Tag: Racing

The surprise winner of this year's Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike will face older horses for the first time in the Oct. 1 Lukas Classic (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs, trainer Eric Reed confirmed to the Daily Racing Form on Wednesday.

Reed's other option with the 3-year-old son of Keen Ice was the G1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24, but the trainer remains disinclined to ship the colt up to Parx.

“I've thought and thought about going to Parx, but I just can't make it work with the travel,” Reed told DRF. “I'd rather go there than run against Hot Rod Charlie (expected to target the Lukas), but I don't have much choice. The timing and the travel are what makes it so difficult. Maybe if the Parx race had been another week or so later we could've swung it, but there's just no way.”

Rich Strike posted his first work since finishing fourth in the G1 Travers on Tuesday, covering five furlongs in an easy 1:02.40 at Reed's Mercury Training Center.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

The post Kentucky Derby Upsetter Rich Strike To Face Older Horses In Lukas Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Away from the races since a narrow victory over Snap Decision in the Grade 1 Grand National at Far Hills last October which cemented her championship, The Mean Queen was also nominated to Thursday's G1 Lonesome Glory at Aqueduct, but opted for the Entenmann as a softer opportunity to ease back into competition.

At 2 ⅜ miles, the Entenmann is a furlong shorter than the Lonesome Glory, and the 6-year-old daughter of Doyen gets a break in the weights compared to what she would have carried in the Grade 1 handicap. Her topweight assignment of 158 points, including jockey Parker Hendriks, is only two to eight pounds more than her rivals.

The three-time 2021 Grade 1 winner is eligible to compete in novice stakes because she didn't capture her first victory over hurdles until April 2021. The Entenmann is open to runners who didn't win over hurdles before March 1, 2021

If both Snap Decision and The Mean Queen exit Thursday's races in good order, the duo is likely to hook up once again in the $250,000 weight-for-age Grand National at Far Hills, N.J., on Oct. 15.

Whereas Snap Decision's biggest challenge might be the weight spread, The Mean Queen will need to be sharp to turn back a number of up-and-coming hurdlers who are exiting recent strong performances at lower levels of competition.

Irv Naylor's Howyabud, one of two other Brion trainees in the Entenmann, is two for two since coming to the U.S. from Ireland this spring, most recently taking the Jonathan Kiser novice stakes at Saratoga. The other, Going Country, owned by Blue Streak Racing, Metahorse Racing, and CFC Racing, got off slow and struggled with his jumping in the Kiser, but put in a late rally to get up for third. Next, he bounced back to run second to Snap Decision in the Sheppard in his first try against more seasoned competition..

Bruton Street-US' Proven Innocent, Snap Decision's stablemate also trained by Jack Fisher, has taken two of his last three. After breaking his maiden at the Iroquois Races, he finished a good second to Freddy Flintshire in a non-winners of two at Saratoga followed by a hard-fought win at the Spa over Michael Smith's Bandua in another allowance contest.

Bandua, trained by Neil Morris, broke his maiden at Colonial Downs in August, before his gallant second at Saratoga.

Gill Johnston's State of Affair put forth a career-best effort to romp by nearly 10 lengths, at 8-1, last month in a non-winners-of-two allowance at Saratoga for trainer Todd Wyatt.

Rounding out the field is Van Cushny's Booby Trap, trained by Leslie Young. After back-to-back maiden and allowance wins at Colonial Downs and Saratoga, Booby Trap finished second to Ritzy AP in the 2021 Entenmann and third in the Foxbrook Champion Hurdle novice stakes at Far Hills. This will be his second start of the season.

The Entenmann will go off as the first race on Thursday's 10-race opening-day card at the Big A. Post time is 1 p.m. The Lonesome Glory is race two, at 1:32 p.m.

NYRA races are broadcast live on Fox2 TV, with replays available on NYRA website, https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/replays. You can also live stream via the NSA website, www.nationalsteeplechase.com.

The post Champion Steeplechaser The Mean Queen Returns In Thursday’s Entenmann At Aqueduct appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Over the last 18 months, racing fans have enjoyed the rivalry of Bell's the One and Sconsin and will be treated to their eighth clash against one another in Saturday's $300,000 Open Mind (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The six-furlong Open Mind will go as Race 7 of 11 with a post time of 3:50 p.m. The compact field of five female sprinters will be one of five stakes featured on the program. The others are the $300,000 Iroquois (G3), the $300,000 Pocahontas (G3), the $400,000 Locust Grove (G3), and the $275,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society. First post is 12:45 p.m.

Four weeks ago, Bell's the One and Sconsin met for the seventh time and dueled in the $200,000 Lady Tak. Bell's the One got the better of her rival and scored a 1 ½-length victory. Owned by Lothenbach Stables and trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One is 8-for-9 lifetime when she competes at six furlongs. Bell's the One has also run some of her best races beneath the Twin Spires. The 6-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection has won five of 11 starts at Churchill Downs with three seconds and one third. In last year's Open Mind, Bell's the One closed ground late but could not get by Sconsin, who scored a three-quarters of a length victory. Regular rider Corey Lanerie will once again be in the saddle in the Open Mind and the duo will break from post No. 4.

Lloyd Madison Farms' Sconsin finished a disappointing fourth in the Lady Tak as the 4-5 favorite. Trained by Greg Foley, Sconsin has five wins from 10 lifetime starts at Churchill Downs and three wins from five starts at the six-furlong distance. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be back aboard Sconsin and break from the rail.

Through 12 runnings of the Open Mind there have been no repeat winners of the race. Sconsin set the stakes record in last year's running when she scorched six furlongs in 1:08.75.

Here is the complete field for the Open Mind from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Sconsin (Gaffalione, Foley);
2. Joyful Cadence (Rey Gutierrez, John Ortiz);
3. Cheetara (CHI) (Vincent Cheminaud, Ignacio Correas IV);
4. Bell's the One (Lanerie, Pessin); and
5. Club Car (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ben Colebrook).

The post Bell’s The One, Sconsin Clash For Eighth Time In Saturday’s Open Mind appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Holy Cow Stable's $200,000 Adirondack (Grade 3) winner Naughty Gal was entered to face a full field of 11 rivals including Stone Bridge Farm's undefeated $125,000 Ellis Park Debutante winner Justa Warrior in Saturday's $300,000 Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16 mile Pocahontas kicks off the 2022-23 Road to the Kentucky Oaks. The Pocahontas was carded as the 11th race finale with a post time of 5:58 p.m. Saturday's program also will feature the $300,000 Iroquois (G3), the Pocahontas' male counterpart which kicks off the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve. Along with the duo of 2-year-old stakes events, the program includes the $400,000 Locust Grove (G3), $300,000 Open Mind (Listed), and $275,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, Naughty Gal broke her maiden at second asking on July 4 at Churchill Downs by 9 ¼ lengths. One month later the daughter of leading stallion Into Mischief became a graded stakes winner when she led every step of the way in the 6 ½-furlong Adirondack. Just two weeks ago, Naughty Gal tested Grade 1 competition in the $300,000 Spinaway (G1) but faded to ninth. She'll be ridden in the Pocahontas by Mitchell Murrill from post No. 3.

Justa Warrior, the daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify, is undefeated from two starts for Ellis Park leading trainer John Ortiz. In her debut, Justa Warrior drew away from a field of nine by five lengths under jockey Rey Gutierrez. Four weeks later, Justa Warrior was victorious by one-length in the Ellis Park Debutant as the 5-2 post time favorite. Gutierrez will be back aboard Justa Warrior in the Pocahontas and break from post 11.

The Pocahontas also includes impressive maiden winner Fun and Feisty for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Here is the complete field for the Pocahontas from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Boss Lady Bailey (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ortiz);
2. Kiss Me On Oconee (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss);
3. Naughty Gal (Murrill, Lukas);
4. Shoplifter (Rafael Bejarano, Eddie Kenneally);
5. Grand Love (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen);
6. Outofnothingatall (David Cohen, Ricky Courville);
7. Southlawn (Tyler Gaffalione, Norm Casse);
8. Need Some Money (Francisco Arrieta, Sarah Hamilton);
9. Jet Setting (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox);
10. Fun and Feisty (Julien Leparoux, Kenny McPeek);
11. Justa Warrior (Gutierrez, Ortiz); and
12. Friendlypersuasion (James Graham, Michael McCarthy).

The post Naughty Girl Wheels Back In 12-Filly Pocahontas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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