Tag: Racing

Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner will look to continue a dominant start to his 4-year-old campaign in trying to parlay consecutive graded stakes victories at one mile when returning to sprinting as part of a talented field in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets for 4-year-olds and up contesting seven furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 122nd running of the prestigious Carter, first run in 1895 and famously carrying the distinction as the only American stakes race to feature a triple dead heat for victory with Brownie, Bossuet and Wait A Bit hitting the wire simultaneously in 1944, is one of six races on the stacked Saturday docket.

The 11-race card, with a first post of 12:50 p.m. Eastern, is headlined by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles in a contest offering 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers. The stakes-laden card also features the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle for 3-year-old fillies also going nine furlongs with 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks points on the line; the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore for sophomores sprinting seven furlongs; the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs; and the day's lone turf stakes with the $100,000 Danger's Hour for 4-year-olds and up at one mile.

Speaker's Corner, conditioned by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, earned an eye-opening 109 Beyer Speed Figure for his 6 3/4-length romp against optional claimers going 1 1/16 miles in October over Belmont Park's Big Sandy and capped his sophomore year with a strong second, a half-length back to Miles D, in the two-turn 1 1/8-mile Discovery in November to mark his debut at the Big A.

That effort represented his best finish in a stake at the time, besting a sixth-place finish against top-flight competition in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby in September at Parx.

The Street Sense colt started 2022 even better than the previous campaign, registering a 102 figure for his 1 1/4-length gate-to-wire win in the G3 Fred W. Hooper in January at Gulfstream Park. He tallied triple digits for a fourth consecutive start for his 5 1/2-length triumph over the same track in the G2 Gulfstream Park Mile on March 5, garnering a 106.

“He showed plenty last year. We tried stretching him out, but it wasn't really what he wanted to do,” said Godolphin bloodstock director Michael Banahan. “We got him back out to one-turn miles and he was impressive in both of those. That's [one-turn contests] what it looks like he wants to do.”

Jockey Junior Alvarado, aboard for Speaker's Corner's last four starts, will have the return assignment from the outermost post 8 with his charge carrying the highweight of 124 pounds.

Stronach Stables' Green Light Go will try to capitalize on the opportunity to live up to his name, cutting back to sprinting following a pair of victories going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct. After being forwardly placed before cruising to a nine-length win against optional claimers in January, jockey Dylan Davis sent the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun to the front in the Stymie on Feb. 26 in a 3 1/4-length victory.

With the starting gate for the Carter not abutting Conduit Avenue like the one-mile race requires, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said the strategy might shift, with his second-place finish in the six-furlong G3 Fall Highweight on Nov. 21 as a guide. In that contest, Green Light Go tracked in fifth position through the opening half-mile before rallying to finish a head back to Hopeful Treasure.

“He showed easy speed going a mile, but against better horses at a shorter distance, he might be forced to stalk a little bit,” Jerkens said.

Davis will have the call again with Green Light Go carrying 121 pounds in breaking from post 2.

Klaravich Stables' Reinvestment Risk will make his first stakes appearance since capping his 2-year-old year with a 10th-place finish in the 2020 G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. The Chad Brown trainee burst onto the scene with a pair of Grade 1 runner-up finishes in his first three career starts, both times running second to Jackie's Warrior in both the Hopeful in September 2020 at Saratoga Race Course and following in the Champagne the next month at Belmont before his off-the-board Breeders' Cup performance.

The son of Upstart made just one start in his 3-year-old year, running third against allowance company in June, and returned off a subsequent seven-month layoff to best optional claimers in February at Gulfstream. After earning a 103 Beyer for that effort, Brown weighed the Carter and the G3 Commonwealth at Keeneland as the possible next start before deciding to ship Reinvestment Risk to Ozone Park.

“He didn't exit his race last year in good shape, so he went to the sidelines,” Brown said. “This year, he came out of it in good shape and ran much better.”

Reinvestment Risk, carrying 117 pounds, will have Manny Franco in the irons from the inside post.

Graded stakes-winner First Captain, fresh off a win over optional claimers in February at Gulfstream, will make his first Aqueduct appearance as Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey seeks his second Carter victory and first since Dancing Spree in 1990.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Bobby Flay and Woodford Racing, the 4-year-old Curlin colt won his stakes bow in the G3 Dwyer in July at Belmont before running third in the stakes named for his sire in July at the Spa. That effort in the Curlin was his last race of the year, with First Captain returning to the track to earn an 88 Beyer in his first race in seven months.

A $1.5 million purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, First Captain will carry 120 pounds with Jose Ortiz retaining the mount from post 5.

Off a six-month layoff, Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stable's Mind Control will make his long-awaited 6-year-old debut for Hall of Fame trainer and three-time Carter-winner Todd Pletcher.

Mind Control was a winner last out, capturing the Parx Dirt Mile in September to earn a 104 Beyer in cracking triple digits for the first time in 23 career starts. Originally targeting a spot in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November at Del Mar, Mind Control was forced to missed the $2 million race after running a fever.

Bolstered by a long respite, Mind Control will now be making his third career appearance in the Carter after running sixth in the 2020 edition that was contested at Belmont and second – 5 1/2 lengths back to Mischevious Alex, in last year's edition that returned to its customary spot at the Big A.

“We loved the way he ran at Parx and unfortunately he didn't get to run in the Breeders' Cup,” Pletcher said. “He shipped out to California but spiked a temperature so that was the end of the year for him.

“He wintered really well and got some time off at Red Oak and came in looking super,” Pletcher added. “He's training consistently like he always does. He's a happy horse and trains well and traditionally runs well fresh. We're looking for him to pick up where he left off.”

Pletcher said added distance could be in Mind Control's future later in the year.

“I think he's very versatile,” Pletcher said. “We'll see how things go in here but we might give him an opportunity to stretch out at some point this year.”

Joel Rosario will ride from post 4 with Mind Control carrying 123 pounds.

Drafted, who has won group or graded stakes in two continents, earned the opportunity to take a step up in class following a 4 1/2-length win in the seven-furlong G3 Toboggan in February at the Big A for trainer David Duggan.

The 8-year-old is coming off a race in which he set a personal-best 97 Beyer, and his conditioner said he is intrigued if a near decade's worth of racing experience can help overcome the challenge of talented younger opposition.

“You could make a case for five horses in there. We're taking a shot at some young guns,” Duggan said. “He's proven the last time that with the right conditions, he can be competitive. If everything sets up, we'll be making sure he'll be legitimate.”

Drafted, owned by Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin Hilbert and Thomas O'Keefe, will have a rider change with Kendrick Carmouche on the bridle, as Ortiz rides First Captain.

Drafted, who will carry 118 pounds from post 7 on Saturday, captured the 2019 Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal at Meydan Racecourse.

“Whether he's good enough at eight, it's hard to know,” Duggan added. “But he's doing good. We'll take a good swing at it. I'm quite happy with Kendrick on there. All we want is a good showing.”

Shea D Boy's Stable's Bank On Shea, winner of the six-furlong Pelican in February at Tampa Bay. Bred in New York by Dr. Scott Pierce, the 5-year-old Bank On Shea is 5-1-1 in eight career starts with three stakes wins. The Carlos David trainee will carry 118 pounds as Trevor McCarthy will be aboard in breaking from post 3.

Rounding out the field is Trin-Brook Stables' War Tocsin, trained by Uriah St. Lewis, was second last out in the G3 General George in February at Laurel Park. War Tocsin, carrying 116 pounds, will have Dexter Haddock ride from post 6.

The Grade 1 Carter Handicap is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 11-race card.

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

The post Speaker’s Corner Headlines Talented Field In Saturday’s Grade 1 Carter appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A group of seven 2-year-olds are entered to make their career debut in the first juvenile race of the season Thursday as Gulfstream Park launches its 2022 spring/summer meet.

Post time for the first of eight races is 1:05 p.m.

Arindel homebred Keanu drew outside Post 7 and is the 9-5 program favorite in Race 2, a 4 ½-furlong main track sprint. By Brethren out of the Tiznow mare Tiz Boa, the bay colt began working on Arindel's Ocala farm in early February before posting his final three works at the Palm Meadows Training Center, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

William Churly and Shadybrook Farm, Inc.'s Cajun Hope is a son of Cajun Breeze trained by Michael Yates, who strikes at 20 percent with first-time starters. His dam, Pop Pop's Hope, has produced nine winners. Cajun Hope has a trio of three-furlong breezes over Gulfstream's main track since mid-March, including a bullet 35.72 seconds April 1.

Gone Astray, sire in recent years of such horses as Grade 3 winners Shifty She and Three Rules and fellow multiple stakes winner Noble Drama, is represented by a pair of fillies – Long Trail Stable homebred Beautiful Astray and Lina Yanet Aristizabal Lopez's Luna West. Both horses have been working at the Nelson Jones Farm and Training Center in Ocala.

Also entered are Rick Arnold's St. Joe Jet, a daughter of Grade 3 winner Chitu; Coco Ranch's Exquisito Coco, by millionaire Uncaptured, Canada's 2012 champion 2-year-old and Horse of the Year; and William G. Law Jr.'s Awesome Flay, a gelded son of multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Awesome Slew.

Race 6 is an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up sprinting five furlongs on the grass where Augustin Stable homebred High Front is favored at 7-5 on the morning line. The sophomore Summer Front gelding will be facing elders off one previous race, capturing a Jan. 28 maiden special weight on the course and distance by 6 ½ lengths in front-running fashion. His seven opponents, including Brazilian Group 3 winner Ice Chocolat, have a total of 22 wins from 81 combined starts.

Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up will go a mile and 70 yards on the Tapeta course in Race 7, a second-level allowance that drew a field of seven led by narrow 5-2 program favorite Exchange Day, a four-time winner from 17 career starts with a record of 2-1-2 in eight tries over all-weather surfaces.

Gulfstream's spring/summer meet will be conducted Thursdays through Sundays and feature 16 stakes worth $1.385 million in purses anchored by the Summit of Speed, which begins with the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2) for females 3 and up sprinting seven furlongs on the main track July 2, a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).

Last year's Princess Rooney winner, Michael McCarthy-trained Ce Ce, went on to capture the $1 million Breeders' Cup event and earn the Eclipse Award as North America's champion female sprinter.

Summit of Speed continues July 3 with the $100,000 Smile Sprint (G3) for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs, and July 4 with the $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint scheduled for 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta.

The spring/summer meet stakes schedule begins with a pair of $75,000 races for 3-year-olds scheduled for a mile on the turf – the Honey Ryder for fillies and English Channel – on Kentucky Derby (G1) Day Saturday, May 7. Mother's Day, May 8, will feature the $75,000 Monroe for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Gulfstream-based Saffie Joseph Jr., who dethroned 18-time training champion and Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher at the recently concluded 2021-2022 Championship Meet, has one horse entered on the opening day program – 4-year-old filly Big Bad Diva in Race 3, a starter optional claimer for females 4 and up scheduled for one mile on the grass.

Jockey Luis Saez has three mounts Thursday – Alizee in Race 5 and Marisa's Mission in Race 7, both on the Tapeta, as well as High Front. Saez also won the Championship Meet riding title in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, and is scheduled to be at Keeneland for its spring meet that starts Friday.

The post Gulfstream: Juvenile Race Helps Launch Spring/Summer Meet Thursday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hanshin Racecourse hosts the top-level action in Japan again this week, with the all-female Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), on Sunday, April 10. Twenty-two 3-year-old fillies have been nominated for the 18 spots in the Oka Sho gate and six of them are tied for earnings. A lottery will determine which two gain the last two berths in the 82nd running of the race, for their shot at a piece of the action.

The field is heady with talent, with the top finishers in the 2-year-old filly Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies meeting the up-and-coming talent from the Oka Sho trials along with promising challengers rising from the lower ranks to their first graded event.

The Oka Sho, which translates as “Cherry Blossom Prize,” is the first Classic race of the year and the first of the races that make up the Fillies' Triple Crown. The distance (one mile) is the shortest of the three, and it will be followed by the 1 1/2-mile Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) at Tokyo next month, and the final Triple Crown competition, the Shuka Sho over 1 1/4 miles meters at Hanshin in October.

The Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) is the 11th race on Hanshin's Sunday card of 12. Post time is 15:40 local time. All runners will carry 55kg.

Sodashi is the current Oka Sho record-holder, with her winning time of 1 minutes, 31.1 seconds last year.

Here is a look at the expected top picks.

Namur: The Harbinger filly Namur has three wins from four starts, all at the mile, and has recorded the field's best final three-furlong time in her last three starts. Her only loss was as the favorite in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in December, where she finished fourth. She was a bit slow at the break and encountered interference under way. Nonetheless, Namur finished only a length and a neck (a mere 0.2 seconds) off winner Circle of Life. She returned in March for the Grade 2 Tulip Sho. With a new partner (jockey Takeshi Yokoyama), she was able to break well and race midfield in the race. Despite having to switch to the outside in the stretch, she topped the field by more than a length and a half.

Trainer Tomokazu Takano noted her improvement in the gate: “I think she has pretty much fixed her form and only rose up in front a bit.”

Takano, who has 18 graded-stakes wins (12 of them from females, which included Lei Papale and Shonan Pandora), is looking to bag his first Classic. The Northern Farm-bred Namur, who is a slight filly weighing in at only 430kg and has had a different rider in each of her four starts, is expected to see Takeshi Yokoyama up again this time. She is showing great improvement in morning work, and last week she recorded a personal best of 51.4 seconds over four furlongs up the Ritto hill course.

Circle of Life: Having claimed the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies last year, the award for 2021 JRA Best 2-Year-Old Filly was given to the Epiphaneia-sired Circle of Life. She had bagged her first graded-stakes in her third outing with the G3 Artemis Stakes, then the Grade 1, and posted a third in the G2 Tulip Sho last out, putting her score at three wins and two thirds from five starts, with all of her wins over the mile. Usually racing from midfield or further back, she was sent forward to travel in fourth position under jockey Mirco Demuro last out. The more forward position may have been a factor in her loss, but she held her ground to finish a strong third, finishing only 0.2 seconds off the winner.

“She was a bit more high-strung than usual in this last race, but now that she's let off some gas, if she can get a nice smooth trip and make the most of her late speed, I think she has a chance to revenge the loss,” trainer Sakae Kunieda said.

Lovely Your Eyes: A first-crop daughter of Logotype, Lovely Your Eyes goes directly to her second top-level bid from the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, where she finished in second place. After acing her debut and second start, she ran third in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai Stakes over 1,400 meters at Tokyo, then went to the Grade 1, where she crossed the line half a length behind Circle of Life. Four starts in from her debut, and previously raced over 1,200-1,500 meters, the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies was her longest trip by half a furlong. This time it will be her longest period between races, however, Trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa expresses no concern.

“She is refreshed now, both mentally and physically and has matured quite a bit. The jockey (Ryusei Sakai) rode her last week and liked what he felt. She is looking good. I think her weight will be up from her last start,” the trainer commented.

Water Navillera: Third-place finisher in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Water Navillera also returned in the Tulip Sho as her first start of the year. She finished fifth in the race, 0.4 seconds behind the winner, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Water Navillera displayed excellent racing sense and, despite difficulty getting a clear run in the stretch, she remained unfazed through the traffic, held on with determination, and gained ground all the way to the line. Water Navillera is fielded by the Ritto-based trainer Koshiro Take, who is gunning for his first Grade 1 win as trainer. His older brother Yutaka, who holds the record for most Oka Sho wins at five and has ridden three of the filly's previous races, is pegged for the ride.

Presage Lift: Presage Lift is one of three fillies heading into the Oka Sho with only two previous starts. She won both of them, both over 1,600 meters. The Northern Farm-bred daughter of Harbinger jumped from her debut to the graded-stakes level and, despite a late break and the nearly four months between starts, rocketed up from the rear to capture the G3 Queen Cup over 1,600 meters in February, a neck ahead of Stars on Earth. Trained by Miho-based Tetsuya Kimura, Presage Lift has yet to race far from home, will be racing to the right for the first time, and will be carrying 1kg more than she has before.

“Since coming back to the stable, she has some problem taking the bit on the right, which concerns me,” assistant trainer Yu Ota said. “Additionally, she doesn't have the weight as she did for last start. I don't think she'll lose her weight much during the trip to the track, but we'll just have to try it and see.”

Others to watch are:

From her debut, Pin High took on the G2 Tulip Sho, ran second to Namur, and secured her berth in the Oka Sho. Though she did have the inside gate advantage last out, she showed mental toughness by splitting the ranks to get a clear run.

Alluring Way won the listed race Elfin Stakes last out over the mile. Good at the break and experienced at Hanshin, the Just a Way filly has shown consistency, excellent speed and good racing sense.

Raspberry Mousse returned from a fracture to take on the Anemone Stakes in March, a listed race over the Nakayama mile and her first start to the right. She finished second to Cross Majesty, another promising filly taking on her first graded-stakes challenge.

The post Japan: First Leg Of Fillies’ Triple Crown Features Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Circle Of Life appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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