Tag: Racing

For a deep closer like Kentucky Ghost, it was the perfect set-up: The fast early fractions in Saturday's $106,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes at Monmouth Park provided all the assistance he needed for a breakthrough performance.

With full momentum while swinging five-wide coming out of the final turn, Kentucky Ghost collared pacesetter Winfromwithin at the sixteenths pole before surging to a half-length victory, his first against stakes competition.

The winning time for the 1 1/16 miles on a turf course rated as good was 1:40.44.

“We got the early pace he needs,” said trainer Vickie Oliver. “He's a late-closing horse. It was a good set up for him. He can close in on anything. He has such a big turn of foot and such a big heart. But whenever you get those fast early fractions you always feel a little better about him closing into them.

“The horse that was in front (Winfromwithin) dug in gamely, but our horse is a pretty game horse.”

Jockey Jorge A. Vargas Jr. said he felt better about his chances after seeing the opening six furlongs go in 1:09.97 with the mile reach in 1:34.42.

Kentucky Ghost, a gelded 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper, was last after a half in the nine-horse field and was still sixth after three quarters of a mile.

“I knew they were going fast early. My horse was running and we were pretty far behind the leaders,” said Vargas. “But he was throwing in good licks. So I felt good about him, even though he was far back. So when it was fast I was happy. I was a little worried about the turf, which I thought was a little quick. I didn't want to give myself that much to do but that's the way it worked out.

“When he got running he really got running. I was trying to keep him away from horses because he can come in a little bit. So I wanted to give myself a little room so I didn't take his momentum away. It worked out good.”

Kentucky Ghost, owned by BBN Racing LLC, returned $14.20 to win. Winfromwithin finished 1¼ lengths ahead of Analyze It in third after dueling for the opening six furlongs with Mid Day Image.

Kentucky Ghost had three second-place finishes in stakes company last year, but had yet to win a stakes race. In his seasonal debut on May 7 in the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs he was pulled up and vanned off.

He now has a 4-7-2 line from 21 career starts.

“He's had a few misses in stakes races but he's always consistent and he is always right there except for the last race, which I don't really have any answers for that other than he just didn't take to the turf course that day,” said Oliver. “Hopefully moving forward we can get a couple of more stakes wins over the summer.”

Kentucky Ghost was bred by Blue Devil Racing Stable from the After Market mare Closing Range.

The post Kentucky Ghost Gets Ideal Trip For Breakthrough Stakes Win In Monmouth’s Cliff Hanger appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lothenbach Stables' Grade 1-winning mare Bell's the One did not show up in the entry box for Monday's $200,000 Winning Colors (G3) and instead will wait to run in the $200,000 Chicago (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 25.

Bell's the One, who finished fourth in the $750,000 Derby City Distaff (G1) in her last start, worked as swift half-mile in :47.20 Saturday morning under regular jockey Corey Lanerie. The 11-time winning sprinter made the first start of her 6-year-old campaign in the $500,000 Madison (G1) at Keeneland and finished just three-quarters of a length behind Just One Time.

“I thought she was a little flat in the Derby City Distaff,” trainer Neil Pessin said as he stood on the end of the shank while his prized mare grazed behind Barn 42. “This will give her a little extra time between her starts and still be able to run over the track we know she loves.”

Bell's the One has recorded five victories beneath the Twin Spires including the 2020 Winning Colors. As a 2-year-old, Bell's the One won on the all-weather surface at Arlington and even recorded a turf victory at 3-years-old in the $75,000 Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial at Fair Grounds.

Nominations to the Chicago close June 18.

Several of the horses in Monday's Winning Colors could make their next starts in the Chicago. The six-furlong Winning Colors will go as Race 8 of 9 with a post time of 4:22 p.m. (ET).

A total of five rivals entered the Winning Colors to face five-time winner Sconsin. The Greg Foley-trained daughter of Include has been on the sidelines since her half-length victory in the $300,000 Open Mind in mid-September.

The Winning Colors field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Joyful Cadence (Joe Talamo, John Ortiz, 6-1); Novel Squall (Brian Hernandez Jr., John Ortiz, 5-2); Sconsin (Gaffalione, Foley, 6-5); Li'l Tootsie (James Graham, Tom Amoss, 5-1); Tipsy Gal (Ricardo Santana Jr., Dallas Stewart, 15-1); and Euphoric (Gerardo Corrales, Bernie Flint, 5-1).

The post Grade 1 Winner Bell’s The One Bypasses Winning Colors To Target Chicago Stakes At Churchill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Unbeaten on the Santa Anita turf, Phil D'Amato's Irish-bred Going Global heads a field of eight fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles in Monday's Grade 1, $400,000 Gamely Stakes on the Memorial Day program at the Arcadia, Calif., track.

Although well beaten on a wet-fast main track in the Grade 1 American Oaks Dec. 26, Going Global bounced back with a command performance in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at one mile on turf April 9, as she pressed the pace and went on to an impressive 1 ¾-length win at odds of 1-5 under Umberto Rispoli.

A winner of seven out of her nine stateside starts after arriving from Ireland, Going Global is unbeaten in three tries at the Gamely distance and will be reunited Flavien Prat, who although he has relocated to New York, is back at Santa Anita on Monday.  In eight Southern California starts, seven of them in graded stakes, Prat and Going Global found the winner's circle on six occasions, dating back to her U.S. debut in the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 14, 2021.

A winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks four starts back on Aug. 21, Going Global is unbeaten in five Santa Anita turf starts while being favored in seven of her nine races with D'Amato.  Owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, 4-year-old Going Global is 13-8-1-0 overall with earnings of $769,292.

Ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, the Mike Puype-trained Canoodling was thoroughly dominant in a 1 ¾-length, gate to wire win going a mile on grass in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes May 1, her second graded stakes victory of the meet.

A front-running upset winner of the Grade 3 Megahertz going a mile on turf three starts back on Jan. 29, Canoodling was beaten three lengths when a troubled fifth two starts back in the Grade 2 Buena Vista, also at one mile on grass.

A 4-year-old filly by Pioneerof the Nile out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Miz Kella, Canoodling is owned by B4 Farms, LLC and will be trying 1 1/8 miles for the first time while ridden back by Hernandez.  With an overall mark of 16-8-1-2, she has earnings of $342,023.

A close second in her last two starts, most recently the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, Going to Vegas has a tremendous resume that includes a head win four starts back in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive here on Oct. 2.  Formerly trained by Richard Baltas, she'll make her first start for D'Amato and be ridden for the first time by eastern-based Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Two for three at 1 1/8 miles on turf, Going to Vegas has demonstrated the ability to be on or near the lead or to rally from off the pace.  Owned by Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Medallion Racing and MyRacehorse, she's got three graded stakes wins to her credit and has five wins and as many second from 13 starts on the Santa Anita lawn.  With an overall mark of 25-7-10-2 overall, Going to Vegas has earnings of $699,151.

Trainer Leonard Powell's long-fused French-bred Neige Blanche, a winner of three of her last four races—all at marathon distances on turf, wheels back quickly off a 1 ¼-length win going 1 1/2 miles on turf in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara on May 14.

A Group 3 winner at age 3 in France, Neige Blanche has posted five wins from 12 North American starts for Powell and owners Madaket Stables, LLC, Laura DeSeroux, Marsha Naify and Mathilde Powell.  A close fourth in her lone try at the Gamely distance when beaten 2 ½ lengths in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 20, 2022, Neige Blanche is 18-8-0-4 overall with earnings of $480,280.

GRADE I GAMELY STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 10   Approximate post time 5:30 p.m. PT

Going to Vegas—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—124
Canoodling—Juan Hernandez—122
Ocean Road—Umberto Rispoli—122
Thrumps Dream—Joe Bravo—122
Eddie's New Dream—Mario Gutierrez—122
Going Global—Flavien Prat—124
Neige Blanche—Edwin Maldonado—122
England's Rose—Abel Cedillo—122

First post time for a 10-race card on Monday is 1 p.m.  Providing there is no Single Ticket winner in the 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot leading into Monday, it is expected Monday's Rainbow 6 pool, with a mandatory payout, could reach $5 million.

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