Tag: Racing

Mark Casse has a good problem on his hands where D. J. Stable's Helium is concerned, but it's a problem for the Hall of Fame trainer nonetheless.

Nearly a year and a half has passed since the son of Ironicus last visited the winner's circle and, in the quest to try and give the 4-year-old gelding a confidence boost, Casse wanted to find a spot where his charge's back class could move to the forefront. The issue with having a horse that has graded victories and a Kentucky Derby (G1) start on their resume, however, is there aren't a ton of conditions that allow for softer landings.

Hence, as the horses passed the entry box for the $70,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones Overnight Stakes at Ellis Park on Aug. 6, it became clear that whoever prevails in the one-mile test over the main track will have a far from easy go of things.

“I mean, there are no easy spots ever. There are just not easy spots,” Casse said. “There are not easy places to run when you have horses who have achieved like Helium has achieved, because your opportunities are limited. You see that in the entries. It's a good race, a tough race.”

When Helium breaks from the outside post 10 on Saturday, the 2021 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner will be part of a salty group of older runners – including three other grades stakes victors – trying to recapture their best form.

Though he hasn't triumphed in seven starts since that victory at Tampa Bay Downs, Helium has repeatedly held his own against strong company. The only time he has been off the board in ten career starts came when he finished a respectable eighth in the 2021 Kentucky Derby and he heads into the Cowboy Jones off a trio of runner-up finishes in as many starts this season.

After opening his 2022 campaign with a pair of second-place outings over the all-weather surface at Woodbine, Helium took place honors in the Michael G. Schaefer Memorial Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 9, an effort Casse believes is the most encouraging run he has seen from the bay gelding of late.

“I thought his couple efforts at Woodbine were lackluster to be honest with you. But I thought his last race at Indiana was really good,” Casse said. “He kind of had a wide trip and I thought it was a really good race. The good news for us is, since that race, he's come back and trained very well.

“We're looking for something to get him kickstarted and get a confidence builder but, like I said it's extremely difficult because there are very few races he can even run in. It's a difficulty that we have with older stakes horses. You can see that in the horses (in this field).”

Among the seasoned pros Helium is set to face this weekend is 2021 Louisiana Stakes (G3) winner Title Ready, Grade 3 victor Night Ops, and this year's Oaklawn Handicap (G2) hero, Last Samurai.

Trained by Dallas Stewart, Title Ready is also trying to halt a seven-race losing skid though his defeats during that span including outings in the 2021 Dubai World Cup (G1) and this year's Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1). The Charles Fipke homebred has run into the buzzsaw that is Olympiad in his last two starts, finishing third behind the Bill Mott trainee in the May 6 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and fifth next time out in the July 2 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2).

Last Samurai, formerly trained by Stewart and now conditioned by the legendary D. Wayne Lukas, also exits the Stephen Foster having finished seventh in what was his first start since upsetting the field in the Oaklawn Handicap.

The Brad Cox-trained Night Ops annexed the 2020 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) but hasn't run since opening his 6-year-old campaign with a fourth-place finish in an allowance optional claiming race at Oaklawn on Jan. 9.

Where those aforementioned rivals typically come from off the pace, Helium can flash early speed if needed.

“He is very tactical so if he breaks and there is not a lot of speed, he could be on the lead if not very close to it,” Casse said.

One who could dictate the early going is Tut's Revenge, who is wheeling back in the Cowboy Jones two weeks after running second in the Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes at the Pea Patch. The 6-year-old Eskendereya gelding rated third in that most recent outing and was beaten just a neck by Necker Island in the 6 ½-furlong test.

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The National Steeplechase Association's summer season continues this week with the $75,000 Jonathan Kiser novice stakes at Saratoga.

On Wednesday, a field of seven is expected to face NYRA starter Hector Soler in the Kiser, at 2 1/16 miles.

Leslie Young saddles Leipers Fork Steeplechasers' Perfect Tapatino and Maranto Manor's newcomer Lydford. Perfect Tapatino, an eight-time winner of $162,000, is coming off a handicap score at Willowdale. He's also hit the board in two previous Saratoga allowances. British-bred 5-year-old Lydford makes his first U.S. start. Young and jockey Tom Garner purchased the son of Fastnet Rock out of the Ascot Sale in May with the fun idea he could qualify for Royal Ascot's Ascot Stakes Heritage Handicap on the turf, according to the trainer.

“He was the total outsider and finished a hard closing ninth of 19,” Young said. “So we were delighted for him and his owners Devon and Jackie Smith. We had the plan either way of aiming for Saratoga. He has won over hurdles in England with Dan Skelton. Hopefully, he will appreciate the quick ground and pace in front of him that he will see Wednesday, and is fresh enough to come with a run. He is very straightforward. Just hope he takes it all in and stays relaxed.”

Meanwhile, Keri Brion saddles a trio in the Kiser. Atlantic Friends Racing's Theocrat exits a length-and-a-half victory in a 115 ratings handicap at Colonial Downs on July 18. Blue Streak Racing, Meta Horse Racing, and CFC Stables' Going Country is a two-time 2022 winner. He broke his maiden at Tryon, followed by an allowance victory at Middleburg. He finished third in the Green Pastures novice stakes at Iroquois. In three starts in Europe, Irv Naylor's Howyabud earned a win and two seconds, followed by a 10-length romp in an allowance race at Great Meadow in May.

Holwood Stable's 9-year-old veteran Decisive Triumph, who has earned a quarter-million-dollars in 39 races over seven seasons, has two seconds and a third in novice stakes competition this year for trainer Mark Beecher. Rounding out the field is Del Rio Racing's Burn the Evidence, the only mare in the field, trained by Ricky Hendriks. The 5-year-old came over from Europe for the Margaret Currey Henley filly and mare stakes at Iroquois, and ran a sharp second to newly minted G1 winner Down Royal.

For full entries, click here: https://nationalsteeplechase.com/racing/

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 Steeplechase: Veterans Vs. Newcomers In Wednesday’s Jonathan Kiser Novice Stakes At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Patricia's Hope, LLC and Mark Farrar's Conagher (Jimmy Creed), who broke his maiden one year ago at Colonial Downs, went gate-to-wire in his New Kent, Va., return Monday in the featured $100,000 Housebuster Overnight Handicap. A field of six 3-year-olds competed seven furlongs over the 1 1/4-mile dirt oval.

With the scratch of #1 Scaramouche, Conagher departed from the inside — gate position 2 — and raced there through the opening quarter with regular rider Joe Rocco Jr. in the irons. Leslie Cummings' Exxel, looking for his third straight win, stayed within one-half length of the leader until the top of the stretch at which point Conagher opened up by three. The Michael Tomlinson trainee crossed 2 1/4 lengths the best in 1:21.01 while Marablue Farm and Pegasus Stud's Old Homestead closed to finish second. D. Scott Peck and Bessie Gruwell's No Sabe Nada finished third, another 1 1/4 lengths back.

Conagher was fresh off a runner-up finish in the $250,000 Iowa Derby three weeks ago, which followed a pair of dominant allowance wins at Churchill and Keeneland respectively. All three were on dirt. The consistent colt has finished out of the money only once in nine career starts. His bankroll now stands at $312,353 and this year, is 3-for-5.

“We wanted a nice race between the Iowa Derby and the Jerkens Stakes to set him up without having to work half a dozen times,” said trainer Tomlinson. “We thought it would be a good idea to bring him home to where he broke his maiden. We let him run his race which was faster than I thought. The quarter was pretty quick. I hope he comes out healthy and moves forward like we hope.”

The Housebuster field, ten initially, scratched down to six.

“Anytime you can run in a smaller field, it's good, especially if you're on the fence with an inside post position,” added Tomlinson. “He had the worst of it all the way around. Horses were breathing down his neck the whole way and he still got to run his race. We're proud of him.”

“I just kind of sit there, hang on and go for a ride,” said jockey Rocco Jr. afterwards. “With him, the less I do the better. It's gotten to where he knows what to do. I give him head his head, he runs around there fast, keeps going and outruns them.”

Monday's card marked the debut of the 50 cent “Monday Mid-Atlantic Pick-4” wager which features two races at Monmouth Park and two from Colonial. A total of $45,533 was wagered in the initial pool which paid $54.80. The four races were run in a total of 44 minutes. The bet will be offered every Monday through September 5.

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