Tag: Racing

A total of 103 of the world's best 3-year-old fillies, including champion Echo Zulu, were made early nominees to the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1).

The early nomination period to the Kentucky Oaks closed Saturday with a $200 payment. The 1 1/8-mile race will be staged for the 148th time on Friday, May 6 at Churchill Downs.

Echo Zulu, owned by L and N Racing and Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen, recently began working toward her 3-year-old debut. The undefeated Gun Runner filly sports victories in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), $400,000 Frizette (G1), and $300,000 Spinaway (G1). Echo Zulu also is nominated to the Triple Crown.

Other top contenders that were nominated to the Longines Kentucky Oaks include:

• Old Bones Racing Stable, Michael Lombardi and Joey Platts' $200,000 Chandelier (G2) winner Ain't Easy;
• Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith's $400,000 Golden Rod (G2) winner Dream Lith;
• Hidden Brook Farm and Black Type Thoroughbreds' $300,000 Pocahontas (G3) winner Hidden Connection;
• Albaugh Family Stables' $400,000 Alcibiades (G1) winner Juju's Map;
• Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's $250,000 Demoiselle (G2) winner Nest;
• Briland Farm's $200,000 Martha Washington winner Secret Oath;
• KHK Racing's $150,000 UAE Oaks (G3) winner Shahama; and
• Dawn and Ike Thrash's $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2) winner Turnerloose.

Fillies not nominated during the early stage can pay a $1,500 late fee until Saturday, April 16. After April 16, a supplementary nomination fee of $25,000 can be made at the time of entry.

A complete list of nominations will be available at https://www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/stakes/nominations/

Like the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, the Longines Kentucky Oaks has been run each year since 1875. The lucrative race is the centerpiece of a spectacular day of racing and entertainment at Churchill Downs that celebrates fashion, food, celebrity and fun with a focus on women's health issues and outreach.

The post Champion Echo Zulu Tops 103 Early Nominees To Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Keyed up and ready on Wednesday morning in Riyadh, Art Collector took a moment to take in his surroundings before setting off to breeze with Neil Poznansky, assistant trainer to Bill Mott, poised in the saddle.

“We had a nice 3/8ths [600m] breeze this morning. I just wanted to see how he was getting hold of the surface, how he felt doing it and how his energy was doing it: everything was good,” Poznansky said.

Art Collector will make his first start of 2022 in this Saturday's $20 million, Grade 1 Saudi Cup. Most recently, the 5-year-old son of Bernardini finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

“He's adapted well to the track, he's been aggressive. He likes to train,” Poznansky continued, whilst trying to hide his smile. “When we first got him he wasn't quite as aggressive, but as time has gone on he's gotten stronger and stronger, he loves to train.”

Champion apprentice jockey in the United States as well as Canada, Poznansky has been partnering the Grade 1 winner ever since he set foot in the Mott barn.

“He's not a big horse but he's very well proportioned and gets over the ground well. He's very efficient, he's got a big stride for a little horse. He's undefeated over a mile and an eighth [1800m].

“I'll talk to Bill (Mott) about what we will do tomorrow. It will probably be an easy day, we'll jog. We'll gallop into it from there.”

Updates On Other American Saudi Cup Entrants:

Country Grammer (USA) – Bob Baffert's Country Grammer exited his final breeze (800m on Tuesday) in top shape for connections. On Wednesday, he walked the shed row and is expected to return to the track on Thursday morning. Baffert was able to watch a video of the work from his California base.

“I liked what I saw,” Baffert said. “They shipped well and they're moving well and that's what you want to see in the final work. The reports I'm getting from my team there is that they're happy with how they went, came back and cooled out.”

Mandaloun (USA) – Had a comfortable morning when remaining within the confines of the stable area with Brad Cox's assistant trainer Dustin Dugas overseeing proceedings.

“Mandaloun just walked this morning, he didn't go to the track at all,” Dugas said.

“We gave him a nice easy day. He came out of the breeze in really good order. He jogged up sound and he ate up everything last night. He had really good energy this morning, he was very happy with himself. We move forward from here.”

The talented son of Into Mischief will be returning to the track the next day. Trainer Brad Cox will join him, having arrived in Saudia Arabia on Wednesday morning.

Midnight Bourbon (USA) – Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen's assistant trainer Scott Blasi was full of praise when asked how Midnight Bourbon was doing on Wednesday morning.

“He came out of the breeze in excellent order. We just walked him today,” Blasi said.

“I couldn't be happier with how he's travelled. His appetite has been great, he's drunk a lot of water. The horses in my barn ship well, all of them. He'll go to the track tomorrow.

“It will be light exercise from here on. Our major preparation was done at home. We put ourselves in a position not to have to do a lot when we get there,” Blasi concluded.

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There are many different routes to a championship race meeting, even sometimes via what originally appeared to be an unpromising avenue.

“It's really the story of a mare I shouldn't have bought, a yearling I couldn't sell and a claimer that no one wanted to claim,” says Jocelyn Targett, owner-breeder of The Saudi Derby runner Jacinda.

Based in Britain, Targett races most of his horses in France and is the creative force behind the marketing for the Darley stallions. It is a connection to that role which first brought Jacinda's dam Beraymi to his attention.

He recalls: “I bought her dam from Darley and she was stakes-placed for Andre Fabre. She's by Manduro out of an interesting mare who is one of the 20-odd daughters of Dubai Millennium and out of Cape Verdi, one of the greats. If you're a breeding boffin like me, you look back into the deep family and she is actually descended from Kincsem, through an indirect female line.”

Beraymi had plenty to recommend her on paper, but was physically more challenging. However, her offset knees didn't stop her winning twice, including the first time she raced for Targett and Marseille-based trainer Jerome Reynier. Retired to stud, she visited Aclaim in what would transpire to be her sole season.

“Out popped an absolute carbon copy of her mum, though not as dark in color,” Targett continues.

Unfortunately the inherited traits included less-than-perfect knees.

“None of the sales companies wanted to take the filly and then her dam died a few months after foaling Jacinda from a horrible colic, so there was an extra emotional attachment as she was the only foal,” he adds.

Jacinda followed her dam to Reynier's stable, starting out by finishing midfield in a Marseille maiden followed by back-to-back victories in claimers without being claimed.

“Then we sent her to Italy for a Listed race. This was all during the Covid years and I hadn't even seen the filly since she had left Britain. Jerome's jockey Antonio Orani had ridden in the Palio, so he knew his way round a tight little Italian track like Varese and she ended up finishing second.”

More black type was earned in Listed company in France before Jacinda returned to Italy for the Group 2 Premio Dormello, again finishing second.

“I was on my way back from a wedding in Paris, so we pulled over on the Peripherique [ring road] to watch it on the phone. She hit the front a bit too early and was well beaten by the winner but had her excuses and we thought she should have a crack at something else.”

A trip to Riyadh was of particular appeal to Targett, who was the creative director of the original launch of The Saudi Cup.

“It is an absolute joy to be back here and see what a fabulous transformation they have wrought on an already magical place,” he says.

“When the entries were due in early January and I suggested it to Jerome, he sent me a photo of his horsemen's booklet. He had written 'Jacinda' next to the Saudi Derby. I think we have both started to wonder if we are slightly nuts as, looking at the race now, there are some big strong colts that we are up against but she has a very good temperament. It's what you can't see that makes her a racehorse.”

He adds: “Racing is about so much more than winning. I've been in it long enough to know that winning is a rarity. You can make all sorts of plans when you're arranging matings, but as a breeder you get what you're given. And I'm a big believer in keeping the faith pretty much come what may. It can be a long and costly road to travel but hugely rewarding when it comes off.”

The post ‘It’s What You Can’t See That Makes Her A Racehorse’: Filly Jacinda Takes On Colts In Saudi Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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