Liveyourbeastlife Breezes for Preakness

William H. Lawrence’s Liveyourbeastlife (Ghostzapper), the runner-up in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga Sept. 5, worked five-eighths in :59.89 (3/9) Thursday over the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3.

Trainer Jorge Abreu said that the dark bay would be supplemented to the third and final leg of the Triple Crown.

“He breezed really well today,” Abreu said. “He went in :59 4/5, which is something he’s never done before. We’re going to take a shot.”

Liveyourbeastlife, a $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select 2-year-old graduate, previously captured a Saratoga allowance over older horses going 1 1/8 miles Aug. 12, the same distance as the Jim Dandy.

“He didn’t show much early on, but every jockey that rode him never came back with a negative thing about him, they would say, ‘this horse wants to run long,'” Abreu added.

The post Liveyourbeastlife Breezes for Preakness appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Abreu Ready To ‘Take A Shot’ With Liveyourbeastlife In Preakness Stakes

William H. Lawrence's Liveyourbeastlife, the runner-up in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, worked five-eighths in 59.89 seconds Thursday over the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the Grade 1 Preakness on October 3 at Pimlico Race Course.

Trainer Jorge Abreu said he was pleased with the work, and the Kentucky-bred Ghostzapper colt will be supplemented to the third and final leg of the Triple Crown.

“He breezed really well today,” said Abreu of the breeze in company with New York-bred Freaky Styley [59.80]. “He went in 59 and 4 which is something he's never done before. We're going to take a shot.”

The dark bay Ghostzapper colt has improved with added distance capturing a nine-furlong allowance event over older horses on August 12 at Saratoga Race Course ahead of a closing second to Mystic Guide in the nine-furlong Jim Dandy on September 5.

“He didn't show much early on but every jockey that rode him never came back with a negative thing about him, they would say, 'this horse wants to run long,'” said Abreu.

Liveyourbeastlife utilized a prominent trip for his August 12 allowance win. After running sixth in the Jim Dandy, jockey Junior Alvarado said the horse struggled from the half-mile to the three-eighths pole.

“He's really weird. Sometimes he'll break and take himself back, the past two races he's been wanting to go,” said Abreu. “Junior admitted he lost position at the half-mile pole and he had to do too much. If he had kept him forwardly placed, he probably would have won the race. He gave him too much to do from the quarter-mile pole on home.”

Abreu said he expects Alvarado to retain the mount for the Preakness.

“He's a horse that needs somebody that knows him,” Abreu said.

Liveyourbeastlife will have his final Preakness prep at Belmont one week from Saturday.

Out of the Kris S. mare Ellie's Moment, Liveyourbeastlife is a half-brother to Grade 1-winner on turf Time and Motion.

The post Abreu Ready To ‘Take A Shot’ With Liveyourbeastlife In Preakness Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mystic Guide Strong In The Stretch To Win Jim Dandy Stakes

Appearing to be home free at the top of the stretch, jockey Luis Saez looked over his right shoulder aboard Jesus' Team to check for any potential spoilers. What he saw was a dirt-covered Mystic Guide mounting a charge that would eventually lead him to the winner's circle in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga.

The 3-year-old Ghostzapper colt broke from the outside post, and settled near the back of the six-horse field, two paths off the rail. Longshots First Line and Celtic Striker led the group into the first turn, followed closely in third by Pegasus Stakes runner-up Jesus' Team, and the lead duo separated from the rest as they straightened out to the backstretch in an opening quarter of :23.37 seconds.

First Line led the way across the back straightaway, with Celtic Striker on his outside hip, while Mystic Guide waited patiently in the back of the field. The half-mile went by in :47.61 seconds, and Jesus' Team spent the next quarter-mile lodging a three-wide move to the front.

Jesus' Team was firmly in command at the top of the stretch, but Ortiz had brought Mystic Guide up through the middle of the field in the meantime, and appeared on the outside of the new leader as the eighth-pole drew near. After some right-handed urging by Ortiz, Mystic Guide drew up beside Jesus' Team, who fought on for a few strides before conceding the lead.

Ortiz kept Mystic Guide to task through the final sixteenth, fending off a late charge from Liveyourbeastlife to win by a length. Jesus' Team carried on for third, while betting favorite Dr Post ran an even fourth.

Mystic Guide completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:49 flat over a fast main track for owner Godolphin and trainer Michael Stidham. He paid $6.60 to win as the field's second choice.

The Jim Dandy was Mystic Guide's second win in five career starts, and his first victory in stakes competition. Stidham added blinkers to the colt for the Jim Dandy after finishing third in his most recent start, and his stakes debut, a third in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes on July 16 at Saratoga.

A homebred for Godolphin, Mystic Guide is out of the five-time Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Music Note, who also ran under the Godolphin blue.

The post Mystic Guide Strong In The Stretch To Win Jim Dandy Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights