Tag: Racing

Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife repelled a challenge from runner-up Crazy Beautiful and earned her first victory of the year in the $250,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes on the Ohio Derby (G3) undercard Saturday at JACK Thistledown.

With Tyler Gaffalione riding for trainer Mike Maker, Army Wife overcame a somewhat troubled start as she was one of several horses bounced around after Jlo Can Dance bore in badly when the gates opened.

Soon settled by Gaffalione, Army Wife prompted the pace set by Maliced into the far turn, then took over to lead by a half-length in early stretch.

Crazy Beautiful, a multiple graded stakes winner also caught in the chain reaction bouncing at the start, raced in fourth, then fifth, before advancing into third nearing the far turn. With Army Wife in her sights, she moved into second, 1 ½ lengths behind the leader, but could get no closer than three-quarters of a length back at the finish line.

Army Wife finished the 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares in 1:50.80 on a fast track. She returned $4.40 as the 6-5 favorite in the eight-horse field.

She's Pure Silver, sent off at 54-1, rallied from sixth while never far back and finished third, 5 ¼ lengths behind Crazy Beautiful. The race was marred when Grade 1 winner Maracuja, who raced in last place under Kendrick Carmouche at the half-mile mark, was eased to the wire after sustaining an injury to her left foreleg in deep stretch and vanned off.

Army Wife, a 4-year-old Declaration of War filly, posted her third stakes triumph, following back-to-back victories last year in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and Iowa Oaks (G3). Overall, she has a 5-1-5 record from 14 lifetime starts and purse earnings of $786,272.

Bred in Kentucky by J. D. Stuart and AR Enterprises & Sales from the Arch mare Tread, Army Wife was a $190,000 purchase by Ryder Finney, agent, at the 2020 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training.

The post Bounced Around At Start, Army Wife Proves Best In Lady Jacqueline Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Making his first start since finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Peachtree Stable's Tawny Port captured the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3) Saturday at JACK Thistledown, winning from White Abarrio, the runner-up, and Classic Causeway, third, each also making their first starts since unplaced finishes in the Louisville classic May 7.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Ohio Derby, Tawny Port won by one length after settling in fifth of seven runners through Pineapple Man's opening quarter mile in :22.82 as that rival dueled Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Classic Causeway for command and Curlin Florida Derby (G1) victor White Abarrio raced in third.

When Pineapple Man threw in the towel, Classic Causeway got his head in front for a half mile in :47.08. He opened a 1 ½ length lead through six furlongs in 1:11.08 while White Abarrio got ready to rally to his outside.

Also ready to run, Tawny Port advanced steadily through the far turn and went wide to grab a slim lead in early stretch from Classic Causeway, who was running out steam. He responded willingly when Ortiz asked and knuckled down to easily best White Abarrio. Classic Causeway was another 1 ¼ lengths back.

Tawny Port completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.46 for his third win of the year and fourth overall from seven career starts for trainer Brad Cox. He returned $4.60.

Prior to the Kentucky Derby, Tawny Port won the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) April 16 at Keeneland and was runner-up in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) April 2 at Turfway Park following a fifth in the Risen Star (G2) in February at Fair Grounds in his stakes debut. After winning his only start at age 2, he opened 2022 with an allowance victory at Turfway January 7.

Tawny Port, by Pioneerof the Nile, was bred Kentucky by WinStar Farm from the Macho Uno mare Livi Makenzie.

A $430,000 purchase by Peachtree's John Fort from Machmer Hall Sales at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale, he has lifetime earnings rose to $727,000 with the winner's share of $300,000 of the Ohio Derby purse.

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Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander gave four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown a sweep of both Saturday stakes at Belmont Park when capturing the $250,000 Mother Goose (G2) for sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles.

The triumph came just shy of three hours after Brown saddled fellow 3-year-old filly and Grade 1-placed Eminent Victor to a hard-fought win in the one-mile $100,000 Wild Applause over the Widener turf.

“My staff has done a remarkable job,” said Brown, who has won 13 stakes during the Belmont spring/summer meet. “We had a bunch of different horses in today and won both stakes today as we're getting to the finish line of the Belmont meet. It's capping off a real super summer for us.”

Gerrymander, an Into Mischief bay, made amends from a distant sixth-place finish in the Eight Belles (G2) on May 6 at Churchill Downs. The now three-time winner would not be denied in her second start off a layoff, sweeping three-wide in upper stretch to edge clear past the three-sixteenths pole and secure a three-length win.

Gerrymander broke on top from post 3 but took back under Joel Rosario as 1-2 favorite Juju's Map gained command through an opening quarter-mile in :24.09 over the fast main track with less than two lengths covering the four-horse field. Juju's Map maintained her advantage down the backstretch as Gerrymander stalked a close third on even terms with Shahama to her outside and Venti Valentine in close contention in fourth.

Shahama loomed closer and right off the flank of Juju's Map through a sharp half-mile in :46.90, eventually taking command as Rosario angled Gerrymander several paths wide and in the clear. Gerrymander gained advantage just past the quarter pole and extended her lead throughout the stretch run, stopping the clock in a final time of 1:43.74. In victory, Gerrymander, who returned $15, secured her second stakes score and first at graded level.

Shahama, winner of the UAE Oaks (G3) in February, completed the exacta 4 3/4 lengths clear of Juju's Map. Venti Valentine rounded out the order of finish. Midnight Stroll was scratched.

Gerrymander finished a distant second to Echo Zulu in the Frizette (G1) in October at Belmont before capturing the Tempted one month later in wire-to-wire fashion over Big Sandy, defeating eventual stakes-winner Magic Circle and subsequent Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up Nest.

“When she broke out on the front, I liked it because she trains that way–like a horse that will like being on or near the lead as we stretch her out. In her works, she's like that,” said Brown, who won the 2019 Mother Goose with Dunbar Road. “When he [Joel Rosario] decided to put a hold on her a little bit and let Juju's Map overtake them, I did question it down the backside. I didn't know that was the right move. When I saw the fractions from :24 to :46, they went an inside :22 and change, I said, 'Well, actually, Joel has a better clock than I do because that was probably the right move to do.' And sure enough, it was the winning move.”

Rosario, who added a fourth Mother Goose conquest to his resume, said Gerrymander made the lead by default.

“She broke well and it looked like they didn't want the lead. So, I kind of went and they wanted it down the backside a little bit, so I just had to be where I was,” Rosario said. “She handled everything fine and she was able to come into the last turn and get the jump. She seemed really comfortable, and it worked out good. It set up well.”

Bred in Kentucky by Town and Country Horse Farms and Pollock Farms, Gerrymander banked $137,500 in victory while improving her record to 6-3-2-0. She was purchased for $375,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Gerrymander is out of the graded stakes-placed Hard Spun mare Ruby Lips, who also produced millionaire dirt marathon specialist Lone Rock.

Brown said Gerrymander's pedigree could put her in the mix for the $600,000 Alabama (G1) at 1 ¼ miles on August 20 at Saratoga Race Course. He swept the Mother Goose-Alabama double with Dunbar Road.

“Being a half to Lone Rock, who is a cool, consistent horse, who runs all day on the dirt, you'd figure she'd have some similarities,” Brown said. “Hopefully, with her pedigree, I don't think a mile and a quarter is out of the question for this horse. I'd like to try and get to the Alabama with her.”

The post Gerrymander Scores First Graded Win In Mother Goose, Secures Saturday Stakes Double At Belmont For Trainer Brown appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lady Rocket went straight to the front and turned back late charges by Sconsin and Bell's the One to win the 32nd running of the $200,000 Chicago Stakes (G3) by 2 ¾ lengths Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Ricardo Santana Jr. rode Lady Rocket to victory for trainer Brad Cox and co-owners Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and Marshall Gramm's Ten Strike Racing. She ran seven furlongs over a fast track in 1:21.62.

The victory was worth $121,330 and boosted Lady Rocket's earnings to $699,588 with a record of 7-3-2 in 14 starts.

This was the 5-year-old mare's fourth stakes win and second against graded stakes company. Last fall, she won the Go for Wand Handicap (G3) by nine lengths at Aqueduct.

Lady Rocket, who finished third in the Grade 2 Ruffian at Belmont seven weeks ago, got away from the gate fast from post 3 in the field of seven fillies and mares and rattled off an opening quarter mile in :22.67 and a half-mile in :45.36 as Kalypso and Bayerness attempted to keep up.

Into the turn, Lady Rocket opened up a 1 ½-length advantage as 3-1 favorite Sconsin, who was tracking from fourth, ranged into contention. Sconsin appeared to come within a length at the top of the stretch with a three-wide move, but Lady Rocket had plenty left and spurted clear down the stretch for the win.

“We were impressed she was able to hold her speed this afternoon at seven furlongs,” Cox said. “I think she may be best at 6 ½ furlongs and Ricardo gave her a little bit of a breather up the backside and I think that helped her holding off some really nice fillies and mares that were in this field.”

Lady Rocket paid $9.80 as the 7-2 fourth betting choice. Sconsin was 1 ½ lengths clear of Bell's the One, who rallied up the rail for third.

Four Graces, Bayerness, Pennybaker, and Kalypso completed the order of finish.

“Her best weapon is her speed and she broke well from the gate and took me right to the front,” Santana said of the winner. “She relaxed on the front end and was able to save energy before the stretch. I was looking over for Corey (Lanerie) on Bell's the One because I know he likes to come up the rail. So I wanted to make sure she didn't sneak up on us with (Sconsin) closing on the outside. She was able to hold off everyone.”

The next target for Lady Rocket is likely the $500,000 Ballerina Handicap (G1) for fillies and mares over seven furlongs at Saratoga on August 28, according to Cox.

Lady Rocket is a daughter of Tale of the Cat out of the Eskendereya mare Allons Danser and was bred in Kentucky by La Ciega LLC & Tale of the Cat Syndicate.

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