Old Hilltop | Horse Racing Free Tips

Aspray (Quality Road) remained perfect after stepping up into stakes company for the first time as she collected the victory from off-the-pace in the Hilltop S. A debut maiden breaker in an off-the-turf affair by 2 1/2 lengths as the favorite at Tampa Bay Downs Jan. 14, she was able to try the grass there Mar. 22, serving as the chalk once again and defeating optional claimers by the same margin.

The bay filly, off at 4-1 here, was content to settle towards the rear of the field as 9-1 shot After Eight (Into Mischief) led the way. As the pace began to quicken around the far turn, the homebred went five wide into the lane, began to accelerate after a lead change past the eighth pole and got up in time over Breath Away (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}).

The winner is out of an Irish-bred who won four group races in her homeland and counts G1SW Dutch Art (GB) (Medicean {GB}) as a half-brother. She is also responsible for Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah), who ran second in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. at The Curragh and a yearling filly named Star of Bombay (Medaglia d'Oro).

HILLTOP S. PRESENTED BY AEROVANTI, $100,000, Pimlico,
5-19, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.10, fm.
1–ASPRAY, 118, f, 3, by Quality Road
                1st Dam: Up (Ire) (MGSW-Ire, G1SP-Fr, $379,468), by
                                Galileo (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Halland Park Lass (Ire), by Spectrum (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Palacegate Episode (Ire), by Drumalis (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Ran Jan Racing, Inc. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $86,210. *1/2 to Monarch of Egypt (American Pharoah), G1SP-Ire, GSP-Eng, $213,941.
2–Breath Away (GB), 118, f, 3, Bated Breath (GB)–Darling Grace (GB), by Nayef. (92,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 230,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Steven Rocco and Tango Uniform Racing LLC; B-Highgate Stud (GB); T-Christophe Clement. $20,000.
3–Hang the Moon, 118, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Moondance, by Malibu Moon. ($200,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-CJ Thoroughbreds; B-Repole Stable, Inc. (KY); T-Michael Stidham. $10,000.
Margins: HF, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 4.30, 1.90, 20.40.
Also Ran: Up and Down, Thirty Thou Kelvin, Miss New York, After Eight, Well Into, Aunt Shirley, Ice Cube Baby, Lil Spinner.
Scratched: Majestic Creed.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Winchell Racing's Epicenter (Not This Time), whose runner-up effort in the GI Kentucky Derby May 7 has earned him a quote of 6-5 morning-line favoritism for Saturday's GI Preakness S., was out for a one-mile gallop around the Pimlico main track Wednesday morning under the watchful eye of Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen .

“He's traveling really well. It seems like his energy level is good,” said Blasi, explaining that Asmussen left the track early to watch horses work at Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale at Timonium. “He's bounced out of the Derby with relative ease and made the ship fine. Just trying to get settled in and get our schooling done and run Saturday.”

Blasi indicated that plans call for Epicenter to school in the gate during training hours Thursday morning before paddock schooling during the races in the afternoon.

Early Voting (Gun Runner), who will be looking to give Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables a second Preakness success, also got his first feel for the surface at Pimlico Wednesday morning (video).

“He galloped a mile and a quarter. I was really happy with him coming home,” said Chad Brown assistant Baldo Hernandez. “He likes it here, so he's in good shape.”

Following his runner-up effort behind Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 9, Early Voting was strongly considered for the Derby, but passed the race and has trained up to the Triple Crown's second jewel.

“He's moved forward from the Wood. He got the time off,” Hernandez said. “He's in good shape.”

Hernandez said that Early Voting will go to the track at the same time Thursday.

The post Epicenter, Early Voting Take First Tour of Old Hilltop appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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