Tag: Racing

The Elkstone Group's homebred colt Joe, recently crowned the Maryland-bred champion juvenile of 2021, puts a three-race win streak on the line when he returns to action in Saturday's $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park.

The 33rd running of the Private Terms at about 1 1/16 miles is the next step in Laurel's series of stakes for 3-year-olds following the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 19 and preceding the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio April 16, a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 21 at Pimlico Race Course.

A total of five stakes worth $450,000 in purses will be offered on Saturday's 11-race program, including the $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies. First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

Joe's connections opted to pass on the Miracle Wood both to give the Declaration of War colt – named for President Joe Biden – greater spacing off a season-opening victory in a Jan. 23 allowance at Laurel going the Private Terms distance and to keep him around two turns.

“He's doing good,” trainer Michael Trombetta said. “We skipped the Miracle Wood with him to give him a little extra time because he had run a couple times fairly close. He's trained really well and we're looking forward to running him.”

Out of the Arch mare Battle Bridge, Joe ran fifth in his late October unveiling over Laurel's world-class turf course before being moved to the dirt, where he graduated by 3 ½ lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight Thanksgiving week. He won the seven-furlong Maryland Juvenile in mid-December in his stakes debut, rallying from far back with a powerful six-wide stretch move to prevail by a length and a half.

“Quite honestly, I was getting very good feedback on him in late summer. It's been good,” Trombetta said. “He's a big, good-looking guy. I still think he's bred for grass and he does the dirt. I think there's a whole lot of stuff that he can get himself into if he continues on the path that he's going.”

Regular rider Victor Carrasco will be aboard from Post 7 in a field of eight.

“I think there's a lot of upside yet for him,” Trombetta said. “He hasn't been tested super hard – state-bred race [stakes], allowance race, maiden race. Now it's time to turn the heat up a little bit and see how he does with it.”

Trombetta also entered Sonata Stable's Conclusive, a son of 2016 Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist that ran sixth as the co-favorite in the Miracle Wood, his stakes debut. He graduated going 1 1/8 miles in an off-the-turf maiden special weight last Halloween and began 2022 with a front-running 5 ¾-length allowance triumph Jan. 2 over a muddy main track.

“I thought he would run better,” Trombetta said. “I don't know if going back to a one-turn mile complicated things or not. He's had better success at two-turn races than he has at a one-turn mile, and I don't have a great explanation for why that is. I'm anxious to try him back around two turns.”

Laurel's winter meet-leading rider Jevian Toledo gets the assignment from Post 1.

Bird Mobberley's Maryland-bred Local Motive stretched out to a mile for the first time in the Miracle Wood. He raced close to the front for a half-mile, took a commanding lead into the stretch and went on to win by two lengths. It was the third stakes win for the Divining Rod gelding, following the seven-furlong James F. Lewis III at Laurel and five-furlong Hickory Tree over the Colonial Downs turf last summer.

Local Motive and Joe met once before in the Maryland Juvenile, when Local Motive tired to fifth after disputing the early pace between horses. J.D. Acosta returns to ride from Post 2.

“The horse is training good and he's worked really good into this race,” trainer John Salzman said. “I would have worked him twice but I missed a work with him. He grabbed a quarter just bucking and playing on the racetrack so I skipped a work with him, but he's doing really good.

“My question is, how far will he really go?” he added. “He's getting better with every start I feel. As long as he's close and lays just a bit off the pace he'll be in good shape, or he can set the pace if there is none.”

Also exiting the Miracle Wood is runner-up Majestic Frontier. Gerald Grabcheski and Renate Jackson's gelded son of Grade 1 winner Keen Ice bumped with co-favorite Perfect Day at the eighth pole and had his two-race win streak snapped.

“He had trouble last time and finished second so I think that he's got a shot. He could have won that day, so I'm looking forward to trying him back,” trainer John 'Jerry' Robb said. “He had a few problems that needed to be worked out and that we got worked out. They still bug him a little bit but he's been getting better and better and better.”

Xavier Perez will be aboard from Post 3.

J R Sanchez Racing Stable's Shake Em Loose won the Dec. 26 Heft at Laurel in his first start since being claimed for $16,000 by trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon. He returned in the Jan. 29 Spectacular Bid, also at seven furlongs, but lost all chance after rearing when the gates opened and wound up seventh.

Shake Em Loose rebounded in an optional claiming allowance going one mile Feb. 27, making a bold move on the turn and powering through the stretch to a 3 ¾-length triumph. Charlie Marquez, up for that effort, returns from outside Post 8.

“Thank God he's doing awesome right now. He's great. I just worked him the other day and he worked unbelievable. He really impressed me. I hope he doesn't have any problems coming out of the gate,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “That's what happened the last time he ran in a stake. He broke in the air coming out of the gate and that was it. He rushed up a little bit and then relaxed but he had just rushed too much. He's going into it pretty good. I hope he runs well. I think he will. I think he's going to impress even more this time.”

Shipping in from New York is Stud El Aguila's Eagle in Love, a gelded son of 2011 Florida Derby (G1) winner Dialed In that went unraced at 2 but was a 4 ¾-length maiden special weight winner in debut Feb. 3 at Aqueduct for trainer Rob Atras.

Completing the field are Martin Carmichael's Micro Star, a front-running waiver maiden claiming winner by 7 ¼ lengths Jan. 16 at Laurel, and Built Wright Stables' Maximum Impact, respectively fourth and fifth behind Shake Em Loose last month. Maximum Impact finished fifth in the Miracle Wood.

The post Joe Tops Private Terms Line-Up On Stakes-Rich Card At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With the prospect of a sub-20 second opening quarter a possibility, Alfred Pais' homebred Brickyard Ride heads a field of eight older California-breds going about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in Sunday's $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

The Sensational Star is part of the CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series, for eligible California-bred or sired runners.

Trained by Craig Lewis, Brickyard Ride comes off a pair of scintillating wins versus statebreds, a  1 ¾-length win going six furlongs in the Cal Cup Sprint Jan. 15 and most recently, a 7 ½-length score going a flat mile in the Tiznow Stakes on Feb. 21.

Although the 5-year-old son of Clubhouse Ride has two wins from four tries on turf, Brickyard Ride will be trying the hillside turf course for the first time on Sunday.

“We'll see what happens,” said Lewis upon entering.  “If somebody tries to pressure him, he might shade 20 seconds that first quarter.”

Lightning quick on any surface, Brickyard Ride was entered to defend his title in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on March 5, but scratched on game day in favor of running in the Sensational Star.

A five-time stakes winner, Brickyard Ride, who is out of the Southern Image mare Brickyard Helen, appears to be at the top of his game and has earned solid Beyer Speed Figures in his two starts this winter, earning a 101 on Jan. 15 and a 99 Beyer on Feb. 21.

Strictly the horse to beat, he's got an overall mark of 20-10-1-2 with earnings of $620,977.

A California-bred stakes winner down the hill five starts back on Oct. 17, 2021, trainer Ruben Alvarado's Indian Peak was a vastly improved second to Vladimir Cerin's red-hot Barraza over the course in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on Feb. 20 and rates second billing with John Velazquez taking over.  Owned by Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber, this 5-year-old Comic Strip gelding has proven a very versatile sort and will hope to be rolling late.

Idle since a close fourth in last year's Sensational Star when run at six furlongs out of the turf chute, Peter Eurton's speedy Jetovator will likely try to stay close to Brickyard Ride in the early going, but that could indeed be a tough assignment.  A 6-year-old gelding by Grazen out of the multiple stakes placed Jet Blue Girl, by Gimmeawink, Jetovator is owned by Ciaglia Racing, LLC and SAF Racing and was bred by Sharon Alesia and Ciaglia Racing.

With a career resume that reads 19-3-4-5, Jetovator will be making his second stakes start and be ridden by Edwin Maldonado.

Third in his only hillside try, a first condition allowance 22 starts back on Oct. 28, 2018, Harris Farms' homebred Fashionably Fast may've lost a step but he's still plenty competitive at age seven.  By Lucky Pulpit out of the Forestry mare Fall Fashion, Fashionably Fast, a six-time stakes winner, comes off a third place finish in a second condition allowance going 6 ½ furlongs on dirt Feb. 4 and will be ridden back by Abel Cedillo.

Owned by Harris Farms and Per Antonsen, Fashionably Fast will likely be in a stalking position to the dirt crossing at the top of the lane and if the speed tires, his class and heart could carry the day.  The leading money earner in the field with $697,123, he has an overall mark of 28-9-6-7.

SENSATIONAL STAR WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 8  Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Indian Peak—John Velazquez–124
Brickyard Ride—Juan Hernandez—124
Sacred Rider—Tyler Baze—122
Jetovator—Edwin Maldonado—122
Riding With Dino—Flavien Prat—122
Big Fish—Mike Smith—124
Whooping Jay—Mario Gutierrez—122
Fashionably Fast—Abel Cedillo–124

First post time for an eight-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

The post Brickyard Ride Trying Santa Anita’s Hillside Turf Course For First Time In Sensational Star appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Multiple stakes winners Lobsta and My Boy Tate are set to renew their rivalry for a third time in Sunday's $100,000 Haynesfield, a one-turn mile for New York-bred 4-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Gary Sciacca, Lobsta will attempt to collect his third consecutive stakes score for owner Eddie F's Racing after a last-out win via the disqualification of My Boy Tate in the seven-furlong Say Florida Sandy on Jan. 8 at the Big A.

Sciacca refused to stir the pot when asked if Lobsta can again get the better of My Boy Tate.

“Hopefully, we can win again,” Sciacca said. “We got lucky last time when they disqualified him. We'll see what happens.”

Lobsta, by Emcee and out of the Chief Seattle mare Salty Little Sis, finished second in his stakes debut in last year's one-turn mile Gander, finishing up gamely to hold onto place honors by a half-length in his first start against winners.

The 4-year-old dark bay's breakout win came with a 28-1 upset win in the seven-furlong NYSSS Thunder Rumble at Aqueduct on Dec. 5, setting the pace under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano and digging in down the stretch to hold off a bid from My Boy Tate. The half-length score provided Lobsta his first stakes victory and a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

Lobsta was rated off the pace in the Say Florida Sandy, biding his time in third before being set down to the drive by Castellano to again battle with My Boy Tate. Lobsta was beaten a neck this time by his familiar foe but visited the winner's circle after My Boy Tate was disqualified and placed fourth for interference with fourth-place finisher and returning rival Chestertown.

Sciacca said Lobsta will be asked to claw his way to the front and hope the pace doesn't boil over as he stretches back out to one mile.

“He'll definitely be forwardly placed – maybe even right on the engine,” Sciacca said. “Javier is coming back to ride him which is really good. It's not jockey racing, but it's great to have a rider like Javier.”

Lobsta has come out of his shell in his last two starts, winning both times under Castellano, while posting the two highest Beyer Speed Figures of his career.

“His feet were bothering him earlier in his career. Now, he's doing well and he's a little older and more mature,” Sciacca explained.

Lobsta's recent works over the dirt training track at Belmont Park include consecutive bullets, completing five-eighths in 1:00.60 on Feb. 17 and a sharp half-mile in 47.60 seconds on March 1.

“He's doing well and training great. He went a little faster than I wanted him to go [on March 1], but he's just doing so good right now,” Sciacca said.

Lobsta's 5-year-old full brother Chowda, a stakes-winning stablemate who was nominated for the Haynesfield, will target an allowance tilt next week instead. The talented duo, both bred by Fedwell Farm, will be joined soon by Oysta, a 2-year-old half-brother by Micromanage.

Sciacca didn't clam up when asked to compare the siblings.

“Right now, Lobsta is probably a little better, but I can't take anything from Chowda – he's pretty good, too,” Sciacca said. “Oysta will be in by the end of the month. He's big like Lobsta. Chowda is a little on the smaller side.”

Lobsta, who exits post 4, will carry a co-field high 122 pounds.

My Boy Tate, also assigned 122 pounds, will look to rebound off a runner-up finish last out in the six-furlong Hollie Hughes to Wudda U Think Now.

Trained, bred and co-owned by Michelle Nevin with Little Red Feather Racing, the 8-year-old son of Boys At Tosconova will try the mile distance for the first time since his narrow victory in last year's edition over multiple graded stakes-placed Bankit.

The bay gelding's last victory came in the Leon Reed Memorial at Finger Lakes Racetrack in October where he sprinted away to an easy six-length victory. He then had a short layoff until his return to face Lobsta for the first time in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble.

My Boy Tate has shown consistency throughout his six seasons of racing, boasting a 9-for-10 in-the-money record from his last 10 starts. He owns an overall career record of 31-11-9-2 with six stakes wins and nine other stakes placings.

Manny Franco gets the call from post 3.

Nevin will also saddle J and N Stables' Our Last Buck, who enters from an off-the-board effort in the open one-mile Stymie on Feb. 26 at Aqueduct.

The 8-year-old Courageous Cat gelding, who boasts a record of 24-6-4-5, posted his last score in last year's Say Florida Sandy traveling seven furlongs at the Big A in Jan. 2021.

Bred in the Empire State by Gerardus S. Jameson, Our Last Buck has since finished third in three stakes, including the John Morrissey in July at the Spa, the NYSSS Thunder Rumble to Lobsta, and the Alex M. Robb on New Year's Eve at the Big A.

Kendrick Carmouche will ride Out Last Buck [122 pounds] from post 5.

Empire Equines' homebred Water's Edge will try stakes company for the first time after a professional win traveling nine furlongs in a state-bred optional claimer at the Big A on Feb. 10.

Trained by David Donk, the 4-year-old son of Candy Ride finished well against a formidable opponent in his first outing, losing a duel with eventual Grade 1 winner Americanrevolution by a neck sprinting six furlongs at Belmont Park in June. The 4-year-old colt graduated at second asking by 3 1/4 lengths over next out winners King Angelo and Golden Panda.

Water's Edge, who has never finished worse than second in seven lifetime starts, worked a half-mile in 49.92 over the Belmont training track on March 11.

“He's been working well and took a step forward in his last start,” said Donk. “I don't think cutting back to the mile will be a problem for him.”

Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. retains the mount from post 2.

West Point Thoroughbreds, Chester and Mary Broman, Woodford Racing, Siena Farm and Robert Masiello's Chestertown exited his third-place effort in the Say Florida Sandy to notch a four-length win an open seven-furlong optional-claiming tilt on Feb. 3 at the Big A.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old Tapit gelding boasts a record of 19-5-4-4 with four of his wins arriving at Aqueduct. The regally-bred grey, out of the multiple Grade 1-winner Artemis Agrotera, captured the 2020 Albany at Saratoga.

Jose Lezcano retains the mount from the outermost post 6.

Rounding out the field is Brew Pub [post 1, Raul Mena], a 4-year-old son of Street Sense trained and co-owned by Marcelo Arenas with Brilliant Horses Corp.

The Haynesfield is slated as Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

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

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Already millionaire multiple Grade 3 winners, stablemates Plainsman and Warrior's Charge finally meet for the first time in the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the Essex, which goes as the ninth of 10 races, is 5:10 p.m. (Central). First post is 1 p.m., with the infield open, weather permitting. The card also features the $200,000 Whitmore Stakes (G3) for older sprinters.

Plainsman, 7, and Warrior's Charge, 6, are both trained by two-time reigning Eclipse Award winner Brad Cox and have strong Arkansas connections.

Plainsman, the 2-1 program favorite and 122-pound height weight, races for John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs, the winningest owner in Oaklawn history. Plainsman won the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses Feb. 12 at Oaklawn in his last start. Warrior's Charge won the 1 1/16-mile Razorback, a major local prep for the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 23, in 2020.

Warrior's Charge is co-owned by Ten Strike Racing, which was founded by Marshall Gramm and Arkansas native Clay Sanders and considers Oaklawn its home track. Warrior's Charge, the co-7-2 second choice in the program, exits a powerful 9 ¾-length allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28.

Plainsman and Warrior's Charge are expected to enter stud in 2023. Each horse has 10 career starts at Oaklawn. Warrior's Charge has recorded four victories and bankrolled $674,200 in Hot Springs. Plainsman has three victories and $521,992 in earnings.

“Both horses deserve the opportunity,” Cox said. “They're both doing good. They both won the Razorback, so that's kind of cool. Now, we need one of them to step up and win the Essex and be 1-2. We'll see. They're both doing really well.”

The projected eight-horse Essex field from the rail out: Thomas Shelby, David Cohen to ride, 118 pounds, 7-2 on the morning line; Title Ready, Brian Hernandez Jr., 117, 12-1; Warrior's Charge, Florent Geroux, 119, 7-2; Plainsman, Joel Rosario, 122, 2-1; Popular Kid, Francisco Arrieta, 116, 6-1; Rated R Superstar, David Cabrera, 118, 8-1; Beau Luminarie, Ricardo Santana Jr., 118, 8-1; and Hanalei's Houdini, Ramon Vazquez, 117, 10-1.

The speedy Thomas Shelby bids for his first career stakes victory after three near misses at the meet for 2020 Oaklawn training champion Robertino Diodoro and M and M Racing (Mike and Mickala Sisk), Oaklawn's leading owner the last four years.

Thomas Shelby finished second, beaten three-quarters of a length by stablemate Lone Rock, in the inaugural $200,000 Tinsel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Dec. 18; was third, beaten three-quarters of a length by Rated R Superstar, in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes for older horses at 1 mile Jan. 15; and was second, beaten a neck by Plainsman, in the Razorback.

“As hard as he ran last time, and the way he keeps getting better and better at it – it's not like he's 3 years old – and gives 110 percent effort, he's definitely a horse that deserves a nice stake win, that's for sure,” Diodoro said.

Thomas Shelby broke from post 6 in the Tinsel and Razorback and from the rail in the Fifth Season. Thomas Shelby beat Warrior's Charge a nose in an Oct. 24 allowance race at Keeneland and finished well ahead of him in the Tinsel.

“Not as concerned with (the rail) routing,” Diodoro said. “I hate it sprinting, but routing it's OK.

Danny Caldwell's millionaire Rated R Superstar won the Fifth Season in his 9-year-old debut and finished fifth in the Razorback in his last start. The gelding won the 2019 Essex for co-owner/trainer Cipriano Contreras and finished second, beaten a neck, last year by future Grade 1 winner Silver State in his second start after being claimed by trainer Federico Villafranco on behalf of Caldwell, a four-time leading owner at Oaklawn.

Beau Luminarie and Title Ready finished third and sixth, respectively, in the Tinsel. Title Ready finished eighth in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park in his last start for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset said Beau Luminarie was freshened following the Tinsel, walking 30 days, before returning to the work tab in late January. He has had seven published workouts this year at Oaklawn in advance of his 2022 debut.

“We were happy with his last work,” Brissett said of half-mile drill in :48.20 March 11. “The weight, I think, is not bad. He's got 118. It's not an easy spot to bring him back off the layoff, but we've got to start somewhere. If he runs 1-2-3, we could have strong look at the Oaklawn Handicap. If he needs a race, then we can go back to Keeneland.”

Brisset won the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap in 2019 with Quip.

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