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Independence Hall Breezes Ahead Of Saturday’s Cigar Mile

Independence Hall breezed a bullet half-mile in :46.80 Saturday, Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in his final piece of work for the $750,000 Grade 1 Cigar Mile presented by NYRA Bets at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

“I'm very happy with the way he worked,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “We wanted to go ahead and put a little air in his lungs and that's definitely what we got. A race like the Cigar Mile doesn't come around very often and we wanted to make sure we're nice and sharp.”

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Twin Creeks Racing Stables, WinStar Farm, Kathleen Verratti, and Robert Verratti, the 4-year-old Constitution colt boasts a 2-for-2 record at the Big A that includes a 12 1/4-length score in the 2019 G3 Nashua and a four-length win in the 2020 Jerome, both at a one-turn mile for his former conditioner Michael Trombetta.

Independence Hall made his first start for McCarthy in November 2020 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., winning a 6 1/2-furlong optional-claiming sprint ahead of a fifth in the seven-furlong G1 Malibu in December 2020 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

The dark bay demonstrated class while chasing the victorious Knicks Go with a third-place effort in the nine-furlong G1 Pegasus World Cup in January at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and a pressing second in the nine-furlong G3 Lukas Classic in October at Churchill Downs.

McCarthy said Independence Hall has benefitted from the addition of blinkers three starts back when fifth off a four-month layoff in the G1 Pacific Classic in August at Del Mar

“The blinkers have helped him focus a little bit and dial him in a little more,” McCarthy said. “The Pacific Classic was unfortunate coming off of a long layoff and going a mile and a quarter. It just didn't seem like he was as tight as he could have been but as you can see it certainly moved him forward.”

Last out, Independence Hall romped to a 7 1/4-length score over Cigar Mile-rival Code of Honor in the nine-furlong G2 Fayette contested over a sloppy track on October 30 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

McCarthy confirmed Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will retain the mount aboard Independence Hall, who will ship to New York on Monday.

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Brown Contemplating Big Targets For Miles D In 2022

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown said Peter Brant and Robert V. LaPenta's Miles D, an impressive winner of Saturday's $150,000 Discovery at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., could point to the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“I'm not one to send my horses to other continents to run. I like to stick to my circuits. But that race has been on my mind with the right style of horse,” Brown said. “This might be the kind of horse that fits for me trying one of those races. Although he's had a couple of hard races, he is lightly raced. If you look at his record, he hasn't had that many starts. He didn't have to do battle in the Triple Crown, and he doesn't have a ton of miles on him.”

A son of multiple champion producing stallion Curlin, Miles D collared heavy favorite Speaker's Corner in the stretch drive of the Discovery, a nine-furlong test for sophomores, registering a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure. The win followed a hard-fought first-level allowance score against older company on October 24 going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Miles D sports a consistent ledger of 6-3-1-1, including a stakes placing in his sire's namesake race on July 30 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., en route to a third in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 28.

Brown said Miles D is not likely to target the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on January 29 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., a race expected to attract reigning Breeders' Cup champions Knicks Go [Classic] and Life Is Good [Dirt Mile].

“I have to talk to the owners about it. I'm not really sure,” Brown said. “I'm not so much interested in the Pegasus against those two horses. I'll get him down there and see. There's definitely a pace scenario to consider as well. If I race in big races in the wintertime, it's horses that are lightly raced. With horses that have had long campaigns, I don't care how much money they offer me at any track. I don't really run them too much. This horse, there's a possibility that we keep on going with him.”

Brown said Miles D could be a force to be reckoned with next year in the older horse division.

“If he takes another step forward next year, runs in all the handicap races, and has success in one or more of them, he has a lot of stallion potential. Races like the Whitney or the Jockey Club are ones that would matter to me quite a bit,” Brown said.

Miles D was fourth on debut last October at Belmont in what turned out to be a key maiden race, finishing behind Speaker's Corner as well as subsequent stakes winners Caddo River and Greatest Honour.

Brown credited both his team and owners for allowing a patient approach with the horse.

“It's taken a lot of patience by our team and our two owners. They never questioned giving him a little time,” Brown said.

Named after the late influential jazz musician Miles Davis, Miles D is out of the unraced Bernardini broodmare Sound the Trumpets, whose first dam is multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire My Flag and second dam is undefeated Hall of Fame champion Personal Ensign. Miles D was acquired for $470,000 from the Denali Stud consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Brown went on to report that Klaravich Stables' Forced Ranking will not make this Saturday's Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct after spiking a temperature. He will still, however, saddle Jeff Drown's maiden winner Zandon, who breezed a half-mile in :49.82 Sunday over the Belmont dirt training track.

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Belle Of The North Best In Safely Kept At Laurel Park

Stronach Stables Inc. homebred Belle of the North, giving up seasoning to each of her rivals while making her stakes debut, came flying on the far outside to edge Fraudulent Charge by a half-length and complete a last-to-first rally in the $100,000 Safely Kept at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 31st running of the Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies was the second of three stakes on the program, preceded by the City of Laurel for 3-year-olds, also sprinting seven furlongs, and followed by the 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up.

Belle of the North ($20.60) won in 1:24.02 over a fast main track to give jockey Horacio Karamanos his fourth career Safely Kept victory following Bending Strings (2004), Greed and Fear (2012), and Lady Sabelia (2013). It was the first for trainer Jose Corrales.

“If I don't say yes I'd be lying to you, because that's what I was expecting,” Corrales said. “[I thought] if the race set up today the way I expected, my filly will get them in the end.”

Belle of the North was making just her sixth career start, all this year, after going unraced at 2. She was second to undefeated Moquist in her most recent effort Oct. 16 at Laurel following a 5 ½-length maiden special weight win Sept. 24.

Karamanos was unhurried in the early going racing along the rail while trailing the field as stakes winners Malibu Beauty and Prodigy Doll battled upfront through splits of :22.99 and :46.10 with Fraudulent Charge in the clear three wide and eight-time stakes winner Street Lute, the 2-1 favorite, saving ground inside.

Fraudulent Charge took over the top spot midway around the turn and was in front through the stretch with Street Lute giving chase. Meanwhile, Karamanos tipped Belle of the North from the rail to the far outside to launch their bid and they came with a steady run to reel in Fraudulent Charge near the wire.

Runner-up in a stakes for the fourth time in seven career starts, Fraudulent Charge was 3 ½ lengths clear of Street Lute in third. It was 1 ¾ lengths back to Juror Number Four followed by Happy Constitution, Malibu Beauty, Prodigy Doll, and Be Sneaky.

“When she was following [Street Lute] I said, 'stay there, stay there,' because she will find a path,” Corrales said. “The horse found a way to get there.”

Belle of the North is a bay daughter of Grade 1 winner Street Boss whose mare, Harley Rose, is a half-sister to Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta.

The Safely Kept honors the champion sprinter of 1989 and member of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame Class of 2011. The daughter of longtime Maryland sire Horatius was the first sprinter to top $2 million in earnings, the first Maryland-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race in the 1990 G1 Sprint, a four-time Maryland-bred champion including Horse of the Year twice (1989,1990), and is one of only seven horses to win three Maryland Million races. She won 24 races, 22 in stakes, from 31 lifetime starts.

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Pickin’ Time Wins City of Laurel Stakes At Laurel Park

Roseland Farm Stable's graded-stakes winner Pickin' Time swept to the lead on the outside around the far turn and had plenty left to turn back a bid from He'smyhoneybadger nearing the wire for a 1 ¼-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 City of Laurel at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 11th running of the City of Laurel for 3-year-olds was the first of three $100,000 stakes on the program, followed by the Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies, also sprinting seven furlongs, and 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up.

Ridden by Mychel Sanchez for trainer Kelly Breen, Pickin' Time ($12.80) earned his fourth career stakes win and first in open company since the 2020 Grade 3 Nashua last November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. Most recently, he won the Monmouth Park's New Jersey Breeders Handicap Aug. 29. The winning time was 1:23.74 over a fast main track.

Breaking outside all but one horse in the field of eight, Pickin' Time was positioned third while in the clear behind multiple stakes-placed pacesetter Awesome Gerry, who led through a quarter-mile in :23.28 pressed by 31-1 long shot Three Two Zone. Three Two Zone assumed the lead after a half in :46.60 with Pickin' Time poised to pounce.

“He gave me a pretty good feeling from the beginning. I think the team did a great job getting him ready for the race,” Sanchez said. “He was pretty easy. He broke really well. I had a good position. I didn't have to use him in the beginning, so I pretty much sav[ed ground] the whole way and when I asked him to go, he really took off.”

Pickin' Time rolled past Three Two Zone once straightened for home and powered through the stretch while He'smyhoneybadger, who beat Pickin' Time in the Oct. 23 Perryville at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., came with a belated run. It was three lengths back to Three Two Zone, who was three-quarters of a length better than Awesome Gerry in fourth.

Stakes winner Everett's Song, the 3-2 favorite, ran fifth to snap his three-race win streak. Riden With Biden, Plamen, and Depository completed the order of finish.

“I guess my horse was ready to go today,” Sanchez said. “It seems like he does better when he gets early position clear. The last couple times he was kind of in between horses [when] he broke a little poorly. I think the post position helped me today.”

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