After a dominant victory in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 7 at Keeneland, Authentic moved into a tie for second in the fourth edition of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2020.
Tag: Horse racing news
Hendy Woods Could Give Mark Casse 3,000th Win In Saturday’s Mrs. Revere Stakes
At the start of racing on Thursday, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse was just three wins away from 3,000 – a mark he could eclipse with Stonestreet Stables' Hendy Woods in Saturday's $200,000 Mrs. Revere (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.
“I actually didn't realize we were this close until Wednesday night when (owner) Gary Barber said something to me,” Casse said from his home in Ocala, Fla. “It's a lot of wins and lots of getting beat up trying to get them.”
Casse has yet to win the Mrs. Revere but his assistant trainer, David Carroll, won the race in 2008 with Acoma. Carroll oversees Casse's Churchill Downs string and has been with Hendy Woods since the start of her career in January at Fair Grounds.
“She can be a bit of a difficult horse to ride at times but has a lot of talent,” Carroll said. “I think with only seven in the Mrs. Revere, and not a lot of pace, it'll be interesting to see how things play out early. She's run well in all of her starts but ran into some really nice horses in her last two races like Sharing and Harvey's Lil Goil.”
Saturday's Mrs. Revere is the headliner of the 11-race program beneath the Twin Spires. First post is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Mrs. Revere will go as Race 10 with a post time of 5:36 p.m. Run at 1 1/16 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course, the Mrs. Revere is the lone graded stakes race in North America this weekend.
Churchill Downs leading rider Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard Hendy Woods in the Mrs. Revere. Gaffalione finished third in last year's running of the race aboard The Mackem Bullet.
Casse had two horses entered on Thursday: one at Indiana Grand and one at Gulfstream Park West.
The Mrs. Revere field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Hendy Woods (Gaffalione, Casse, 3-1); Positive Danger (Brian Hernandez Jr., Tony Granitz, 15-1); Stunning Sky (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mike Maker, 5-2); Princess Grace (Florent Geroux, Mike Stidham 3-1); How Ironic (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver, 4-1); Pass the Plate (Joe Talamo, Paul McGee, 8-1); and Witez (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes, 8-1).
The Mrs. Revere is named in tribute to the highly competitive filly who collected a total of four Churchill Downs stakes during the two-year span of 1984-85. Mrs. Revere won three stakes in total during her 3-year-old season, thus providing the appropriate name for this stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf. Mrs. Revere was owned by the partnership of Dr. Hiram Polk and Dr. David Richardson.
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Sunday’s Steeplechase of Charleston to Allow Spectators
The Steeplechase of Charleston, to be held Sunday, Nov. 15, at Stono Ferry Racetrack in Hollywood, S.C., will allow spectators and will also be streamed live via the National Steeplechase Association (NSA)’s website. Sunday’s racecard will be just one of two sanctioned steeplechase events this year to admit fans due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike flat racing, steeplechase racing does not depend on pari-mutuel wagering for purses, but instead on admissions, parking, and tailgating income.
Spectators at the Steeplechase of Charleston will be accommodated in single vehicle spots with small groups up to five permitted for tailgating. There will be double the normal number of restrooms with additional cleaning throughout. Guests must wear masks when moving away from their tailgate spots and can bring their own food and beverages. Half the usual capacity of spectators will be allowed.
More than two-thirds of the scheduled steeplechase meets have been cancelled in the U.S. this year. Sunday’s meet, consisting of five races on the card, will be just one of two to admit fans. First post is at 1 p.m. ET.
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‘Older And Smarter’ Noble Drama In Career Form Ahead Of Saturday’s Millions Classic Preview
Noble Drama's accomplishments may pale in comparison to those of his kin, but Harold Queen's homebred 5-year-old gelding has carved out quite a profitable niche for himself.
Out of Queen Drama, a half-sister to 2010 Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Big Drama and a full sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Sheer Drama, Noble Drama has established himself as a dominating force in the Florida-bred ranks, amassing nearly $600,000 in purse earnings during a 22-race career that includes five stakes wins and 10 stakes placings.
The David Fawkes-trained son of Gone Astray will seek to continue his dominance in Saturday's $60,000 Millions Classic Preview, a mile event for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up on the nine-race Sunshine Millions Preview card at Gulfstream Park West that include four other stakes.
“Hopefully, this will be the steppingstone to the next one. He's doing really good,” said Fawkes, referring to the $100,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park Jan. 16.
Noble Drama enters the Classic Preview in career-best form, coming off back-to-back victories at Gulfstream in the Sept. 6 Benny The Bull at seven furlongs and the Sept. 26 FSS Wildcat Heir at a mile around one turn.
“He's been really good to us recently,” Fawkes said. “He's gotten older and smarter and he really likes what he's doing.”
In the Benny The Bull, Noble Drama overcame bumping at the start and rallied from seventh to win going away by 2 ½ lengths. In the Wildcat Heir, he settled in mid-pack before kicking in through the stretch to win by a length.
The very versatile gelding has won multiple stakes around two turns, including a victory in the 1 1/8-mile Sunshine Millions Classic last year.
“He beat some nice horses last time. He's really turned into a decent horse. You'd love to have a barn full of horses like him,” Fawkes said.
Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount aboard Noble Drama.
Jacks or Better Farm's Garter and Tie, one of the nice horses beaten by Noble Drama in the Wildcat Heir, is scheduled to return in the Classic Preview. The 4-year-old son of Brooks 'n Down made a big move on the turn into the homestretch before making a strong stretch drive, in which he closed the gap from 3 ½ lengths to a length in the final eighth of a mile.
“We've met Noble Drama four times and he's beaten us three times,” trainer Ralph Nicks said. “So, we'll have to improve.”
The Nicks trainee was stakes-placed in his previous two starts despite encountering trouble at the start of both races. He rallied to finish second behind heavily favored Cool Arrow in the Opening Lead before checking in third behind Noble Drama in the Wildcat Heir.
“He's doing well. The only thing with him is: his two-turn races haven't been as good as his one-turn races,” Nicks said. “That's always a question with him. We'll see what happens.
Edgard Zayas has the mount aboard Garter and Tie, who broke his maiden in the 2018 FSS Affirmed and has won two other stakes.
Equine Authority Inc.'s Red Crescent is set to title defense in the Millions Classic Preview, which he won by 1 ½ lengths last year. The 6-year-old son of Overdriven went on to finish second behind Noble Drama in the Sunshine Millions Classic, but is winless in five starts this year. The John Vinson-trained gelding finished fifth last time out in the Benny The Bull, in which he faded after stalking the pace while coming off a two-month layoff.
In his two prior starts, he finished third behind victorious Eye of a Jedi, finishing 1 ¾ lengths behind runner-up Noble Drama in the Sea of Tranquility and finished a length behind runner-up and multiple-stakes winner Diamond Oops in an optional claiming allowance.
Samy Camacho has the mount aboard Red Crescent.
Raymond Mamone's Debbie's Passion, IAB Stables and Walter Fralick's Quenane round out the field.
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