Oleksandra | Horse Racing Free Tips

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners Founder Aron Wellman Joins Writers’ Room

Fresh off a Group 2 win last week at Royal Ascot, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' founder Aron Wellman joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning to talk about his ownership strategies, how he talks to new partners about concerns in the industry and much more.

Asked about Eclipse's ever-evolving purchasing power, Wellman, who called in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week said, “We made a point when we launched Eclipse about 10 years ago to really try to prove ourselves at being good at just about everything in terms of trying to buy horses. We believe that a good horse can come from anywhere at any time. I really cut my teeth early on in the game by starting to claim horses, because that was the immediate-action way to go. Then it evolved into trying to buy horses privately, going overseas and getting them to the States. We've been very fortunate to get support from our partners at the yearling sales as well as the 2-year-old sales and have been very lucky to buy Grade I winners and Classic winners out of them. It's tough to be really, really elite at all of those avenues by which you can acquire horses. But we've certainly done our best to provide our partners with a variety of opportunities year in and year out and the track record, fortunately, has spoken for itself that our partners continue to believe in the process.”

Wellman also commented on the challenges he faces in recruitment considering the scandal that has surrounded racing for the last few years, saying, “It's certainly a barrier to entry. It's a conversation that I have with just about every prospective partner that comes through Eclipse's doors. I think that the industry is slowly but surely making good strides towards appropriate reform. It's never enough and it's never fast enough, but on the Eclipse side, we try our best to surround ourselves with good people. We've always believed in that philosophy. I am a big proponent of the industry getting more serious about the penalties handed down to trainers who are violating the rules. We can't allow anyone, I don't care who you are, how big you are or how small you are, to operate by a different set of rules. There's no question that we need a unified, centralized governing body here in the United States to oversee the industry. For too long, we've swept issues under the rug. We've protected guys because we were concerned about the public image and guys that are too big to fail. Thinking maybe it would be worse for the industry to expose them rather than to protect them. But we've been accomplices for too long. We've aided and abetted for too long. It's really high time that we took swift and serious action.”

Elsewhere on the show, which is also sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, the Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Project and Legacy Bloodstock, the writers discussed a bombshell investigation of Bob Baffert in the Washington Post, talked about a possible hope for Arlington Park's survival and projected the successes and challenges of fixed-odds wagering. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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Mother-To-Be Oleksandra Beats The Boys In Poker Stakes

On Father's Day, it was the mother-to-be who brought home the victory for Team Valor International. Oleksandra (AUS), the lone mare in the field of nine, won the one-mile Grade 3 Poker Stakes by a neck over favored Raging Bull in Sunday's feature on the turf at Belmont Park, Elmont, Ny.

In her fourth start of 2021, Oleksandra, who is currently in foal to Into Mischief, broke a step slow from the gate, bumping into favorite Raging Bull, and was last for the first six furlongs of the one-mile Poker. Jockey Joel Rosario did not panic, though, content to let his mount run at the back of the pack and allow the race to develop in front of them. Get Smokin, winner of the Seek Again Stakes in his previous start, took the lead within the first furlong, with Raased and Tell Your Daddy running close behind, and he held onto that advantage until the final turn.

Favorite Raging Bull found himself boxed in for much of the race, but, as the field entered the stretch, he made his move on the rail, just to the inside of Get Smokin. At the back of the field on that last turn, Rosario took Oleksandra to the outside, moving down the center of the course as Raging Bull began to overtake Get Smokin. Raging Bull got to the lead in that last furlong, but Oleksandra moved past him, taking over first place and determinedly holding off Raging Bull to win the G3 Poker by a head. The final time for the mile was 1:32.11.

Behind Oleksandra and Raging Bull came Front Run the Fed, Sanctuary City, Get Smokin, Penalty, Tell Your Daddy, Raased, and Veronesi.

Oleksandra paid $36.80, $7.30, and $5.40. Raging Bull paid $2.60 and $2.10. Front Run the Fed paid $3.00 to show.

Trainer Neil Drysdale was pleased with Oleksandra's career finale. “Things haven't gone exactly smooth this year for her. We ran in Kentucky and realized she doesn't like the soft going. So, then we decided not to run here [in the Jaipur] because it was raining a lot here too at the time. Since she's more relaxed this year, we decided to try her at a mile hoping she could get the distance, and she did. She's pregnant [in foal to Into Mischief], so this was her swan song. She'll go out on a high note.”

Joel Rosario was not deterred by that slow start. “She always comes out of there like that [slow] but then she can be a little aggressive after. She relaxed very nicely. Neil Drysdale is a tremendous trainer.”

Foaled in Australia, Oleksandra is a daughter of 2011 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom out of the Caesour mare Alexandra Rose. Bred by her owner Team Valor, this 6-year-old mare was a $1.45 million RNA at the November 2020 Keeneland Breeding Stock sale. This victory in the G3 Poker Stakes is her first win of 2021 and her eighth career victory in 20 starts for career winnings of $705,748.

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Got Stormy Turns Back, Faces Males In Jackpocket Jaipur

MyRacehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm's multiple Grade 1-winner Got Stormy joins defending race-winner and fellow mare Oleksandra in taking on the boys in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Jackpocket Jaipur, a six-furlong turf sprint on Belmont Stakes Day.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from Thursday through Saturday, June 5, culminating with the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown. First post on Belmont Stakes Day is 11:35 a.m. Eastern.

The 35th running of the Jackpocket Jaipur is a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

Got Stormy, a 6-year-old Get Stormy chestnut trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, boasts a record of 28-11-5-3 with purse earnings in excess of $2.1 million. The fan-favorite enjoyed a memorable summer campaign in 2019, besting the boys on one week's rest in course-record fashion in the Grade 1 Fourstardave, covering the mile in 1:32 flat over the firm inner turf at Saratoga. She completed her 2019 campaign with a win in the one-mile, Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar.

Last year, Got Stormy, made her first three starts at distances of one mile or greater before turning back to 6 1/2-furlongs to win the Grade 3 Ladies Sprint in September over soft going at Kentucky Downs. She followed with a win in the Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County at 5 1/2-furlongs on “good” Keeneland turf in October ahead of a close fifth, defeated two lengths by the victorious Glass Slippers, in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Keeneland.

Got Stormy launched her current campaign with a nose win in the one-mile Grade 3 Honey Fox in February at Gulfstream, but was an even fifth last out in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Casse said the cut back in distance should benefit his charge.

“She likes to have a target,” said Casse. “A lot of times in these mile races, the pace isn't fast enough for her to have a target and we're hoping that won't be the case going three quarters.”

The veteran conditioner noted Got Stormy has proven comfortable on soft going at sprint distances.

“If there's some give in the ground, she won't mind it going six furlongs,” said Casse. “The give in the ground only bothers her going a mile, when she has some distance limitations.”

Tyler Gaffalione will ride Got Stormy from post 11.

Team Valor International's Oleksandra rallied to win last year's Jaipur by a neck over Kanthaka. The 7-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom, who sports a ledger of 19-7-4-3 with purse earnings of $568,248, is winless in three starts this season.

Last out, the Neil Drysdale trainee rallied from 10th to finish fifth in the Unbridled Sydney at 5 1/2-furlongs over “good” Churchill Downs turf on April 29.

Joe Bravo has the call from post 9.

Multiple graded stakes-winner Bound for Nowhere, owned and trained by Wesley Ward, has flashed brilliance through a career record of 15-7-2-2 and purse earnings just shy of $1 million.

The 7-year-old son of The Factor garnered a 107 Beyer Speed Figure winning the 2018 Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland ahead of a close third in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Ascot.

In 2019, Bound for Nowhere narrowly missed defending his Shakertown title when second, by a neck, to Imprimis. Last year Bound for Nowhere made just two starts, including a pacesetting third in the Shakertown, when a neck back of the victorious Leinster.

Bound for Nowhere made his seasonal debut by winning the Shakertown in dramatic fashion, besting familiar foe Imprimis by a nose over good Keeneland turf on April 13

Ward said Bound for Nowhere, a former workmate of multiple Group 1-winning mare Lady Aurelia, has turned a corner both physically and mentally as he looks to secure a first Grade 1 win.

“He's had a lot of minor issues along the way that's taken a lot of time to get to the races, which is why he's only had 15 total starts in his career, but this year he really turned the corner,” said Ward. “Each and every work is better than I've ever seen. He's always been the type of horse that wouldn't put much effort into his works. He used to be Lady Aurelia's workmate and he would get outworked every week.

“I know she was great, but this guy is a completely different work horse in the morning,” added Ward. “He's not letting anyone outwork him when he's in company. His times are significantly better than in the past. As you go into these big races, you're always dealing with issues. This time we're dealing with zero issues.”

Bound for Nowhere will exit post 6 under Joel Rosario.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott will saddle a pair of contenders in Casa Creed and Chewing Gum.

LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's Casa Creed [post 2, Junior Alvarado], a 5-year-old Jimmy Creed bay, made the grade in the one-mile, Grade 2 Hall of Fame in August 2019 at Saratoga. A veteran of 19 starts with a record of 4-3-3 and purse earnings of $535,408, Casa Creed rallied to a smart score in the Elusive Quality in his third start of the campaign.

Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable and Jerold Zaro's graded-stakes placed Chewing Gum [post 1, Jose Ortiz] closed to finish second in the six-furlong Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational in October at Belmont. The consistent 6-year-old son of Candy Ride boasts a record of 17-3-3-6 and purse earnings of $308,288.

Mott also entered the stakes-placed Secret Rules for the main-track only.
Swifty Farms' Sombeyay, a 5-year-old son of Into Mischief trained by Peter Miller, has attracted the services of Flavien Prat from post 12.

Previously conditioned by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Sombeyay captured the six-furlong 2018 Grade 3 Sanford on the Saratoga main track and added a win in the one-mile Grade 3 Canadian Turf in February 2020 at Gulfstream.

Sombeyay has made five starts for Miller since November, including an optional-claiming score on the Santa Anita turf in January. He has finished second in his most recent two starts in turf sprints, missing by a neck in the six-furlong Grade 3 San Simeon in March at Santa Anita and by a half-length to Fast Boat last out in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 2 Turf Sprint on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

Robert D. Bone's multiple stakes winner Completed Pass, a 7-year-old Indiana-bred son of Pass Rush, has enjoyed turf sprint success on the Midlantic circuit, taking the Laurel Dash in September and the King T. Leatherbury in April at Pimlico.

Trained by Claudio Gonzalez, Completed Pass will exit post 3 under Angel Cruz.

Completing the field are Fast Boat [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Greyes Creek [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], Gregorian Chant [post 8, Luis Saez], and Stubbins [post 10, Javier Castellano].

The Jackpocket Jaipur is slated as Race 6 on the 13-race card.

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Prat Maintains Hot Hand Aboard Superstition In Wishing Well Stakes

Richard Mandella's Superstition brushed off a subpar performance in her most recent start with a solid effort in Monday's $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as she spurted clear a furlong from home and registered an impressive 1 ½-length victory over morning line favorite Oleksandra. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Superstition got 6 ½ furlongs on firm turf in 1:14.22.

With longshot So Much Happy rocketing to the lead from the rail, Superstition was a joint second with Aqua Seaform Shame, about 3 ½ lengths off the lead heading into the far turn. With her target in plain sight, Superstition had two lengths to make up at the three sixteenths pole and from there kicked into high gear under aggressive handling from Prat.

“I was disappointed in her last race, because we know she has a lot of ability, her earlier races show that,” said Prat, in reference to a fourth place run at six furlongs on turf in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes on Jan. 9. “She has plenty of speed, but it's nice to see her relax. Having that horse in front of us helped.”

A five-furlong turf maiden winner Nov. 14 and a five-furlong turf allowance winner on Nov. 29, Superstition was off at 9-2 in a field of seven older fillies and mares and paid $11.80, $4.60 and $3.20.

“She had been training better going into this,” Mandella allowed. “She settled better today, which is encouraging. We might think about a mile next time.”

A 4-year-old filly by Ghostzapper out of the Distorted Humor mare Grand Glory, Superstition is owned by Perry R. and Ramona S. Bass. In getting her first stakes win, Superstition improved her overall mark to 7-3-2-1 and with the winner's share of $48,360, increased her earnings to $153,180.

Last turning for home, about six lengths off the lead, Neil Drysdale's Oleksandra put in a determined bid but ran out of real estate while finishing 1 ¾ lengths clear of Constantia. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Australian-bred Oleksandra was off at 8-5 and paid $3.20 and $2.40.

With Jose Valdivia, Jr. up, Constantia rallied from next to last at 16-1 and paid $4.00 to show while finishing a neck clear of French-bred Guitty.

Third in the Las Cienegas, Lighthouse got crushed in the late betting to go off as the 7-5 favorite but never threatened while finishing fifth with Juan Hernandez.

Fractions on the race were 20.75, 43.03 and 1:07.83.

Note: Prat also won the eighth and final race, giving him three wins on the day, capping a huge four-day week that saw him win 11 races, including two stakes. With 30 wins through 25 racing days, he's one win clear of Juan Hernandez atop the jockey standings and with 998 North American wins he's just two shy of an important milestone heading into Friday's nine-race card which begins at 12:30 p.m.

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