Tag: Horse Racing

‘It Could All Happen Again’: Marquand A Live Chance In IJC Title Defence

The Longines International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) is the premier event of its kind in the world, and with good reason, as it brings together 12 of the most-accomplished riders from all corners of the globe vying for the winner's share of the HK$800,000 (£81,120/$102,320) prizemoney on offer.

The IJC, the true start of Longines Hong Kong International Races festivities, takes place annually at iconic Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island, its tight turns and unique configuration offering up additional challenges, especially for jockeys based outside of Hong Kong.

Britain's Tom Marquand is one of four previous IJC winners in the mix Wednesday evening, joining Ryan Moore, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan, and looks to record his second victory in the event. The 25-year-old reinsman, whose wife Hollie Doyle finished on the IJC podium in 2020 (third) and again in 2021 (second) and also takes her chances this time around, is looking forward to perhaps winning the title outright, after sharing the spoils with Silvestre de Sousa 12 months ago.

“Last year was a bit turbulent but it's fantastic to be back,” said Marquand, who just last month won his first Breeders' Cup race in his first ride aboard Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the Grade I Juvenile Turf Sprint. “It was great to win with Silvestre. You'd always rather win it on your own, but it's better to take it home with someone else than not at all.

“It looks like I've got a good enough book of rides that if things fall right it could all happen again, but it's a tough evening of racing and it's highly competitive.”

Marquand has two of his rides in the four-race competition for trainer Caspar Fownes, who has posted more wins at Happy Valley than any other trainer, and one each for Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro)'s conditioner Francis Lui and Ricky Yiu. The latter sends out top-weighted and 79-rated Splendid Living (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the third leg–carded as race seven–a Class 3 (80-60) over the 1650 metres. The 6-year-old gelding has a record of 4-3-1 from 10 runs over course and distance, but will need his best with the big weight and a tricky draw in 10.

Doyle is one of two females in the field and is joined British transplant and now Australian-based Rachel King. The 33-year-old showed that she could mix it with foreign riders in Japan's World All-Stars Jockeys, going down by a point to Mirai Iwata.

“Last time I was here I went and watched some races at Happy Valley, I'd just ridden in an amateur ladies' flat race in Macau,” King said.” So, it's been a bit of a journey to where I am now.

“I'm really looking forward to it, hopefully I'll have a few decent rides in there as well. Zac (Purton) was giving me a few little pointers, there are plenty of good people to learn from. I'll just try to get as much information as I can.”

Kazakhstan-born Bauyrzhan Murzabayev also makes his first IJC appearance off a strong season in France, during which he rode 60 winners–including 12 in black-type competition–for the legendary Andre Fabre. Like Marquand and Doyle, the four-time German and three-time Czech champion, jets in from Japan, where he is riding on a short-term contract for the second straight season.

“I am very lucky to have spent a year riding for Andre Fabre, who for me is a great trainer,” says Murzabayev. “I learned a lot from him and it was a good experience.

“I think I learn new tracks and places pretty quickly. But if somebody had told me 10 years ago 'you will be riding in all these top races,' I'm not sure I would have believed them.”

Also participating are Moore, James McDonald, Mickael Barzalona and Yuga Kawada from overseas, while Lyle Hewitson and Vincent Ho join Purton and Teetan in representing Hong Kong.

The IJC begins with the evening's fourth race at Happy Valley at 8.10pm local time (12.10pm GMT, 7.10am US Eastern Time). Click here for the race card.

 

The post ‘It Could All Happen Again’: Marquand A Live Chance In IJC Title Defence appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Lemon Pop Defies Doubters, History In Champions Cup

In the G1 Champions Cup, one of two elite-level races on dirt on the JRA circuit, wide barriers are almost always the kiss of death.

Drawn 15 of 15 for Sunday's 1800-metre event, Godolphin's Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) not only had that to overcome, but also lingering questions as to his ability to stay a trip this far. After all, his trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka needed some convincing by the Godolphin braintrust to try him in the G1 February S., a 1600-metre affair, which he duly won with something in the locker.

A trip to Dubai was ultimately decided upon, the G1 Golden Shaheen (1200m) versus the G2 Godolphin Mile. Lemon Pop was ultimately no factor, but even as many as eight months ago, Godolphin Japan President Harry Sweeney mentioned the Champions Cup as a potential target in a Q&A with this reporter ahead of World Cup night. That brand of outside-the-box thinking paid off handsomely Sunday afternoon at Chukyo Racecourse, as Lemon Pop became the fourth horse to win both JRA Group 1 dirt races in the same calendar year.

Favoured–albeit midly so at $3.80 (14-5)–Lemon Pop broke a bit to his right, but very alertly, and managed to show enough speed to come across the entire field and lead out from this year's G2 UAE Derby runner-up Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) with 2021 winner T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) enjoying the gun run from third.

Lemon Pop had done some work to get there, having clocked :23.5 for the opening 400 metres, but he came back to Ryusei Sakai and got the opening 800m in :48.8, with Dura Erede keeping him honest. Traveling nicely within himself with his jockey sitting against him–similar to his win in the February–Lemon Pop was clear into the straight, pinched what appeared to be a winning break and was home comfortably first as Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) jumped out of the ground for second at rough odds. Dura Erede settled for a creditable third. Multiple international group winner Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) was disappointing in 11th with a bit of a wide trip, while the previously unbeaten Seraphic Call (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) finished 10th.

“Christmas has come early for us in Japan! And indeed if Santa Claus doesn't turn up in three weeks' time, we won't be too upset,” Sweeney said on the Godolphin website. “Lemon Pop was awesome today–there can be no denying that. No horse drawn in the outside three stalls has even made the frame in the last decade, so Lemon Pop needed to overcome the obstacle of the widest draw of all. Also, doing it from the front is probably not the easiest way to win a Group 1, but he had little alternative because of the draw and it was another excellent ride for Ryusei Sakai. In truth, he looked all over the winner when turning in–he was still traveling very well while everyone else was hard at work.”

In the aforementioned Q&A, Sweeney spoke of the honour of bringing a Godolphin-owned Japanese-based runner to Dubai to race before His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. A similar plan was in the works in 2021, when Lemon Pop was an intended runner in the UAE Derby, having won the 2020 Cattleya Sho on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. But the injury bug bit, dashing those plans. His victory Sunday opens a few more doors as the calendar turns to 2024.

“Though five years old, he is relatively lightly raced and over four seasons has only run a total of 14 times,” Sweeney said. “As he is in great form, we are hoping to keep him in training for another year and will be considering the G1 Saudi Cup before hopefully going back to Dubai in March.”

A horse that has passed every test that's been set for him, Lemon Drop would have to be considered a major player in Riyadh and/or at Meydan.

 

Pedigree Notes:

On behalf of former Darley executive Olly Tait and his wife, Blandford Bloodstock went to 165,000gns for Unreachable from the Juddmonte draft at the 2012 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Unreachable is a daughter of Harpia, a full-sister to the highly influential Danehill as well as Eagle Eyed and Shibboleth, etc., and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed First Word (Chester House) and Redesdale (Speightstown). This is also the family of Dundonnell (First Defence), a Group 3 winner in England, a listed winner in Hong Kong and Group 3-placed in Dubai.

Unreachable was offered in foal to Good Magic at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale and was led out unsold on a bid of $55,000, but Chad Schumer acquired the mare privately for $50,000 on behalf of Jay and Christine Hayden's Saintsbury Farms. Schumer also purchased Redesdale for $18,000 at the 2016 January Sale and he now stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in the state of New York. The colt Unreachable was carrying at the time of her acquisition–an Ontario-bred 3-year-old now named Equivoque–would go on to fetch $325,000 from China Horse Club/Gandharvi at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and CHC bought out the partnership for $240,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale. Equivoque, an impressive debut winner at Keeneland this past April and an allowance second at Churchill on Derby Day May 6, has recently returned to training at Todd Pletcher's South Florida base at Palm Beach Downs after spending some time at WinStar Farm .

Unreachable is also the dam of the 2-year-old colt Magic Rush (Good Magic) and a yearling colt by Maclean's Music that sold for $310,000 to Powerstown Stud at this year's Keeneland September sale. Unreachable, now 14 years of age, did not produce a foal this year and was bred back to Curlin.

Sunday, Chukyo, Japan
CHAMPIONS CUP-G1, ¥232,740,000, Chukyo, 12-3, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:50.60, ft.
1–LEMON POP, 128, h, 5, by Lemon Drop Kid
1st Dam: Unreachable, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Harpia, by Danzig
3rd Dam: Razyana, by His Majesty
($70,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Godolphin; B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY); T-Hiroyasu Tanaka; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥123,318,000. Lifetime Record: 14-10-3-0, ¥481,756,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Chesutoke Rose, by Uncle Mo. O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings; B-Ryoken Farm; ¥48,948,000.
3–Dura Erede (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Duramente (Jpn)–Marchesa (Jpn), by Orfevre (Jpn). (¥100,000,000 Ylg '21 JRHAJUL). O-Three H Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥30,474,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NK. Odds: 2.80, 91.00, 30.20.
Also Ran: T O Keynes (Jpn), Meisho Hario (Jpn), Hagino Alegrias (Jpn), Make a Leap (Jpn), Notturno (Jpn), Ater Astrea (Jpn), Seraphic Call (Jpn), Crown Pride (Jpn), Keiai Shelby (Jpn), Gloria Mundi (Jpn), Icon Tailor (Jpn), Geoglyph (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart and VIDEO.

The post Lemon Pop Defies Doubters, History In Champions Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Program Trading Gives Brown, Klaravich Another Hollywood Derby

Denied as the heavy favorite at Colonial Downs by the undefeated Integration (Quality Road) in the GIII New Kent County Virginia Derby last time out Sept. 9, Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) got back on track to take his fourth win in five starts in the GI Hollywood Derby.

A winner of his first three starts, the Chad Brown trainee reached the pinnacle two starts back with a narrow victory over Webslinger (Constitution) on a lucky on-the-turf weekend in Saratoga in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational Aug. 5. Given a rest after being run down late in that Virginia Derby, the Klaravich Stables entry shipped west to enjoy closing weekend at Del Mar and lined up opposite Webslinger once more as the 4-5 favorite.

From the far outer gate, Program Trading broke alongside his uncoupled stablemate Redistricting (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and the two Klaravich runners both took back off the early speed out of the chute as a trio of runners battled for first call. With just a single rival behind him, the favorite took his time through a :23.17 opening quarter as Charlie Appleby's Godolphin runner Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) paced the group. A group of five runners raced bunched together up the backstretch while the pair of Saratoga Derby runners were several lengths off the speed but the pack began to come together into the far turn as the half went in :47.19. Tipped out into the far turn, Program Trading picked it up under Flavien Prat as Redistricting blew the turn and was pulled up to his outside. Now suddenly with plenty of room to run, the bay quickly found himself third while three wide for the lead with a furlong to run. Webslinger fired a threatening shot close to home but Program Trading just held on to deny his rival once more by nearly the exact same margin.

“He was actually pretty relaxed before the race,” said Prat. “We had a good trip; the pace was pretty fair. He relaxed well, he had a good turn of foot. Luckily there was a horse in front of me that bolted around the turn so I had a clear path. As soon as I asked him to make a run, he was there for me. I think he will still improve. He has run well every time.”

With the win, trainer Chad Brown tied Charlie Whittingham with a fourth Hollywood Derby while owner Klaravich Stable picked up a record third win in the closing-weekend feature.

Pedigree Note:
Program Trading is one of two winners from two to race out of a half-sister to G2 Park Hill S. winner and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. runner-up Silk Sari (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and full-sister to Andrew Rosen's Fashion Fund (GB). His third dam was the 2002 champion 3-year-old filly in England, highlighted by a 4 1/2-length win in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. Dreamlike is the dam of the a 2-year-old filly by Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and a yearling filly by Pinatubo (Ire) who sold for 260,000gns at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale and was exported to the United States. She last reported a weanling colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).

Saturday, Del Mar
HOLLYWOOD DERBY-GI, $301,000, Del Mar, 12-2, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.82, fm.
1–PROGRAM TRADING (GB), 122, r, 3, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
                1st Dam: Dreamlike (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                2nd Dam: So Silk (GB), by Rainbow Quest
                3rd Dam: Gossamer (GB), by Sadler's Wells
(250,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Fittocks Stud & Arrow Farm Stud (GB); T-Chad C. Brown;
J-Flavien Prat. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $695,250.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Webslinger, 122, g, 3, Constitution–Arana, by Hard Spun.
($45,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $25,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $45,000
RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR; $50,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-D. J. Stable
LLC; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$60,000.
3–Silver Knott (GB), 122, g, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–God Given
(GB), by Nathaniel (Ire). (725,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Charles
Appleby. $36,000.
Margins: NK, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.90, 3.80, 4.80.
Also Ran: Watsonville, Santorini, Reiquist, Redistricting (GB). Scratched: Maltese Falcon (Ire), Seal Team (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Program Trading Gives Brown, Klaravich Another Hollywood Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hoist The Gold Tops Mineshaft 1-2 In the Cigar Mile

It may not have been a Grade I race this year, but the GII Cigar Mile H. came down to a horse with top-level class as Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) sped gate-to-wire to hoist the trophy ahead of a talented, full field.

One of a pair of horses in the field coming back from last month's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, Hoist the Gold took the GII Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix S. two starts back with a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure Oct. 6. Consistently raced throughout his career, the 4-year-old entered the gate Saturday for the 26th time with eight of his nine starts this year in graded-stakes races.

Slightly chilly on the board at 8-1, the Dream Team homebred broke from the outside but possessed all the early speed and quickly moved down to race between Pipeline (Speightstown) and the lightly-raced Cascais (Into Mischief). But as the field of 12 came out of the Aqueduct chute and onto the main track, Hoist the Gold was left alone on the lead under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. Allowed to run free on the lead with only Pipeline keeping in touch, the colt zipped through fractions of :22.41 and :44.88 as the rest of the field struggled to keep the leader in their sights. Velazquez stayed motionless on his mount into the lane, not even drawing his stick until the furlong marker as Hoist the Gold drew away in hand with only a late-closing Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) cutting into the winning margin late to make it a Mineshaft-sired exacta.

“What a race,” said winning trainer Dallas Stewart. “Johnny [Velazquez] picked the right race for us. He told us at Breeders' Cup, the horse doesn't like dirt in his face. He said, 'just let me ride him the way I want–run him a mile at Aqueduct and he won't get beat.' He was 100 percent right. At the eighth pole, he kicked in another gear and got in front of them some more. He made that separation and that's the sign of a good horse. I just hate that they took the Grade I away, but he showed he's a good horse and we'll take the $500,000 and head down the road.”

Pedigree Note:
One of 61 stakes winner for the Lane's End stallion, Hoist the Gold is one of three winners from three runners out of the winning Tapit mare Tacit Approval, herself a $320,000 2-year-old. Her other two winners were both fillies sired by Hill 'n' Dale's Mucho Macho Man. She foaled a Vekoma filly last year and reported another foal by Mucho Macho Man, this time a colt, earlier this year.

 

Saturday, Aqueduct
CIGAR MILE H.-GII, $500,000, Aqueduct, 12-2, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:34.28, my.
1–HOIST THE GOLD, 121, c, 4, by Mineshaft
          1st Dam: Tacit Approval, by Tapit
          2nd Dam: Punch Appeal, by Successful Appeal
          3rd Dam: Okanagan Dawn, by Two Punch
($47,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Dream Team One Racing Stable; B-Dream Team Racing (KY); T-Dallas Stewart; J-John R. Velazquez. $275,000. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 26-5-6-3, $1,119,547. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Senor Buscador, 123, h, 5, Mineshaft–Rose's Desert, by Desert God. O-Joe R. Peacock, Jr.; B-Joe R Peacock Sr. & Joe R Peacock Jr. (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher. $100,000.
3–Castle Chaos, 116, g, 5, Palace Malice–Queen Victoria, by Flatter. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Sanford Goldfarb, Nice Guys Stables and Beast Mode Racing LLC; B-Dragon Slayer Stable (KY); T-Robert N. Falcone, Jr.. $60,000.
Margins: 4HF, 4 1/4, NO. Odds: 8.70, 3.80, 32.50.
Also Ran: Three Technique, Coastal Mission, Offaly Cool, Dr Ardito, High Oak, Pipeline, Accretive, Everso Mischievous, Cascais.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Hoist The Gold Tops Mineshaft 1-2 In the Cigar Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights