For those 2-year-olds who started or developed too late for the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, there’s always the Remsen Stakes.
Tag: Racing
‘You Always Dream Of Having These Kinds Of Horses’: Simon Readying Summer Sunday For Her Swansong
Summer Sunday has one last journey to take before heading to greener pastures.
Less than a week from now, the striking six-year-old mare will depart the barn of trainer Stuart Simon and head over to the Woodbine paddock for the La Prevoyante Stakes.
The 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race for Ontario-sired fillies and mares, three-year-olds and upwards, will be the swan song for Summer Sunday, the multiple stakes-winning daughter of Silent Name (JPN).
Should she win the $100,000 race, the veteran campaigner would eclipse the $1million mark (CDN) in lifetime earnings for owners Anne and William Scott.
Soon after the race, Summer Sunday will be on her way to Ireland to begin a new life.
“She's going to be a broodmare, and she's going to have a forever home with Mr. Scott's relative in Ireland,” noted Simon. “It's very nice to know that she's going to a place where she'll be well looked after for the rest of her days.”
The reality of the La Prevoyante being her final start has already hit Simon.
“It's going to be emotional…” said the longtime conditioner, his voice trailing off. “We didn't raise her, but we bought her as a yearling, and we tried to keep her safe and looked after her whole life. It's going to be very emotional. She's so special. You always dream of having these kind of horses.”
Her most recent start, the Eternal Search on October 29 at Woodbine, was the ninth career stakes score for Summer Sunday, who sports a record of 11-3-1 from 21-lifetime starts.
Summer Sunday launched her career with a win on July 15, 2017, going on to net the natural hat trick to complete her rookie season with a perfect three-for-three mark, which included victories in the Nandi and Muskoka Stakes.
In 2019, she was named Canada's champion female sprinter.
Simon, who has 838 career wins, continues to marvel at the mare's versatile ways.
“She has won stakes races from five furlongs up to a mile-and-a-sixteenth on all three surfaces at Woodbine. She's won a five-furlong race on the Inner Turf, she's won multiple graded stakes on the main track, and she's won a graded stakes race on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course, as well as a two-turn Open stakes race on the synthetic. Not many of the past champions and good horses here have that kind of diversity. Not taking anything away from all of the great horses that have been here, but most of them are really good at one thing, probably, whether it's running short or running long, turf or synthetic.”
Regular rider Rafael Hernandez is equally effusive in his praise of Summer Sunday's ample abilities.
His highest compliment is divided between the conditioner and the dark bay.
“I liked her from the first time I got on her,” said the veteran jockey, who has over 2,800 career wins. “She used to be a filly that was all speed. Every time the gate opened, it was 'go, go, go.' Like every horse, when they grow up, they start to figure it out. They don't have to be on the engine the whole way. They can settle down. She's been doing that for the last couple of years. She can settle off the pace and be able to finish. We can do anything we want with her.”
One race, in particular, stands out for Hernandez.
“I remember – if you speak with Stuart, I think he would agree with me – it was the stakes race (2019 running of the Grade 2 Royal North) when she had never been on the grass before. It was six furlongs on the E.P. Taylor. Stuart told me there weren't races coming up for her, so we had to give it a shot. And it was the most impressive race she had. The E.P. Taylor is very hard to win on. With speed horses, that long stretch, it can really be hard on them. It was an impressive race from her. Stuart is an unbelievable trainer, and he has done a great job with her. On the track, she is so calm and so professional. Stuart has worked hard over the years to get her to settle down, and she has in every way.”
Simon also easily recalled the Royal North performance.
“She was bred for the turf, and she trained like she would like the grass. Just the way it fit into the schedule, we decided to run her in that race. And she came up with such a great effort.”
On a crisp autumn Saturday – the forecast is currently calling for light snow, and a high of 0 degrees Celsius – Summer Sunday will go postward for the 22nd and final time in her career, in search of her 12th win and the $1 million mark in earnings.
The horseman who has campaigned the versatile Ontario-bred hopes she goes out a winner, perhaps channelling the luck of the Irish ahead of her new post-racing life.
If she doesn't happen to cross the wire first, Simon won't hang his head.
He has no reason to.
“I expect her to run well. She's as honest as they come. The mile and a sixteenth doesn't bother me. She's acting more and more as she's gotten older that she wants to run further. I've run her once going two turns, and she won that race. She defeated an open field of horses, including the filly (Souper Escape) that won the Sovereign for top older mare in 2020. She's no one-trick pony, that's for sure.”
Hernandez is hopeful she lives to her name this weekend. Well, sort of.
“The last few times we've been racing in the stakes on Saturdays when most of the stakes she wins are on Sunday, just like her name. But it doesn't matter. Whenever she races, she gives everything she has.”
It's one of many things Simon will miss about Summer Sunday, who was bred by Trinity West Stables Ltd.
That said, he's content to see one of his top stars begin a new chapter in her life.
“It's starting to hit home more and more that this is going to be it. And it's time. I'm glad, and I'm happy for her and very comfortable with the decision to stop on her. She's good right now, but you don't want to push the envelope. You want her to have a good life because she deserves it.”
The post ‘You Always Dream Of Having These Kinds Of Horses’: Simon Readying Summer Sunday For Her Swansong appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Baffert To Saddle Three Of Six In Saturday’s Starlet
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have three opportunities to win the Grade 1, $300,000 Starlet – the final Grade 1 of 2021 for 2-year-old fillies – for a fifth consecutive year Saturday at Los Alamitos.
The race at 1 1/16 miles is being offered locally for the eighth time after 33 renewals as the Hollywood Starlet (1981-2013) at Hollywood Park.
Post time is 12:30 p.m. The Starlet is the eighth of nine races and has an approximate post time of 3:58 p.m.
Baffert, whose streak of Starlet victories includes Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bast (2019) and Varda last year, entered Grace Adler, Eda, and Benedict Canyon in 2021.
Owned by Willow Grace Farm and Michael Lund Petersen, Grace Adler will be seeking the second Grade I success of her young career. The daughter of Curlin and the Newfoundland mare Our Khrysty dominated seven opponents by 11 ¼ lengths in the Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5.
The victory followed a debut win as the 2-5 favorite July 31. She has been idle since disappointing as the 9-10 choice in the Grade 2 Chandelier Oct. 1 at Santa Anita. She's banked $226,000.
Eda, a Munnings filly out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me, is the most accomplished of the Baffert trio in terms of wins. She's 3-for-5 with a bankroll of $190,000.
Owned by Baoma Corporation, Eda enters off consecutive victories, taking the Anoakia Oct. 24 and the Desi Arnaz Nov. 13. The Starlet will mark her first start beyond seven furlongs.
Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Benedict Canyon has one win in three starts and was third in her two defeats. The daughter of Midnight Lute and the Medallist mare Bennie M defeated maidens Sept. 5 at Del Mar before finishing a distant third in the Anoakia. The earner of $59,880 has yet to try more than six furlongs.
Trained by Bob Hess, Jr. for David A. Bernsen LLC and Schroeder Farm LLC, Cairo Memories will be making her dirt debut after winning two of three on grass, including the Surfer Girl at one mile Oct. 3.
A Cairo Prince filly out of the Indian Charlie mare Incarnate Memories, Cairo Memories suffered her lone defeat when ninth of 14 in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 5. She has earned $172,000.
Runner-up behind Eda in the Arnaz, Tonito's will stretch out for the first time for Anderson Farms, E R J Racing LLC, Reddam Racing LLC, John Fielding and Ryan Lloyd and trainer Doug O'Neill.
A Blame filly out of the Street Cry mare Cry Value. Tonito's rallied from well off the pace to win her debut on turf Oct. 23 prior to the Arnaz. She's banked $56,600.
Trainer Phil D'Amato, who won the 2015 Starlet with Street Fancy, will be represented by Desert Dawn.
Owned by breeder H and E Ranch, Inc., the daughter of Cupid and the Honour and Glory mare Ashley's Glory is the only member of the cast with a two-turn win on dirt. The Arizona bred graduated by 4 ¼ lengths when stretched to eight furlongs in her second start Aug. 26.
She's 1-for-4 with earnings of $114,00. In her most recent appearance, Desert Dawn finished last of six in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5.
From inside out, the field for the Starlet Stakes:
- Tonito's, Mario Gutierrez rides, 120 pounds
- Grace Adler, Flavien Prat, 120
- Benedict Canyon, Edwin Maldonado, 120
- Cairo Memories, Kent Desormeaux, 120
- Desert Dawn, Mike Smith, 120
- Eda, Juan Hernandez, 120
The post Baffert To Saddle Three Of Six In Saturday’s Starlet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
‘Total Rock Star’ Tune In Ready To Roll In Claiming Crown Jewel
Very much the 'poster horse' for what the annual Claiming Crown at Gulfstream Park represents, Mastic Beach Racing's Tune In will seek his seventh win in his last 10 starts in Saturday's $75,000 Jewel.
The Jewel, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up who have run for a claiming price of $35,000 or less in 2020-2021, will headline an 11-race program offering nine starter stakes worth $810,000 in purses for the celebration of the blue-collar horses that support day-to-day programs at racetracks across the country.
Post time for Saturday's 11-race program is noon.
Tune In, who opened his career with a 3 ½-length win in a $20,000 maiden claiming race at Keeneland in April 2019, has developed into a tough-as-nails competitor with a resolute will to win. The Diane Morici-trained gelding has notched a record of six wins, two places and one third in his last nine races.
“He's a cool dude,” Morici said. “He's a rock star; he's a total rock star.”
The son of Country Day, who is coming off a dominating victory in a one-turn mile starter allowance at Gulfstream, will attempt to win for the first time around two turns on dirt in the Jewel. His most recent attempt at two turns on dirt came Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs, where he held the lead in the stretch before settling for second behind multiple graded stakes-placed Major Fed.
“He went two turns at Churchill and got beat by a very nice horse,” Morici said. “At this level I think he should be fine.”
Tune In, who kicked off his impressive 9-race run with back-to-back two-turn victories over the turf at Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream last winter, came back from his Churchill race six weeks later to return to winning form at Gulfstream. He will return in the Jewel off only three weeks between races.
“This is the first time I'm running him back this quick. I usually give him a little bit more time between races, but he did come out of his last race really well,” Morici said. “He shipped to Kentucky twice and ran his eyeballs out. He never missed an oat. He's a good eater. He's a class act. He's just a class act.”
Leonel Reyes as the return mount aboard Tune In.
John Fanelli, LC Racing LLC, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch's Girolamo's Attack will also attempt to win for the first time around two turns in the Jewel. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 4-year-old gelding is coming off a victory in the one-turn mile Hollywood Lakes at Gulfstream.
“His best race seems to be a one-turn mile. He's 3-for-3 at Gulfstream at a one-turn mile,” Joseph said. “We're experimenting going two turns for the first time at a mile-and-an-eighth. We're going to give it a shot. It's a question mark if he wants to go two turns.”
Privately purchased after breaking his maiden for a $32,000 claiming price at Gulfstream in April 2020, the son of Girolamo is usually forwardly placed while sprinting.
“Going longer, it allows him to get into an easier rhythm than when we were sprinting him earlier. I think that was the mistake we were making,” Joseph said. “It's a slower tempo [around two turns].”
Edgard Zayas has the return call aboard the son of Girolamo.
Joseph will also be represented by Magic Cap Stables' Twelve Volt Man, who became eligible for the Jewel two races back when he won an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream while running for a $35,000 tag. The 3-year-old Violence colt finished fourth in the Showing Up Nov. 6 in next start.
Edwin Gonzalez has the mount on STwelve Volt Man.
Glenn Fagan's Glory of Florida enters the Jewel off a close second-pace finish behind Girolamo's Attack in the Hollywood Lakes, in which he rallied from mid-pack but was unable to sustain his drive in deep stretch. The Laura Cazares-trained 5-year-old son of Dialed In will be ridden back by Miguel Vasquez.
Michel Winters' Strike Appeal has ventured from West Virginia to Gulfstream Park with an impressive two-turn record. The Odin Londono Jr.-trained 4-year-old gelding has won eight of his last 10 starts, all around two turns, at Thistledown and Mountaineer Park. The son of Tonalist was claimed two starts back for $25,000 out of an optional claiming allowance. Jockey Erik Barbaran has accompanied Strike Appeal from Mountaineer for the Jewel.
Trainer Michael Maker, who has saddled a record 18 winners of Claiming Crown races, will be represented in the Jewel by Ten Strike Racing and Thorough Crowd's Hanalei's Houdini. The 5-year-old Jersey Town gelding, who has raced for a claiming price as low as $16,000, will make his first start for his new connections Friday after being claimed for $50,000 out of a fifth-place finish at Keeneland. Paco Lopez has the call.
J. Richard Perkins' Ludington, a back-to-back optional claiming allowance winner; Bianco Stable's Braccio Di Ferro, who captured a $20,000 claiming race by 3 ½ lengths at Gulfstream Nov. 19; GU Racing Stable's Mo Hawk, who finished second in the 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance on Tapeta last time out; and Partner Stable LLC's Hard Lighting, who ran in the 2020 Blue Grass (G2); round out the field.
The post ‘Total Rock Star’ Tune In Ready To Roll In Claiming Crown Jewel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
