Princess Grace | Horse Racing Free Tips

Karakontie Filly Handles Dirt in Rained-Off Mrs. Revere

Lightly raced Princess Grace handled the main track best of this turf-meant group to make the grade in only her fourth lifetime start. A 5 1/2-length debut romper on the Colonial sod and over a next-out winner Aug. 2, the Moore homebred cleared her first-level allowance condition at Monmouth Sept. 5. She had last been seen splitting Stunning Sky (Declaration of War) and How Ironic when second in the GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. at Keeneland Oct. 16.

Prompting the pace from second among a strung-out field, the dark bay was forced to hit the accelerator midway down the backside to avoid getting shuffled back as foes behind her attempted to take closer order. Princess Grace took command midway around the turn for home under a seemingly confident Florent Geroux, and kicked on nicely from there while never seriously threatened.

“The pace unfolded exactly how I thought that the horse to my inside (Positive Danger {Uncle Mo}) would go to the lead and we could sit just to her outside,” Geroux said. “She broke very alertly and was tracking nicely throughout the race. She’s a nice filly and with winning on the dirt it gives the connections more options in the future but I would guess goes back to turf.”

Winning conditioner Mike Stidham added, “You’re always concerned about a horse that didn’t race on dirt yet. She had pretty consistent works over the Tapeta surface at Fair Hill. We didn’t necessarily have a great line on how she would take to the dirt, but her early works were on the dirt. We thought she handled it very well then, so we were cautiously optimistic. We knew that her dam Masquerade was game on both dirt and turf so we felt good trying it. Down the backside you saw Florent was in a great spot just off the leader. When he let out a notch she just opened up impressively.”

Pedigree Notes:

Princess Grace becomes the sixth black-type winner, third graded, for young sire Karakontie. A rare North American runner whose sire and broodmare sire were both bred in Japan, she is the first stakes winner out of a mare by Canada’s leading sire Silent Name.

Stidham trained the winner’s dam Masquerade, a $15,000 yearling, for four of her six career wins–she scored three times on the grass, twice on the dirt and once on synthetic over a career that stretched from two to seven. Her two stakes placings came for Stidham on the turf.

Masquerade has a yearling filly by Kitten’s Joy and was bred to Frosted for 2021.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
MRS. REVERE S.-GIII*, $200,000, Churchill Downs, 11-14, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m (off turf), 1:44.00, ft.
1–PRINCESS GRACE, 118, f, 3, by Karakontie (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Masquerade, by Silent Name (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Present Colors, by Prized
                3rd Dam: Blue and Green, by Miswaki
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-John &
Susan Moore (KY); T-Michael Stidham; J-Florent Geroux.
$122,760. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $205,260. Werk Nick
   Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pass the Plate, 118, f, 3, Temple City–Pocket Gift, by Great
Notion. O/B-Silverton Hill, LLC (KY); T-Paul J. McGee. $39,600.
3–How Ironic, 118, f, 3, Tonalist–Sarcastic, by Distorted Humor.
O/B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver. $19,800.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1HF, 4. Odds: 2.50, 2.90, 7.50.
Also Ran: Stunning Sky, Witez, Positive Danger. Scratched: Hendy Woods.
*Automatically downgraded from Grade II status due to surface switch. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Karakontie Filly Handles Dirt in Rained-Off Mrs. Revere appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Stunning Sky a Worthy Favorite in Mrs. Revere

Stunning Sky (Declaration of War) managed to snap a seven-length losing streak with a tough-as-nails victory in Keeneland’s GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. when last seen Oct. 16 and figures a strong chance to take her current winning skein to two in Saturday’s GII Mrs. Revere S. at Churchill.

Haltered for $50,000 by this outstanding claiming outfit out of a second-out victory in the Gulfstream slop last December, Stunning Sky added a first-level allowance over the turf before her dry spell. The bay turned in some strong efforts in defeat during that stretch, including runner-up finishes in the GII Lake Placid S. and Saratoga Oaks ahead of a fourth in what has become a productive renewal of the Dueling Grounds Oaks Sept. 10. Trapped out three deep the trip in the Valley View, Stunning Sky nevertheless kept on gamely and grabbed perfect-trip Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}) on the line despite covering 42 feet (about 4 1/4 lengths) more than the runner-up, according to Trakus.

Princess Grace was having just her third career start in the Valley View and looked well on her way to victory at the eighth pole, only to hang the last little bit. She can improve for that experience and will have her fair share of admirers.

How Ironic (Tonalist) was the winner of an Ellis Park allowance Aug. 7 ahead of an even seventh in the Dueling Grounds Oaks. She and Stunning Sky effectively raced as a team in the Valley View, though she lacked the same finishing kick and checked in third, beaten a length, while covering 18 fewer feet.

Hendy Woods (Uncle Mo) was runner-up to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sharing (Speightstown) in Churchill’s GIII Edgewood S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard Sept. 4 and exits a sixth in the GI QE II Challenge Cup, won by Harvey’s Lil Goil (American Pharoah), who returned to be a bang-up third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last weekend. Easy ground would enhance her chances.

The post Stunning Sky a Worthy Favorite in Mrs. Revere appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Equibase Analysis: Positive Danger A Live Longshot In Mrs. Revere

The Grade 2, $200,000 Mrs. Revere Stakes features a group of seven fillies, all 3-year-olds, on Saturday at Churchill Downs. In the similar Grade 3 Valley View Stakes last month, Stunning Sky defeated Princess Grace by a half-length, with How Ironic another half-length back in third and with Witez two and one-half lengths further back in fourth. There's no telling if some of those positions may be reversed in the Mrs. Revere, as well as if one of the new faces may prevail.

One of those is Hendy Woods, entering the race off a sixth place finish in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes and prior to that second in the Grade 3 Edgewood Stakes over the Churchill Downs turf course. Pass the Plate won about one month ago, but on dirt in a race scheduled for turf initially. Her best finish at this level was a runner-up effort in the Bourbonette Oaks in March. Positive Danger is a lightly raced filly trying stakes company for the first time and having won the only two times she's run over a mile on turf in her career.

Hendy Woods started her career winning two in a row, both turf routes, in January and March before a seventh place finish in the Regret Stakes in June on the Churchill Downs sod. Rebounding with a win in the Indiana Grand Stakes with a career-best 100 Equibase Speed Figure, Hendy Woods then closed for second in the similar Edgewood Stakes on this turf course, improving just a bit to a 101 figure. Trying some of the best three year old turf fillies in the country in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes last month, an invitation only race, Hendy Woods finished sixth of seven but nevertheless was beaten just three and one-quarter lengths at the end. That effort resulted in a new career-best 107 figure which is tied for the best in the field with the figure Stunning Sky earned winning the Valley View Stakes six days later. Getting the ground saving rail and with red hot Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle for the first time, as well as noting Queen Elizabeth winner Harvey's Lil Goil ran very well when third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf last weekend, Hendy Woods could be tough to beat in this year's Mrs. Revere Stakes.

Positive Danger is a live longshot in my opinion because she's going to be in front from the start, perhaps with no challengers. A perfect two-for-two in turf routes, Positive Danger earned a career-best 87 figure for her most recent win, in a first level allowance race last month. However, as a 3-year-old taking a step from allowance to run well in stakes is not unheard of. For example, Princess Grace won at the first allowance level two races back in September, then improved to nearly post the upset in the Valley View when coming up a half-length short of Stunning Sky. With an inside post to help ease her way to the front from the opening bell, Positive Danger has the potential to get a very easy lead, get brave, and perhaps hang on for the upset win.

Stunning Sky and Princess Grace finished first and second, respectively, in the similar Valley View Stakes last month at Keeneland, both earning 107 figures. Stunning Sky has now run 11 times, winning three, while Princess Grace has only run three times, winning twice and finishing second in the other. Stunning Sky closed from ninth in the Valley View but that was a function of the very fast pace which saw her further back early than in her previous starts when she was no more than fifth at any stage. Princess Grace rallied from fifth in the Valley View to make the lead with an eighth of a mile to go, before the more seasoned Stunning Sky ran her down in the final yards. Both fillies have a will to win and the ability to back that up and it would be no surprise if both are in the thick of the action at the end of this race.

The rest of the field, with their best  Equibase Speed Figures, is How Ironic (106), Pass the Plate (103) and Witez (102).

Win Contenders, in preference order:
Hendy Woods
Positive Danger
Stunning Sky
Princess Grace

Mrs. Revere Stakes – Grade 2
Race 10 at Churchill Downs
Saturday, November 14 – Post Time 5:36 PM E.T.
One Mile and One Sixteenth on Turf
Fillies, 3-Year-Olds
Purse: $200,000

The post Equibase Analysis: Positive Danger A Live Longshot In Mrs. Revere appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Top Four Finishers From Valley View Rematched In Churchill’s Mrs. Revere

Paradise Farm Corp. and Parkland Thoroughbreds' $150,000 Valley View Stakes (Grade 3) winner Stunning Sky leads a competitive field of seven 3-year-old fillies that were entered in Saturday's 30th running of the $200,000 Mrs. Revere (G2) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The Mrs. Revere, a 1 1/16-mile event over the Matt Winn Turf Course, is carded as Race 10 with a post time of 5:36 p.m. (all times Eastern). Saturday's 11-race program has a first post of 1 p.m.

Trained by Mike Maker, Stunning Sky recorded a half-length score at odds of 5-1 over fellow Mrs. Revere rival Princess Grace in the 1 1/16-mile Valley View on Oct. 16. Stunning Sky, a 3-year-old daughter of Declaration of War, will be hoping for a fast pace after closing from more than six lengths behind the early pace in her last start on the Keeneland turf course. Claimed for $50,000 in her second start from trainer Jorge Abreu last December, Maker spotted Stunning Sky against stakes company in eight of her last nine starts. She finished second in the $150,000 Lake Placid (G2) and $500,000 Saratoga Oaks prior to her Valley View score.

Ricardo Santana Jr., who has teamed with Maker to win with nine of 36 starts this year, has the call on Stunning Sky and will break from post position No. 3.

The Top 4 finishers of the Valley View were entered in the Mrs. Revere as they seek revenge against Stunning Sky. Susan and John Moore's lightly raced Princess Grace will be attempting to turn the tables against her Valley View rival in just her fourth lifetime start. Trained by Mike Stidham, Princess Grace dominated her first two starts at Colonial Downs and Monmouth, respectively. In the Valley View at odds of 7-1, Princess Grace held a 1 1/2-length lead at the top of the stretch but could not hold off the late surge from Stunning Sky.

Jockey Florent Geroux will be in the saddle for the Mrs. Revere from post 4.

Finishing just one-length behind Stunning Sky and a half-length back of Princess Grace in the Valley View was G. Watts Humphrey's How Ironic. The homebred daughter of Tonalist drew post 5 with Rafael Bejarano in the saddle.

Also entered in the field of 3-year-old fillies: Stonestreet Stables' $300,000 Edgewood (G2) runner-up Hendy Woods; Silverton Hill's recent allowance winner and $100,000 Tepin third-place finisher Pass the Plate; Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's Indiana Grand allowance winner Positive Danger; and Mary Ann Charlston's two-time winner Witez, who recently finished fourth in the Valley View.

The Mrs. Revere field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Hendy Woods (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Positive Danger (Brian Hernandez Jr., Tony Granitz); Stunning Sky (Santana Jr., Maker); Princess Grace (Geroux, Stidham); How Ironic (Bejarano, Oliver); Pass the Plate (Joe Talamo, Paul McGee); and Witez (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes).

The Mrs. Revere is named in tribute to the highly competitive filly who collected a total of four Churchill Downs stakes during the two-year span of 1984-85. Mrs. Revere won three stakes in total during her 3-year-old season, thus providing the appropriate name for this stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf. Mrs. Revere was owned by the partnership of Dr. Hiram Polk and Dr. David Richardson.

The post Top Four Finishers From Valley View Rematched In Churchill’s Mrs. Revere appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post