Tag: Racing

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) will reach its midpoint July 16 when Laurel Park hosts stakes in all four 2022 divisions.

The Saturday program will feature the $150,000 Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division), $100,000 Alma North Stakes (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division), $100,000 Prince George's County Stakes (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Turf division) and $100,000 Big Dreyfus Stakes (Filly and Mare Long—Turf division).

With five series legs this year, the third leg offers those with starts in the first two legs of their respective divisions an opportunity to qualify for bonus money. A minimum of three starts is required.

The bonus money distribution offers up to $92,500 per division and $30,000 for the overall champion by points. For each division, first place pays $30,000 to the owner and $15,000 to the trainer; for second, $20,000/$10,000; and for third, $10,000/$7,500. For the overall champion, the owner receives an additional $20,000 and the trainer $10,000.

The Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association and Virginia Thoroughbred Association have each agreed to offer bonuses to breeders based on the performances of horses in the series. Pennsylvania and Virginia will recognized the top male and female state-bred runners by overall points earned, while Maryland will award bonuses to the top Maryland-bred and Maryland-sired runners by overall points earned.

The following is an overview of the four Laurel stakes.

Prince George's County Stakes

The 1 1/8-mile Prince George's County will feature a rematch between Mark Grier's Eons and Runnymoore Racing's Beacon Hill, who finished one-two a nose apart in the Bensalem Stakes at Parx Racing June 14. The Bensalem was the second stakes in the division this year.

Eons, trained by Arnaud Delacour and to be ridden by Jorge Ruiz, has made all 21 of his starts on turf. The 6-year-old Giant's Causeway horse has competed regularly in graded stakes company and won the Grade III Kent Stakes as a 3-year-old. He is tied for the division lead with 10 points after one series start.

Beacon Hill, trained by Michael Matz with Victor Carrasco named to ride, is one-for-one on the Laurel turf with an allowance win last September. He has a pair of seconds and a fourth in three starts in 2022.

Alma North Stakes

Kaylasaurus, owned by Bush Racing Stable, Liberty House Racing, Blackridge Stables and George Saufley, currently leads the overall MATCH Series standings with 15 points based on a first and a third in the first two legs the division. The 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred mare by Munnings is one of five entered in the 6 1/2-furlong event.

Trained by Tim Kreiser and to be ridden again by Horacio Karamanos, Kaylasaurus has two wins and three seconds in seven starts on the Laurel dirt. The late runner drew the outside post against several mares who prefer to race on or very close to the lead, including Stud Los Leones' Cheetara, CJI Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm's Fille d'Esprit and Daniel Lopez and George Chestnut's Chub Wagon.

Chub Wagon, a 5-year-old Pennsylvania-bred mare by Hey Chub, has 11 victories and one second in 12 starts. Trained by Guadalupe Preciado, Chub Wagon won her only two starts in MATCH competition in 2021 and won a state-bred stakes at Parx Racing June 27 in her first start of 2022.

Fille d'Esprit, trained by John Robb, is second in the division standings with 10 points after her score in the Susquehanna Valley Stakes at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course June 17. It was her first start in the series.

Big Dreyfus Stakes

William Pape's Deciding Vote, winner of the Dahlia Stakes at Laurel to begin the series and subsequently fourth in the Neshaminy Stakes at Parx, leads her division with 13 points. Angel Suarez, aboard the 5-year-old Mr. Speaker mare in those two starts, is named to ride again for trainer Edward Graham in the 1 1/8-mile stakes.

Stuart Janney III's In a Hurry, who finished a half-length behind Deciding Vote in the Dahlia, was third in the Grade III Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in May but missed the second leg of the MATCH division. Forest Boyce will ride for trainer Shug McGaughey.

Timory Ridall's Tic Tic Tic Boom, second in the division standings after two starts for trainer Alan Bedard, is entered in the Big Dreyfus after an even fifth in the Grade III Dr. James Penny Memorial July 12 at Parx. The 4-year-old Hit It a Bomb filly is stabled at Parx and the final round of MATCH competition will be held there Oct. 3.

Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash

Parx-based Beren, owned by Susan Quick and Christopher Felfarak, will make his second start in the 2022 series after a strong second-place finish behind Ny Traffic in the Chocolatetown Stakes at Penn National June 17. Trained by Robert Reid Jr. and to be ridden by Frankie Pennington, Beren, a 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred colt by Weigelia, is poised to have an impact on the division with the championship round at his home track of Parx.

Ny Traffic, nominated for but not entered in the six-furlong De Francis, remains in a tie at the top of the division with 10 points. Beren has 7 points.

No rider was named at time of entry for Pocket 3's Racing's Threes Over Deuces, a Gary Capuano trainee who was fourth in the Chocolatetown after some traffic and third in the first series leg, the Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes in April at Laurel. Threes Over Deuces, a 7-year-old Flat Out gelding with earnings approaching $600,000, would qualify for bonus money with a start on Saturday at Laurel as would Kaylasaurus, Deciding Vote and Tic Tic Tic Boom.

The MATCH Series originally debuted in 1997 and ran for five years. It returned with great success in 2018 and was held in 2019 and 2021. The innovative regional racing series—the only one of its kind in horse racing—combines rich stakes and bonuses for participating owners and trainers who compete over a five- to seven-month span. Horses competing in MATCH earn points based on participation and order of finish in each series race, and the leading point-earners in each of the series divisions, as well as the owner and trainer of the overall points leader, win lucrative bonuses.

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Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Big Invasion is one of two contenders, along with Nobals, bringing a four-race win streak into Sunday's Grade 3, $175,000 Quick Call presented by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomores at Saratoga Race Course.

The Christophe Clement-trained Big Invasion, by Declaration of War, graduated at second asking in February over the Gulfstream Park turf and followed one month later over the same course with a three-length score in the five-furlong Texas Glitters.

Big Invasion shipped to Churchill Downs in May and captured the 5 1/2-furlong William Walker with a close stalking trip. Last out, Big Invasion demonstrated a new dimension, blitzing from nine-lengths off the pace under Joel Rosario to post a 3 1/4-length score in the seven-furlong Paradise Creek on May 29 at Belmont.

“That's Joel, he rides him and decides what style he wants to be ridden,” said Clement. “He's a very nice horse. I'm just hoping for some good weather because I don't want to run him on soft turf.”

Big Invasion will exit post 8 under Rosario.

Clement has also entered multiple-stakes winner Senbei for the main-track only.

Trainer Larry Rivelli has entered a pair of top contenders in Nobals and One Timer but said only one will contest the Quick Call as both are to be cross-entered in the $100,000 My Frenchman on Sunday at Monmouth Park.

Rivelli said Patricia's Hope's Nobals, a six-time winner by Noble Mission, is most likely to run at Saratoga. He enters on a four-race win streak dating to January 8 with a score in the 6 1/2-furlong Turfway Prevue over the synthetic and followed at the same track in April with a gate-to-wire win in the six-furlong Animal Kingdom. The bay gelding then shipped north to Woodbine to capture the six-furlong Woodstock over the Tapeta and followed last out with a 1 1/2-length win in a 5 1/2-furlong turf allowance on June 5 at Churchill Downs.

While his last four wins have come on the front end, Nobals captured the Arlington-Washington Futurity at seven furlongs over the synthetic in August with an off-the-pace approach. He stretched out to one mile on the turf in a productive juvenile campaign that ended with a close fifth, utilizing a closing approach under Irad Ortiz, Jr., in the Golden Mile in November at Del Mar on the Breeders' Cup undercard.

Rivelli said he went into the Del Mar race with high expectations, but the result prompted him to change tactics with the $3,500 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale purchase.

“I thought that was going to be his lick. But we reserved him and rated him and we might have choked the speed out of him. I was disappointed in the effort and at that point I thought maybe we just had a horse,” Rivelli said. “So, we worked with him at the gate and put a little more speed into him and it all just worked out. As he got older, he got better and figured it out. The other day they ran right up to him and I thought they were going to run right by him at Churchill and he just re-broke.”

Rivelli said the revitalized Nobals is capable of taking his racetrack with him.

“He's a good shipper and runs on any surface,” Rivelli said. “He's just got faster and quicker since he's got older. He jumps out of there now a lot faster than he used to. The other day was a pretty good race at Churchill.”

Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount from post 4.

Patricia's Hope and Richard Ravin's One Timer, by Trappe Shot, is named in honor of Rivelli's son, Dominick, a promising hockey player.

“He's a real good hockey player. He's going to go to Miami of Ohio on a hockey scholarship. He plays juniors now,” Rivelli said. “My son is known for having one of the best one-timers, so it's a fitting name. Usually, when you name them after someone they're never any good, but this one worked out.”

A winner of 4-of-5 starts, the bay gelding captured the Victoria over the Woodbine synthetic last July and then shipped to Santa Anita in October to win the Speakeasy at five furlongs on turf. He closed out his 2-year-old campaign with a ninth-place finish, defeated just two lengths by the victorious Twilight Gleaming, in the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

One Timer made a successful seasonal debut last out, posting a 6 1/4-length score in the six-furlong Tom Ridge on May 23 over the Presque Isle Downs synthetic.

“He's been all over. He went to the Breeders' Cup. He went to Canada. The two of them are almost identical horses as far as their running style and the surface they run on,” Rivelli said. “I do want to get One Timer on the dirt at some point as he trains great on it.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano is named on One Timer from post 6.

Rebecca Hillen's Asymmetric, an Irish-bred Showcasing colt, captured the Group 2 Richmond last July at Goodwood before finishing third in the Group 1 Prix Morny in August at Deauville for former conditioner Alan King.

He debuted for conditioner Wesley Ward last out as the pacesetter in the Paradise Creek, opening up a six-length lead before settling for runner-up honors to Big Invasion.

Asymmetric, who races with blinkers off, will exit post 7 under Jamie Spencer.

Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso's New York-bred Run Curtis Run was a game second in the Grade 3 Futurity in October traveling six furlongs over the Belmont turf ahead of an off-the-board effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Trained by Mike Maker, the Summer Front bay launched his sophomore campaign with a pair of starts at Churchill Downs, finishing third to Big Invasion in the William Walker and second last out to Nobals in a June 5 turf allowance.

Ricardo Santana, Jr. retains the mount from post 3.

Rounding out the field are allowance winner Sky and Sand [post 1, Tyler Gaffalione]; three-time state-bred winner Surprise Boss [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche]; and Dance Code [post 5, Abner Adorno],a stakes-winner on dirt. Hagler is entered for the main-track only.

The Quick Call is slated as Race 8 on Sunday's 10-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present daily coverage and analysis of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road will embark on a French campaign this summer as preparation for a potential Breeders' Cup Classic bid in November, with the Grand Prix de Vichy his first engagement on July 20.

Emblem Road, a winner of seven of his nine starts on dirt in Saudi Arabia and over $10m in prize money, recently transferred to the stable of French-based trainer, Alessandro Botti in Chantilly.

The 4-year-old is expected to summer in France before heading to the US for prep races and then on to the Breeders' Cup. While in Europe, his owner, Prince Saud bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, has opted to test his Saudi Cup winner on turf.

Connections have decided to step the 4-year-old up in distance for his first start on turf and go for the Group 3 Grand Prix de Vichy over 1 1/4 miles next Wednesday.

Emblem Road worked on the turf course at Chantilly on Monday morning and afterwards rider Olivier Peslier said: “We stayed behind the lead [horse] and made him run 400 meters quick. He closed a little bit late, but he was coming in the end. The horse is very well.”

Renato Geiger, manager of the racing and bloodstock interests for Prince Saud bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, said: “After the horse won The Saudi Cup [nine furlongs], we had the thought to go to the Breeders' Cup. The first plan was a holiday [in France], not really to run. We thought we'd give him a break and then head to America for a prep race before the Breeders' Cup.

“When Prince Saud bin Salman bin Abdulaziz decided to race him in France, I knew that Alessandro Botti – cousin of Italian trainer Stefano Botti and Newmarket-based Marco Botti – was the right man.

“He's a horse that will never show who he is in the mornings. He's very laid back. That's why Olivier [Peslier] was picked to ride him. He's not only a good racing jockey, but he's a good tester too. Two weeks ago, when we did the first test on the racetrack, we decided to try him over further.

“The main difficulty was to make the adjustment from dirt to grass training. At Chantilly there is an uphill woodchip track and then once a week he goes on the grass, as they also have a turf track. In the last three weeks he's come along very well.”

Emblem Road travelled to France with stable companion and Saudi Cup fourth, Making Miracles, and the pair are accompanied by two of Saudi's top jockeys in Saudi national Meshari Alessa and Alexis Moreno who form part of the team based at the Botti yard this summer.

“There is a nice 2000m race – the Grand Prix de Vichy – where we are going next Wednesday,” said Geiger. “We picked Vichy because it is a flat track, so there are no tricky situations. Where he heads after that is down to Prince Saud bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

“If you look at his work, he looks good on turf. Physically he's a sort of hybrid. He's a smart horse, an athletic horse and we think he's a very special horse.”

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Turf, Texas-breds and 2-year-olds will be on display this weekend as Lone Star Park heads into the stretch of its 2022 Thoroughbred race meet with nine stakes totaling $1,275,000.

Horses from around the Midwest and East Coast will join a strong local contingent in Saturday's Summer Turf Festival featuring a stakes quartet on grass. Sunday's five-stakes Stars of Texas Day showcases Texas-bred horses as well as 2-year-olds that were offered for sale at one of the Texas Thoroughbred Association's auctions, including the TTA Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale in April, with a pair of $150,000 stakes.

“That's been a race that has gained a lot of enthusiasm,” trainer Bret Calhoun said of the pair of Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity stakes, one for fillies and one for colts and geldings. “It's created a market for people to try to acquire horses to run in these, at the sale or after one has run. It's been an important race for a long time. If you're running 2-year-olds in Texas this time of the year, you really want them eligible. It's done a lot for the industry as a whole — the market, the breeders, the pin-hookers, everybody — because everybody focuses on horses that are eligible for the Futurity.”

Also on Saturday: Dollar Day, live music and a National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) qualifying tournament. Lone Star Park has a special first post of 11 a.m. CDT both Saturday and Sunday, with gates opening at 9:30 a.m. For reservations and to purchase tickets visit
lonestarpark.com.

Said Calhoun: “They created a big weekend, putting up a lot of money, where a lot of people from different parts of the country like to come and participate.”

Lone Star's meet ends July 24.

Mike Maker brings in two favorites for Texas Turf Classic

Kentucky-based trainer Mike Maker, a frequent visitor for Texas' grass stakes, sends two of the favorites in Saturday's $300,000 Texas Turf Classic in Three Diamonds Farm's 2-1 favorite Field Pass and 3-1 third-choice Megacity.

The 5-year-old Field Pass, who can become a millionaire in the Turf Classic, won a pair of graded stakes last year and has two thirds in three starts this year, most recently losing Churchill Downs' Grade 3 Arlington Stakes by a total of a neck. Megacity makes his first start for owner Michael Dubb and Maker after being claimed for $80,000 in his last start, a nose victory in a third-level allowance race with the claiming option at Churchill Downs. He'll be the one to catch, with Maker retaining Megacity's previous regular rider, Joe Rocco Jr.

“He's the model of consistency,” Maker said of Field Pass. “I'm hoping he'll appreciate the firm course over there.”

Maker said he had the 1 1/8-mile Texas Turf Classic, a race he won with Dean's Kitten in 2011, in mind when he claimed Megacity. “He's a classy horse who's ultra tough when he's been loose on the lead,” he said.

Calumet Farm's Cellist, the 5-2 second choice, won Churchill Downs' Grade 3 Louisville Stakes in his last start for trainer Rusty Arnold.

The local contingent includes 15-time winner Popular Kid for trainer Shawn Davis, 10-time winner Fred'stwirlincandy (Ronnie Cravens) and the graded stakes-placed Sonneman from the barn of Lone Star Park and North America's all-time winningest trainer, Steve Asmussen.

Bret Calhoun well-stocked for weekend

Texas product Bret Calhoun, whose large operation includes a Lone Star Park division, will come in from Kentucky to saddle horses in stakes both days.

Calhoun has the two favorites in the $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity fillies division in 6-5 program choice Free Drop Maddy and 2-1 Santa Fe Gold. Free Drop Maddy, the TTA Two-Year-Olds in Training auction's sales-topper at $200,000 for owner Landon Jordan of nearby Mansfield, was a good second in her debut at Churchill Downs. Calhoun says he wished he'd gotten in a couple more workouts but needed to get the filly started in order to make the 5 1/2-furlong Futurity, a goal since her purchase.

“I think with a race under her belt, a little time and some nice works coming back that she's really ready for this race,” he said.

Santa Fe Gold won her debut at Lone Star Park for prominent Texas owners Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch.

“She's a really nice filly, too,” Calhoun said. “I thought she ran unbelievably well the first time out. We knew she was talented, but I didn't honestly think I had her completely ready. We were targeting the Futurity and we knew we had to get a race into her, that she was far enough along to run a really good race. But she ran even better than I expected.”

Calhoun also sends out James Stodola's debut winner Vietnam Victory in Sunday's $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity's colts and gelding division at 5 1/2 furlongs.

“He ran very professionally, ran very well,” Calhoun said of Vietnam Victory's first start at 4 1/2 furlongs. “I don't think he's necessarily the kind of horse that you'd expect him to run 4 1/2, 5 furlongs early on. But I think he was just one of those mentally ready to do it and we had him physically prepared. But I suspect he can be better later in the year and a little bit farther. I think you'll see him move forward this week as well.”

Gold Pilot will carry the banner of the stakes sponsor in Sunday's $75,000 Highlander Training Center Assault Stakes for Texas-bred 3-year-olds and up at a mile on turf. Gold Pilot is co-owned by Hirsch, owner of the Highlander Training Center an hour east of Dallas, and Sanders. Calhoun said he doesn't think Gold Pilot particularly cares for the turf but that the horse is in good form and there really wasn't another logical spot to run.

William Reed's Calhoun-trained Excess Magic comes into Saturday's $150,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint at five-eighths of a mile off victory in Lone Star's Chamberlain Bridge.

“That horse has been so solid from Day One,” Calhoun said of the 4-year-old colt. “I think this horse could be even better if he could get a little more ground. He's a horse that you don't find that right distance a whole lot on turf. I think three-quarters of a mile, 6 1/2 up to seven-eighths, he'd be a top horse. I think five-eighths of a mile is a little bit short for him, but he's got enough class to get it done. Obviously things have to go just right for him to get up at five-eighths, but he's been a very consistent horse with a tremendous turn of foot.”

More on Saturday's stakes: Yes It's Ginger returns

Brilliant Racing's Yes It's Ginger returns from Kentucky in pursuit of a repeat in last year's $150,000 Chicken Fried Stakes at five furlongs on turf for fillies and mares. The 6-year-old mare, trained by Greg Foley, hasn't run since Jan. 21.

“We started talking about returning to defend our title the minute we crossed the finish line in front last year,” said Joe Kristufek, a founding member of Brilliant Racing and racing analyst for Churchill Downs and the Fair Grounds. “Ginger loved the course there, Rey (Gutierrez) gave her a great ride, and Lone Star provided excellent hospitality for our group. She wasn't quite herself this winter at Fair Grounds, so we decided to give her a break and point to the Chicken Fried Stakes. She's ready, but the purse has doubled and we know it's not going to be easy.”

Shirley's Temple, trained by Mindy Willis for owner Tye Smith, puts her 8-for-16 turf record — which includes three allowance victories over the Lone Star course this meet — on the line in the $150,000 Wasted Tears Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

More on Sunday's stakes: Heiligbrodts' Bling Bling Bling one to beat

Bling Bling Bling, an impressive maiden winner in the Texas Stallions Stakes Staunch Avenger Division, returns as the 6-5 favorite in the TTA Futurity colts and gelding division. Last year's $175,000 TTA yearling sale purchase is trained by Steve Asmussen for notable Texas owners Corinne and Bill Heiligbrodt. Asmussen has another one of the favorites in Lone Star debut winner Village Way, a $97,000 TTA 2-year-old purchase owned by Big D Thoroughbreds and Chuck Hovitz.

The Texas Thoroughbred Racing Club, in partnership with Ronnie Bruce and Ryan Duffy, earned its first victory when the Danny Pish-trained Straight Luck won by 4 1/2 lengths on June 25. Now the Racing Club — created to foster new ownership in Texas racehorses — will try to win its first stakes in the TTA Futurity.

“His last race was pretty much according to script,” Pish said. “I was really proud of the effort. He broke, put himself in a good spot and did give himself just a little bit of a breather and then kicked home the way you'd want one too. He's trained really nice coming into the Futurity.”

The Texas Thoroughbred Racing Club, which is managed by CJ Thoroughbreds, purchased Straight Luck for $80,000 at the TTA 2-year-old sale. “A rare circumstance where a plan begins to come together,” Pish said. “Of course there were many others with the same idea. Probably the majority in the race were purchased with that idea.”

The win for the Racing Club “would be huge,” he said. “It's really good for new owners, to get them excited and to prove that it's possible. It's not just a pipe dream. But I'm going to tell you, this is anybody's race.”

The $75,000 Highlander Training Center Assault brings back the top three finishers in the June 19 Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Stakes in Kenai Bob, Stans Hookin Bull and Dust Em. Kenai Bob won the Assault last year. Owner/trainer/breeder Jaylan Clary has entered her exciting 2-for-2 Texas-bred 3-year-old Mr. Nightblinger in the mile turf stakes.

Shes Our Fastest from the Jayde Gelner barn and the Karl Broberg-trained Ima Discreet Lady, the 1-2 finishers in last year's $75,000 Valor Farm, are both back in the stakes for Texas-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs.

James Sills' No Mas Tequila, winner of Lone Star's Lane's End Danny Shifflett Scholarship Stakes in her last start, is the 6-5 favorite in the $75,000 Fiesta Mile presented by Mr. Speaker at Forks Of The Paluxy, a stakes for accredited Texas-bred fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

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