Tag: Racing

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) returns to Parx Racing Tuesday with two turf events that are part of the second leg of the 2022 series.

The pair of $100,000 stakes—the Neshaminy and Bensalem, both at 1 1/16 miles—are part of an 11-race program that includes the third leg of two starter allowance sprint series tied to points and bonus money. The Neshaminy and Bensalem are races 8 and 10, respectively. First post time is set for 12:55 p.m. (ET).

The Neshaminy (Filly and Mare Long—Turf division) attracted Deciding Vote, who won the Dahlia Stakes, first leg of her division, in April at Laurel Park. Owned and bred by William Pape and trained by Edward Graham at Fair Hill, Deciding Vote won the Dahlia in her first start of the year to run her career record to 4-2-2 in 10 starts on grass.

The 5-year-old mare by Mr. Speaker will be ridden again by Angel Suarez. The Dahlia was her first start in stakes company.

Also entered in the Neshaminy are Respect the Valleys' Out of Sorts, a Brittany Russell trainee who finished a troubled fifth in the Dahlia; Dede McGehee's Gladys, who was third in the Hillsborough Stakes (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs in March and exits an allowance victory at Churchill Downs; and Timory Ridall's Tic Tic Tic Boom, who is trained by Alan Bedard and overcame traffic to finish a good second in a May 31 allowance race at Parx, where she is based.

The Neshaminy drew a field of 10 that includes one main-track-only runner.

Bruno Schickedanz' Mandate, second in the Henry Clark Stakes at Laurel in his last start in April, is one of 11 (two main-track-only) horses entered the Bensalem (3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Turf division). Based at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course with trainer Robert Johnston, Mandate is second in the MATCH division standings given his strong performance in the Henry Clark behind the highly-regarded Arnaud Delacour trainee Chez Pierre.

Mandate, a 5-year-old Blame gelding, last fall won the Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack at 44-1 under Andrew Wolfsont, who was aboard for the Henry Clark and is named again for the Bensalem.

Delacour, a regular participant in MATCH Series events, has entered Mark Grier's Eons, a five-time winner on turf with earnings thus far of more than $430,000.

Also entered in the Bensalem are Runnymore Racing's Beacon Hill, a close fourth last time out in the Dinner Party Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course; and Wind N' Leaves Farm's Parx-based Mt. Suribachi, who is 4-for-8 with a pair of seconds on grass and prepped for the Bensalem in a Monmouth Park allowance test in late May in his first start of 2022.

Parx will host all four divisions of MATCH action this year on Monday, Oct. 3, which is the fifth and final leg of the series. The June leg was split between Parx and Penn National, which will offer two dirt-sprint division stakes the evening of Friday, June 14.

The MATCH Series bonus money distribution for 2022 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 $5,000 bonuses to breeders based on the performances of horses in the series for a potential total of $30,000. 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.

For the 2022 MATCH Series schedule and rules, click here.

The post Pair Of Turf Stakes Kick Off MATCH Series Return To Parx Racing appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With the legendary former jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. on hand to present the trophy for the race named in honor of racing's 1978 Triple Crown winner, trainer Sean McCarthy was set to pass the proverbial baton back to Bob Baffert following Saturday's $100,000 Affirmed Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita, as his one-two finishers, Hopper and High Connection, will be returning to the currently suspended Baffert early next month.

As for Saturday's results, Hopper, in only his third career start and stakes debut, made short work of three rivals, two of them originally conditioned by Baffert, as he showed the way from gate to wire for an emphatic 5 ¼ length score under Abel Cedillo, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.83. He set early fractions of :23.37, :46.74, and 1:10.99 through six furlongs.

Quick from gate, Hopper was in total command from his rail post with Doppelganger in close attendance in the run up the backside, but even with Drayden Van Dyke asking him, Doppenganger could never get on terms around the far turn and Hopper strode clear through the lane with High Connection just up for the place.

“I saw Juan (Hernandez) asking the other horse (High Connection) at about the 3 ½ mark to get into contention and Doppelganger was moving at the same time, but Hopper was just cruising on the front end, so I had pretty good feeling,” said McCarthy, who also addressed the pending return of Hopper to the Bob Baffert Stable in early July.

“With either one of these two, Hopper and High Connection, it'll be a Del Mar plan I would imagine. What it is, I don't know, but I would assume that's where they're going to be heading and you know, by that time, I'm out of the picture.

“But it was really neat for me today, because I was just a huge Affirmed fan. He was one of the greatest horses of all time. On the bus to school, half the guys were Alydar fans and half of them were Affirmed fans. I know it's a Grade 3 and a $100,000 (purse), but it's really special, especially with Laffit here to present the trophy.”

Well beaten in his six furlong turf debut for Baffert on Feb. 25, Hopper, in his first start for McCarthy, switched to the main track at Santa Anita on May 7 and responded with a 2 ¼-length maiden score with Hernandez up.

With Cedillo aboard for the first time Saturday, Hopper was the third choice in the wagering among four sophomores and paid $8.60.

A $90,000 Keeneland September Yearling from the Paramount Sales consignment, Hopper, who is by Declaration of War out of South African-bred Irridescence, by Caesour, is owned by Lanni Bloodstock, SF Racing, LLC, and Madaket Stables, LLC. He was bred in Kentucky by Green Lantern Stables. With the $60,000 winner's share of the Affirmed purse, he increased his earnings to $100,700.

“I never rode the horse; Sean, he doesn't use jockeys to work in the mornings,” said Cedillo. “I watched his last race and he was sharp. So the key was just to get a good break and take it from there. When I left the gate, he was just so relaxed, I was confident with him.”

Off at even money, High Connection finished a half length in front of Doppelganger.

Trained by Tim Yakteen, 7-5 second choice Doppelganger finished 35 lengths in front of Pioneering Papa, fourth and last.

Hopper's Affirmed win marked Cedillo's first stakes score of the meet and his third win on the day, giving him 43 total.

The post Making Stakes Debut, Hopper Romps From Gate To Wire In Affirmed At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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