Each week a panel of media members, horseplayers, and Breeders’ Cup World Championships officials release a poll tabulating their votes on the nation's top contenders for the 2021 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Tag: Racing
Indiana’s Richest Day Of Turf Racing Set For Wednesday At Indiana Grand
Indiana's richest day of turf racing is set for Wednesday, Sept. 8 featuring four stakes for Caesars Stakes Day at Indiana Grand. Purses for the day exceed $700,000 for the 11-race card which is capped off by four stakes, including the $150,000 Caesars Stakes (Listed) and the $150,000 Indiana Grand Stakes (Listed).
Heading the list of entrants in the Caesars Stakes, slated as Race 10, is Royal Prince from the Brad Cox barn. The 3-year-old son of Cairo Prince comes into the race off a second-place finish in the $100,000 KY Downs TVG Preview Dueling Grounds Derby at Ellis Park in early August. The grey stakes winning colt has only missed the top three once in seven starts this season. He will start from post seven at odds of 8-5 with Fernando De La Cruz in the irons.
The Cox Stable will also saddle the favorite in the Indiana Grand Stakes, featuring the fillies over the turf running at a distance of one mile. The Uncle Mo filly Burning Ambition was a winner in her last start at Ellis Park in mid-August, her first and only start of 2021. She is now three for four in her brief career. De La Cruz will also ride from post eight at odds of 2-1 in Race 9.
The Caesars Stakes and the Indiana Grand Stakes will be bookended by the 21st running of the $100,000 Back Home Again Stakes in Race 8 and the 21st running of the $100,000 Circle City Stakes in Race 11. The four stakes will offer a special All Stakes Pick 4 on Races 8 – 11.
Caesars Stakes Day will also feature “Empire of Hope,” a Caesars Entertainment Racing initiative to place the spotlight on racehorse aftercare programs. Indiana Grand will offer several activities to raise funding for the cause throughout the program, including t-shirt sales and Peppermints for Ponies, where guests purchase peppermints to feed to the pony horses following Race 4 on the card.
A “Parade of Champions” will also take place with five current pony horses highlighted as retired racehorses. Ethan Hunt and Niceandeasydoesit, both serving as outriding horses, will be featured following the sixth race along with Gallant, Even Fever, and retired Quarter Horse Stealtheshowjo.
The afternoon card will also feature the $1,000 Caesars Stakes Warriors Contest, open to players both on-track and online. The top handicapper on the six contest races will receive a $500 gift card. The contest is open to all players currently residing in the United States that are 18 years of age and older. The contest begins on Race 5. Entries should be submitted to: indianagrandcontest@gmail.com by 4:20 p.m. to play.
The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is now in progress and continues through Monday, Nov. 8. Live racing is conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at noon. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.caesars.com/indiana-grand.
The post Indiana’s Richest Day Of Turf Racing Set For Wednesday At Indiana Grand appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Kj Desparado Flies Home To Capture $3 Million All American Futurity
Kj Desparado got up in the final strides to win the $3 million All American Futurity on Sunday at Ruidoso Downs Race Track, flying home before a crowd of thousands who attended the final day of the 2021 racing season.
The victory was sweet for jockey Adrian Ramos and trainer Wes Giles who won their first All American Futurity. It was also a first victory for owners John and Kathy Lee of Chandler, Arizona, along with their partner Ruben Mares.
“I remember in the springtime Adrian assured me that this was the kind of horse that could win the All American and it turned out to be true,” Giles said in the winner's circle. “Right now I just feel blessed to have this horse in my barn and to be associated with the owners who made this possible.”
Kj Desarado broke third from the number-nine starting gate and needed to catch frontrunner Fdd Scout who had the lead in the eleventh race all the way until the final strides when the gelding got up just in time.
“It was a hard-fought win,” rider Ramos said in the winner's circle. “I had faith in my horse from the start. He has been strong all season and finally put it all together today.”
Meanwhile betting favorite Jess Savin Candy, attempting to win the quarter horse racing triple crown, did not offer his anticipated late-charge and finished fourth. The gelding was vanned from the track as a precaution at the request of jockey Francisco Calderon, according to trainer John Stinebaugh.
Kj Desparado paid $11.80, $4.60 and $3.80 running the 440-yards in a winning time of 21.252 seconds. His sire is Apollitical Jess out of the mare Tres Veses by Tres Seis.
In the $200,000 All American Juvenile, My Peligrosito and jockey Ramos were upset winners at 13-1 odds and paid $29.40, $18.80 and $9.40. They went gate-to-wire in the tenth race in a winning time of 21.168 seconds for 440 yards.
“This horse has been progressing all summer,” Ramos said. “Once we had some daylight he opened up and ran as expected.”
My Poligrosito's sire is One Fabulous Eagle out of the mare Peligrosita by Walk Thru Fire. The gelding is owned by Abelardo Gallegos and trainer by Albert Valles.
In the $200,000 All American Gold Cup, Danjer overcame a slow beginning to nip Mi Amor Secreto by a head in the ninth race and earned a third consecutive trip to the winner's circle.
“My horse's momentum was going backwards when the gate opened,” jockey Cody Smith said in the winner's circle. “We were playing catch up the entire race, but this horse doesn't seem to know how fast he really is. He turned it on when he needed it and we got there just in time.”
Danjer is a 5-year-old with career earnings of about $1.2 million. The gelding's sire is Fdd Dynasty out of the mare Shez Jess Toxic by Take Off Jess. He paid $4.40, $3.00 and $2.40 in a winning time of 21.308 seconds for 440-yards. Danjer has now won thirteen career races including five at Ruidoso Downs.
Racing continues next season at Ruidoso Downs Memorial Day weekend. For more info visit www.raceruidoso.com.
The post Kj Desparado Flies Home To Capture $3 Million All American Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Getting to Know Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf Contender War Like Goddess
The fields for the 14 races that comprise the Breeders’ Cup World Championships begin to really come into focus in late summer and early fall.
