Oaklawn | Horse Racing Free Tips

Eclipse Finalist Shedaresthedevil Returns To Work Tab; Azeri Remains First Target In 2022

Millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner Shedaresthedevil, among three finalists for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion older dirt female of 2021, returned to the work tab last Sunday at Fair Grounds, covering 3 furlongs in :36.20 for trainer Brad Cox and co-owner Staton Flurry of Hot Springs, Ark.

Cox reiterated Tuesday afternoon that Shedaresthedevil's first 2022 target remains the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 12 at Oaklawn. Shedaresthedevil opened her 2021 campaign with a victory in the Azeri, holding off expected Eclipse Award winner Letruksa by a head under regular rider Florent Geroux.

“It was a good move,” Cox said, referring to Sunday's breeze. “Pointing for the Azeri. I think it's going to be a realistic goal to get to the Azeri. Obviously, it's a prep for the Apple Blossom.”

Shedaresthedevil hasn't started since a sixth-place finish in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Shedaresthedevil, as a racing/broodmare prospect, sold for $5 million at Fasig-Tipton's Fall Mixed Sale Nov. 9, but her new connections decided to keep her in training with Cox for a 2022 racing campaign.

Flurry said the 5-year-old daughter of Daredevil received a 30-day break following the Breeders' Cup and was in light training at new co-owner Mandy Pope's farm in Florida before returning to Cox in early January at Fair Grounds.

“They had her in Ocala, Mandy Pope's team did, and she came back and looked amazing,” Cox said. “She looked as well as she's ever looked, so I'm excited about getting her started this year and hopefully make her presence felt in some Grade 1s throughout the year.”

The Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at 1 1/16 miles April 23.

In addition to the Azeri, Shedaresthedevil won the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in 2020 at Oaklawn before capturing the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) later that year at Churchill Downs. She was a finalist for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020.

Shedaresthedevil has bankrolled $2,331,458 after winning 9 of 17 career starts. She is a three-time Grade 1 winner.

Source of original post

Updated: Cross Country Pick 5 Features Stakes From Aqueduct, Tampa Bay Downs

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring graded-stakes action from Aqueduct Racetrack and Tampa Bay Downs.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Saturday's sequence kicks off at 1:42 p.m. Eastern in Race 4 at Tampa Bay Downs, a one-mile turf allowance for older horses. The Chad Brown-trained Soft Power has been installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite after winning on debut at Belmont Park in June, defeating next-out winner Ranger Fox by a nose for owner Klaravich Stables.

The sequence will continue in Race 6 at Tampa Bay Downs at 2:42 p.m. Eastern with the Grade 3, $175,000 Endeavour, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for older fillies and mares led by Grade 1-winner Lady Speightspeare.

Trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, the regally-bred Lady Speightspeare is by Speightstown and out of the multiple graded stakes winning Theatrical mare Lady Shakespeare, who is a full sister to Grade 1-winner Shakespeare and half-sister to Grade 1-winner Perfect Shirl.

The 4-year-old Lady Speightspeare, who has won 4-of-5 starts, won both of her graded stakes at Woodbine Racetrack, capturing the Grade 1 Natalma at one-mile on turf as a juvenile and the Grade 2 Bessarabian at seven furlongs on Tapeta in November. The Charles Fipke homebred will make her seasonal debut out of a third-place finish in the Tropical Park Oaks at 1 1/16-miles on December 26 on the Gulfstream Park turf. Steep opposition will be provided by In Italian, who has won 2-of-3 starts and will be making her stakes debut for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

The action continues in Race 8 at Tampa Bay Downs [3:46 p.m.] with the Grade 3, $175,000 Tampa Bay, a 1 1/16-mile turf test featuring an overflow field of 13 older horses. Shirl's Speight, a 5-year-old son of Speightstown out of the aforementioned Perfect Shirl, will tackle a solid group of fellow graded stakes winners, including English Bee, Eons, Get Smokin, Clear Vision, and Devamani.

The action switches to the Big A for the final two legs, beginning with an open one-turn mile allowance in Race 7 [3:55 p.m.] featuring New York-bred stakes winner Chowda and maiden winners Castle Chaos and Southern District.

A field of 11 sophomores will battle nine furlongs in the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers, offering 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers, to close out the sequence in Race 8 at 4:25 p.m.

Courvoisier, winner of the one-turn mile Jerome last out for trainer Kelly Breen, will face returning rivals Smarten Up, Cooke Creek, Unbridled Bomber and Mr Jefferson. An emerging group of Derby hopefuls includes maiden winners Constitutionlawyer and Early Voting.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool. The Cross Country Pick 5, which features a low 15 percent takeout, will continue each Saturday throughout the year.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, February 5:

Leg A: Tampa – Race 4, allowance (1:42 p.m.)

Leg B: Tampa – Race 6, G3 Endeavour (2:42 p.m.)

Leg C: Tampa – Race 8, G3 Tampa Bay (3:46 p.m.)

Leg D: Aqueduct – Race 7, allowance (3:55 p.m.)

Leg E: Aqueduct – Race 8, G3 Withers (4:25 p.m.)

Source of original post

Mucho Added New Dimension With Close Second In Oaklawn’s Fifth Season

Mucho is again training at his home base, The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Ky., but trainer John Ortiz said the horse is under consideration for a return trip to Oaklawn for stakes action later this month or in March.

The speedy Mucho was already an allowance winner sprinting at the 2021-2022 Oaklawn meeting before finishing second, beaten a neck by Rated R Superstar, in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses Jan. 15. The one-mile Fifth Season marked the two-turn debut for Mucho, a 6-year-old son of Blame who races for former Walmart executive William Simon (WSS Racing) and Brent and Sharilyn Gasaway of Little Rock, Ark. (4 G Racing).

Mucho shot to the front in the Fifth Season and turned back challenges from Thomas Shelby and Concert Tour before finally being overtaken on the outside in the shadow of the wire by millionaire Rated R Superstar.

“This was our test,” Ortiz said. “It was exactly what we wanted to see. We wanted to see if he could do the two turns. Now, I think we've got a good sprinter and you have a good two-turn horse. Honestly, we get to play a game with him and see where he takes us.”

It could be back to Oaklawn, Ortiz said, for the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 12 or the $200,000 Whitmore (G3) at six furlongs March 19. Both races are for older horses.

Mucho returned to the work tab Tuesday at The Thoroughbred Center, covering a half-mile in :50. Ortiz's stable is split between Oaklawn and The Thoroughbred Center training facility.

“He comes here, runs and then goes back,” Ortiz said. “It's just a little bit quieter up there for him. We're not planning on running him very often. We just want to make sure we pick and choose our spots this year. We've got bigger goals. We've got to get to the Breeders' Cup with him.”

Ortiz noted Mucho finished just two lengths behind 2021 Oaklawn debut winner Aloha West in the $250,000 Phoenix Stakes (G2) Oct. 8 at Keeneland, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event. After finishing second in the Phoenix, Aloha West returned to win the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

This year's Breeders' Cup is at Keeneland, which is about 12 miles from The Thoroughbred Center. Also on the table is the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), Ortiz said.

“Two turns, short stretch, just like here,” Ortiz said. “That's probably going to be a good target. Breeders' Cup Day is where we want to be with him. We were very close last year. We finished third behind Aloha West and we opted out of going to the Breeders' Cup because of the logistics. But this year, we're going to be running from our backyard, from our stall, and I think home-track advantage here. I think we'll be very competitive. But that's the goal. Not just with him, but with many horses from our barn.”

On behalf of WSS and 4 G, Ortiz claimed Mucho for $80,000 in November 2020 at Churchill Downs. Mucho was an allowance winner at the 2021 Oaklawn meeting for his new connections and captured the $100,000 Challedon Stakes July 31 at Pimlico. Mucho has a 7-8-3 record from 30 lifetime starts and earnings of $716,729.

The Razorback closed with 38 nominations. Post positions will be drawn Monday. It is a major local prep for the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 23. The newly graded Whitmore (formerly the Hot Springs Stakes) is a major local steppingstone to the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) at 6 furlongs April 16.

Source of original post

McPeek On Dash Attack’s Southwest Performance: ‘I Think We Left Him Short’

Locally based Dash Attack emerged in good order from his fifth-place finish in the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds last Saturday, Jan. 29, at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., and will remain on the Kentucky Derby trail, his trainer, Kenny McPeek, said Tuesday night.

Dash Attack won his first two career starts, including the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1, before being beaten 7 ¾ lengths by heavily favored Newgrange in the 1 1/16-mile Southwest. Dash Attack was racing over a fast track for the first time in the Southwest, Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races.

“I think between that racetrack being a little bit deep and cuppy, and we kind of had to adjust our work schedule, I think we left him short,” McPeek said. “He got tired in the race. He seemed to come back fine, but I wish I had done a little more with him in hindsight. But the night before, it was extremely cold and I don't think they had much water on it (track) and he didn't handle it well.”

Dash Attack splashed to a two-length victory in the one-mile Smarty Jones, which was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race. Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby points series continues with the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) Feb. 26 and the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 2.

McPeek said Dash Attack “definitely” will be considered for the Rebel, which will offer 85 points (50-20-10-5, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 starters, with starting preference given to horses with the highest point totals earned in designated qualifying races.

Dash Attack ranks No. 9 on the latest Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 10 points for his Smarty Jones victory.

“We're not ruling the Rebel out at all,” McPeek said. “We're going to kind of regroup and put another plan together and hopefully it unfolds a little better than the Southwest did.”

Southern California-based Bob Baffert said he will “definitely have something for the Rebel,” a 1 1/16-mile race the Hall of Fame trainer has won a record eight times. Barber Road, runner-up in the Smarty Jones and Southwest, is likely headed to the Rebel, trainer John Ortiz said.

Vivar is off the Kentucky Derby trail following his 10th-place finish in the Southwest, trainer Brad Cox said Tuesday afternoon.

“We're going to give him a break and freshen him up,” said Cox, who trains Vivar for breeder/owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs. “Don't really think he's a dirt horse. Kind of always thought he was more grass. We've given him the opportunity and he really didn't answer the questions we were asking, so it's time to back up and give him some time and maybe point him for a grass campaign this summer.”

Vivar finished fifth in the Smarty Jones.

Source of original post