Horse racing news | Horse Racing Free Tips

Spectacular Bid, Xtra Heat Stakes Highlight Laurel Park’s Winter Carnival Program

Louis J. Ulman and H. Neil Glasser's multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion, beaten a neck in his most recent start, looks to snap a two-race losing streak when he takes on eight rivals in Saturday's $100,000 Spectacular Bid at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The inaugural Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds and return of the $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies, both sprinting seven furlongs, are among six stakes worth $550,000 in purses on a Winter Carnival program that kicks off Maryland's 2021 stakes calendar.

Post time for the first of nine races is 12:25 p.m.

The defection of undefeated Jaxon Traveler with a minor foot bruise leaves Kenny Had a Notion and Shackqueenking, respectively trained by Laurel-based brothers Dale and Gary Capuano, as the lone stakes winners in the field.

Kenny Had a Notion won the 5 ½-furlong Jamestown against fellow Virginia-breds over Laurel's world-class turf course and the six-furlong Maryland Million Nursery on dirt in successive starts 15 days apart in October.

In his most recent start, the Great Notion gelding set a demanding pace in the seven-furlong Heft Stakes Dec. 26, fought on gamely along the inside and just missed by a neck behind winner No Cents. He has breezed twice since, including a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.60 Jan. 6.

“He's been doing pretty well since that last race. He ran a pretty game race that day,” Dale Capuano said. “He ran pretty hard, so hopefully he'll improve for it a little bit this time. We'll see. Hopefully, everything goes well.”

Kenny Had a Notion will be racing for the second time after having a minor procedure performed following an atypical effort in the six-furlong James F. Lewis III Nov. 14 where he raced in contention for a half-mile before flattening out to be sixth, again behind No Cents.

“He displaced his palate and then we did the surgery on him, so [the Heft] was his first race after having the surgery,” Capuano said. “I thought he would have run better if he didn't displace his palate. That really seemed to help. He's been good since then.”

Jorge Ruiz, aboard for both stakes wins as well as the Heft, gets a return call from Post 6 at co-topweight of 122 pounds.

“You have to strike when the iron's hot with some of them. He'll probably get a break after this race,” Capuano said. “There's not a whole lot coming up so we'll probably give him a little rest after this one, I'm thinking. But we'll see.”

Pocket 3's Racing's Shackqueenking alternated finishing first and second through four starts last year, breaking his maiden second time out and emerging from an extended stretch duel a nose in front in the Dec. 26 Howard County, both races going 1 1/16 miles over Laurel's main track. Victor Rosales, up in both wins, rides back at 122 pounds from Post 7.

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu beat Kenny Had a Notion when second in the First State Dash Sept. 26 at Delaware Park. A first-out maiden winner last summer at Delaware, the gelded son of 2009 Whitney (G1) winner Bullsbay made his Laurel debut Dec. 11 with a popular front-running 1 ¼-length triumph.

“It was nice that we actually got to keep him home last time. He's Pennsylvania-bred and we considered taking him up there for a stake. He's also Delaware certified and he ran second in the stake they have there,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “He ran well on this track and I think it means a lot walking out of his own stall so I think he deserves a shot on Saturday. He's been doing really well. No complaints with that guy.”

Maythehorsebwithu will be trying stakes company for the second time and first with Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, who was up for the last race. Russell was also named for Maythehorsebewithu's unveiling but broke his wrist in a starting gate mishap three races prior.

“It was kind of nice last time to see Sheldon get on him because he's done so much work with him in the morning. When he finally got to ride him in the afternoon the horse broke well and he ran like a good horse. Sheldon has said all along that he thinks the horse is pretty decent,” Brittany Russell said.

“This horse has some gas to him and he's just had a little bit of bad racing luck as far as getting away right,” she added. “It's nice to move forward into deeper waters coming off a win. It gives you a bit more confidence.”

Maythehorsebwithu drew Post 8 outside both stakes winners and will carry 118 pounds.

Erawan, third in the Howard County; recent Laurel maiden winners Golden Gulley and Wicked Prankster; Scotch Rock's, who graduated by a neck going 6 ½ furlongs Dec. 23 at Parx; Tiz Mandate, fifth in the Heft in his second career start; and Nobody Knew complete the field.

Four-Time Stakes Winner Street Lute Launches Season in $100,000 Xtra Heat
Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute, a winner of three consecutive stakes to cap her juvenile campaign, will get the chance to make it four straight and get her sophomore season off to a successful start in the $100,000 Xtra Heat.

Last run at Pimlico in 2007, the Xtra Heat honors the Maryland-based Hall of Fame mare and champion 3-year-old filly of 2001 that won 26 of 35 career starts, captured 25 stakes including the Prioress (G1), and was second against the boys in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), both during her championship season.

Street Lute was a neck shy of being undefeated through six starts at 2, losing the six-furlong Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 24 by a neck to Miss Nondescript. She followed with wins in the Nov. 14 Smart Halo going six furlongs and the Dec. 5 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship and Dec. 26 Gin Talking sprinting seven furlongs, the latter by a desperate nose after taking a four-length lead into the stretch.

“In the Maryland Million that day, the only reason she got beat is because she never saw that horse coming,” trainer Jerry Robb said. “She was trying to get by the one on the inside of her, which she did, but she never saw the one on the outside of her until it was too late.

“I think she's definitely a better sprinter. I think seven-eighths is pushing it. She did seven-eighths easy against Maryland-breds but almost got beat in open company,” he added. “I'll keep her sprinting and try to pick some easy spots for her where she belongs.”

Robb said Street Lute gave an indication early on that the connections were in for a special season, overcoming a serious eye injury that required surgery and meticulous follow-up care to win her unveiling last fall at Delaware Park.

“During that time she had lost a lot of training. I had been pointing her toward the Delaware-certified stake and I knew I wasn't going to make it,” Robb said. “The only way I could make it was to maybe run her once at Delaware and use that race as a workout, so I ran her not expecting her to do anything and she won.

“I knew right then and there that there was something special about her, because she beat some nice horses that day when she was nowhere near ready to win,” he added. “She was good enough to go over there and get a race over the track and that was about it. From that point on, I knew she would just keep improving and that's what she's done.”

Xavier Perez, up for each of her last three wins, rides back from Post 3 in a field of eight.

“She's been the same as always. She's always been a handful. She's ready to go,” Robb said. “You try to give her a little break and just jog her and she goes crazy. You have to train her just to keep her on the ground.”

Street Lute will face another stakes winner in BB Horses' Miss Leslie, who will be cutting back to six furlongs off her thrilling come-from-behind head triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Anne Arundel County Dec. 26.

It was the third straight win for the daughter of Grade 1 winner Paynter and second since being claimed for $25,000 by Maryland's four-time leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. Roimes Chirinos gets the return call from Post 2.

“I wish we had a race that was going longer because I think longer is going to be better for her, but we're going to give it a try,” Gonzalez said. “Last time she ran big. She ran right back in two weeks after running six furlongs to running a mile and a sixteenth and it's not easy, especially for 2-year-olds. She had to run between horses and she still won. Everything we ask her, she does it.”

Also entered are Plane Drunk, winner of the Shamrock Rose Nov. 6 at Penn National; Trip to Freedom, third in the Maryland Million Lassie; Whiskey and Rye, fourth in the Gin Talking; It Can, unbeaten in two starts at 2 making her stakes debut; Breeze Off the Bay and Incomparable.

The post Spectacular Bid, Xtra Heat Stakes Highlight Laurel Park’s Winter Carnival Program appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sale Worker Ramirez Dies At Keeneland January Sale

Ricardo Ramirez, an employee of consignor James Herbener Jr., died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack after collapsing in the back ring while leading a horse at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, Thoroughbred Daily News reports.

Herbener told the TDN that Ramirez, 66, was a three-decade veteran of the Thoroughbred industry after moving to the U.S. from Mexico, having previously worked for Ashford Stud. He was working at the sales for Herbener between driving a cab in Lexington, Ky., and he lived in nearby Versailles, Ky.

The consignor also said he was contacted by the coroner after the incident, and he was told that Ramirez had apparently suffered from COVID-19 in November, which could have presented or agitated underlying heart conditions, though there were no signs of trauma.

Vacay Takes On Laobanonaprayer In Franklin Square For New York-Breds

Two-time stakes winner Laobanonaprayer will cut back in distance in Saturday's seventh running of the $100,000 Franklin Square, a 6 1/2-furlong test for New York-bred sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Owned and trained by Daniel Velazquez, the bay filly is a daughter of second crop stallion Laoban, who broke his maiden against stakes company in the 2016 Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga Race Course.

Like her sire, Laobanonaprayer also notched her first career win at stakes caliber when defeating next-out winner Frost Me in the one-mile Maid of the Mist on October 24 at Belmont Park, which took place following a respective third and second against maiden special weight company at Delaware Park.

Piloted by jockey Kendrick Carmouche in her maiden score against fellow state-breds, Laobanonaprayer tracked a close fifth in behind horses, weaved her way through traffic up the rail around the far turn, took command approaching the eighth pole and drew off to a 5 ½-length victory.

Last out, Laobanonaprayer displayed another dominant effort in the seven-furlong NYSSS Fifth Avenue on December 6 at the Big A, where she rated off the pace from the four path and picked up runners around the far turn before taking command at the three-sixteenths pole and striding away an eight-length winner as the odds-on favorite under Carmouche.

Velazquez said Laobanonaprayer is better suited for longer distances, but a cutback in ground won't hinder her winning chances.

“I still think six-and-a-half is not her key distance,” Velazquez said. “It's just the way things went. We debuted her going 5 ½-furlongs and she was third. I'm not saying she can't do six-and-a-half, but she would be better going anywhere from seven-eighths, a flat mile to a mile and a sixteenth. That's more her cup of tea.”

Based at Parx Racing for the winter, Laobanonaprayer worked five-eighths over the Philadelphia oval in 1:02.24 on January 9.

“We're excited,” Velazquez said. “She's doing really well and it's a good spot for her to win. We were going to try open company, but we figured why do that when we could run against New York-breds. She's extremely versatile and I know she handles the wet track.”

Bred in New York by Christina Deronda, Laobanonaprayer is out of the Raffie's Majesty mare Raffie's Chance. She was purchased by Velazquez for $15,000 from last year's Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where she was consigned by Hidden Brook.

Carmouche, the leading rider at the winter meet, will retain the mount from post 4.

Laobanonaprayer will face a stiff test from up-and-coming filly Vacay, who is unbeaten in two career starts.

Owned by Repole Stable and Aron Wellman's Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the dark bay or brown daughter of second crop sire Not This Time won on debut over a sloppy and sealed main track at Belmont Park before winning the six-furlong Key Cents against state-breds on November 15 at the Big A.

Piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the Key Cents, Vacay was in stalking position and went five wide at the quarter pole before edging up to even terms with the frontrunners at the three sixteenths pole and strolling home a 5 ½ length winner for trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the 2016 Franklin Square with Clipthecouponannie.

Bred by J Stables, Vacay is the third progeny out of the Belgravia mare Florida Sun, who was a stakes winner at six furlongs.

Vacay will emerge from post 1 under jockey Jose Lezcano.

Trainer Ray Handal will saddle Key Cents runner-up Rossa Veloce in attempt of her first stakes victory.

Co-owned by Handal with Blue Streak Racing, Rossa Veloce defeated winners last out in wire-to-wire fashion on December 20 at Aqueduct going six furlongs. With five career starts, the chestnut daughter of Girolamo is the most seasoned filly in the Franklin Square field with a record of 2-1-0. Rossa Veloce won her August 5 debut at Saratoga by a half-length, defeating subsequent stakes winner No Mo Spending.

Jockey Manny Franco retains the mount from post 5.

Completing the field are maiden special weight winners Secret Love [post 2, Pablo Morales], A Life That's Good [post 3, Trevor McCarthy], and Caramocha [post 6, Dylan Davis].

The Franklin Square is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's nine-race program, which has a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Vacay Takes On Laobanonaprayer In Franklin Square For New York-Breds appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Herbener Employee Dies at Keeneland January Sale

Ricardo Ramirez, who was working at the Keeneland January sale for consignor James Herbener Jr., passed away Tuesday, dying of an apparent heart attack. He was 66.

Herbener said that Ramirez was about to short bring a yearling into the sales ring when the incident occurred.

“Yesterday, he was walking a yearling going up to the ring,” Herbener explained. “He was in the back walking ring and he just collapsed. We think it was a heart attack. The coroner called me after that and asked some questions. He had apparently had COVID in November, so there’s a possibility there were underlying conditions with his heart that nobody knew about. The coroner said that he had no trauma.”

Herbener expressed his frustration that Ramirez was not dealt with more quickly after collapsing.

“It’s kind of a shame,” he said. “The response was kind of slow, getting to him. We told them he had just collapsed, that he wasn’t kicked. But they didn’t want to be pushing on his chest. I don’t know if he could have been saved. After the four or five seconds it took for me to get there, it looked like he was leaving us. But if he could have been saved, way too much time went by.”

Herbener said that Ramirez only worked for him at the sales and drove a cab in Lexington during the rest of the year. He added that Ramirez had worked in the horse industry in Central Kentucky for more than 30 years and had previously worked at Ashford Stud.

“He had a house in Versailles and came from a really nice family,” Herbener said. “I know that he had a daughter and had been married to his wife for quite some time. He’s someone who had done real well for himself since he came to this country from Mexico. Here’s someone who left for work in the morning and never made it home. You never know when you’re time is going to come. It’s pretty sad.”

Keeneland issued a statement regarding Ramirez’s death on Tuesday.

“Keeneland is deeply saddened by the death of Mr. Ramirez, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and co-workers,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “The safety and welfare of everyone on Keeneland’s grounds is paramount. It is for this reason that Keeneland’s first response team completes regular training in the management of emergency situations. As with every incident, we are conducting a thorough after-action review and continuously strive to ensure the safest environment possible for our participants.”

The post Herbener Employee Dies at Keeneland January Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post