joel rosario | Horse Racing Free Tips

War Like Goddess Defends Glens Falls Title; May Try Males in Sword Dancer

War Like Goddess, the $30,000 OBS June buy turned star turf marathoner, defended her title in Saratoga's GII Glens Falls S. with characteristic ease Saturday at the Spa, requiring little urging from Joel Rosario to pick up her eighth victory in 10 starts and sixth graded score in her last seven outings.

Opening her career with a pair of triumphs going long on the Churchill turf in the fall of 2020, the Bill Mott trainee ran fifth making her stakes bow in the GIII The Very One S. last February at Gulfstream before reeling off four consecutive graded successes, including dazzling wins in the Glens Falls and GI Flower Bowl S. here last summer. She removed any remaining doubt as to her quality when finishing a hard-fought, narrow third to champion Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and captured her second straight renewal of Keeneland's GIII Bewitch S. Apr. 29 in her only start of 2022 before Saturday.

Made the favorite for the sixth consecutive race, this time as a 2-5 chance, War Like Goddess found a cozy midpack spot as longshot Key Biscayne (Brethren) was afforded an easy lead and dictated terms through fractions of :25.26, :51.53 and 1:17.51. There was still no sense of urgency or change in the plot as the mile split went up in a dawdling 1:42.33, and trailer Flanigan's Cove (Kitten's Joy) was the first to push her chips in with a wide move into contention around five-sixteenths out. The heat then picked up nearing the lane as Petricor (GB) (Frankel {GB}), War Like Goddess and Flanigan's Cove stacked four deep along with the pacesetter, but Rosario sat typically chilly on the chalk until the furlong pole. Finally cutting her loose as Temple City Terror dove to the inside to challenge, Rosario mildly pushed out War Like Goddess, who asserted herself in deep stretch to edge away from Temple City Terror and clear second choice Virgina Joy, who grabbed third.

“They were sitting on a bunch of them early, but I guess late she had a little more kick than the rest of them,” said Mott. “You always worry about if they're going fast enough up front to give her a enough pace and you don't want them to have to wrestle with her to keep her back off the pace. Joel did a good job. He has good hands and the filly responded to him and when he asked her to go on, she was there for him.”

“She's a nice horse and easy to ride,” added Rosario. “The pace was slow, but the whole time I had confidence in her and when I turned her loose and wanted to go she went. She was running really nice for me and I just had to stay with her like that. She felt the confidence at that point and I just went with that. She's just amazing. Even before I rode her, when Julien [Leparoux] used to, I remember she just always had that kick at the end. I'm very happy with the ride.”

Mott revealed that a first try against males in the Aug. 27 GI Sword Dancer S. could be in the cards next for War Like Goddess due to the downgrading of the Sept. 3 Flower Bowl to a Grade II for this year.

“We missed the New York Handicap, we got forced into missing that because of some training issues. Now we'll look at the Flower Bowl, most likely, or maybe even the Sword Dancer,” the Hall of Famer said. “We'll see. [The Sword Dancer] is a mile and a half and it's a Grade I. She's a Grade I winner already, but unfortunately the Flower Bowl has been a Grade I since I've been in New York and they downgraded it, which is a very big disappointment. There have been some real top fillies run in the race.”

Pedigree Notes:

The first back-to-back winner in the 27-year history of the Glens Falls, War Like Goddess is one of 12 Grade I/Group 1 winners for champion turf sire English Channel, who died from a sudden illness at the age of 19 last fall. She is the first foal out of dam Misty North (North Light {Ire}), who sold for just $1,000 to Charles Yochum at Keeneland November in 2019 prior to any of War Like Goddess's exploits. Responsible for an unraced 3-year-old Red Rocks (Ire) filly named Thecradlewillrock and a juvenile colt by Bal a Bali (Brz) named North of Bali, Misty North was not reported bred in 2020 or 2021 before visiting Curlin this season. Third dam Romanette was a SW/MGSP and produced thrice Group 1-placed Blush Rambler (Blushing Groom {Fr}).

Saturday, Saratoga
GLENS FALLS S.-GII, $250,000, Saratoga, 8-6, 4yo/up, f/m,
1 1/2mT, 2:29.33, fm.
1–WAR LIKE GODDESS, 122, m, 5, by English Channel
1st Dam: Misty North, by North Light (Ire)
2nd Dam: Misty Gallop, by Victory Gallop
3rd Dam: Romanette, by Alleged
($1,200 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $1,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $30,000 2yo '19 OBSOPN). O-George Krikorian; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Joel Rosario. $137,500. Lifetime Record: GISW, 10-8-0-1, $1,217,184. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Temple City Terror, 120, m, 6, Temple City–It Takes Two, by More Than Ready. ($22,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Pocket Aces Racing LLC; B-Upson Downs Farm (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $50,000.
3–Virginia Joy (Ger), 124, m, 5, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Virginia Sun (Ger), by Doyen (Ire). (€975,000 3yo '20 ARARC). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Gestut Auenquelle (Ger); T-Chad C. Brown. $30,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.40, 14.70, 3.30.
Also Ran: Flanigan's Cove, Key Biscayne, Treasure Tails, Petricor (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post War Like Goddess Defends Glens Falls Title; May Try Males in Sword Dancer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Epicenter Erupts Late in Jim Dandy

Epicenter (Not This Time), a too-good-to-be-second as the favorite in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S., stamped himself as the horse to beat in the 'Mid-Summer Derby' with a powerful, last-to-first victory in Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga.

Zandon (Upstart), making his first start since a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, was 1 1/2 lengths back in second after racing prominently. Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile), a last out winner of the GIII Ohio Derby, was another half-length back in third. The GI Preakness S. winner Early Voting (Gun Runner) tired to finish a disappointing fourth after setting the pace.

“It's extremely rewarding off two tough races to bring him back in the winner's circle where we think he belongs,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “[In] a four-horse field, it's always a lot of mobility. I was very happy with the solid, steady pace–I think that :48 and one, :12 for every eighth of a mile is what we're targeting.”

Epicenter established himself as the favorite on the first Saturday in May following impressive victories in both the GII Risen Star S. and GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. He will have another chance at his first Grade I victory in the GI Runhappy Travers S. at the Spa Aug. 27.

“What I loved about it is the fact that [there is] another eighth in the Travers,” Asmussen said. “It was his first race ever over Saratoga and we know what's on the menu next. We want to be as ready as we possibly can for it.”

Drawn on the rail following a late scratch in the four-horse field, the even-money favorite surprisingly trailed the quartet as Early Voting led them into the clubhouse turn with his stablemate Zandon tracking from second. Still in fourth with positions unchanged through fractions of :24.22 and :48.28, Epicenter, a $260,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, began to make his move as Early Voting was ridden as they hit the quarter pole. Well out in the clear at the top of the stretch, the Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC colorbearer launched down the center in eye-catching fashion to power past his three formidable rivals in style.

“He was very comfortable and with the scratch of the one horse [Western River], that put him in the one hole and he [Joel Rosario] made a decision early not to try to be squeezed up in there,” Asmussen said. “Once he eased him out of that spot, Epicenter was carrying Joel very comfortably the whole way down the backside. I was a little concerned how far back he was, but they threw up the middle fraction, they stayed at :12 [for the next eighth of a mile] and didn't back it up in his face. He had a shot from there. When he eased him out at the head of the lane, he was travelling really pretty.”

Pedigree Notes:

Taylor Made's Not This Time continues to cement his spot atop the third-crop sire list, getting yet another graded win with Epicenter's Jim Dandy. With just over 9% stakes winners to foals in his first two crops, he is more than holding his own among the top 10 leading sires in North America for the year as well. His 19 black-type winners–eight graded–also include GISWs Just One Time and Princess Noor. Both Epicenter and this spring's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner/GI Curlin Florida Derby third-place finisher Simplification are out of mares by Candy Ride (Arg), a still-active top Lane's End stallion who has 31 stakes winners out of his daughters.

Winner of Arlington Park's 2010 Hatoof S. as well as third in that track's GIII Pucker Up S., Silent Candy was a $130,000 Keeneland November purchase by Westwind Farms in 2014. Her 2-year-old Always Dreaming colt went through the OBS March ring after working in :10.1, then brought $140,000 from Carolyn Wilson as a private sale. Silent Candy has a yearling Tapiture filly and an Outwork filly foaled Mar. 14. before being bred back to Not This Time.

Saturday, Saratoga
JIM DANDY S.-GII, $558,000, Saratoga, 7-30, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.99, ft.
1–EPICENTER, 122, c, 3, by Not This Time
1st Dam: Silent Candy (SW & GSP, $182,208), by Candy Ride (Arg)
                2nd Dam: Silent Queen, by King of Kings (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Soundproof (Ire), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire)
($260,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC;
B-Westwind Farms (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario.
$330,000. Lifetime Record: MGISP, 9-5-3-0, $2,270,639. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Zandon, 124, c, 3, Upstart–Memories Prevail, by Creative
Cause. ($170,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Jeff Drown; B-Brereton C.
Jones (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $120,000.
3–Tawny Port, 120, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Livi Makenzie, by
Macho Uno. ($430,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peachtree Stable;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $72,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.10, 2.70, 8.70.
Also Ran: Early Voting. Scratched: Western River. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Kimari Returns to Winning Ways in Honorable Miss

'TDN Rising Star' Kimari (Munnings) earned her first graded win of the season Wednesday when rallying to victory in Saratoga's GII Honorable Miss H. The 3-1 third choice in a four-horse field, the bay broke a hair slow from the outside post, though not as slow as second choice Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief) in the one-hole. Kimari sat off the fence in third with Frank's Rockette off her inside flank as favored Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) and 8-1 outsider Amadevil (Dominus) knocked heads on the front end. Amadevil cruised clear of the chalk, clocking a first quarter in :22.72. Frank's Rockette got into gear, charging up the fence to take control from her longshot foe with Bella Sofia and Kimari ranging up together on the outside as they entered the far turn. Frank's Rockette took command at the top of the stretch with Bella Sofia navigating her way to the fence for an inside attempt and Kimari still coming on the outside. Bella Sofia never turned on the after burners and posed the briefest of threats before backing up. Meanwhile, Kimari was just finding her best stride in the final sixteenth, forging clear of a determined Frank's Rockette to win by a half-length. Amadevil and was eased, vanned off and reported to have bled.

“I thought the race set up for today, especially drawing the outside,” trainer Wesley Ward said. “It gave Joel [Rosario] a nice easy run down the backside with no opposition as far as maneuvering to try to get there. He was already there when they opened the gates. That was a key. It just worked out great, and it's always great to stand in the winner's circle for a graded race at Saratoga. There's nothing like it.”

As for what's next, the conditioner said, “Our ultimate goal would be the [GI] Breeders' Cup [Filly and Mare Sprint in November at Keeneland] because it's my home track and her home track. So we'll work backwards from there and get together with Coolmore and give them a few options.”

“She ran good,” Rosario said. “She's a nice horse and always tries hard. I'm glad we got the win today. It looked like there was going to be so much speed and she [Kimari] can be up closer, but we kind of were in a good spot and she did great and responded to everything I asked her to do. I thought for a second the leader might get away, but she kept fighting and got the job done.”

Kimari captured the GI Madison S. at Keeneland last April and was subsequently sent to the sidelines. Resurfacing in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar seven months later, she checked in seventh behind stablemate Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) and went through the ring at Fasig-Tipton's November Sale two days later, summoning $2.7 million from Coolmore's M. V. Magnier. Returned to Ward's care, Kimari made her seasonal bow in a main track event at Gulfstream Mar. 3, romping by 5 1/4 lengths. The bay was third when attempting to defend her title in this year's Madison Apr. 9 and was fifth last time in the GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs May 7.

Wednesday, Saratoga
HONORABLE MISS H.-GII, $186,000, Saratoga, 7-27, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.78, ft.
1–KIMARI, 123, m, 5, by Munnings
1st Dam: Cozze Up Lady (GSW, $407,169), by Cozzene
2nd Dam: The White Lady, by Johannesburg
3rd Dam: Maha Al Iman, by Pulpit
($152,000 Ylg '18 FTKJUL; $2,700,000 4yo '21 FTKNOV).
'TDN Rising Star' O-Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier,
Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith & Michael B. Tabor; B-China
Horse Club International Limited (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Joel
Rosario. $110,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-US & G1SP-Eng,
15-8-2-2, $981,327. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Frank's Rockette, 121, m, 5, Into Mischief–Rocket
Twentyone, by Indian Charlie. 'TDN Rising Star' O-Frank
Fletcher Racing Operations, Inc.; B-Frank Fletcher (KY);
T-William I. Mott. $40,000.
3–Bella Sofia, 125, f, 4, Awesome Patriot–Love Contract, by
Consolidator. ($20,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN). O-Michael Imperio,
Medallion Racing, Sofia Soares, Vincent S. Scuderi & Parkland
Thoroughbreds; B-Two Tone Farms (KY); T-Rudy R. Rodriguez.
$24,000.
Margins: HF, 5 3/4, 40HF. Odds: 3.05, 2.90, 0.70.
Also Ran: Amadevil. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Kimari Returns to Winning Ways in Honorable Miss appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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War Like Goddess Goes Back-To-Back in Bewitch

Those who swallowed the 1-5 on the comebacking War Like Goddess (English Channel) in Friday's closing-day GIII Bewtich S. at Keeneland were made to sweat it out, but the gaps finally came with time ticking away and the George Krikorian colorbearer proved best following a trip that can best be described as adventurous.

With Joel Rosario somewhat controversially taking over at the controls from Julien Leparoux aboard the 2021 Eclipse Award finalist, War Like Goddess settled in third position in a scratched-down field of just five turf marathoners, but the pace more resembled that of a Standardbred race, causing War Like Goddess to race extremely keenly, tugging for her head while behind the walking tempo passing the grandstand for the first time.

Continuing inside and still traveling freely past halfway in a near-farcical 1:19.88, War Like Goddess settled slightly better for the run into the final turn, but nevertheless was shuffled back and locked away in desperate need of daylight as they turned for home. It looked for a stride or two like she might not get out in time, but she muscled her way through with about a furlong to race and was home first.

“I was concerned about how much pace there would or would not be in the race, and there wasn't any,” said winning trainer Bill Mott. “Actually, I'm not so sure I've been in a race on firm turf that was any slower than this, so it was quite a challenge for [jockey Joel Rosario] to keep her in behind those horses and wait until they turned for home. I think Joel did well with the way it didn't set up for us, and the filly was good enough to win.”

Winning is something War Like Goddess has become accustomed to, as she was batting .750 entering Friday's title defense. Winner of the GIII Orchid S. prior to annexing this event last season, she added soft wins in the GII Glens Falls S. and GI Flower Bowl Invitational S. at Saratoga last summer and was the 23-10 pick in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Allowed to settle for the opening mile, she went for a wide, if a touch premature run, about three furlongs from home and could not quite hold on late, finishing third to Japan's Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who secured the Eclipse in the process.

Pedigree Notes:

Calumet Farm acquired Misty North for $30,000 in foal to Cape Blanco (Ire) at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale and it took just $1,200 for them to part with War Like Goddess at the 2017 November Sale. Bought back for the upset price of $1,000 at Keeneland September the following fall, she showed enough to fetch $30,000 at OBS June in 2019. Calumet sold Misty North for $1,000 at KEENOV in 2019 and the mare produced a colt from the second crop of Bal a Bali (Brz) in 2020, her last listed produce.

Friday, Keeneland
BEWITCH S.-GIII, $298,500, Keeneland, 4-29, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/2mT, 2:31.26, fm.
1–WAR LIKE GODDESS, 118, m, 5, by English Channel
                1st Dam: Misty North, by North Light (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Misty Gallop, by Victory Gallop
                3rd Dam: Romanette, by Alleged
($1,200 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $1,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $30,000
2yo '19 OBSOPN). O-George Krikorian; B-Calumet Farm (KY);
T-William I. Mott; J-Joel Rosario. $186,000. Lifetime Record:
GISW, 9-7-0-1, $1,079,684. Werk Nick Rating: F.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Family Way, 120, m, 5, Uncle Mo–Susie's Baby, by Giant's
Causeway. ($775,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; €150,000 3yo '20
ARQDEC). O-Hunter Valley Farm, Debra L O'Connor, and Marc
Detampel; B-Diamond Creek Farm (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.
$60,000.
3–Core Values, 118, f, 4, Honor Code–Sweet Awakening, by
Street Cry (Ire). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($230,000 Ylg '19
KEESEP). O-BBN Racing, LLC; B-John Bates, Ron Kirk & Michael
Riordan (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver. $30,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.20, 3.50, 24.70.
Also Ran: Breeze Rider, La Lune (GB). Scratched: Luck Money, Stand Tall.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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