Promise Keeper | Horse Racing Free Tips

Promise Keeper Flying The Flag For Up-And-Coming Breeder Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds

Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Rock Ridge Racing's Promise Keeper posted a 2 1/4-length score in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan, proving himself a top contender for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 5.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the Constitution chestnut, piloted by Luis Saez, stalked the early pace of Wolfie's Dynaghost before taking control at the stretch call and fending off Nova Rags and stablemate Overtook's charge.

Out of the Curlin mare Mira Alta, Promise Keeper was bred in Kentucky by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds, which was established in 2013 and is located in Versailles, Kentucky.

Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds is owned by Kerry Smith, proprietor of Smith Contractors, Inc., his wife Lou, their son Joe and his nephew Codee Guffey.

The 30-year-old Guffey, who oversees the operation with his wife, Hailey, makes his primary living with the family-owned construction business.

“We're new to the industry. We bought the farm in 2013 and I went to my first Keeneland sale that fall,” said Guffey. “The mare, Mira Alta, we purchased in our second year in the industry. We're still learning and to be able to get a mare like her early was a blessing.

“We keep 12 to 15 mares,” continued Guffey. “This is a family affair. My family owns a construction company and that's our livelihood. We decided to get into this as something we could all enjoy together. I work for the family business and my wife and I live on the farm and oversee the operation here. We never had horses before. We had some cattle. But being in the construction industry, we're not afraid to work. We just try and use a common sense approach and it's been very rewarding.”

Mira Alta was purchased for $200,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. In addition to Promise Keeper, she has produced the stakes-winner and graded-stakes placed mare Wicked Awesome and the graded-stakes placed colt War Stopper, who is in training with Pletcher for owners Salerno Stables and Madaket Stables.

Guffey said Mira Alta made a tremendous first impression.

“Her page is what made me mark her down, but it was her looks that got me hooked,” said Guffey. “She's a gorgeous chestnut mare with a blaze face. I like to say Promise Keeper got his looks from her. I know Constitution can throw some good-looking foals, but she's a gorgeous mare and she has a respectable pedigree in her own right.

“A sister to Mira Alta produced Owendale and he's a very nice colt,” added Guffey. “She's out of a nice mare that Stonestreet owns but I guess Mira Alta didn't earn a place in their band because she's unraced. Stonestreet has some very nice mares and they can't keep them all.”

Multiple Grade 1-winner Tiz the Law is currently the most famous son of Constitution. The New York-bred captured last year's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes for trainer Barclay Tagg and owner Sackatoga Stable.

Guffey said the farm has been a strong supporter of Constitution with the mating to Mira Alta priced at $15,000 before the stallion's runners elevated his stud fee to $85,000. Promise Keeper was purchased by Woodford Thoroughbreds for $160,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Warrendale Sales.

“He was a super nice foal and yearling. He was always a standout,” said Guffey. “Unfortunately, the year we sold him, Constitution didn't have Tiz the Law or 3-year-olds at the time and just didn't have that hype about him yet. We were about a year early on that. But Woodford bought him for $160,000 and anytime you can get 10 times the stud fee, you best take it.”

Promise Keeper graduated at second asking when stretched out to one mile on February 6 over a sloppy Gulfstream Park main track ahead of a troubled stakes debut in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 6.

He redeemed himself with a dominant 5 1/2-length score in a nine-furlong optional claiming score on April 8 at Keeneland and proved his class with Saturday's graded triumph which garnered a career-best 89 Beyer.

“We were really excited for the Tampa Bay Derby because we felt like he fit with those horses and was a top quality 3-year-old,” said Guffey. “But he literally fell to a knee coming out of the gate. He lost a shoe. He got bumped in the turn. It was just a bad trip. We just decided to forget about that – it's horse racing.

“We were all there for his Keeneland win and that gave me the reassurance that he's the horse we thought he was,” he added.

Guffey said the farm bought back into Promise Keeper after his maiden win.

“We were fortunate to get back in on him after he broke his maiden and we were really proud of his effort yesterday,” said Guffey. “It's different when you raise these horses, you get a lot of emotional ties to them.”

Guffey said the farm generally breeds to sell, but bought back into Promise Keeper with an eye to supporting their star pupil at stud.

“We take everything to the sale and put a price on it, but we do tend to keep our homebred fillies and get blacktype and make mares out of them,” said Guffey. “We don't have a lot of desire to own the colts, but we always felt highly about this one.

“From a breeding standpoint, we'd love for him to become a stallion and be able to support him in that process.”

Guffey said Mira Alta, who has a 2-year-old by Shanghai Bobby, has again been covered by Constitution.

“We have an Honor Code filly that's a yearling. That one may not make the sale if Promise Keeper continues to improve,” said Guffey. “The mare has a really nice Mastery colt at her side now. It's early, but we like to say it's her best one yet. He's a chestnut and has not quite the markings that Promise Keeper has, but he's a pretty colt.”

Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds is also the breeder of Hit the Woah, a dark bay daughter of Vancouver out of the More Than Ready mare Christie's Ready.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the stakes-placed Hit the Woah is nominated to Saturday's Grade 3 Soaring Softly at seven furlongs on the Belmont turf for sophomore fillies.

Guffey said he is proud of the farm's early success from their young broodmare band.

“We only had eight foals from Promise Keeper's crop and he's now a Grade 3 winner,” said Guffey. “If we could get two graded stakes winners out of an eight-foal crop that would be a huge accomplishment for our breeding program. Hit the Woah is by Vancouver. He stood for $15,000 and we sold her for $150,000.

“I bought all young mares, so we have to be patient,” he added. “Hit the Woah was that mare's first baby. We have a Malibu Moon colt from her and she's back in foal to American Pharoah.”

While hope springs eternal in the breeding business, Guffey said his family is enjoying their foray into racing and would dearly love to be at Belmont Park on June 5 for the “Test of the Champion.”

“We sure have enjoyed it so far and hope to for many years,” said Guffey. “We have a great group here that works for us. If Promise Keeper is there June 5, we'll be there. I promise you that.”

The post Promise Keeper Flying The Flag For Up-And-Coming Breeder Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Promise Keeper Gives Pletcher Another Potential Belmont Starter After Peter Pan Score

Staying true to form, 3-2 favorite Promise Keeper took the nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., by 2 ¼ lengths over a field of four other 3-year-olds in the traditional local prep for the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, the third jewel of racing's Triple Crown.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for a partnership of Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm, and Rock Ridge Racing, Promise Keeper has had an up and down start to his career. After finishing a well-beaten fourth in his debut on January 9 at Gulfstream Park, the son of Constitution returned to break his maiden impressively at Gulfstream before finishing last of 12 in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 6.

Undeterred, Promise Keeper came back with gusto in his most recent start, a 5 ½-length allowance win going nine furlongs at Keeneland on April 8, and sustained that momentum on Saturday.

Drawn in post 3 following the defection of Klaravich Stables' Risk Taking from the Peter Pan, who instead will run in next Saturday's Grade 1 Preakness, Promise Keeper broke well and assumed a stalking position as Wolfie's Dynaghost went straight to the front.

Second-time starter Wolfie's Dynaghost set sensible fractions down the expansive Belmont backstretch, carving out an opening quarter-mile in 24.53 seconds and a half in 48.62 on the fast main track as Promise Keeper sat perched just to his outside in second and Nova Rags in third, with the quintet fairly spaced out in the early stages.

The running intensified around the far turn, with three-quarters going in 1:13.20, and it wasn't long thereafter that Promise Keeper came calling for the lead, which Wolfie's Dynaghost ceded readily as Nova Rags moved up in kind and Promise Keeper's stablemate Overtook launched his rally from the back of the pack.

Those three lined up as the field turned for home, but neither pursuer was able to make much headway on Promise Keeper, who dug in fervently on the rail under Luis Saez and dashed to the line comfortably in front, stopping the clock in 1:50.71.

“He's a big mover and Luis was able to do a perfect job putting him in a stalking position and let him take advantage of the rhythmic stride he has,” said Pletcher. “Luis said he had a lot of horse in the end, so that's encouraging.

“I thought tactically that Luis rode a smart race and put him into a good spot and got into a good rhythm. When that horse came to him, he found some more and finished up well,” Pletcher added.

With the victory, Promise Keeper increased his earnings to $184,600 and the chestnut sophomore returned $5 even on a $2 win wager.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Nova Rags continued his string of solid performances in stakes races with his second in the Peter Pan. He won the Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs four starts ago, which preceded a narrow runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa and a fourth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.

The Michael Shanley homebred checked in 1 ½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Overtook, who was making his first start since the Grade 3 Withers on February 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack, in which he made a belated run to get second. Longshot I Am the Law and Wolfie's Dynaghost completed the order of finish.

“I thought he ran a great race,” said Junior Alvarado, jockey aboard runner-up Nova Rags. “It was a tricky race with a five-horse field. The winner had a better trip and he kind of drew away from me at the last sixteenth. We know where we are at least with him. He's a good horse and we're going to keep trying. Hopefully, we get one sooner than later.”

The Peter Pan invites questions as to who among the field will now target the Belmont Stakes on June 5, and it certainly seems like the connections of the winner are pointing in that direction.

“He's got a big bouncy, reachy stride and it seems like the further he goes, the better he gets,” Pletcher said of Promise Keeper. “Historically, the Peter Pan has been a good prep for the Belmont. I'll talk to the connections about it, but that was amongst the discussions leading into this.”

Racing returns on Sunday with a nine-race card beginning at 1 p.m. ET highlighted by the $100,000 Gold Fever for 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track.

Starting on May 1, Belmont Park re-opened to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

The post Promise Keeper Gives Pletcher Another Potential Belmont Starter After Peter Pan Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Pletcher Pair Overtook, Promise Keeper Preparing For Belmont In Peter Pan

Newly minted Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle graded-stakes placed Overtook and two-time winner Promise Keeper in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan at Belmont Park.

The nine-furlong Peter Pan for sophomores is the traditional local prep for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes slated for Saturday, June 5 at 1 1/2-miles on Big Sandy.

Saturday's card features five graded stakes, led by the Grade 1, $700,000 Man o' War at 1 3/8-miles on the turf for 4-year-olds and upward and is bolstered by the Grade 3, $150,000 Runhappy, a six-furlong sprint for older horses; the Grade 3, $150,000 Beaugay for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16-miles on turf; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy at 6 1/2-furlongs on the main track for filly and mare sprinters 4-years-old and up.

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith's Overtook graduated at third asking with blinkers off traveling a one-turn mile on December 20 at the Big A.

Last out, Overtook, a $1 million purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, rallied from last-of-9 to complete the exacta behind Peter Pan-rival Risk Taking in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Withers on February 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Pletcher said a moderate pace in the Withers may have hampered Overtook's chances.

“He made a sustained run. He's a grinder. He'd benefit from some pace. The further the better,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said he initially hoped to point Overtook to the nine-furlong Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3 at Aqueduct, but changed plans after watching the colt train at Palm Beach Downs in Florida.

“We took him down there [to Florida] after the Withers with the idea that we might come back for the Wood,” said Pletcher, who has captured the Peter Pan with Purge [2004], Sunriver [2006], and Madefromlucky [2015]. “It took him a little while to find his best, so we decided to wait for the Peter Pan. It seems like the last two or three weeks, he's really come around.”

Overtook posted a bullet half-mile breeze in 48.32 seconds on April 30 at Palm Beach Downs and Pletcher said he is hoping Overtook will prove worthy of a run at the final leg of the Triple Crown.

“Historically, the Peter Pan has been a good stepping stone to the Belmont,” said Pletcher. “He has a pedigree that suggests he wants to go that far and now it's time to see if he's good enough.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, fresh off a Kentucky Oaks–Kentucky Derby double with the Pletcher-trained Malathaat and the Bob Baffert-conditioned Medina Spirit, respectively, will guide Overtook from the inside post. Velazquez captured the Peter Pan for Pletcher in 2004 with Purge and for conditioner Robert Barbara in 1996 aboard Jaimes First Punch.

Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Rock Ridge Racing's Promise Keeper, purchased for $160,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, earned a career-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure last out with a 5 1/2-length score in a nine-furlong optional-claiming event on April 8 at Keeneland.

The Constitution chestnut graduated at second asking in February when stretched out to one mile on a sloppy track at Gulfstream, but followed by finishing last-of-12 in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in March.

Pletcher said the Keeneland win made up for the disappointing Tampa Bay Derby effort.

“It wasn't his day for sure,” said Pletcher. “We just drew a line through it, regrouped at Keeneland and he ran very well that day. We've been pointing for this since then.”

Pletcher said a prominent trip last out proved beneficial for Promise Keeper after being mired behind horses in the Tampa Bay Derby.

“He's one that wants to be involved,” said Pletcher. “He didn't get away great [at Tampa.] He just never got into the race and probably didn't like the surface at Tampa. He trained well after that and I thought the allowance race at Keeneland was impressive.”

Pletcher said he expects Promise Keeper to be versatile, capable of winning at a variety of distances.

“I don't think he needs two turns, but I do think he appreciates the mile and an eighth,” said Pletcher.

Luis Saez retains the mount on Promise Keeper from post 3.

Risk Taking, trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown for Klaravich Stables, captured the nine-furlong Grade 3 Withers on February 6 at the Big A.

The Medaglia d'Oro bay, a $240,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, followed with a flat seventh last out in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Wood Memorial.

Brown said he hopes Risk Taking, who breezed five-eighths in 1:00.34 on May 1 over Big Sandy, can regroup from a less than favorable trip in the Wood Memorial.

“He did take a lot of dirt and was a little wide. We quite liked his chances in that race,” said Brown, who has captured the Peter Pan with Timeline [2017] and Country Grammer [2020]. “He's come back and worked really well. His last work was particularly good for him. It was the best we've seen from him. We're giving it another shot in here to see if he can get back on track.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount from the outermost post 6.

Woodslane Farm homebred Wolfie's Dynaghost earned an 84 Beyer in his impressive debut sprinting seven furlongs over a Big A main track rated good on November 14 when 1 1/2-lengths the better of eventual graded-stakes winner Weyburn.

Tom Albertrani has trained Wolfie's Dynaghost into his second career start at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, where the colt posted a bullet five-eighths breeze in 1:01.20 on April 25.

“He's doing great. He had a bit of time off but he's been training well lately and we're looking forward to getting him back on the track,” Albertrani said. “He showed so much promise the first time he ran. His works prior to that, he showed a lot, so it was great watching him win first-time out.”

By Ghostzapper and out of the Dynaformer mare Dynaire, Wolfie's Dynaghost is a half-brother to the Albertrani-trained Sadler's Joy, a Grade 1 winner and $2.6 million earner.

Jose Ortiz, who won the 2016 Peter Pan aboard Unified, has the call from post 4.

Michael Shanley's Nova Rags was bumped at the start of the Grade 1 Florida Derby last out before making the lead en route to a fourth-place finish on March 27 traveling nine furlongs around two turns at Gulfstream.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said the rugged start didn't affect the outcome.

“It's horse racing. You don't like to get bumped but it happens,” said Mott. “He got away good and was on the lead.”

The Union Rags chestnut, a Kentucky homebred, graduated at first asking in October sprinting six furlongs at Belmont and completed an abbreviated juvenile campaign with a fourth in the Grade 3 Nashua in November at Aqueduct.

Nova Rags made a winning sophomore debut in the seven-furlong Pasco in January at Tampa Bay Downs ahead of a second at the same track in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Sam F. Davis won by fellow Mott trainee Candy Man Rocket.

Mott said a return to one-turn racing at Belmont may benefit Nova Rags, who will not be using the Peter Pan as a springboard to the Belmont Stakes.

“He ran well at one turn so I guess the mile and an eighth is the question,” said Mott. “I don't think we'd go to the Belmont with him.”

Nova Rags will exit post 2 under Junior Alvarado.

Rounding out the field is Curragh Stables' I Am the Law, a maiden son of Mshawish purchased for $125,000 at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Trained by John Terranova, I Am the Law has hit the board in both career starts, including a closing second last out in a one-turn mile maiden special weight contested on a sloppy Big A main track on March 28 that garnered a 72 Beyer.

Kenrick Carmouche returns to the irons from post 5.

The Peter Pan is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 11-race card. First post is 1 p.m.

Belmont Park is now open to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Pletcher Pair Overtook, Promise Keeper Preparing For Belmont In Peter Pan appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Candy Man Rocket to Beat in Tampa Bay Derby

After recording a stalk-and-pounce victory in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 6, Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}) will have 11 rivals standing in his way to double up in Saturday's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. The Tampa Bay Derby carries 50-20-10-5 qualifying points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby.

The Frank Fletcher colorbearer previously romped by 9 1/4 lengths at second asking going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park Jan. 9. He received 85 Beyer Speed Figures in both efforts.

The Sam Davis was Candy Man Rocket's first start around two turns. The fifth-place finisher that day Known Agenda (Curlin) returned with a daylight optional claiming tally at Gulfstream Feb. 26.

Candy Man Rocket, the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Tampa Bay Derby, worked a bullet four furlongs in :48 3/5 (1/36) at Payson Park Feb. 28. He is drawn in post three with Junior Alvarado aboard.

“The [Tampa Bay Derby] has been on our minds since he won the Sam F. Davis,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “Any time you get a horse that runs well over that racetrack, you have to give it consideration.”

He continued, “It seems like he is doing equally as well now as he was before the Davis. He's got good natural speed away from the gate, which can always be an advantage for any horse, position-wise. The chances of getting a good trip might be better than they would for a deep closer, especially in a big field.”

After completing his juvenile campaign with two straight route wins in Kentucky, Hidden Stash (Constitution) rallied smartly from eighth after a ground-saving trip to finish third–beaten just 1 1/4 lengths–while making his stakes debut in the Sam Davis. The addition of more speed types in this full field should certainly play in his favor.

Helium (Ironicus) tries dirt for the first time in his sophomore debut. He was perfect from two tries for Mark Casse going seven furlongs over the Woodbine synthetic last term, most recently dominating six rivals in the Display S. Oct. 18.

Promise Keeper (Constitution), a well-beaten fourth behind Candy Man Rocket sprinting on debut, stretched to a mile with a sharp, front-running maiden victory for Todd Pletcher in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6. He will have to work out a trip in his two-turn debut from post 11. Pletcher has won the Tampa Bay Derby a record five times and will also tighten the girth on Unbridled Honor (Honor Code), who took a big step forward to annex a local two-turn maiden special weight at third asking Feb. 6.

After saddling King Guillermo (Uncle Mo) to a shocking 49-1 victory in last year's Tampa Bay Derby following a third-place finish in the grassy Pulpit S., trainer Juan C. Avila will go turf-to-dirt once again with Jan. 30 wire-to-wire Gulfstream maiden winner King of Dreams (Air Force Blue).

Super Strong (Super Saver), winner of the Classico Agustin Mercado Revron S. first out in Puerto Rico Dec. 19, shows up in this ambitious spot for his U.S. debut. He worked a bullet five furlongs for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. in :59 3/5 (1/30) at Palm Meadows Feb. 13.

“He has trained well enough to give it a shot,” said Joseph, who will also saddle longshots Awesome Gerry (Liam's Map) and Moonlite Strike (Liam's Map). “It's hard to judge his form in Puerto Rico, but he acts like the distance will be no problem. We aren't giving up much experience to most of the other horses in the race. We definitely would like him to have another race in him, but we have to play the hand we're dealt.”

The post Candy Man Rocket to Beat in Tampa Bay Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post