mike maker | Horse Racing Free Tips

Stunning Sky Rallies Late To Capture Valley View Stakes

Paradise Farms Corp. and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Stunning Sky rallied from far off the pace to catch Princess Grace in deep stretch and pull away to a half-length victory in the 30th running of the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Friday afternoon at Keeneland.

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Stunning Sky covered 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1:41.33. The clocking broke the stakes record of 1:41 2/5 established by Spinning Round in 1992.

“She broke pretty good,” Santana said. “The pace was pretty hot. The race set up perfectly for her. Turning for home, she switched leads to her right leg. She gave me everything she had.”

Outburst (GB) led the field of 10 through early fractions of :22.71, :46.23 and 1:10.50 with Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) just in back of her to the outside through the early running as Stunning Sky raced at the back of the pack with How Ironic.

In the stretch, Princess Grace swept past the leaders on the outside and opened a daylight advantage by the eighth pole. Stunning Sky, third from last at the head of the stretch, swung widest of all and was able to overtake Princess Grace in the final 20 yards.

“I was very pleased with the fractions,” Maker said. “The race didn't shape up the way I thought it would, but I left it in Ricardo (Santana Jr.)'s hands, and he rode a great race. She ran some game races, unlucky to lose, at Saratoga. Very deserving. Such a big, classy filly. I like to get a stakes win for (co-owner) Peter Proscia.”

A Keeneland sales graduate, Stunning Sky is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Declaration of War out of the Unbridled's Song mare Sky Walk. The victory was worth $90,000 and boosted her earnings to $304,825 with a record of 11-3-2-1. It is her first stakes victory.

Stunning Sky paid $13.80, $6.40 and $4.80. Princess Grace, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, returned $9.40 and $7.20 with How Ironic rallying from last and finishing another half-length back in third under Rafael Bejarano and paying $10.60 to show.

It was another 2½ lengths back to Witez, who was followed in order by favored Duopoly, Outburst, Sugar Fix, Antoinette, Walk In Marrakesh and Pranked.

The post Stunning Sky Rallies Late To Capture Valley View Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Smooth Like Strait, Field Pass Face Off In Sunday’s Grade 2 Twilight Derby

Cannon Thoroughbreds homebred Smooth Like Strait returns to Southern California and will try to stretch his speed to a mile and one eighth on turf as he heads a field of nine sophomores in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita.

A resounding 2 ½ length winner of the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap two starts back, Smooth Like Strait, who is trained by Michael McCarthy, finished fourth as the 6-5 favorite in a Grade 2 stakes at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5 and will likely vie for favoritism with midwestern invader Field Pass, who he faced on Sept. 5.

A two-time Grade 3 winner in Kentucky, trainer Mike Maker's Field Pass was a close third in the same race Smooth Like Strait was favored in Sept. 5 and he's won four out of his seven starts this year.

C R K Stable's Express Train, who showed much promise at age two, will be trying turf for the first time on Sunday in what will be his third start of the year for John Shirreffs and rates a big chance in what appears to be a wide open Twilight Derby.

SMOOTH LIKE STRAIT

Owner: Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC

Trainer: Michael McCarthy

A Kentucky-bred colt by Midnight Lute, he made the lead turning for home in the Grade 2 American Turf on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, but tired late to be beaten four lengths. A gutty one mile minor turf stakes winner three starts back at Churchill Downs on May 23, he's won two out of his last three starts and was also a winner of the Grade 3 Cecile B. DeMille Stakes six starts back on Dec. 1, 2019. Smooth Like Strait is four for nine lifetime with earnings of $277,823 and he'll be reunited with Umberto Rispoli, who pointed him to victory in the La Jolla Handicap as the 4-5 favorite.

FIELD PASS

Owner: Three Diamonds Farm Trainer: Mike Maker

A Grade 3 winner going a mile and one eighth on synthetic Polytrack at Turfway Park on March 14, he notched his second Grade 3 win over a “good” turf three starts back at Keeneland on July 12. Most recently third, beaten 1 ¾ lengths in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs Sept. 5, a race in which he rallied to wrest command from Smooth Like Strait in mid-stretch, he was a gate to wire winner of an ungraded stakes going 1 1/8 miles on turf four starts back on June 20 at Churchill. Field Pass, who defeated Smooth Like Strait by 2 ¼ lengths on Sept. 5, has demonstrated ample versatility and the ability to get the Twilight Derby distance. With an overall mark of 13-5-2-2, he's the leading money earner in the field with $472,610 and he'll no doubt vie for favoritism when ridden for the first time by Drayden Van Dyke.

EXPRESS TRAIN

Owner: C R K Stable, LLC Trainer: John Shirreffs

A $500,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, this colt by Union Rags broke his maiden going one mile on dirt in his second start by 14 ¼ lengths and in his final start at age two, was a well beaten fourth at 5-2 in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth on Sept. 27, 2019. An impressive two length winner of a 6 ½ furlong allowance on Aug. 23, a race in which he overcame a stumble at the start, he flattened out a bit late when second, beaten three quarters of a length as the 4-5 favorite in a one mile allowance here Sept. 26. In what will be his third start off a long layoff, Express Train should be a tighter horse on Sunday as he tries turf for the first time in his sixth career start with regular rider Mike Smith aloft.

THE GRADE 2 TWILIGHT DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

Farmington Road—Flavien Prat-124
Express Train—Mike Smith—124
Margot's Boy—Tiago Pereira—124
Kiss Today Goodbye—Victor Espinoza—124
Dominant Soul—Edwin Maldonado–124
Smooth Like Strait—Umberto Rispoli—124
Scarto—Juan Hernandez—124
K P All Systems Go—Abel Cedillo–124
Field Pass—Drayden Van Dyke—124

First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. Santa Anita's races can be viewed live and free of charge at santaanita.com.

The post Smooth Like Strait, Field Pass Face Off In Sunday’s Grade 2 Twilight Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Maker-Trained Field Pass Ships West For Twilight Derby; Taishan Seems To Prefer Grass

Field Pass was en route from Kentucky to California this morning to compete in next Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Twilight Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita Park.

The gray son of Lemon Drop Kid is one of five horses trainer Michael Maker had nominated to what is shaping up as a race worthy of Grade I consideration down the road.

“He prefers firmer going; that was the main reason bringing him in for the race,” Maker said by phone from the Blue Grass State.

Field Pass has five victories from 13 starts, including the Transylvania at Keeneland on turf and the Jeff Ruby Steaks on Polytrack at Turfway Park, each a Grade 3 event.

The Twilight Derby drew 21 nominations, eight conditioned by “out of town” trainers, including one by Todd Pletcher and the aforementioned five by Maker.

“Field Pass is very good around the barn but a bit of a handful to gallop,” Maker said. “Other than that, he's pretty straightforward.”

Louisville native Drayden Van Dyke has the mount.

Richard Baltas hopes Taishan wins his first stakes race when he runs in the Twilight Derby.

Taishan, a Candy Ride colt, was second last out in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs Sept. 5, losing by only a half-length in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, despite being bothered at the start.

“It was his first time on grass and it was a very good effort,” Baltas said of the Kentucky-bred bay owned by Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran. “It was a half-million dollar race and there was a lot of speed, so I think it kind of set up for him.

“That being said, I think he was always meant to be on the grass. He ran against some tough horses on dirt at Oaklawn in Nadal (winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2).

“Candy Rides are pretty versatile but I think they prefer the turf.”

Taishan's first three races were in Southern California, but his last seven included stops at Oaklawn Park, Indiana and Churchill Downs.

Florent Geroux, who rode Taishan in the American Derby, was impressed with his performance.

“They wanted me to get a position (near the lead) but they were rolling in front so we went to Plan B,” the Frenchman said after the race. “I set off inside nicely and made one run. He ran a big race, first time on grass. He handled it perfectly.

“He's a nice horse. He'd been working very well and I'm very happy with the way he ran.”

Taishan was a distant fourth in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at a mile on dirt at Santa Anita Jan. 4 behind Authentic, who would go on to win the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.

Any way it shakes out, the Twilight Derby has the look of a very contentious race.

The post Maker-Trained Field Pass Ships West For Twilight Derby; Taishan Seems To Prefer Grass appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mike Maker Captures $100,000 Preakness Weekend Trainer Bonus

Mike Maker edged defending champion Brad Cox and two-time winner Steve Asmussen to claim the top prize in the Maryland Jockey Club's $100,000 Sentient Jet Trainer Bonus offered to horsemen for their participation in stakes races over Preakness weekend, Oct. 1-3, at Pimlico Race Course.

Maker led the way with 43 points, three more than Cox and Asmussen, to earn a $50,000 bonus. Maker registered wins with 2-year-old colt Catman in the $150,000 Laurel Futurity and 3-year-old filly Evil Lyn in the $100,000 Hilltop on Saturday's Oct. 3 undercard of the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1).

Also on Saturday, Maker ran second and third with Somelikeithotbrown and Hembree in the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2), fifth with Admiral Lynch in the $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3), Storm the Hill in the $150,000 Gallorette (G3) and Golden Voice in the $150,000 Selima, and fifth and ninth with Jolting Joe and Chocolate Bar in the $100,000 James W. Murphy.

Maker also finished third in the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) with Relentless Dancer and sixth in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint with Tiger Blood Oct. 1.

Cox and Asmussen tied for second with 40 points apiece, each taking home $18,500. On Preakness Day, Cox beat Maker in the Dinner Party with Factor This and Gallorette with Juliet Foxtrot, finished second with Bonny South in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2), fourth with Mundaye Call in the $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3), sixth with Landeskog in the De Francis and Nautilus in the Laurel Futurity and 7th with Andesite in the Murphy.

On Oct. 1, Cox ran second in the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) with Owendale, who ran third in last year's Preakness in the trainer's Triple Crown debut.

Asmussen, the top bonus winner in 2017 and 2018, was first and fourth with Yaupon and Little Current in the Chick Lang Oct. 1. He finished fourth with defending champion Tenfold in the Pimlico Special Oct. 2, and won the Miss Preakness with Wicked Whisper, was third with Nitrous in the De Francis and Bye Bye J in the $100,000 Skipat, and fifth with Hidden Enemy in the Laurel Futurity on the Preakness undercard.

In the Preakness, where he became the first trainer since fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas in 2013 to saddle three horses in the race, Asmussen ran fifth with Max Player, sixth with Excession and 10th with Pneumatic behind historic filly winner Swiss Skydiver.

Fair Hill (Md.)-based trainer Graham Motion came in fourth with 37 points and earned a $7,000 bonus, largely thanks to runner-up finishes in the Selima (Invincible Gal), Laurel Futurity (Wootton Asset), Gallorette (Varenka) and Murphy (Bye Bye Melvin). With his other starters, Motion ran fourth with Pivotal Mission in the Laurel Futurity, fourth and eighth with Lucky Jingle and Shimmering in the Hilltop, and fifth and seventh with True Valour and Irish Strait in the Dinner Party.

Rounding out the top five was Claudio Gonzalez with 29 points, good for a $4,000 bonus. Stabled at Laurel Park, Maryland's three-time defending overall training champion won the Pimlico Special with Harpers First Ride, was second with Completed Pass in the McKay and Eastern Bay in the De Francis, seventh and ninth with Pitching Ari and Lebda in the Chick Lang, and respectively fifth, sixth and seventh with Princess Cadey, Fly On Angel and Ankle Monitor in the Miss Preakness.

To be eligible, trainers had to run a minimum of five horses in the 15 Thoroughbred stakes races during Preakness weekend, not including the $100,000 UAE President Cup (G1) for Arabians. Points were accumulated for finishing first (10), second (seven), third (five) and fourth (three) and by having a starter (one).

The post Mike Maker Captures $100,000 Preakness Weekend Trainer Bonus appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post