The first Grade I race of the year for 3-year-old fillies, the Ashland is contested at 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but it marked the first time Leslie's Rose has been asked to go that distance. She will aim to join Monomoy Girl (Tapizar, 2018) and Malathaat (Curlin, 2021) as the third Ashland winner in seven years to also take the Kentucky Oaks. Like Malathaat, Leslie's Rose is trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.

When the gates flew in the Ashland, last-out Ruthless S. winner Halina's Forte (Mitole) emerged from the early fray with the first calls, stopping the clock in :24.35 for the first quarter and :48.27 for the first half. Impel kept her company while parked just off her flank as Leslie's Rose tracked from a joint third. As the tempo quickened on the final turn, Impel dispensed with Halina's Forte to take command as five of the eight fanned out entering the lane. It briefly appeared to be anyone's race until Leslie's Rose tipped out to go around Impel and, despite drifting slightly, powered down the stretch a much-the-best, three-length winner. Just F Y I overhauled Impel late in her first start since the Breeders' Cup after scratching with a fever from the Mar. 2 GII Davona Dale S., the same race where Leslie's Rose suffered her first career loss with a third-place finish as the favorite in her first stakes try.

“We didn't lose any confidence in her. She didn't have a great trip that day,” said Pletcher about the lead up to the Ashland in the Davona Dale for Leslie's Rose. “I think she got a good education. It was the first time she'd been in that scenario. You could see turning for home [jockey] Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] had an opportunity to go into a tight spot, and she just wasn't experienced enough to do that at that time. But we weren't down on her, she came back, she breezed beautifully, so we said, 'Let's just stick to the game plan' and I'm glad we did.”

Pletcher had given Leslie's Rose, a $1.15-million Keeneland September purchase by Mandy Pope, her early education in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Aqueduct last November, a good two weeks after Just F Y I had already sewn up the divisional championship. The bay led every step of the way for a 9 1/4-length victory that netted the 'Rising Star' tag and an 87 Beyer Speed Figure. She reappeared at Gulfstream in January with another easy win and an 88 Beyer before evening out in the Davona Dale.

After the Ashland, Pletcher added: “She's always been a high-quality filly. She's always trained like she wants to run longer and I think she proved that today, getting the opportunity to go two turns and finishing with good energy. So, fingers crossed [heading into the Kentucky Oaks].”

Meanwhile, trainer Bill Mott was not discouraged by Just F Y I's first career defeat. “We didn't win but our second main objective was to get a race in her and have her ready for the next one,” he said. “So I am not totally disappointed. She got beat, but I can give some reasons for that. The Kentucky Oaks has been the plan all along, so I see no reason not to do that.”

The Oaks will be run Friday, May 3, exactly four weeks after the Ashland.

Pedigree Notes:

Not too many major races go by without some sort of impact made by Into Mischief, who is on a five-year reign as the leading sire in North America. Leslie's Rose is the newest Grade I winner for the Spendthrift kingpin, who has 21 of his 70 graded winners at the highest level, as well as 147 black-type winners worldwide. The Ashland winner does mark Into Mischief's first stakes winner out of a Galileo (Ire) mare, somewhat remarkable as that exceptional late sire has 323 stakes winners out of his daughters and the mating on paper alone represents the old adage of breeding the best to the best. More unusually, Leslie's Rose is inbred 4×5, on top and bottom, to Clever Trick. That one's son Tricky Creek is damsire of Into Mischief, while his son Phone Trick is damsire of Leslie's Rose's granddam Wildwood Flower.

Leslie's Rose is a third generation John D. Gunther-bred, who partnered with Eurowest Bloodstock Services for her mating. Her dam, Gunther's unraced Wildwood Rose (Ire), came to American shores as a 2-year-old in 2018. Gunther may have sold Leslie's Rose, but he has retained the mare's juvenile filly, named Divine Rose (Good Magic), and he also has a two-week-old filly out of the mare by Not This Time. Wildwood Rose's dam, SW & MGSP Wildwood Flower, produced 2015 GI Florida Derby winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and 2014 GII Gazelle S. winner and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song). The latter produced 2022 GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. winner Annapolis (War Front), while the extended family includes 2010 GI Travers S. winner Afleet Express (Afleet Alex) and 2015 GI Alabama S. winner Embellish the Lace (Super Saver).

#3 LESLIE'S ROSE ($20.90) blossoms in @keenelandracing's $600,000 G1 Ashland Stakes!

This is the first stakes victory for the @whisper_hill runner, who was ridden by @iradortiz for trainer @PletcherRacing. Congratulations to the connections! pic.twitter.com/EnxV2YAxn2

— TVG (@TVG) April 5, 2024

Friday, Keeneland
CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND S.-GI, $598,750, Keeneland, 4-5, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.85, ft.
1–LESLIE'S ROSE, 121, f, 3, by Into Mischief
           1st Dam: Wildwood Rose (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
           2nd Dam: Wildwood Flower, by Langfuhr
           3rd Dam: Dial a Trick, by Phone Trick
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($1,150,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP).O-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; B-John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $358,050. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $467,800. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Just F Y I, 121, f, 3, by Justify
           1st Dam: Star Act (SP, $147,605), by Street Cry (Ire)
           2nd Dam: Starrer, by Dynaformer
           3rd Dam: To the Hunt, by Relaunch
O/B-George Krikorian (KY); T-William I. Mott. $115,500.
3–Impel, 121, f, 3, by Quality Road
           1st Dam: Your Love (SW & GSP, $335,000), by Flatter
           2nd Dam: Queen of America, by Quiet American
           3rd Dam: Our Dear Ruth, by Baldski
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $57,750.
Margins: 3, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 9.45, 4.63, 2.02.
Also Ran: Candied, Standoutsensation, Shimmering Allure, Jody's Pride, Halina's Forte.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post $1.15-Million Into Mischief Filly Leslie’s Rose Blooms in Ashland for Whisper Hill appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The chestnut Life's an Audible lingered second from last behind :23.59 and :47.06 early fractions while Macanga (American Pharoah) showed the way up front. Macanga didn't run out of steam until the top of the stretch, when a stalking Style Points found room on the rail. At the same time, on the turn from the back, Irad Ortiz, Jr. had woken up Life's an Audible and swung the filly to the far outside for her rally, meeting Style Points for the closing strides. Despite the latter getting the first jump, Life's an Audible at 9-5 and still several paths out wore her down to prevail by about a neck after a brief battle.

“The filly broke a little slow today,” said Ortiz. “After that, we went to Plan B and let her be her and let her relax. She did well. The mile and a sixteenth helped her today because she wasn't that close early. Last time she was finishing. Today, she got time to get there.”

Pletcher added: “I thought it was great… It seems like she's kind of found her groove just wanting to settle and make a late run. She really delivered a good turn of foot.”

With an off-the-board finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf sandwiched between a runner-up placing in the Oct. 4 GII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont at the Big A and a second last out in Gulfstream's Jan. 6 Ginger Brew S., Life's an Audible was winning her first black-type event in the Sweetest Chant. She was a $200,000 OBS March 2-year-old purchase last year by West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable, after working in :10 1/5. Ortiz has been up for all six of her lifetime starts.

The same connections–with the addition of Town and Country Racing as part of the ownership team–also took the Sweetest Chant last year with Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince).

Pedigree Notes:

Life's an Audible is the first graded winner for WinStar Farm's Audible, a son of Into Mischief, who also has three black-type winners and five additional stakes performers from his first crop to race. In addition to breaking new ground for her sire, Life's an Audible is also the first stakes winner as a broodmare sire for Data Link, a Grade I-winning son of War Front who was pensioned at Claiborne after siring five crops.

Breeder Susan Moulton bought Catkins, dam of Life's an Audible, for $100,000 at the OBS Spring 2-year-old sale in 2017, campaigned her to one win at Churchill Downs, and bred her to Audible for her first foal. The mare has since produced juvenile colt Catman Tomkins (Tom's d'Etat) and a yearling filly by Liam's Map who brought $130,000 as a Keeneland November weanling to the bid of Solano Bloodstock. She was bred to Nashville for 2024.

#1 LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE ($5.80) comes storming down the center of the track to get up and win the Sweetest Chant Stakes (GIII) at Gulfstream Park. @IradOrtiz was in the irons for Todd Pletcher and @RepoleStable.

The $125,000 Swale Stakes is next! Wager here https://t.co/tHc1sm6ZIw pic.twitter.com/2m7Xk3p1UT

— TVG (@TVG) February 3, 2024

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
SWEETEST CHANT S.-GIII, $175,000, Gulfstream, 2-3, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.36, fm.
1–LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE, 118, f, 3, by Audible
               1st Dam: Catkins, by Data Link
               2nd Dam: Galileo's Star, by Lil E. Tee
               3rd Dam: June Gale, by Run For Nurse
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($25,000
Wlg '21 KEENOV; $90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '23
OBSMAR). O-Repole Stable; B-Susan Moulton (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $105,245. Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-0,
$243,045. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report &
5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style
pedigree.
2–Style Points, 118, f, 3, Oscar Performance–Mystical Star, by
Ghostzapper. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
O-Cheyenne Stable LLC; B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY);
T-Christophe Clement. $33,950.
3–Dynamic Pricing (Ire), 118, f, 3, Night of Thunder (Ire)–
Shemda (Ire), by Dutch Art (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST
GRADED BLACK TYPE. (170,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Chad
Brown. $16,975.
Margins: NK, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.90, 12.30, 5.60.
Also Ran: Madame Mischief, Macanga, Pharoah's Wine, Golden Ghost (GB), Milliat (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post First Stakes Win for Life’s an Audible in Sweetest Chant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Victorious in Monmouth's Sapling S. in August after breaking his maiden at Saratoga, he missed graded victory by a nose Oct. 8 in Keeneland's GII Bourbon S. and finished way back in the field last month at the Breeders' Cup.

Breaking as the 6-5 favorite and bumping with the outside runner, Noted settled in seventh for the lion's share of the race before being coaxed along into the far turn. Angled out sharply leaving the bend and causing tight quarters for a pair to his outside, he kicked on from eight wide into the final furlong to nail Reminder in the final strides to win by a neck. With the victory here, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. completed his sweep of the turf features on the card.

“I was a little concerned with the 7 1/2 [furlongs, today] but he seemed to come out of the Breeders' Cup well, he carries good condition and he's an easy horse to train, so I felt like he was ready to run back,” Pletcher said. “We're not going to rule [dirt] out. If he trains really well we might give him another shot at some stage. He's got that win in the Sapling that looks good on paper, but in the Breeders' Cup, he didn't fire.”

#8 NOTED ($4.40) was stuck in a crowd but got out late to storm home and win the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The son of Cairo Prince was ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and is trained by Todd Pletcher.
Nice call @bernier_matt who gave out 26-1 2nd place finisher #4 Reminder pic.twitter.com/nZsKKc5aok

— TVG (@TVG) December 9, 2023

The first to the races after his eldest full-brother died in 2021, Noted leads the way for his young dam's broodmare career. She produced a yearling filly by Global Campaign as well as a 2023 filly by Upstart. Sea View Nellie, out of MSW & GISP Pocho's Dream Girl–making her a full-sister to MGSW Mark Valeski and a half to GSW & GISP Albano (Istan), went back to Upstart for 2024. This is the extended female family of MSW Pacific Pink, herself the dam of GSP Make the Boys Wink (More Than Ready), and SP Caironi (Cairo Prince). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

PULPIT S., $100,000, Gulfstream, 12-9, 2yo, 7 1/2fT, 1:27.30, fm.
1–NOTED, 120, c, 2, by Cairo Prince
           1st Dam: Sea View Millie, by Proud Citizen
           2nd Dam: Pocho's Dream Girl, by Fortunate Prospect
           3rd Dam: True to Romeo, by Gallant Romeo
($200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $58,900. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-3-2-0, $338,525.
2–Reminder, 118, c, 2, Audible–Mom's Deputy, by War Chant. ($100,000 Ylg '22 OBSWIN; $200,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $185,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Tami Bobo; B-Courtney L. Meagher (FL); T-Jose Francisco D'Angelo. $19,000.
3–Palm Tree, 118, g, 2, Street Boss–Desert Gazelle, by Smart Strike. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $9,500.
Margins: NK, HD, NK. Odds: 1.20, 26.30, 2.70.
Also Ran: General Ledger, Double Your Money, Prevent, Ship to Shore, Tocayo, Summer Storm Stric, Liam's Journey. Scratched: Okiro.

The post Noted A Determined Winner in Gulfstream’s Pulpit appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Ortiz guided White Abarrio (Race Day) to the win in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, Elite Power (Curlin) in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

The Shoemaker Award is named in honor of the late Hall of Fame jockey, who won 8,833 races throughout his career,

The post Ortiz Wins Shoemaker Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

As a result of waiving the appeal, Ortiz will sit out three days starting this coming Sunday, Nov. 5, the day after he rides the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park, plus next Thursday and Friday, Nov. 9 and 10, the next two live racing dates on the Aqueduct calendar.

Riding Mister J T (Stay Thirsty), who was claimed as the 5-2 second favorite out of a $12,500 claiming sprint, Ortiz, according to the Equibase chart, was bottled up “behind a wall of rivals slugging it out on the front nearing the eighth pole, opted to tip out bulling his way out by bumping Striking Speed [Brilliant Speed] twice and nearly forcing that rival to clip heels to make a lane for himself at that station, then forged clear in hand much the best in the late stages.”

Striking Speed faded to seventh and last place.

Ortiz recently was suspended three days at Saratoga Race Course for a “careless riding” foul that did result in the disqualification of his mount from a July 27 win. He also served three days for committing the same type of infraction at Belmont Park June 11 that resulted in an inquiry but no disqualification of his third-place finisher.

The post Irad Ortiz Jr., Suspended Three Days for Aqueduct ‘Careless Riding’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

(2) Bourbon Breeze cruises to the finish in race 6 with @iradortiz aboard. (9) Tammy Lynn and (4) Pin Up Betty follow. pic.twitter.com/m1c2M1uPhj

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 6, 2023

The post Omaha Beach Filly Beats Traffic Home in Keeneland Debut appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

A flashy maiden winner at Keeneland over G2 Queen Mary S. winner Crimson Advocate (Nyquist), Brightwork earned her next win in stakes company with a half-length score in Ellis's Debutante S. July 2. She immediately moved up into graded-stakes company at Saratoga and was a no-doubt winner in a five-length roll to take the GIII Adironack S. Aug. 6. Drawn outside of her main rival in Sunday's contest, the 3-1 chance raced just ahead of Ways and Means up the backstretch with the pair coming into tight quarters as Flavian Prat had to check his filly back off of heels to avoid disaster. Sugar Hi (Twirling Candy) had a clear trip to the lead from an inside gate and led the compact group alongside Lemorian (Coal Front) through a quarter in :22.40. Brightwork stayed outside of that pair but was quickly joined by Ways and Means as the fillies went four across the track midway around the far turn as the half ticked by in a brisk :45.09. The top two wagering choices hit the quarter pole together but Brightwork always seemed to have the measure of the 1-2 favorite, turning back her challenge to pull out the win.

“There are really no words to describe it,” said winning owner Bill Simon of WSS Racing. “I'm so proud of Johnny and what he's done with the horse; Jared [Hughes], who picked her out; Daniel Ortiz, Johnny's brother, has been living up here with Brightwork for the summer and they deserve all the credit. It's just a phenomenal feeling. There were some great horses in this race trained by some great trainers, and we won. It's really special.”

“The horse beside me [No. 10, Lemorian], last time she broke from the one-hole at Indiana but she outbreak everybody and I know she's going to be quick,” added Irad Ortiz, Jr. “So, I say, maybe I let her go and stalk there and maybe I can bide my time and I know the horse I have to beat is the horse inside of me [Ways and Means]. That's what I tried to do and it worked out perfect.”

Pedigree Note:

Brightwork becomes the second-straight daughter of WinStar stallion Outwork to take the Spinaway following Leave No Trace's victory last year. She is out of a half-sister to several stakes winners but most notably to the dam of GSW/MGISP Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) and GISW and successful young sire Girvin (Tale of Ekati). Clarendon Fancy saw her yearling Volatile filly bring $285,000 at last month's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and she reported a Yaupon filly this spring.

#9 Brightwork stays undefeated and takes the G1 Spinaway S. under @iradortiz for trainer @johnnyortiz24!

#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/h62zAp6ZBi

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) September 3, 2023

Sunday, Saratoga
SPINAWAY S.-GI, $300,000, Saratoga, 9-3, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.17, ft.
1–BRIGHTWORK, 122, f, 2, by Outwork
                1st Dam: Clarendon Fancy, by Malibu Moon
                2nd Dam: Catch My Fancy, by Yes It's True
                3rd Dam: Walk Away Rene, by Gold Alert
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($95,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV). O-WSS Racing,
LLC; B-Wynnstay Inc. & H. Allen Poindexter (KY); T-John
Alexander Ortiz; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $165,000. Lifetime Record:
4-4-0-0, $444,051. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ways and Means, 120, f, 2, by Practical Joke
                1st Dam: Strong Incentive (SW, $123,568),
                                by Warrior's Reward
                2nd Dam: G G's Dolly, by Comic Strip
                3rd Dam: Parfait, by Kingmambo
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK 
TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Klaravich Stables (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown. $60,000.
3–Wonder Ride, 120, f, 2, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Wonderment (GSW, $394,870),
                                by Cosmonaut
                2nd Dam: A Wonder She Is, by Three Wonders
                3rd Dam: Video Devil, by Devil's Bag
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. O-Walking L Thoroughbreds, LLC; B-Walking L
Thoroughbreds LLC & Fest Miles (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek.
$36,000.
Margins: HF, 6 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 3.00, 0.45, 31.75.
Also Ran: Alys Beach, Closing Act, Sugar Hi, Lady Moscato, Lemorian, Miz Sense. Scratched: Becky's Joker.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Daughter of Outwork Remains Undefeated in Spinaway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Repole's 2-year-olds continue to be a relentless force at the Spa.

“He's a nice Quality Road and we really liked him,” Repole said. “Todd (Pletcher) is having a great meet, we're having a great meet and my team is doing a great job. A lot of these are 2-year-olds we bought at the sales. Our 2-year-olds are running really well. We're really loading up for this year and next year.”

Agate Road was a $650,000 Keeneland September purchase and the dam, Yellow Agate (Gemologist) won the GI Frizette S. for trainer Christophe Clement. Though there didn't appear to be a lot of turf breeding in the colt's pedigree, Pletcher must have known something. He entered Agate Road in an Aug. 5 maiden that was washed off the turf. Agate Road finished second in the one-mile event, losing by just a nose.

But rather than staying on the dirt, Pletcher placed the juvenile right back in a turf maiden. The result was a much- improved effort from the even-money favorite. Breaking from the 10 hole in a field of 10, Agate Road came out at the start and by the time he could be straightened up by Irad Ortiz, Jr. he was last. Ortiz got the colt going near the top of the stretch, but it still looked like a lost cause. At the eighth pole, he had just one horse beat. But from there launched a stretch rally for the ages. He passed eight horses and made up about six lengths inside the final furlong to win by a neck over Stolen Magic (Good Magic).

“I wouldn't say it was a masterful ride from Irad when he went 10-wide,” Repole said. “He's had better rides. When he broke a little slow from the 10 post he was going to be wide. He must have come home in under 12. He was flying at the end.”

The final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth run over a firm turf course was 1:46.79 and Agate Road paid $4.10.

From his army of 2-year-olds, Repole may not be done. On Sunday, he will run Scalable in a six-furlong maiden special weight race and Miz Sense (Street Sense) in the GI Spinaway S. On Monday, he will send out Be You (Curlin) in the closing-day feature, the GI Hopeful S.

The post Thanks To Explosive Finish From Agate Road, Repole Wins Another Saratoga Maiden appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

When her career debut at 1 1/16 miles on turf on July 30 was switched to the main track at one mile due to wet conditions, Life's an Audible was prominent for six furlongs, but weakened and ended up 21 lengths behind her Todd Pletcher stablemate Miz Sense (Street Sense.

Running 5 1/2 furlongs over a turf course rated as firm in her second start Saturday, the Repole Stable chestnut came from off the pace under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and beat the maiden special weight field by 1 1/4 lengths. Sent off at 7-1 in the field of 10 fillies, she reached the wire in 1:03.29 and paid $16.40.

It was the second consecutive day that Pletcher watched one of his 2-year-olds flourish in its second start. On Friday, Locked (Gun Runner), turned in a very professional performance for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm.

Bayare (Midshipman), the 2-1 favorite, and Echo Baybe (IRE) (Cable Bay {IRE}) set the early pace through fractions of :21.54 seconds and :45.38. Starting from Post 9, Ortiz worked Life's an Audible toward the inside. She got the job done in the stretch.

“Shortening up from an off-the-turf race; got some experience in there,” Pletcher said. “They went pretty fast early. She got out-footed a little bit in the beginning but picked it up nicely around the turn came with a good run down the lane.”

Repole purchased Life's an Audible for $200,000 at the OBS March sale. She was bred in Kentucky by Susan Moulton.

Ortiz was aboard for the July 30 race and figured that Life's an Audible would again be part of the pace scenario. Instead, she was about six lengths back after a quarter mile.

“She was quick last time, so I knew that she was going to be close, but they ran away from me early on,” he said.

Ortiz guided the filly closer to the rail and had her in position to make a late run.

“When she hit the clear she took off,” he said.

LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE, a 2YO by @WinStarFarm stallion Audible breaks her maiden under @iradortiz for trainer @PletcherRacing in today's opener at #Saratoga! pic.twitter.com/SoPNRjY24L

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) September 2, 2023

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.29, fm, 1 1/4 lengths.
LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE (f, 2, Audible–Catkins, by Data Link) was an early factor on debut but faded to be a well-beaten fourth at Saratoga in a rained-off one-mile event July 30. On the turf in a true sprint Saturday, the 7-1 shot took her time getting into stride and race in the back half of the field before moving up into the turn. Fanned out to be six wide past the quarter pole, the $200,000 OBS March grad rallied to the front inside the final sixteenth and got a bit of separation late to score by 1 1/4 lengths over first-time starter Tammy Lynn (Distorted Humor). Life's an Audible becomes the sixth winner for her freshman sire (by Into Mischief). Catkins has a yearling Tom's d'Etat colt, reported a Liam's Map filly this year, and visited Nashville for 2024. Sales History: $25,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $64,050. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Repole Stable; B-Susan Moulton (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

The post Life’s an Audible Pounces, Graduates at Second Asking appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The children received the supplies requested by their teachers in their personalized backpacks along with a brand-new pair of sneakers and a first day of school haircut.

Supporters of the program include Saratoga's leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr., who helped to distribute the supplies.

“The backstretch workers make what I do possible,” Ortiz said. “Whether you see them or not, they are with me in the winner's circle because I know I would not be there without them. I love supporting them and seeing the smiles on the kid's faces as they try on their new sneakers.”

A similar campaign will take place at Belmont Park on Saturday, Sept. 2. Approximately 250 children will be served at all three NYRA tracks.

Click here for more information about Chaplaincy initiatives.

The post Saratoga Backstretch Kids Receive School Supplies appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post