lebda was scratched.

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