Tag: Racing

A trio of National Steeplechase Association contests are on tap this week as the summer season continues at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., and at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs in upstate New York.

At Colonial, a field of nine is expected for the opener, at 12:15 p.m., a $40,000 maiden hurdle for four-year-olds. The second race, with a post time of 12:50 p.m., is a $35,000 handicap for horses rated at 115 or less. Five have been entered. Both events are at 2 1/4 miles.

Click here for full entries: https://nationalsteeplechase.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Colonial-August8-WedEntries.pdf. You can watch the races via live stream from the National Steeplechase Association home page, www.nationalsteeplechase.com.

There's also a hurdle race on Wednesday's card at Saratoga. A field of seven is expected to go postward in a $70,000 non-winners of two allowance hurdle at the Spa. The race is the first on the card, with a 1:05 p.m. post time. Click here for full entries: https://nationalsteeplechase.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Saratoga-August10-Entries.pdf

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.

If you're keeping score, jockey jockey Parker Hendriks has four wins at Colonial. Mark Watts has a pair. Barry Foley and Tom Garner each have one victory. Among trainers, Keri Brion has four wins to Arch Kingsley's two. Leslie Young, and Kathy Neilson have one. At Saratoga, Hendriks, Foley, and Bernie Dalton have had their pictures taken in the winner's circle. Brion trained two of them and Kate Dalton, one. The Daltons have secured the summer season's biggest prize to date: the $150,000 Grade 1 A.P. Smithwick with their magnificent mare Down Royal.

The post Jumps Racing Continues This Week At Colonial, Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Title defender and Grade 1 winner Art Collector leads a list of 126 nominations for the Classic Town Classic and Charles Town Oaks, which closed this past Friday. The Classic and Oaks will both be run on Charles Town's biggest night of the year – Friday, Aug. 26 – a card that includes a total of seven stakes races with $2.4 million in purse money on the line.

Owned by Bruce Lunsford and trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector will take the same route to West Virginia's eastern panhandle as he did in 2021, when he won the Alydar Stakes at Saratoga three weeks prior to his run in the Classic. This year's Alydar marked the son of Bernardini's first start in more than five months following a disappointing effort overseas in the $20 million Saudi Cup.

The now 5-year-old Art Collector will look to join Researcher as the only horse to win the Charles Town Classic in consecutive years. The last eight horses attempting to win West Virginia's richest race in back-to-back years have come up short, with the last being Sleepy Eyes Todd who checked in as the runner-up to Art Collector in the 2021 edition.

Trainer Brad Cox has a quartet of horses nominated to the Classic, topped by 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mandaloun, most recently fourth in the San Diego (G2) at Del Mar. Mandaloun is one of two Juddmonte nominees, with the second coming in the form of multiple graded stakes winner Fulsome whose most recent tally in graded stakes company came on Saturday when he won the West Virginia Governor's Stakes (G3) on Mountaineer Park's West Virginia Derby undercard. Cox is also represented in the nominations by Night Ops and multiple graded stakes winner Plainsman who scored in the Razorback (G3) at Oaklawn Park in February.

Five horses from the barn of two-time Charles Town Classic winning trainer Todd Pletcher are nominated, headlined by Grade 1 victor Americanrevolution who scratched out of Saturday's Whitney (G1) at Saratoga and Brooklyn (G2) winner Fearless, owned by Repole Stables who teamed with Pletcher to capture the 2012 Charles Town Classic with Caixa Eletronica. Pletcher also has Bal Harbour, Grade 1 winner Mind Control and Promise Keeper who took the 2021 running of the Peter Pan (G3) nominated.

Two of Chad Brown's three nominees – Highly Motivated and Pipeline – come off of strong efforts where the pair finished first and second in the Monmouth Cup (G3) on the Haskell undercard. Following a narrow defeat in the Blue Grass (G2), Highly Motivated checked in tenth as the fifth betting choice in the 2021 Kentucky Derby before being sent to the sidelines for the remainder of the year. His Monmouth Cup score marked his second straight win after dropping his first race of 2022. Brown's third nominee is recent allowance winner Stage Raider who is a half-brother to 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.

Other graded stakes winners nominated to the Classic include recent San Diego winner Royal Ship, Last Samurai, who took the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) earlier this year, Tokyo City (G3) hero Heywood's Beach, 2021 Ohio Derby (G3) winner Masqueparade who finished second to Art Collector in the Alydar, Officiating from the Saffie Joseph barn who won the Cornhusker (G3) at Prairie Meadows in his most recent outing, Steve Sexton Mile (G3) winner Silver Prospector, 2021 Salvator Mile (G3) upsetter Informative and Tax who won the Jim Dandy (G2) in 2019.

Possible for the Charles Town Classic is local star Muad'dib, who is a perfect 10-for-10 in his career but would be making his debut in the unrestricted stakes ranks. Muad'dib is conditioned by Jeff Runco, who took the first two editions of the Charles Town Classic with the aforementioned Researcher.

Thoroughbred racing's all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen will take aim at a third Charles Town Oaks score after winning the race's inaugural running with Four Gifts in 2009 and Pauline's Pearl last year. Asmussen has 2021 Adirondack (G2) winner Wicked Halo nominated as well as Society who took the overnight Monomoy Girl Stakes at Churchill downs prior to a fourth place effort in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).

Brad Cox's four Classic nominations are matched by his four for the Oaks with the biggest names being 2021 Alcibiades (G1) winner and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) runner-up Juju's Map and recent Indiana Oaks (G3) victor Interstatedaydream who also emerged victorious in the Black Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico earlier this year. After starting her season with a win in a Churchill Downs allowance contest, Juju's Map has checked in third in both the Mother Goose (G2) and Monmouth Oaks (G3).

Additional nominees for the Charles Town Oaks include one-two finishers in this weekend's Test (G1) at Saratoga in Chi Town Lady and Hot Peppers – neither of which are expected for the race – as well as 2021 Sorrento (G2) winner Elm Drive, Victory Ride (G3) runner-up Half is Enough, Miss Preakness (G3) victor Lady Scarlet, Midnight Stroll who won the Delaware Oaks (G3) in her last outing and a trio of Grade 1 placed fillies in Dance to the Music, Divine Huntress and Tarabi.

Entries for the August 26 Charles Town Classic card will be taken on Tuesday, August 23.

Nominations for three more unrestricted stakes all worth $250,000 and all run at seven furlongs – the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes for older fillies and mares, the Russell Road for older horses and the Robert Hilton Memorial for three-year-olds – close this upcoming Friday, August 12.

The post Art Collector Tops Nominees To Charles Town Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Kretz Racing's Cabo Spirit, last through the first half of $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (G3), put on the blasters late and reeled in his five rivals from the outside to win by a half length Sunday at Del Mar.

The Kentucky-bred son of Pioneerof the Nile had been gelded since a runner-up finish his previous start, the Cinema Stakes June 4 at Santa Anita,  and the surgical procedure certainly seemed to have a positive effect for the youngster, who turned back all of his 3-year-old rivals in the 82nd edition of the 1 1/16-mile race, first run at the seaside track in 1937.

Cabo Spirit, who was ridden by Joe Bravo for trainer George Papaprodromou, picked up a winner's share of $90,000 of the La Jolla purse to push his total earnings to $312,560. The La Jolla was his first graded stakes win, and third win overall, in his 13th career start. He ran the race on Del Mar's Jimmy Durante turf course, finishing in 1:42.28.

“I wasn't really where I wanted to be going into the first turn, and I could tell they were really slowing it down up front,” Bravo said. “But he made a big move on his own around the (far) turn and then in the stretch it was all him.”

Finishing second in the La Jolla was Gary Barber's Perfect Flight, who had three-quarters of a length on Perry and Ramona Bass' Sumter, the 9-5 favorite.

Papaprodromou said he was bit worried Cabo Spirit was far back early; he was last as pacesetter Armagnac clocked a half mile in :47.66; he then advanced up to fifth through six furlongs in 1:27.47.

“But,” Papaprodromou added, “Joe rode him patiently and nicely and then made a move on the turn and he just exploded.

“We decided to geld him to get him to relax and obviously you can see (the result). He got a little tense and hot, but he got to relax a little more than before. Del Mar Derby (G2) (September 3) is next.”

Cabo Spirit, who was bred by WinStar Farm from the Shamardal mare Fancy Day, paid $7.40

The La Jolla is the second of three turf stakes run at the session for 3-year-olds. The Oceanside on opening day was the first, and the final race is the series is the $300,000 Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles.

The post Cabo Spirit Takes Del Mar’s La Jolla With Powerful Late Burst, Earns First Graded Stakes Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Live Oak Plantation's Our Flash Drive built off her recent pair of graded stakes-placings on grass with a one-length victory in the 19th running of Sunday's $135,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose for older fillies and mares going one mile over the inner turf.

Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the 4-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper entered off a third beaten one length in the Nassau (G2) on July 2 at Woodbine and a second to Group 1-winner Rougir in the Beaugay (G3) on May 14 at Belmont Park. Never worse than fourth in all but one career start, Our Flash Drive added a third career stakes win to her resume. She was a Grade 3 winner twice last summer at Woodbine, taking the Selene over the Tapeta before capturing the Ontario Collen on turf.

Ridden by Dylan Davis out of post 6, Our Flash Drive was a wide fourth to the outside of multiple stakes winner Plum Ali going into the first turn as In Good Spirits set the tempo with a headstrong Jouster tracking a close second through an opening quarter mile in :24.46 and a half-mile in :49.20 over the firm going.

Around the far turn, Our Flash Drive came under calling from Davis with In Good Spirits and Jouster the ones to catch. Our Flash Drive was in control at the three-sixteenths pole and maintained her advantage to the wire, completing the one mile in 1:35.42.

Plum Ali, who rode the rail throughout, launched a late rally to finish second a neck ahead of post time favorite Love And Thunder, who endured a troubled trip in the stretch when lacking racing room along the inside and fanning several paths wide in the final furlong.

Completing the order of finish were In Good Spirits, Assertive Style, Jouster, Nazuna, and Stunning Princess.

The win was a first stakes victory of the meet for both Casse and Davis.

Casse said Our Flash Drive appreciated the tighter turns at Saratoga after giving way late last out in the Nassau when piloted by Patrick Husbands over the Woodbine's expansive E.P. Taylor turf course.

“Woodbine can be tough. I felt Patrick gave her a great ride,” said Casse, who won the 2019 De La Rose with Got Stormy en route to a win in the Fourstardave (G1) one week later. “It looked like she was a winner and she just – three-eighths of a mile down that stretch is tough to handle. I thought bringing her in and letting her run around these sharp turns would help.

“We all know how tough this turf course is to win on when you don't save ground,” Casse added. “I think she broke OK, and then she took off with him a little. She's been a project. She's not an easy horse. Her last breeze was at Woodbine and it was all done by plan because she likes it there. I just brought her in for the race.”

Davis, the pilot in three of her 11 starts, said he rode Our Flash Drive like the best filly in the race.

“Mark told me in the paddock, 'Just ride your race, she's the best horse and keep it simple,'” Davis said. “I broke well and she just came back a little bit, so I gave her a nice, clear trip and that's all we needed. She ran really hard to the wire and down the stretch she was there for me. She ran really hard today and I was happy with that.”

Everything went as planned according to Davis, who said he wanted to be in the clear the whole way around.

“I was maybe 2-3 wide, I was never planning on tucking her in too much,” Davis said. “If I didn't want to go four-wide, I would have to tuck her after that, but it was basically being forwardly placed, laying second or third going into that first turn and that's exactly what we got.”

Casse admitted going wide wasn't what he had in mind.

“I wasn't comfortable but there wasn't much I could do about it at that point in time,” he laughed. “You always want to save ground, but I did tell him, 'I think she's the best horse in the race–ride her that way.' And he did.”

Returning $10 for a $2 win wager, Our Flash Drive brought her lifetime earnings to $339,770 after banking $74,250 in victory. A Florida homebred, she is out of the unraced Dynaformer mare Dynamotor.

The post ‘Just Ride Your Race, She’s The Best Horse’: Davis Guides Our Flash Drive To Third Stakes Victory In De La Rose At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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