More Than Ready | Horse Racing Free Tips

Say The Word To Join D’Amato’s Kentucky Stable At Churchill Following Elkhorn Win

Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm's Canadian champion Say the Word, winner of Saturday's Elkhorn Stakes (G2) by 1½ lengths at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., was scheduled to head to Churchill Downs in Louisville on Sunday and join the rest of trainer Phil D'Amato's Kentucky string.

The victory in the 1½-mile Elkhorn by the 6=year-old son of MoreThan Ready was the second graded stakes triumph at the distance for Say the Word. The other came last year in the Northern Dancer Turf (G1) Presented by Pattison at Woodbine.

The Churchill stakes schedule has the $125,000 Louisville (G3) going 1½ miles on the turf slated for May 15, a race that could attract Elkhorn runner-up Channel Cat and fourth-place finisher Fantasioso (ARG).

“He showed signs that he was going to run a good one,” trainer Jack Sisterson said of Calumet Farm's Channel Cat, whose effort Saturday produced his best result since winning the Bowling Green (G2) in 2019 while racing for Todd Pletcher. “He had not trained that well coming into a race since we have had him.”

Sisterson mentioned after the race that the $750,000 Manhattan (G1) at 1¼ miles on June 5 might be a possibility but noted Sunday morning, “if we take the conservative route, we may do that (the Louisville).”

Bloom Racing Stable and I. C. Racing's Fantasioso rallied from last in the field of eight, finishing less than a length out of second place in his U.S. debut.

“He came out of the race well, and I was very happy with his race,” trainer Ignacio Correas IV said. “The plan is to go on to the Louisville.”

The post Say The Word To Join D’Amato’s Kentucky Stable At Churchill Following Elkhorn Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Caravaggio Colt Highlights Doncaster Breeze Up Catalogue

There are 177 juveniles catalogued for the Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze Up Sale, the sales company announced on Tuesday. The breezes will be held at Doncaster Racecourse on Apr. 20 beginning at noon local time. The sale is slated for Apr. 21-22 with sessions starting at 10 a.m. local time each day.

Several Royal Ascot winners have been sourced from the sale in recent years, including G1 Princes Of Wales's S. hero My Dream Boat (Ire) (Lord Shanakill), G1 Commonwealth Cup S. winner Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), G2 Norfolk S. victors Prince Of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) and Listed Windsor Castle S. winner Ardad (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Steel Bull (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), a Doncaster Breeze Up alumni, won the G3 Molecomb S. in 2020, while Bodhicitta (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) landed the GII Yellow Ribbon S. at Del Mar and Umm Kulthum (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) saluted in the G3 Firth of Clyde S.

Several notable lots include: lot 25, a Caravaggio half-brother to Group 1 winner Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}); a More Than Ready colt (lot 47) who is out of a half-sister to Grade I winner Gift Box (Twirling Candy) and Grade II winner Special Forces (Candy Ride {Arg}) and a full-sister to Grade II heroine Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast); lot 76, a Kingman (GB) half-brother to stakes-winner Cloud Surfing (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); a New Bay (GB) half-brother (lot 96) to Group 1 winner Wizz Kid (Ire) (Whipper); a colt by Dark Angel (Ire) (lot 166) who is a half-brother to the listed winner Tarana (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), the dam of champion and three-time Group 1 winner Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal); and a Blame colt (lot 172) out of a half-sister to Grade I winner Dance To Bristol (Speightstown).

In 2020, the sale was combined with Arqana and held in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a top price of £650,000. The aggregate was £12,980,100 for 153 juveniles sold from 176 offered (87%). The average was £84,837 and the median was £50,000.

Goffs UK Managing Director Tim Kent commented, “We are incredibly proud of the track record of this sale and the list of top-class graduates continues to grow each year, a fact that buyers are firmly aware of when buying their breezers. This sale is now the undisputed number one source of Royal Ascot winners with five Goffs Breeze Up graduates winning since 2016 and two of those at Group 1 level.

“The sale will again be held just eight weeks prior to the Royal meeting and the same window has been successful for buyers in recent years with A'Ali (G2 Norfolk S.), Prince Of Lir (G2 Norfolk S.) and Ardad (Listed Windsor Castle S.) all sold at Doncaster just eight weeks prior to the Royal meeting. This is a proven formula and, as ever, we are indebted to our loyal vendors who have again offered some outstanding horses who are guaranteed to continue to showcase this sale on the very biggest stage.

“Once again, all horses have been entered in the Swedish Derby and Oaks Series and we look forward to welcoming new buyers from this region whilst we will also be working in conjunction with GBRI to sell the Royal Ascot dream to all buyers, both domestic and international. The Doncaster Breeze Up Sale has a proven track record for Royal Ascot success and we are excited to offer buyers a genuine chance of getting in to the Royal winners enclosure later this year.”

For more information, please visit www.goffsuk.com.

The post Caravaggio Colt Highlights Doncaster Breeze Up Catalogue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Hit The Road Finds Room Late, Takes Kilroe Mile For Blacker’s First Grade 1

In a thrilling head and head battle to the wire, trainer Dan Blacker's Hit the Road prevailed by a neck over 5-2 favorite Smooth Like Strait, in Saturday's $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, providing Blacker, 38, with his first Grade 1 triumph. Ridden for the first time by eastern-based Florent Geroux, Hit the Road, 4-year-old colt by More Than Ready, out of the U S Ranger mare Highway Mary, got the mile on grass in 1:34.48.

With longshot Flying Scotsman hustled from his outside post, Smooth Like Strait fell into a stalking trip second, while Hit the Road was at joint third at the rail with Casa Creed to his outside and about three lengths off the lead heading into the far turn.

Leaving the quarter pole, Smooth Like Strait, under Umberto Rispoli, assumed command while Hit the Road was forced to wait for racing room behind a three-horse spread that included Smooth Like Strait, Flying Scotsman and Casa Creed. Full of run, Geroux found a seam two from the rail a furlong out and from there, it was game-on between Hit the Road and the runner-up.

“I was pretty anxious, but I thought if he can get through, he's got a good chance,” said Blacker in recanting the final quarter mile. “Luckily 'Flo' found a gap and he proved he's the best today. I gave myself 10 years to win a Grade I and luckily we got it done in year nine. I don't want to make this all about me. It's all about the horse, he's such a professional animal, he is a true racehorse. He was born that way, he's just a true athlete and so mentally focused on racing.”

With Rispoli opting to stay with multiple graded winner Smooth Like Strait over recent G3 Thunder Road Stakes winner Hit the Road, Geroux was more than happy to take the Kilroe call and Hit the Road was off at 4-1, returning $10.40, $5.40 and $4.20.

“The trip made the difference, we got very lucky with the trip,” said Geroux. “It opened up at the right time and the horse got the job done. It was all heart. Sometimes when you have to go through a tight spot, the horse doesn't necessarily cooperate, but he did great and did everything I asked him to … I liked my horse and the one horse (Smooth Like Strait), and I thought it was going to be very tough between those two. I was able to follow him all the way around and got through on the inside.”

Owned by D K Racing, LLC, Radley Equine, Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski and Dave Odmark, Hit the Road, in taking his first Grade I stakes, improved his overall mark to 9-6-0-0 and with the winner's share of $240,000, increased his earnings to $494,751.

In a huge effort, Smooth Like Strait, who finished a neck better than a flying Count Again, paid $4.40 and $3.40.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Count Again rallied from far back and paid $6.60 while off at 16-1.

Fractions on the race were 23.17, 47.32, 1:11.28 and 1:22.91.

The post Hit The Road Finds Room Late, Takes Kilroe Mile For Blacker’s First Grade 1 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Stewart Taking Another Shot At Dubai World Cup With ‘True Grinder’ Title Ready

For the third consecutive edition of the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), prominent North American owner Charles Fipke and his go-to trainer Dallas Stewart will take a swing at the world's second-richest race. This round is slightly different for the affable team, as they do not bring a known champion like Forever Unbridled (2018) or a Breeders' Cup- and Pegasus World Cup-placed runner like Seeking the Soul (2019). Instead, an improving sort getting very good at the right time will head to Dubai in the form of an appropriately named Title Ready.

A homebred like the aforementioned, the son of More Than Ready is from the immediate family of Seeking the Soul and is a grandson of one of the greatest race-mares of all time, undefeated Breeders' Cup-winning champion Personal Ensign. Title Ready exits a smart victory for Stewart in the Louisiana Stakes (G3) on Jan. 16 at New Orleans' Fair Grounds over G2 winner Wells Bayou, a culmination of six starts focused on refining the dark bay since he was received in the spring of 2020.

After competing 19 times for Steve Asmussen, he was switched to Stewart, resulting in a pair of good-looking wins, an excellent third to Mr Freeze in the Fayette (G2) and unplaced efforts in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Clark Stakes (G1).

“Chuck is excited to come and I am too,” Stewart said. “We ran him in the Breeders' Cup and there wasn't enough pace, so he really ran pretty good that day. I probably ran him back a little quick in the Clark at Churchill, but I think he's good enough for those, so I gave him a little time after that and took him down to the Fair Grounds. Then he won in New Orleans and he looked really good that day. He's just doing great and he looks awesome.

“He's a beautiful horse with a great pedigree, by More Than Ready and with Personal Ensign on the bottom side, and is related to Seeking the Soul. That whole family is so strong. ” Stewart continued. “He's training great and is a wonderful horse to have in the barn, so I really wanted to give him a shot in this race.”

Blunt and charismatic, as always, Stewart knows he is diving once again into deep waters with the good-looking 6-year-old, but that has not stopped him from taking home a big check before. His proficiency with aiming toward a big race and placing with long-odds runners has been document ad nauseam, so his eagerness to send Title Ready should be noted.

Stewart: “He doesn't look six, that's for sure. He's a young-looking dude. He's a true grinder and really just keeps coming and keeps trying. He's a real happy horse and trains well.

“I think we got outrun the two times we were there so far, but I believe the approach we have is solid. We just have to get there and run the race. It's $12 million, it's a mile and a quarter, we're hoping he will be better at that distance and we're game to try.

“It's the only way I know to approach races. You have to be game to do it, train for it and then you go for it. We really want to thank Sheikh Mohammed for having the race and allowing us back to run. We really appreciate it.”

The post Stewart Taking Another Shot At Dubai World Cup With ‘True Grinder’ Title Ready appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post