michelle lovell | Horse Racing Free Tips

Spa Notebook: Lovell Looking To Two Turns for Damon’s Mound

Trainer Michelle Lovell, who sent out 'TDN Rising Star' Damon's Mound (Girvin) to win Saturday's GII Saratoga Special S., said Sunday that she was not ruling out either the seven-furlong GI Hopeful S. Sept. 5 or the Oct. 5 GI Champagne S. at the Belmont at the Big A meet going a one-turn mile, but is more inclined to get the colt some two-turn route experience for his next appearance.

“Everything's on our radar,” said Lovell. “We'll see how he is. He's never had a bad day, so I don't expect him to.”

Damon's Mound was awarded an 86 Beyer Speed Figure for his defeat of fellow 'Rising Star' Gulfport (Uncle Mo) Saturday.

“He's been so great,” said Lovell. “Everything went to perfection. Even the way the race set up. We were really happy to track the frontrunners. [Jockey] Gabriel [Saez] put an excellent ride on him. The rest is history. It's in the history books.”

Lovell is a former jockey and posted three runner-up efforts at Saratoga during her time in the saddle, but was thrilled to finally have her picture taken Saturday.

“We celebrated at dinner,” said Lovell. “I took my groom and some friends and just had a nice dinner. I had so many congrats from so many people. Saratoga is super special, obviously, that's an understatement. Getting to [be in the winner's circle] was awesome.”

Breeders' Cup Mile Likely Plan For Casa Creed…

After finishing third in the GI Fourstardave H. in each of the past two seasons, LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) finally got over the hump Saturday with a last-to-first defeat of odds-on 'TDN Rising Star' Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) at the Spa. The 6-year-old was earning his third career top-level success on the weekend, having most recently successfully defended his title in the six-furlong GI Jaipur S. on the Belmont S. undercard June 11. But where it comes to a future appearance on Breeders' Cup weekend, part-owner Lee Einsidler is fairly certain of where the entire will end up.

“[The Turf Sprint] is only 5 1/2 [furlongs] sprinting at Keeneland, which is a little short for him,” Einsidler said. “From what we saw yesterday, if all goes according to plan, I'm sure we'll show up in the Mile as long as he's training great and feels great.”

Casa Creed has faced the starter in the Mile the last two years, finishing 12th to Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) at Keeneland in 2020 and eighth behind Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) last year at Del Mar. Einsidler, who owns Casa Creed in partnership with New York sports radio personality Mike Francesa, is confident his charge can go better this time around.

“[Trainer] Bill Mott and I were in his stall a few weeks ago and he said 'Lee, he's better today than he's ever been in his entire career.' He's just been flourishing,” Einsidler recalled. “They say a lot of horses are at their best at five. Yesterday was the best performance of his career and he's a 6-year-old. He's just amazing. I'd say right now, he's at the total top of his game.”

Casa Creed, who was just touched off in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia and was a sound fifth in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, could make one interim start prior to the Breeders' Cup, but could also be trained straight into the race, Einsidler said.

“If he's telling us he has to run, we'll run him there which is fine because you got four weeks to the Breeders' Cup and a trip over the course,” Einsidler said. “He's run there before, but now he's much better today than he was then. So, I think the idea of running him over there makes all the sense in the world, but if Mott wants to wait and train him up to the Breeders' Cup, that's why he's in the Hall of Fame. He makes those decisions.”

And 2022 may not be the end of the road.

“If he stays sound and he's doing great, we'll run him next year,” said Einsidler. “There's a stallion career somewhere for him, but I'm all about racing so that's what we're going to do.”

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‘Special’ Target for Promising Damon’s Mound

Damon's Mound (c, 2, Girvin–San Antonio Stroll, by Stroll), a jaw-dropping 12 1/2-length debut winner at Churchill Downs July 2, is targeting the GII Saratoga Special S. at the Spa Aug. 13.

“That's the goal, he's doing great,” former jockey-turned-trainer Michelle Lovell said from her summer base at Colonial Downs. “We've got some weeks to go, so, hopefully all goes good. As long as he's doing great, he deserves the opportunity.”

Does he ever.

Off as the well-backed, third choice at 4-1 in his unveiling, Damon's Mound was off to a slow start from post four in the 11-horse field. He made very quick progress, however, to track under a nice hold in a four-wide fifth through a sharp opening quarter in :21.84.

The handsome bay cruised up four deep beneath Gabriel Saez approaching the quarter pole, gained control in effortless fashion as they straightened and put on a show beneath the Twin Spires to stop the timer for six furlongs in 1:09.84 in 'TDN Rising Star' fashion.

Damon's Mound earned a very strong 84 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“I was in awe of watching him do it,” Lovell said. “We had high hopes that he'd run great, but it really was a special performance from him. It was great to share it with my crew and his owners. Obviously, he brought a lot of attention to himself.”

She continued, “He's always been wonderful training and has done everything perfectly. The only thing we were lacking was him being sharp away from the gates. Hopefully, he learns a little bit more from the race.”

Members of the press aren't the only ones who have been blowing up Lovell's cell phone since Damon's Mound's smashing debut victory.

“There was a high demand for him within minutes of him crossing the wire,” Lovell said. “They haven't stopped asking [if he's for sale], but it's slowed down now because we've said no to so many people. Obviously, when he won, I was thrilled and I was elated how he did it. But soon after, I realized that I may not be training him for his second race. So, it was a roller coaster ride from when he hit the wire. His owners are super. They're excited and want to run their horse.”

Damon's Mound is a homebred for Cliff and Michele Love. The Florida-bred is the first foal out of their multiple stakes-placed mare San Antonio Stroll (Stroll). He is one of five winners for quick-starting freshman sire Girvin (Tale of Ekati). Damon's Mound is the first horse that Lovell has trained for the Texas-based couple.

“His grandparents lived in Texas and that's a place where Mr. Love spent a lot of time with his cousins when he was a child,” Lovell said of Damon's Mound's namesake. “It was a special place for him as a child.”

Lovell began training in 2003 and enjoyed a career-best year in earnings with $1,872,883 in 2021, led by standout sprinters MGSW Change of Control (Fed Biz) and MSW & MGSP Just Might (Justin Phillip). Lovell co-owns and co-bred the latter, an earner of $958,100. She currently trains 30 head, a number she is quite content with.

“We've had a great couple of years,” Lovell said. “One of the reasons why Mr. and Mrs. Love chose me to train, I believe, was right after Just Might won a race for me. Not only did he win seven stakes last year, some wonderful people called me up and said, 'I've got a 2-year-old coming your way if you have empty stalls.'”

She concluded, “It's great obviously to have him in the barn–there's a lot of buzz. He's just super talented and special. It's really fun.”

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Girvin Colt Wins For Fun in ‘Rising Star’ Debut

DAMON'S MOUND (c, 2, Girvin–San Antonio Stroll, by Stroll) made his 4-1 odds look like quite a gift in this unveiling, rolling home to a daylight victory and 'TDN Rising Star' honors Saturday at Churchill Downs. Stalking two-wide in mid-pack through a :21.85 opening quarter, the Florida-bred coasted up to take control entering the turn and blasted clear to win by a dozen lengths. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0.

O-Michele & Cliff Love; B-Cliff Love (FL); T-Michelle Lovell.

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Michelle Lovell ‘Just Might’ Take Her Shot In Dubai

After crossing the finish line first in the Kenner Stakes at the Fair Grounds last weekend, Just Might's trainer Michelle Lovell is considering shipping him to Dubai for the $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint on the March 26 Dubai World Cup undercard.

Impressively taking over early and winning the turf sprint by 2 ¾ lengths geared down late, Just Might was disqualified and placed 8th after the stewards ruled his move to the rail as impeding a foe's ability to get out of harm's way. Winning or finishing 1st in 7 out of his last 8 starts, his lone miss came in the Phoenix (G2) when he grabbed his quarter.

“People don't send me horses that could to go to Dubai,” Lovell said. “I had to raise one, which is crazy. I got to make every call in this horse's career and it makes me feel good that we got this far.

“Yeah, Dubai,” Lovell mused and spoke to Just Might in his stall. “It's a big step, Pappa. I think they have to give an official invite, too–they've asked me a few times to nominate. I think they want me to nominate.”

“It's a straight six furlongs,” Lovell continued. “We have nowhere to practice, but you know he probably will be okay. He runs his turns pretty good and he does make his little move right there sometimes. But he leans out in the turns so maybe he will be a little better going in a straight line. He leans out in every race just because he is going pretty fast and the turns on the turf are just sharper. He just runs.”

“He has really matured a lot this past year,” Lovell said. “I think one of his best races maturing in his brain as a race horse, not just raw talent but figuring it out, was when he ran and beat Johnny Ortiz' horse, Mucho, at Colonial. It was on the dirt which was a little scary for me, six furlongs which was stretching him out more. He actually dug in and won that race. And he lost his shoe somewhere in the race, too. He never took a bad step, he never tore his foot up but he did run the race with his left shoe off. And he dug in really hard–that day he grew up, really fighting that nice horse that Johnny has. And he broke the track record, which they don't really say a new track record because they didn't run a lot of races on the dirt there. He ran a 1:07 and change.”

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