Keeneland | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hall Of Fame Assistant: Alex Solis Joins Team Wesley Ward

Alex Solis might have retired from riding in 2017, but he did not retire his helmet.

Inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2014, Solis is spending his time for now in Lexington and in the mornings can be found at Keeneland galloping horses for trainer Wesley Ward.

“My oldest son, Alex II, just took a job with Gainesway (as Director of Bloodstock) and my middle son, Andrew, lives here, so I am just following them and keeping up with the grandkids,” said Solis, 56. “I like to stay active and keep fit, and Wesley asked me to help out galloping horses.”

The helmet that Solis estimates he has had for 10-15 years has been back on active duty for the past couple of weeks.

“He galloped for me earlier in the year and then went back to California,” Ward said. “I told him if he wanted to help out like (veteran jockey) Julio (Garcia) that would be fine.”

And how is that new, yet experienced, hand working out?

“Unbelievable,” Ward said.

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Preakness Third Jesus’ Team Settling In At Keeneland Ahead Of Dirt Mile Bid

Grupo Seven C Stable's Jesus' Team, third in the Preakness (G1) in his most recent start, has set up shop at Keeneland to prepare for a run in the $1 million Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile (G1) on Nov. 7.

“He came in early to get to know the track and acclimate,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said via text from his base at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida, where he has 17 horses. “He is going to breeze on the 24th and 31st and I will arrive the 22nd.”

Jesus' Team, who was third in the Jim Dandy (G2) and fourth in the Haskell Invitational (G1) prior to his Preakness run, would represent the first Breeders' Cup starter for D'Angelo, a 30-year-old native of Venezuela who began training in 2012 in his native country.

D'Angelo made the move to the U.S. in 2019 and won his first race here with his third starter in June 2019.

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Saying ‘Grace’ In the Raven Run

A competitive group of 10 sophomore fillies line up in Saturday’s GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland. Among the expected favorites for the seven-furlong test is Whitham Thoroughbreds’ Four Graces (Majesticperfection). Trained by Ian Wilkes, the homebred has won four of five starts at the Raven Run distance, including Churchill’s GIII Dogwood S. in June followed by the GIII Beaumont S. over the local Beard Course July 10. Given some time off following that effort, she speed-loving filly weakened late to be second behind Sconsin (Include) in the Sept. 4 GII Eight Belles S. and most recently posted a bullet five-furlong move at Churchill in :59.20 at Oct. 8. Julien Leparoux, who has been in the saddle for all five on-the-board finishes, gets the call.

Also likely to join Four Graces on the front end early is Ciaglia Racing, Highland Yard, River Oak Farm and Dominic Savides’s Venetian Harbor (Munnings). A runaway winner of the GII Las Virgenes S. at Santa Anita in February, the Colts Neck Stables-bred filly finished behind Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the May 1 GIII Fantasy S. and played the bridesmaid again, this time behind Speech (Mr Speaker) in the July 11 GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland. In her most recent trip to the post, she found the talented Gamine (Into Mischief) seven lengths too tough in Saratoga’s GI Test S. Aug. 8.

“We are just trying to win a race; that’s the first thing,” said trainer Richard Baltas. “If she runs well and bounces out of the race OK, we will eye the [GI] Breeders’ Cup [Filly and Mare Sprint].”

Manny Franco has the mount on Venetian Harbor and will break from post position five.

Looking to regain some of her earlier form is Slam Dunk Racing, Doug Branham and Legacy Ranch’s Tonalist’s Shape (Tonalist), who began her career with five consecutive victories in one-turn races for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The chestnut took six of seven starts in South Florida from September through May, including this winter’s GIII Forward Gal S. followed by the GII Davona Dale S. Off the board in the Mar. 28 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, she bounced back to win the May 15 Hollywood Wildcat S. before finishing fourth in the nine-furlong GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga July 18. Most recently, Tonalist’s Shape was a troubled fifth in the GIII Charles Town Oaks Aug. 28.

“[The CT Oaks] was two turns and she did have trouble in that race,” Joseph said, referring to Tonalist’s Shape being checked approaching the sixteenth pole.”

He added, “There are no plans for her beyond this race. I am just curious to see how she would do back around one turn and hoping she will come back to her [good] form.”

Since the Charles Town Oaks, Tonalist’s Shape has worked twice at Gulfstream–a best-of-78 half-mile in :47.03 Sept. 27 and a best-of-seven 5/8ths in 1:00.62 Oct. 1.

“The two weeks between works was by design to keep her fresh,” Joseph explained.

The 3-year-old has been entered as a racing or broodmare prospect in Keeneland’s upcoming November Breeding Stock Sale and is catalogued as hip 155 in Book 1.

The post Saying ‘Grace’ In the Raven Run appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Hopeful Crazy Beautiful Among 14 Horses Supplemented To Keeneland November Sale

Keeneland has announced that Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies candidate Crazy Beautiful along with the dams of Breeders' Cup hopefuls Jackie's Warrior and Mutasaabeq are among the 14 horses supplemented to the November Breeding Stock Sale, which covers 10 sessions from Monday, Nov. 9 through Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Keeneland will continue to accept approved supplements until the November Sale begins.

Supplemented to the premier Book 1, which opens at noon on Nov. 9, are:

– A weanling filly by Kitten's Joy who is a half-sister to 2020 Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes winner My Girl Red and 2020 Smarty Jones Stakes winner Gold Street (Hip 244A). Out of Morakami, a stakes-placed daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus, she is consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent.

– A weanling colt by American Pharoah who is a half-brother to undefeated two-time Grade 1 winner Jackie's Warrior, early favorite for the Nov. 6 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The weanling (Hip 244B) is consigned by Beau Lane Bloodstock, agent.

– Unicorn Girl (Hip 244C), dam of Jackie's Warrior who is in foal to Into Mischief. Unicorn Girl is consigned by Beau Lane Bloodstock, agent.

– Veronique, dam of impressive undefeated Keeneland winner Nashville, in foal to Collected (Hip 244D). Veronique is consigned by Paramount Sales, agent. Her weanling filly by Mastery is cataloged in the November Sale as Hip 885, while Nashville, a 3-year-old colt by Speightstown who opened his career with an 11 1/2-length win at Saratoga on Sept. 2 and captured his Oct. 10 Keeneland race by 9 3/4 lengths, is cataloged as a racing or stallion prospect as Hip 3328.

– City Success, a full sister to Grade 2 winner and leading Breeders' Cup Sprint contender C Z Rocket, who is in foal to Distorted Humor (Hip 244E). The daughter of City Zip is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

– Crazy Beautiful (Hip 244F), a 2-year-old stakes-winning filly by Liam's Map who is a contender for the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent, she won the Runhappy Debutante at Ellis Park on Aug. 9 and was second in both the Sept. 3 G3 Pocahontas at Churchill Downs and Keeneland's G1 Darley Alcibiades on Oct. 2.

– Downside Scenario, dam of 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hopeful Mutasaabeq, winner of the recent G2 Bourbon at Keeneland and third in this year's G3 Runhappy Hopeful (Hip 244G). In foal to Audible, the daughter of Scat Daddy is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Her weanling colt by Uncle Mo is cataloged as Hip 232.

Sessions on Monday, Nov. 16 and Tuesday, Nov. 17 will feature horses of racing age and include these supplements:

– Growth Engine (Hip 3422A), a 4-year-old gelding by Tapit who won his last start at Monmouth Park. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, he has finished in the top three in all seven of his races.

– Love and Peace (FR) (Hip 3422B), a 5-year-old mare who is coming off a front-running 3-length win in California and was stakes-placed in France. She is consigned by Paramount Sales, agent.

– Notary (Hip 3422C), a winning 2-year-old colt by Street Sense. A half-brother to Grade 3 winner Bridgetown and stakes winners Clement Rock and Carnacks Choice, he is consigned by ELiTE, agent.

– Olympico (FR) (Hip 3422D), a 5-year-old gelding who is the 123-pound highweight in Sunday's Knickerbocker (G2) at Belmont Park. The five-time winner, who took the 2019 G3 Fort Marcy at Belmont, is consigned by ELiTE, agent.

– Critical Value (Hip 3422E), a 3-year-old daughter of Bodemeister who has two stakes wins at Belmont Park: 2019 Maid of the Mist and 2020 Bouwerie. From the family of Grade 1 winner Critical Eye, she is consigned by ELiTE, agent.

– Edgemont Road (Hip 3422F), a 4-year-old Speightstown gelding who won an Oct. 3 Keeneland allowance for his fourth victory in his past seven starts. Edgemont Road is consigned by Team V LLC.

– Violent Times (Hip 3422G), a 5-year-old daughter of Violence who won the 2020 Ana T. Stakes at Gulfstream. She is consigned by Ashview Farm, agent.

The entire November Sale will be streamed live on Keeneland.com.

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