louisville stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

At Age Seven, Arklow Picks Up Graded Win In Louisville

Grade 1 winner Arkow has aged well. The 7-year-old horse, who made his first start of the year, won Saturday's 84th running of the G3 Louisville Stakes at Churchill Downs by one length over Red Knight in 2:27.13 – a stakes record for the 1 ½-mile turf marathon.

Ridden by Florent Geroux, Arklow was rated in 10th during the early stages of the three-turn race as Admiralty Pier dictated the pace and led the field of 14 older horses through splits of :23.70, :48.64, 1:14.24 and 1:39.78. Nearing the final turn, Arklow made a bold four-wide move to draw into contention. He grabbed the lead at the head of the stretch and turned back the late threat from Ked Knight.

Brad Cox trained the winner for Jerry Crawford's Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and Lynn Coneway's Estate of Peter Coneway.

The win was worth $84,630 and improved Arklow's career earnings to $2,750,746 with a record of 9-7-2 in 32 starts. It was his sixth career graded stakes victory. He won the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar in his previous start on Nov. 27.

Arklow returned $4.60, $3.80 and $3 as the 4-5 betting choice. Red Knight, under James Graham, paid $7 and $5. Strong Tide, ridden by Marcelino Pedroza Jr., was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $8.60 to show. Ajourneytofreedom was another length back in fourth and was followed by Bakers Bay, Imperador (ARG), Fantasioso (ARG), Spooky Channel, Artemus Eagle, Jais's Solitude, Crafty Daddy, Admiralty Pier, Fighting Seabee and Monarchs Glen (GB).

Arklow is a son of Arch out of the Empire Maker mare Unbridled Empire, was bred in Kentucky by John R. Penn and Frank Penn.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with a nine-race card that begins at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern).

LOUISVILLE QUOTES, courtesy Churchill Downs press office

Florent Geroux, jockey of ARKLOW (winner): “He's such a warrior. He knows what he's doing and such a professional. When he comes into the paddock every race he's all business and shows a ton of versatility on the racetrack. I had him really relaxed and in a good spot early. With about five furlongs to go he started tugging hard and I had to go. I didn't necessarily plan moving that early but he was ready to go. Brad and his team did a great job with him to get him ready to go this distance in his first start off the layoff. I'm very thankful to the owners as well for letting me get on him. He's an incredible horse.”

Brad Cox, trainer of ARKLOW (winner): “He's such a professional. We had this race in mind for a while to get his campaign started and he ran a great effort to start his year.”

The post At Age Seven, Arklow Picks Up Graded Win In Louisville appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Grade 1 Winner Arklow Returns In Saturday’s Louisville Stakes

Donegal Racing, Joseph Bulger and the Estate of Peter Conway's Grade 1-winning turf specialist Arklow is set to return from a nearly six-month break in Saturday's 84th running of the $150,000 Louisville Stakes (Grade 3) at Churchill Downs.

Saturday's Louisville Stakes, run at 1 ½ miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, is the featured event on the 11-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Louisville will go as the finale at 5:58 p.m. A simulcast of the $1 million Preakness Stakes (G1) – the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown – follows at 6:47 p.m.

Trained by 2020 Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Brad Cox, Arklow has been off since winning November's $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) at Del Mar. The now 7-year-old son of Arch has recorded eight lifetime victories through 31 starts with earnings topping a stout $2.66 million. Arklow has one victory over the Matt Winn Turf Course four years ago in the American Turf (G2).

Jockey Florent Geroux, who has been aboard Arklow for 16 previous starts, has the call from post No. 10.

With a victory Saturday, trainer Kenny McPeek would tie Bill Mott for the most victories in the Louisville Stakes with six. McPeek entered Lucky Seven Stable's stakes winner Crafty Daddy along with Walking L Thoroughbreds' three-time winner Fighting Seabee.

Mott hopes to extend his lead with Trinity Farm's $150,000 Elkhorn (G3) winner Red Knight. The 7-year-old gelded son of Pure Prize finished second to Arklow in last year's $1 million Kentucky Turf Cup (G3) at Kentucky Downs.

The complete field for the Louisville from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Artemus Eagle (Gabriel Saez, Waylon Cundiff); Imperador (ARG) (Joe Talamo, Paolo Lobo); Spooky Channel (Francisco Arrieta, Jason Barkley); Strong Tide (Marcelino Pedroza, Mike Lauer); Fantasioso (ARG) (Julien Leparoux, Ignacio Correas IV); Jais's Solitude (Declan Cannon, Eddie Kenneally); Red Knight (James Graham, Mott); Fighting Seabee (Chris Landeros, McPeek); Monarchs Glen (GB) (Adam Beschizza, Mike Maker); Arklow (Geroux, Cox); Ajourneytofreedom (Tyler Gaffalione, Maker); Bakers Bay (Corey Lanerie, Shug McGaughey); Crafty Daddy (Brian Hernandez, McPeek); and Admiralty Pier (Drayden Van Dyke, Barbara Minshall).

Wagering is available online at www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Racing beneath the Twin Spires returns Thursday with a special late post of 5 p.m. for Twilight Thursday presented by Blue Moon. Fans can enjoy the eight-race card while sipping on $1 select domestic beer and $1 Blue Moon draft. The evening also features live music, food trucks and more. General admission, which includes a program, is $5 and can be purchased online at www.churchilldowns.com/tickets.

Live racing will continue Friday-Sunday with first posts of 12:45 p.m. For more information about the Spring Meet, visit https://www.churchilldowns.com/calendar/featured-events/.

The post Grade 1 Winner Arklow Returns In Saturday’s Louisville Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Say The Word To Join D’Amato’s Kentucky Stable At Churchill Following Elkhorn Win

Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm's Canadian champion Say the Word, winner of Saturday's Elkhorn Stakes (G2) by 1½ lengths at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., was scheduled to head to Churchill Downs in Louisville on Sunday and join the rest of trainer Phil D'Amato's Kentucky string.

The victory in the 1½-mile Elkhorn by the 6=year-old son of MoreThan Ready was the second graded stakes triumph at the distance for Say the Word. The other came last year in the Northern Dancer Turf (G1) Presented by Pattison at Woodbine.

The Churchill stakes schedule has the $125,000 Louisville (G3) going 1½ miles on the turf slated for May 15, a race that could attract Elkhorn runner-up Channel Cat and fourth-place finisher Fantasioso (ARG).

“He showed signs that he was going to run a good one,” trainer Jack Sisterson said of Calumet Farm's Channel Cat, whose effort Saturday produced his best result since winning the Bowling Green (G2) in 2019 while racing for Todd Pletcher. “He had not trained that well coming into a race since we have had him.”

Sisterson mentioned after the race that the $750,000 Manhattan (G1) at 1¼ miles on June 5 might be a possibility but noted Sunday morning, “if we take the conservative route, we may do that (the Louisville).”

Bloom Racing Stable and I. C. Racing's Fantasioso rallied from last in the field of eight, finishing less than a length out of second place in his U.S. debut.

“He came out of the race well, and I was very happy with his race,” trainer Ignacio Correas IV said. “The plan is to go on to the Louisville.”

The post Say The Word To Join D’Amato’s Kentucky Stable At Churchill Following Elkhorn Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Admission Office Nips Arklow In Thrilling Louisville Stakes

Amerman Racing Stables' homebred Admission Office overcame the outside post, rallied wide in the stretch and narrowly edged 6-5 favorite Arklow by a head to win Saturday's 83^rd running of the $100,000, Grade 3 Louisville Stakes presented by Longines at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in thrilling fashion.

Admission Office covered 1 1/2 miles over firm turf in 2:27.25 – the second-fastest in the stakes' history only behind Simmard's 2:27.16 in 2012 – under jockey Julien Leparoux. Brian Lynch trains the winner for Mr. and Mrs. John Amerman.

No favorites won in the Single 6 Jackpot or Late Pick 5 sequences Saturday, which triggered massive carryovers for Sunday. The 50-cent Late Pick 5 carryover is $163,012 for Races 6-10, and the 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot carryover is $87,414 for Races 5-10. If Arklow would have won, Saturday's Late Pick 5 and Single 6 Jackpot would have paid $434,700 and $87,414, respectively.

Lombo dictated the pace from the outset and led the field of 12 older horses through splits of :24.51, :49.59, 1:14.03 and 1:39.21 with Arklow galloping about five lengths behind in sixth along the inside and Admission Office to his outside in seventh. Last year's Louisville winner Tiz a Slam took over around the final turn with Arklow set to pounce just behind along the inside hedge and Admission Office looming with a wide rally. Admission Office poked his head in front at the top of the stretch while Arklow briefly waited for room along the inside as Tiz a Slam faded. Arklow, after briefly brushing with Tiz a Slam, hit his best stride with a furlong to run but it was the unhindered Admission Office who prevailed in a tight photo.

“We settled into a really nice spot early and he really liked the extra distance today,” Leparoux said. “He kept fighting the entire stretch.”

Florent Geroux, Arklow's jockey, said, “He got in a good spot early and we got a little tight late on the hedge. He was responding the whole time and ran a big race.”

The victory was worth $57,660 and improved Admission Office's career earnings to $432,957 with a record of 4-5-2 in 14 starts. It was the first career stakes win for Admission Office, who was a bridesmaid in four previous stakes, including a trio of Grade II events.

“He's been crying out for some more ground and a lot of his previous races he just seemed to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time,” Lynch said. “He's run some big races to get beat just a head and a neck. Arklow is an outstanding horse and it was a great battle today. Thankfully we had our head down at the right time on the wire. He's a well-accomplished horse and this will open the door up to more turf marathon races in the future.”

Admission Office returned $9.20, $4 and $2.80 as the 7-2 second betting choice. Arklow paid $3.40 and $2.80. He's No Lemon, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, was another 1 ¼ lengths back in third and paid $4.40 to show.

Ry's the Guy, Jais's Solitude, Tiz a Slam, Apreciado, Perfect Tapatino (FR), Sky Promise, Golden Dragon, Fearsome (GB) and Lombo completed the order of finish.

Admission Office, a 5-year-old son of Point of Entry out the Royal Academy mare Miss Chapin, was bred in Kentucky by his owners.

Betting on Churchill Downs' 11-race card on Saturday totaled $9,009,318.

Racing will continue Sunday beneath the Twin Spires with a 10-race card that begins at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern). The program will feature a trio of allowance races, including a first-level sprint for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs headlined by the Chad Brown-trained Toledo.

Racing from Churchill Downs on Sunday will air on FS2 from 2-2:30 p.m. and FS1 from 2:30-6:30 p.m. as part of FOX Sports' “America's Day at the Races” coverage. It also will be broadcast on MSG+ from 1-6:30 p.m.

The post Admission Office Nips Arklow In Thrilling Louisville Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post