Tag: Racing

Trainer Mark Casse's Brazilian-bred Filo Di Arianna led at every point of call and kicked clear in the stretch to win the $200,000 King Edward Stakes (G2) Sunday at Woodbine.

Hounded through the early stages by Town Cruise, Filo Di Arianna was unfazed along the rail while setting fractions of :23.49, :46.47 and 1:10.12 for six furlongs, keeping his head in front.

Ridden by Kazushi Kimura, Filo Di Arianna came out to the three path to uncoiled his rally into the stretch, opened a 2 ½-length lead, and continued on to score by two lengths.

As Town Cruise weakened in the stretch, Harlan Estate, last of six early, came on strongly to be best of the rest, finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of third-place finisher Haddassah.

The 6-5 favorite in the six-horse field, Filo Di Arianna covered one mile 1:34.69 on turf rated as firm, winning his third consecutive race, all in front-running fashion, including the Connaught Cup (G2) July 23 in his previous outing.

The 6-year-old son of Drosselmeyer, owned by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, and Peter Deutsch, has seven wins from nine career starts and $284,776 in earnings. His record includes a pair of group wins in his native country, where he was perfect in three 2019 starts before he was sent to the United States.

Filo Di Arianna, who returned $4.40 Sunday,  did not race in 2020 but won his North American debut at Woodbine June 27, 2021, in a seven-furlong turf allowance, his only start of the year. After another extended break, he returned with a unplaced finish in the Shakertown (G2) at Keeneland this April and followed by another poor performance in the Jaipur (G1) June 11 at Belmont in June. Sent to Woodbine, he subsequently showed his affinity for the Toronto-area racetrack Sunday in the King Edward.

The post Filo Di Arianna Wires King Edward At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The finish of the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack produced one of those head-bobbing finishes where it seems a shame for either horse to be declared the runner-up.

The battle came down to determined closer Crystal Cliffs (FR) under Rafael Hernandez and Fev Rover (IRE) with Patrick Husbands, with Fev Rover managing the slightest advantage at the wire.

Fev Rover charted a stalker's course during the 1 1/8 miles run over the E.P. Taylor turf, trailing early leader Angelou before poking a head in front at the 3/4 pole. Favored Crystal Cliffs settled for fifth out of eight out of the gate but made her move early, taking aim at the leaders around the turn and swinging six wide before sticking her nose in front of Fev Rover at the top of the stretch. The two dueled down the stretch, with neither giving up and Fev Rover winning by inches.

Flirting Bridge finished third.

The final time was 1:47.33, with fractions of :24.50, :49.28, 1:12.71, and 1:35.28.

Mark Casse trains Fev Rover for owner Tracy Farmer. The 4-year-old filly was bred in Ireland by Manister House Stud and is the daughter of Gutaifan and High Chaparral mare Laurelita. She sold at the 2019 Goffs Premier Sale as a yearling for $24,580, where she was consigned by her breeder and purchased by Howson & Houldsworth / N. Bradley. She sold again as a 3-year-old at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale last year, where she brought $971,704. She was consigned there by Musley Bank Stables.

Fev Rover started her career in England and also ran in France, Ireland, and Saudi Arabia before making her first Canadian start earlier this year. She was most recently second behind Wakanaka in the G2 Dance Smartly but has previous wins in the Irish Stallion EBF Star Stakes and G2 Shadwell Prix du Calvados to her credit. She has also run multiple times in G1 company, with starts in the 1,000 Guineas, Coronation, Irish 1,000 Guineas, and Bahrain Sun Chariot. She now has three wins from 13 starts.

Fev Rover paid $11.10, $5.00, and $3.20.

The post Fev Rover Prevails Over Crystal Cliffs In Heart-Stopping Canadian Stakes Finish appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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It's going to take a few more dazzling performances like Sunday's romp in the $200,000 Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park for Vedareo to come close to the accomplishments of her champion half sister, but the 2-year-old filly appears to be on her way.

Sent to the front early by jockey Frankie Pennington in her first start around two turns, Vedareo toyed with her six rivals on the way to a six-length romp in the Sorority.

Vedareo, a dark bay or brown by Daredevil, is a half sister to Vequist, a daughter of Nyquist who won the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland and Frizette (G1) at Belmont Park en route to the Eclipse Award as the season's champion 2-year-old filly.

“Physically, she looks amazingly like (Vequist),” said Butch Reid, the trainer of both fillies. “She even caught me by surprise today in the paddock. She looked bigger in the stall than she has before. She is really growing nicely and handling her weight nicely.”

After winning her career debut at Parx on June 14, Vedareo was fifth in the Schuylerville (G3) on July 14 at Saratoga. But Reid said too many factors worked against her that day.

“After that debacle in Saratoga I couldn't be happier,” said Reid, who got his start as a trainer at Monmouth Park in 1982. “She got slammed that race, didn't get off great, and didn't handle it at all. That was the first day of the Saratoga meet and the track was very deep that day. That's never going to be her favorite surface.

“Today it looked like she rated, so I'm hoping the more two turn races we get in her the more we'll get her to relax. My biggest concern was the horse next to her (Riding Pretty) stumbled badly (at the start), but it didn't affect her.”

Let go at 9-1, Vedareo was able to carve out moderate fractions with only token pressure, gliding to the first quarter in :23.59, to the half in :47.16, and to three quarters in 1:11.82. Part of that was due to 1-2 favorite Devious Dame, who came in 2-for-2, failing to fire at all in a sixth-place finish.

Vedareo covered the one-mile Sorority in 1:38.43 on a fast track.

“She has some big shoes to fill but she is doing a phenomenal job at this stage of her career, and she is heading in the right way toward some good things,” said Pennington. “I wanted to be on the lead or at least be clear because when she sees other horses, she can be very strong. So, the thing for me was to get the lead or sit somewhere clear where she could relax. First time going long today she was a little keen early, but she relaxed on the backside and finished strong.

“She just keeps getting better. Even breezing her in the morning you can see the improvement and how much more aggressive she is. She keeps heading the right way. The way she's going she looks like she can do some special things. We'll see. First time going long you never know, but I knew if she was anything like her sister she would handle it.”

Alma Rose rallied for second, 2¾ lengths ahead of Outofnothingatall.

Kentucky-bred Vedareo, like Vequist, is a Swilcan Stable homebred produced from the Mineshaft mare Vero Amore. She paid $20.60 to win.

“We'll see where she fits now,” said Reid. “I never looked for anything beyond this race. We wanted to make sure she was good after the Saratoga race, so we took our time and looked at the calendar and this race fit perfectly for her.”

The post ‘She Has Some Big Shoes To Fill’: Vedareo, Half Sister To Champion Vequist, Romps Wire To Wire In Monmouth’s Sorority appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Whisper Hill Farm's homebred Charge It has been ruled out of the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers (G1) Saturday with an abscess on his right front foot.

Initially scheduled to have his final breeze for the Travers this weekend, Charge It was out for a Sunday morning gallop.

“He galloped super, but you could tell jogging back he was a little bit tender on it,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It's one of those things where if we didn't need to breeze again, we might be able to get it healed up before the race, but needing to get another work into him, it's just unfortunate timing.”

Pletcher said Charge It, a son of Tapit who last time out won the Dwyer (G2) by 23 lengths July 2 and finished second in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) this spring, could target the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on September 24 at Parx.

“That's our next possible target, but the foot is going to dictate when he's going to be ready to breeze again,” Pletcher said.

The post ‘It’s Just Unfortunate Timing’: Charge It To Miss Travers With Foot Abscess appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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