michael mccarthy | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rispoli Guides Smooth Like Strait To Victory In La Jolla Handicap

Cannon Thoroughbreds' Smooth Like Strait used his speed to good advantage Sunday and scored a handy victory in the 80th running of the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif.

Under 124 pounds and Umberto Rispoli, Del Mar's leading rider, the 4-5 favorite drew out in the lane to tally by 2 1/2 lengths at the end of the 1 1/16-mile grass test and earned $75,000 from the $125,000 purse. The victory by the Midnight Lute colt was his fourth in eight lifetime starts and pushed his bankroll to $253,323. He is trained by Michael McCarthy.

Finishing second was Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen and partners' Storm the Court and running third was Karl Pergola's K P All Systems Go.

As the 4-5 race favorite, Smooth Like Strait returned $3.60, $2.60 and $2.20 across the board. He covered the distance on the green in a solid 1:40.29.

Three of the Kentucky-bred's four victories have come in stakes races, including the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar last December 1.

“I knew I had the most speed,” said Rispoli. “Mike (trainer Michael McCarthy) told me to ride like I was on the best horse. When you hear that, you have confidence. When Mike Smith's horse (Indian Peak) came up outside me on the backstretch, that was OK. It wasn't a worry. My horse was relaxed, so we were just helping each other. Then he had good speed at the end and we were gone. I like this place (Del Mar) and I like racing in California. There's good competition here. We go against each other and make each other better. It's good.”

Rispoli was a double winner on the afternoon and took a 24 to 21 advantage over Flavien Prat for the riding crown at Del Mar after 13 days of racing at the shore oval.

“Very pleased,” McCarthy said. “The race unfolded like it looked on paper. I thought Umberto (rider Rispoli) did a wonderful job of getting him out in the clear on the first turn. When that horse came up outside of him on the backside it was something we're not used to. But Umberto was very cool, didn't panic, did the right thing and knew he was on the best horse today. When the other horse went ahead it didn't bother me because I knew we were still traveling well in hand. When we re-engaged and got a half a length ahead I was just happy to see no one was coming from behind.”

Nobody hit the Pick Six Sunday afternoon meaning there will be a carryover of $142,511 heading into this Friday's card. The track's Jackpot carryover rose to $56,395.

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Ashland Winner Speech Heading Back To California To Train For Kentucky Oaks

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables' Speech is scheduled to return to Del Mar on Monday following her three-length victory in Saturday's $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The victory earned Speech 100 qualifying points toward the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs. Speech has 160 points and ranks second in points for the Oaks that is limited to the top 14 point earners to pass the entry box.

Speech gave trainer Michael McCarthy his first Keeneland stakes victory. McCarthy watched the victory from Del Mar, where an hour and a half later he won the third race.

“Justin Curran was deputizing on my behalf and was very pleased with them (Speech and third-place Toyota Blue Grass-G2 finisher Rushie) this morning,” McCarthy said via text.

Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie is scheduled on the Monday flight to Del Mar.

McCarthy now has eight weeks to get ready to return to Churchill, where he spent several meets as an assistant to Todd Pletcher before going out on his own.

“Most likely both will have a few works here at Del Mar before deciding on a Churchill Downs arrival date,” McCarthy said about Speech and Rushie.

Rushie is not Triple Crown nominated, and plans are uncertain for the colt, who has picked up 40 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the Run for the Roses on Sept. 5.

“Nothing is set in stone for Rushie,” McCarthy said. “There are plenty of options.”

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Speech Rallies Past Venetian Harbor To Record First Stakes Victory In Ashland

Getting a perfect trip under Javier Castellano, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' and Madaket Stables Speech ended her bout of seconditis with an emphatic victory over odds-on favorite Venetian Harbor in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday.

The Michael McCarthy-trained daughter of Mr Speaker tracked Venetian Harbor in second throughout, then took command in the stretch to win by three lengths, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.26, a new track record. Venetian Harbor finished second, with Envoutante another 3 3/4 lengths back in third and Bonny South fourth in a race that gave 100-40-20-10 qualifying points for the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks.

Speech paid $10 to win as the second choice in the wagering.

Venetian Harbor, second to division leader Swiss Skydiver in the G3 Fantasy at Oaklawn last out on May 1, set the fractions of :24.04, :47.14 and 1:10.44 for the first six furlongs under Joel Rosario. Castellano had Speech lapped on Venetian Harbor's right hip much of the way, and the filly responded when asked by Castellano, taking command in the stretch after a mile in 1:34.90 and drawing away for the win.

Speech broke her maiden at second asking at Los Alamitos last December, then ran second in four consecutive races, including a hard-fought neck loss to Gamine in a May 2 allowance race at Oaklawn Park. Gamine came out of that race to win the G1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park by 18 3/4 lengths.

Returned to California after that narrow defeat, Gamine finished second to Swiss Skydiver in the G2 Santa Anita Oaks on June 6.

Speech now ranks second, with 160 Kentucky Oaks points, behind Swiss Skydiver. Swiss Skydiver was entered in Saturday's G2 Blue Grass Stakes against males, where she finished second.

Updated Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard

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Rushie’s ‘Natural Speed’ Will Play To His Advantage In Blue Grass

Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie, third behind Honor A. P. in the June 6 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) in his most recent start, drew post 10 in the 13-horse field for Saturday's $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland.

“I'm fine with the draw,” trainer Michael McCarthy said Wednesday afternoon from his base at Del Mar. “He's very tactical. He's got plenty of natural ability and natural speed. I would imagine he'd probably be laying somewhere in that first group of horses going into the first turn.”

Rushie will be ridden by Javier Castellano, who won the 2019 Toyota Blue Grass aboard Vekoma.

McCarthy has had only two starters at Keeneland, and Rushie will become his first runner in the Toyota Blue Grass. The colt is a member of the first crop of Liam's Map, who won the 2015 Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland. Liam's Map is the sire of another Toyota Blue Grass hopeful, Basin.

Rushie is out of the Colonel John mare Conquest Angel, whose half-sister Peace and War won Keeneland's Darley Alcibiades (G1) in 2014. His family also includes last year's Darley Alcibiades winner, champion British Idiom.

Rushie is not nominated to the Triple Crown, but his performance in the Toyota Blue Grass might change that status.

“We're going to let him earn his way to the first Saturday in September – that sounds strange to say that,” McCarthy said about the rescheduled Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). “If he were to run well, it's something that the Daniells and myself would go ahead and think about. There are plenty of races out there later in the summer and in the fall all over the country that will be worth taking a look at, so let's see what happens.

“If he jumps up and runs well, I guess we have to think about something like that. It's a good problem to have.”

McCarthy has entered Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables' Speech in both Friday's $100,000 Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select and Saturday's $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1). In her last race, Speech was second to Swiss Skydiver in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2). Swiss Skydiver will face Rushie in the Toyota Blue Grass.

“I like the idea of the Beaumont, the one turn on the Beard Course,” he said referring to the stakes' distance of 7 furlongs, 184 feet. “Just thought it would be a good idea for insurance to go ahead and enter in the Ashland just in case something crazy happened over the next 48 hours.”

So he's leaning toward the Beaumont for Speech?

“Ah …… Not sure yet.”

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