Linda Rice | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Level-Headed’ Max Player Puts In Final Work For Saturday’s Travers

George E. Hall and SportsBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.'s Max Player worked five furlongs in 1:01.55 seconds Monday on the Belmont dirt training track in preparation for Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers at Saratoga Race Course.

Trainer Linda Rice said the dark bay Honor Code colt is in good order and will ship up to Saratoga on Wednesday.

“We worked him in company head and head with another horse and they went five-eighths in 1:01.2. It was just a maintenance breeze,” said Rice. “It was just a nice comfortable breeze. I feel it was exactly what he needed. He'll ship up to Saratoga on Wednesday and train there.”

Max Player, bred in Kentucky by K & G Stables, graduated at second asking at Parx in December and followed up with a 3 ¼-length score in the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct Racetrack on February 1.

Last out, racing off a more than four-month layoff in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20, Max Player rallied to complete the trifecta behind the victorious Tiz the Law and runner-up Dr Post.

This morning's breeze was the fifth over the Belmont dirt training track since his Belmont effort for the improving Max Player.

“He trained very well into the Belmont and had improved dramatically up to June when the Belmont ran,” said Rice. “Since then, we've been holding steady. I haven't trained him quite as aggressively because he's not coming off of a five-month layoff this time.”

Although Max Player won't have the chance to breeze over the Saratoga main track ahead of the Runhappy Travers, he will gallop here later in the week. Rice said she is confident the dark bay will handle the surface.

“He shipped to Parx and ran well. He shipped to Aqueduct and won the Withers on February 1st and had never trained at Aqueduct, he just shipped over from Belmont,” said Rice. “I'm not concerned. He's a pretty level-headed horse and he's easy to train in that respect.”

Joel Rosario, currently second in the Saratoga jockey standings, retains the mount.

Trainer Orlando Noda, who operates Noda Brothers with his brother Jonathan, confirmed Monday that jockey David Cohen would pick up the mount on maiden winner First Line for Saturday's Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

First Line, a First Samurai chestnut, earned an 84 Beyer when graduating at fourth asking July 29 in a nine-furlong maiden route at the Spa.

Cohen guided 33-1 shot Golden Ticket to a dramatic dead-heat win with Alpha in the 2012 Travers. Noda said the veteran rider would gallop First Line on the Saratoga main track on Tuesday.

“I think he'll give us a good, honest ride,” said Noda. “He'll get on him tomorrow and gallop on the main track and get a feel for the horse.

“It doesn't happen very often to have a horse peak at the right time,” added Noda. “But everything happens for a reason and I think he'll outrun his odds.”

Trainer Mike Stidham said Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide, a closing third last out in the Grade 3 Peter Pan on Opening Day at Saratoga, would take a pass on the Runhappy Travers and point instead to the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy, a nine-furlong test for sophomores on September 5.

“We're not going to run in the Travers, we're going to hold off and probably run in the Jim Dandy,” said Stidham. “We've been conservative with the horse up to this point and we'll stay conservative for now.”

The field for Saturday's Runhappy Travers currently stands at eight and includes, Caracaro [Gustavo Delgado/Javier Castellano], Country Grammer [Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz, Jr.], First Line [Orlando Noda/David Cohen], Max Player [Linda Rice/Joel Rosario], Shivaree [Ralph Nicks/Junior Alvarado], South Bend [Bill Mott/Jose Ortiz], Tiz the Law [Barclay Tagg/Manny Franco], and Uncle Chuck [Bob Baffert/Luis Saez].

The “Mid-Summer Derby” to be contested at 1 1/4 miles for the country's most talented 3-year-olds is one of three Grade 1s on Saturday, joining the $300,000 Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going seven furlongs in a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

The day will also see sophomore fillies compete in the prestigious Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Test at seven furlongs, with the card bolstered by the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint for older males, and the Grade 3, $150,000 Waya , a 1 ½-mile turf route for older fillies and mares.

The card will be broadcast on Saratoga Live on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

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How Much Was That Horse Worth? Max Player Valued At Seven Figures After Withers Score

A win on the Kentucky Derby trail can change a horse's value drastically, and a February assessment released by co-owner SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp. showed that Kentucky Derby hopeful Max Player was valued well into the seven figures following his win in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes.

A February 19 assessment by Peter Bradley of bloodstock agency Bradley Thoroughbreds gave Max Player a “Fair Market Value” of $1.75 million, shortly after his 3 1/4-length Withers win at Aqueduct on Feb. 1.

Of course, a lot has changed since mid-February, including Max Player's likely fair market value. The valuation came before the COVID-19 pandemic shuffled the economy and the 2020 racing calendar, especially in the spring, where many traditional Kentucky Derby preps were canceled or postponed, affecting the Honor Code colt's present and future earning potential.

On the other side of the coin, Max Player is now a classic-placed runner after finishing third in the Belmont Stakes on June 20, and the qualifying points he earned in that effort all but clinched a spot in the gate for the Derby in September. Punching that ticket would be worth something to a buyer trying to get in the race, and that possibility is reflected in Bradley's assessment.

Though it's outdated now for the individual, the February valuation can provide a useful – and somewhat rare to the public – snapshot of what a 3-year-old colt in a similar stage of his career might be worth on paper.

The criteria for assigning fair market value to a Thoroughbred can vary from person to person, accounting for differences of opinion, method, and preference. As has been seen in the wide disparity between assessment and value at auction in the Zayat Stables dispersal, a bloodstock agent's valuation is not a binding assignment of value if the parties disagree, but an expert's opinion is an invaluable tool in guiding the conversation between the two sides of a transaction, and for other matters including insurance.

In his correspondence with Joseph De Perio of Sport BLX published on the company's website, Bradley said he reviewed Max Player's race record and pedigree, and assessed the horse's physical conformation through video provided by trainer Linda Rice. Veterinary assessments were not performed as part of the analysis, and Bradley noted that the valuation was based on the colt being “insurable and sound.” Rice vouched for Max Player's soundness and “noted that to the best of her knowledge he has not had any surgeries or intra-articular joint injections.”

In the letter, Bradley wrote;

“Based on information and videos received from Linda Rice, MAX PLAYER is a big strong colt standing 16-2 hands tall. From the videos, he appears to have long pasterns and is offset (2/5) through his left knee. He has a slightly high neck tie but moves nicely at the walk. These observations are supported by the fact that the colt RNA'd as a yearling for $150,000. While the conformational flaws could have affected his value as a yearling, they are not significant and should not affect the horse's soundness. All in all, he is an above average individual and for the purpose of this appraisal has been given a B+ physical rating.”

As expected, much of Bradley's assessment centers on Max Player's ability to enter the Kentucky Derby, arguably the biggest economic driver for any young horse.

At the time, Max Player had 10 qualifying points for the Derby, by virtue of his Withers score. This ranked him 19th among eligible contenders as of mid-February, but Bradley noted the colt would likely need significantly more points to ensure a spot in the race. The average cutoff point for the previous three Derbies was 33 points.

With so much still to be determined on the Derby trail at that point, Bradley's next point of assessment came in projecting his likelihood of making it to Louisville by seeing how he stacked up against the other 3-year-olds vying for one of the 20 spots. He did this by using comparative speed figures, including Beyer Speed Figures and Ragozin Sheet numbers, the distances of his previous races, pedigree history, and his placement on Derby rankings put out by the Daily Racing Form, BloodHorse, and Thoroughbred Daily News.

Based on the doors that were open for him at the time, and the ability that Max Player had already shown winning two of his first three starts, Bradley said the colt had what it took to be in the Derby mix, and that was worth something.

Bradley further elaborated:

“In 2017 the North American thoroughbred foal crop was 22,156 foals, and MAX PLAYER has the racing credentials to be considered one of the top 20 candidates from that foal crop to potentially participate in the KY Derby. He still needs a win or enough points to make the cut and would be considered to be in the bottom half of the top 20 possible. Nonetheless, a colt that is on the Kentucky Derby trail is valued at a premium price. 19 of the 20 Derby starters will be worth significantly less the day after the race.”

SportBLX is an agency that offers investment opportunities in athletes, sports teams, and racehorses. The company is owned by George Hall, who owns and bred Max Player. The colt will target the G1 Travers Stakes for his next start.

On Tuesday, SportBLX announced a second round of public investment in Max Player, through its Annestes Thoroughbreds program, which focuses on ownership in Kentucky-breds raised at Hall's Versailles, Ky., farm. SportBLX owns a 14-percent stake in Max Player.

To view Max Player's full assessment, click here.

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A Horse For The Course? Turned Aside Wins Quick Call At Saratoga

Paul Pompa Jr.'s Turned Aside had seen Jack and Noah win the three previous races in which the two matched up entering the Grade 3, $100,000 Quick Call at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. But Turned Aside ensured he would earn the trip to the winner's circle on Friday, making a strong move from the outside coming out of the turn and charging home a 1 ¾-length victor in the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds.

Turned Aside broke sharp under jockey Jose Lezcano, tracking in third position as Jack and Noah, who broke awkwardly led the six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 21.32 seconds on the Mellon turf coursed labeled firm. Lezcano pressed his charge up from the outside, where he overtook his budding rival before hitting the stretch, posting the half-mile in 44.01.

Lezcano kept Turned Aside's attention when straightening for home, repelling Old Chestnut's late move for second, completing the course in a 1:01.99 final time.

“I had a very good trip,” Lezcano said. “My horse broke very sharp and was right there when I asked him. The horse on the lead was lugging out a little bit, but I held my position and when I asked him, he gave me everything.”

The Linda Rice trainee ran second to Jack and Noah in his second career start in September at Belmont Park and also was the runner-up last out, finishing one length back in the Sir Cat going six furlongs on Belmont's firm turf. He also ran seventh in the Atlantic Beach in November at Aqueduct Racetrack. A son of 2015 Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah, Turned Aside improved to 3-2-1 in seven career starts.

“Paul and I discussed it and we felt if we didn't engage early we were just going to hand it over to Jack and Noah and we've done that enough already,” Rice said. “Sometimes you change courses and one horse prefers Belmont and one horse prefers Saratoga and I thought our horse has been training great all spring and maybe we could turn the tables on him on a different course.”

Off at 2-1, Turned Aside returned $6.50 on a $2 win wager. He improved his career earnings to $179,992.

“There were a couple other horses [of concern] in this race – Old Chestnut and I thought Doug O'Neill's horse [Fore Left] showed promised as well, but this horse has trained well and shows no quit in his workouts. Once we were on a clear lead, I thought we'd get it done.”

Old Chestnut, who like Jack and Noah is trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, edged Fore Left by a neck for second. The 11th running of the Quick Call featured the top-three finishers of the Sir Cat, as Old Chestnut earned third in that contest under jockey Junior Alvarado, who had the return call Friday.

“I wish the number two [Jack and Noah] would have broke a little sharper, so it would have made the winner chase a little harder and I'd have even more pace to finish,” Alvarado said. “Other than that, I had a great trip and saved as much ground as I could. Turning for home, he gave me a nice kick.”

Fore Left made his first turf appearance in 11 career starts, earning black type in his first start since a ninth-place effort in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20.

Flap Jack, 4-5 favorite Jack and Noah and High Cruise completed the order of finish. Power Up Paynter was scratched, as was main-track only entrant Sky of Hook.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Saratoga with an 11-race card that includes the Grade 1, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt for 3-year-olds and up in Race 10 at 6:16 p.m. and the Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa for older fillies and mares on the inner turf in Race 3 at 2:18 p.m. First post is 1:10 p.m.

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‘Everything Is Going Smoothly’ With Travers Contender Max Player

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' Max Player, the third-place finisher in last month's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, continues to train forwardly towards the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on August 8, trainer Linda Rice said.

Max Player, who finished only behind Dr Post and winner Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes on June 20, worked for the third time since the first leg of the Triple Crown, going five furlongs in 1:02.21 on Monday morning over the Belmont Park training track.

“He breezed fine and everything went well,” Rice said. “We took it easy with him because the temperatures have been in the high-90s out there. It's been crazy hot, but everything is going smoothly.”

The Honor Code colt, 2-1-1 in four career races, made his first two starts at Parx, running second in his debut at one mile on November 12 before winning at the same distance at second asking over a sloppy and sealed track on December 17.

In his first race as a sophomore, Max Player defeated an eight-horse field by 3 ¼ lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 3 Withers on February 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack. In the Belmont Stakes, which was shortened from its famed 1 ½-mile distance to a one-turn 1 1/8 miles to accommodate the revised schedule for 3-year-olds in training, Max Player earned a personal-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

With the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby set for September 5 and serving as the middle jewel of the Triple Crown this year, Max Player earned 30 qualifying points for his Belmont Stakes blacktype, adding to the 10 he accumulated with his Withers win. His 40 total qualifying points places him 15th on the current leaderboard, with the Runhappy Travers offering a 100-40-20-10 scale to the top-four finishers.

“He's on schedule,” Rice said. “We're at our home base here. He'll get one more breeze at Belmont and we'll go from there.”

The “Mid-Summer Derby” is contested at 1 ¼ miles, which would make the Travers both Max Player's first start at Saratoga and also the longest race in which he's contested. Rice said there is a possibility he could work at Saratoga before running, but said he has already won in unfamiliar places.

“When we won in the Withers at Aqueduct, he had never been on that track, either,” Rice said. “He can handle new situations well.”

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