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Inthemidstofbiz Upsets Thoroughbred Club Of America Stakes, Clinches Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Sprint Berth

Inthemidstofbiz made her graded stakes debut a winning one on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course, with a 13-1 upset of the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes. The victory also ensured her next graded stakes start, earning a “Win and You're In” berth for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

The 4-year-old Fed Biz filly was part of a large, tight group of runners to vie for the lead out of the gate, with outside-breaking runner Lady's Island assuming command over Palace Avenger, with Inthemidstofbiz tracking in third. Lady's Island set the opening quarter in :22.12 seconds, while keeping her two closest trackers at bay. However, jockey Martin Garcia started to ask Inthemidstofbiz for some run on the outside, and the filly caught the leader in the turn and ran past her.

A spent Lady's Island gave way in the middle of an emerging battle between Inthemidstofbiz and Palace Avenger, following a half in :45.17 seconds. The challenger was game for about a sixteenth of a mile, but ultimately relented to Inthemidstofbiz with plenty of stretch to go, and the winner drew off to prevail by three lengths.

A late move from post time favorite Sneaking Out earned her a runner-up finish, a half-length ahead Palace Avenger.

Inthemidstofbiz won the six-furlong race in 1:09.84 over a fast main track, and she paid $28.20 to win. She was trained by Cipriano Contreras, who earned his second career graded stakes victory in the Thoroughbred Club of America. His first came in the G3 Hanshin Cup Stakes in 2018 with Matrooh. The winning owners were Contreras Stable and Andrew Knapczyk.

Inthemidstofbiz was bred in Kentucky by J D Stuart and Mueller Farms, Inc., out of the stakes-winning Closing Argument mare Midst.

To view the race's chart, click here.

Quotes from the $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America, courtesy of the Keeneland notes team

Cipriano Contreras (winning trainer of Inthemidstofbiz)

“We got lucky today. She's getting better and better. We claimed this filly (for $20,000 at Keeneland during the 2019 Fall Meet) and ran her for (a $16,000 claiming price) at Oaklawn. She started running better, and we took a shot. It worked out.”

Martin Garcia (winning rider)

“She's a great filly. I had a really good position. When I asked her to go, she made it really easy.”

Umberto Rispoli (rider of runner-up and beaten favorite Sneaking Out.

“My trip was OK. She is the kind of filly who can have the lead if there is no one faster, but that was not the case today. I believe if she had drawn an outside (post position), the race definitely would have changed. She finished off pretty strong and I am pretty sure if I had been on the outside, the race (outcome) would be different. Post 1 is always a gamble. Outside she could dominate the other horses. Inside she was not happy.”

The post Inthemidstofbiz Upsets Thoroughbred Club Of America Stakes, Clinches Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Sprint Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Leinster Has Girth Troubles, Kicks Off Anyway In Woodford Stakes At Keeneland

Leinster had a more eventful trip than it might appear in Saturday's Grade 2 Woodford Stakes, owing to the strap from his over girth coming loose from its keepers, but it didn't hinder what was otherwise a stellar performance in the turf sprint.

The 5-year-old son of Majestic Warrior carried on what has already been a successful 2020 at Keeneland, after winning the track's marquee turf sprint race of the July meet, the G2 Shakertown Stakes, in track-record time. Adding another Keeneland win puts him in a strong position to carry that home-course advantage into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at the same track.

On Saturday, Leinster broke sharply under jockey Luis Saez, and stayed within striking distance of leader Just Might. The strap on Leinster's girth was already loose and swinging by the time the field got through an opening quarter in :21.90 seconds, but Saez remained secure in the irons throughout the trip.

Just Might led the field through the turn and held on to the advantage, but Leinster gradually drew even with the pace setter approaching the final eighth, and he kicked on to win by a half-length over a late-gaining Extravagant Kid. Just Might continued on for third.

Leinster stopped the clock in the 5 1/2-furlong race in 1:01.59 over a fast turf course, a tick slower than his course-record time at the same distance in the Shakertown, which he completed in 1:00.86. He won the race for owners Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables, and Jean Wilkinson, and he was trained by Rusty Arnold. Leinster paid $7.80 to win as the favorite.

To view the full race chart, click here.

Quotes from the $150,000 Woodford Presented by TVG, courtesy of the Keeneland notes team

Rusty Arnold (winning trainer of Leinster)

“We had a little setback – he had a foot problem. We actually were going to run him at Kentucky Downs. We didn't get to run. Maybe it's a blessing because he stayed right here on his home track. He got to work on this turf course a couple of times – I think that's a big edge. Worked out good.”

Luis Saez (winning rider)

“He broke pretty sharp. He put me on the lead, but we didn't really want to be there. We wanted to track somebody. We had a perfect position, and I had a lot of horse. He just took off.”

Tyler Gaffalione (rider of runner-up Extravagant Kid)

“I am very pleased with his effort today. He has a tendency to kind of wait on horses when he makes the lead, so I was trying to time it right. We got beat by a really nice horse. I am pleased with what my horse gave today and I am looking forward to next time.”

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Factor This Gives Cox, Geroux Second Win On The Day In Dinner Party

Gaining Ground Racing's Factor This continued his strong season in 2020 on Saturday with a front-running victory in the Grade 2 Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico. It was the second win on the Preakness Stakes undercard for trainer Brad Cox and jockey Florent Geroux. The 5-year-old son of The Factor was off as the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven, and pulled away to win by three lengths in a final time time of 1:46.17 over the yielding turf course.

Breaking from the outside post, Factor This was able to get to the lead and the rail before the clubhouse turn. Geroux guided him through fractions of :24.28 and :48.74, maintaining a one-length advantage until mid-way up the backstretch.

Irish Strait moved up to pressure the leader, within a half-length at the five-eighths pole, while Somelikeithotbrown was trapped down on the rail through much of the early going. In the far turn, Irish Strait dropped back and Somelikeithotbrown was able to angle out to take aim on the leading Factor This.

Somelikeithotbrown got within a length of Factor This, but could not get by the determined frontrunner and yielded in the final sixteenth of a mile. At the finish, it was Factor This in front by about three lengths as Somelikeithotbrown settled for second. Hembree got up for third, while Doctor Mounty was fourth.

Bred in Kentucky by Maccabee Farm, Factor This is out of the Singspiel mare Capricious Miss. He was a $2,700 yearling at the Keeneland September sale, then brought a final bid of $11,000 at the OBS April sale the following spring. Factor This didn't win his first stakes race until his 4-year-old season, and earned a first graded victory early in 2020. This year, the horse has won five of his seven starts, all in stakes company.

Overall, Factor This has earned over $1.2 million with a career record of 12-4-4 from 32 starts.

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‘We Can’t Ride Them To Their Full Potential’: Santa Anita Jockeys Struggle With New Whip Rules

Following the first day under new whip rules at Santa Anita Park, several jockeys shared their continuing frustrations with the Daily Racing Form.

The California Horse Racing Board regulations include:

Riders cannot use the crop more than six times during a race, excluding showing or waiving the crop or tapping the horse on the shoulder.
Riders cannot use the crop more than two times in succession (within the six-time limit) without giving the horse a chance to respond before using the crop again.
The crop must be used in an underhanded position with the crop always at or below the shoulder level of the jockey.

“We can't ride them to their full potential, even if it's a light overhanded tap left-handed,” Drayden Van Dyke told drf.com. “People have to understand to get that whip over to your left hand, there are certain techniques you have to do. Underhanded bars you from being able to do it as quickly. This is a game when every millisecond matters. I think it's really discouraging.”

“In my professional opinion, it's not going to work,” Hall of Famer Mike Smith said. “If you're on a deep track and they're tiring, it doesn't work. It'll cost somebody second money, a win, or third money.”