While the Road to the Kentucky Derby series features some of the nation’s most well-known races at famous racetracks, there are a few stops along the way tailored for the little guys.
Tag: Racing
Atone, Media Blitz Lead Mike Maker’s Entrants For Saturday’s Fort Lauderdale
Already with a handful of prospects for next month's $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), a race he won in 2020, trainer Mike Maker may wind up strengthening his hand following Saturday's $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
Maker entered three horses in the 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale for 3-year-olds and up, one of five stakes, four graded, worth $650,000 in purses on an 11-race program. It is one of two scheduled for the Gulfstream turf course along with the $100,000 Suwannee River (G3), a prep for the inaugural $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
Other Saturday stakes are the $150,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, a 1 1/16-mile prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1), $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3) and $100,000 Rampart, each for fillies and mares 3 and older. First race post time is noon.
Since the Pegasus Turf debuted in 2019, four of its runners have come from the Fort Lauderdale including winners Largent, second by a neck to stablemate Colonel Liam in January, and Instilled Regard, third to Maker-trained Zulu Alpha in 2020. In defense of his title, Maker ran third with 14-1 long shot Cross Border in 2021, beaten two necks.
Maker will send out two of the seven horses he nominated to the Fort Lauderdale, Atone and Media Blitz, as well as supplemental entry Order and Law. Three Diamonds Farm's Atone is a 4-year-old Into Mischief gelding with four wins in nine career tries on grass, two of them coming in his last three starts, most recently a 2 ½-length optional claiming allowance triumph Nov. 21 at Aqueduct.
Media Blitz will be making his first start since Maker spent $100,000 to claim the 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro colt for himself out of a third-place finish Nov. 26 at Del Mar. He has faced graded company twice previously this year, finishing off the board in the Del Mar Handicap (G2) and John Henry Turf Championship (G2).
“Nice horse. I think he probably wants to go a little further than a mile and an eighth, but it's a good place to start with him,” Maker's assistant trainer, Nolan Ramsey, said. “He'd been running some good races and keeping some pretty good company, too. He's just a horse we thought would want to stretch out and it's kind of our niche, so we took a shot.”
Media Blitz has two wins and two seconds in four tries at 1 1/8 miles, with his other victory coming in a 1 ½-mile allowance May 20 at Churchill Downs. He breezed an easy half-mile in 50.14 seconds Dec. 11 on Gulfstream's main track following his cross-country trip.
“We had him for a little bit out there before he shipped back. We got a work into him the other day and I was real happy with him. He seems to handle everything good,” Ramsey said. “Very classy. Does everything you want him to do. I think he can run all day long.”
Order and Law was also claimed at Del Mar, this time for $80,000 on behalf of Paradise Farms Corp. The 5-year-old gelding – whose grandsire, Shakespeare, was a multiple Grade 1 winner on turf – ran fifth in the Oct. 2 City of Hope Mile (G2) in his first start for Maker. He rebounded to finish second by a neck at odds of 10-1 behind favored Neptune's Storm in the one-mile Lure, also at Santa Anita.
“He was a little overmatched the first time we ran him,” Ramsey said. “We didn't have him that long, but the addition of blinkers into the [Lure] made a world of difference. He's a completely different horse. I think he wants to stretch out and, hopefully, be a nice marathon horse for us down the road.”
Grade 2 winners Cross Border and Field Pass are Maker horses also under Pegasus Turf consideration along with Flavius, recently sent to Maker after being purchased for $230,000 at Keeneland's November sale.
“Obviously, [being a Pegasus Turf prep] plays a big part. There's a couple [horses] that, had we not been pointing toward the Pegasus, we probably would have run here, so we're going to bring a couple into the Pegasus fresh,” Ramsey said. “We'll see. This is kind of a deciding factor for a few others. We'll see how things shake out.”
Allen Stable, Inc.'s Doswell ran second in last year's Fort Lauderdale, beaten two lengths by Largent despite a trip where he was bumped early, raced inside and was forced to steady at the quarter pole. He ran third by 1 ¼ lengths in the 1 ½-mile W.L. McKnight (G3) Jan. 23 in his other start at last winter's Championship Meet.
“He ran into all kinds of trouble last year and still ran well,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He's a pretty nice horse, really. He's had his ups and downs and he's been a tough horse to keep sound, but he's doing really well right now.”
Doswell has run third in each of his three starts this year. After the McKnight, he didn't run again until Oct. 21 at Belmont Park, an optional claiming allowance where Atone ran second.
Doswell was beaten in a similar spot Nov. 19 at Aqueduct by L'Imperator, who returns in the Fort Lauderdale with two-time Grade 3 winner and twice Grade 1-placed stablemate Analyze It.
“He's just goes out there and does it. He tries every time,” Tagg said. “He's done everything we've asked him to do. He's coming into the race as good as he did last year. I'm looking forward to it.”
Clipper Logistics' 5-year-old Space Traveller, both a Group 2 winner in Ireland and Group 3 winner in his native England at 3, will be making his fourth U.S. start this year. The Bated Breath horse has been beaten a total of eight lengths in three domestic Grade 1 races this year, including a second in the Woodbine Mile after being bumped at the start Sept. 18 at Woodbine.
“I don't think he needs to be too far away, maybe three [or] four lengths,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “But, he does like to get some pace in front of him and come running at them at the end.”
Phipps Stable homebred Breaking the Rules returns for a second straight try in the Fort Lauderdale after finishing third last year prior to a ninth in the Pegasus Turf. The 6-year-old son of War Front, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, has raced just three times since the Pegasus, returning to win a Saratoga allowance in August. Most recently he was seventh in the one-mile Artie Schiller Nov. 13, contested over an Aqueduct turf course rated good.
Two horses that were on the 2020 Triple Crown trail, King Guillermo and Sole Volante, will meet up for a third time and first since King Guillermo's 49-1 upset of favored Sole Volante in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). It was a reversal of their previous meeting, when Sole Volante beat top choice King Guillermo in the 2019 Pulpit on the Gulfstream Park West turf.
Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo ran second in the 2020 Arkansas Derby (G1) before going to the sidelines and is winless in four subsequent starts, spread out from last December to Oct. 23 at Gulfstream when he was fourth in a one-mile handicap. He broke his maiden on the grass prior to the Pulpit, his only previous tries on turf.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone's Sole Volante finished off the board in both the 2020 Belmont (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1), when the Triple Crown race order was switched amid the coronavirus pandemic. He has failed to find the winner's circle since a June 2020 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream, 10 days before the Belmont, running sixth in the Oct. 22 Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland last time out.
“I think he's training the best he ever has right now,” Biancone, trainer Patrick Biancone's daughter and assistant, said. “I'm excited.”
Completing the field are English Bee, whose three career stakes wins include the 2019 Virginia Derby (G3); Renaisance Frolic, a three-time turf stakes winner at Gulfstream that also ran second in the March 27 Kitten's Joy Appleton (G3); and the also-eligible Brown Storm, a Group 2 and 3 winner in his native Chile in 2018 .
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Canadian Champion Mighty Heart Faces Pletcher-Trained Fearless In Harlan’s Holiday
Repole Stable's Fearless will make a bid to return to graded stakes-winning form while making his second start off a six-month layoff in Saturday's $150,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The Harlan's Holiday, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up, and the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a 1 1/8-mile turf event for 3-year-olds and up, will co-headline Saturday's program, on which the $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3), a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, the $100,000 Suwannee River (G3), a mile turf stakes for fillies and mares, and the $100,000 Rampart, a mile event for fillies and mares, will be renewed.
The Harlan's Holiday and Fort Lauderdale are preps for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), respectively, Jan. 29 at Gulfstream. The Suwannee River is a prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G3) on the same program.
Fearless is coming off a second-place finish in the Nov. 21 Miami Gardens overnight handicap, in which he lost for the first time in fourth starts at Gulfstream. The 5-year-old Ghostzapper gelding was the even-money favorite in his first start since finishing third in the May 14 Pimlico Special (G3).
“He likes the track and he ran a good race off the layoff, so we're thinking that should set him up good for the Harlan's Holiday,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Prior to coming up a length short of beating Girolamo's Attack, Fearless had gone 3-for-3 at Gulfstream, including a victory in the Feb. 27 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2).
Due to his large size, Fearless didn't make his career debut until the very tail end of his 3-year-old season, capturing a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream. He came right back to win a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance at the Hallandale Beach track.
“I remember him as a yearling, and the one concern was – how big he was,” Pletcher said. “Fortunately, he hasn't grown a lot. He was big enough to begin with. He was a horse that the guys at WinStar said was a difficult horse to break and get ready.
“He's been gelded and since then, his behavior has been good and he's been consistent. He added.
Luis Saez is scheduled to ride Fearless for the first time since guiding the Pletcher trainee to victory in his debut.
Multiple graded-stakes winner Mighty Heart looms as a formidable opponent for Fearless in the Harlan's Holiday. The Lawrence Cordes homebred is coming off a front-running victory in the Autumn (G2) at Woodbine after finishing fourth in the Durham Cup (G3).
“In his prior race, he blew a shoe and didn't show up. We figured something went wrong. Coming back, we were expecting him to run well,” trainer Josie Carroll said.
The 4-year-old son of Dramedy won the 2020 Queen's Plate over Woodbine's Tapeta surface before capturing the Prince of Wales on dirt at Fort Erie. The Ontario-bred colt won the Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs, finished second in the West Virginia Governor's Cup (G3) at Mountaineer, and finished third in an optional claiming allowance at Keeneland in his other starts on dirt.
“He's obviously run well on synthetic, but he's also run really well on dirt. He won the Prince of Wales on dirt. When he ran great at Churchill Downs when he won the Blame. His race at Keeneland was also very good.” Carroll said.
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez is scheduled to ride Mighty Heart for the first time in the Harlan's Holiday.
Owner/trainer Steve Budhoo's Eye of a Jedi, who finished second in last year's Harlan's Holiday, will seek to improve on a trio of recent starts at a mile around one turn.
“The mile has been killing him. He needs two turns,” Budhoo said.
The 6-year-old gelding won the 1 1/8-mile Ghostzapper (G3) around two turns with Javier Castellano aboard last year. The Hall of Fame rider will return aboard Eye of a Jedi Saturday.
James Woodruff's Blue Steel, winner of the Claiming Crown Iron Horse Kent Sterling Memorial; Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Pantofel Stable LLC's South Bend, an optional claiming allowance winner at Churchill Downs; and Calumet Farm's Twenty Twice round out the field.
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Unique Unions Tries Winners In NYSSS Great White Way
Unique Unions will vie for his first victory against winners in Saturday's NYSSS Great White Way for eligible state-sired juveniles going seven furlongs over the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The first of two New York Stallion Stakes Series races on Saturday's nine-race card, the Great White Way division is slated as Race 6 with the Fifth Avenue division set for Race 8. With each division offering a purse of $500,000, the New York Stallion Stakes Series rewards owners and breeders for their efforts to breed mares to stallions in the Empire State.
“The New York Stallion Stakes Series works to directly benefit and promote stakeholders in the New York-bred program, especially New York stallion owners and everyone who invests in their progeny,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. which administers the NYSSS. “We're thankful the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund and NYRA continue to partner in supporting this 10-race series totaling $2,300,000 in purses and the ability to earn 20 percent in addition to purse earnings with Open Owner's Awards for finishers first through third.
“The opportunity to breed or purchase a New York-sired New York-bred at auction and compete in the richest juvenile sire stakes races in the country with the $500,000 Great White Way for males and Fifth Avenue for fillies provides tremendous value for New York Sired progeny,” Thompson added. “It's a great example of the opportunities and incentives available by participating in the New York-bred program and NYSSS races.”
Unique Unions, trained and co-owned by Rick Schosberg with Clear Stars Stable and Mitre Box Stable enters the Great White Way off an impressive 4 ¼ length maiden special weight romp at Aqueduct on November 20.
Battling for the lead down the backstretch with two foes to his inside, the son of second-crop sire Union Jackson was asked by jockey Manny Franco to make his move rounding the turn and found a new gear, steadily widening his advantage and stopping the clock in a final time of 1:12.08.
“I was expecting him to run big,” said Schosberg. “Manny worked him for us to get a feel for him and he really liked him. We have had some really nice horses come through this barn and he sure acts the part.”
Unique Union's maiden score came on the heels of a troubled first start at Belmont Park on Sept. 25 when he briefly made a bid for the lead after the break but took an awkward step and was pulled up and vanned off rounding the turn. Schosberg said that the gelding sustained no injuries and was vanned as a precautionary measure.
“There was nothing wrong with him,” Schosberg said “He was bright and standing well. The jockey said he took some funny steps when he tried to switch leads and just wasn't in sync. It's fine he pulled him up. He thought the horse was having an issue and you err on the side of caution no matter what when it comes to the health and welfare of the horse.”
A $60,000 purchase by his owners at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale in May, Unique Unions caught the eye of his connections when he posted a 10.1 second furlong at the sale. Schosberg said that the colt has shown enough in the mornings and in his maiden score to warrant a start in stakes company.
“I don't think it's overstepping looking at the nominations,” he said. “I see no reason why we shouldn't be in there. He has not regressed one bit since he broke his maiden. He has moved forward and gained weight. His works have been what we want to see.”
Schosberg also spoke to the purse money offered by the New York Stallion Stakes Series, emphasizing the importance of awarding breeders for their dedication to the New York program.
“These stallion stakes are a huge plus for us,” said Schosberg. “It's fantastic that they can have a purse like this. It's a great opportunity to earn some big money with some horses that have connections that took the time and resources to get through the process. The idea is to keep good stallions here in New York, which is key to our breeding industry. We need mares to breed to New York sires as opposed to shipping elsewhere as it helps the economy here in New York. This is a great way to promote it.”
A win with Unique Unions would provide Schosberg with his second Great White Way victory after conditioning Rush Chairman Bill to take the 1992 edition.
Unique Unions will exit Post 1 with Franco in the irons again.
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Trainer Genevieve Londono will ship in Stirdatpot off a second-place 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight effort at Churchill Downs on November 20.
Stalking the pace in third under Alex Achard, Stirdatpot had some trouble switching his leads in the stretch but held on gamely to secure place honors by a neck.
“Scott Kent broke him in Ocala and he has been growing and maturing ever since” said Londono. “He was a little green in his last race and was rambunctious in the post parade, but he's improving. His dam had a lot of heart too.”
A homebred son of Trinniberg for Londono and Charlie Hancock, Stirdatpot will look to become Londono's second stakes winner from 13 starters.
Stirdatpot breaks from Post 8 with Edgar Morales up.
Iron Lion in Zion also enters the Great White Way off a maiden special weight score last out for trainer Tom Morley in a state-bred seven-furlong contest at Belmont Park November 5.
Fifth on debut after bumping with his inside foe leaving the gate and weakening in the stretch, the son of Bellamy Road took a step forward in his next start, putting together a last-to-first effort to break his maiden.
Positioned at the rear of the field by Dylan Davis in the early stages, Iron Lion in Zion came under a ride at the three-eighths pole before taking command at the sixteenth pole and keeping to task with right-handed encouragement from Davis to win by 2 ¾ lengths.
On Friday, Iron Lion in Zion posted his final work for the Great White Way, breezing a half-mile in 50.85 seconds over Belmont's dirt training track.
A homebred for owner DutchessViews Farm, Iron Lion in Zion will exit Post 9 with Davis aboard.
Cypress Creek Equine's Un Ojo will look to improve off a game fourth-place effort last out in the Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs on November 20. A maiden special weight winner on November 5 at Delta, the gelded son of Laoban gave a stalking performance in the Jean Lafitte with Devin Magnon up.
Roused in the final turn and sent up the middle lane to split horses, Un Ojo weaved his way back down to the inside path to make a final drive to the finish in the stretch, finishing five lengths behind the top three to round out the superfecta.
Now in the barn of Anthony Dutrow after making his first three starts with Ricky Courville, the dark bay breezed five furlongs in 1:02.54 over the main track at Belmont on Sunday.
Trevor McCarthy will guide Un Ojo from Post 11.
The Bruce Levine-trained Bustin Pietre faced a tall order last time out when stepping up from a debut maiden claiming victory to face multiple stakes winner Senbei in the Notebook at Belmont on November 21.
Tracking in second behind Senbei throughout the six furlongs, the Bustin Stones gelding finished well to hold off a late bid from Daufuskie Island to secure second by a half-length at the wire.
Breezing five furlongs over Belmont Park's dirt training track on Friday, Bustin Pietre's time of 1:02.01 was the third-best of 14 works that day.
Kendrick Carmouche gets the call to ride from Post 2.
Completing the field for the Great White Way are stakes-placed Maseta [Post 3, Eric Cancel], maidens Safalow's Mission [Post 4, Jose Ortiz] and Hot Stepper [Post 5, Samuel Camacho, Jr.] Awad runner-up Geno [Post 6, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], Flying P Stable's Hoboken Jack [Post 7, Jose Lezcano], and Morris E. Kerman, Jr.'s and Jagger Inc.'s Kenner [Post 10, Ruben Silvera].
Named for Broadway in Manhattan's theater district, the Great White Way offers a 3:09 p.m. Eastern post. First post for the card is set for 12:20 p.m.
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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