Tag: Racing

In a competitive field that is brimming with multiple stakes winners, the Sean McCarthy-trained Shaaz garnered the support of the morning-line odds maker who installed him as the 2/1 morning-line favorite for Monday's $400,000-Guaranteed Steve Sexton Mile(G3) at Lone Star Park.

Coming off a win in his last start in an one mile allowance-optional claiming event at Santa Anita in April, the 4-year old colt Shaaz looks to keep his undefeated record intact as he faces nine rivals in the one-mile dirt stakes event. Two starts back, the son of Uncle Mo finished second in his second career start but was awarded first-place after the winner was disqualified.

The colt is a $1.1 million dollar 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In-Training sales graduate that was previously trained by Bob Baffert. Kentucky Derby winning jockey Florent Geroux has the riding assignment from post 8.

Multiple graded stakes winning Rated R Superstar comes into the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) as perhaps the most accomplished of the ten runners going postward in the $400,000-guaranteed event. The 9-year old gelding has been successful with two stakes victories in 2022 from four starts for owner Danny Caldwell and trainer Martin Villafranco. Rated R Superstar has won three graded stakes in his career, and will be handled by jockey Reylu Gutierrez from post position one in the Memorial Day feature.

Other notable runners taking to the Grand Prairie, Texas, race course for the 2022 Steve Sexton Mile (G3) include the 2021 Jeffery A. Hawk Memorial Stakes winner Popular Kid from the barn of trainer Shawn Davis; Delta Mile winner Flash of Mischief; 2020 Southwest Stakes (G3) winner Silver Prospector; 2022 Sunland Park Handicap winner Sheriff Brown; multiple stakes winner Mine That Star; the stakes-placed Tesoro; and Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained Mish.

The field for the 2022 $400,000-Guaranteed Steve Sexton Mile (G3):

1. RATED R SUPERSTAR – Reylu Gutierrez – Martin Villafranco – 10/1
2. TESORO – Sonny Leon – O.J. Jauregui – 20/1
3. MINE THAT STAR – Kelsi Purcell – H. Ray Ashford, Jr. – 20/1
4. SHERIFF BROWN – Leandro D. Goncalves – Todd Fincher – 12/1
5. ELECTOR – Victor Espinoza – John W. Sadler – 3/1
6. MISH – Edwin Gonzalez – Saffie Joseph, Jr. – 7/2
7. POPULAR KID – Jose L. Alvarez – Shawn Davis – 15/1
8. SHAAZ – Florent Geroux – Sean McCarthy – 2/1
9. FLASH OF MISCHIEF – Ry Eikleberry – Karl Broberg – 12/1
10. SILVER PROSPECTOR – Stewart Elliot – Steve Asmussen – 12/1

The $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile(G3) is scheduled as the twelfth race on the Memorial Day card with an approximate post time of 7:35 p.m. CST.

The Lone Star Million Day card on Memorial Day at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas contains a total of six stakes events worth a combined purse of $1,200,000. The $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile (G3) headlines the card of stakes events that also includes the $300,000 Texas Derby for 3-year-olds going 8.5f on the dirt, and the $200,000 Quija Board Distaff for fillies and mares going one mile on the turf. The three other stakes events on the card are the $100,000 Chamberlain Bridge Stakes, the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint, and the $100,000 Speightstown Sprint.

The first post-time of the twelve-race Memorial Day card at Lone Star Park is 1:40PM CST, 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.

The post Former Baffert Trainee Shaaz Headlines Steve Sexton Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak shares slices of life from the Grand Island, Neb., racetrack throughout the 2022 meet in the Fonner Files.

This winter, before, during and after the Nebraska legislative session, I've been very outspoken in my efforts to communicate the dire straits that the Nebraska horse racing industry has fallen into.

I'm full of optimism about the future, but in order to protect our Thoroughbred industry racing from bad decisions and reckless behavior, I've needed to blurt out some straight talk about an industry I'm entirely committed to.

Fonner Park had to pick up additional race days in 2022 that we did not plan on. I hoped to offer increased purses this year but couldn't. The hard fact is that there is never a day of mutuel handle at Fonner Park that covers our purses for that day. We get our purses paid over the long haul; over the course of a year.

I remain bent on increased purses and am working all angles to achieve that – whether we have slot reels spinning by our 2023 condition book or not. But there's never a dollar spent, earned or saved here at Fonner Park without the intention of the betterment of the horses or horsemen.

Nebraska HBPA president, Garald “Wally” Wolleson has demonstrated his passion too, and we've both faced some unforeseen twists and turns. Truthfully, without casino operations, it's a weak outlook. However, with the collaborative effort from every track in the state, we're back in the game – big time! Nebraska Thoroughbred racing, and our state agriculture industry that supports it, is at the gate of a worthwhile and genuine rebirth. Let's giddyup!

The post Fonner Files: What’s Next For Fonner Park? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Having left his County Dublin yard to go racing on Tuesday afternoon, trainer James McAuley was stunned by the news that 17 of his racehorses in training had broken loose from their pasture and were galloping over the local paved roads, despite having been ridden out that morning, reports racingpost.com.

Though all 17 were returned to his yard in Ireland, two horses had to be euthanized due to injuries incurred during the ordeal.

“It was a nightmare and I have no idea why it happened,” McAuley told racingpost.com. “Horses always go out to the field here and we always pride ourselves on being able to let them out.

“The same horses have always gone out before but something set them off, we don't know what. They broke through a gate out on to the road and after that it was a bit of a disaster.”

No cars or humans were injured during the horses' journey, believed to have continued on as far as eight kilometers away from the yard. The 15 surviving horses suffered nicks and cuts, as well as sore feet, and will be given plenty of time to recover.

Read more at racingpost.com.

The post ‘Nightmare’ In Ireland: Two Horses Euthanized After 17 Racehorses Break Loose From Pasture appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle a trio of formidable contenders in Derrynane, Breeze Easy and Anador in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Soaring Softly, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies over the Widener turf, at Belmont Park.

Waterville Lake Stables' Derrynane, a New York homebred by Quality Road out of the graded-stakes placed Hard Spun mare Portmagee, enters from a narrow neck defeat to Ruthin in the 5 1/2-furlong Limestone on April 15 over good Keeneland turf.

Derrynane, who has yet to travel beyond 5 1/2-furlongs through five career starts, graduated at first asking against fellow state-breds in July at Saratoga Race Course. She captured the Woodbine Cares two starts later in September over the inner turf ahead of a rallying fourth, defeated a length by Twilight Gleaming in the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar.

“I thought her race at Keeneland was very impressive. She got beat but she was very game and willing. She finished well to the end. It will be interesting to see if we can stretch her out a bit,” said Clement.

Joel Rosario, aboard for all five starts, retains the mount from post 9.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Breeze Easy, a British-bred daughter of Bated Breath, launched her career in England for trainer David Evans, breaking her maiden in August at Carlisle.

The dual stakes placed filly finished third in the six-furlong Rockingham on Oct. 9 at York and second in the Radley over seven furlongs on October 23 at Newbury before being purchased for $349,534 at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

Breeze Easy wintered with Clement at Payson Park in Florida and has breezed regularly in company with Derrynane, including a May 13 effort over the Belmont inner turf in 50.34.

“Breeze Easy is training very well,” Clement said. “They are perfect together. They finish well, they're willing and they stick together. They're a good team.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call on Breeze Easy from post 2.

Completing the Clement troika is Tony Weintraub, Tango Uniform Racing, and Brandon Dalinka's French-bred Anador, who enters from a strong second-place finish in a one-mile optional-claimer on April 21 over firm Gulfstream Park turf.

The Anodin chestnut launched her career in her native France with Frederic Head before joining Clement in the fall and graduating in October traveling one-mile over good Belmont turf. She finished fifth, defeated two lengths, in her stakes debut in the 1 1/16-mile Tepin in November at the Big A to close out her juvenile campaign.

Anador exits post 5 under Eric Cancel, who guided Bye Bye to victory in last year's Soaring Softly for Clement.

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron and Team Hanley's Haughty will make her seasonal debut for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown.

The Empire Maker bay crossed the wire first in her September debut at Belmont but was disqualified and placed third after interfering with Diamond Hands in upper stretch. Haughty made immediate amends, drawing off to a four-length score in October over good Keeneland turf in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight. She completed her campaign with a rallying third-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, defeated less than a length by the victorious Pizza Bianca.

Out of the Kingmambo mare Soaring Emotions, Haughty is a half-sibling to the versatile multiple graded stakes placed Souper Colossal, who, in 2015, won the Texas Glitter at 5 1/2-furlongs on the Gulfstream turf and finished second to Madefromlucky later that year in the nine-furlong Grade 2 West Virginia Derby over the Mountaineer main track.

Flavien Prat picks up the mount from post 8.

Stonestreet Stables' Chardy Party, an Irish-bred daughter of Dark Angel, rallied from ninth to win on debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs against older company on April 27 over the Keeneland turf. The grey demonstrated an impressive turn of foot down the lane under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to inhale her rivals and earn a half-length victory.

Chardy Party breezed six furlongs in 1:15.44 on May 15 over Belmont's inner turf in company with Duke of Hazzard, who finished a distant second in Saturday's Seek Again at Belmont.

Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Chardy Party from post 12.

Madaket Stables and Michael Dubb's Ouraika captured the Grade 3 Sweet Life in February at 6 1/2-furlongs over the Santa Anita turf. Trained by Graham Motion, the French-bred Zelzal bay stretched out to one-mile last out in the Grade 2 Appalachian on April 9 at Keeneland, finishing a distant seventh.

Ouraika launched her career in her native France and graduated in July at Dax before shipping to Motion's care in North America to launch her stateside campaign with a fourth-place finish in the Chelsey Flower in November at Belmont.

Ouraika will emerge from post 11 under Manny Franco.

Treadway Racing Stable's Kentucky homebred Sail By, by Astern, captured the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Miss Grillo in October at Belmont ahead of an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at one mile in November at Del Mar.

Trained by Leah Gyarmati, Sail By set the pace en route to a third-place finish in her seasonal debut in the 1 1/16-mile Memories of Silver on April 24 over the Aqueduct Racetrack turf.

Jose Lezcano will guide Sail By from post 10.

The tastefully named maiden winner Wonka, by Twirling Candy, will make her stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and owner LNJ Foxwoods.

The $140,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase graduated at second asking in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on March 27 over the Gulfstream Park turf, besting next out winner Linda's Gift by 2 1/4-lengths.

The regally-bred Wonka is out of the unraced Arch mare Monarchia, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Interactif. Wonka's fourth dam is Hall of Famer Personal Ensign.

Wonka will exit post 7 under Jose Ortiz.

Rounding out the field are stakes-placed Champagne Poetry [post 1, Luis Saez], who returns to turf for the first time since her maiden voyage for trainer Chad Summers; the Derek Ryan-trained maiden winner Lost My Sock [post 3, Dylan Davis], who finished a close fourth last out in the Limestone; along with maiden winners Snow Loves a Fight [post 6, Trevor McCarthy] and Wish You Well [post 4, John Velazquez]. Baby Man, who would add blinkers, is entered for the main-track only.

The Soaring Softly is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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