Luis Saez | Horse Racing Free Tips

Into Mischief’s General Jim Sweeps to Swale Win

Charting a consistent if unremarkable course heading into Saturday's GIII Claiborne Swale S. at Gulfstream, Courtlandt Farms' General Jim (Into Mischief) turned things up a notch, exploding from off the pace to collar favored Super Chow (Lord Nelson) late en route to a one-length score. Sent off the 8-5 second choice behind 4-5 choice Super Chow, already a three-time stakes winner, the Shug McGaughey trainee broke awkwardly from his inside draw, but was quickly straightened out by regular pilot Luis Saez as Super Chow ran up to contest the early pace with Two of a Kind (Overanalyze). As the duo cut out a legitimate opening quarter in :22.69, Super Chow spurted clear of Two of a Kind, and was three lengths ahead of that rival through a :45.31 half. Meanwhile, General Jim moved up on even terms with Two of a Kind around the 5/16ths, but began to unfurl his long legs approaching the quarter pole. Gaining quickly on a wide-cornering Super Chow turning for home, the $850,000 Keeneland September graduate bore down on the pacesetter in the final furlong, took over late to earn his first taste of black-type by a length. Super Chow was a clear second over Two of a Kind.

“Definitely the race came up perfect for him,” said Saez. “We know we have plenty of speed. We just tried to break from there running and find a great spot. We had a pretty good trip and, man, when we came to the top of the stretch, I had a lot of horse and he just kept going.”

In regard to getting blinkers for the first time Saturday, Saez added, “I know Mr. Shug was saying he was going to put on the blinkers, and we've been working in the morning with the blinkers, and he was magnificent. Today, the plan was to have a target in front and just wait to the end and let him run. He did it by himself, so it was pretty good.”

According to McGaughey, the Mar. 4 GII Fountain of Youth S. “is not out of the question.”

“He's developing now,” he said. “He's grown and kind of filled out. He's gained weight. He's got a little bit more weight to go, so I'm going to let him do that.”

Third in his career bow sprinting six panels on the dirt at Saratoga last August, General Jim appreciated the extra yardage and the move to the turf next time, scoring by a neck going 8 1/5 furlongs in September. Back in the winner's circle following a Keeneland allowance in October, he finished third in the one-mile Central Park S. at the Big A Nov. 26 before coming home fourth last time in Gulfstream's Mucho Macho Man S. Jan. 1.

Pedigree Notes:
Pedigree wise, General Jim has a lot going for him, a point underscored by his $850,000 price tag at the 2021 Keeneland September. By the nation's leading sire Into Mischief, he is out of a SP Inspired by Grace (Curlin), who is a full-sister to GI Mother Goose S. heroine Off The Tracks and a half to dual graded stakes winner Concord Point (Tapit). Adding further padding to the page, granddam Harve de Grace (Boston Harbor) is a half to MGSW and GISP Tasha's Miracle (Harlan's Holiday). The 2021 foal out of the 12-year-old dam subsequently died, however, she produced a filly by Authentic last season and was bred back to the champion.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
CLAIBORNE FARM SWALE S.-GIII, $125,000, Gulfstream, 2-4, 3yo, 7f, 1:23.34, ft.
1–GENERAL JIM, 120, c, 3, by Into Mischief
               1st Dam: Inspired by Grace (SP, $138,984), by Curlin
               2nd Dam: Harve de Grace, by Boston Harbor
               3rd Dam: Ms. Cuvee Napa, by Relaunch
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($850,000
Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Courtlandt Farms, LLC (Donald Adam);
B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock & Centerline Breeding (KY);
T-Claude R. McGaughey III; J-Luis Saez. $77,500. Lifetime
Record: 6-3-0-2, $231,533. Werk Nick Rating: A.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Super Chow, 120, c, 3, Lord Nelson–Bonita Mia, by Warrior's
Reward. ($70,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL; $75,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR).
O-Lea Farms, LLC; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Jorge
Delgado. $25,000.
3–Two of a Kind, 120, c, 3, Overanalyze–Freud's Irish Miss, by
Freud. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-K and R Racing Stable and
Town Branch Racing; B-C. W. Swann & Wetherbee Holdings,
LLC. (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $12,500.
Margins: 1, 11, 3HF. Odds: 1.60, 0.80, 5.10.
Also Ran: Keanu, Aaraj. Scratched: King Sparrow.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Brazilian-Bred Ivar Named Morning-Line Favorite For Pegasus Turf

With the recent retirement of two-time winner Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), MG1SW Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) was named the narrow 5-2 morning-line favorite for the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf. A winner of three of 12 starts in the U.S.–topped by the 2020 GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland–he has run in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile each of the last three years, running third in 2021 and fourth in 2020 and 2022.

“I think his [last] race was very good,” said trainer Paulo Lobo. “He lost to a very top horse [Modern Games]. Javier Castellano was riding him for the first time. He rode a very good race, and since then we've pointed for the Pegasus Turf and we've never missed a day and never had a bad day. Everything that we planned is happening, no problems.”

Hall of Famer Castellano will be back aboard Ivar from Post 10.

Also among the dozen contenders are 4-1 second choice MGSW City Man (Mucho Macho Man) and GISW Decorated Invader (Declaration of War), both trained by Christophe Clement, who respectively ran 1-2 in Gulfstream's GII Fort Lauderdale S. Dec. 31.

Third choice at 6-1 is Charles Fipke's homebred GISW Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown), who will face males for the first time. The 5-year-old owns seven wins from 13 career starts, six of them in graded-stakes including Woodbine's GI Natalma S. Third last time out in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, she retains the services of Luis Saez from post six.

Rounding out the field are MGSP Atone (Into Mischief), MGSW Master Piece (Chi) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), MGSW Who's the Star (Tonalist), GSW One More Bid (California Chrome), MGSP Good Governance (Kingman {GB}), and another pair of stablemates, Graham Motion-trained GISW Speaking Scout (Mr. Speaker) and MGSP Hurricane Dream (Fr) (Hurricane Cat), making his first start in North America.

On the also-eligible list, in order of preference, are GSW King Cause (Creative Cause) and Dark Shift (Dark Angel {Ire}), winner of the Royal Hunt Cup last summer at Royal Ascot.

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Instant Coffee Still Piping Hot In Lecomte

Entered off a last-out win in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 26, Instant Coffee (Bolt d'Oro–Follow No One, by Uncle Mo) added another graded-stakes win in Saturday's GIII Lecomte S. and picked up 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Taken back off the pace by Luis Saez, the bay trailed the field all the way up the backstretch and into the far turn. Already under a ride as the pace began to quicken up front past the quarter pole, Instant Coffee ranged up widest of all to duel Two Phil's (Hard Spun), getting the best of that rival in the final sixteenth for the clear victory. The 3-year-old colts completed the 1 1/16 mile in 1:45:12.

Saturday, Fair Grounds
LECOMTE S.-GIII, $194,000, Fair Grounds, 1-21, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.12, ft.
1–INSTANT COFFEE, 122, c, 3, by Bolt d'Oro
                1st Dam: Follow No One (SP), by Uncle Mo
                2nd Dam: Miss Red Delicious, by Empire Maker
                3rd Dam: Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick
($200,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Gold Square LLC; B-Sagamore
Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Luis Saez. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-0, $442,815. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Two Phil's, 122, c, 3, Hard Spun–Mia Torri,
by General Quarters. ($150,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Patricia's Hope LLC & Phillip Sagan; B-Phillip Sagan (KY);
T-Larry Rivelli. $40,000.
3–Confidence Game, 122, c, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Eblouissante,
by Bernardini. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($25,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Don't Tell My Wife Stables;
B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY); T-J. Keith Desormeaux.
$20,000.
Margins: 2HF, 5 1/4, 3. Odds: 1.30, 4.20, 6.10.
Also Ran: Denington, Bromley, Echo Again. Scratched: Itzos, Tapit's Conquest.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Second Chances: Pricey Curlin 2yo “Acts Like a Filly to be Excited About”

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

Subsequently flattered by Liguria (War Front)'s impressive performance in last weekend's GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar, Erna (f, 2, Curlin–Jumby Bay, by City Zip) will look to go one better at second asking in the nightcap at Gulfstream Park Sunday.

Off at 11-1 going 1 1/16 miles over the grass on debut at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting Oct. 22, Erna jumped well from post five and cleared the field of 10 heading into the clubhouse turn. Under a snug hold and in control through fractions of :23.33 and :48.01, the $600,000 OBS April breezer hit the quarter pole as the one to catch and led by a commanding 1 1/2 lengths in the stretch.

The aforementioned Liguria, making her second career start, however, was just getting going down the center. Erna dug down deep and braced for the challenge inside the final sixteenth, but, after swapping to her left lead close to home, just couldn't hold that one off and came up a neck short. Erna received a 70 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

After failing to draw into a pair of spots during Keeneland's fall meeting, Erna made a last-minute trip from trainer Cherie DeVaux's Lexington base to the Big A for her debut.

“I was really impressed with how she ran given the circumstances,” DeVaux said.

“She did not get into either of the races that had overfilled at Keeneland and she had been training there the entire time since she came in after the sale. She had to ship after entries came out on Wednesday to Belmont Park. She arrived Thursday, trained at Belmont on Friday and had to ship over to Aqueduct [to run] on Saturday. So, it was less than ideal circumstances and she ran huge considering all that was thrown at her.”

Erna, the first foal out of the multiple stakes-placed Jumby Bay, brought $600,000 from owner James D. Spry after cruising through a :20 4/5 bullet in Ocala this spring. The daughter of two-time Horse of the Year and perennial leading sire Curlin was previously a $135,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Lehigh Bloodstock.

Jumby Bay, from the family of grassy GI Garden City Breeders' Cup S. heroine Magnificent Song (Unbridled's Song), brought $510,000 from breeder Don Alberto carrying Erna at the 2019 Keeneland November sale.

“At the sale, we were really impressed with her breeze and how she moved,” DeVaux said of Erna. “She looked like she was more turf inclined.”

Erna drew post nine going a two-turn mile for her second career try over the Gulfstream lawn Sunday. Luis Saez has the mount aboard the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

“I think if she either runs the race that she ran last time or improves, she's gonna be hard to beat,” DeVaux said. “She acts like she's a filly to be excited about.”

The 'Second Chances' honor roll is headed by two-time Breeders' Cup winner and new Ashford Stud stallion Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner and Lane's End stallion Honor A. P. (Honor Code), recent GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Cody's Wish (Curlin) and MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags).

This year's GI Carter H. winner and new Darley stallion Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), GI Preakness S. third-place finisher Creative Minister (Creative Cause), Curlin S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Artorius (Arrogate) and Cinema S. winner and GII Del Mar Derby third War At Sea (War Front) have also been featured in the series.

Other standouts include: GSW Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GSW & MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); and GISP A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo).

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