Jorge Abreu | Horse Racing Free Tips

Clement Saddles City Man, Therapist In Friday’s Ashley T. Cole At Belmont

Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle City Man and Therapist – the one-two finishers last out in the West Point presented by Trustco Bank – in Friday's $125,000 Ashley T. Cole at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Clement has won the nine-furlong inner turf test for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up on two occasions, with Lubash scoring in 2012 and 2014.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles, and Patty Searles' City Man, a 4-year-old graded-stakes placed son of Mucho Macho Man, posted a game nose victory in the 1 1/16-mile West Point over the inner turf as part of New York Showcase Day on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

City Man, bred by Moonstar Farm, made the lead at the stretch call under returning rider Joel Rosario and outdueled Therapist for the narrow win.

City Man, who sprinted to victory in the 2019 Funny Cide at 6 1/2-furlongs on the Saratoga main track, also secured stakes success in the 1 1/16-mile Gio Ponti in November on the turf at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Clement said the West Point will set the versatile City Man up for a return to dirt in the $300,000 Empire Classic, a nine-furlong test for state-breds on October 30.

“He's a good horse. I'm going to run him here and then get him ready for the Empire Classic back on dirt,” Clement said. “He's always trained like a good horse.”

Oak Bluff Stables' Therapist, a 6-year-old graded-stakes placed son of Freud, boasts a record of 26-9-3-6 with purse earnings of $707,865.

Clement said he's concerned about Therapist's ability to handle the distance and the prospect of inclement weather on Friday.

“There a question mark on the mile and an eighth, especially on soft turf. He's more suited for a mile and a sixteenth, he's that kind of horse,” said Clement, who co-bred Therapist with Oak Bluff Stable. “He is doing very well at the moment. I thought he ran very well last time out. I'm a little concerned about the weather, but there's not much I can do about that.”

The popular chestnut has thrived on the Belmont turf with five wins from 12 starts, including stakes scores in each of the last four years in the 2017 Awad, 2018 NYSSS Spectacular Bid, 2019 Elusive Quality, and last year's First Defence.

“He's been a fun horse to have in the barn the past few years,” Clement said. “He's a lovely horse and I'm lucky to train him.”

City Man will exit post 2 under Rosario, while Therapist will emerge from the inside post under Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Edward Messina and William Butler's Sanctuary City, a 4-year-old Temple City bay, rallied from last-of-7 to complete the trifecta in the West Point.

Trained by James Ferraro, Sanctuary City enjoyed a three-race win streak beginning with a half-length score in a state-bred turf allowance in November at Aqueduct and followed with a state-bred optional claiming score on the Big A turf in April sprinting six furlongs in his seasonal debut. He completed the set with a last-to-first rush to win an open one-mile optional-claiming event on the Belmont turf in May.

Sanctuary City entered the West Point from off-the-board finishes in the Grade 3 Poker [4th] in June at Belmont and the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple [8th] in July at the Spa.

Kendrick Carmouche has the call from the outermost post.

Rounding out the field are Graded On a Curve [post 3, Javier Castellano], who was fourth last out in the West Point for trainer Chad Brown; and maiden winner Lord Flintshire [post 4, Jose Ortiz] for conditioner Jorge Abreu.

Three Jokers and Tiergan are entered for the main-track only.

Slated as Race 3, the event pays tribute to the late Ashley T. Cole, who served as chairman of the New York State Racing Commission and played a critical role in the formation of the New York Racing Association.

Also featured in Race 8 on the nine-race card is the $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma at seven furlongs on the main track for state-bred juvenile fillies. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall 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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Second Chances: Cricket West

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

Nothing seemed to go Cricket West (f, 2, Majestic City–Special Charm {Ire}, by Dansili {GB})'s way in her unveiling sprinting versus fellow New York-breds over the Saratoga lawn Aug. 12 (video). And she still came within a neck of getting her picture taken that day.

The Bloom Racing Stable homebred, off at odds of 10-1 for trainer Jorge Abreu, was bumped from both sides at the start and raced in sixth through an opening quarter in :22.45. She began to rev up beneath Manny Franco on the far turn while taking the overland route, and hit the top of the stretch parked out at least five wide. The dark bay kept on rolling down the lane, and, despite losing some momentum when getting bumped nearing the eighth poll as a result of a messy chain reaction in the 10-horse field, continued to fly down the center to just miss. She earned a 60 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“It was like nothing ever went right and she still almost got there,” owner/breeder Jeffrey Bloom said.

“The filly hadn't been the type of horse that sort of sizzles and wows you in her workouts. But at the same time, she continued to progress substantially over the course of her final two-three workouts. I was like, 'Wow, this filly's got some talent.' We had high expectations for her. We expected to see a big run in her debut, but you just never know.”

Bloom raced MGSW & MGISP and young Irish Hill and Dutchess Views stallion Majestic City and acquired the winning mare Special Charm, a daughter of MGSW & GISP Olympic Charmer (Olympio), for $50,000 at the 2017 KEENOV sale. This is also the family of GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) and graded winners Charm The Giant (Ire) (Giant's Causeway) and Liam The Charmer (Smart Strike).

“She's got that fight and determination of her sire Majestic City, who, of course, we campaigned,” Bloom said. “To make it even that much more special is the fact that we have the stallion. I'm a big fan of Majestic City. He's made the most of what he has [from the mares he's covered]. To know that we still have the mare and to see Majestic City horses here on the New York circuit performing, it's very gratifying.”

As for what's next for Cricket West, Bloom concluded, “She came out of the race in really good shape. She's probably going to breeze this coming weekend. We'll look for that first opportunity at Belmont. We think she wants longer, so we were pretty excited to see her perform so well going that short. Ideally, we get her in the first available spot with a little bit of added distance back on the turf at Belmont.”

Previous standouts featured in 'Second Chances' include: GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner and Royal Ascot G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GIII Las Virgenes S. heroine Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner and MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), and MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

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Abreu Catches Fire Post-Quarantine at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY–While the July portion of the Saratoga season was frustrating, a bunch of mostly wasted racing days for trainer Jorge Abreu, August has been far more rewarding.

With the bulk of his stable stuck in a quarantine after one of his unraced 2-year-old fillies tested positive for equine herpesvirus, Abreu had one win and two seconds from eight starts between July 16 and July 31. Since the quarantine was lifted, Abreu, 47, has four wins and three seconds and from 13 starters.

“All the horses were ready to go,” Abreu said. “I was just waiting for some races.”

Three of those victories came Friday, Aug. 13. In the capper of a productive three days, his fourth trip to the winner's circle was Sunday when Lawrence Goichman's Star Devine (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) won the $120,000 Galway S. on the turf.

Abreu smiled and nodded at the suggestion that the Friday triple made his meet.

“Oh yeah,” he said. “A lot of people only want to win one race here, nevermind three in a day.”

Star Devine, ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez drew the outside post in the field of 10 in her return to sprinting after finishing third in a 1 1/16-mile allowance. She was never too far back early in the 5 1/2-furlong Galway and Velazquez moved her into a challenging position on the turn. Some seven wide in the stretch, closer to the outer rail than the inside, she prevailed by a head at 7-1.

“I thought she was going to come from a little bit off the pace, but she broke so sharply and Johnny just took advantage of it,” Abreu said. “I knew she was going to run well. She was just looking for a little cut back. She's better going short than going long.”

Star Devine is likely to run next in the 6 1/2-furlong $500,000 Music City Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs.

Abreu said the filly, whose illness led to the quarantine at Barn 86, stopping 26 of his 40 horses and all of Kenny McPeek's stable from running, has recovered and is on a farm in New York. She will eventually be sent to a farm in Florida.

“They were going to send her back,” he said. “And I said, 'I don't want her back until next year.'”

Price Talk (Kitten's Joy) started Abreu's big Friday–which yielded $106,700 in first-place money–with a victory by a neck in the second race, paying $5.80 as the favorite. In the fourth, Supply and Demand (Exaggerator) won by a nose and paid $13. Sue Ellen Mishkin (Mohaymen), a Gold Square LLC homebred, won the sixth by 7 1/4 lengths, paying $8.90.

Abreu said he was not surprised with Sue Ellen Mishkin's performance in the maiden special weight for New York-bred 2-year-olds.

“I liked that filly so much I was going to run her first time out in a stake,” he said. “I nominated her for a stake, but then we got in the quarantine and we couldn't run.”

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Star Devine Shines In Galway Stakes At Saratoga

Star Devine made a strong move from the outside and prevailed by a head in a blanket finish to capture Sunday's $120,000 Galway for 3-year-old fillies sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Lawrence Goichman's Star Devine notched her first stakes victory, edging Illegal Smile to win for the second time in four career starts.

After a brief delay when Dr B broke through the gate and was re-loaded, Star Devine was sent away from the outermost post under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, stalking the pace in fifth position as Wink led the 10-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in :22.13 over firm going.

Out of the turn, Star Devine was kept four-wide with Wink, Mischiefful, and Illegal Smile to her inside with the half in :45.20. After briefly running eye-to-eye with Mischiefful, Star Devine pulled away and then gained on the pacesetter under Velazquez's right-handed encouragement.

Bye Bye made a strong bid up the rail and Illegal Smile, under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., challenged to the wire, but Star Devine outkicked her rivals to complete the course in 1:02.37 for trainer Jorge Abreu.

“I had not much of a choice [but to go to the outside],” Velazquez said. “I tried to cover up behind Irad and he didn't go in there. Jorge said, 'I don't care where you are, I just don't want you on the lead.' We got a good post from the outside and I saved it for the end. That's the way it worked out.”

Star Devine was a debut winner in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., before running a competitive fourth in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly in May at Belmont Park. The Irish-bred ran third when stretched out to 1 1/16 miles on the Belmont turf on June 17 but was shortened up for the second running of the Galway while having Velazquez in the irons for the first time.

“I was a little concerned around the turn because I thought he was going to take her back and I thought, 'Don't do that', but then she kicked in again,” Abreu added. “He gave her a good ride.”

Off at 7-1, Star Devine paid $17 on a $2 win bet. The Fastnet Rock filly increased her career bankroll to $127,040 and will now target the 6 1/2-furlong $500,000 Music City on September 12 at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky.

“We're going to go to Kentucky Downs,” Abreu said. “I've had some good luck there and I like going there. We'll see how she comes out of it and that's where we'll aim.”

Illegal Smile, one of two entrants for trainer Wesley Ward along with Wink, bested Bye Bye by a head. It was the fourth time in eight starts [1-4-1] Illegal Smile has finished the runner-up.

“That was so close,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “It was a good race. My filly ran hard and gave me everything she had.”

Mischiefful, Tuscan Queen, Alwayz Late, Wink, Goin' Good, Li'l Tootsie, and Dr B completed the order of finish. What a Trick and main-track-only entrant Summer Brew scratched.

Live racing resumes Wednesday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring two stakes, starting with steeplechase action via the $150,000 Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard in the opener at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The $120,000 Bolton Landing for 2-year-old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf is carded as Race 9 at 5:39 p.m.

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