Horse Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Vic Padilla Named Full-Time Starter At Remington Park

A life in horse racing has allowed Vic Padilla to work in many capacities at the racetrack. Padilla can now add a new position to his resume as he has become only the third full-time starter in Remington Park history.

A mainstay as an assistant starter at Remington Park since 1998, Padilla has also worked as a valet in the jockeys' quarters, groomed horses, served as a jockey's agent and has also trained horses during his career. Growing up in Phoenix, Ariz., Padilla's parents trained horses at Turf Paradise. As a teenager, Padilla hoped to become a jockey. That plan was dashed by a growth spurt.

“I grew nine inches when I was 16, so that ended. Plus, my parents wanted me to finish high school, something they didn't do. I continued to gallop horses into my 30s before moving to the starting gate.”

Padilla was first an assistant starter, working in the gate with the horses to ensure the best beginning of a race possible, in 1980 at Turf Paradise. He has also worked at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, Sam Houston Race Park in Houston and Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Becoming a starter was something Padilla was ready to accept. He also worked this summer's Lone Star Park season, his first as the full-time person hitting the button to open the starting gate doors.

Padilla, 58, resides in Edmond, Okla. with his wife Jodi.

Remington Park's 2020 Thoroughbred Season continues Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28 & 29, with the first race nightly at 7pm-Central.

The post Vic Padilla Named Full-Time Starter At Remington Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Swindler Tops Second Session Of Tattersalls August Sale

Trade continued in strong fashion at the inaugural Tattersalls August Sale with international participation and live internet bidding both featuring strongly on the second day. The top four lots were bought by buyers from Bahrain, Qatar, Hong Kong and the U.S., with two of the four falling to internet bids. The clearance rate was a spectacular 95 percent.

The high-class sprinter Swindler topped the second day of the Tattersalls August Sale after Oliver St Lawrence saw off the attentions of underbidder Steven Hillen to secure the gelding on behalf of Fawzi Nass for 150,000 guineas (US$206,930).

“He is to go to Bahrain, that will be his base,” commented Nass. “He is a very talented horse; he goes on fast ground and can sit off the pace. There might be a race for him on our International Day but he could make up to be good enough to go to Dubai or Saudi.”

The 97-rated Swindler is a dual winner from the family of French 2,000 Guineas winner Make Believe and was fourth last time out in the Stewards' Cup for trainer Ed Walker and owner breeder Bjorn Nielsen.

U.K.-based agent Jamie Lloyd secured the highly rated three-year-old Poet's Voice colt Whisper Not for 90,000 guineas (US$124,158) from the draft of Richard Hannon's East Everleigh Stables.

“He is for Chris Dunn for whom we bought Lady Prancealot, so he will be going to the U.S.,” said Lloyd. “This horse has got a lot of pace and is lightly raced – Richard Hannon said there is some more improvement to come. We have not finalized plans in the U.S. yet – West Coast or East Coast, probably west – but he will come back to the farm first.”

The colt has won his last two starts and was offered with a 'Timeform' rating of 94p, and Lloyd added: “He won that first race by 20l on a slow track at Pontefract and then won again on the faster track at Lingfield. I think he could drop back to a mile in the U.S.”

Owned in training at East Everleigh by owner Michael Pescod, the colt was bought by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock for 20,000 euros (US$23,647) at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale in 2018.

The Tattersalls August Sale continues at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26 with the third and final session.

The post Swindler Tops Second Session Of Tattersalls August Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Derby Week Stakes Races Taking Shape At Churchill Downs

Seventeen stakes races cumulatively worth purses of $9.78 million are on tap for Kentucky Derby Week at Churchill Downs, which runs Tuesday, Sept. 1 through Saturday, Sept. 5. The spectacular week of racing, headlined by the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) on Sept. 5 and $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Sept. 4, will feature 14 graded stakes events.

Here's a look at some of the known early probable entrants, according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork:

$115,000 Champion's Day Marathon Overnight Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (Entries taken Friday, race Tuesday, Sept. 1) – Probable: Eskenforit (trainer Steve Margolis).

$150,000 Unbridled Sidney (Entries taken Saturday, race Wednesday, Sept. 2) – Bye Bye J (Steve Asmussen); Change of Control (Michelle Lovell); Dixieincandyland (Eddie Kenneally); Stonewood (Carlo Vaccarezza); Tomlin (Mike Stidham); and Violent Times (Ralph Nicks).

$200,000 Pocahontas (GII) (Entries taken Sunday, race Thursday, Sept. 1) – Alexandria (Tim Hamm); Crazy Beautiful (Kenny McPeek); Dream Quist (McPeek); Girl Daddy (Dale Romans); Trip to Seoul (James Chapman); and Xtrema (Keith Desormeaux).

$115,000 Opening Verse Overnight Stakes (Entries taken Sunday, race Thursday, Sept. 1) – Crafty Daddy (Kenny McPeek); Cullum Road (Ignacio Correas IV); Hembree (Mike Maker); and Mr. Misunderstood (Brad Cox). Possible: Set Piece (Brad Cox).

$300,000 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Four Graces (Ian Wilkes); Mundaye Call (Brad Cox); and Sconsin (Greg Foley). Possible: Ocean Breeze (Wayne Catalano).

$300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Beguiled (Phil D'Amato); Lucky Betty (Will VanMeter); Outburst (Eddie Kenneally); and Sharing (Graham Motion).

$250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Archidust (Steve Asmussen); Carotari (Bryan Lynch); Chaps (Eddie Kenneally); Chief Cicatriz (Shawn Davis); Diamond Oops (Patrick Biancone); Extravagant Kid (Brendan Walsh); Tell Your Daddy (Neil Pessin); Tiger Blood (Mike Maker); and Well Labeled (Larry Rivelli).

$400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – By My Standards (Bret Calhoun); Hence (Jack Sisterson); Owendale (Brad Cox); and Silver Dust (Bret Calhoun).

$1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Bowies Hero (Phil D'Amato); Digital Age (Chad Brown); Factor This (Brad Cox); Mr Dumas (Mike Maker); Parkland (Carlo Vaccarezza); Sacred Life (Chad Brown); Somelikeithotbrown (Maker); and Spectacular Gem (Jimmy Baker).

$500,000 La Troienne presented by Oak Grove Racing & Gaming (GI) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Lady Kate (Eddie Kenneally); Monomoy Girl (Brad Cox); Saracosa (Cipriano Contreras); and She's a Julie (Steve Asmussen). Possible: Vexatious (Jack Sisterson).

$500,000 Derby City Distaff presented by Derby City Gaming (GI) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Bell's the One (Neil Pessin); Mia Mischief (Steve Asmussen); Sally's Curlin (Dale Romans); Serengeti Empress (Tom Amoss); and Wildwood's Beauty (Scott Becker).

$500,000 Longines Distaff Turf Mile (GII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Beau Recall (Brad Cox); Belle Laura (Juan Avila); Daddy is a Legend (Rusty Arnold); Juliet Foxtrot (Brad Cox); and Newspaperofrecord (Chad Brown). Possible: She'sonthewarpath (Steve Margolis).

$500,000 American Turf presented by Smithfield (GII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Fancy Liquor (Mike Maker); Field Pass (Maker); King Theo (Carlo Vaccarezza); Mr. Big News (Bret Calhoun); Sugoi (Mike Tomlinson); and Vanzzy (Mike Pino). Possible: South Bend (Bill Mott).

$500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Cezanne (Bob Baffert); Echo Town (Steve Asmussen); Liam's Pride (Doug O'Neill); Shashashakemeup (Keith Desormeaux); and Sonneman (Steve Asmussen). Possible: Attachment Rate (Dale Romans); Rushie (Michael McCarthy); South Bend (Bill Mott); and Taishan (Richard Baltas).

$200,000 Iroquois presented by Ford (GIII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Belafonte (Tom Humphries); Drop Anchor (Kenny McPeek); Pico D'Oro (Bill Morey); Sittin On Go (Dale Romans); Super Stock (Steve Asmussen); Therideofalifetime (Ignacio Correas IV); and Ultimate Badger (Romans).

The post Derby Week Stakes Races Taking Shape At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Stakes Winner Sonic Mule Sold To Stand In Uruguay

Multiple stakes winner Sonic Mule (Distorted Humor), has been sold to stand the 2020 breeding season at Haras El Santo in Uruguay.

A stakes winner at two and three, trained by Todd Pletcher for Calumet Farm, he won five races including the listed Mucho Macho Man Stakes and the Buffalo Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

He also placed second in the Armed Forces Stakes, and he finished third in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes, G2 Saratoga Special Stakes, and G3 Mr. Prospector Stakes, among others. He earned $264,190 over three seasons of racing.

He is one of the three foals produced by the mare Globe Trot (A.P. Indy) and he is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner and millionaire Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) and current multiple graded stakes winner Global Campaign (Curlin).

The post Stakes Winner Sonic Mule Sold To Stand In Uruguay appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post