Her abrupt surrender to colic came as a terrible shock: Vero Amore was in her prime, having just turned 11, and was carrying a sister to the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old filly.     Tom McGrath stressed his thanks to Brookdale Farm, where she was a long-term boarder, for their characteristically alert and prompt attention; and also huge sympathy for Glenn Bennet, a great friend who had bought into the mare only last summer.

That investment has obviously proved desperate luck, for Bennet, but equally there could be no deeper grief over Vero Amore than for McGrath, who raced her in the Swilcan silks after trainer Robert E. “Butch” Reid Jr. found her for just $15,000 at the Timonium 2-Year-Old Sale in 2013. She managed serial stakes placings, including second in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S.

McGrath believes that her third foal, from the first crop of Nyquist, was never even vetted when a $120,000 RNA at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Vero Amore herself, after all, was responsible for the only black-type under the first three dams. After her debut at Parx, however, there was a lot more interest and he accepted an approach from Gary Barber and Adam Wachtel while retaining a leg. McGrath duly enjoyed the ride as Vequist won the GI Spinaway S. by nearly 10 lengths and ran second in the GI Frizette S. before confirming herself class leader at the Breeders' Cup. Though confined to a single sophomore start, she joined the Spendthrift broodmare band at Fasig-Tipton in November for $3.4 million.

But just as the unpredictability of the Thoroughbred yielded this fantastic dividend, now McGrath has had to absorb this “gut punch” out of nowhere.

“Yes, it's a double-edged sword, isn't it?” he reflected Friday. “She was a blue-collar girl, picked up for $15,000, and yet she's got the moxie to do all that. I don't want for much in life, but I also grew up blue-collar–and this kind of thing just doesn't happen. People spend incredible amounts of money trying to duplicate what we did on a shoestring.”

He remembers Reid calling and saying: “Got a cheapie for you!”

“But he loved her,” McGrath recalls. “And with these horses, you start the dream machine on the first ticket. You punch the clock and start dreaming–and she never let us down. There could be no more perfect animal. She was a sweetheart, she did everything right, she was a great mom. She didn't know what she cost, she was an all-star. The places she took us, it was just crazy.”

Vero Amore was not very big, but she was a golden nugget: all heart.

“It was like a passion she had,” McGrath said. “That way she thrived with her racing, the way she would always just try. That was what made me want to carry on with her. You don't just go breed, without a notion. It's not cheap: you get your monthlies, your stud fees, and it's a two- or three-year commitment. But even setting Vequist aside, this has been a whole other side of the business that a lot of people don't get to experience, and it's been wonderful to see the way people put their lives and emotions into it all. And I'm very proud of what she achieved.”

Foremost among those dedicated horsemen have been Fred Seitz and his team at Brookdale, who had some tough calls to make this week.

“The first one was a shock, for sure,” McGrath said. “But it's typical of the way they operate that they were all over it before anyone would normally be concerned. She just wasn't regular, and he was like, 'I don't like this, mares have super immunity when they're carrying, I want to send her get to looked at.' And where better could she have been than Rood and Riddle? And it did look like she was getting better, she was on fluids, she seemed to be stabilizing. But then it suddenly went the other way.”

Happily Vero Amore's propensity to throw fillies has allowed McGrath to keep all bar one of her other daughters–including 'TDN Rising Star' Mainstay (Astern), who finished runner-up in the GIII Schuylerville S. on her second start last year, and is closing on a return to the track. So perhaps there may yet be a legacy beyond whatever Vequist can do for Spendthrift.

“Her foal was a filly, so a full sister to Vequist, and that would have been something,” McGrath said. “After you take a punch you've got to get up off the canvas, dust yourself off, and walk back to the corner. But we're taking a moment out to remember her, for sure, because she was absolutely special. Sometimes when you pass the mile marker, you have to just stop, realize the beauty that's been around you, and count your blessings. That's what today is all about.”

The post Colic Claims Dam of Vequist appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Morning-line favorite is Deuce Greathouse, Cindy M. Hutson, Madaket Stables LLC, and Thomas J. Romano's Ontheonesandtwos, who followed up a wide but winning debut with an extremely wide second in the Debutante. A length away from victory, she finished willingly and got an 81 Beyer, co-highest in the Adirondack field. Trainer Norm Casse seeks his first Adirondack win and replaces Florent Geroux with Irad Ortiz, Jr. on the filly.

From the powerful Steve Asmussen stable, who won this race last year with Thoughtfully (Tapit) and has two other Adirondack victories since 2011, Wicked Halo is from the first crop of Asmussen's 2017 Horse of the Year. She shares the co-highest 81 Beyer in the field, notched in her debut at Lone Star June 5, and set the pace after bobbling at the start of the Debutante but yielded late. A homebred for Winchell Thoroughbreds, her 79 Beyer that day keeps her in the hunt here.

Butch Reid, Jr.'s Mainstay made headlines before her debut as a half-sister to last year's 2-year-old filly champion Vequist (Nyquist), then backed it up with a June 4 first-asking graduation by 7 3/4 lengths in the slop at Monmouth. She subsequently stumbled at the Schuylerville start and couldn't catch the loose-on-the-lead winner, but chased her in second all the way around and held her spot by daylight at the wire. Swilcan Stable LLC and LC Racing campaign the filly, who switches to a new rider in Joel Rosario.

Tom Amoss sends Joel Politi's Microbiome (Twirling Candy), the sole runner in the field with a win over the surface. She aired in the second race on opening day, went straight to the front, and never looked back to graduate by 5 1/2 lengths.

The post Nine Maiden Winners Seek First Stakes Win in Adirondack appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The 105th edition of the Adirondack, named for the mountain range in eastern New York, has been the proving ground for many future champions, with modern-era winners encompassing Sky Beauty, My Miss Aurelia, Folklore, Sacahuista, Storm Song, and Smart Angle, who have used this race as a springboard.

The Adirondack is slated as Race 8 on the 10-race card, which also includes the Grade 3, $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational as the second leg of the Turf Triple series for 3-year-old fillies going 1 3/16 miles, and the $120,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose for older fillies and mares going one-mile on the inner turf.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who saddled last year's Adirondack-winner Thoughtfully, looks to repeat and capture his fourth overall victory in the race by sending out Wicked Halo.

Owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Wicked Halo arrives with strong credentials as she is the daughter of the 2015 winner Just Wicked and the 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner.

“They're basically twins,” said Asmussen, who trained both the homebred Just Wicked and Gun Runner for the Winchell Family, when asked to compare this filly and her dam.

Wicked Halo graduated from the maiden ranks at first asking in June on a muddy Lone Star Park track. Elevated to stakes company last out, she faded to third after leading until late in the six-furlong Debutante on June 26 at Churchill Downs. She will now be asked to go a half-furlong further.

“Wicked Halo deserves the chance. I ran her back fairly quick after the Debutante from the one hole. It could have been different for her,” said Asmussen. “The Gun Runners have run extremely well, and obviously, that's exciting to us. I do believe that every single one of them will continue to improve with distance and with time, just like he did. It means a little more to us when we send out one of his babies.”

Jose Ortiz will ride from post 7.

Another filly in the field with famous family ties is Swilcan Stable' homebred Mainstay, a half-sister to Vequist, the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning 2-Year-Old Filly and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies victress.

Mainstay, co-owned by LC Racing, romped to a 7 3/4-length score in the slop at Monmouth Park her first time out and then was the runner-up in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on Saratoga's Opening Day after an inauspicious start to her race.

“I think she raced a little greenly last time,” said trainer Butch Reid, who also conditions Vequist. “She got a little distracted through the lane. I don't know if it was the people in the grandstand or what exactly it was, but since that race her concentration has been much better in the mornings and she's not paying any attention to any of that kind of stuff, so I expect her to run a much better race.

“I think her experience can only help her this time,” he added. “I normally wouldn't have raced her back this quickly, but she came out of it great and very determined and very serious, so we're going. I think she just needs a little seasoning and I think having these races under her belt will be nothing but a benefit to her. You can't live on reputation alone. Now she's riding on her big sister V's coattails, but she's got to prove it on her own.”

Joel Rosario will have the call from post 8.

Joel Politi's Microbiome also garnered attention by winning her debut by 5 1/2 lengths on the same day as the Schuylerville. The Tom Amoss trainee drew the outside post 9 with Tyler Gaffalione returning to ride in Microbiome's first stakes appearance.

“She's exciting. She showed a lot of talent to us before we ever ran her,” said Amoss, who also trained 2020 Grade 1 Ballerina-winner Serengeti Empress for Politi. We knew coming up here and debuting her was going to be going against the heavy heads, but I thought she really performed well and that gives us a real reason to think she has a chance on Sunday.”

From the inside post, J L's Rockette will look to build on her first-out win on June 27 at Ellis Park for Hall of Famer trainer Bill Mott. Owner Frank Fletcher names all of his horses for his beloved dog Rockette, and J L's Rockette got her moniker after he purchased this daughter of Into Mischief for $750,000.

“She's progressed nicely since she's been here from Kentucky,” said Mott, who is lacking an Adirondack victory on his lengthy Hall of Fame resume. “We've got several good works in her. She seems like with the additional training she's become stronger and fitter, but she'll have to be stronger and fitter to compete with this group.”

Junior Alvarado will be in the irons.

Ontheonesandtwos is a filly on the upswing after closing strongly in a runner-up Debutante effort by lone length, following her winning first-out performance at Churchill Downs in May for trainer Norm Casse.

“I think she's doing really well and we're excited about running in the Adirondack and seeing what the future holds,” Casse said. “It's a pretty good test but I think she's ready. She's done really well since we got her up here and her last breeze was excellent so it's time to see where she fits with all of these other good fillies.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride the daughter of Jimmy Creed for the first time, breaking from post 2.

“He's been working her, and he likes her,” Casse said. “It's time to see where she fits. I know I'm running a horse that's doing well and is happy. That's all you can hope for.”

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will saddle Interstatedaydream, a daughter of 2016 champion Juvenile Colt Classic Empire. She won her debut at Belmont Park in June by a head in a game effort. Luis Saez will ride from post 6.

Rounding out the field is Saucy Lady T, for trainer James Chapman [post 3, Manny Franco]; Shesawildjoker, for conditioner David Donk [Hall of Famer John Velazquez, post 4]; and the Gregory Sacco-trained Boss Lady Kim [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.].

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Wicked Halo, Mainstay Among Nine Juvenile Fillies Contesting Adirondack appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Weigelia sophomore boasts five wins and two seconds from 10 starts, including a pair of off-the-turf scores in his last two starts by 10 3/4-lengths in the seven-furlong Paradise Creek at Belmont and by 9 1/2-lengths in the 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Crowd Pleaser at Parx.

Reid, Jr. said the latter effort has him interested in stretching out the versatile bay.

“That last one is why I'm tempted to keep him around two turns,” Reid, Jr. said. “Both races look like they're coming up equally tough, so it's not going to be easy either way we go.”

Reid Jr. said he is considering longer-term options at Parx for the Pennsylvania-bred colt, out of the millionaire multiple graded-stakes winning Diamond mare Silmaril, including the Grade 3 Smarty Jones on August 24 and the nine-furlong Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on September 25.

“Being a 'PA' bred, the bonuses are worth a lot,” Reid, Jr. “When we won the $100,000 race in that last start, his owners own the stallion and the dam, so they got 110 percent of the purse. If he wins the Pennsylvania Derby, the breeder awards are big.”

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Swilcan Stable's reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Vequist breezed a half-mile in :47.77 Friday on the Saratoga main track under Jose Lezcano in preparation for a potential comeback at the end of the Saratoga meet.

“Vequist likes this mountain air,” Reid, Jr. said. “She's handling it very well. She didn't do well in the Florida heat. She's training very forwardly and we're right on schedule with her.”

Reid, Jr. said Swilcan Stable and LC Racing's Mainstay, a 2-year-old half-sister to stablemate Vequist, has come out of her runner-up effort to Pretty Birdie in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on Opening Day July 15 in good order and will now point to the 6 1/2-furlong $200,000 Grade 2 Adirondack on August 8.

“Mainstay came back so well, we'll take a shot in the Adirondack with her. I think that race did her a world of good,” Reid. Jr said.

The post Beren Considers Options Ahead of Curlin, Amsterdam At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 103rd edition of the six-furlong Schuylerville fittingly saw the ownership group of the late Saratoga icon and philanthropist capture a graded stakes during the lid-lifter of the 40-day meet. To accomplish the feat, Pretty Birdie wasted no time breaking sharply from the inside post under Luis Saez, leading the seven-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 22.29 seconds, a half in 45.82 and three-quarters in 58.40 on the fast main track.

Mainstay, who broke from post 2 under Frankie Pennington and tracked in second position in every point of call, made a late bid out of the turn, but Saez kept his charge to task, completing the course in a 1:12.32 final time.

“This is where she felt the most alive,” said owner John Hendrickson, who was married to Whitney until her passing in July 2019. “This is the way she is alive and she has a win on opening day. It's pretty special. This is a dream come true for me and Marylou. Things getting back to normal and winning on Opening Day, she's throwing a party. She said 'I want to race, get back to work.'

“It means so much,” Hendrickson added. “The smiling faces and having Saratoga back the way it should be and having a win. It's very special.”

Pretty Birdie's gate-to-wire score was the second career graded stakes win for trainer Norm Casse and his first in New York. The Kentucky homebred, a daughter of Bird Song, improved to 2-for-2 following her debut win in June at Churchill Downs.

“I feel like she was a little more green today. She didn't want to switch leads down the lane,” Casse said. “I was a little bit concerned about that as she was finishing, but I think that was just her seeing a new place. This was the first time she had even come over here. I kept her on the Oklahoma [training track] side the entire week she's been here.”

Off at 5-2, Pretty Birdie returned $7.60 on a $2 win wager. Casse said the next target for her is the Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway on September 5 at Saratoga.

“I think she was just gawking around and maybe even waiting on the other horse,” Casse said. “Those are things we'll fix before we run her in the Spinaway next.”

Saez won his second career Schuylerville, joining Off the Tracks in 2015.

“She's very fast,” said Saez, who finished the day with three wins. “I could feel it. She was on her toes. She broke from there pretty quick and we controlled the pace. When we came to the top of the stretch, she was running. I was pretty happy with her.

“She was a little tired [late in the lane] but she was go,” he added. “Nice filly.”

Mainstay, a half-sister to reigning 2-year-old champion filly Vequist trained by Butch Reid, Jr. was a 7 3/4-length first-out winner in June at Monmouth Park. Making her Saratoga bow, the Astern filly finished 5 1/4 lengths clear of Saucy Lady T for second.

“I think she ran well,” Reid, Jr. said. “It was a quality horse that beat her. My jockey was a little upset that she wasn't standing quite right in the gate and they snapped it before she was really ready. She had one leg that was underneath the next stall. I think maybe if she breaks a little better, who knows, but she didn't get away from the gate clean.”

Velvet Sister, Cartel Queen, Eagle Express and Queen Camilla completed the order of finish. Pipeline Girl and Happy Soul, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, scratched.

Live racing resumes Friday with a 10-race card highlighted by the Grade 3, $150,000 Forbidden Apple for 4-year-olds and up going one mile on the inner turf in Race 9 at 5:39 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:05 p.m.

The post Pretty Birdie Carries Marylou Whitney Stables Silks To Opening Day Schuylerville Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

“Visually, Kimari is a better horse, but she's doing it with speed to spare as well,” Ward said. “She has had some nice works underneath her and she's come to handle it quicker than I thought.”

Mainstay (Astern {Aus}), a half-sister to last year's champion 2-year-old filly Vequist (Nyquist), earned her 'TDN Rising Star' badge with a visually impressive romp in the slop on debut at Monmouth June 4.

Velvet Sister (Bernardini), a $500,000 FTFMAR breezer, graduated by 9 3/4 lengths in front-running fashion in a three-horse field for Steve Asmussen in her unveiling at Belmont June 10.

The rail-drawn Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) became the first winner for her expatriated sire with a sharp, wire-to-wire tally first out at Churchill Downs June 18.

The post ‘Happy’ Days are Here Again: Schuylerville Kicks off Saratoga Meet appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The six-furlong G3 Schuylerville kicks off juvenile stakes action at the Spa and has been a steppingstone to champion honors in the careers of champions Cicada [1961], Numbered Account [1971], La Prevoyante [1972], Sacahuista [1986], Meadow Star [1990], Golden Attraction [1995], Countess Diana [1997], and Ashado [2003]. The city of Schuylerville is named after American Revolutionary War hero Phillip Schuyler, and is located just 12 miles east of Saratoga Springs.

Additionally, the Schuylerville is one of six stakes events scheduled for Runhappy Opening weekend July 15-18, led by the $500,000 Grade 1 Diana for fillies and mares going nine furlongs on the turf on Saturday, July 17.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Happy Soul won her last two starts by a combined 23 ¼ lengths and garnered a respective 81 Beyer Speed Figure in both races.

Following a runner-up effort at first asking to stablemate Nakatomi, Happy Soul romped by 11 ¾ lengths on May 13 going five furlongs at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The daughter of second-crop sire Runhappy replicated such dominant ways against stakes company, taking the Astoria by 11 ½ lengths.

The Astoria was not initially targeted for Happy Soul, who arrived at her first stakes engagement with no recorded breezes following her maiden triumph.

“She got beat on the squares there in her first start,” Ward said. “We were ready when she came back, so we were expecting a big effort. Then, the Astoria came up where she would have been the overwhelming favorite going in, so it was hard to pass up, even without a breeze under her belt.”

Happy Soul has gained experience in her morning training, working with Grade 1-winning stablemate Kimari.

“Visually, Kimari is a better horse, but she's doing it with speed to spare as well,” Ward said. “She has had some nice works underneath her and she's come to handle it quicker than I thought. The way she's doing right now, we're thinking Schuylerville.”

Breaking from post 7, Happy Soul will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who will vie for his sixth Schuylerville win.

Trainer Tom Amoss packs a powerful pair of last-out maiden winners in Pipeline Girl and Cartel Queen.

Amoss used the Schuylerville as the stakes debut for subsequent multiple Grade 1-winner Serengeti Empress, who finished fourth in 2018 to Catherinethegreat.

Owned by Jerry Caroom, Pipeline Girl scored at first asking, traveling the Schuylerville distance on June 25 at Churchill Downs. The daughter of first-crop sire Air Force Blue broke sharply from post 2 and tracked a trio of frontrunners down the backstretch before making a four-wide move in upper stretch and capturing command in the final strides to win by a head.

“I thought her race was a very good experience,” Amoss said. “Any time you get a good experience out of a race and can win it is always a good thing. With a lot of these young horses at this stage, their running style is still something that you're trying to learn about.”

Bred by Lynch Bages LTD, Pipeline Girl is out of the black-type producing Pulpit mare Guide, whose dam Tour produced graded stakes winner Trip – the second dam of Grade 1-winners Bolt d'Oro and Global Campaign. She was bought for $100,000 from the Hunter Valley consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Also flying the Amoss banner is Jeff Ganje's Cartel Queen, who arrives off a maiden win at second asking. After finishing second behind runaway winner Golden Bell on debut in April at Keeneland, the daughter of Cairo Prince registered a 2 ¼-length triumph on May 20 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Cartel Queen will sport blinkers for the first time in the Schuylerville, having worked in the hood when blitzing through a half-mile in :47.60 on July 9 at Saratoga.

“We're making an equipment change with her and adding blinkers,” Amoss said. “She worked at Saratoga with blinkers [Friday] morning and did fine, so she'll wear them for the Schuylerville.”

Cartel Queen is out of 2009 Oklahoma Horse of the Year Peach Brew – a half-sibling to prominent Oklahoma-bred champion and millionaire She's All In. She was bought for $50,000 from the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by co-breeder Buck Pond Stable.

Pipeline Girl will break from post 3 under Jose Ortiz, while Cartel Queen will be piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 9.

Swilcan Stable and LC Racing's Mainstay will attempt to level up to the status of her champion half-sister Vequist for trainer Butch Reid, Jr.

The daughter of freshman sire Astern was highly impressive on debut, gliding home to a 7 ¾-length victory on June 4 over a sloppy and sealed main track at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

Jockey Frankie Pennington will pilot Mainstay from post 2.

Trainer Norm Casse will saddle Pretty Birdie on behalf of Marylou Whitney Stables. The homebred daughter of freshman sire Bird Song was never in doubt in her career debut on June 18 at Churchill Downs, leading at every point of call to win by 3 ¾ lengths.

Dear Birdie, an influential broodmare for the late Marylou Whitney's breeding operation, appears twice in Pretty Birdie's pedigree. She is the paternal third dam and the maternal fourth dam of Pretty Birdie.

Pretty Birdie will be piloted by jockey Luis Saez from the inside post.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen will saddle two fillies in pursuit of his fourth Schuylerville victory, winning with Jardin [2008], Hot Dixie Chick [2009], and Brazen Persuasion [2013].

W.S. Farish's Eagle Express ships to Saratoga by way of her native state after capturing the Texas Stallion Pan Zareta on June 13 at Lone Star for Asmussen. A victory would give the Farish family a fourth Schuylerville victory, boasting prior wins with Sweet Revenge [1980], Weekend Surprise [1982], and Weekend Delight [1984].

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. will ride Eagle Express from post 8.

Asmussen will also send out Stonestreet Stables' Velvet Sister following a successful debut on June 10 at Belmont Park. The daughter of Bernardini led at every point of call over Big Sandy, extending her advantage throughout, and romped home a 9 ¾-length winner.

Bred in New York by Godolphin and Michelle Nevin, Velvet Sister was a $500,000 acquisition from the Fasig-Tipton March 2020 Sale, where she was consigned by Eddie Woods. She is a half-sister to multiple New York-bred stakes-winner My Boy Tate.

Jockey Joel Rosario will return to the irons aboard Velvet Sister from post 4.

Cammarota Racing's Queen Camilla [post 6, Junior Alvarado] invades from South Florida for trainer Antonio Sano. The daughter of first-crop sire Connect was a one-length winner against her Florida-bred counterparts on July 1 at Gulfstream Park.

Completing the field is Saucy Lady T, a dark bay or brown Tonalist filly trained and co-owned by James Chapman in partnership with Van Camperlengo. Saucy Lady T won at second asking on April 25 over a sloppy and sealed track at Belmont Park. Jockey Manny Franco will ride from post 5.

The Schuylerville is slated as Race 9 on Thursday's 10-race Opening Day card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

The post Happy Soul Headlines Schuylerville On Saratoga Opening Day Card appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Out-footed by Next Tuesday (Kantharos) from the gate, the bay quickly rushed up and cleared by several lengths from that foe. Next Tuesday tried to make a race of it into the stretch, but Mainstay was in another league as she cantered home a super-impressive 7 3/4-length winner, stopping the clock in :52.59.

“She was very classy. She handled it like a professional,” said winning rider Frankie Pennington. “The first time Butch asked me to breeze her he said `you're going to like this one.' When he says that you know the horse has a chance to be something special.”

Reid said, “She has been training lights out. She's much more of a sprinter than Vequist was so we knew she would be good early. It's been fantastic. We had thought about trying her in the Astoria Stakes at Belmont Park, but we took the more conservative route and I'm glad we did… I've got owners who will listen to me on these type of decisions and it will pay dividends in the long run.”

Astern (Medaglia d'Oro), a Group 1 winner in his native Australia, covered his first mares at Darley's Kelvinside in New South Wales before reverse shuttling for the first time at Jonabell in 2018. He has six Southern Hemisphere winners. Fillies from Astern's first North American crop have been well received this season, with $375,000 and $340,000 sellers.

Mainstay is the fourth foal out of 2014 GII Black-Eyed Susan S. runner-up Vero Amore (Mineshaft), a $15,000 bargain buy by Tom McGrath's Swilcan Stables. Vequist was beaten a nose in her Parx debut last July before Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable bought in. She proceeded to romp by 9 1/2 lengths in the GI Spinaway S. before finishing second in the GI Frizette S. and securing championship honors with a convincing score in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Eased in the GII Davona Dale S. in February, Vequist is targeting the GI Cotillion S. in September. Vero Amore produced a Daredevil filly last term and an Accelerate filly most recently.

3rd-Monmouth, $47,125, Msw, 6-4, 2yo, f, 4 1/2f, :52.59, sy, 7 3/4 lengths.
MAINSTAY, f, 2, Astern {Aus}
                1st Dam: Vero Amore (GSP, $252,255), by Mineshaft
                2nd Dam: Summers Edge, by The Cliff's Edge
                3rd Dam: Miss Summer Reign, by Summer Squall
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $28,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart, VIDEO, sponsored by TVG or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Swilcan Stable LLC & LC Racing; B-Swilcan Stables (KY); T-Robert E. Reid, Jr.

The post Vequist Sis Becomes Rising Star, First NH Winner for Astern appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The Astoria, named after a town in Queens, is one of three stakes events carded for Belmont Stakes Racing Festival from June 3-5. Joining the Astoria on Thursday's card will be the Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again for sophomore fillies going nine furlongs over the inner turf and the Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental for fillies and mares 4-years-old and upward going seven furlongs over the Widener turf.

Trainer Wesley Ward, a two-time Astoria winner, will send out Happy Soul who impressed in her second career start with a decisive 11 ¾-length victory travelling five furlongs on May 13 at Belmont Park, registering an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Owned by Gayla Rankin, the daughter of medication-free second crop-sire Runhappy was second on debut to stablemate Nakatomi, who targets the Astoria's counterpart race – the $150,000 Tremont on Friday. The bay filly was never in doubt last out as she extended her advantage throughout the journey.

“She's a nice filly and ran a good race. It looks like she can still grow into a nice frame,” Ward said. “She's doing great. She won so easily the other day that we figured we would give this a shot. She is a good-training filly.”

Bred in Kentucky by Harris Training Center, Happy Soul is out of the Stephen Got Even mare Cowgirl Lucky. She was bought for $50,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by James M. Herbener, Jr.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez was in the irons in both starts and will return in pursuit of his fifth Astoria score from post 4.

Terry Hutto's American Bound gave freshman sire American Freedom his first winner and could give the 2016 Runhappy Travers runner-up his first stakes winner as well when breaking from post 6 for trainer Joe Sharp.

American Bound was a 1 ½-length winner over the Keeneland main track on debut before finishing fifth over a sloppy and sealed track in the Kentucky Juvenile on April 28 at Churchill Downs.

American Bound was a frugal $15,000 acquisition from this year's OBS Winter Sale, where she was consigned by Sharon Biamonte.

Jockey Luis Saez will return to the irons.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will saddle Gary Barber's Constitution Gal in her first start over the main track.

The gray or roan daughter of third-crop sire Constitution was a distant third to Royal Ascot bound Twilight Gleaming in her debut, which took pace over the Widener turf course at Belmont Park.

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will guide Constitution Gal from post 3.

Constitution Gal was bought from Parrish Farms consignment barn for $150,000 at this year's OBS March Sale. She is the first offspring out of the unraced Spring At Last mare Spring Island.

Mainstay, a half-sister to 2-year-old Champion Filly Vequist, will exit post 2 under Frankie Pennington in her career debut. Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Mainstay is by Astern and out of the Mineshaft mare Vero Amore.

Rounding out the field are Midsummer Nights [post 5, Manny Franco], and She's So Shiny [post 1, Mychel Sanchez].

The Astoria is carded as Race 7 on Thursday's nine-race program at Belmont Park. First post is 3:05 p.m.

The post Ward Sends Daylight Maiden Winner Happy Soul To Astoria appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post