Tag: Ogden Phipps Stakes

Elevated Temperatures Knock Swiss Skydiver And Valiance Out Of Ogden Phipps

Trainer Kenny McPeek announced on Twitter Friday morning that Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, would be scratched from Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“Unfortunately Swiss Skydiver had a 104 fever this morning,” McPeek Tweeted. “We are a scratch. We've treated her to knock down the fever and will regroup later in the season. Never easy.”

The scratch reduces the Phipps field to five starters following Daily Racing Form's report on Thursday that Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin Schwartz and CHC Inc.'s Valiance, winner of the G1 Spinster at Keeneland and second to Monomoy Girl in the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff for trainer Todd Pletcher, was also knocked out by an elevated temperature.

Swiss Skydiver was the 5-2 co-second choice on the morning line behind 8-5 favorite Letruska, with Valiance listed at 4-1.

Swiss Skydiver's fever came after she vanned from Churchill Downs in Kentucky to Belmont Park. An experienced traveler, the daughter of Daredevil has competed over nine different tracks in a 14-race career.

On Thursday, DRF's Mike Welsch first reported the scratch of Valiance, a 5-year-old Tapit mare who would have been making her first start since the Breeders' Cup. “We're dealing with a temperature issue,” Pletcher told Welsch. “It's frustrating, She never trained better. Bad timing.”

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Mischevious Alex, Drain The Clock Drill For Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Engagements

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. breezed Mischevious Alex and Drain the Clock Sunday at Florida's Gulfstream Park in preparation for starts at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival this coming week at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex worked a half-mile in company in 48.72 seconds on the fast main track in his final breeze for Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap.

Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock also worked a half-mile in company in 48.68.

Joseph said the breeze was easier by design for both after working the two talented colts head-and-head on May 23 through five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.81 on the Gulfstream main track.

“We didn't want either of them to overdo anything so we paired them with lesser workmates today,” said Joseph. “The last time they worked together they went head and head the whole way.”

Joseph said Mischevious Alex is coming into the Met Mile, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, in top form following his impressive score in the G1 Carter Handicap on April 3 at the Big A that garnered a career-best 109 Beyer.

“They caught him in 48 and change and he got the last quarter in 23 and 1, so it went well,” said Joseph. “He's in good form. We're hoping he can run a race as good as last time. If he does, I think we're going over there with a good chance.”

Drain the Clock, who has won 5-of-7 starts, is targeting the G1, $400,000 Woody Stephens presented by Nassau Country Industrial Development Agency, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores.

Joseph said the Maclean's Music chestnut, who matched a career-best 86 Beyer last out winning the Grade 3 Bay Shore on April 3 at the Big A, is in good order.

“He's plenty fit,” said Joseph. “He looked good working and he is coming into the race in good form at a distance that he's been successful. He'll have to run his career best, but we feel like he's sitting on his career best.”

Joseph will also be represented at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival by Sweet Bye and Bye in Thursday's G3, $200,000 Intercontinental, a seven-furlong Widener turf sprint for older fillies and mares; and by Queen Nekia in the G1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps at 1 1/16-miles on Big Sandy for older fillies and mares which offers a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” berth to the Distaff.

Joseph said the colts will fly to New York on Wednesday, while the mares will begin their journey by van later today.

The Florida-based conditioner, who has stalls at Belmont for the first time, has three wins and three thirds from nine starts at the Belmont spring/summer meet. He praised assistant trainer Sabine Langvad for the strong early showing.

“Our horses have been in good form and running good. Even the ones that didn't win have performed credibly,” said Joseph, Jr. “Sabine works hard and has a lot of passion for what she does.”

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Options Galore For Ogden Phipps Winner She’s A Julie’s Next Start

Owner Peter Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds said Grade 1 Ogden Phipps winner She's a Julie has several options in play following her triumph in the 1 1/8-mile event on June 13 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the daughter of Elusive Quality is “50-50” for the Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Handicap on July 11 at Delaware Park according to Bradley, who owns She's a Julie in partnership with Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables.

Other options for the two-time Grade 1-winning millionaire include the Grade 3, $250,000 Molly Pitcher on July 18 at Monmouth Park, or to train up to the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 1 at Saratoga.

“We're looking at it,” Bradley said of the Delaware Handicap. “As Steve says, we'll let her tell us, but we've marked that, the Molly Pitcher or maybe even wait until the Personal Ensign.”

She's a Julie posted her first breeze since the Ogden Phipps on Sunday morning, working five furlongs in 1:02.48 over the Belmont main track.

She's a Julie was a 14-1 upset winner of the Ogden Phipps where she made a three-wide move under urging from jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. and nosed out graded stakes winner Point of Honor for the win.

“She gives it her all every time and is a bit of a grinder,” said Bradley. “The race set up with speed in front of her and that's when she's at her best. She's been training well, couldn't be happier with her.”

She's a Julie made amends in the Ogden Phipps following a disappointing sixth in her 2020 bow in the Shawnee at Churchill Downs, where she hopped at the start, got out of position and came up empty.

“The way she hit the gate that day and got out of position, she was a lost cause from there on out,” Bradley said. “She's a big, strong filly and Ricardo did the right thing that day and wrapped up on her. As Steve said, put a line through that race. What she's got is a heart that's twice as big as she is and she's a very big horse.”

She's a Julie boasts lifetime earnings of $1,187,880 and boasts five graded stakes victories, all of which have taken place over different tracks.

Bradley found more Belmont success when Captain Bombastic took the Mike Lee on June 14 for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.

Bradley purchased the Forty Tales New York-bred for $80,000 on behalf of Team Hanley at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale last March.

“He was a balanced and very athletic looking horse,” Bradley said. “He moved across the ground well, galloped out nicely and just did all the things you want him to do. Forty Tales isn't really a household name as a stallion, but we had a price point we were looking at it. The one turn is really what he wants.”

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She’s A Julie Holds Off Point Of Honor To Win Ogden Phipps, Earn Breeders’ Cup Distaff Berth

She's a Julie added a second Grade 1 victory to her ledger, when displaying a powerful kick at the top of the stretch before running down Ollie's Candy to the inside of Point of Honor to win the 52nd running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Ogden Phipps by a nose Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality earned a “Win and You're In” berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 7 at Keeneland through the Breeders' Cup  Challenge Series.

She's a Julie made amends after a poor result in the last out Shawnee at Churchill Downs, where she hopped in the air at the start, got out of position and was beaten 13 ¼ lengths.

Guided by jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. from post 3 in the six-horse field, She's a Julie laid fourth, one length off of pacesetter Blamed, who recorded an opening quarter mile in 22.84 seconds with Ollie's Candy and stablemate Golden Award to her outside second and third, respectively.

With the half-mile in 45.98 seconds, Blamed extended her advantage to a length but began tailing off as the field came around the far turn as She's a Julie, under a hard drive by Santana, Jr., made a three-wide move.

As Blamed dropped out of contention, Ollie's Candy found herself 2 ½ lengths in front with She's a Julie gaining ground in tandem with Point of Honor. The duo battled to a head-bobbing finish, with She's a Julie stopping the clock in 1:40.27.

Point of Honor was a neck to the better of Ollie's Candy and it was another 8 ¼-lengths to Blamed, followed by Pink Sands and Golden Award.

The victory was a second Grade 1 triumph for She's a Julie, who won the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs in May 2019. The victory was a fifth graded stakes win for She's a Julie, all of which took place at different racetracks.

“Everybody put a lot of effort into this filly. Steve [Asmussen] said he wanted me to go to New York,” said Santana, Jr., who has piloted She's a Julie in her last 14 starts. “She's doing well. I worked her and we were really happy with her. Steve knows what he's doing and I always listen to him. Today, she was feeling good. We got a great break. I sat in the spot I wanted. I knew she was going to give it to me, and she kicked it in. She gave me a nice kick.”

The win marked a ninth Grade 1 triumph for the jockey-trainer combo of Santana, Jr. and Asmussen.

Asmussen also won last year's edition of the Ogden Phipps with subsequent 2019 Champion Older Filly Midnight Bisou.

She's a Julie was saddled by Asmussen's assistant Toby Sheets, who oversees his New York division, and he admitted that he wasn't sure his mare won the photo finish.

“I had to watch it one more time to be sure [she had won.] It was very close,” Sheets said. “I said to Ricardo before the race that there was a lot of pace in there, and that's how the race unfolded. It was a very patient ride and the pace upfront helped. She ran super.”

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, aboard runner-up Point of Honor, admitted that the defeat was tough, but nevertheless was proud of his filly's effort.

“It was a tough beat. I'm not disappointed at all,” Castellano said. “She ran her race. I expected a hot pace and she did everything she could. It was a 'bob' and these are all competitive horses.

“I let the speed go and sat behind the horses,” he continued. “I popped her out and I thought I was going to go by. At the quarter pole, I was a little concerned. I was asking her and she didn't take off and I thought I was going to be third, but she kept running and ran a good race. You can't ask for anything more than that.”

She's a Julie returned $31.40 on a $2 win bet and banked $165,000 in victory while enhancing her lifetime earnings to $1,187,880. Her record now stands at 19-7-2-4 and includes wins in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows and Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks during her 3-year-old campaign as well as a triumph in the following year's Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park.

She is owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables.

Bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, She's a Julie is out of the Dubai Millennium broodmare Kydd Gloves and comes from the same family as Grade 1-winner Bodemeister. She was purchased for $160,000 from the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Blandford Stud.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race card highlighted by the $100,000 Mike Lee for New York-bred 3-year-olds going one mile on the main track in Race 9 at 5:36 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:15 p.m.

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