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Mo Donegal Wins Narrow Victory Over Zandon In Remsen

With 2022 Kentucky Derby points on the line, Mo Donegal and Zandon battled down the stretch in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes, with Mo Donegal getting a nose victory over the Chad Brown trainee in a close photo finish at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

A winner at 1 1/16 miles last out, Mo Donegal sat toward mid-pack in the field of eight throughout the first part of the 1 1/8-mile Remsen, with Zandon sitting third behind leader Fromanothamutha, who set early fractions of :25.18 and :51.47 around the first turn and down the backstretch. On the far turn, Midnight Chrome and Mr Jefferson moved past Fromanothamutha, taking over 1-2 briefly as Zandon split them and took the lead into the stretch.

In traffic on the far turn, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. took Mo Donegal to the outside, going five-wide into the stretch. As the field straightened out for home, Zandon was second behind Fromanothamutha, who tired as Mo Donegal, running down the center of the track, took the lead. Zandon hooked up with Mo Donegal midstretch, with Mo Donegal holding a short lead as they came together. Zandon was not done, battling back and trying to pull even with Mo Donegal as they approached the wire. At the finish, Mo Donegal was a nose in front. The close contact between the two down the stretch and a bump as they ran together in the last sixteenth led John Velazquez to claim foul again Ortiz. The inquiry went to the stewards, who upheld the results.

The final time was 1:53.61. Find this race's chart here.

Mo Donegal paid $4.90, $2.70, and $2.30. Zandon paid $3.00 and $2.70. Midnight Chrome paid $7.10.

“We were watching the inquiry upstairs and they put it into four screens so it was hard to see, obviously they came close together right at the finish. I'd have to watch it again. I couldn't see from up there if they touched or not, but Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] did say it was right at the wire,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the Remsen. “I thought he ran great. He was getting a good, ground-saving trip and put himself in a good spot. He kind of had to angle out a little bit and lost some ground there but it looked like when he got there he is still trying to figure out how to polish it off. The other horse battled back.”

“We were down the lane fighting in a big race. He [Velazquez] was riding his horse and I was riding mine. It was a good race and we got together a little before the wire, but it was a beautiful race. He [Mo Donegal] tried his hardest and I did my best. We got lucky with the head bob and got there,” jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. told the NYRA Press Office after the race. “I was looking for some room [at the turn for home] and there were four horses in front of me. So, I had to wait a few jumps and go around. It probably cost me a length and a half. He idled a little bit. He's a young horse and I tried to meet the other horse and keep going. As soon as he got to the other horse, he fought back. He was ready.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Mo Donegal is by Uncle Mo out of the Pulpit mare Callingmissbrown. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 2-year-old colt is owned by Donegal Racing who purchase the colt from Ashview Farm for $250,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his victory in the G2 Remsen, Mo Donegal has two wins in three starts for career earnings of $197,800. He also earns 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Zandon earns four points, Midnight Chrome two points, and Mr Jefferson one point.

The post Mo Donegal Wins Narrow Victory Over Zandon In Remsen appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Curlin’s Nest Completes Double for Hot Connections in Demoiselle

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) completed a juvenile Grade II double for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. as she out-kicked two-for-two New York-bred Venti Valentine (Firing Line) in Saturday afternoon's GII Demoiselle S. at the Big A. It was a record seventh Demoiselle victory for Pletcher, who one race earlier sent out Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) to a similarly hard-fought score in the GII Remsen S. The Lyster family's Ashview Farm and Richard Santulli's Colts Neck Stables bred both the Remsen and Demoiselle winners.

A five-length debut graduate going 8 1/2 panels at Belmont Sept. 25, Nest was a close third in the Nov. 5 Tempted, finishing a neck behind re-opposing Magic Circle (Kantharos). Nest was hung wide in midpack Saturday as Magic Circle raced clear through splits of :25.05 and :50.72. She mounted a four-wide bid approaching the quarter pole, with Venti Valenti glued to her left flank and the pacesetter struggling her leads but still up by daylight. Nest lengthened her stride and had a bit more to give late, reporting home a half-length clear of Venti Valentine in 1:55.07 (compared to 1:53.61 for the Remsen). An objection lodged by Venti Valentine's rider John Velazquez against the winner was disallowed.

“She ran a good race today, we were looking forward to the distance and she got the job done today,” said Ortiz, who rode four winners on the afternoon and survived at least two potential disqualifications after a high-profile DQ on Friday. “I knew [Magic Circle] was inside and came out. I was just surprised that they claimed foul on me, honestly. I grabbed a hold of my filly, corrected her, went to the left hand and went straight. I didn't do anything to the other horse, so I don't know why they claimed foul, but it is what it is.”

Pletcher took last year's Demoiselle with eventual GI Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine and likely champion 3-year-old Malathaat (Curlin), and won back-to-back renewals with Repole in 2012 and 2013 (Unlimited Budget and Stopchargingmaria) amidst a three-year streak. He'd go on to saddle the GI Cigar Mile H. exacta one race later on Saturday.

“There have been some tight finishes and a little drama to go along with it, but I'm thankful to be on the right side of it all,” said the Hall of Famer. “[Nest] was never able to take over and save much ground, but she got the job done. I'm obviously very happy to be on the winning end.”

As for what could be on the agenda next for Nest, who picked up 10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points Saturday, Pletcher said, “We'll take her to Palm Beach Downs and map out a game plan with Mike [Repole] and the rest of the owners, but she'll get a freshening after this win.”

Saturday, Aqueduct
DEMOISELLE S.-GII, $250,000, Aqueduct, 12-4, 2yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:55.07, ft.
1–NEST, 118, f, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($350,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners & Michael House; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck
Stables (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz Jr. $137,500.
Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $205,000. *Full to Idol, GISW,
$416,964; and half to Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile), MSP. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
A+++ *Triple Plus*.
2–Venti Valentine, 120, f, 2, Firing Line–Glory Gold, by
Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-NY Final Furlong
Racing Stable & Parkland Thoroughbreds; B-Final Furlong
Racing Stable & Maspeth Stable (NY); T-Jorge R Abreu.
$50,000.
3–Magic Circle, 118, f, 2, Kantharos–Magic Humor, by Distorted
Humor. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN;
$110,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-J W Singer LLC; B-Manitou Farm
LLC (KY); T-Rudy R Rodriguez. $30,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 3HF. Odds: 1.75, 6.20, 5.40.
Also Ran: Nostalgic, Tap the Faith, Full Count Felicia, Miss Interpret, Golden Essence. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Nest becomes the 87th stakes winner (46th graded) for Hill 'n' Dale super sire Curlin. She is bred on the same cross as the aforementioned Malathaat, along with fellow two-turn GISWs Global Campaign and her full-brother Idol and this year's pricey GSW and 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain. Legendary A.P. Indy is up to 245 stakes winners (115 graded) as a broodmare sire. A.P. Indy's son Bernardini is the damsire of two of Curlin's 16 Grade I winners himself and he was out of a Quiet American mare, as is Nest's dam.

Repole co-campaigned Curlin's highest earner to date, in Pletcher-trained Eclipse champion Vino Rosso; and Eclipse and Pletcher teamed up on the career of MGISW filly Curalina (Curlin).

Nest's dam Marion Ravenwood was herself a stakes winner at the Big A and sold for $400,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale while in foal to Pioneerof the Nile. Idol, this year's GI Santa Anita H. winner, sold the following September as a yearling for $375,000 at Keeneland. The first foal bred by Ashview and Colts Neck became fellow useful two-turner Dr Jack, and agent Steve Young purchased Marion Ravenwood's current yearling colt by Violence for $275,000 this September. Marion Ravenwood, whose dam was GSW/MGISP, was bred to Curlin and Quality Road for 2022.

The post Curlin’s Nest Completes Double for Hot Connections in Demoiselle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Lady Rocket Runs Away With Go For Wand, Wins First Graded Stakes

Last-out winner of a division of the Pumpkin Pie Stakes at Belmont, Lady Rocket built on that performance with an overwhelming victory in the Grade 3 Go For Wand Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. Challenged early by Miss Marissa, the favorite put that competitor away and never looked back, finishing nine lengths ahead of Bella Vita at the wire.

In a field of six older fillies and mares, Lady Rocket entered the gate as the favorite and showed why with her run in the G3 stakes. Fastest at the break, Lady Rocket held a half-length lead early, as Miss Marissa pressed the pace on the backstretch. The favorite was able to maintain her lead into the far turn, Bella Vita making a run at the favorite entering the stretch.

Down the Aqueduct straight, Lady Rocket accelerated, pulling away from Bella Vita easily and striding out to a widening lead as the field approached the wire. Bella Vita was second, with Truth Hurts and last year's G3 Go For Wand winner Sharp Starr fourth.

The final time for the one-mile stakes was 1:36.52. Find this race's chart here.

Lady Rocket paid $4.40, $2.80, and $2.50. Bella Vita paid $3.90 and $3.30. Truth Hurts paid $4.30.

“She was very comfortable down the backstretch and Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] said he was full of horse the entire way around. We were kind of worried about the break and wanted to focus on her standing there. Her very first start at Saratoga, she stumbled. She has this tendency to want to break too fast. We make sure she stands right and gets a good start. They did a great job getting her out of the gate today. We were expecting a big performance but she exceeded our expectations with that one,” Dustin Dugas, assistant trainer for Brad Cox, said after the race.

“She was nice today. She's always tries hard. The mile was a question mark, but she handled it really well. I was waiting, biding my time. I just took it easy and tried to get her to relax up front and she relaxed. She waited for my call and that was the key. This was one of her best performances in her whole career,” jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. told the NYRA Press Office after the Go For Wand.

Bred in Kentucky by La Ciega LLC and Tale of the Cat Syndicate, Lady Rocket is out of the Eskendereya mare Allons Danser. She is owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and Ten Strike Racing and trained by Brad Cox. She was consigned by De Meric Sales and purchased by B S W Bloodstock for $420,000 at the April 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sale Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds In Training. With her win in the G3 Go For Wand, the 4-year-old filly has four wins in eight starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 11-6-3-1 and career earnings of $530,508.

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View From The Eighth Pole: Irad Ortiz Jr.’s Reckless Ride A Litmus Test For Stewards

Ten years from now, when Irad Ortiz Jr. is inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., his ride aboard Gran Casique in Friday's eighth race at Aqueduct will not make the highlight reel.

As the Equibase chartcaller put it, “Gran Casique angled in with reckless abandon at the five-eighths and bumped Ragtime Blues hard which caused that foe to lose his rider…”

The victim of Ortiz's reckless act, the aforementioned Ragtime Blues, was ridden by Omar Hernandez Moreno, a seven-pound apprentice jockey who began his career racing in New York in May against the country's deepest jockey colony and has recorded five wins from 106 career starts.

But it was Ortiz – despite his 3,047 wins from 15,575 career starts and three Eclipse Awards as outstanding jockey – who looked like a rookie rider in the 6 ½-furlong sprint. Ortiz put Hernandez Moreno and the other riders in danger with a completely unnecessary move to the rail in the opening furlongs of the race. Fortunately, Hernandez Moreno was not injured and outriders caught the riderless Ragtime Blues.

Stewards at New York Racing Association tracks appear to be either uninterested or incapable of controlling the actions of that circuit's jockey colony. There have been countless examples of “herding” that exceed strategic race riding and have gone unpunished. This is about New York, but the same can be said of stewards at other tracks around the country. Too much careless or reckless riding is being permitted.

The actions by Ortiz will be a litmus test for the stewards.

In 1942, future Hall of Famer Eddie Arcaro was aboard a horse named Occupation in the Cowdin Stakes at Aqueduct and engaged in a confrontation with fellow rider Vincent Nodarse aboard Breezing Home. Arcaro felt Nodarse had cut him off at the start and spent the rest of the race trying to retaliate. After a series of bumps, Arcaro knocked Nodarse off his horse, a move that landed him in a meeting with the stewards.

When confronted by them about what he had been trying to do, an unfiltered Arcaro responded, “I was trying to kill the S.O.B.” He was given an indefinite suspension.

The time away from the racetrack was a struggle for Arcaro, who worked as an exercise rider in Aiken, S.C., galloping horses for Mrs. Payne Whitney's Greentree Stable to make ends meet for his growing family. After Arcaro was away from the track for nearly a year, Whitney wrote a letter to William Woodward Sr., chairman of The Jockey Club that ran the New York tracks at the time. Whitney pleaded with Woodward to let Arcaro ride again.

“He let me and it changed my whole life,” Arcaro would later tell Sports Illustrated's William Leggett. “It made me obey the rules, and it made me realize what being nice to people means.”

I'm not suggesting Ortiz made a purposeful move to cut off Ragtime Blues and eject Hernandez Moreno from the saddle. I am saying that it's time for the stewards to try and curtail such reckless riding in the future by giving Ortiz a suspension that is immediate and lengthy enough to give him time to think about how his actions can endanger his fellow riders and the horses they are aboard.

Because of designated race rules and the appeals process, jockey suspensions, in New York and elsewhere, have become a joke. There was nothing funny about this future Hall of Famer's ride at Aqueduct, one that could have had serious consequences. New York stewards must act accordingly.

That's my view from the eighth pole.

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