Tag: Racing

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. will be sending out Wood Memorial (G2) fourth-place finishing A.P.'s Secret as the 5/2 morning line favorite in the $300,000 Texas Derby on Memorial Day at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

The $150,000 OBS 2-Year-Old In-Training sale purchase by Cupid was on the Kentucky Derby trail in the first part of 2022 with a seventh-place finish in the Fountain Of Youth Stakes (G2).

“We've been pointing towards this race with the owners (Gentry Farms) being from this part of the country,” said Joseph. “The colt has had three strong works at Gulfstream since the Wood Memorial (G2), and we believe he is sitting on a good effort. Hopefully he shows it in the Texas Derby.”

Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Sonny Leon is slated to ride Fowler Blue for trainer Doug O'Neill, who sends out a pair of runners in the 8 1/2-furlong event. The other O'Neill runner in the Texas Derby, Win The Day, is coming off of a fifth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in his last out. Win The Day posted an impressive five-length maiden score at Santa Anita in March.

“Win The Day has been training very well since his last out, and we are hoping for him to show us a bit more here in the Texas Derby,” said trainer Doug O'Neill. “He always acted like a two-turn type of horse to us, and we realize that this is a big 'ask' of him to ship to Texas and tackle this field on Memorial Day in the Derby. We hope that we see him step up and perform well here in this spot on Monday.”

California-based trainer Richard Baltas ships into the Texas Derby with his promising 3-year-old Mastery colt, Cover Me Up, as the second choice on the morning line at 3/1. Last time out in an allowance-level event on the Kentucky Derby day undercard, Cover Me Up was outdueled to the wire by eventual Preakness Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Creative Minister. Jockey Florent Geroux will ride Cover Me Up.

Florida-based Strike Hard, from the barn of trainer Matthew Williams, makes the trip for the Texas Derby coming off a win in a optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park in which he wore down his rivals in the last sixteenth to come home as the winner. One start earlier, in the Florida Derby (G1), saw the son of Flashback falter to a seventh place finish. Local jockey Jose Alvarez gets the call in the Texas Derby.

Steve Asmussen sends out a pair of runners in the Texas Derby with Presidential at the 8/1 on the morning line after a fifth-place finish in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at the Fair Grounds three starts back. The Hall of Fame trainer also sends out the highly-touted maiden King Ottoman, who ran an impressive Beyer number of 87 when third last out on Derby day at Churchill Downs.

Rounding out the field is California-invader Got Thunder from the barn of trainer John Sadler with Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza coming into Texas for the mount. At 12/1 on the morning-line, the Arrogate colt hopes to bounce out of his maiden victory last time out at Santa Anita with a victory in the 1 1/16-mile Texas Derby.

The field for the 2022 $300,000-Guaranteed Texas Derby:

1. STRIKE HARD – Jose Alvarez – Matthew Williams – 4/1
2. WIN THE DAY – Reylu Gutierrez – Doug O'Neill – 7/2
3. PRESIDENTIAL – Isaac Castillo – Steve Asmussen – 8/1
4. KING OTTOMAN – Stewart Elliot – Steve Asmussen – 15/1
5. FOWLER BLUE – Sonny Leon – Doug O'Neill – 12/1
6. GOT THUNDER – Victor Espinoza – John Sadler – 12/1
7. COVER ME UP – Florent Geroux – Richard Baltas – 3/1
8. A.P.'S SECRET – Edwin Gonzalez – Saffie Joseph, Jr. – 5/2

Scheduled as the seventh-race on the twelve-race card on Memorial Day is the $100,000 Chamberlain Bridge for turf sprinters going five furlongs.

Bret Calhoun trained Excess Magic has been given the role as the morning-line favorite at 6/5 with jockey Reylu Gutierrez having the riding assignment. The 4-year old son of Magician (IRE) is exiting an optional-claiming event at Lone Star Park last time out, and is expected to come from well of the pace in the Memorial Day event.

The field for the 2022 $100,000-Guaranteed Chamberlain Bridge:

1. TIZ MAGIC – Iram Diego – Karen Jacks – 4/1
2. SPIRIT ANIMAL – Leandro Goncalves – Eduardo Caramori – 20/1
3. ARCHIDUST – Stewart Elliot — Steve Asmussen – 5/2
4. SIGN OF WAR – Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez – Cesar Govea – 5/1
5. BOB'S BAD BOY – Sonny Leon – Mindy Willis – 12/1
6. EXCESS MAGIC – Reylu Gutierrez – Bret Calhoun – 6/5
7. ZIP TIE – Gerber Pivaral – Spencer Leddy – 30/1

The Memorial Day Sprint for fillies and mares going six furlongs on the dirt is scheduled as the eighth race on the Memorial Day Card.

The field for the 2022 $100,000-Guaranteed Memorial Day Sprint:

1. BECCA'S ROCKET – Lane Luzzi – Jayde Gelner – 4/1
2. UPANDCOMINGSTAR – Isaac Castillo – Steve Asmussen – 15/1
3. DISTORTED FLASH – Gerado Mora – Joe Offolter – 20/1
4. SKINNY DIP – Reylu Gutierrez – Gregory Foley – 5/1
5. OUR IRIS ROSE – Richard Eramia – Todd Fincher – 5/2
6. KALYPSO – Stewart Elliot – Steve Asmussen – 7/5
7. HEAVENLY RHYTHM – Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez – Tina Hurley – 20/1
8. STORMIEIS BLUE– Jose Alvarez – Michael Whitelaw – 30/1

The inaugural-running of the Speightstown Sprint for colts and geldings going six furlongs on the dirt is scheduled as the ninth race on the Memorial Day Card.

The field for the 2022 $100,000-Guaranteed Speightstown Sprint:

1. BOLDOR – Stewart Elliot – Steve Asmussen – 15/1
2. EMPIRE OF GOLD – Richard Eramia – Terry Eoff – 6/1
3. RED N WILD – Erick Medellin – Terry Eoff – 20/1
4. MACRON– Isaac Castillo – Steve Asmussen – 7/2
5. BYBEE – Leandro Goncalves – Eduardo Caramori – 20/1
6. IT MAKES SENSE – Jose Alvarez – Shawn Davis – 5/1
7. MR MONEY BAGS– Ernesto Valdez-Jiminez – Jaylan Clary – 3/1
8. CRAZY LEGS HIRSCH– Jansen Melancon – Sarah N. Davidson – 15/1
9. PAYNE– Reylu Gutierrez – Caio Caramori – 5/2

The first post for the twelve-race Memorial Day card at Lone Star Park is 1:40PM CT, with a vehicle giveaway of an all-new 2022 Ford Escape, as well as live music on the Courtyard of Champions stage from 1pm to 6pm, featuring Emerald City's Party Machine.

Kentucky Derby winning jockey Sonny Leon will be taking part in an autograph session between 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. in the first-floor east lobby nearest the Fred Stone-mural.

The post A.P.’s Secret Horse To Beat In Texas Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mighty Heart, Canada's reigning Horse of the Year, and Artie's Storm, are set to make their seasonal debuts, meeting in the Grade 2 $175,000 Stella Artois Eclipse Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.

​A 1 1/16-mile main track event for 4-year-olds and upwards, the Eclipse has attracted a field of six, a group that includes multiple stakes winners Mighty Heart and Artie's Storm, multiple graded stakes winner Special Forces, along with 2021 Queen's Plate and Breeders' Stakes runner-up Riptide Rock.

​Fan favorite, one-eyed Mighty Heart, crowned Canada's Horse of the Year on April 14 at the 47th annual Sovereign Awards, makes his 2022 Woodbine debut in the Eclipse.

​Campaigned by Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame conditioner Josie Carroll for owner/breeder Larry Cordes, Mighty Heart took last year's Grade 2 Autumn Stakes and Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes over the Toronto oval Tapeta, along with the Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs on the dirt. The Ontario-bred also ran second in the West Virginia Governor's Stakes (G3) and concluded his season by heading to Gulfstream Park, where he was third in the Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday Stakes.

​This year, Mighty Heart, who took the first two jewels – the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales – of the 2020 Canadian Triple Crown, finished sixth in his five-year-old debut, the Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes on April 23 at Keeneland.

​“I'm really glad to have him home,” said Carroll. “We didn't have a great effort at Keeneland, but in retrospect, he wasn't overly fond of the surface he was training on over the winter, and probably was not as tight as he should have been. I regret maybe running him a little bit, but I really thought he was ready. After the race, he was just very tired. So, we got a couple of really good works into him now, and he's just tearing the place down. We're really excited to run him.”

​The bay sports a record of 6-2-3 from 17 career starts along with earnings of $1,077,265 (U.S.). ​

​“He's a horse that very much likes his routine, and now he's back in his steady, daily… doing what he's used to doing,” offered Carroll. “He's an unusual horse that way. The nice thing about him is that he's versatile. I think we have to leave it a lot to the rider and see how the race plays out. This horse can win on the lead, he can from just off the pace, he can win in between horses – he does like to engage a horse. He's a bit of a scrapper.”

​Trained and owned by Paul Buttigieg, Artie's Storm, a 4-year-old son of We Miss Artie-Tiz Stormy Now, arrives at his latest engagement riding a two-race win streak, including a campaign-concluding victory in the Steady Growth Stakes on December 4. One race earlier, the dark bay, bred in Ontario by Sunrise Farm, notched a half-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Lake Ontario Stakes.

​David Moran, who has been aboard for all 10 of the gelding's starts, once again gets the call.

​“He's doing great,” said Moran. “It's going to be a tough race, but he's been training fantastic. He seems to be really happy in himself, really mature and working lights out. He's amazing right now.”

​Moran handed out top marks for the horse who has never been favored in any of his races.

​“This year, he seems so happy. Hopefully, he just continues to step up as he gets older. He's such a great horse. It's going to be a big test, two turns, coming off the shelf, but if you were to watch him breeze and train, you'd be pretty impressed. He's actually very straightforward. He's very relaxed in a race and he doesn't use too much energy early on. And then he gives you a great kick. He's just a lovely horse. He's really kind, very laid-back. The groom said he is so kind to brush and easy to tack up. Not too much shakes him up.”

​Artie's Storm debuted in October 2020 at the Toronto oval, rallying to finish third, a neck away from taking top spot in the 5 ½-furlong Tapeta race. He broke his maiden next time out, on June 20, in his three-year-old debut, over seven panels on the main track. After a runner-up result in the Queenston Stakes, he was back in the winner's circle, notching a half-length score in a 1 1/16-mile turf race on July 24.

​Sporting a record of 4-2-3 from 10 starts, Artie's Storm's lone finish outside of the top three was a fifth in last year's Breeders' Stakes, third and final jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown Series.

​He's also a perfect three-for-three at the 1 1/16-mile Eclipse distance.

“From his very first race, I told my agent, 'Do not lose this horse… he's a really good one,'” said Moran. “He had one start as a two-year-old, and then he never looked back after that. He won a couple of really nice races at the end of last year and did it impressively. I'm really looking forward to him this year.” ​

​The Eclipse is race seven on Sunday's nine-race card. First post time is 1:10 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.
​
​STELLA ARTOIS ECLIPSE STAKES FIELD

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
​1 – Special Forces – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard
​2 – Frosted Over – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse
​3 – Mighty Heart – Patrick Husbands – Josie Carroll
​4 – Riptide Rock – Rafael Hernandez – Sid Attard
​5 – Artie's Storm – David Moran – Paul Buttigieg
​6 – Seventyseven Stone – Omar Moreno – Paul Lepiane

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An ungraded stakes winner out of Santa Anita's turf chute on April 10, Hronis Racing's French-bred Bran tried the deep waters of Grade 2 competition at Churchill Downs May 6 and returns to Santa Anita as the likely favorite going about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Daytona Stakes, a race that has attracted six older horses.

Trained by John Sadler, Bran, a 4-year-old gelding, rallied to finish second, beaten 1 ¾ lengths in a field of 13 at odds of 40-1 in the G2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint going 5 ½ furlongs at Churchill, earning a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure, which followed a half length score in the April 10 Siren Lure Stakes here at Santa Anita.

Although he's winless in two tries down Santa Anita's unique hillside layout, Bran ran a solid second to multiple stakes winner Gregorian Chant over the course in a classified allowance three races back on March 25.

With leading man Juan Hernandez riding for the first time, Bran, who is 18-5-4-3 overall with earnings of $286,392, will be seeking his first graded stakes win in the Daytona.

In what will be his first stakes assignment, trainer Dan Blacker's streaking California-bred Burnin Turf, has won three consecutive races, the last two a pair of open company allowances over the course.

A 6-year-old Old English Rancho-bred gelding by Acclamation out of the Vronsky mare Hot Outta the Oven, Burnin Turf is owned by Next Wave Racing, LLC and the Ellwood Johnston Trust and will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, who is a perfect two for two with him. With an overall mark of 12-5-0-4, Burnin Turf has earnings of $256,146.

Neil Drysdale will saddle three horses, Nero, Majestic Eagle and Brazilian-bred Homer Screen, with “Homer” rating a narrow nod over his stablemates.

Idle since running a close sixth in his U.S. debut going one mile on turf in the restricted Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar July 18, Homer Screen, a two-time graded stakes winner in Brazil, has five works on his tab for his return, four of them on Santa Anita's inner training track, including a five furlong spin in 1:01.20 this past Sunday.

A 6-year-old full horse owned by Team Valor International, Homer Screen, who has five wins from seven overall starts, will be ridden back by Joe Bravo, who will no doubt hope to be rolling late.

THE GRADE 3 DAYTONA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 9 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

1. Burnin Turf—Drayden Van Dyke–120
2. Homer Screen—Joe Bravo—124
3. Majestic Eagle—Edwin Maldonado–124
4. Bran—Juan Hernandez—122
5. Nero—Ryan Curatolo—120
6. Kanderel—Umberto Rispoli–122

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.

The post Bran Heads Back Down The Hill In Sunday’s Daytona Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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