Tag: Racing

Repole Stable's Never Surprised, beaten by multiple Grade 1-winning stablemate Colonel Liam in his most recent start, gets the chance to start a new streak in Saturday's $150,000 Canadian Turf (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 56th running of the 1 1/16-mile Canadian Turf for 4-year-olds and up is part of a blockbuster 13-race program offering nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.7 million in purses anchored by the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) April 2.

Six of the Fountain of Youth Day stakes are scheduled for the turf, led by the $200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2) for 4-year-olds and up going 1 3/8 miles. First race post time is 12:10 p.m.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, a five-time Canadian Turf winner including champion English Channel in 2006 and most recently Sombeyay in 2020, Never Surprised had won two straight before setting the pace in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream. Colonel Liam wrested a short lead at the top of the stretch and went on to defend his Pegasus title by a length over Never Surprised, who held second over late-running Space Traveller.

Never Surprised returns to a distance where he owns three wins from four tries, including the Gio Ponti last November at Aqueduct and Gulfstream's Dec. 26 Tropical Park Derby, the race Colonel Liam won in 2020 as a prep for his first Pegasus victory.

“We were optimistic going into the Pegasus. We thought he'd run well, and he did,” Pletcher said. “He had an outside draw and [jockey Luis Saez] had to use him a little bit to get over, and he really fought back when Colonial Liam came to him. It was a big effort.

“He's backing up a little bit in distance, and he seems to be in good form,” he added. “He's run consistently well. If this goes well, we might look at the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile [April 15] at Keeneland. The spacing is pretty good to that.”

Saez, leading the Championship Meet with 87 victories, gets the return call from Post 2 in a field of seven.

Calumet Farm Grade 3-winning homebred English Bee was among invitees to the Pegasus Turf but was unable to draw in, instead traveling to Tampa Bay Downs where he ran fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay (G3) Feb. 5. In his prior race, he was third by two lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale (G2) Dec. 18 at Gulfstream.

“Originally we had been invited to Pegasus and then he didn't draw in, which was fine,” trainer Graham Motion said. “I happen to think he really likes Gulfstream. His best races potentially have been on racetracks like Gulfstream and Colonial [Downs] where it's really kind of firm and he can hear his feet rattle.

“He ran a big race in the Fort Lauderdale. He didn't get beat very far but that's him, consistently,” he added. “He just got beat in a Grade 1 at Keeneland. He's always right there.”

English Bee won three stakes – the Virginia Derby (G3), James Murphy and Parx Fall Derby – in a span of five races in 2019. The following year he ran second in the Canadian Turf, beaten a half-length by Sombeyay, and was sixth by a length to 2019 Preakness (G1) winner War of Will in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1).

“I love this horse. I think he's a really hard-knocking, kind of blue-collar horse. He's always around at the end. It doesn't matter what kind of race you run him in,” Motion said. “He's just a really, really cool horse. He's a hard-trying horse and he's doing well.”

Paco Lopez has been named to ride from Post 3.

MEB Stables' Clear Vision ran second in the Claiming Crown Emerald and won the one-mile Tropical Turf (G3) Jan. 8 at Gulfstream in his first two starts after being claimed by trainer Matthew Brice O'Connor for $25,000 last fall at Belmont Park. The Tropical Turf was the first career graded triumph for trainer and horse, fifth in the Tampa Bay, a half-length behind English Bee.

Jose Ortiz will be aboard from Post 6 at topweight of 124 pounds.

Also entered are Mouillage, making her U.S. debut after never running worse than third in 11 starts in her native France; Mira Mission, last out winner of a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance Jan. 15 at Gulfstream for trainer Ian Wilkes; 2018 Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Noble Indy, claimed for $35,000 out of his most recent start Feb. 10 at Gulfstream by trainer Gustavo Delgado; and Sigiloso, runner-up in Gulfstream's Jan. 22 Sunshine Turf, rained off the grass to the all-weather Tapeta at 1 1/8 miles.

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Never better at age five, William Sims' speedy Leggs Galore will hope to make every pole a winning one as she heads a field of 11 older fillies and mares going one mile on turf in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

Long gone in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course Jan. 15, a race she took by 2 ¼ lengths, California-bred Leggs Galore, a four-time stakes winner, will be seeking her first graded win at a distance at which she has a win and a second place finish from three tries.

Trained by Phil D'Amato, Leggs Galore was given recovery time following a fourth place finish in the one mile turf Solana Beach Stakes two starts back on Aug. 15 and she's come back to the races in top form, evidenced by her 95 Beyer Speed Figure in her Jan. 15 romp.

With classy fellow Cal-bred Mucho Unusual and others in a talent-laden field, Leggs Galore will hope to get into a steady rhythm heading up the backside under regular rider Ricky Gonzalez, who has been aboard for all seven of her wins.

Out of the Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore is a 5-year-old mare by 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern who brings a 12-7-1-0 mark and earnings of $440,208 to the Buena Vista.

Class personified, George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual, a Grade 1 winner with earnings of $945,415, shortens up out of a third place finish going a mile and one eighth on turf in the G3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes Jan. 1 and with four wins, a second and three thirds from nine tries at one mile on turf, will plenty tough to beat in what will be her 24th career start.

A 6-year-old mare by Mucho Macho Man out of the Unusual Heat mare Not Unusual, Mucho Unusual was a close second in last year's Buena Vista and with John Velazquez riding her back, could certainly go as the post time favorite. With an enviable Santa Anita turf record of 13-6-3-4, she's trained by Tim Yakteen and is 23-8-5-5 overall.

Idle since Nov. 6 for trainer Richard Baltas, Grade 1 stakes winner Going to Vegas looms a major danger with Flavien Prat set to ride. Owned by Abbodanza Racing, LLC, Medallion Racing and MyRacehorse, this 5-year-old mare by Goldencents has proven to be a tremendous claim, as she was haltered 14 starts back on June 12, 2020 for $50,000.

Idle since well beaten in the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf going 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar, Going to Vegas entered the Breeders' Cup on a three-race win streak, taking a second condition allowance four starts back on July 16, the G2 John C. Mabee Stakes on Sept. 4 and the G1 Rodeo Drive here two starts back on Oct. 2. Although she's shortening up in distance, she's 10-3-3-2 at one mile on turf and with an overall mark of 23-7-8-2, she has earnings of $634,151.

Yet another California-bred, Harris Farms' late running homebred Closing Remarks, rates strong consideration on Saturday. Trained by Carla Gaines and graded stakes placed on three occasions, she comes off a big come from behind turf allowance win going a mile and one eighth on Jan. 17 and could prove dangerous late with Joe Bravo riding back on Saturday.

Based in New Mexico throughout most of 2021, B4 Farms' Canoodling, in her second start for Mike Puype, got away with dawdling front-running fractions en route to a 22-1 upset in the G3 Megahertz at one mile on turf Jan. 29 under New Mexico-based rider Roimes Chirinos, who rides back in the Buena Vista.

Barring a mishap at the gate however, Canoodling, who was allowed to saunter along through Megahertz fractions of 25.20, 49.80 and 1:14.40, will be nowhere near the pole position on Saturday, as Leggs Galore figures to be dictating terms in much faster fashion.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Pioneerof the Nile out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Miz Kella, Canoodling, a three-time stakes winner, was sold for $180,000 as a Keeneland September Yearling. With an overall mark of 14-7-1-2, she has earnings of $278,023.

Lightly raced, D'Amato's Tony Ann has won her last three races, all on turf, and will shorten up off neck victory going a mile and one eighth in a second condition allowance on Jan. 21. A six furlong turf maiden winner three starts back on Oct. 17, Tony Ann may try to press her stablemate Leggs Galore early.

Owned by Alex Venneri Racing, Inc. and Anthony Fanticola, Tony Ann is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Cairo Prince, out of the In Excess mare Never Ever and was also bred by Venneri Racing.

In what will be her first stakes appearance, Tony Ann, who will be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Umberto Rispoli, has three wins from five starts.

THE GRADE 2 BUENA VISTA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 11 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

1. Closing Remarks—Joe Bravo–120
2. Tony Ann—Umberto Rispoli—120
3. Keeper of Time—Mike Smith—120
4. Madone—Ryan Curatolo–122
5. Leggs Galore—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
6. Fast Jet Court—Juan Hernandez—122
7. Avenue de France—Drayden Van Dyke—120
8. Canoodling—Roimes Chirinos—122
9. Javanica—Tyler Baze—120
10. Going to Vegas—Flavien Prat–124
11. Mucho Unusual—John Velazquez—120

Early first post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.

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Atop his game at age seven, trainer Phil D'Amato's Count Again rates top billing in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, as 12 older horses compete over the Santa Anita turf in Arcadia, Calif.

Three for five at a mile on grass lifetime, Count Again rallied from far back in last year's Kilroe to finish third by a half length. An Ontario, Canadian-bred gelding by Awesome Again, Count Again was winless in five starts last year but kept top graded stakes company while earning more than $132,000.

Ridden patiently in the G3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf here Feb. 5, Count Again overhauled heavily favored Subconscious to prevail by a half length and figures to be very tough right back at his favorite distance.

Based at Woodbine Racecourse in Toronto prior to joining D'Amato's stable in the fall of 2020, he's won a pair of graded stakes from seven stateside starts in the interim. Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm, Count Again will be ridden back by Flavien Prat as he bids for his first Grade 1 win.

With an overall mark of 14-5-1-4, Count Again has earnings of $463,665.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Subconscious was off at 3-5 in the Thunder Road and appeared to be in command turning for home but raced a bit greenly a furlong out and was outrun by Count Again late. A handy 1 ¼ length winner of Santa Anita's G2 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf three starts back on Oct. 31, Subconscious has a 1-1-1 mark from three tries at a mile on grass and in all three cases was prominent early.

Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, Subconscious is a 4-year-old gelding by Tapit who is 8-3-2-1 lifetime with earnings of $247,820.

Third, beaten 1 ½ lengths in Gulfstream Park's G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 29, English-bred Space Traveller ships west seeking his first North American graded stakes victory. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Space Traveller, a 6-year-old full horse, was a Group 2 stakes winner at age three going a flat mile on turf in Ireland, and he took a Group 3 that summer going seven furlongs on turf in England.

Owned by Clipper Logistics, Space Traveller has two wins and a second from nine tries at one mile on grass and is 24-5-3-3 overall. A horse who would appreciate a fast early pace, he'll be making his sixth North American start on Saturday with Jamie Spencer back aboard.

Second to Express Train in the G2 San Pasqual Stakes on dirt Feb. 5, the Michael McCarthy-trained Law Professor was nominated to both the Santa Anita Handicap and the Kilroe Mile. A half length winner of a one-mile turf first condition allowance at Del Mar three starts back on Nov. 27, Law Professor then took the G2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile on dirt Dec. 26. Proven to be a versatile sort who demonstrated an impressive turn of foot in his turf allowance win, Law Professor's connections have opted to tee it up on grass Saturday.

Owned and bred in Kentucky by Twin Creeks Farm, Law Professor is a 4-year-old gelding by Constitution who would seemingly benefit greatly from a hot early pace. With three wins from eight starts, he seeks his first Grade 1 win.

THE GRADE 1 FRANK E. KILROE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

1. Delaware—Mike Smith—120
2. Subconscious—Juan Hernandez—122
3. Beyond Brilliant—Victor Espinoza—124
4. Count Again—Flavien Prat—122
5. Whisper Not—Ramon Vazquez—122
6. Law Professor—Abel Cedillo—122
7. Tell Your Daddy—John Velazquez—122
8. Space Traveller—Jamie Spencer—120
9. Team Merchants—Mario Gutierrez—120
10. Flavius—Umberto Rispoli—120
11. Bob and Jackie—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—122
12. Vanzzy—Edwin Maldonado–120

Early first post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.

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