Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Gormley bay bid three-wide at the top of the lane under Junior Alvarado, overtaking Doctor Jeff and the runner-up Gunite to stop the clock in 1:16.53.

High Oak closed to win his debut by a neck sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., but the bettors let the $70,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase leave the gate at odds of 10-1 on Saturday.

Mott said High Oak ran to his training, including a bullet half-mile breeze in :48.11 seconds on August 7 on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“We were pleased but not totally surprised,” Mott said. “He had been working quite well and he had run well enough in his first race.”

Mott said he was pleased with how High Oak, who garnered a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure, finished up the race.

“He was determined,” Mott said.

While Mott said he will leave all options open, the next likely consideration for High Oak is the $500,000 Grade 1 Champagne on October 2 at Belmont, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The win by High Oak completed a Mott-trained double that launched a race earlier when Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner drew off to a 5 1/4-length allowance score, registering a 101 Beyer.

With Jose Ortiz up, the 3-year-old Street Sense bay bobbled at the start of the seven-furlong main-track sprint but quickly found his footing to track the pacesetting Mahaamel from third before taking command at the five-sixteenths and powering home in a final time of 1:22.29.

Speaker's Corner graduated at second asking with a three-quarter length score over eventual graded-stakes placed Caddo River and multiple graded-stakes winner Greatest Honour in a seven-furlong maiden special weight in October at Belmont.

Mott said he had hoped to start Speaker's Corner around two turns but was pleasantly surprised at Saturday's one-turn score.

“Visually, he ran good and numbers-wise he ran good. And he came back good, too,” Mott said. “We had entered him in a two-turn race the day before which didn't fill thinking that this might not work out that well for him because I knew there would be some fast horses in there, but we got lucky and it worked out.”

Mott said he had initially hoped to get the lightly-raced colt to the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers slated for August 28 at the Spa but circumstances led to a more patient schedule.

“That's what we were hoping for, but it didn't work out that way. One little setback after another and before you know it, the Travers is upon us,” Mott said. “There's other races and we'll have to make it count somewhere else, hopefully.”

Among a number of options for Speaker's Corner is the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn.

“That would have to be on the radar. It would fit into the timing,” Mott said. “But everything is an option. We try to keep all our options open.”

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed closed five-wide to finish third in Saturday's Grade 1 Fourstardave, just two lengths in arrears of the more prominently placed Got Stormy.

The 5-year-old Jimmy Creed bay entered the one-mile inner turf test from a two-length score in the six-furlong Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on June 5 at Belmont.

“He ran a good race. It's hard not to be pleased with his effort,” Mott said.

The post High Oak May Go For BC Juvenile Spot In Champagne At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The post Beau Liam All Heart In Salty Saratoga Allowance appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

5th-SAR, $100k, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 3:23 p.m. ET

Annette Allen and Helen Alexander's Montauk Point (Violence) makes his first start for the Shug McGaughey barn here. The $550,000 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase grad–the priciest yearling by his Hill 'n' Dale sire to sell last season–is half to none other than 2019 GI Test S. and GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint heroine Covfefe (Into Mischief), who garnered both champion 3-year-old filly and champion female sprinter honors for that campaign. The chestnut hails from the uber deep family that traces back to Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee.

Uninvited Guest (Distorted Humor), a $400,000 KEESEP yearling, was second at 8-5 in his Monmouth unveiling June 20. He's out of MSW/GSP turf router and 'TDN Rising Star' Interrupted (Broken Vow). Interrupted is a daughter of of MSW/MGSP Alternate (Seattle Slew), making her a half to GISW Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro) and millionaire MGSW Alternation (Distorted Humor).

Chattalot (Midnight Lute) is a somewhat surprisingly short 8-5 on the morning line for Steve Amussen, who unveiled freaky 'Rising Star'-earning filly Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) on opening day. Chattalot was a $4,500 FTKOCT RNA turned $110,000 OBS April purchase off a :10 flat breeze. The bay, who is co-owned by Bloom Racing Stable of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) fame, along with David Bernsen, is half to SW/GSP A Red Tie Day (Indygo Shiner) and GSP Alydarla (Henny Hughes). TJCIS PPs

8th-SAR, $103k, Alw, 3y/up, 7f, 5:03 p.m. ET

Book-ended by 'TDN Rising Stars', this is one of those vintage allowances you'll only find at Saratoga that could easily have a grade next to it. Shadwell Stable's wide-drawn Mahaamel (Into Mischief) gets a tepid nod on David Aragona's morning line at 5-2. He was a close second on debut at Belmont Apr. 24 to fellow 'Rising Star' and recent GIII Dwyer S. hero First Captain (Curlin), and broke through himself by 3 1/4 lengths going this trip in the Belmont mud June 4. The $700,000 KEESEP yearling, out GSW Hot Stones (Bustin Stones), earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for his maiden breaker.

Stonestreet homebred Beau Liam (Liam's Map) will have to work out a trip from the rail in just his second attempt. The son of GSW Belle of Perintown (Dehere) is half to GSW Strike It Rich (Unbridled's Song) and MSW/MGSP Tomlin (Distorted Humor). He aired by 7 1/2 lengths and received a 94 Beyer for his unveiling under the Twin Spires May 29.

Chad Brown has two signed on. Crowded Trade (More Than Ready) was beaten a nose in the GIII Gotham S. in March, third in the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 3 and fifth last out in the GI Preakness S. May 15. Witsel (Nyquist), meanwhile, was purchased privately by Peter Brant and Bob LaPenta after a 13 1/4-length romp as a late season 2-year-old at Tampa Dec. 9 for trainer Carlos Munoz. He earned a solid 84 Beyer for that outing, but the subsequent efforts by the field he beat that day have been hit or miss. The fourth finisher did take a state-bred stakes, however, after breaking his maiden for $25,000. Witsel was a $72,000 KEESEP RNA and is a grandson of Grade II-winning sprinter Golden Gale (Summer Squall).

Courtlandt Farms's $410,000 KEESEP buy Ten for Ten (Frosted) was last seen finishing a neck second in the nine-panel GII Remsen S. Dec. 5. The grey is out of a half-sister to GISWs Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway) and Vexatious (Giant's Causeway) as well as GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner and GI Belmont S. runner-up Destin (Giant's Causeway).

TJCIS PPs

The post Racing Insights for July 17 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Happy Saver, who bested Mystic Guide in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in October at Belmont, entered Saturday's test undefeated in five starts.

Leaving from the outermost post 6 in the Suburban under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Happy Saver tracked in fourth position, outside of Mystic Guide, as Moretti set the early splits.

Mystic Guide made a strong inside move into the turn but the four-wide Happy Saver failed to fire his best shot, closing to complete the trifecta as Max Player upset Mystic Guide by a neck.

“I thought Happy Saver ran well,” said Pletcher. “He was stuck wide the whole way around there from that post. It was a little bit of a tricky start but I thought he put in an honest effort. They both came back very well.”

Pletcher said he'll take some time to consider options, although the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. is a possibility.

“We'll see how he bounces out of it and consider the Whitney and the Jockey Club and play it by ear,” said Pletcher.

The Whitney offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.

A number of Pletcher stars were on the work tab Sunday at Belmont, including Spendthrift Farm's Following Sea, a Runhappy colt, who is pointed to the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 17 at Monmouth Park.

Following Sea breezed five-eighths in 1:00.80 over a dirt training track rated good.

“He breezed well and we're still on target for the Haskell,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, who worked a half-mile in :49.49 on the dirt training track, remains on target for the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies on July 24 at Saratoga

“She looked great. Everything is going smoothly with her,” said Pletcher.

Shadwell Stable's Mahaamel, who was slated to start in Monday's $250,000 Grade 3 Dwyer, was clocked in :49.90 on the dirt training track.

“We were thinking about the Dwyer and unfortunately he got a bit of a cough and knocked us off a breeze last week. We'll consider an allowance race for him,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher's potential starters in Saturday's Turf Triple series races breezed a half-mile Sunday on the dirt training track with Con Lima [:50.59] targeting the $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and CHC and WinStar Farm's Sainthood [:49.65] eyeing a turf debut in the $ 1 million Grade 1 Belmont Derby.

“They both breezed well and are on track for next weekend,” said Pletcher.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima is exiting a sharp win in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 on the Belmont turf, while Sainthood captured an off-the-turf edition of the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge on May 29.

“We were hoping to get that turf try in the Pennine Ridge but it ended up working out OK, so we'll find out next week,” said Pletcher.

The post Pletcher Eyes Whitney For Happy Saver, Prepares Following Sea For Haskell appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mahaamel is the second foal out of accomplished New York-bred Hot Stones (Bustin Stones), who took the GIII Bed o' Roses H. over this same track and trip in 2014. Her prior foal Hot Mist (Tonalist) was a debut winner for West Point Thoroughbreds and Christophe Clement at Tampa Bay Downs last May but has not been seen since. Hot Stones's 2-year-old filly Rome's Burning (Classic Empire) was third on debut for Wesley Ward in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Churchill about an hour before Mahaamel's victory. She was not claimed. Hot Stones has not yet produced another live foal.

4th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-4, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:22.46, my, 3 1/4 lengths.
MAHAAMEL, c, 3, Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Hot Stones (GSW, $521,356), by Bustin Stones
                2nd Dam: Steamed Up, by Freud
                3rd Dam: Midnight Tank, by Tank's Prospect
Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $67,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart, VIDEO, sponsored by TVG or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Shadwell Stable; B-Clarkland Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. *$700,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP

The post Another Rising Star for Into Mischief at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

7th-SA, $61K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 7:12p.m.
Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine and West Point's FLIGHTLINE (Tapit) takes off for John Sadler Saturday. Bred by Summer Wind, the colt realized a $1-million final bid at last summer's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. Out of Grade III winner Feathered (Indian Charlie), who also hit the board in the GI Frizette S., GI Starlet S. and GI American Oaks, the bay posted a sharp five-furlong work Apr. 18, stopping the watch in 1:00 2/5. Feathered, a $300,000 OBSMAR buy, was purchased by Summer Wind–in foal to War Front–for $2.35 million at KEENOV in 2016. MONEY MIKE (Into Mischief), a KEESEP graduate, makes his first start for the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Racing and Stonestreet Stables. The $600,000 yearling purchase is the first foal out of MGSW Ahh Chocolate (Candy Ride {Arg}) and comes into this off several speedy works, including the latest a five-furlong move in 1:00 1/5 at Santa Anita Apr. 17. Simon Callaghan sends out SECRET WEAPON (Candy Ride {Arg}), a $650,000 KEESEP purchase. Campaigned by Qatar Racing and his breeder Peter Blum, the chestnut gets the services of Umberto Rispoli for this unveiling. TJCIS PPs

The post Saturday’s Insights: $1.5M Curlin Colt Debuts at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post