Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Honor Roll: The Best On Turf Went Through Kentucky Downs In 2021

The status of Kentucky Downs as one of North America's elite turf meets has done little else but rise over the past decade, and that upward trajectory continued in 2021, both in the prestige of the races on its stakes calendar and that of the horses that filled the starting gate.

Kentucky Downs hosted six graded stakes races during its six-day 2021 meet, and those races served as both a destination and a launching pad for some of the season's most exciting runners.

The growth that Kentucky Downs has experienced in relation to the short duration of its meet puts the track in the same stratosphere as the game's most recognizable venues.

Since the 2017 racing season, stakes races at Kentucky Downs have received seven individual graded upgrades by the American Graded Stakes Committee, meaning a race either received graded status or was promoted to a higher grade. This trails only Belmont Park (15) and Saratoga (11) in that span of time, and leads Churchill Downs at six.

The most recent boosts to that number for Kentucky Downs came this year with the Calumet Turf Cup and the Franklin-Simpson Stakes, which were both upgraded to Grade 2 status. Only one other North American graded stakes race was upgraded to Grade 2 status in 2021: The Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct.

While the track's unique layout and undulating surface are unlike any other major track in the country, the results following this September's meet have shown that Kentucky Downs graduates are not strictly horses for courses.

Six horses that ran at Kentucky Downs' 2021 meet won stakes races at Keeneland's fall meet a month later, taking home half of the track's turf stakes during the boutique season.

The biggest triumph among that group was In Love, the Brazilian-bred gelding who parlayed a victory in the listed TVG Stakes at Kentucky Downs into a driving 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes.

It was the second consecutive year in which owner Bonne Chance Farm and trainer Paulo Lobo used a race at Kentucky Downs to prep for an eventual victory in the biggest turf race of Keeneland's fall meet. In 2020, Bonne Chance and Lobo saw Brazil native Ivar finish third in the listed Tourist Mile Stakes (which has since been upgraded to Grade 3 status and renamed the Mint Million Mile) before upsetting what was then the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland.

Looking ahead to the future, Tiz the Bomb proved that Kentucky Downs can serve as a launching pad for a prominent fall campaign for juveniles.

The son of Hit It a Bomb was a determined winner in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Stakes, then stood toe-to-toe with the best youngsters on the grass with a next-start victory in the G2 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland and a runner-up effort to Modern Games in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar, where he paid out as the winner after Modern Games was declared to be running for purse money only.

On the fillies side, California Angel exited Kentucky Downs with a maiden special weight victory, and went on to take the G2 Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland, leading to one of the most beloved underdog stories of this year's Breeders' Cup, where she contested the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

While these horses are recent examples of the “Kentucky Downs-to-Keeneland” angle in 2021, successful runners passing through Southern Kentucky as part of a high-end campaign or career is not isolated to a particular year or racetrack angle.

From 2019 to 2021, 105 individual horses made starts at Kentucky Downs with a prior graded stakes win on their record over the past two years. That group includes 18 Grade or Group 1 winners.

Kentucky Downs grads have also proven to be winners at the highest level after racing at the track as well. From 2019 to 2021, 10 horses have gone on to win Grade 1 races at some point in their careers after racing at Kentucky Downs.

Naturally, that list of Grade 1 triumphs includes some of the most notable grass races in the country. Four months after running in the Calumet Farm Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes, Zulu Alpha found himself in the winner's circle in the 2020 G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A month after finishing second in the 2020 Dueling Grounds Oaks, Harvey's Lil Goil usurped the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes at Keeneland.

Then, there is the mighty mare Got Stormy, who was a multiple Grade 1 winner against both males and females prior to a win in the G3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint Stakes in 2020. A year later, she beat the boys once again in the G1 Fourstardave Handicap in Saratoga.

However, the list of elite graduates from Kentucky Downs is not strictly limited to turf specialists. A trio of horses that previously raced at the track earned Grade 1 victories on the dirt in 2021, with Art Collector taking the G1 Woodward Stakes, Kimari winning the G1 Madison Stakes, and Lexitonian taking the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap. A year earlier, Combatant added his name to that list with a win in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap.

With a diverse group of world-class horses entering and graduating from its races, and running for one of the nation's strongest purse structures, Kentucky Downs stands poised and deserving to host a Grade 1 race of its own, fitting of the high standard of quality it has established.

The post Honor Roll: The Best On Turf Went Through Kentucky Downs In 2021 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Extravagant Kid, Carotari Set To Clash In Friday’s Janus

During his 54-race career, Extravagant Kid has established himself as one of the all-time great claims while winning a worldwide legion of fans with his year-in-year-out success in turf sprints.

DAARS Inc.'s enduring gelding with relatively obscure bloodlines will seek to add to his impressive resume in Friday's $100,000 Janus Stakes, a five-furlong turf sprint which will be featured on Gulfstream Park's eight-race program with the $100,000 Abundantia, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, and the $100,000 Via Borghese, a 1 3/8-mile turf event for fillies and mares. One day before his official ninth birthday, the Florida-bred son of Kiss The Kid will make his fifth career start in the Janus.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid was claimed for $75,000 out of a Jan. 18, 2018 optional claiming allowance victory at 36-1 odds at Gulfstream, and he has more than justified that rather extravagant gamble. Heading into the Janus, he has a record of 15-17-4 in 54 starts and earnings of more than $1.6 million. His biggest career performance came earlier this year when he captured the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) in Dubai, three starts after he came up a neck short of defending his 2019 Janus title by a neck.

Extravagant Kid, who finished third in the King's Stand (G1) at Ascot following his Dubai score, will make his first start Friday since finishing off the board in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call aboard Extravagant Kid in Friday's Race 1 feature.

William Branch's Carotari has also established himself with Gulfstream fans in recent years while showing a distinct affinity for the local turf course. The Brian Lynch trainee has won three of four starts at Gulfstream, including back-to-back editions of the Silks Run Stakes, his only loss being a close-up second-pace finish in the 2020 Gulfstream Turf Sprint.

The 5-year-old gelded son of Artie Schiller will be making his first start since winning an Oct. 22 optional claiming allowance at Keeneland.

Leading rider Luis Saez has the call.

Crown Way Racing LLC's Smokin Jay, Michael Dubb's Xy Speed, Mohamed and Bibi Jehaludi's Omaha City, Pedro Estevez's Breakthrough, Move Horse Inc.'s Romario, and Golden Kernel Racing Stable's Yes I Am Free are also entered in the Janus.

David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa's Miss Auramet, the ever-versatile 5-year-old mare with 10 victories and 21 in-the-money finishes in 26 career starts, will seek to rebound from a rare off-the-board finish in last year's $100,000 Abundantia, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares that has been carded as Race 8 Friday at Gulfstream.

The Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained daughter of Uncaptured was eliminated from contention in last year's edition of the Abundantia after being bumped between horses at the start. The Florida-bred mare enters this year's renewal off a dominating three-length optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream while coming off a four-month layoff.

In addition to establishing herself as a talented turf sprinter, Miss Auramet has demonstrated uncommon versatility while finishing first or second in all five starts on off tracks and winning two of four races run on fast dirt tracks.

Leading rider Luis Saez has the call aboard Miss Auramet.

Colts Neck Stables LLC's Introduced is no stranger to Miss Auramet, whom the Jorge Duarte Jr. trainee met three times at Monmouth Park during the summer. The 5-year-old daughter of El Padrino scored back-to-back victories over the Plesa trainee in turf sprints after finishing fourth behind the victorious Miss Auramet in the off-the-turf Politely Stakes on a sloppy track.

Introduced, who is coming off a third-place finish in the Oct. 17 Floral Park at Belmont Park, will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.

Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables, Tony Weintraub and Brandon Dalinka's Miss J McKay, a multiple stakes winner at five furlongs on turf, enters the Abundantia off a Nov. 21 six-furlong optional claiming allowance win over Aqueduct's turf course.

T-N-T Equine Holdings LLC's Dana's Beauty, Freddy Lewis Jr.'s Strong Odor, Willow Lane Stables Inc.'s Morning Molly, Glen Hill Farm's Drapes, Voodoomon Racing's Ambassador Luna, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Palomita and Winning Stables Inc.'s Beautiful Grace are also entered in the Abundantia.

Repole Stable's Always Shopping will seek to regain her winning form while making a title defense in Friday's $100,000 Via Borghese, a 1 3/8-mile stakes for fillies and mares carded as Race 5 at Gulfstream Park.

The Todd Pletcher-trained 5-year-old mare scored a dominating three-length victory in last year's Via Borghese before winning the Le Prevoyante (G3) by three lengths in her very next start at Gulfstream.

Always Shopping has gone winless in six subsequent starts, which include a pair of graded-stakes placings. The daughter of Awesome Again is scheduled to make her third start off a 3 ½-month layoff with Tyler Gaffalione scheduled to ride her for the first time since finishing a close second in the Dowager (G3) at Keeneland in October 2020.

Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd.'s Beautiful Lover enters the Via Borghese off a second-place finish at Belmont in the Nov. 7 Zagora, in which Always Shopping finished sixth. The Christophe Clement trainee is a multiple graded stakes-placed 5-year-old daughter of Arch.

Clement is also scheduled to saddle Sorrel, who is scheduled to make her second start off an eight-month layoff and third start since being imported from Europe. The 4-year-old daughter of Dansili, who finished five in the Nov. 27 Long Island (G3) at Aqueduct off the layoff, finished third in last season's Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream.

Luis Saez is scheduled to ride Beautiful Lover for the first time Friday, while Paco Lopez has the call on Sorrel.

Jordan Wycoff's Candy Flower enters the Via Borghese off a close second-place finish in the Long Island two starts after being claimed for $40,000. The Mike Maker trainee finished third in the Zagora in her first start off the claim.

Emisael Jaramillo is slated to ride the 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride for the first time in the Via Borghese.

Carolyn Friedberg's Sweet Serenade, Emory Hamilton's Hungry Kitten, Arindel's Onyx and Key Biscayne, Flaxman Holdings Ltd.'s Harajuku, and Sanford Bacon and Patrick Biancone's Kelsey's Cross are also entered.

The post Extravagant Kid, Carotari Set To Clash In Friday’s Janus appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Gulfstream: Trio Of New Winners Top Wide-Open Cash Run

Three horses coming off sharp maiden wins and Jumeriah, already stakes-placed at the distance, help comprise a wide-open field of seven for Saturday's $100,000 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park.

The seventh running of the Cash Run for fillies is among five stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds worth $550,000 in purses on a New Year's Day holiday program headlined by the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man.

Post time for the first of 11 races is noon.

The Cash Run is the first of Gulfstream's stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the road to the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) April 2, followed by the $100,000 Forward Gal (G3) Feb. 5 and the $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) March 5.

Surreal Fantasy, Kathleen O. and Fast and Flirty all enter the Cash Run off victories. Elena Racing and Gelfenstein Farm's Surreal Fantasy rebounded after running seventh in her Nov. 6 debut sprinting seven furlongs at Gulfstream to romp by 13 lengths in front-running fashion going a mile and 40 yards Dec. 4 at Tampa Bay Downs.

“First time out, very disappointed. We thought she was going to run a nice race. Then we tried to take an easy approach and sent her to Tampa to get some confidence going two turns, and she won quite well,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “I would have preferred to keep her at two turns, but there's nothing really around at the moment so we'll give her a shot and see how she performs this weekend.”

Joseph said he wasn't surprised at the dramatic improvement in Surreal Fantasy, a bay daughter of 2016 Wood Memorial (G1) winner Outwork and granddaughter of 1991 King's Bishop (G1) winner Forestry.

“We were kind of hoping for something like that first time out and I don't know why she ran so bad. We just couldn't come up with a reason,” Joseph said. “She trained so well before she ran, that's why we gave her one more shot. We were thinking maybe she might end up being turf if she trained that well and ran that poorly on the dirt.

“But, second time out she ran like how she trained. I don't know if it was class or two turns or what, but that's what we saw in the mornings and she duplicated that second time out,” he added. “We hope if she can run accordingly she can have a very good chance this week.”

Luis Saez is named to ride Surreal Fantasy from Post 3.

Joseph sent out a pair of winners Wednesday at Gulfstream to reach the 200 mark for the first time in a season that included nine graded-stakes victories led by Drain the Clock in the Woody Stephens (G1) and Claiborne Farm Swale (G3) and Mischevious Alex in the Carter (G1) and Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3). The Championship Meet's leading trainer with 17 wins, he also surpassed $9 million in purse earnings, another career high.

“We've had a great year,” Joseph said. “You depend on the owners and your team. The owners and your team, that's basically what makes a trainer. There's no two ways around it. You need the owners to supply the horses and you need the team to take care of them to the highest of standards. Thankfully we have both and, hopefully, we can keep continuing.”

Winngate Stables' Kathleen O. raced once at 2 for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. The Upstart filly rallied from last, trailing by as many as 10 lengths after a half-mile, to edge Mischievous Diane by a head in a seven-furlong maiden special weight Nov. 12 at Aqueduct. Both the runner-up and Greatitude, who ran third, came back to win their next start, the latter by 2 ¾ lengths Dec. 19 at Gulfstream.

Like Surreal Fantasy, Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron and Team Hanley's Fast and Flirty will be making her third start in the Cash Run. By Into Mischief, Fast and Flirty ran second over a sloppy Keeneland surface Oct. 15 in debut, then stalked and pounced to a popular 1 ¾-length maiden special weight score going a mile Nov. 14 at Churchill Downs.

“She's a nice filly. She's run a couple of nice races. She won her maiden at Churchill the last time and ran well so the mile at Gulfstream should be right up her street,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “I think she's going to improve, too. I don't think we've seen the best of her yet. If she improves a little bit it should give her a big chance.”

Tyler Gaffalione, aboard for the maiden win, gets a return call from Post 6.

“She was kind of late coming into us so it was that reason more than any that she was a little late getting to racetrack because she didn't really miss a whole lot once she got to us,” Walsh said. “She's worked good and she's improved all the way along. Hopefully she can improve a little bit more here and be able to run with these better fillies.”

Performance Horse's Jumeirah was beaten a neck as the favorite when second in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance Dec. 9 at Gulfstream to undefeated Joseph trainee Amazing Trip. Junior Alvarado, who was up that day, will ride back from Post 5.

“She's doing really good. I thought she put up a good performance in the allowance race. She linked up with a nice filly of Saffie's that went on to the lead,” trainer Carlos David said. “It's all speed at Gulfstream Park, so the plan with Junior was to place her forwardly. She was the favorite that day and she gave us a good race, the first time with blinkers. She likes Gulfstream Park. It's her second time here at Gulfstream, so I think everything points toward a good performance again.”

Though stretching out off back-to-back sprints, Jumeriah has raced twice previously at a mile. She finished second by three lengths to Runup in the Sept. 6 Sorority at Monmouth Park and was a distant eighth to undefeated multiple Grade 1 winner Echo Zulu in the Oct. 3 Frizette (G3) at Belmont Park.

“It was a big day in New York and there was a lot of people. She just didn't handle it well. She got really hot and she washed out before the race. Junior rode her that time and he just told me that she washed out and left everything behind the gate,” David said. “She's run going a mile before so it's not going to be new for her. I think the one turn will favor her, so hopefully she'll get a win.”

Queen Camilla, fourth by 1 ¼ lengths last out in the Oct. 23 Juvenile Fillies Sprint at Gulfstream; Freccia d'Argento and Mi Negrita complete the field.

The post Gulfstream: Trio Of New Winners Top Wide-Open Cash Run appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Gulfstream: Of A Revolution Aims To Stay Undefeated In Limehouse

Bassett Stables' Of a Revolution, undefeated through two starts, looks to keep his perfect record intact as he steps up to stakes company for the first time in Saturday's $100,000 Limehouse at Gulfstream Park.

The fifth running of the Limehouse and Glitter Woman for fillies, both sprinting six furlongs, are among five stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds worth $550,000 in purses on a New Year's Day holiday program headlined by the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man.

Post time for the first of 11 races is noon.

Championship Meet-leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. captured the 2021 Limehouse with Drain the Clock. Drain the Clock would go on to wins in the Claiborne Farm Swale (G3), Bay Shore (G3) and Woody Stephens (G1) and run second in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Amsterdam (G2).

Like Drain the Clock, Of a Revolution has also begun his career with two straight wins before taking on stakes competition.

“This horse, from Day 1, has always showed a lot of talent. We call him Drain the Clock Jr.,” Joseph said. “He obviously has a long way to go to reach that standard but he's a nice horse. The first time out he won. The second time out he came off a layoff and beat a quality field. I thought he did it the right way. He missed the break and was still able to overcome that. We feel like he's very talented and he goes over there with a very big chance.”

Of a Revolution, by Maclean's Music, was favored in his May 29 debut at Gulfstream in a five-furlong maiden special weight, winning by a half-length over Cajun's Magic, who would come back to capture the FTBOA Florida Sire Dr. Fager and run second in the Affirmed and In Reality divisions.

“He was actually supposed to be an early kind of 2-year-old and we were going to take him to Saratoga after he won, and he got sick,” Joseph said. “So, we kind of got backed up on him and that's why it took us longer. We got him back and then we had to just wait around for a race.”

The wait ended Nov. 13, also at Gulfstream in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance where Of a Revolution was bumped and pinched back at the start but managed to work his way to the lead after a half-mile and sprinted clear to a 2 ½-length triumph over Summery, who also returns in the Limehouse. Third-place finisher Simplification is entered in the Mucho Macho Man.

“When he broke, I thought all chance was gone and he was still able to overcome it. He made a good move and he was able to sustain the move. I think he's a quality horse,” Joseph said. “We feel like he's going to become a good sprinter. He's all speed.”

Out of the Salt Lake mare Hot Spell, Of a Revolution is a half-brother to Hopkins, who ran second by a half-length to Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Shaaz in a Dec. 26 maiden special weight at Santa Anita. Hopkins earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 104 in defeat.

“The family is getting good, it looks like,” Joseph said. “We feel that he's very talented.”

Tyler Gaffalione has the assignment on Of a Revolution from Post 3 in a field of seven.

Lea Farms' Lightening Larry will be making his seventh career start and third straight in a stakes after finishing second to Make It Big in the seven-furlong Juvenile Sprint against fellow Florida-breds Oct. 30 at Gulfstream and Cattin the six-furlong Inaugural Dec. 4 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Make It Big, Of a Revolution's Joseph-trained stablemate, improved to 3-0 with a win in the Springboard Mile Dec. 17 at Remington Park, while Cattin ran fourth in the Affirmed and third in the In Reality.

“We love him. Last time in the stake at Tampa we just caught a little bit of a bad break there where we let the horse that ended up winning the race come up in between us and we should have moved down to the rail,” trainer Jeff Engler said. “But, live and learn. [Jockey] Romero [Maragh] even said he made a little bit of a mistake there but he still dug in, and [Cattin] is a nice horse, too. We just need a good break and a good trip and I think he's going to be right there again.”

Engler said Lightening Larry, first or second five times with two wins, had an excuse in his lone poor effort when he ran ninth after chasing the pace in the seven-furlong Affirmed Aug. 28. He came back six weeks later to take an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream over the filly Muted, who returned with an 8 ½-length score against her own kind Nov. 11.

“The one race where he didn't finish on the board honestly wasn't his fault. He had a little stall accident where he had to get some stitches in his hind quarter, so he had missed like three weeks of training,” Engler said. “We kind of ran him in there before he was really ready so that was really a trainer fault. Now that he's back in regular training and on his regular breeze schedule he's always right there. He's just very aggressive and he loves the competition.”

Maragh gets the return call from Post 5.

“He's a nice horse and he loves to train. He's just a nice colt that loves his job. He's doing great. He's on go, and we're looking for good things,” Engler said. “He's grown up a lot and he's getting bigger and taller and I think in his 3-year-old year he'll really blossom.”

Monarch Stables, Inc.'s Last Leaf will take on the boys in her seasonal debut. In her only previous try against males, the Ron Spatz trainee won the five-furlong Hollywood Beach Sept. 25 over the Gulfstream turf. That effort came on the heels of a 10 ¾-length optional claiming allowance triumph 21 days earlier on a sloppy main track.

“I loved her turf sprint. She had a good turf sprint and I think she'll love that if we can get some more opportunities to do that. And, she loved the slop, too,” Spatz said. “She's doing good. She had a good work coming up to this, so all systems go.”

Last Leaf was third, beaten a length as the favorite, in a 5 ½-furlong sprint over Gulfstream's Tapeta surface Oct. 31. She was back on grass and stretched out to a mile for her most recent start, running fifth after being fractious in the gate of the Dec. 3 Wait a While.

“I didn't think she had a big fondness for the Tapeta when she ran, and she ran good. Then it was either go to Tampa to go in a six-furlong race or try her two turns,” Spatz said. “We decided to stay here and try the two turns and it didn't work out. She's a sprinter right now, and that's what we'll do. She's coming up good for it.”

Last Leaf drew the rail under Junior Alvarado and will carry low weight of 117 pounds as the lone filly in the field.

Also entered are Carl Hess Jr.'s Concrete Glory, who had a three-race win streak snapped when eighth in the Inaugural; O Captain, a 9 ¼-length maiden special weight winner in his lone start Aug. 14 at Gulfstream for trainer Gustavo Delgado; and Calumet Farm's Bueno Bueno, a winner of two straight at Ellis Park.

The post Gulfstream: Of A Revolution Aims To Stay Undefeated In Limehouse appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post