John Velazquez | Horse Racing Free Tips

Friday’s Racing Insights: Laoban Full-Sister Debuts At Keeneland

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

1st-KEE, $80K, MSW, 2yo, 4 1/2f, 1:00 p.m.

The opening day of the 2022 Keeneland Spring Meet features the first 2-year-old races of the year and the first opportunity for freshman sires to get their second careers off to a winning start. Success as a new stallion is of no concern for Uncle Mo, the sire of first-time starter DOMINICANA. A daughter of the SP Speightstown mare Chattertown, Dominicana is a full-sister to GSW and late sire Laoban. Purchased for $300,000 from the 2021 Keeneland September Sale for owners Don Alberto Stable and RT Racing Stable, the bay filly has worked three furlongs at Keeneland three times since Mar. 1 for superb 2-year-old trainer Wesley Ward, most recently going in :37 1/5 (14/28) Apr. 2. Jockey John Velazquez gets the ride as Dominicana takes on the boys in her career debut.

Freshman stallion Mo Town (Uncle Mo) will be well represented with two first-time starters here. Drawing the rail is MO'S TREASURE, a son of SP Beautiful Treasure (Unbridled). He is a half-brother to MGSP Flying Private (Fusaichi Pegasus) as well as six other winners from eight to race. He's had two four-furlongs works from the gate on this track for trainer John Hancock, going in :48 flat (10/65) Mar. 26 and :48 4/5 (18/72) Apr. 2.

Also representing Mo Town is BAYTOWN GET IT ON for trainer Paul McEntee. The chestnut comes in for his debut off of two bullet works including a four-furlong effort from the gate Mar. 24 in :47 flat, the fastest of 29 at the distance. TJCIS PPs

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Fourth Annual Live Telethon to Benefit PDJF to Be Held Apr. 10

TVG, the New York Racing Association, Keeneland and Santa Anita will team with Hall of Fame jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild and other prominent racing personalities to raise money for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) Sunday, Apr. 10 for the fourth annual telethon to raise money for the PDJF. The event will be broadcast on both TVG and America's Day at the Races on FS2 in collaboration with NYRA and FOX Sports.

After missing 2020 due to the pandemic, the popular event returned in 2021 and raised $339,672. Once again, the horse racing industry will unite in support of jockeys who have suffered serious on-track injuries. Fan favorite jockeys of today and years past will be on hand live at call centers at Santa Anita and Keeneland from 12-6 p.m. ET as their schedule permits. Throughout the day, TVG and America's Day At The Races will be connecting with personalities and horsemen who have been involved with the PDJF's work.

“We sincerely appreciate the continued support of TVG, NYRA, 1/ST Racing and Keeneland in helping to raise critical funds for the PDJF and also raise awareness of its mission,” said Jockeys' Guild President and CEO Terry Meyocks. “With no guaranteed funding from the industry, this event is the major fundraiser for the organization which provides monthly monetary assistance to approximately 60 riders who have sustained catastrophic on-track injuries. Active and retired riders will be answering the phones to take donations while giving racing fans across the country the unique opportunity to speak and interact with their favorite jockeys.”

Jockeys participating in the event include retired stars Alex Solis, Chris McCarron, Don Brumfield, Ramon Dominguez, Laffit Pincay, Sandy Hawley, Mike Manganello, Shane Sellers, Donna Brothers and Steve Cauthen. They will be joined by Mike Smith, John Velazquez, Julian Leparoux, Corey Lanerie, Joe Bravo and Tyler Gaffalione alongside other prominent jockeys riding at Keeneland and Santa Anita that day.

“On behalf of the PDJF and our recipients, we are very appreciative for TVG providing this platform and hosting this annual telethon,” said Nancy LaSala, PDJF President. “The combined donations from the three telethons hosted in 2018, 2019 and 2021 has raised over three quarters of a million dollars for the PDJF. We were grateful to have the opportunity to host the telethon in October 2021 after close to a 30-month gap due to the pandemic and we are excited to be returning to the originally scheduled month of April to have this event.”

Callers who donate via the telethon will be entered in a drawing to win a pair of reserved tickets for Friday and Saturday at the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland, donated by the Breeders' Cup and valued at $1,200 each. In addition to the Breeders' Cup tickets, there will be several other items available to win in a sweepstakes which will take place each hour of the telethon.

Since its foundation in 2006, PDJF has disbursed over $11 million to support disabled jockeys; the organization is 100% reliant on charitable donations.

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Sunday’s Insights: Sale-Topping Nyquist Colt Makes Second Start at Santa Anita

6th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 6:38 p.m. ET

With a race under his belt, BLETCHLEY PARK (Nyquist) looks to move forward in his second career start Sunday for trainer Bob Baffert. The bay colt, purchased for a sale-topping $2.6 million from the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Sale (:9 4/5), was a close second behind Happy Jack (Oxbow), who has since gone on to place third in the GII San Felipe S. Bletchley Park is the first foal to race from the Smart Strike mare Spinning Wheel who, while not a particularly successful runner herself, is a half-sister to GISP Ride On Curlin (Curlin). His most recent work was a sharp five furlongs in :59 2/5, beating all but one out of 36 recorded works at the distance. He'll stretch out to the mile distance after his debut at six furlongs. Jockey John Velazquez retains the ride.

Also making his second career start is the newly gelded Q B One (Uncle Mo) for trainer Richard Mandella and owner Spendthrift Farm. The first foal out of champion and MGISW Beholder (Henny Hughes) returns off a seventh-place effort going 6 1/2 furlongs Dec. 26 after a bothered start behind two who have since gone on to win. TJCIS PPs

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Friday’s Insights: Into Mischief Filly Stretches out for Baffert

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

4th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1m, 5:02 p.m.

BROCADE (Into Mischief) stretches out for trainer Bob Baffert after back-to-back efforts at six furlongs. Piloted by John Velazquez, who is 15/28 for Baffert at the current meet, the daughter of leading sire Into Mischief sold for a $750,000 final bid at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Baffert is an expert at turning sprinters into routers and this pricey filly's pedigree should allow her every chance to hold her speed over the mile. TJCIS PPs

WELL-BRED TAPIT FILLY GOES AGAIN AT GULFSTREAM

9th-GP, $60K, Msw, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 5:08 p.m.

Whisper Hill Farm's WATCH IT (Tapit) gets a second try for trainer Todd Pletcher. The homebred filly is out of the Galileo mare Aloof (Ire), herself a Group 3 winner in Ireland and the dam of two other winners on the turf from three starters. Tapit has sired 13% turf winners, including this filly's full brother Tapaloof. Second dam Airwave (GB), winner of the G1 Betfair Cheveley Park S. and second in the G1 Golden Jubilee S., is also responsible for 2017 broodmare of the year Meow (Ire), who went on to produce MG1W and current Coolmore stallion Churchill (Galileo). Entered on the turf last time out, that race got moved to the tapeta surface and she gets the turf now. Luis Saez gets the ride again and will look to get a better trip this time around after a wide trip may have cost her last time out. TJCIS PPs

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