majestic eagle | Horse Racing Free Tips

With runaway leading rider Flavien Prat engaged, the Richard Baltas-trained Neptune's Storm, idle since Sept. 7, will garner plenty of attention as he heads the Grade 3, $100,000 American Stakes at one mile on turf this Sunday at Santa Anita. For 3-year-olds and up, the American has attracted a wide open field of six.

Hall of Fame conditioner Neil Drysdale, who is winless in 36 starts at the current meet, has a big shot to get off the schneid with Majestic Eagle, who won the 2019 American and will be ridden on Sunday by Mario Gutierrez.

With two wins from his first seven starts when trained by William Morey, Neptune's Storm blossomed in the care of Baltas, winning his first start for him, the ungraded Singletary Stakes at one mile on turf, on April 28, 2019. A winner of the Grade 2 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park eight starts back on Oct. 5, 2019, Neptune's Storm notched his second graded stakes win three races back by taking the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on June 14, 2020.

Subsequently third, beaten one length by classy United in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes July 26, Neptune's Storm went to the sidelines following a fourth place finish in an ungraded one mile turf stakes Sept. 7, 2020 at Kentucky Downs.

A 5-year-old gelding by Stormy Atlantic, Neptune's Storm has a pressing style that has enabled him to avoid trouble and has resulted in a total of 10 finishes in which he has run first, second or third dating back to his win in the 2019 Singletary.

Owned by John Rochfort, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig and Daniel Weiner, Neptune's Storm is 19-6-3-6 and is the leading money earner in the field with $848,085.

Second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in his first start of the year, the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on turf May 29, Majestic Eagle, who had been idle since Nov. 28, should improve with the race under his belt and a return to a route of ground. A game neck winner of the 2019 American, Majestic Eagle, a 6-year-old gelding by Medaglia d'Oro, is 11-1-4-1 at one mile on turf.

Owned by Rave Green Racing, Majestic Eagle brings an overall mark of 28-3-7-3 and earnings of $340,541.

THE GRADE 3 AMERICAN STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Tiz Plus—Trevor McCarthy—122
Restrainedvengence—Tyler Baze—124
Neptune's Storm—Flavien Prat—122
Border Town—Mike Smith—122
Majestic Eagle—Mario Gutierrez—122
Sash—Juan Hernandez—122

The post Neptune’s Storm Returns From Layoff In Sunday’s American Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Quick from the gate and head and head to deep stretch with speedy Law Abidin Citizen, heavily favored Bombard simply wouldn't be denied in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths under Flavien Prat. Trained by Richard Mandella, the 8-year-old gelding by War Front got 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:14.47.

Most recently second in a tough classified allowance going six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on April 25 and only beaten 3 ¼ lengths two starts back in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Bombard added blinkers for the first time in this his 18th career start and notched his first-ever graded stakes victory at a point in life where most of his classmates have been retired.

“He's as good as he's ever been, for sure,” said Mandella. “I don't race him much, he's got a few problems that we have to take care of, but he comes back and he pays us back. We'll keep doing that as long as he's having a good time and so are we.”

Off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of five older horses, Bombard paid $3.40, $2.80 and $2.10.

“He broke really well and put himself in the race,” said Prat, who has now ridden by Bombard to a total of five victories. “I don't think the blinkers had anything to do with his race. I love to win.”

Owned by Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass, Adele Dilschneider and Waddell Hancock II, Bombard, who is out of the Distorted Humor mare Witty, was making his second start of the year and is now 18-6-6-2. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $459,771.

Idle since Aug. 29, Law Abidin Citizen finally threw in the towel a sixteenth out, enabling others to secure the minor placings.

Last for nearly the entire trip, Majestic Eagle unfurled a good stretch run to take second by a head over French-bred Commander. Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Majestic Eagle was off at 9-1 and paid $6.00 and $2.80.

Commander, who sat third most of the trip, finished third by a length and quarter and paid $2.80 to show while off at 6-1 with Juan Hernandez.

Law Abidin Citizen, a multiple graded stakes winner, was ridden by Abel Cedillo and held fourth by a nose over Jamming Eddy.

Fractions on the race were 21.63, 44.17 and 1:08.13.

The post Better With Age: 8-Year-Old Bombard Digs In For Daytona Stakes Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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