Tag: Racing

Scalding grabbed command off the home turn, opened a commanding lead in the stretch, then held back fast-closing Dynamic One to capture the $300,000 Ben Ali Stakes (G3) Saturday at Keeneland.

A 4-year-old son of Nyquist, Scalding won by 1 ¼ lengths with Javier Castellano aboard and covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.30 on a track rated as fast. He earned a fourth consecutive win after tallying three straight in Florida for trainer Shug McGaughey.

Proxy finished 1 ¾ lengths behind Dynamic One, who rallied resolutely from last in the seven-horse field, but could not get to the winner. Favorite Warrant checked in fourth.

Castellano had Scalding ideally positioned close to the early pace in the three path in fourth, then fifth, as Mighty Heart sprinted to the lead and laid down the opening quarter mile in :23.72. Cowboy Diplomacy took charge through a half mile in :47.71 before Mighty Heart put his head back in front as six furlongs went in 1:12.54 and Scalding advanced into striking position.

On Castellano's cue, Scalding put away the front-runners in early stretch and opened up a convincing lead, then easily held off the runner-up.

“I like the way my horse did it today,” Castellano said. “He broke not too sharp, but (he put me in) the place to keep track of those two horses in the lead, and he made a little sweeping move. I liked the way he finished. I really like the horse. I followed this horse since he started. (Trainer) Shug (McGaughey) did a really good job, and I thank Shug and all the owners for the opportunity to ride the horse. I'm glad we got it done today.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. said he had a great trip aboard Dynamic One.

“I had a decent pace in front of me,” he said. “He did everything right. I kind of waited a little longer than I wanted to. It was a good effort.”

Scalding, who returned $12, came into the Ben Ali off a breakthrough stakes win in the Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

Owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable, and LNJ Foxwoods, Scalding improved to 4-1-0 from six career starts while boosting his lifetime bankroll to $306,150.

Bred by Godolphin and Cobalt Investments, Scalding is out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Hot Water.

The post Scalding Keeps Winning Momentum Going In Ben Ali At Keeneland appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Letruska, 2021 champion older dirt female, romped to a front-running victory in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) Saturday, taking Oaklawn Park's centerpiece race for older fillies and mares for the second straight year.

Ridden by Jose Ortiz for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska carved out fractions of :23.77, :47.26, and 1:11.60 for six furlongs, leading by a much as 2 1/2 lengths with Miss Imperial chasing from second early. A mile went in 1:35.95 before daughter of Super Saver crossed the finish line 1 ¼ lengths in front of runner-up Clairiere, who rallied from last.

Letruska covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.22 on a track rated as fast and returned $3 as the heavy 4-5 favorite in the five-horse field.

Ce Ce, reigning champion female sprinter and winner of the 2020 Apple Blossom, lacked a closing kick after tracking Letruska from third for the opening half mile, then second through six furlongs, and checked in third.

“This horse is different,” Gutierrez said of Letruska, the 124-pound highweight. “To win the Apple Blossom twice is great. This was a handicap and now we're giving weight, you have to remember that. When we won the Apple Blossom last year, Monomoy (Girl) was giving us weight. That's a difference this year. She ran great. All the time I'm nervous with these races. She's come back in good form and now we're thinking about the next race.”

Letruska improved her record to 19-1-1 in 25 starts and has earned $2,948,529.

I knew Clairiere would be coming late so I used my speed and I was able to hold her off,” Ortiz said. “I felt my filly was in a very nice rhythm. I knew with the way she running the last eighth pole it would take a super horse to go by her. I knew they were there, but when I felt her switch to the left lead I felt she gave me another gear and when I looked, I saw the other filly (Clairiere) there, but I never thought they were going to go by.”

Jockey Victor Espinoza said Ce Ce ran a good race.

“It's the way the race set up because nobody really challenged her (Letruska) in the race, like the first five-eighths. It's hard to catch horses like that in front. But Ce Ce, she ran well.”

Letruska, a 6-year-old St. George Stable homebred produced by the Successful Appeal mare Magic Appeal, is the fourth horse to win multiple runnings of the Apple Blossom, following Hall of Famers Paseana (1992, 1993), Azeri (2002, 2003, 2004) and Zenyatta (2008 and 2010).

The post Champion Letruska Romps Wire To Wire In Second Apple Blossom Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Trainer Jorge Abreu will celebrate a milestone in his training career when he sends out multiple graded stakes-placed New York-bred Venti Valentine as his first starter in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

“It feels great,” said Abreu, with a laugh. “It's a great experience and it's very exciting. Having a horse with a shot helps even more. We'll see.”

Owned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds, Venti Valentine has compiled a resume that has placed her in seventh on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 94 points. The chestnut filly began her journey to the Kentucky Oaks with a close runner-up effort to subsequent Grade 1 Ashland winner Nest in the Grade 2 Demoiselle on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Venti Valentine returned triumphantly with a seven-length romp in the Busher Invitational three months later at the Big A, providing a mild upset after stalking the pace under Manny Franco. With her spot in the Oaks already secured, Venti Valentine made her final prep in the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 9 at the Ozone Park oval, setting the pace before losing her advantage at the sixteenth pole and finishing 1 1/4 lengths behind Nostalgic.

Following the Gazelle, the Firing Line filly's potential next start was between the Kentucky Oaks and the Grade 1 Acorn on June 11 at Belmont Park. Her owners decided the trip to Churchill Downs was too promising to pass up.

“The owners want to take a chance and it's not like she's impossible,” Abreu said. “She faced one of the favorites already in Nest. There's plenty of speed in that race and she's always one that wants to be forwardly placed but not on the lead.”

Abreu said Venti Valentine continues to train forwardly at Churchill Downs and will have a work with jockey Tyler Gaffalione sometime next week.

“She's doing well,” said Abreu. “I'm hoping to get two breezes into her and next week, Gaffalione will breeze her. He's going to ride her in the Oaks.”

Abreu, who was a longtime assistant to four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, ventured out on his own in 2016 and saddled his first winner that summer at Saratoga Race Course. Since then, the 47-year-old conditioner has trained seven individual stakes winners and sent out Stellar Agent to earn a Grade 1 placing in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf behind multiple graded stakes winner Newspaperofrecord.

The post Trainer Abreu’s NY-Bred Venti Valentine Training Forwardly For KY Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Two fillies under consideration for the May 6 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), Kathleen O. and Candy Raid, put in their final Keeneland works for the race Saturday morning over a fast track.

Working at 7:30 a.m. (ET) after the first track renovation break, Winngate Stables' undefeated Kathleen O. worked a half-mile in :48.80 under exercise rider David Jego.

Following a few minutes later was Don't Tell My Wife Stables and trainer Keith Desormeaux's Candy Raid, who covered the same distance in :49.20 under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Kathleen O., the leading points earner on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with 150 points from her victories in the Davona Dale (G2) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), galloped out past the three-quarter pole under Jego, who has been her regular exercise rider all winter.

“She picked it up and galloped out strong,” said Anthony Hamilton, assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey. “We are in good shape. She's a happy horse – that's what you look for.”

Kathleen O. worked a half-mile in :48.60 at Keeneland last Saturday in her first work back since winning the Gulfstream Park Oaks on April 2.

Hamilton said Kathleen O. would make the short trip to Churchill Downs Monday or Tuesday. He said McGaughey, who won the Oaks in 1993 with Dispute, would arrive in Louisville on Wednesday.

Candy Raid worked a half-mile in :50.40 last Saturday here. She is 13th on the Oaks leaderboard with 51 points of which 50 came from a victory in the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park in her most recent start April 2.

“This was her last work here,” said Bejarano, who rode Candy Raid for the first time in the victory at Turfway. “She's feeling good. I got her out five-eighths in 1:02 and change.”

The post Unbeaten KY Oaks Hopeful Kathleen O. Pleases In Final Keeneland Breeze appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post