Thursday, December 1, 2022
2nd-Meydan, AED82,500 ($22,464), Maiden, 2yo, f, 1400m
ASAWER (f, 2, Nyquist–How My Heart Works, by Not For Love) is a half-sister to fellow Maryland-bred dual stakes winner and Grade III-placed Monday Morning Qb (Imagining) and cost noted reseller Cary Frommer $200,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale before hammering for $450,000 after breezing a furlong in :10 2/5 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. There is further pedigree to recommend her, as How My Heart Works is a half-sister to MSW & MGSP Awesome Flower (Flower Alley), the dam of current dual Grade I winner and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Cyberknife (Gun Runner). This is also the female family of G1 Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed (Tiznow). Pat Dobbs rides for perennial leading trainer Doug Watson.

Habooba (f, 2, Nyquist–Westside Tapstress, by Lookin At Lucky) is out of a half-sister to Grade III winner Discreet Hero (Honour and Glory) and was also purchased out of this year's Midlantic sale, where she breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 flat and was knocked down for $475,000. The Feb. 17 foal is from the family of MGSW Informed (Tiznow).

The post Desert Debuters: Expensive Nyquist Fillies Get Started appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Speightstown chestnut arrived at the Discovery from a narrow victory in a 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance on Oct. 9 at Belmont Park, where he registered a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

Forza Di Oro broke sharply from post 3 in the five-horse field and was taken back and edged to the rail by jockey Junior Alvarado, as post-time favorite and dual stakes winner Monday Morning Qb led the field into the first turn through an opening quarter of 23.43 seconds with 24-1 longshot Ralston tracking one path to the outside in second over the fast main track.

Alvarado had a tight hold on Forza Di Oro, who was just to the outside of multiple-stakes placed Attachment Rate as Monday Morning Qb produced an easy half-mile in 47.53.

Around the far turn, Forza Di Oro still sought racing room but found an opening a few jumps past the quarter-pole in pursuit of the front end. Forza Di Oro collared Monday Morning Qb at the eighth pole and drew off to a 3 ¾ length victory in a time of 1:50.03.

Monday Morning Qb, with Dylan Davis up, held off a late-charge from two-time graded stakes winner Shared Sense, who finished third. Attachment Rate and Ralston completed the order of finish.

Fresh off a successful Friday at the Big A with two stakes victories, Alvarado said he was satisfied with the trip.

“I was pretty happy the whole way around. I knew what I had underneath and whatever position I was in, he'd be there for me. He makes my job easier,” said Alvarado, who has piloted the horse in all five of his lifetime starts. “He broke nicely today and after that he put me in the spot where we wanted to be. I was a passenger the whole way around. He was just waiting for me to give him the green light when we turned for home. It was the first time for him being on the inside like that and when we started moving forward, he hesitated a little bit, but after a few jumps, he knew what to do and went by the other horse.”

Alvarado added that Forza Di Oro's ability to switch leads was crucial.

“When he switches leads like he did today, he gives that next gear,” Alvarado said. “We'll keep working with him. He's a very talented horse. He's a horse that works very nice in the morning and we've been high on him since the beginning. He had to stop with some issues he had, but he came back very strong this year. Mentally, he still hasn't caught up with his body. He's a big guy with a nice, long stride but I think mentally, he still has to put it together.”

Banking $55,000 in victory, Forza Di Oro enhanced his lifetime earnings to $148,875 through a 5-3-1-0 record.

A Kentucky homebred, Forza Di Oro, who returned $8.30, provided his dam Filare l'Oro with her second graded stakes-winning progeny. The stakes-winning daughter of Hard Spun also produced three-time graded stakes winner Silver Dust.

While switching leads was to the winner's advantage, the same couldn't be said regarding the Butch Reid-trained Monday Morning Qb, who entered the Discovery from a victory in the Maryland Million Classic under Sheldon Russell on October 24 at Laurel Park.

“Butch said he tends to break a little slow the first two jumps,” Davis said. “I just did what Sheldon did in his last race and gave him a couple pops and he gets on the bridle. We got on the lead and he was aggressive, but he was doing good. He's a really big horse and it takes him a little bit to switch his leads, but I thought he still ran well. The other horse was just a little bit better today.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with a 10-race card, highlighted by the Grade 3, $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap for 3-year-olds and upward going six furlongs over the main track; the $100,000 Tepin for juvenile fillies going 1 1/16 miles over the turf; and the $100,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going six furlongs on the turf. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

The post Forza Di Oro Makes The Grade In Discovery appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Runner-up to next-out GII Toyota Blue Grass S. hero Art Collector (Bernardini) in a June 13 Churchill allowance, the homebred ran out a three-length winner of the GIII Indiana Derby July 8 and was done in by a dreadful draw when fifth to Art Collector in the Aug. 9 Runhappy Ellis Park Derby. The bay colt proved two lengths too strong for his rivals in the GIII Oklahoma Derby Sept. 27 and is the class of this group.

Attachment Rate (Hard Spun) was a deceptively good fifth in the Blue Grass and outran odds of 14-1 to complete the exacta in the Ellis Park Derby. Last but one in the GI Kentucky Derby, he bounced back with a soft Churchill allowance win over a sloppy strip Oct. 29.

Monday Morning Qb (Imagining) was second to future GISW and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Happy Saver (Super Saver) in the Sept. 7 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel and most recently became the first sophomore to beat older horses in the Maryland Million Classic Oct. 24.

Forza di Oro (Speightstown) looks to give his sire back-to-back winners of the Discovery following Performer 12 months ago. A well-backed eighth in the GII Remsen S. over this track and trip last December, the Don Alberto homebred returned to action with a neck success in a one-mile Belmont allowance Oct. 9.

The post Shared Sense Has Edge in Discovery appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The 1 1/8-mile event over the main track honors Alfred G. Vanderbilt II's 1935 Horse of the Year, who notched three straight victories in both the Brooklyn Handicap and Whitney Handicap from 1934-36. Regarded as one of the greatest horses of the 20th century, Discovery's notable resume earned him a spot in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1969.

Trained by Brad Cox, Shared Sense, who boasts a consistent 10-4-2-0 record and lifetime earnings of $447,745, arrives at the Discovery off a two-length triumph in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby on September 27 at Remington Park. The bay son of Street Sense took command with a furlong and a half out to the finish, holding off an inside rally from two-time winner Mo Mosa. The victory registered a career best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Two starts earlier, Shared Sense made his nine-furlong debut a winning one when capturing the Grade 3 Indiana Derby on July 8 at Indiana Downs by three lengths over subsequent Kentucky Derby contestants Major Fed and Necker Island.

Shared Sense has earned his four trips to the winner's circle at four different tracks. Prior to becoming a graded stakes winner, he was elevated to first in his third career start going two turns for the first time in a Churchill Downs maiden special weight last November and defeated winners going one mile on February 29 at Oaklawn Park.

“He definitely knows how to take his show on the road,” said Jimmy Bell, President of Godolphin's North American operations.

Since his Oklahoma Derby triumph, Shared Sense has put together a series of five works over the Churchill Downs main track, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:01 flat on November 21.

Bell said he is hopeful Shared Sense can parlay a successful campaign into his 4-year-old season.

“We've sort of chosen the path less traveled,” Bell said. “He's done fantastic this year. He's been a bit of an overachiever. He's run against some tough competition here, there and yonder. We gave him a bit of a breather after the last go around. It's the last chance to run against straight 3-year-olds and there's always some tough knockers up there in New York, so we're giving it a chance.”

Godolphin vies for their second Discovery triumph after winning in 2013 with Romansh.

A Kentucky homebred, Shared Sense is the first progeny out of the Bernardini mare Collective, who is full sister to graded stakes winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Penwith.

Jockey Jose Lezcano will climb aboard Shared Sense for the first time from post 1.

Dual stakes-winner Monday Morning Qb will return to the Big A after finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Withers on February 1.

Owned by Chuck Zacney's Cash Is King Racing and LC Racing, Monday Morning Qb bested his Maryland-bred counterparts last out in the Maryland Million Classic on October 24 at Laurel Park, where he sat close to the pace and drew off to a 3 ¼-length triumph over Grade 3 Pimlico Special winner Harpers First Ride.

However, it was his runner-up effort in the September 7 Federico Tesio at Laurel, his first start since the Withers, that really captured the attention of trainer Robert 'Butch' Reid, Jr., finishing 1 ½ lengths behind next-out Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Happy Saver.

“The Tesio was really the race that set him up,” said Reid. “He showed that day how nice of a horse he really is, and I thought it was impressive for him to run like that off a layoff. He came out of his last race well and put up some nice, sharp breezes since that effort. It's a good opportunity to run against straight 3-year-olds and we're looking forward to running on Saturday.”

Reid commented on his horse's size and said that even as a 2-year-old, he displayed an imposing stature.

“He was over 1,200 pounds as a 2-year-old, so he's a big, heavyset dude,” Reid said.

Reid blamed the result in the Withers on a poor break but said that he has developed and matured well since his last outing in New York.

“He doesn't switch leads well turning for home and he hasn't come out of the gate well, which is what cost him in the Withers,” said Reid. “He's a much-improved horse since then.”

Bred in Maryland by Cary Frommer and Bowman and Higgins Stable, Monday Morning Qb is by Grade 1-winning millionaire and second-crop sire Imagining and is the first progeny out of the Not For Love mare How My Heart Works.

Dylan Davis will pilot Monday Morning Qb from post 2.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will send out Forza Di Oro after a sharp victory in a first-level allowance event in his first start in 10 months.

Owned and bred by Don Alberto Stable, Forza Di Oro dwelt at the start of his September 2019 debut at Belmont Park before closing to finish second to eventual multiple graded-stakes placed Ajaaweed. The Speightstown chestnut graduated at second asking in October 2019 in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Belmont ahead of a disappointing off-the-board effort last December in the Grade 2 Remsen at the Big A that sent Forza Di Oro to the shelf.

Forza Di Oro, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, enters the Discovery from an impressive victory off the layoff when rallying to a neck score after a hesitant start in a 1 1/16-mile allowance tilt against older horses on October 9 at Belmont Park.

“That's nothing compared to last year,” said Mott assistant Leana Willaford of the slow start last out. “Last year, first time out, he stood in the gate and spotted the field many lengths but still came running to be second. We did a lot of gate work with him and he was able to win second out.

“He came out of the Remsen with a little problem, so we gave him a little time,” added Willaford. “He came back and won well. We thought he was a good horse last year and I still think he is, but we had to get him over a few little speedbumps.”

Junior Alvarado has been aboard for all of Forza Di Oro's career starts and retains the mount from post 3.

Trainer Dale Romans will send Jim Bakke and Gerald Ibister's Attachment Rate after a sharp first-level allowance triumph on October 29 going 1 1/16 miles over a sloppy main track at Churchill Downs.

The last-out victory provided a touch of class relief for the Hard Spun chestnut, who raced against stakes company in his previous six starts, which included a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Gotham on March 7 at the Big A, where he finished two lengths to Mischevious Alex. Prior to his last out allowance score, Attachment Rate was 14th to Authentic in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on September 5.

Jockey Jose Ortiz will be aboard from post 5.

Rounding out the field is LLP Performance Horse's Ralston, who invades from South Florida and makes his first start outside of the Sunshine State for trainer Carlos David.

The son of second-crop sire Tapiture defeated winners last out going one mile at Gulfstream Park West, where he led at every point of call to defeat stablemate Glory of Florida.

Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will pilot Ralston from post 4.

The Discovery is slated as Race 3 on Aqueduct's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 11:50 a.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the Aqueduct fall meet with coverage to air on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

The post Shared Sense Takes Show On The Road To Aqueduct For Discovery appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Not to be outdone, jockey Sheldon Russell blasted home a quartet of winners as well, three of them in stakes. He captured top honors in the afternoon’s feature with a nervy, forwardly placed 3 1/4-length victory aboard the 6-1 Monday Morning Qb (Imagining) in the $150,000 Classic S.

Laurel’s second-leading rider in both wins and earnings at the current meet also rallied from last to nail the $100,000 Turf S. by a length with 15-1 Pretty Good Year (Great Notion). And Russell seemed like he was just along for the front-running ride about the day’s most impressive winner, the $100,000 Distaff H.’s 1-2 favorite, Hello Beautiful (Golden Lad), an 11 1/4-length victress trained by the jockey’s wife, Brittany Russell.

Owner/breeders came out on top in three Million divisions Oct. 24. But none championed the cause for smaller outfits better than Great Notion’s final winner of the day, Karan’s Notion, who wired the $100,000 Sprint H. field by a length at 16-1 for owner/breeder/trainer Nancy Heil and jockey Yomar Ortiz.

“I don’t believe it’s real yet. I’ve been training 50-some years, but I’ve never had a [Maryland Million] eligible horse,” said Heil, who entered the day with two wins from just 15 starters in 2020. “When he was a baby, he had these long legs, like spider legs, and we said, ‘I think he’s going to be the one.’

“Never give up,” Heil added emphatically.

Monday Morning Qb apparently took Heil’s advice to heart in the nine-furlong Classic. Earlier this season, the Cash is King and LC Racing color bearer held his own in open-company races behind deeper-end-of-the-pool sophomores like Happy Saver (Super Saver), Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic) and Max Player (Honor Code), all of whom went on to either win or hit the board in Grade I stakes.

After an 11th-place turf try in a stakes on the GI Preakness S. undercard, trainer Butch Reid Jr. refocused on the Maryland Million’s calling-card race for Monday Morning Qb, and the large-framed colt ended up being the only 3-year-old in the Classic.

“We’ll digest this one a little bit. I’m hoping we can find one more 3-year-old race before the end of the year, but they’re going to be difficult to find,” Reid said. “I’ve taken some stalls at Palm Meadows this winter so he’ll probably end up down there with us.”

This year the Turf was elongated from a mile to nine furlongs, and Pretty Good Year, who was third in the 2019 edition, showed he appreciated the added real estate by uncorking a wide-and-driving tailgate move under Russell to earn the win for Lead Off Stable, whose principal, Bobby Goodyear, is the racing manager for the 4-year-old gelding’s breeder, The Elkstone Group.

Beyond the play-on-words naming that ties together owner and horse, Pretty Good Year also happens to be Goodyear’s only campaigner.

“Distance has always been his thing,” trainer Kelly Rubley said. “We keep hitting these one-turn miles here and he hits the board and he picks up checks, but the longer the better for him. At the three-eighths pole, I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, we have a lot of horse.'”

A return to her home court after a last-place stakes foray to Ellis Park and a Grade II stakes sixth at Saratoga Race Course was the turnaround spark that ignited Hello Beautiful’s dazzling romp in the Distaff H. over seven furlongs.

Owned in partnership by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables and Magic City Stables, all of the 3-year-old filly’s five wins have now come over the Laurel main track–by a gaudy aggregate of 40 1/2 lengths.

Brittany Russell said that last year’s champion Maryland-bred juvenile filly is not only special in her own right, but that Hello Beautiful’s sparkling career arc has enabled her training business to grow in Maryland by attracting the attention of new owners who have entrusted Russell with fresh stock.

“It’s huge. It’s very emotional. She’s been a big part of my career. I have clients and horses in the barn because of her,” Brittany Russell said.

In the Maryland Million’s pair of six-furlong juvenile stakes, the male division produced the flashier winner from a visual perspective. But the filly division produced the faster clocking.

In the $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery, trainer Dale Capuano saddled the one-two finishers.

Owned in partnership by with Louis Ulman and Neil Glasser, Kenny Had a Notion (Great Notion) ran his lifetime record to 3-for-4 with an inside stalking bid during which he first had to be ridden with restraint by jockey Jorge Ruiz to avoid running up into a tight pocket at the rail. But when given his head and clear passage, “Kenny” slipped deftly through at the fence, spurted clear, and left a number of legit chasers sputtering in his five-length wake.

Stablemate Alwaysinahurry rounded out the Great Notion-sired and Capuano-trained exacta.

“They’re both nice,” Capuano said. “Kenny is getting better and so is Alwaysinahurry. [Kenny] showed more speed than I thought he would. He was on the bit very early and the rider had to just get a seam and lucky the rail opened up and he got through.”

In the $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie, Miss Nondescript (Mossler) stalked from fourth in a strung-out field, advanced at will on far turn, then responded to deep-stretch urging from Trevor McCarthy in a long outside drive to prevail by a hard-fought neck.

Now 2-for-2 for owner/breeder Barak Farm, Miss Nondescript followed up her pace-pressing Monmouth Park maiden victory by showing a new dimension in rating from farther back.

Her victory represented the first stakes winner for freshman sire Mosler, who was a GSP turf sprint and middle-distance specialist. Although primarily based in New York for trainer Bill Mott, one of Mosler’s two stakes wins occurred over the Laurel grass course at six furlongs in the 2016 Laurel Dash.

The final clocking in the Lassie (1:10.13) bested the same-distance time produced three races later in the Nursery (1:10.55).

This year marked the return of the $100,000 Turf Sprint H. to the Maryland Million program following a seven-year absence. It had been won in each of its final three years by the late Maryland fan favorite Ben’s Cat.

Fiya (Friesan Fire), who began his career last November as a $25,000 maiden-claimer but was purchased for $400,000 at the Wanamaker’s July online sale after a 98-Beyer win that was .25 seconds off the Laurel turf course record for 5 1/2 furlongs, got pounded to 1-10 odds for the grass dash over the same distance on Saturday. He delivered with a 2 1/4-length tally that lifted his 2020 record to 4-for-4. Tom Albertrani trains for owner Robert Masiello. It was one of three wins on the day for jockey Trevor McCarthy.

Vivian Rall’s homebred Epic Idea (Great Notion), a two-time winner sprinting on the turf, successfully stretched out to 1 1/8 miles to win by three-quarters of a length, garnering her first career stakes win in the $100,000 Maryland Million Ladies S. The 5-1 wire-to-wire victress was ridden by McCarthy and trained by Ann Merryman.

The post Grand Slams for Great Notion, Sheldon Russell on MD Million Day appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The 1 1/8-mile Classic for 3-year-olds and up headlines a 12-race card featuring eight stakes and four starter stakes on 'Maryland's Day at the Races,' celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state. First race post time is 11:25 a.m.

With 2019 victor Forest Fire sitting this one out, 2020 marks just the sixth time in the past 23 years and only the ninth in event history that the Classic will not have either the previous year's winner or a past champion in the lineup.

Returning from last year are runner-up Prendimi, beaten a half-length after setting the pace, and fifth-place finisher Tattooed, making his third straight Classic appearance. Among the competition are historic Pimlico Special (G3) winner Harpers First Ride, fellow multiple stakes winner Cordmaker, and stakes winners Monday Morning Qb and Top Line Growth.

G.J. Stable's Prendimi made his Laurel debut in last year's Classic for trainer Luis Carvajal Jr., who missed the race to be in California for the Breeders' Cup with Imperial Hint, only to have the multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire scratched the morning of the Sprint (G1) with a minor foot issue.

“It's very nice to have him in my barn. I used to gallop the mare and now we have this guy. Every baby she brings is a good horse, and Prendimi has never disappointed me,” Carvajal said. “The first time I ran him at Laurel, he definitely didn't disappoint me. Unfortunately last year I couldn't be at Laurel because I was at Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup. This year Imperial Hint is retired so there's no Breeder's Cup for me, but it will be nice for me to be at Laurel for the Maryland Million.”

The 2019 Classic was not only Prendimi's first time at Laurel, it is the only other time the 5-year-old Dances With Ravens gelding has been nine furlongs. Daniel Centeno is named to ride from Post 1.

“I'm looking forward to it. Last year we didn't have much of an idea of if he was going to like the track or if he was going to be able to handle the mile and an eighth. There was a question mark there,” Carvajal said. “But, he did great and I was really happy with the way he ran. I'm hoping that he can perform the same way. He's doing great. He's working good for this race, so I'm very anxious to see him run again at Laurel.”

Prendimi has been third or better in 16 of 23 lifetime starts with five wins, including a trio of stakes wins at Carvajal's spring/summer base of Monmouth Park. Most recently, he was seventh in the one-mile Salvator Mile (G3) Sept. 20 after winning the Charles Hesse III Handicap Aug. 30 at the New Jersey track.

“My client, the first thing he told me when we came to Monmouth Park this spring he said, 'We have to look forward to the Maryland Million Classic.' It was the first thing he had in mind,” Carvajal said. “The horse did very well in the summer. We hope it's a beautiful day and he runs as good as he did last year.”

Maryland's overall leading trainer the past three years, Claudio Gonzalez entered stablemates Harpers First Ride and Tap the Mark. MCA Racing Stable's Harpers First Ride enters the Classic off back-to-back stakes triumphs in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course and the 1 1/16-mile Deputed Testamony Sept. 7 at Laurel, where he owns six wins from seven career starts.

“Before the last race I expect him to run really good because he was showing me in the mornings that he was doing better than ever,” Gonzalez said. “Every race he gets better and better. I didn't know if he could [win], but I knew he was going to be there and he ran so good. He came out of the race good, he breezed good the other day and came out of it good, so everything's good.”

Among the horses Harpers First Ride defeated in the Pimlico Special were defending champion Tenfold, another Triple Crown race veteran in runner-up Owendale, and Cordmaker, third by two necks in the 2018 Special. Angel Cruz gets the return call from Post 5.

“The Pimlico Special is a very big race,” Gonzalez said. “It was very special because it's here in Maryland. This is where I have my license and make my home. It was special for everybody. The whole team was happy that day.”

BB Horses' Tap the Mark registered a win on the Special's undercard, a half-length optional claiming allowance triumph going 1 1/16 miles over Toughest 'Ombre and Tattooed. Weston Hamilton has the assignment from Post 6.

“He's a horse that tries all the time and is always right there. He's made almost $200,000 already and he's more mature. He's a big horse and I think he can run the long distance. He's the kind of horse that can run right there with the speed and he's an easy horse to ride,” Gonzalez said. “This is a big day for everybody. It [would be] very special for us to win one race, especially the Classic. We are going to give it a try.”

Cash is King and LC Racing's Monday Morning Qb, based at Parx with trainer Robert E. 'Butch' Reid Jr., has raced twice previously at Laurel, winning the Heft Stakes as a 2-year-old last December and running second in the Federico Tesio Sept. 7. The Tesio was the Imagining colt's first race in seven months and came at the Classic's distance.

Monday Morning Qb will try to join exclusive company Saturday. Bonus Points in 2017 is the only other 3-year-old to win the Classic.

“He obviously handles the dirt very well, and a firm dirt is what I'm looking for. He likes that track down at Laurel so we'll give it a shot,” Reid said. “We feel like he's sitting on a good race. He breezed beautiful the other day. We just let him kind of stretch his legs and blow off a little steam, and it should set him up perfect for this spot.”

Monday Morning Qb made his turf debut following the Tesio, racing in contention for a half-mile before fading in the one-mile James W. Murphy Oct. 3 on the Preakness (G1) undercard at Pimlico.

“He caught a real soft turf course that day and he's a big, heavy horse. I think it really compromised his chances in there,” Reid said. “He came out of it like he didn't even run, and he really didn't, so that's the reason why we don't mind running him back a little quicker for this spot.”

Sheldon Russell rides Monday Morning Qb from Post 3.

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker has gone winless in five 2020 starts but has shown steady improvement since his belated season opener July 3. The gelded 5-year-old son of Hall of Famer Curlin was second in the Deputed Testamony and third for the second straight year in the Pimlico Special, beaten less than six lengths combined. Regular rider Victor Carrasco has the mount from Post 4.

The Elkstone Group's homebred Top Line Growth takes a perfect 4-0 record at Laurel into the Million. A 4-year-old Tapizar gelding, he finished a rallying second in the Salvator Mile last out snapping a two-race win streak. Promoted winner of the Iowa Derby last July, he capped his sophomore season with a second-level optional claiming allowance win at Laurel, then made a successful return off an 11-month layoff in a third-level spot Aug. 14. Julian Pimentel rides from Post 7.

The post Competitive Field Of Seven Will Start In Saturday’s $150,000 Maryland Million Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 1 3/16-mile Preakness, run this year as the final jewel in a refashioned Triple Crown while serving as a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), anchors a weekend of 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses Oct. 1-3.

Monday Morning Qb earned his lone stakes victory last December in the seven-furlong Heft at Laurel Park and was briefly on the Triple Crown trail, finishing fourth in the 1 1/8-mile Withers (G3) Feb. 1 at Aqueduct. The sizeable Maryland-bred son of Imagining was given time after that race to mature and develop, returning to trainer Robert E. 'Butch' Reid Jr. last month.

He was entered but unable to draw into the field for a one-mile turf allowance Aug. 28 at Laurel and wound up launching his comeback in the 1 1/8-mile Tesio, the traditional local prep for the Preakness. He set solid fractions of 24.76 seconds, 48.82 and 1:13.13 before being overtaken at the head of the stretch by Happy Saver but battled on despite failing to switch leads, finishing 1 ½ lengths behind the winner but nine lengths clear of Big City Bob in third.

“He ran very well considering the layoff. To come back going a mile and an eighth was not an easy task, so we were very pleased with his effort,” Reid said. “He came out of it well. He's been back to the track and he looks happy and raring to go. He was definitely tired afterwards but after a couple days he bounced right back. We're real happy with him.

“I think if he switched leads, I'm not saying we would have beat that horse but he'd have been a lot closer I believe,” he added. “He's got a little bit of a concentration problem that we have to work on to get him to switch leads turning for home. He's kind of always had that habit. It's unfortunate because he does it perfectly in the morning.”

The Tesio was Monday Morning Qb's second straight race at two turns. His sire was a multiple graded-stakes winner going long on the grass including the 2014 Man o' War (G1) for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, and earned nearly $1.2 million in purses.

“We felt all along he'd get two turns,” Reid said. “We really think he's going to route on turf is what he's going to end up being. We'll think about getting him on the turf. I would like to try that before the end of the year, for sure.”

To that end, Reid said the connections are also considering the $100,000 James W. Murphy on the Preakness undercard. The Murphy, also for 3-year-olds, is contested at a mile on the grass.

“We're looking at both races. We still haven't ruled out the Preakness, to be honest with you,” Reid said. “The Murphy for straight 3-year-olds going a mile on the turf [is interesting]. We'll definitely make him eligible for both of those races and pick our best spot from there.”

The post Monday Morning Qb ‘Raring To Go,’ Could Target Preakness Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post