into mischief | Horse Racing Free Tips

June 26 Insights

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MOTT SADDLES ANOTHER INTO MISCHIEF 'ROCKET'

2nd-CD, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:14p.m.

Frank Fletcher and Bill Mott have enjoyed success with offspring of Into Mischief in the past with MGSW Frank's Rockette and they debut a son of that super sire here in ROCKET ONE. The $600,000 KEESEP acquisition is a half to GSP Dancing Belle (First Samurai). Their dam is a half to MGSW and millionaire Last Gunfighter (First Samurai) and dual graded winner Tiger Moth (Street Sense). TJCIS PPs

PRICEY NOT THIS TIME COLT DEBUTS IN NY

2nd-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:31p.m.

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable have been quite a successful team, campaigning the likes of champion Vino Rosso (Curlin) and promising juvenile and 'TDN Rising Star' Wit (Practical Joke). The powerhouse duo unleash another pricey juvenile here in $450,000 KEESEP purchase UP TO THE MARK (Not This Time). His second dam is Grade I winner Capote Belle (Capote), who is responsible for SW Zapper Belle (Ghostzapper), dam of fellow SW Kabella (Kitten's Joy). TJCIS PPs

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Life Is Good to Pletcher, Returns to Worktab

by Bill Finley and Steve Sherack

Undefeated and considered one of the most promising horses in the sport, Life Is Good (Into Mischief) will soon join the Todd Pletcher stable. He had been trained by Bob Baffert, who has lost a number of top horses due to his ongoing problems involving the Medina Spirit (Protonico) positive in the GI Kentucky Derby for betamethasone.

After winning the GII San Felipe S., Mar. 6 at Santa Anita, Life Is Good was sidelined and ruled out of the Triple Crown races after coming down with a hind-end injury, which required surgery to remove a chip in his ankle. He worked three furlongs Thursday morning at Keeneland in :37 flat.

Elliott Walden, the president and CEO of WinStar Farm, the co-owner of Life Is Good, confirmed the trainer switch.

“Life is Good worked this a.m. with our farm trainer, Destin Heath at Keeneland,” Walden said via text. “His team has done a wonderful job getting him back to the work tab. He went :37 and out in :49 2/5. The plan is to ship to Todd Pletcher in the coming weeks with a possibility of running in New York later this year. With the ban on Bob in Kentucky and New York right now, our opportunities are limited. We will continue to evaluate the situation with Bob and appreciate everything he has done with Life is Good.”

One landing spot for Life Is Good could be the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 28 in Saratoga. Baffert has been banned by the New York Racing Association and, currently, is not able to run in New York or stable there. He has, however, filed a suit against NYRA seeking a stay that would allow him to compete at the NYRA tracks.

Walden declined to answer any other questions regarding WinStar's relationship with Baffert.

WinStar has also moved Country Grammer (Tonalist) from the Baffert barn to the Pletcher stable. The winner of the GI Hollywood Gold Cup in his last start, he may go next in the GII Suburban H. at Belmont. Still another WinStar-owned stakes horse has been moved out of the Baffert barn. Crystal Ball (Malibu Moon) will make her debut Saturday for trainer Rodolphe Brisset in the Lady Jacqueline S. at Thistledown. Spendthrift Farm has also reportedly moved its horses out of the Baffert barn. And Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile) will make his debut Saturday in the GIII Ohio Derby for Brisset after campaigning for Baffert. He is owned by the partnership of SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson.

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Life Is Good Has First Work Back; Colt Will Head To Todd Pletcher In New York

On Thursday morning at Keeneland, two-time graded stakes winner Life Is Good put in his first workout since undergoing minor surgery to remove an ankle chip earlier this year. The 3-year-old son of Into Mischief breezed three furlongs in 37 seconds flat under the watchful eye of WinStar Farm trainer Destin Heath; WinStar is undergoing track renovations at its training center this summer, so Heath has been maintaining a training operation at Keeneland.

“Life Is Good worked this a.m. with our farm trainer, Destin Heath at Keeneland,” co-owner WinStar Farm's president and CEO Elliott Walden told Horse Racing Nation. “His team has done a wonderful job getting him back to the work tab. He went 37 and out in 49.2. The plan is to ship to Todd Pletcher in the coming weeks with a possibility of running in New York later this year.”

Life Is Good was formerly conditioned by embattled trainer Bob Baffert, and is undefeated in three career starts in Southern California. Co-owned by the China Horse Club, the colt was the individual favorite in four Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools prior to the announcement of his injury in late March.

WinStar also transferred Grade 1 winner Country Grammer from Baffert to Pletcher earlier this week, due to the New York Racing Association's ban on Baffert trainees in the wake of the announcement of a positive test in the Baffert-trained Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

‘I Still Think He’s The Best Horse I’ve Trained’: Joseph Hasn’t Stopped Believing In Collaborate

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. still has very high hopes for Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Collaborate after the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief's impressive optional claiming allowance score at Gulfstream Park last Sunday.

“I have a lot of belief in this horse. I know it hasn't shown yet, but hopefully, we're on the right path,” said Joseph, who reported Wednesday that the striking physical specimen exited his 5 ½-length victory in good order. “I still think he's the best horse I've trained, but I know he hasn't proved it yet.”

Collaborate, a $600,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, will be pointed to a stakes race for his next start – the 1 1/8-mile Curlin July 30 at Saratoga being the most likely target.

The Joseph trainee was so impressive while breaking his maiden by 12 ½ lengths at Gulfstream Feb. 27 that his connections entered him in the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby (G1), in which he finished fifth after a troubled start and a wide trip. Soon after, he underwent a minor throat procedure to open his air passage.

Collaborate returned to action in the 6 ½-furlong Roar Stakes May 15 at Gulfstream, finishing a disappointing third as the 2-5 favorite following a tardy start and wide trip.

“He's bred to run all day. The trip last time at 6 ½ [furlongs] was a bad decision on my part,” Joseph said. “The reason we cut him back is we thought his air got a little hinderance. I think the procedure worked.”

Collaborate fared much better while stretching out to a mile Sunday. The Kentucky-bred colt broke alertly to closely track the pacesetter while trapped on the rail along the backstretch. He split horses at the top of the stretch and drew off to a comfortable win under Edgard Zayas.

“He sat there and Edgard was really patient. He was in so tight, but Edgard didn't panic,” Joseph said. “It was a very professional race. The only way it could critique it is I would have liked to see him open up more, but he wasn't breathing hard after the race.”

The post ‘I Still Think He’s The Best Horse I’ve Trained’: Joseph Hasn’t Stopped Believing In Collaborate appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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