Tag: Horse Racing

One-Eyed Mighty Heart To Bid For Canadian Triple Crown In Oct. 24 Breeders’ Stakes

OLG Canadian Triple Crown contender Mighty Heart tops a list of a dozen Canadian-bred three-year-old Thoroughbreds nominated to the 129th running of the $400,000 Breeders' Stakes.

Mighty Heart remains on target to make an historic attempt at sweeping Canada's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing following a pair of spectacular performances in the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales Stakes last month in rein to Daisuke Fukumoto for Hall of Fame trainer Josie Carroll and owner/breeder Lawrence Cordes.

“It would be a great thing to accomplish, I'd certainly be thrilled,” said Carroll. “It's very seldom you get a horse that is genuinely capable of winning these races on all three surfaces and that makes it very exciting.”

The connections of 11 other sophomore stars have made the October 7 sustaining payment to remain eligible to the Breeders' Stakes, which will be contested over 1 ½ miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course at Woodbine Racetrack on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The one-eyed Dramedy colt opened his Triple Crown bid on Sept. 12 with a 7 ½-length triumph over 1 ¼ miles on Woodbine's Tapeta surface.

The nominations list includes Queen's Plate runner-up Belichick, a lightly raced maiden, also trained by Carroll and owned by NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods. The Lemon Drop Kid colt, who launched his career on turf in July with a rallying third-place effort over seven furlongs, has finished no worse than third in his first three career starts.

Mighty Heart and Belichick are both scheduled to work on Saturday at Woodbine in preparation for the Breeders' Stakes.

“Tomorrow will be Mighty Heart's first breeze since he ran in the Prince of Wales, so as long as everything goes well, we're pointing in that direction,” confirmed Carroll.

Mighty Heart could face another familiar foe in the Breeders' Stakes as Clayton looks to complete the tri-surface series. After winning the Plate Trial in mid-August, the Kevin Attard trainee hit the board in both the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales. Owned by Donato Lanni and Daniel Plouffe, the son of Bodemeister finished 2 ½ lengths behind Mighty Heart in the middle jewel at 1 3/16 miles over Fort Erie's dirt track on September 29.

Other Breeders' Stakes hopefuls include Conrad Farms' Muskoka Giant, who broke his maiden over one mile of turf two starts prior to his fifth-place finish in the Prince of Wales for trainer Mark Casse, and Al and Bill Ulwelling's multiple stakes placed filly Merveilleux, another Attard trainee who was a game third in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser prior to finishing sixth in the Queen's Plate.

Enchant Me, Glorious Tribute and Olliemyboy are also nominated after making an appearance in the opening legs of the Triple Crown.

Deviant, Kunal, Meyer and Pleasecallmeback complete the list of Breeders' Stakes eligibles with notable turf experience. Roger Attfield, who co-owns and conditions Pleasecallmeback, has trained three of the past seven Triple Crown winners (With Approval in 1989, Izvestia in 1990, Peteski in 1993).

In 2018, the Casse-trained filly Wonder Gadot won the first two Triple Crown races but did not compete in the Breeders' Stakes. Casse sent out Neepawa to victory in the final leg that year.

The last Triple Crown contender prior to Wonder Gadot was Wando, who was crowned just the seventh horse to complete the series sweep when he won the 2003 Breeders' Stakes with jockey Patrick Husbands aboard for trainer Michael Keogh and the late owner/breeder Gustav Schickedanz.

Since then, A Bit O'Gold (2004), Pender Harbour (2011) and Tone Broke (2019) also claimed two-thirds of the Triple Crown by taking the last two legs.

An additional $5,000 payment or supplementary fee of $12,500 is due upon entry. The entry box closes and post positions will be drawn to finalize the field for the 2020 edition of the Breeders' Stakes on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

BREEDERS' STAKES NOMINATIONS

Horse – Trainer – Owner

  • Belichick – Josie Carroll – NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods
  • Clayton – Kevin Attard – Donato Lanni and Daniel Plouffe
  • Deviant – Mark Casse – Red Lane Thoroughbreds LLC
  • Enchant Me – Santino Di Paola – York Tech Racing Stable
  • Glorious Tribute – Barbara Minshall – Bruce Lunsford
  • Kunal – Steven Chircop – Vincente Stella Stables LLC
  • Merveilleux – Kevin Attard – Al and Bill Ulwelling
  • Meyer – Martin Drexler – Bruno Schickedanz
  • Mighty Heart – Josie Carroll – Lawrence Cordes
  • Muskoka Giant – Mark Casse – Conrad Farms
  • Olliemyboy – Sid Attard – JMJ Racing Stables LLC
  • Pleasecallmeback – Roger Attfield – Roger Attfield and Dan Gale

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Champion Comando Intimo The Latest Stallion Killed In Peru

Late last year, a raid on Haras Barlovento in Peru made global headlines when the list of equine casualties included North American-born stallions Cyrus Alexander and The Lieutenant; the latter being a half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify.

South American publication Turf Diario reports that the violence has continued at Peru's stud farms, with the latest strike being at Haras El Castillo on the dawn of Sept. 29. The attack claimed the life of 2004 Peruvian Horse of the Year Comando Intimo, along with two other horses on the farm.

According to Turf Diario, early theories by investigators speculate that the attack was conducted by a group aiming to collect and sell the horses' meat.

The stallions at Haras Barlovento were also killed for their meat, according to that farm's social media channels. The attack on Haras Barlovento was so catastrophic to its operation that it announced its exit from the breeding industry less than a week later.

Comando Intimo was one of Peru's biggest native stars on the racetrack, winning seven of 27 starts over the course of five seasons.

He was named Peru's Horse of the Year in 2004, with a campaign that included venturing out to Chile to win the Group 1 Latin American Grand Prix, one of the continent's biggest races. He was also named Peru's champion 3-year-old colt that season, with a domestic win in the Clasico Marina de Guerra del Peru, and in-the-money efforts in the Peruvian Derby and 2,000 Guineas.

Comando Intimo began his stallion career at Haras Barlovento, and he was later moved to Haras El Castillo. The 20-year-old son of Riyadian has been used sparingly at stud, with just 36 foals over nine crops of racing age, according to Peruvian Stud Book records. However, the small sampling of runners has produced several stakes winners.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Five Breeders’ Cup Berths On The Line At Belmont

This weekend's action is highlighted by five Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win and You're In” races taking place at Belmont Park, including the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The Belmont Park Breeders' Cup races will be televised on “America's Day at the Races” on either FS1 or FS2.

TVG will be live at Keeneland for a loaded card this Saturday featuring two graded stakes races including the Grade 1, $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. In addition to Keeneland, the award-winning network will also be trackside at Santa Anita and Monmouth Park.

In addition to racing from Keeneland, Santa Anita and Monmouth Park, TVG will also be showing racing from Gulfstream Park West, Charles Town, Golden Gate and more.

Friday, Oct. 9

5:30 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Gary Barber's multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy tops a field of 12 fillies and mares entered for the 24th running of the Franklin County going 5½ furlongs on the turf. Trained by Mark Casse, Got Stormy comes into Friday's race off a 3¼-length romp in the Grade 3 Ladies Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12 going 6½ furlongs. The daughter of Get Stormy was an Eclipse Award finalist for champion turf female in 2019 after notching wins in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap over males and the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE100920USA9-EQB.html

Saturday, Oct. 10

1:58 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior is a standout in the juvenile division with an unblemished record and will put his perfect resume on the line in the Champagne going a one-turn mile. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Jackie's Warrior arrives at the Champagne off a 2 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful on Sept. 7 at Saratoga. In his prior effort, the bay son of Maclean's Music won his stakes debut in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special on Aug. 7 at the Spa by three lengths after displaying stalking tactics in his debut at Churchill Downs, which he won by 2 ½ lengths.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA4-EQB.html

2:30 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Vequist proved she could dominate a Grade 1 field when she cruised to a 9 1/2-length score in her stakes debut in the Spinaway on Sept. 6 at Saratoga Race Course. She will look to show similar form on Saturday against a talented field of juvenile fillies in the Frizette contested at one mile on Belmont Park's main track. Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel purchased a 75 percent share from Swilcan Stable following Vequist's runner-up debut effort on July 29 at Parx when she ran a nose behind Niente. In her second start, the Butch Reid trainee was stretched out from 4 ½ furlongs to seven in the Spinaway.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA5-EQB.html

3:53 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG

Shadwell Stable's Almanaar (GB) makes his first start since capturing last year's edition of the 1 1/8-miles Monmouth Stakes when he heads up a field of nine. Trained by Chad Brown, Almanaar displayed an affinity for the Monmouth course when he captured the Monmouth Stakes last May 25 but the son of Dubawi (IRE) has been on the shelf since.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH101020USA8-EQB.html

4:14 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

The top-four finishers in the Grade 2 Glens Falls last month at Saratoga Race Course will each vie for supremacy again in Saturday's rematch that highlights the Flower Bowl for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/4 miles on the inner turf. Allen Stable's Civil Union, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, outkicked the Chad Brown trainee My Sister Nat by one length in the Glens Falls going 1 3/8 miles on Sept. 5. Civil Union, a 5-year-old War Front mare, has won three in a row, starting with a 1 ¼-mile allowance tilt on the Belmont turf on June 21 before winning the River Memories on the same track going 1 1/2 miles on July 12.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA8-EQB.html

4:48 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on FS2

Juddmonte Farms' three-time graded stakes-winning multimillionaire Tacitus will look to secure his first career Grade 1 triumph in the 102nd running of the Jockey Club Gold Cup going the classic distance of 1 ¼ miles. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, a three-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, Tacitus was third in last year's edition and was most recently second as the favorite in the Grade 1 Woodward on Sept. 5 at Saratoga, where he chased a slow pace tracking a half-length off Global Campaign but was unable to catch the pacesetter, who strolled home a 1 ¾-length winner.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA9-EQB.html

4:57 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Parque Patricios Racing Stables' Mirinaque (ARG), a two-time Group 1 winner in Argentina, headlines a field of 10 runners for the 63rd running of the Fayette Stakes. Trained by Maria Munoz, Mirinaque finished fifth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 22 at Del Mar in his U.S. debut. Coming back for another try in the Fayette is Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Mr Freeze. Second in the race last year that was run over a sloppy track, the Dale Romans trainee exits a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Alysheba on Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101020USA8-EQB.html

5:20 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

Trainer Chad Brown will saddle a pair of contenders led by multiple graded-stakes winner Selflessly and French-bred Tamahere as the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner looks to secure his fourth win in Saturday's Sands Point, a one-mile Widener turf test. Selflessly stumbled at the start of her seasonal debut when fifth in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 20 at Belmont, but returned to form last out when a nose winner of the one-mile Grade 3 Lake George at Saratoga on Aug. 28, when besting multiple graded-stakes winner Sweet Melania.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101020USA10-EQB.html

5:30 p.m.—$500,000 Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Lael Stables' Magic Attitude (GB) headlines a field of nine for the 37th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup going 1 1/8-miles. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Magic Attitude comes to Keeneland off a 2¼-length victory over Antoinette in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in her U.S. debut. Antoinette, owned and bred by Godolphin, won the Saratoga Oaks in her start prior to the Belmont Oaks.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101020USA9-EQB.html

Sunday, Oct. 11

4:12 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Ironhorse Racing Stable and Secure Investments' Momos will look to build on a third-place effort last out in his graded stakes debut when he tries turf for the first time in the Futurity for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on Belmont Park's Widener course. Momos won his debut for trainer Christophe Clement with a 6 1/2-length maiden win going 5 ½ furlongs on July 18 over Saratoga Race Course's main track. Returning just three weeks later, the Distorted Humor colt ran third in the six-furlong Grade 2 Saratoga Special, finishing behind winner and eventual Grade 1 Hopeful victor Jackie's Warrior.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101120USA7-EQB.html

5:20 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Three Chimneys Farm's Royal Approval will seek to parlay an impressive maiden victory into graded stakes company when taking on seven other juvenile fillies in the 111th running of the Matron going six furlongs over the Widener turf. Trained by Wesley Ward, who saddled Happy Like a Fool to victory in the 2017 Matron, Royal Approval arrives off her best performance yet when besting a maiden special weight field going 6 ½ furlongs at Kentucky Downs, where she drew off to a 6 ¼ length victory.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101120USA9-EQB.html

5:42 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Armistice Day, owned by Bruce Lunsford and Lansdon Robbins, faces six rivals in the Durham Cup, a 1 1/16-mile main track test. Bred in Kentucky by Glenvale Stud, four-year-old Armistice Day, the son of Declaration of War-Harmony Lodge, will chase his second stakes score and first graded stakes title on Sunday. Campaigned by trainer Barbara Minshall, Armistice Day, who took last year's Toronto Cup, has compiled a 3-2-2 record from 15 starts.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO101120CAN9-EQB.html

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Fayette: Wet Track Could Be Problematic For Tax Off The Layoff

The only time Tax has run at Keeneland was two years ago in a $50,000 maiden claiming race. The stakes will be much higher Saturday when the now 4-year-old gelding goes postward in the 63rd running of the $200,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2).

“He's doing well,” said trainer Danny Gargan, who claimed Tax out of that Keeneland race. “I gave him three months off (after the May 2 Oaklawn Handicap-G2) because he really hadn't had a break.”

Now owned by the partnership of R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, Tax won the Jim Dandy (G2) and the Withers (G3). He also finished second in the Wood Memorial (G2) and Discovery (G3).

“I had targeted this race (Hagyard Fayette) because I like the mile and an eighth (distance),” Gargan said. “I didn't want to go a mile and a quarter right off the bench.”

One concern of Gargan's for Saturday is the strong possibility of rain most of the day and the chance for an off track. In Tax's only off-track race, he was 14th in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve.

“That one probably shouldn't count because it was more like a swamp,” Gargan said.

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