Michael J. Caruso | Horse Racing Free Tips

Plum Ali Scores Gate-To-Wire Win In Winter Memories

After winning the first three starts of her career, Plum Ali had been winless in her last seven starts until Sunday's Winter Memories. The daughter of First Samurai grabbed the lead in the early strides of the 1 1/16-mile stakes and made every pole a winning one at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Jockey Manny Franco sent Plum Ali to the lead out of the gate, a departure from her usual racing position behind horses. The 3-year-old filly set early fractions of :23.77, :49.72, and 1:15.28, a moderate pace that allowed Plum Ali to stay a length ahead of the field of ten others.

Into the stretch, the filly was able to stretch her lead out to three lengths, her moderate early pace ensuring she had plenty left in the tank to hold off the closers. At the wire, she was 3/4 of a length in front of the bunched trio of White Frost, Miss Dracarys, and Gam's Mission. Runaway Rumour, Invincible Gal, Bipartisanship, Flown, Out of Sorts, Quinevere, and Batyah rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles over good turf was 1:45.11. Find this race's chart here.

Plum Ali paid $11.20, $5.40, and $3.40. White Frost paid $4.40 and $3.60. Miss Dracarys paid $6.20.

The idea was to be forwardly-placed. She ran very well. He [Manny Franco] gave her a great ride. She's been very unlucky and the filly deserved this,” trainer Christophe Clement said after the race. “The idea was to be 1-2-3 and, if possible, on the lead. If anybody took us on, then sit second or third. Nobody took them on and when I saw the 49 and change and 1:15, I knew she was going to be pretty tough. She's a very nice horse.”

“She broke sharp and I let her do her thing. We ended up on the lead and it worked out,” Franco told the NYRA Press Office after the Winter Memories. “After we broke like that, I wasn't thinking to take back. If they wanted to take the lead, they would have to go faster than me. In the second part of the race, they let me slow down the pace and that was it. She handled it really well.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, Plum Ai is out of the Stroll mare Skipping. She is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Consigned by Stone Farm, Plum Ali was purchased by Cromwell Bloodstock for $65,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Her win in the Winter Memories is her first in seven starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of four wins in 11 starts.

The post Plum Ali Scores Gate-To-Wire Win In Winter Memories appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Orglandes Catches Beautiful Lover, Candy Flower Late To Take Zagora

Candy Flower held the lead from the race's opening strides, but did not have enough left to hold off a late-stretch bid from favorite Orglandes (FR) in the Zagora Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Mike Maker trainee Candy Flower was on the lead first time under the wire in the 1 1/2-mile Zagora, with Always Shopping and Orglandes taking up second and third. Maintaining a three-length advantage throughout, Candy Flower set a steady pace, logging fractions of :24.92 for the first quarter, :49.63 for the half-mile, and 1:15.10 for six furlongs. She looked poised to take the field gate to wire into the far turn, where her lead shrunk to a length as the field entered the stretch.

Irad Ortiz Jr. took Orglandes to the outside on the far turn, as Beautiful Lover pulled even with Candy Flower in the Belmont straightaway. Candy Flower battled back, even with Beautiful Lover, but Ortiz Jr. had Orglandes set down for a drive. She caught the two frontrunners in the race's final strides, getting up to win by a neck. Beautiful Lover was second, while Candy Flower held on for third. Hungry Kitten, Lovely Lucky, Always Shopping, and Go Big Blue Nation rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2.29.28. Find this race's chart here.

Orglandes paid $3.50, $2.90, and $2.40. Beautiful Lover paid $5.00 and $3.40. Candy Flower paid $6.70.

Bred in France by SA Franklin Finance and Elisabeth Vidal, Orglandes is by Le Havre (IRE) out of the Dansili (GB) mare Influence (FR). Trained by Chad Brown, she is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Orglandes was consigned by Coulonces Sales and sold to Sylvain Vidal for $88,245 at the 2017 Arqana Deauville October Yearlings Sale. Her win in the Zagora is the 5-year-old mare's first victory of 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 14 starts and career earnings of $307,022.

The post Orglandes Catches Beautiful Lover, Candy Flower Late To Take Zagora appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Seven Two-Year-Olds Entered For Friday’s Atlantic Beach Stakes

Live Oak Plantation homebred Biz Biz Buzz took the step up in class last out with a third-place stakes debut in the Grade 3 Futurity on October 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The Michael Trombetta trainee will look to make the grade in a return engagement at the track as part of a seven-horse field of 2-year-olds in Friday's $100,000 Atlantic Beach contested at six furlongs over the inner turf course.

The Atlantic Beach is one of four stakes on Friday's packed card, which includes the $200,000 Ticonderoga for New York-bred fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf; the $150,000 Tempted for juvenile fillies going a one-turn mile; and the $100,000 Awad for juveniles going 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Biz Biz Buzz made a successful debut on September 10, rallying from fifth to post a three-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint over the turf at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Trombetta moved him up in class last out and the Fed Biz colt responded by earning black type in the six-furlong Futurity, finishing 1 1/2 lengths back to winner Slipstream over firm going.

“I was pleased with his effort last time against those horses; it was only his second time running,” Trombetta said. “He's worked well since. Hopefully, the weather cooperates and he gets a chance to run.”

Biz Biz Buzz has trained over the all-weather track at Fair Hill in Maryland since the Futurity, including a bullet four-furlong work in :47.80 on Saturday.

“He's been training exceptionally well and we're looking forward to seeing how he progress,” said Trombetta, who entered Sunday with 1,998 career wins. “He's a big, solid 2-year-old. He has a good attitude. He does everything right. He's certainly a nice horse to work with. It was good he got a race over the Belmont track, too, but the weather plays such a big part this time of year, so we'll have to see.”

Julian Pimentel will have the call from post 5.

James Horgan's Longshadow earned a stakes victory last out by edging Nobals by a nose in the 6 1/2-furlong Fitz Dixon, Jr. Memorial Juvenile on October 11 over the Presque Isle Downs all-weather track.

Longshadow, trained by Kelsey Danner and bred by Dede McGehee, made a strong debut with a win on August 5 at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del., over the main track before running seventh in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile on September 6 for his turf debut.

Returning to the grass, Longshadow will retain the services of rider Rocco Bowen, drawing post 3.

Kendall Hansen's Pure Panic is already an experienced stakes horse and will make his fourth consecutive start at that caliber in the Atlantic Beach for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Summer Front, who won his debut in July at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., ran second in the Skidmore in his second start in a stakes moved off the turf on August 20 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Pure Panic returned to the grass for his next two starts, finishing ninth in the one-mile Nownownow on September 26 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and fifth last out when cutting back to 5 1/2 furlongs in the Indian Summer on October 10 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

Making his Belmont debut, Pure Panic will have Eric Cancel ride from post 7.

Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso's Doctor Jeff, who won an off-the-turf debut effort in July at Belmont, ran fifth in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special over the Spa main track on August 14 before trainer Rudy Rodriguez moved the Street Boss colt to turf for the first time in the Grade 2 Pilgrim on October 3 going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park.

Doctor Jeff will have his second go on turf, drawing post 4 with Jose Lezcano in the irons.

A trio of second-out maiden-breakers will comprise the rest of the field, including Double O Racing's Trust Daddy, who was victorious in his turf debut on October 10 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., for trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer [post 2, Manny Franco]; and Bright View Farm's Here Comes Billy, a winner at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., on October 9, for trainer Douglas Nunn [post 1, Wilmer Garcia]. Colts Neck Stables homebred Tops the Chart, a winner on September 25 at Monmouth, is entered for the main track only for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr.

The Atlantic Beach is slated as Race 4 on Friday's 10-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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

The post Seven Two-Year-Olds Entered For Friday’s Atlantic Beach Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Wondrwherecraigis Gets First Graded Stakes Win In Bold Ruler

If you want to know where you can find Wondrwherecraigis, try the winner's circle. After his DQ to second for interference in his last graded stakes try in the Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park, the Munnings gelding stayed straight and true throughout to add graded stakes winner to his resume with his victory in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

With jockey Luis Saez aboard, Wondrwherecraigis was fastest out of the gate, going immediately to the lead with Wendell Fong in second and favorite Plainsman third. Around the far turn, Plainsman had to check in traffic, shuffled back to fifth, as Wondrwherecraigis maintained his lead over Continuation and Wendell Fong.

Into the stretch, Wondrwherecraigis powered through the slop to draw away and win by 2 1/4 lengths, completing the seven furlongs in 1:23.31 over the wet Belmont track. Plainsman took third while Drafted was fourth. Find this race's chart here.

Wondrwherecraigis paid $6.40, $3.70, and $2.60. Continuation paid $6.00 and $3.30. Plainsman paid $2.20.

“The seven furlongs was a question, but it's nice to find out he can do it. Luis [Saez] did a beautiful job. He jumped out of there and slowed it down the best he could and didn't take anything away from the horse either. He's sat on him so he knows he can get that drift, but that's just him. I don't know that he's necessarily getting late – in some of his other races, he's just had to go faster early. It's the race on the day and how it sets up,” trainer Brittany Russell said after the Bold Ruler.

“I took him away from the pony and when he was in his stall, he broke pretty well. He controlled the pace and when we came to the top of the stretch, I felt like I had a lot of horse to finish with and he responded really well,” jockey Luis Saez told the NYRA Press Office after the race. “He was handling it pretty well. The plan was to try to slow the pace early so everything went according to plan.”

Bred in Kentucky by Fleur de Lis Stables, Wondrwherecraigis is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Social Assassin. The gelding is owned by Michael Dubb, The Elkstone Group, Madaket Stables, and Michael J. Caruso. Wondrwherecraigis was a $210,000 RNA consigned by ELiTE at the 2020 Keeneland Horses of Racing Age Digital Sale. With his win in the G3 Bold Ruler, the 4-year-old gelding has four wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 10-6-1-1 and career earnings of $347,640.

The post Wondrwherecraigis Gets First Graded Stakes Win In Bold Ruler appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post