Tag: Racing

No horse has won four races in a single meet at Churchill Downs since 2005, but Steve Vanovich, Larry Craig, and Speshell Racing's 4-year-old filly Altered Shot is poised to attempt that feat prior to the closing of the 42-day Spring Meet.

Altered Shot began her three-race win streak on opening Night of the Spring Mneet when she defeated four rivals by 2 ½ lengths in a $50,000 claiming event. Since that win, Altered Shot sports victories in a starter allowance event on May 21 and a first-level conditioned allowance on June 12.

Altered Shot's trainer Greg Foley has not made a final decision on which race she'll run in prior to the closing of the meet July 4 but has a couple of options he's keeping open.

“She's been in great form since we got her back going this year,” Foley said. “She ran once at Fair Grounds and may not have been quite as ready as we wanted that day. But, when we got her back here to Churchill we had confidence in her that she'd be ready to go. It's not very often you can run upper-level horses this many times in a single meet because races sometimes won't go. She's rewarded us so far and we're excited about running her before the meet closes.”

A daughter of Alternation–Wyn Jym, by Proud Citizen, Altered Shot was bred in Kentucky by Marianne Strong. She sold to Foley for $28,000 out of the Gainesway consignment at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale and has since bankroflled $260,878 while compiling a career record of 4-1-4 from 11 starts.

Interestingly, the last horse to win four races in a single meet at Churchill Downs was also trained by Foley. In 2005, Ellen's Foxy Girl broke her maiden on May 5 and proceeded to win three more starts before she was claimed July 1.

Since 1991 only nine horses have won four races in a single meet at Churchill Downs. Aside from Ellen's Foxy Girl, the others are Shining Power (1991, trainer Neil Pessin); Aggresive Jay (1992, Jerry Romans and Bill Connelly); Rule Sixteen (1994, David MacLean and Bernie Flint); May I Inquire (1995, Frank Brothers and Jerry Romans); Rowdy Hero (1995, Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage), Brenda's Ziggy (1996, Joe Lucas and Mark Danner); Cayenne (1997, James Hauswald and Earl Murphy), and Burning Marque (2000, Stan Hough).

The post Foley-Trained Filly Altered Shot Seeks To Join Exclusive Company At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Juddmonte's 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mandaloun continued his serious work for the $750,000 Stephen Foster (G2) on July 2 with a swift six-furlong move Sunday in 1:12.40 under regular jockey Florent Geroux.

Mandaloun, who has been away from the races since finishing ninth in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) in February, began his move with fractions of :12.80, :36.40 and 1:00.20. The son of Into Mischief galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

For Geroux, it was a whirlwind 24 hours and he necessarily wasn't scheduled to work Mandaloun. He was slated to ride Saturday at Monmouth Park but didn't make it to the Oceanport, New Jersey track because of several travel delays and caught an early flight back to Louisville for the 5:30 a.m. (ET) work.

Nominations to the Stephen Foster closed Saturday and will be available at www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen in the coming days.

The post Mandaloun Breezes At Churchill In Preparation For Stephen Foster appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Mystic Lake Derby headlines the Mystic Lake Northern Stars Turf Festival Wednesday at Canterbury Park.

Eleven 3-year-olds have been entered for the one-mile turf race that offers a $150,000 purse, the richest of the Canterbury season.

On the 10-race card are four additional turf stakes, all with purses of $100,000 and field sizes of 12 or greater. The Dark Star Turf Sprint attracted 15, the Curtis Sampson Oaks drew 13, the Mystic Lake Mile has 12 and the Lady Canterbury Stakes has 13 fillies and mares entered.

First post time on Wednesday is 5:10 p.m. (CT).

“The card really came together well. All the turf stakes drew full fields,” Senior Vice President of Racing Andrew Offerman said. “The Northern Stars Turf Festival will be extremely competitive with horses from Kentucky, local horses, horses from across the country. It should make for very exciting racing.”

Six of the Mystic Lake Derby entrants are based at Canterbury Park.

Bens Malice, who will break from the outside post position, has two wins over the Shakopee turf course. Owned and bred in Minnesota by Pete Mattson of Prior Lake, Minn., Bens Malice is trained by David Van Winkle and will be ridden by Alonso Quinonez.

Stitched has been stabled at Churchill Downs for trainer Greg Foley. The colt, leading at every call, won the Caesars Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis on May 18. He will be ridden in the Mystic Lake Derby by Florent Geroux. Stitched is the 5- 2 morning line favorite.

The Mystic Lake Mile is led by multiple graded stakes winner Two Emmys, trained by 14-time Canterbury leading trainer Mac Robertson. The 6-year-old, listed at 3-1 as the morning line choice, will be ridden by Roimes Chirinos for owner Wolfe Racing LLC and Hugh Robertson. Locally stabled Tut's Revenge, trained by Clinton Stuart, finished third in the Mystic Lake Mile last year and won the stake in 2020.

Canterbury will offer a special all turf stakes Pick 5 with an industry low 10% takeout and 50-cent base wager that includes the five turf stakes, races 3,4,6,7 and 8.

“Based on horseplayer feedback from last year's Festival we put together a unique wager that features all five of the turf stakes races,” Offerman said. “It is a handicapping challenge we think fans will enjoy.”

The program will also include a 10% takeout pick 4 beginning with the first race and a late pick 5 on the final five races with the same 10% takeout.

The 2021 Northern Stars Festival set a single-day handle record of $3,795,180 when 10 races were run.

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She's back. Well beaten in her last three starts, Private Mission broke sharply, pressed the early pace, and kicked on through lane in taking the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) Saturday at Santa Anita by three-quarters of a length.

Private Mission scored under leading rider Juan Hernandez, who collected his 102nd victory of the Winter/Spring Meet.

Originally trained by the currently suspended Bob Baffert, Sean McCarthy handled the saddling duties Saturday as Baoma Corp.'s 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief got 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.46 on a fast track.

With Lady Mystify going to the front from her rail post under Edwin Maldonado, Private Mission sat second a 1 ½ lengths back midway around the first turn.

One length back at the half mile mark, Private Mission cruised up outside the pacesetter and had a one length edge straightening for home. Never threatened in the final three-sixteenths of a mile, Private Mission was best on the day as recent Grade 2 winner Blue Stripe finished second.

“She broke really sharp and as soon as she saw Lady Mystify in front of me, she relaxed and she was just waiting for me to ask her to go,” said Hernandez, who collected his meet-leading 23rd stakes win . “I'm really happy because I'm doing really well. I just want to thank all the owners and trainers for supporting me. I really appreciate it. I just love to win and ride horses.”

A two-time graded stakes winner last year at age three, Private Mission, who was distanced three starts back in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 6 and soundly beaten in a pair of sprints earlier this meet—the La Brea (G1) on Dec. 26 and the Las Flores (G3) on March 13—was nonetheless off as the 7-5 favorite in a field of six fillies and mares and paid $4.80.

“I watched her break and it was perfect,” said McCarthy. “Private Mission had been training great and full credit to all the crew, Jimmy (Barnes) and everyone. They have done a great job with her and she's come along well. …We passed a race up in New York to stay for this race, which ended up being the right decision. …”

A $750,000 yearling purchase from Lane's End at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Select Yearling Sale at Saratoga, Private Mission, in getting her third graded stakes win, improved her overall mark to 5-1-0 from nine starts. With the winner's share of $120,000, her earnings increased to $397,300.

Blue Stripe, attentive to the pace, got a pocket trip while third approaching the quarter, swung three-wide and outgamed McCarthy's Varda for second money under Tyler Baze. Considering that Blue Stripe got quite a bit of dirt in her face throughout, she ran big race to hold Varda safe by a half length.

A winner of the Santa Margarita (G2) at 1 1/8 miles on April 30, Argentine-bred Blue Stripe was the second choice at 8-5.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, third-place finisher Varda finished 4 ½ lengths in front of Lady Mystify.

The Santa Maria trophy was presented by legendary Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye. In from Louisiana with his wife, Juanita, to visit family, “Eddie D.” sported a New Orleans Saints cap and received a rousing welcome from the crowd when introduced by track announcer Frank Mirahmadi.

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