Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Art of Almost Takes Ontario Matron At Woodbine

In a short field of six, Art of Almost and jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson went from back of the pack to the front of the line to win the Grade 3 Ontario Matron Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

Breaking from the first post, the 5-year-old daughter of Dansili was taken back early, setting in sixth a half-mile into the 1 1/16-mile stakes behind front runners Crystal Glacier and Juxtapose. On the far turn, Wilson angled the Casse trainee out, going three-wide as the field entered the stretch.

Down the center of the Woodbine straight, Art of Almost made her bid for the lead in the race's final furlong, hitting the wire a length and a quarter in front. Skygaze passed Juxtapose to grab second. Crystal Glacier, Saratoga Vision, and Afleet Katherine rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the G3 Ontario Matron was 1:43.99. Find this race's chart here.

Art of Almost paid $19.80, $4.90, and $3.40. Skygaze paid $2.40 and $2.10. Juxtapose paid $4.90.

Bred in Kentucky by Fred Seitz, Dr. Ted Folkerth, J.R. Ward Stables, and Jon Kelly, Art of Almost is out of the First Defence mare Reimpose. Consigned by Brookdale Sales, the 5-year-old mare was purchased by owner D.J. Stables for $290,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. With her win in the Ontario Matron, Art of Almost has two wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 25 starts and career earnings of $357,434.

The post Art of Almost Takes Ontario Matron At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

God Of Love, Fast Feet Make It A Casse Exacta In Cup and Saucer At Woodbine

Dual Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse hit the exacta with winner God of Love and runner-up Fast Feet in the 85th running of the $251,200 Cup and Saucer Stakes Sunday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.

While 7-2 choice Fast Feet set the early tone in the 1 1/16-mile turf classic for Canadian-bred two-year-olds, it was 7-1 stablemate God of Love, a son of Cupid, who finished strongest of all to take the spoils.

Fast Feet, bred and owned by Gary Barber, arrived at the Cup and Saucer off an impressive first-time out win in September, and looked sharp again, taking his 10 rivals through an opening quarter of :25:53, as Mentoring kept close tabs on the leader, with Dancin in Da'nile following in third. God of Love, with Rafael Hernandez aboard, was well back in the pack, sitting in ninth.

Fast Feet continued to set the pace, still operating on a half-length lead over Mentoring through a half in :50.44, as God of Love was still well back in eighth.

Heading into the final turn, Fast Feet began to pick up the pace and attempted to draw away from his pursuers. God of Love, ninth at Robert Geller's three-quarters call, still had plenty of work ahead of him.

After methodically picking off his rivals one by one, God of Love set his sights on his stablemate and began to carve into the former's lead, going on to secure a 1 ¾-length score in a time of 1:47.86 over a yielding E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Stronger Together finished one length behind Fast Feet for third and Dancin in Da'Nile took fourth.

“I tried to get the times, tried to get closer, because I know the turf is soft and we didn't want to be stuck behind too many horses, but he refused to go early,” said Hernandez. “He said, 'Nah.' He was staying back, so I said we will try to make it in one run. I put him in gear, and he gave one run, and he came flying down the lane.”

The Ontario-bred returned $17.10 for the win.

Owned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, God of Love, bred by the late Bill Graham, was seventh as the favorite in his career bow, a 5 ½-furlong Tapeta race, on September 12 at Woodbine.

Hernandez, who teamed with Casse to win three races at Woodbine on Saturday, including the Overskate Stakes, thinks there are even better days ahead for the chestnut colt.

“He can go on both (surfaces). He just needs to go longer. The longer he goes, the better he's going to go.”

It was the sixth Cup and Saucer crown for Casse and his third straight.

The post God Of Love, Fast Feet Make It A Casse Exacta In Cup and Saucer At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sacred Life Swoops In Late To Take Knickerbocker At Belmont

Field Pass took the lead in the opening strides of the Grade 3 Knickerbocker and looked poised to take the field gate to wire when Sacred Life powered down the stretch to nip Field Pass at the wire at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Breaking from the rail, Field Pass took the lead at the start, moving out to a one-length advantage around the first turn and into the backstretch. Sacred Life hung out toward the back of the pack, next to last in front of only Corelli early. Around the far turn, Temple moved up on the outside to challenge Field Pass, but the leader dug in, maintaining his one-length lead as the field approached the wire.

Trapped behind horses on the rail, Jose Ortiz took advantage of an opening at the top of the stretch to move between horses and find an opening running lane. Once clear, Sacred Life poured on the speed, boldly moving down the center of the track as the wire approached, catching Field Pass in the final jumps. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles on the firm turf was 1:46.66.

Sacred Life paid $12.80, $5.40, and $4.60. Field Pass paid $7.40 and $5.30. Temple paid $6.80. Find this race's chart here.

“He's [Sacred Life] trained well. He's an honest horse. It just hasn't worked out for him in some of his races and he clicked with Jose [Ortiz] today and got a great trip. He got some pace to run into and made a late run and was able to get up at the wire. It was an exciting finish. It looked a little more fun for Jose than it did for me,” Dan Stupps, assistant to trainer Chad Brown, said after the race.

“He has no speed early on and I had to ride him from early. At the six furlongs, I started pushing on him and he was coming little by little. I knew sooner or later he would pick it up and he picked up nicely around the half-mile and then I just wanted for Rosario [Joel, aboard No. 2, Breaking the Rules] to go and I followed him,” jockey Jose Ortiz told the NYRA Press Office after the Knickerbocker. “I had a lot of room to work with [moving inside of Manny Franco aboard No. 4, L'Imperator in the stretch run] so I decided to do it. He was flying late. I just had to keep him straight.”

Bred in France by Viktor Timoshenko and Andriy Milovanov, Sacred Life is by Siyouni (FR) out of the Montjeu mare Knyazhna (IRE). He is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Caruso. Consigned by Quesnay, Sacred Life was sold for $55,925 to Chantilly Bloodstock Agency at the 2016 Arqana Deauville August Yearlings Sale. The G3 Knickerbocker is the 6-year-old ridgling's first win of 2021, for a lifetime record of seven wins in 21 starts and career earnings of $616,768.

The post Sacred Life Swoops In Late To Take Knickerbocker At Belmont appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Royal Flag Navigates One Turn With Aplomb In Beldame

After running her last nine starts around two turns, Royal Flag had no trouble handling the wide, sweeping lone turn of the famed Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., taking the Grade 2 by 4 1/4 lengths over 2020 winner Horologist.

Under jockey Joel Rosario, Royal Flag took up positon toward the rear of the field of seven early, as Horologist led the field through fractions of :23.97 for the quarter-mile and :48.54 for the half-mile. Around the turn, Zaajel and Royal Flag went wide around Horologist in the lead on the rail and Miss Marissa just behind her in second. Three-wide into the stretch, Royal Flag made her move in the straight, picking off Zaajel, then Miss Marissa, and Horologist to take the lead and win. Gold Spirit passed Zaajel late to take over fourth.

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles over the good track was 1:50.02.

Royal Flag paid $3.40, $2.50, and $2.10. Horologist paid $2.90 and $2.70. Miss Marissa paid $5.10.

“This year she's obviously taken a big step forward. She's trained better than ever and she's been to all of our divisions. Everyone has done a great job of developing her. She's in peak form and [Joel] Rosario gets along quite well with her.

“I'm sure the Farishes are thrilled with her progress as well and the black type that Chad has been able to develop into her. We'll see what's next for her. Off that race, I'm sure Chad and Mr. [William] Farish will consider the Breeders' Cup [Distaff]. We'll get her back and see how she comes out of it, and they'll come up with a plan,” Dan Stupp, assistant to Chad Brown, said after the Beldame.

“She broke really well. We were up a little bit in the race today. Sometimes, when there's no speed, she can be up a little bit. It looked like she was very comfortable, and we were just waiting for the time to come out and let her do her thing,” Rosario told the NYRA Press Office after the race.

Bred in Kentucky by owner Will Farish, Royal Flag is by Candy Ride (ARG) out of the Mineshaft mare Sea Gull. The 5-year-old mare is trained by Chad Brown. The G2 Beldame is Royal Flag's second win in four starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of six wins in 12 starts and career earnings of $573,020.

The post Royal Flag Navigates One Turn With Aplomb In Beldame appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post