michael trombetta | Horse Racing Free Tips

Trombetta Inches Closer To Milestone With Win In Glen Cove

Trainer Michael Trombetta secured his 1,996th career win Friday when Aug Lutes rallied from tenth – nearly 10 lengths off the pace – to secure a 1 1/4-length score in the inaugural $100,000 Glen Cove, a seven-furlong Widener turf sprint for sophomore fillies at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trombetta, a 54-year-old Maryland native, saddled his first winner in 1986 and rose to national prominence when his 2006 Illinois Derby winner Sweetnorthernsaint exited the Kentucky Derby starting gate as the mutuel favorite, finishing seventh.

In addition to his Grade 1 winners Next Question and Wet Your Whistle, Trombetta captured a memorable edition of the Grade 1 Forego with Win Win Win in August 2020, contested over a sloppy and sealed Saratoga main track under stormy conditions at the Saratoga Springs, N.Y., track.

With Hall of Famer Javier Castellano up, Win Win Win was last of 11 early on before making a remarkable nine-wide move at the top of the lane to swoop past five rivals and collar Complexity for a half-length win.

Trombetta was still in a state of disbelief following the race.

“I honestly don't know what to say; he dropped so far back and his chicklet and number actually went off the screen and I couldn't even see across the track,” Trombetta said at the time. “I thought he was absolutely out of the race and might not have had a chance to even finish. But then turning for home, he came back on the screen. It's just unbelievable.”

Trombetta, who oversees 70-100 horses across divisions at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., and Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del., said he's humbled to be approaching the 2,000 career win milestone.

“I've always enjoyed what I've done here,” Trombetta said. “It's went quickly and over the years it makes you appreciate all the effort that everyone puts into it to help get you to these points.”

Trombetta was quick to tip his cap to the backstretch staff that he works alongside each day.

“They're unbelievably dedicated individuals – and that's not just in my barn – that's in the other trainer's barns as well,” Trombetta said. “The lifestyle these employees live is truly all about the horses. It really means a lot.”

While the 19-1 score by Aug Lutes on Friday was no match in stature to Win Win Win's Grade 1 coup, Trombetta was just as appreciative of the rallying effort from the dark bay daughter of Midnight Lute in her turf debut which garnered a career-best 92 Beyer.

“She ran really nicely. We were hoping she could handle the turf and run well, but that was beyond what we could have hoped for,” Trombetta said.

A winner of 4-of-5 starts, Commonwealth New Era Racing's Aug Lutes made her first four starts on synthetic, including a runner-up effort in the seven-furlong Duchess at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario on September 25.

Aug Lutes, with Jose Lezcano up, endured a troubled start in the Glen Cove which saw Caldee set swift splits of :22.53 and :44.50 over firm going. Aug Lutes was one of many chances at the top of the lane and the filly finished with aplomb to notch her first career stakes win.

“She got bumped leaving the gate and it may have been to her favor after the fact, but it sure didn't seem that way early on,” Trombetta said.

Trombetta said the $150,000 Autumn Days going six furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., on November 28 is one of a number of options going forward for Aug Lutes.

Live Oak Plantation's homebred Biz Biz Buzz also endured a troubled trip when third in last Sunday's Grade 3 Futurity, a six-furlong turf sprint for juveniles won by Slipstream.

“It was a peculiar situation. When I read the chart it said, 'hit by gate,'” Trombetta said. “I went back and watched and sure enough the left side of the gate opened but it didn't latch and it swung back and bounced off of him. I don't think it had anything to do with where he placed. It would probably have been more an impact for the jockey than the horse, but everything was fine.”

By Fed Biz and out of the Candy Ride mare Candy Striper, Biz Biz Buzz graduated at first asking on the Laurel Park turf ahead of his stakes debut.

While Slipstream and Futurity runner-up Run Curtis Run are likely to enter the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Trombetta said he has made no plans yet for Biz Biz Buzz.

“He's a talented guy. I'm not sure whether he's ready for the next big challenge like that but I'll watch him and see how he's doing and figure out a plan,” Trombetta said.

Trombetta will continue his quest for 2,000 career wins next week at Belmont when he sends out Arzak in Friday's inaugural running of the $100,000 Carle Place, a seven-furlong Widener turf sprint for sophomores.

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Dufresne Out To Make Amends In Saturday’s Matron

Commonwealth New Era Racing's Dufresne will look to make amends following a lackluster effort in her stakes debut when stepping into graded company in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Matron, a six-furlong inner turf sprint for juvenile fillies at Belmont Park.

Trained by Michael Trombetta, the Uncaptured bay traveled wide throughout in the Woodbine Cares and appeared to hang coming out of the turn before gaining momentum in the final sixteenth, closing to finish third in the five furlong inner-turf test last out on Sept. 19.

“We don't really know what to make of that last effort, hopefully we see a good performance up there on Saturday,” Trombetta said. “She likes to be close, but I don't think she needs to be on the lead. The distance should help her.”

Bred in New York by Newtownanner Stud Farm, Dufresne is out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Rapids, who is a half-sister to 2011 Grade 2 Remsen-winner O'Prado Again.

A $62,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Dufresne graduated at second asking sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs against fellow state-breds over firm footing on August 12 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trombetta, who has 1,993 career wins heading into Wednesday's racing action, said Dufresne has the frame of a stakes sprinter.

“She's real solidly built. She's not real big, but she's solid,” Trombetta said. “She's done everything we've asked of her. This will be another test to see if she's good enough to run at that track with these horses.”

Eric Cancel has the call from post 5.

Trainer Wesley Ward has entered the formidable duo of Chi Town Lady and Poppy Flower, who breezed five furlongs in company Saturday on the Belmont inner turf.

Ward said Chi Town Lady is also under consideration for a start against the boys in Sunday's Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity, a six-furlong turf test for juveniles offering a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 2, $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint on November 5 at Del Mar.

“I'm looking at that race and the Futurity as well,” Ward said. “She had a big work in company with Poppy Flower. The owner of Poppy Flower was on hand and said that Chi Town Lady looked much better in the work.”

Chi Town Lady graduated by three lengths at first asking sprinting 4 1/2-furlongs on the Keeneland main track. The Verrazano chestnut stumbled at the start last out on August 18 in the 5 1/2-furlong Bolton Landing over a yielding Mellon turf at Saratoga Race Course, but was able to regroup under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez to best stablemate Poppy Flower by 1 3/4-lengths.

Bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons, Kilboy Estate and Gavin Tierney, Chi Town Lady is out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Toni's Hollyday.

“She's really starting to blossom as time has gone on,” Ward said. “She was always a nice filly, but she's one of these 2-year-olds that with time is getting better.”

Ward said if Chi Town Lady continues to thrive, he would consider entering her in the one-mile Grade 1, $ 1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“This particular filly I think will go a mile, especially at Del Mar, so I'm thinking about the mile race on the grass for her,” Ward said.

Arnmore Thoroughbreds' Poppy Flower graduated at third asking in a six-furlong turf sprint at Belmont on June 20 ahead of her Bolton Landing second. The Lea chestnut enters from a third-place finish in the Ainsworth at 6 1/2-furlongs on September 12 at Kentucky Downs

Joel Rosario will pilot Chi Town Lady from post 8, while Poppy Flower will emerge from the inside post under David Flores.

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Chester and Mary Broman's homebred Makin My Move romped to a 12 1/2-length debut win sprinting six furlongs against fellow New York-breds August 20 on the Spa main track.

Trained by John Kimmel, the Carpe Diem bay has since posted four consecutive bullet works on the Oklahoma training turf, including a rapid half-mile in 46.04 on September 3 in her first grass work.

Out of the multiple stakes winning More Than Ready mare Hard to Stay Notgo, Makin My Move is a half-sister to the Kimmel-trained stakes-placed turf specialist Gotta Go Mo.

“Gotta Go Mo can do nothing but run on the grass so I thought maybe grass might be her deal,” Kimmel said. “She [Makin My Move] was pretty amazing in her first work on the grass. Every work she's had on the grass has been solid. She continues to go out there and handle it really well.”

Kimmel said a strong gate work August 4 on the Oklahoma dirt training track convinced him to start Makin My Move on the main track. After breaking outward on debut, Makin My Move made the lead and continued to widen her margin at every point of call.

“She worked so good on the dirt out of the gate that day and she did win well, but I think she's better on the grass,” Kimmel said. “She wasn't on the front end right away last time, but she got there. She has tactical speed but she doesn't have to be on the front end.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will pilot Makin My Move from post 6.

MeB Racing Stables and Vincent D. Esopi's Mystic Eyes, a $40,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, graduated in her August 5 debut by 4 1/2-lengths sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over firm footing at the Spa.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Mystic Eyes followed with a runner-up effort in the Ainsworth.

“She looked good breaking her maiden on the grass at Saratoga, so this looked like a good opportunity. She's a nice filly,” Pletcher said.

By Maclean's Music, Mystic Eyes is out of the stakes-winning Storm Cat mare Cloudburst – a half-sister to 1996 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and Champion 2-Year-Old Boston Harbor.

Manny Franco has the call from post 3.

Scott Dilworth, Evan Dilworth, Randy Andrews and Susan Andrews' Lady Danae bested Matron-rival Bubble Rock by two lengths in her August 13 debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs over firm Mellon turf at the Spa.

The Joe Sharp-trained daughter of Klimt followed with an even fifth last out in the Ainsworth.

Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, Carrie Brogden and Craig Brogden, Lady Danae was purchased for $210,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Luis Saez retains the mount from post 4.

Shortleaf Stable homebred Bubble Rock, by More Than Ready, exited her runner-up effort to Lady Danae with a convincing 3 1/4-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on the firm Mellon turf on September 3 at Saratoga.

Trained by Brad Cox, Bubble Rock is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Reef Point, who is a half-sister to millionaire Blue Chipper – winner of the 2019 Group 1 Keeneland Korea Sprint in Seoul and third-place finisher in that year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call aboard Bubble Rock from post 7.

Swilcan Stable and LC Racing's Mainstay, a half-sister to 2-year-old Champion Filly Vequist, will exit post 11 under Kendrick Carmouche in her turf debut. Trained by Butch Reid, Jr., Mainstay is by Astern and out of the Mineshaft mare Vero Amore.

She won her June 4 debut by 7 3/4-lengths sprinting 4 1/2-furlongs on a sloppy Monmouth Park main track and followed with a runner-up effort to Pretty Birdie in the six-furlong Grade 3 Schuylerville in July at Saratoga.

Mainstay enters from a fading fourth in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Adirondack on August 8 at the Spa.

Rounding out the field is The Club [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Gal in a Rush [post 12, Dylan Davis], Benbang [post 10, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], and High Arabian [post 9, Benjamin Hernandez].

The Matron, slated as Race 6, is part of a lucrative 11-race card that also features the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic [Race 7], a 12-furlong Widener turf test for 3-year-olds and up; and the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh [Race 5], a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 6 at Del Mar. First post on Saturday 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.

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Tasting The Stars Headlines Van Clief Stakes At Colonial Downs

Virginia-bred Tasting The Stars, an impressive 5-for-7 in her career, headlines Monday's $100,000 Van Clief Stakes for Virginia-restricted horses at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. The field of nine includes Todd Pletcher's Apurate, the second early choice.

The restricted stakes, open to those that are Virginia-bred, sired, or certified, is 1 1/16th miles on grass and is the eighth of nine races scheduled.

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Tasting the Stars is fresh off turf stakes wins in the Nellie Mae Cox at Colonial July 19 and in the Brookmeade at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., last October. The 5-year-old Bodemeister mare prevailed three times in 2019 — in the Just Jenda Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and in allowance and maiden special weight races at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. The Van Clief headliner finished sixth in the 2019 Virginia Oaks as the betting favorite. She has bankrolled $204,600 and is 3-for-4 on turf. The 9-5 early choice is trained by John Kimmel and will be ridden by Feargal Lynch.

A1A Racing's Apurate is the second choice and was runner-up most recently in a Monmouth turf allowance. The 4-year-old Summer Front filly broke her maiden October 20 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and has earned $129,360 from 13 starts including a win and five runner-up finishes. David Cohen will ride the Kentucky-bred.

Larry Johnson and RDM Racing Stable's No Mo Lady is third early choice at 6-1. The 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare finished third in the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes last October at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., and previously, had back-to-back seconds in the All Along Stakes and Indiana General Assembly Distaff Stakes. The Michael Trombetta trainee will be ridden by Julian Pimentel.

Also in the field is Inside The Box, Unruly Julie, Fionnbharr, Sweet Sandy, Princess Theorem, and Dare to Promise.

First post at Colonial Monday is 1:45 PM. The Van Clief is scheduled at 5:01 PM. The summer racing season in New Kent will continue on a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday basis through September 1. The $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (Gr. 3) is Tuesday, August 31.

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Top Trainers Showing Early ‘Enthusiasm’ For Colonial Downs Meet

Following the opening of the barn area earlier this week, anticipation is running high for the 2021 race meeting at Colonial Downs, exemplified by the widespread participation of horsemen across the Middle Atlantic, Northeast, and Midwestern regions; and attracted by a strong average daily purse structure of $500,000 per day.

For its 21-day meeting beginning Monday, July 19 — with all races televised on TVG — some of the nation's top stakes-winning trainers are scheduled to participate, including Ferris Allen, Bret Calhoun, Ignacio Correas, John Kimmel, Michelle Lovell, Graham Motion, John Ortiz, Dale Romans, Dallas Stewart, Mike Stidham, Michael Trombetta and Brendan Walsh.

“It's extremely gratifying to witness the overall enthusiasm and interest from these top trainers for this year's meeting,” said Jill Byrne, Colonial Downs Vice President of Racing Operations. “We are proud to further our goal of maintaining a first-class racing and a stabling program, and to ensure that the highest standards of safety and integrity are administered for our horsemen and fans.”

“We have a great mixture of horses and outfits from all over,” added Racing Secretary Allison DeLuca. “We have a lot of Kentucky people and some from Florida. I think the competition might be tougher. I'm hoping we'll run more dirt races this year. Some people get it in their head there's only turf here, so I hope we can get some more dirt participation.”

Dallas Stewart has nominated 5-year-old Chess Chief for the $100,000 Bert Allen Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race over the Secretariat turf course for Virginia bred/Virginia restricted runners on the opening day program. Owned by the Estate of James Coleman Jr., Chess Chief, a Virginia-bred son of Into Mischief, won the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) at the Fair Grounds in March, and finished fifth in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) last time out at Churchill Downs.
“The plan for Chess Chief is to use the Bert Allen Stakes as a prep for the Pacific Classic,” said Stewart, “But plans can also change based on how the horse performs.”

Stewart, who will be based at Colonial for the first time, plans to have 20 horses in the Colonial backstretch by opening day and five are on the grounds already. Among his contingent is the 3-year-old Macho Uno colt, Shadow Matter, who he plans to run in the Housebuster Overnight Handicap July 20.

“We're excited about the meet,” he said. “Jill Byrne [Colonial Downs' Vice President of Racing Operations] recruited us and some other stables from Churchill Downs since their backstretch is closing for the summer. The racing is going to be good. We have a race in mind for every horse coming to Virginia, so we look forward to having a solid meet.”

Also nominated for the Bert Allen Stakes is the Romans-trained Attachment Rate, third in Keeneland's Commonwealth Stakes (G3), and Virginia-sired Mr. Buff, a winner of 11 stakes in New York and more than $1.3 million for trainer John Kimmel.

Mike Stidham, leading trainer at Colonial's 2019 and abbreviated 2020 meet, plans to have between eight and 10 horses rotating in and out of his barn including David Ross's Palio, who scored a maiden special weight win at New Kent last summer. Palio also is nominated to the Bert Allen Stakes. Ross, who races under the stable name DAARS, Inc., is the all-time leading owner at Colonial Downs.

“I train for David, and he likes to focus on the Colonial meet and race as many of his horses as he can during that time,” said Stidham, who had a Grade I win earlier this year with Mystic Guide in the Dubai World Cup. “The meet here is always fun.”

Colonial's all-time leading trainer Ferris Allen, a Varina, Virginia native, returns with 30 stalls. “I always target the Colonial meet,” he said. “The level of competition is going to better than it ever has. Nobody knows the lay of the land here as well as me, so hopefully that will be a help to us.”

“We built a loyal following of owners and handled their horses at Colonial over the years,” said Allen. “But after being closed for six years, those folks weren't at the doorstep waiting for you when Colonial reopened in 2019. People had to move on so that first year back was like re-establishing a network. Last year, we planned to take a step forward, but the pandemic prevented that. So this year is almost like year one again in re-establishing that base.”

The highlight of the stakes calendar will be the $250,000 New Kent County Virginia Derby (G3) for 3-year-olds and the $150,000 Virginia Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, both at 1 1/8-miles on Aug. 31.

In addition to the minimum daily $500,000 purse structure, there will be added incentives for horsemen at Colonial, including:

All owners who start a horse at Colonial Downs will receive the greater of $1,000 or their share of the purse money from the race.
All trainers will receive $300 per horse started.
Colonial Downs will offer free horse transportation originating from Fair Hill Training Center.

Colonial Downs is pleased to extend a $15 donation per starter to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), which will be matched by the VHBPA.

“It is our privilege to present a race meet of this caliber symbolizing the long-term potential for horse racing in Virginia,” said John Marshall, Executive Vice President, Operations, Colonial Downs Group. “Fans on-track can expect a high level of service and quality despite economic challenges raised following the pandemic. Fans on-line and off-site can expect the highest level of wagering quality during our early week and early day time period. We have all long awaited this day and are thrilled it has finally arrived at full capacity.”

The Colonial Downs meet will continue through September 1 with racing every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 1:45 PM.

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