John Kimmel | Horse Racing Free Tips

The Reds Awarded Federico Tesio Stakes Via Disqualification

Having run second despite encountering trouble both early and late, Flanagan Racing's The Reds was promoted to victory following the disqualification of first-place finisher Excellorator in Saturday's $125,000 Federico Tesio at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The 40^th running of the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio headlined an 11-race Spring Stakes Spectacular program featuring six stakes worth $650,000 in purses. For the sixth straight year, the Tesio offered Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds and automatic berth in the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico.

Saturday marked the return of the Tesio to Pimlico, where it debuted in 1981 and stayed every year but two through 2015. Named for the noted Italian breeder, owner and trainer whose homebreds Nearco and Ribot dominate Thoroughbred bloodlines around the world, the Tesio was held at Laurel Park in 1987 and 1989 and each year since 2016.

Sent off the 9-5 favorite in a field of eight that included stakes winners Shackled Love, Hello Hot Rod and his former stablemate Maythehorsebwithu, The Reds ($5.80) gave both local jockey Victor Carrasco and New York-based trainer John Kimmel their first Tesio victory.

“I thought he showed tremendous courage, really,” Kimmel said by phone. “He got squeezed at the start so he ended up losing his spot. He should have been much closer. Then he had a terrible trip getting to where he was when the horse came out on him, which was a call I thought was deserved. We were just very fortunate.”

Shackled Love, who edged Maythehorsebwithu in the March 13 Private Terms at Laurel, broke side-by-side from the two outermost posts and both were intent on the lead, going the first quarter-mile in 24.13 seconds and a half in 48.12 with Excellorator and jockey Angel Cruz tracking in third. Six furlongs went in 1:11.50 with the top two still in front, though Excellorator was closing the gap.

Neither leader was able to maintain their momentum and began to drop back as they came into the stretch, leaving Excellorator to inherit the lead. Meanwhile The Reds, shuffled back between Royal Number and Hello Hot Rod early and steadied on the far turn, got straightened out and was coming with a run when Excellorator drifted out under Cruz's left-handed urging. The Reds was forced to alter his path and had Royal Number closing on his outside.

Once on a straight path, Excellorator dug in and held off The Reds by a head after completing the distance in 1:49.98 over a fast main track. Following a lengthy stewards' inquiry and objections from both Carrasco on Cruz and Royal Number jockey Julian Pimentel on Carrasco, Excellorator was taken down and placed second behind The Reds.

“Not too disappointed really, because the horse ran a wonderful race,” Excellorator's trainer, Hugh McMahon, said. “We did our part. There's just so much we can do, but there's so many external variables that influence these kinds of outcomes.”

The remaining order of finish was unchanged. Royal Number was third, followed by Hello Hot Rod, Maythehorsebwithu, Shackled Love, Zertz and Tiz Mandate.

“He broke good. You could see going into the turn, I'm trying to get him to relax. We had a great outside post and I wanted no part of dueling for the first three-quarters,” jockey Sheldon Russell, aboard Maythehorsebwithu, said. “I'm making every effort to sort of break his stride and get him to relax. We do a lot of work trying to teach them to relax in the afternoon, but we probably had him a little too fresh today. He just ran his race early on. We'll regroup and see how he comes out.”

By Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tonalist, The Reds broke his maiden in his fifth career start and second this year, a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight Jan. 31 at Aqueduct. Last time out, he ran fifth in the one-mile Gotham (G3) March 6, also at the Big A.

The Reds is not Triple Crown-nominated, but can be supplemented to the 1 3/16-mile Preakness at the time of entry, May 10.

“This horse is really suited to run further. He's got that kind of temperament. He settles really well,” Kimmel said. “I'm not sure if we'll come back in three weeks but we'll see how the Derby and the participants in the Preakness shakes out and we'll go from there.”

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Veteran New York-Bred Mr. Buff Seeking Graded Status In Excelsior

Coming off a pair of stakes wins on the local strip, the venerable New York-bred Mr. Buff will look to finally break through in a graded stakes race on Saturday on Aqueduct Racetrack's main track when he lines up against six rivals in the nine-furlong Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior for 4-year-olds and up.

Off as Race 8 on the 11-race card, the Excelsior is part of an action-packed day at the Big A that features the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, the final local prep for the Kentucky Derby offering 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top-four finishers, as well as the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap, the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore and the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle, offering 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the Kentucky Oaks.

Mr. Buff, who has already secured millionaire status, still stands out as a leading attraction. The Chester and Mary Broman homebred has 17 wins to his credit, 11 of them in stakes races, but has been unable to seal the deal in a graded race in five attempts.

Despite his graded woes, the 7-year-old son of Friend Or Foe has compiled an imposing resume. His ledger at Aqueduct features 10 wins and earnings in excess of $600,000.

After a distant fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap to begin the Big A winter meet on December 5, Mr. Buff rebounded with an encouraging runner-up performance in the Alex M. Robb for New York-breds just seven days later and has since rattled off wins in the Stymie and Jazil, the latter of which he accomplished by seven lengths at the Excelsior distance.

With his affinity for Aqueduct well established, his trainer John Kimmel hopes at long last the Excelsior will mark his first graded triumph.

“He's doing terrific,” Kimmel said of the chestnut gelding. “He's been acting great, breezing great, and he certainly has a good record at Aqueduct. He's been so consistent on this track that I have to think he's going to give another good performance. He's beaten a lot of graded winners, so we'll see what happens.”

Kendrick Carmouche, who was aboard for his runaway score in the Jazil when he came from just off the pace, will have the call from the outermost post.

“If he's ridden the right way I think he's going to win,” said Kimmel. “Kendrick understands the kind of horse he is; he knows he doesn't need to be committed to the lead. He can find his rhythm with that big stride of his and high cruising speed and hopefully he can make a comfortable lead, but if not Kendrick knows to be patient.”

An eclectic group of challengers will enter the starting gate to face Mr. Buff, with small barns being well represented in the Excelsior.

Limonite has been a revelation since being claimed by trainer Amira Chichakly three starts ago for $40,000. While Limonite began his career as a highly promising 2-year-old and a potential Kentucky Derby prospect in 2019, his development had plateaued by 2020 as he bounced around the claiming ranks in the latter half of the year.

His fortunes changed suddenly when haltered by Chichakly and owners Brian and Kerry Novak on January 30 at the Big A, and in his first start for his new connections, which came little more than a week later, Limonite exploded to a five-length win over optional claiming company.

Last out he proved that performance was no fluke with a game runner-up finish in the Stymie behind Mr. Buff, missing by just a half-length to that one in the end.

Fresh off his first NYRA jockey title at the Aqueduct winter meet, Eric Cancel will be aboard Limonite from post 4.

Backsideofthemoon, another popular older claimer, will rejoin the stakes ranks in the Excelsior after being taken back by trainer Robert Klesaris in his last start for $62,500. Like Mr. Buff, Backsideofthemoon has a history of running his best races at Aqueduct, and the 9-year-old even ran a career best race here on December 19 in the Queens County, which he won by six lengths with a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

He will break from post 3 with jockey Trevor McCarthy in the irons.

Representing the bigger stables will be trainer Todd Pletcher, who looks to saddle a horse-for-course with Haikal. Formerly under the care of now-retired trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, the Shadwell homebred made a name for himself over this track in early 2019, when he won the Grade 3 Gotham and looked like a legitimate Derby prospect before being forced to hit the sidelines following a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial that same year.

Haikal nearly returned a winner at the Big A to begin his 2020 campaign, but three subsequent tries, all at Gulfstream Park, have produced underwhelming results.

“He didn't seem to like Gulfstream at all,” said Pletcher, who took over Haikal's training duties when McLaughlin retired early last year. “His form is good at Aqueduct. Hopefully by getting him back to Aqueduct, we'll get him back on course.”

Haikal will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from the inside post.

Rounding out the field are Modernist [post 5, Junior Alvarado], a former graded winner for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott who finished second in his 2021 bow in the Grade 3 Challenger; the Tom Albertrani-trained Tintoretto [post 6, Jose Ortiz] looking to improve off a fourth in the Stymie; and Grumps Little Tots [post 2, Manny Franco], who steps up in class for conditioner Rob Atras following a nose win in a $50,000 claimer traveling nine furlongs on February 26 at Aqueduct.

First post on Saturday's 11-race program is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Pacific Gale’s Hurricane Bertie One Of Five Winners On Day For Alvarado

Holly Hill Stable's Pacific Gale rolled to her second straight graded-stakes victory at Gulfstream Park Saturday, scoring a dominating victory in the $100,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) and providing jockey Junior Alvarado with his fourth of five victories and first of two stakes successes on a 12-race card.

The 22^nd running of the Hurricane Bertie, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, was supported on Saturday's 12-race card by the $75,000 Texas Glitter, a five-furlong turf dash for older horses, and the $75,000 Melody of Colors, a five-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares.

Alvarado, who came back to ride Warrior's Pride to victory in the Texas Glitter two races later on the card, has ridden 48 winners while riding full time during the Championship Meet for the first time in 12 years. The 36-year-old native of Venezuela had been highly successful while riding at Aqueduct during the winter months in past years.

“The support I've been receiving from the owners and trainers has been beyond what I was expecting,” said Alvarado, who rode his first winner in the U.S. at Gulfstream in 2007. “It's been a really amazing experience and I can't wait to come back again next winter.”

The John Kimmel-trained Pacific Gale ($3.80), who had gone winless in 17 straight starts before impressively capturing the Jan. 23 Inside Information at Gulfstream under John Velazquez, came right back to score a 3 ½-length triumph in the Hurricane Bertie under a ground-saving ride by Alvarado.

“I rode her a couple times at Saratoga and Belmont. We always thought she was great but for some reason we never got the best of her,” Alvarado said. “She's stepping up right now. She's at another level right now.”

The 6-year-old daughter of Flat Out advanced along the rail to race behind pacesetter Cory Gal and to the inside of stalkers Sonar and Sound Machine. Sound Machine made a three-wide sweep on the turn to get the jump on the favorite and take the lead at the top of the stretch. Alvarado was able to ease Pacific Gale off the trail entering the stretch and the Kentucky-bred mare kicked in to rush past Sound Machine and draw off to win comfortably.

“I just had to make sure I stayed off the heels of everybody and make sure to give her a clear run from there,” Alvarado said. “She was there for me all the way around.”

Pacific Gale ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.93. Sound Machine held second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Saguaro Row.

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Sound Machine Should ‘Be Able To Sustain A Longer Run’ In Saturday’s Hurricane Bertie

If e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Sound Machine can notch her first graded-stakes success in Saturday's $100,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream Park, it will be music to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.'s ears.

The Hurricane Bertie, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, headlines a 12-race program that will also include the $75,000 Melody of Colors and the $75,000 Texas Glitter.

Sound Machine has had her moments during her 11-race career, but the multiple graded stakes-placed 4-year-old filly has also hit a few sour notes, including an off-the-board performance behind Pacific Gale in the Jan. 23 Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream.

The daughter of Into Mischief tuned up for another encounter with the John Kimmel-trained Pacific Gale Sunday with a sharp half-mile workout in 47.05 seconds while working in company with Collaborate, a brilliant maiden winner who is being pointed to the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa.

“She had a good work with Collaborate the other day. Going into this race we think we have a chance,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Obviously, John Kimmel's horse will be the favorite. We're hoping to get her to run a big race. We'd like to get a graded-stakes win out of her. This looks like a good opportunity to get it done.”

Sound Machine is winless in seven starts since capturing the 6 ½-furlong Glitter Woman by 6 ½ lengths in January 2020, but she produced a graded-stakes finish in the Miss Preakness (G3) at Pimlico, where she rallied to third, beaten 1 ½ lengths, after getting bumped at the start. The Florida-bred filly followed up her disappointing effort in the Inside Information with a third-place finish in an optional claiming allowance.

“She's going to have to run the best race of her life, but we feel she can improve,” Joseph said. “She always seems to have a short run in her, and you have to time it well. We did a minor throat procedure after her last start. We hope that helps. If it does help her, I think she'll be able to sustain a longer run.”

Tyler Gaffalione has the return call on the $500,000 yearling purchase.

Tobey Morton's Pacific Gale had gone winless in 17 starts before breaking through with a two-length victory in the Inside Information. During the dry spell, the daughter of Flat Out, was stakes-placed eight times and graded stakes-placed on five occasions, including a second-place finish in the 2019 Hurricane Bertie.

In the Inside Information, the 6-year-old veteran stakes performer made a three-wide rally into the stretch and drew off to score by 2 ¾ lengths.

Junior Alvarado has the mount aboard Pacific Gale.

Saguaro Row, also a 6-year-old veteran stakes mare, is scheduled to make her first start for Greenville Stable and trainer Kent Sweezey in the Hurricane Bertie. The daughter of Union Rags is coming off a third-place finish in the Jan 20 Interborough at Aqueduct.

Paco Lopez has the call.

Magic Cap Stables' Slam Dunk, a Shug McGaughey-trained optional claiming allowance winner at Gulfstream last time out; Lowwood Farm LLC and trainer Fernando Abreu's Royal Meghan, a winner of back-to-back optional claiming allowances; Arindel's Sonar, who defeated Sound Machine in her most recent start; Paradise Farm Corp.'s Cory Gal, who finished second behind Sonar in her last start; and trainer Patrick Biancone and D P Racing LLC's Reluctant Bride, a two-time winner last year who is scheduled to make her 2021 debut; round out the field.

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