Tag: Racing

From training a very small string of horses in the shadows of leafy Gowran Park racecourse in County Kilkenny, Tony Mullins has found himself in the desert environs of Riyadh where his stable star Princess Zoe (GER) contests the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap.

The Mullins family are a racing dynasty in Ireland with their roots firmly in jump racing, and while the initial expectation may have been for Princess Zoe to go jumping, that plan most certainly changed as she rocketed up through the ranks of Flat racing's staying division.

For Mullins, the entire experience has been slightly surreal but one he has very much embraced as Princess Zoe's progress and preparations are constantly charted on his Twitter account.

“I know how much I love her but I just can't believe how popular she is with everybody else,” Mullins says of the Jukebox Jury-sired 7-year-old's adoring supporters from far and wide.

The journey has involved Mullins winning a Group 1 – the 2020 Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp – with Princess Zoe, and only just being denied a second by the best stayer in the world at the time, Subjectivist, in last June's Ascot Gold Cup.

It was that run at Royal Ascot on fast ground that told Mullins he had a mare who could literally travel around the world, as his fears of her not being able to act as well on a quicker surface were allayed by her wellbeing immediately after the race.

Now in Riyadh, Princess Zoe's story continues, and Mullins is almost pinching himself.

“For a stable like ours to have a star like this who keeps doing it for us… I think it might take Shakespeare to put it into words properly. It's just unbelievable.”

And Mullins is not in Saudi Arabia just to make up the numbers. Her last run in the 2021 Prix du Cadran didn't finish as connections would have hoped, but there was plenty of encouragement to take from so much of the race.

“Going to the Prix du Cadran last year, the day she was fifth, that is when she was at her best,” Mullins reflects. “She came down to the last bend that day on the bridle and I was so disappointed after the race because everything had gone perfectly until we got to that last bend.

“She did come home a little lame and we believe that something happened on the last bend. If she runs like she was training going into the Cadran, and her run in the Ascot Gold Cup obviously, we have a real live chance and that is very exciting for us.”

Mullins, who trains no more than a dozen horses, often calls on his brother Willie, Ireland's record-breaking perennial champion jumps trainer, to allow him to gallop Princess Zoe with some of his high-class string, and it's a system that works.

He says: “It can be a little awkward when I want to give Princess Zoe some work as we don't have the horses to work with her, but I often bring her to Willie's and we are able to work it out. It does work and if anyone was to give me another one like her we'd be able to work that out too!”

At home in Ireland, Mullins is part of racing folklore through his association with Dawn Run, a famous mare trained by his father, Paddy, who won both the Champion Hurdle and the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Mullins partnered Dawn Run to 15 of her 21 victories, but the pressure of overseeing Princess Zoe's campaign trumps that of riding Ireland's most famous mare.

“The responsibility was my father's that time and I just had to sit up on Dawn Run, and I was always confident about that,” Mullins says.

“Now with my first real really good horse on the world stage I am nervous about this. It is a huge responsibility to get everything right and I'd rather be the jockey,” he jokes.

If Princess Zoe wins the prize on Saturday, even Shakespeare might struggle to capture this story in full.

The post Queen Of The Desert? Popular Princess Zoe Gives Small Stable A Big Chance appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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D. Wayne Lukas once owned the Honeybee Stakes. On paper, the Hall of Fame trainer looks like he'll own it again when he sends out heavy program favorite Secret Oath in the $300,000 Grade 3 event for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee is 2:10 p.m. (Central) and it goes as the fifth of 12 races. First post Saturday is 12 p.m. Saturday's card also features the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.

The projected six-horse Honeybee field from the rail out:

1. Optionality, Tyler Gaffalione to ride, 119 pounds, 7-2 on the morning line;
2. Yuugiri, John Velazquez, 117, 5-2;
3. Secret Oath, Luis Contreras, 122, 3-2;
4. Ice Orchid, Ricardo Santana Jr., 117, 6-1;
5. Free Like a Girl, Pedro Cotton Jr., 122, 6-1; and
6. Red Queen, Francisco Arrieta, 117, 15-1.

The Honeybee is Oaklawn's second of three Kentucky Oaks points races and will award 85 to the top four finishers (50-20-10-5) toward starting eligibility for the country's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies. Secret Oath collected 10 qualifying points for her 7 ¼-length victory in the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 29. The Martha Washington was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Oaks points race. Secret Oath entered the Martha Washington off an 8 ¼-length allowance victory at one mile Dec. 31, producing a 93 Beyer Speed Figure, among the highest in the country for a 2-year-old in 2021.

Lukas is seeking a record-extending sixth Honeybee victory after capturing its first four runnings (1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991) and again in 2007. Secret Oath, a homebred for Briland Farm (Robert and Stacy Mitchell), completed major preparations for the Honeybee with a half-mile workout in :48 Feb. 18. Clockers caught the daughter of champion Arrogate in even splits of :12, :24 and :36 for three-eighths of a mile before galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:01.40.

Owing to illness and previously scheduled commitments out of state, Lukas missed Secret Oath's two dominant performances at 2021-2022 Oaklawn meeting.

“I'm watching her,” Lukas said with a laugh. “I've watched the replays seven, eight, 10 times. … She's getting a lot of positive marks from good trainers, friends of mine.”

Because of her two blowout victories, Lukas said last week that he planned to nominate Secret Oath to the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 2. The Arkansas Derby will be run the same day as the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles, which is Oaklawn's final Kentucky Oaks points race. A top two finish Saturday would likely secure a spot for Secret Oath in the Kentucky Oaks, which is limited to 14 starters. If more than 14 enter, starting preference is given to horses with the highest point totals in qualifying races.

Lukas won the 1984 Arkansas Derby with Althea, a week after she finished second in the Fantasy. Lukas won the 1988 Kentucky Derby with Winning Colors after she whipped males in the Santa Anita Derby.

“You've still got to win them,” Lukas said. “But you go from, in the Fantasy, you probably go from favoritism to what – third, fourth, fifth choice in the Derby. We're a long way off. But if you win the Honeybee, then you start making decisions like what we're talking about.”

Secret Oath's biggest threat appears to be lightly raced Yuugiri, who will be making her 3-year-old debut for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Yuugiri hasn't started since finishing second in the $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs. Secret Oath was fifth in the Golden Rod, 10 ¼ lengths behind Yuugiri.

Yuugiri made two other starts last year, breaking her maiden Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs before finishing second in the $200,000 Rags to Riches Stakes Oct. 31 at Churchill Downs. Yuugiri has seven published workouts this year at Oaklawn, the last a 5-furlong move in 1:01.80 Feb. 20.

“We feel like she showed some talent last year,” Brisset said. “I think everybody saw that. We feel like she matured. We like the way she looks, carrying her weight. So, we already have two races around two turns last year. I think it's a big plus for us, even though it's her first race of the year. We have seven works. But the fact that she ran two mile and sixteenth races last year, we do have a pretty good bottom. She only has three races, but each race she showed us something.”

Yuugiri collected four Kentucky Oaks qualifying points for her runner-up finish in the Golden Rod. Brisset said the hope is the Honeybee is Yuugiri's first of two preps for the Kentucky Oaks.

Optionality also received four points for her distant runner-up finish behind Secret Oath in the Martha Washington. Her Hall of Fame trainer, Steve Asmussen, also has Honeybee five victories.

All six projected Honeybee starters are eligible for Kentucky Oaks points because they won't be racing on Lasix.

The post Oaks Prep: Lukas-Trained Secret Oath The Heavy Favorite In Six-Horse Honeybee Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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St. George Stable LLC's Letruska is scheduled to make her 2022 debut in Saturday's $150,000 Royal Delta (G3) at Gulfstream Park, where the Eclipse Award champion made an eye-opening U.S. debut a little over two years ago.

The Royal Delta, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares, will headline Saturday's 12-race program at Gulfstream Park, where Saudi Derby (11.10 a.m.), Riyadh Dirt Sprint (11:50 a.m.) and Saudi Cup (12:40 p.m.) will be simulcast.

Undefeated in her first six career starts while establishing dominance in Mexico, Letruska made it abundantly clear in the Copa Invitacional del Caribe at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 8, 2019 that she had a future in the U.S.

“I knew that she was a racehorse, when I saw the way she ran in Mexico, I said, 'This horse has the capacity to do something special,'” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “But I never imagined something like this.”

Letruska defeated males by 4 ¼ lengths in the 1 ¼-mile stakes on the Classico del Caribe program for horses representing Latin American and the Caribbean. Sixteen races and eight graded stakes (four Grade 1 stakes) victories later, the 6-year-old daughter of Super Saver enters the Royal Delta as North America's older dirt female champion.

“It is very important. This is a horse that took all the steps to a championship. She came from a foreign country and arrived here. She took it step by step and finally last year she won six graded races, four Grade 1,” Gutierrez said. “She's a great horse.”

Letruska is 3-for-3 over Gulfstream's main track, having also won the 2020 Added Elegance and Rampart (G3) before going on to dominate her division last year. The Kentucky-bred mare captured the Houston Ladies (G3) at Sam Houston, Azeri (G2) and Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn, Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont Park, Fleur de Lis (G2) at Churchill Downs, Personal Ensign (G1) at Saratoga and Spinster (G1) at Keeneland. Her 2022 campaign ended on a sour note after she finished off the board in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar.

“After 13 months of travel, maybe she wasn't the same horse,” Gutierrez said.

Letruska will make her 2022 debut off a series of strong workouts at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“I'm very happy. She's had six weeks in Ocala and came back very strong and very happy,” Gutierrez said.

Letruska produced three 'bullet' works in a row before finishing her preparation for the Royal Delta with a five-furlong maintenance breeze.

“She can still run because she's in very good condition. I think this is the perfect spot to come back,” Gutierrez said. “After this race, we will probably go to the Apple Blossom. We need to defend that race. After that, we'll stay more in the Kentucky area.”

Jose Ortiz has the mount aboard Letruska, who is 2-for-2 aboard the homebred mare with whom he teamed for victories in the Ogden Phipps and Fleur de Lis.

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful, also enters the Royal Delta with a strong record of performance over the Gulfstream track. The 4-year-old daughter of Liam's Map captured the 2021 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) following a second-place finish in the Davona Dale (G2) last season.

“She's won here going two turns, so I thought it was the best next step,” trainer Kenny McPeek said.

Crazy Beautiful went on to win the Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita and Delaware Oaks (G3) last season.

“She's just been a good filly all around. She's close to winning a million dollars,” McPeek said. “She's done well here this winter.”

Corey Lanerie has the call on Crazy Beautiful.

Augustin Stable's Into Vanishing, who finished second in a Jan. 21 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream off a nine-month layoff; Arindel's Key Biscayne, a turf mare who won an off-the-turf stakes over the main track last summer; Steven Dwoskin's Helping Lisa D., an overnight handicap winner two starts back; Robert Baron's Family Time, an optional claiming allowance winner two races back; and Franco Meli's Il Malocchio, a multiple-stakes winner at Woodbine; are also entered in the Royal Delta.

The post Champion Letruska ‘Very Strong And Very Happy’ Ahead Of 2022 Debut In Gulfstream’s Royal Delta appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Ken McPeek plans to send his Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Tiz the Bomb to Britain for the Epsom Derby on June 4, 2022, reports the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. As a prep race, Tiz the Bomb could also start in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on April 30.

“Tiz The Bomb won at Kentucky Downs, which is equivalent to a European turf course with the uphill and downhill,” McPeek told TRC. “He should be able to handle the contour of Epsom. “My fingers are crossed that he will be 100 per cent and ready to go at that period of time. We are long way away, but we are excited.”

The son of Hit It A Bomb made his sophomore debut on the dirt in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 5, finishing seventh while beaten 20 1/4 lengths. The Equibase chart indicates that Tiz the Bomb “raced two wide and out of contention early, and had no apparent mishaps.”

Last season, Tiz the Bomb broke his maiden in an off-the-turf contest on the dirt course at Ellis Park before traveling downstate to win the listed Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Stakes on the European-style grass course. A winner next out on the Keeneland turf in the G2 Bourbon, Tiz the Bomb was beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Modern Games in the Breeders' Cup.

Since his start in the Holy Bull, Tiz the Bomb has returned to the work tab once: the colt recorded a half-mile breeze in 47.16 seconds over the Gulfstream dirt course on Feb. 20.

Tiz the Bomb raced last year for Phoenix Thoroughbreds. The group's founder, Amer Abdulaziz Salman, was accused of money laundering in a cryptocurrency scam. Abdulaziz has denied the allegations, but Phoenix has not raced in Britain since October of 2020 when the British Horseracing Authority issued a suspension on financial grounds.

Phoenix was listed as the colt's owner in his most recent start, the G3 Holy Bull, but Tiz the Bomb is listed in the Triple Crown nominations as being owned by McPeek's Magdalena Racing.

McPeek told TRC that Magdalena will be leasing Tiz the Bomb from Phoenix for both of his starts in Britain.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

The post McPeek Making Plans To Send Breeders’ Cup Runner-Up Tiz The Bomb To Epsom Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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