Tag: Horseplayers

The Grade 2, $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes brings together a very strong field of female sprinters, with at least three of them having tremendous records to date.

Leading the field in career wins are Artie's Princess and Lorena, both with seven victories to date. Artie's Princess has earned her wins in 11 races on synthetic surfaces, most recently in the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes in September. Lorena has won five times on the surface in 10 tries, but her most recent win came on grass in the Zadracarta Stakes two months ago. The highest win percentage on the surface belongs to Loyalty, who is undefeated in four tries including in the Duchess Stakes on October 1.

Another with a strong record is Hazelbrook, who has won six times in nine tries on the surface, all at Woodbine including the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion Stakes four weeks ago. Beyond Mybudget has been close in similar races, particularly when just three-quarters of a length behind Hazelbrook in the Ontario Fashion Stakes last month. Our Flash Drive won the De La Rose Stakes on the grass at Saratoga this past summer and fits here based on her runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Ontario Matron Stakes three weeks ago on the main track at Woodbine. Allworthy hopes to improve off a third-place finish in the Presque Isle Downs Masters behind Artie's Princess. Awesome Treat beat much easier foes at the distance two weeks ago and races in a stakes race for the first time. Sweet Enough (GB) imported from England in the spring and finished 10th on grass and returns to the races following six months off. Her last win came in the British Stallion Studs EBF Handicap Stakes in the summer of 2021.

Main Contenders:

Loyalty is the only 3-year-old in the field and that may be a key to success as the last two winners of this race were 3-year-olds when they crossed the finish line in front. In 2020, Artie's Princess won this race following a win in a non-graded stakes at Woodbine at a similar distance and last year Lady Speightspeare won this race as a three year old as well. Loyalty just won the non-graded Duchess Stakes at the distance of the Bessarabian, coasting to a 1 1/2-length win after opening up by three lengths early in the stretch. She's undefeated in four races on the Woodbine main track and since that last race she put in a splendid half-mile drill which was the third best of 82 on the day, telling us she's maintaining top form.

Loyalty actually beat older horses earlier this year, in her second career start, earning a career-best 103 Equibase Speed Figure at the time. That figure stacks up well with Artie's Princess' best (104) and Hazelbrook's best (106), particularly as logic would dictate as a more mature horse in November as compared to in May Loyalty should be bigger and stronger and capable of running even faster. 

Hazelbrook has had a fantastic 2022 campaign, winning four of five and missing by three-quarters of a length in the other. That loss came to the aforementioned Lady Speightspeare, winner of this race last year, and in that race, the Seaway Stakes, Hazelbrook closed fast from seventh to get within a head of the eventual winner before missing by three-quarters of a length, earning a 100 figure which she improved to a career-best 106 with a win in the Ontario Fashion Stakes last month. If there is one question mark, it might be this seven-furlong trip as that is the distance of her only loss this year, as compared to Loyalty, who won the only time she ran this distance. 

Artie's Princess won the 2020 edition of the Bessarabian with a game effort by a neck after opening up by a couple of lengths at the top of the stretch. She went on the sidelines from June of 2021 until this past May and only managed a fourth-place effort in her comeback but she's won two of three starts. The best of those came in her most recent race on September 19 when she rallied from eighth of nine to win the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes with a career-best 104 figure. Jose Ortiz rode Artie's Princess for the first time in that race and foregoes an entire day of racing at his home base at Aqueduct to once again ride this mare. 

The rest of the field, with their best Equibase Speed Figures, is Allworthy (99), Awesome Treat (90). Beyond MyBudget (104), Lorena (94), Our Flash Drive (104) and Sweet Enough (GB) (106). 

Win Contenders (in probability/preference order):

Loyalty

Hazelbrook

Artie's Princess

Bessarabian Stakes – Grade 2
Race 8 at Woodbine
Saturday, November 12 – Post Time 4:55 p.m. Eastern
Seven Furlongs on All-Weather
Fillies and Mares, 3-Year-Olds and Upward
Purse: $175,000

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Ellis Starr is national racing analyst for Equibase

The post Equibase Analysis: Loyalty Hopes to Extend Unbeaten Streak On All-Weather In Bessarabian Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Friday's nine-race card at Aqueduct Racetrack will feature a Pick 6 carryover of $33,434 after the multi-race wager went unsolved on Thursday's nine-race program in South Ozone Park, N.Y.

The $1 Pick 6 returned $514 to bettors who selected 5-of-6 winners correctly.

The sequence kicked off in Race 4 as the James Ryerson-trained He'sgottashortfuse [No. 3, $22.20] graduated with Trevor McCarthy up in the six-furlong maiden claimer over the main track. Jay'stalker [No. 6, $20.20] followed in Race 5 with a rallying score under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano for trainer Bruce Levine in a $16,000 claiming event.

Trainer Mike Maker celebrated a return to the winner's circle for multiple graded stakes-placed Atone [No. 1A, $3.40] in Race 6 for his first victory in almost a year, piloted by Kendrick Carmouche for his second win of the day. Race 7 saw Randi Persaud trainee Keen Dancer [No. 8, $26.40] post the biggest upset of the day under Luis Rodriguez Castro, one race before Palace Gossip [No. 6, $10.40] scored her third career victory under Jose Lezcano for trainer Tony Dutrow.

The final leg in Race 9 was won by the Jimmy Toner-trained Siege of Boston [No. 5, $4.90] , who graduated in a one-mile turf route under Junior Alvarado after three consecutive runner-up finishes.

Friday's Pick 6 will begin in Race 4 at 1:46 p.m. Eastern. First post is 12:20 p.m.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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A pair of allowance races, a five-figure jackpot carryover in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 and a salute to military families highlight Friday's return of live racing at Laurel Park.

Last solved for a $12,582.58 payout Oct. 16, the Rainbow 6 jackpot has gone uncashed for 16 consecutive racing days. The carryover swelled to $23,676.96 following the last live program Nov. 6 and heading into Friday's nine-race card.

First race post time is 12:15 p.m.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 60 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

 Friday's Rainbow 6 begins in Race 4, a starter optional claimer for 3-year-old and up going one mile on the main track. Race 6 is an allowance for Maryland-bred/sired fillies and mares three and up scheduled for 5 ½ furlongs on the All Along turf course that drew an overflow field of 13 including stakes-placed Sparkle Sprinkle and She'sarollingstone for main track only.

Favored at 5-2 on the morning line is Mary Slade's Maryland homebred Island Philo, most recently eighth in the Maryland Million Turf Sprint Oct. 22. The 4-year-old Barbados filly has run third in two 5 ½-furlong grass stakes this year, beaten a half-length in the July 30 Jameela at Laurel and 1 ½ lengths in Sept. 7 Camptown at Colonial Downs.

The feature comes in Race 8, a second-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs on the main track. The narrow 7-2 program favorite from the rail in a field of 10 is Robert James McGee's Moody Woman, unraced since finishing third in the Sept. 24 Weather Vane at historic Pimlico Race Course. The 3-year-old daughter of Gormley has finished third or better in 13 of 15 career starts with four wins, and has a record of 3-3-2 from nine starts at Laurel.

Among the challengers are No Guts No Glory Farm's Maryland homebred Bandits Warrior, a half-sister to retired multiple stakes winner Anna's Bandit that exits a front-running 9 ¼-length restricted allowance victory going six furlongs Oct. 21 at Laurel; and Spicy Margarita, 3-for-5 lifetime at the distance with one second and one third.

There will also be a carryover of $986.93 in the $1 Super Hi-5 wager for Friday's opener, a maiden claimer for 2-year-olds sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the main track.

Friday is Military Appreciation Day at Laurel, saluting our military families and featuring free admission, $2 domestics, $3 hot dogs, $5 hamburgers and a Maryland Jockey Club tumbler giveaway to the first 250 guests. Doors open at 11 a.m.

On Saturday, Laurel will host a 10-race card beginning at 11:45 a.m. and featuring three main track stakes – the $100,000 Smart Halo for 2-year-old fillies and $100,000 James F. Lewis III for 2-year-olds, both sprinting six furlongs, and the $100,000 Thirty Eight Go Go for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles.

The post Live Racing Returns To Laurel Friday With $23,677 Rainbow 6 Carryover appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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