Captain Bombastic Best In Polynesian Stakes At Laurel

Team Hanley's Captain Bombastic, a New York-bred son of Forty Tales trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Feargal Lynch, pulled away from Grade 1 winner Roadster down the stretch to win the $100,000 Polynesian Saturday at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

A 10-1 longshot, Captain Bombastic's victory was his first under the shedrow of Hall of Famer Asmussen. The colt was previously trained by Chad Brown and Jeremiah Englehart. Captain Bombastic covered the mile in 1:36.11, winning by a length over Cordmaker, who was disqualified from second and placed sixth for interference down the stretch. Phat Man, who finished third, was placed second.

The Polynesian victory capped a big day for Asmussen and Lynch. Just 30 minutes earlier, Jalen Journey, trained by Asmussen and ridden by Lynch, was placed first in the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash after winning favorite Wondrwherecraigis was disqualified from first for interfering with Jalen Journey down the stretch.

“It was a great day,” Lynch said. “Getting put up is never ideal. You don't want to win that way. But sometimes you're the windscreen and sometimes you're the bug.”

Toby Sheets, assistant trainer to Asmussen, said of Captain Bombastic: “He had been training well. We gave him a bit of a break and lightened up on him and he came right back around. [Lynch] saw a hole and probably thought he should go for it after the last race.”

Captain Bombastic, whose last victory came in August of 2020 in the New York Stallion Stakes, was fourth in last year's Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and sixth in the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico. On Saturday, in his second start for Asmussen, the 4-year-old raced third down the backstretch behind a :23.68 opening quarter set by Roadster and Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, riding at Laurel for the first time since 2007. Approaching the turn, Lynch saw an opening along the rail and guided Captain Bombastic to the front. Roadster stayed outside Captain Bombastic past a :47.05 half mile and poked his nose in front again around the turn. But Lynch took the lead back entering the stretch and Roadster couldn't keep up.

“With Steve's horses, you don't get in their way and you just get good position,” Lynch said. “When Mike left the rail open, it was either go in there or take back. But Steve's horses…they're warriors. It's so hard to describe. You look at their ears, they're flat back and they want to win more than anybody.”

Roadster, a $525,000 yearling in 2017, was a highly regarded juvenile and later a Kentucky Derby contender after winning the 2019 Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby for trainer Bob Baffert. But that victory has remained his last trip to the winner's circle. He came into the Polynesian off a fourth-place finish in April in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs.

The post Captain Bombastic Best In Polynesian Stakes At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

MATCH Series: Former Triple Crown Contender Roadster Continues Comeback In Polynesian

Speedway Stables' Grade 1 winner and one-time Triple Crown contender Roadster will be making just his fifth start in the last two years and first on the East Coast as he continues his comeback in Saturday's $100,000 Polynesian at Laurel Park.

The 17th running of the Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up and the 39th edition of the $100,000 Twixt for fillies and mares 3 and older, both at one mile, are among four stakes worth $500,000 in purses on an 11-race program headlined by the $200,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3).

Also on the card is the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting six furlongs. All four stakes are part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.

First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

Roadster, bred by Stone Farm and purchased by Speedway's Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner for $525,000 as a yearling, won the 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and has placed in four other graded-stakes during a 13-race career that began in California with trainer Bob Baffert.

Far behind first-place finisher Maximum Security following a wide trip around both turns in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Roadster rebounded to run second behind stablemate Mucho Gusto in the Affirmed (G3). He ran three more times at 3, sandwiching a fourth in the Native Diver (G3) between seconds in the Damascus and Malibu (G1).

Roadster ran twice at 4, and went unraced between a runner-up finish in the San Carlos (G2) last March and a fourth – beaten less than a length – in the New Orleans Handicap (G2) March 20 at Fair Grounds, his first start for trainer Michael Stidham. He has been off again since a fourth in the April 30 Alysheba (G2), again for Baffert, before being returned to Stidham at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.

“He had a little bit of a setback after his last race. He's had foot issues throughout his career, and we got his feet back in good order. Right now he's doing really well,” Stidham said. “He ran fantastic the first time for us.

“He went back out to Baffert and they brought him back to Churchill and he didn't run well there so we stopped on him and got him straightened out,” he added. “We hope that we have him where we want him now.”

Overall Roadster has three wins and $888,500 in purse earnings from 13 career starts, running third in the 2018 Del Mar Futurity (G1) in his second career start. He has a total of five breezes since mid-August over the dirt and all-weather surfaces at Fair Hill, where Stidham said he has thrived.

“There's synthetic and dirt [tracks] and we have turf gallops out back and everything you could ask for. That's the beauty of it,” he said. “He is a real quality horse [with] a ton of talent, but he's had lots of stops and starts in his career with throat surgery early on as a 3-year-old and then foot issues. Obviously you don't want to run a horse like that unless they're 100 percent and that's where we think we have him now.”

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has the call on Roadster from Post 6 in a field of seven. According to Equibase statistics, Smith hasn't ridden at Laurel since Feb. 17, 2007 when he won the Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) on Oprah Winney.

Also with graded-stakes credentials in the Polynesian are Cordmaker and Phat Man. Hillwood Stable's Maryland-bred Cordmaker ran third in the 2018 and 2019 Pimlico Special (G3) and is 10-time career winner with six stakes including the 2019 Polynesian for Laurel-based trainer Rodney Jenkins. In his most recent start, he beat fellow Polynesian entrant McElmore Avenue in the 1 1/16-mile Victory Gallop Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs.

Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing and Two Rivers Racing Stable's Phat Man has won at least one stakes in four of the last five years led by the 2020 Fred W. Hooper (G3) at Gulfstream Park over 13 rivals including ill-fated runner-up Zenden, who would go on to set a track record in the March 27 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in his final start.

Phat Man, 7, has raced seven times this year with two wins including the Battery Park July 10 at Delaware Park. Last time out he ran third, beaten less than three lengths by Code of Honor in the 1 1/16-mile Iselin (G3) Aug. 21 at Monmouth Park.

“He's doing really good. He won the stake at Delaware two races back and then he ran into Code of Honor at Monmouth. He was hung out wide the whole way,” trainer Kent Sweezey said. “The pace didn't set up for him just right so we're hoping the one-turn mile at Laurel will help him out a little bit and have some pace to run into. And whether it's one turn or two turns, I think he's definitely better at a mile.”

Phat Man owns four wins and two seconds in 11 tries at one mile. He has won four stakes and placed in seven others, including seconds in the 2020 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), 2019 Harlan's Holiday (G3), 2018 Tenacious and 2017 Super Derby.

“We've run him in Grade 1s and taken him all over the country. I kind of said, 'Why don't we go back to what was really working, and that was picking up checks for [$]100[,000].'” Sweezey said. “If we can look up at the end of the year and he's won three or four stakes races for us, wouldn't that be cool?

“He's always showed up for us,” he added. “Knock on wood, he's stayed really sound. He's just a good boy.”

Completing the field are multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining, back on dirt after three tries on the turf, and Captain Bombastic, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen; Victory Gallop runner-up McElmore Avenue and Tappin Cat, a winner of two straight for trainer Gary Capuano.

[Story Continues Below]

Full of Fun Racing and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 3-placed Dreamalildreamofu, exiting a trouble-filled last month, chases her second career stakes win in her return to Maryland for Saturday's $100,000 Twixt.

Trained by reigning Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox, the 4-year-old daughter of Commissioner was beaten 1 ½ lengths when second in the 1 1/8-mile Allaire du Pont (G3) May 14 at historic Pimlico Race Course after racing on or near the pace.

“She ran big there,” Cox said. “[It's] a one-turn mile this time. She normally has enough speed to put herself in the race and, hopefully, with a good trip she'll be effective.”

Third by a length in the seven-furlong Chicago (G3) over Arlington Park's all-weather surface June 26, Dreamalildreamofu had a nightmare trip in her most recent start when she drew down inside and bumped the rail while in tight quarters and wound up 11th as the favorite in the one-mile Groupie Doll Aug. 15 at Ellis Park.

“She pretty much was eliminated the first eighth of a mile. She's rebounded with two good works since so we'll see how it goes, but she's doing well. She really is,” Cox said. “She's versatile. She doesn't have to have things a certain way or have a certain surface.

“It makes finding races for her a touch easier than most horses,” he added. “And, like I said, her last race was somewhat of a throwout, just a real tough trip from down inside. She seemed to re bound from it in good shape.”

Jevian Toledo rides from Post 7 in a field of nine.

A multiple stakes winner against fellow New York-breds, Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Michael Miceli's Mrs. Orb conquered open company with a come-from-behind victory in the 1 1/16-mile Caesar's Wish July 4 at Pimlico. Horacio Karamanos, aboard in that race, returns from Post 6.

“She kind of dropped a little farther back than I thought she would in that race, but she came running,” Miceli said. “She's doing well. We've been looking for a spot and this seems like it could be a logical move.”

Second in the Turnback the Alarm (G3) last November at Aqueduct, Mrs. Orb was third in her most recent effort, the Aug. 12 Saratoga Dew at Saratoga, following a wide trip and has worked twice since at Belmont Park.

“She ran well. She had a little bit of traffic problems in the race but she ran a good race. In trying to find a spot for her, Laurel's race looks like it could be OK,” Miceli said. “She's doing well right now, so hopefully she'll run a good race for us.”

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, riding at Laurel for the first time since 2007 according to Equibase statistics, has the call on Stetson Racing, Donato Lanni and Rita Riccelli's So Darn Not, a 4-year-old daughter of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper trained by George Weaver. Last of 10 following a rough trip in last year's Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico, So Darn Hot was third last out in the 1 1/8-mile Summer Colony Aug. 22 at Saratoga.

Trainer Mike Trombetta entered the pair of R. Larry Johnson and R.D.M. Racing Stable's Lookin Dynamic, second to stablemate Kiss the Girl in the seven-furlong Conniver March 13 at Laurel, and NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods' Villanelle, fifth to Dreamalildreamofu in the one-mile Latonia March 27 at Turfway Park.

Multiple stakes winners Artful Splatter and Miss Leslie; Josie, winner of the July 3 Iowa Distaff for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen; and Off Topic, third in the 2019 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) for previous trainer Todd Pletcher and unraced in nearly a year, round out the field.

The post MATCH Series: Former Triple Crown Contender Roadster Continues Comeback In Polynesian appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Yaupon, Jackie’s Warrior Lead List of De Francis Dash Nominees

Defending champion Laki and Grade 1 winners Jackie's Warrior and Yaupon are among 25 accomplished older sprinters nominated to the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Saturday, Sept. 18 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 30th running of the six-furlong De Francis for 3-year-olds and up headlines four stakes worth $500,000 in purses, joined by the $100,000 Weather Vane for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, also at six furlongs; $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and up, and $100,000 Twixt for females 3 and older, both going one mile.

Honoring the late owner of Laurel Park and historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., the De Francis' distinguished roster of past winners includes Hall of Famer Housebuster and fellow sprint champions Cherokee Run, Smoke Glacken, Thor's Echo, and Benny the Bull.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' 8-year-old gelding Laki rallied to capture last year's De Francis by a nose over Eastern Bay for his first graded-stakes triumph. Trained by Damon Dilodovico, who also won an ungraded De Francis with Immortal Eyes in 2013, Laki has lost four starts since extending his streak to five straight years with a stakes victory in the April 24 Frank Whiteley at Laurel.

Jackie's Warrior and Yaupon both exit Grade 1 triumphs on the Aug. 28 card at Saratoga for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, North America's all-time leading trainer by wins that has a total of four De Francis nominees. J. Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior captured the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens by a neck one race after Yaupon edged fellow Grade 1 winner and De Francis nominee Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Forego.

While Jackie's Warrior has never raced in the state, Yaupon is 2-0 in Maryland having won the 2020 Grade 3 Chick Lang and the Lite the Fuse on July 4, both at Pimlico. Asmussen also nominated West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler, a four-time winner in Maryland including the Star de Naskra last out Aug. 21 at Pimlico, and Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Grade 1-placed Jalen Journey.

Since winning the six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool March 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., Michael Dubb's Chateau has run fourth in the Grade 1 Carter, second in the Grade 3 Runhappy at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and most recently third behind Yaupon and Laki in the Lite the Fuse. The 6-year-old gelding is based in New York with trainer Rob Atras.

Multiple stakes winners nominated to the De Francis include Florida-based Double Crown, second to Yaupon in the Chick Lang; Francatelli, third by a head in the Aug. 31 Grade 3 Parx Dash; Just Might, Grade 2 placed on turf and a stakes winner on grass and dirt riding a three-race win streak; My Boy Tate, Threes Over Deuces, and Whereshetoldmetogo. Wondrwherecraigis was a front-running winner of the six-furlong Tale of the Cat Aug. 13 at Saratoga for trainer Brittany Russell.

The Weather Vane, named for the Maryland-bred champion older filly of 1998 that won 17 of 36 career starts and 14 stakes including the 1997 Grade 3 Safely Kept, also attracted 25 nominations. Prominent among them are Hello Beautiful, who earned her sixth career stakes victory in the July 31 Alma North at Pimlico and is 7 for 11 lifetime at Laurel, and four-time stakes winner Chub Wagon, who lost for the first time in nine lifetime starts when second in the Dr. Teresa Garafalo Memorial Aug. 23.

Other Weather Vane nominees include Ain't No Elmers, second in the 2020 Grade 3 Miss Preakness and third in the July 28 Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga; Casual, second to Chub Wagon in the May 15 Skipat at Pimlico; Club Car, third in the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie and second in the Grade 3 Chicago this year exiting a stakes win at Mountaineer Park Aug. 7; Garafalo Memorial winner Don't Call Me Mary, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher; and multiple stakes winners Honey I'm Good, Casual's Asmussen-trained stablemate; 2020 Grade 3 TCA winner Inthemidstofbiz; Needs Supervision; and Never Enough Time.

[Story Continues Below]

Most popular among horsemen with 31 nominations was the Polynesian, stretched out beyond a sprint for the first time since returning to the stakes calendar in 2017 following a 17-year absence. Its first 12 runnings, alternating between Laurel, Pimlico, and Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., were contested at 1 1/16 or 1 1/8 miles.

Nominees include 2019 Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster, unraced since a fourth in the April 30 Alysheba; West Will Power and Phat Man, respectively 2-3 behind Code of Honor in the Aug. 21 Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.; June 12 Grade 3 Salvator Mile winner Informative; 2019 Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf winner Mr Dumas; Aug. 27 Robert Hilton Memorial winner Exculpatory; and local multiple stakes winners Alwaysmining and Cordmaker.

The Twixt attracted 30 nominees led by May 2 Grade 2 Ruffian winner Vault and stakes-winning Brad Cox-trained stablemate Dreamalildreamofu, second in the May 14 Grade 3 Allaire du Pont at Pimlico; Off Topic, third in the 2019 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks; Chilean Group 2 winner Cheetara; and stakes winners Artful Splatter, Josie, Kiss the Girl, Malibu Beauty, Miss Leslie, Mrs. Orb, Needs Supervision, Saracosa, and Trolley Ride.

Laurel Park's 59-day fall meet is scheduled to run Thursday, Sept. 9 through Friday, Dec. 31.

The post Yaupon, Jackie’s Warrior Lead List of De Francis Dash Nominees appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights