The field for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic begins to take shape in early summer after the Triple Crown races conclude. Last weekend an expenses-paid berth to the $6 million Classic was awarded to Knicks Go for winning the $925,000 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
Tag: Racing
Zoffarelli Wins La Jolla Handicap Via Disqualification In U.S. Debut
Red Baron's Barn or Rancho Temescal's Zoffarelli, in from England just a week earlier and unable to even get a work in over the Del Mar track, didn't let that stop him as he ran well and survived a bumping match through the stretch to be declared the winner of the $150,500 La Jolla Handicap Sunday at the seaside track north of San Diego, Calif.
The bay gelding by Zoffany actually was second across the wire just a nose behind Yuesheng Zhang's Sword Zorro and just a head in front of Double L. Racing or Baffert's Hudson Ridge in a furious finish. But the track's stewards reviewed film of the contentious stretch run where all three horses went through a series of bumps and came to the conclusion that Sword Zorro should be disqualified and placed third and the other two horses each moved up one placing.
The winning time on the 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.27.
Drayden Van Dyke rode the winner for trainer Jeff Mullins. The owners are the father and son team of Jed and Tim Cohen.
Zoffarelli returned $17.80, $6.00 and $3.80 across the board. Hudson Ridge paid $3.40 and $2.40, while Sword Zorro returned $3.60 to show.
Zoffarelli, who last raced June 30 at Bath in England, earned $90,000 for his victory moving his bankroll up to $110,325. He had won a race and was second five times in seven starts in England as a 2- and 3-year-old.
The track's Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot Wager proved too elusive for the 12th straight racing day meaning there will be a whopping carryover of $1,127,460 going into the return of racing Thursday. First post for the eight-race card will be 2 p.m.
Post-race quotes:
DRAYDEN VAN DYKE (Zoffarelli, winner) – “If I don't get banged that last time, I'm going to go on by and win it on my own. But he (Sword Zorro) kept constantly drifting out and out. It was the right call. I knew this horse was going to run big today. I did my homework. I was over at the barn with Jeff (trainer Mullins) the other morning watching this horse's races in England. The owners (Red Baron's Barn or Rancho Temescal) know what they're doing when they go over to Europe and buy one. They got another good one here.”
JEFF MULLINS, (Zoffarelli, winner) – “I've only had him for eight days. No works. They worked him before he came and we just kept him happy. I wasn't that confident (during the inquiry). I've been on the wrong side of them a lot before. It (elevation to first) looked legitimate, but you never know. (Any similar off-the-plane stakes wins?) River Boyne (2018 La Jolla Handicap).”
FRACTIONS: :23.38 :47.16 1:11.55 1:36.20 1:4227
The stakes win was the first of the meeting for rider Van Dyke and his first in the La Jolla Handicap. He now has 34 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the first of the meeting for trainer Mullins but his second in the La Jolla Handicap (River Boyne, 2018). He now has 21 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owners are Red Baron's Barn (Jed Cohen of Encino, Calif.) and Rancho Temecal (Tim Cohen of Piru, Calif.).
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Russell Brings Wondrwherecraigis To Saratoga In Search Of First Stakes Win
Four-time winner Wondrwherecraigis will attempt to secure his first career stakes score in Friday's eighth running of the $120,000 Tale of the Cat at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Trained by Brittany Russell, Wondrwherecraigis enters the six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up who have not won a graded race in 2021 from a 5 3/4-length optional claiming score on July 18 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.
The 4-year-old dark bay or brown son of Munnings, who garnered a 102 Beyer Speed Figure in his most recent effort, returns to stakes company on the NYRA circuit after being disqualified from second to third in the Gold Fever in July 2020 at Belmont Park ahead of finishing fourth behind three next-out winners in the Grade 2 Amsterdam last August at Saratoga.
Wondrwherecraigis is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, The Elkstone Group, and Bethlehem Stables.
“It was a big race. He's doing really well,” said Russell. “We figured we would take a look. It looks like the race will set up for him, so we're shipping him up and giving him a chance.”
Jockey Sheldon Russell will ride from post 5.
Trainer Ray Handal will saddle last-out stakes winner Foolish Ghost, who defeated his New York-bred counterparts in the John Morrissey on July 29. The son of Mineshaft was claimed by Handal and owner Ken Russell and Richard Newman Racing last August and has since won four times for his current trainer.
“He's doing well,” Handal said. “There aren't too many sprints for him in the northeast area. On his best day, he can run with some of the good ones, so we'll see.”
Jockey Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 6.
Daniel Alonso's Wind of Change arrives at the Tale of the Cat off a sharp win in the Mr. Prospector on May 29 at Monmouth Park for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The Brazilian-bred Forestry bay seeks his sixth stakes victory, which include four triumphs at such level in his native land.
Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride from post 4.
My Boy Tate will seek a sixth stakes victory for Little Red Feather Racing and trainer, breeder, and co-owner Michelle Nevin. The 7-year-old son of Boys At Tosconova was second in the 2018 and 2020 Tale of the Cat.
Breaking from post 1, My Boy Tate will be ridden by Manny Franco.
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Multiple stakes-winner Bon Raison [post 3, Jorge Vargas, Jr.] seeks a non-consecutive win in the Tale of the Cat, previously scoring in 2019. Trained by Jack Sisterson, Bon Raison brags the highest bankroll in the field with $685,874.
Completing the field is David Bernsen's Shashashakemeup [post 2, Ricardo Santana, Jr.], a four-time winner for trainer Peter Walder.
The Tale of the Cat is carded as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race program at Saratoga Race Course. First post is 1:05 p.m. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.
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Regal Glory Moves Late To Take De La Rose At Saratoga
Regal Glory put in a potent late move from well off the pace to capture Sunday's $120,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Regal Glory was one of two entrants for trainer Chad Brown, along with Viadera, in the one-mile inner-turf test for older fillies and mares who haven't won a graded race this year.
Under an aggressive hand ride from Jose Ortiz, the daughter of Animal Kingdom took command of the field on the far turn and then she kicked clear through the lane to run down Hendy Woods, who enjoyed a ground-saving trip from Tyler Gaffalione, and Shifty She, who had set honest splits of :23.89, :48.58, and 1:12.20 on the firm turf.
Owned by Peter M. Brant, the five-year-old mare prevailed by one-half length over Hendy Woods. Shifty She faded to third, 1 ¼ lengths behind, as Regal Glory covered the one-mile in a final time of 1:34.85.
Regal Glory, who had captured the Plenty of Grace at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y., in April two starts back, took good advantage of the drop in class from her most recent outing in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5 on the Belmont Park turf.
“She got a really bad trip in the Just a Game, which was unfortunate because she was really primed to run a big one and she did, it just didn't work out for her,” Brown explained. “But we regrouped. I spoke to Mr. Brant and said, 'Let's get her to Saratoga and let's put her in a race where she can get a good trip,' and hopefully put a W under her belt with the eye of trying to win a Grade 1 with her this year, which is why he kept her in training after he bought her. We'll see what's next for her, but, for now, we'll just enjoy this.”
Ortiz said he felt confident there was pace to close into when the usually prominent Raven's Cry, piloted by Luis Saez, wasn't up top.
“I broke running but I knew the pace was fast when Saez wasn't anywhere close,” Ortiz said. “I just sat there and followed him [Saez]. I was following the right horse but Tyler had a great trip on the inside and it made it closer than it should be. I knew I had him.”
Viadera, the 6-5 favorite piloted by Joel Rosario, finished fourth after having a less auspicious run around the course than her stablemate.
“She had a rough trip for her first time back. It happens sometimes when you have a late-running horse like that,” Brown said. “I spoke to Joel briefly and he was frustrated because he had to stop a couple of different times and by the time she got clear, it was just too late.”
Viadera was making her first start since capturing the Grade 1 Matriarch in November at Del Mar.
“She got started a lot later than we had hoped this year,” said Brown. “Now that she has a race under her belt, hopefully she'll move forward. She's another one that, already being a Grade 1-winner, we're probably headed into Grade 1s with her. It's her abbreviated last season of racing and we're going to try and make the most of it.”
Hendy Woods, who was bred by her owner Stonestreet Stables and trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, outran her 10-1 odds while also gaining late but was no match for the winner.
“Everything went to plan. The speed set a nice tempo in front of us and I was able to tuck in and save some ground,” Gaffalione said. “I had every chance down the stretch. She gave me a huge run. We just couldn't get the bob today. That's horse racing. I'm super proud of my filly. She ran big today.”
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Raven's Cry, Star Command, and Belle Laura completed the order of finish.
The Kentucky-bred Regal Glory, who won the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes and the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga in 2019, returned $5.20 for a $2 wager. She now has a record of 8-3-0 in 14 starts for her connections.
Live racing resumes Wednesday at Saratoga with a 10-race card highlighted by the $120,000 Mahony for 3-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in Race 9 and the $100,000 Evan Shipman for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up competing at 1 1/8 miles in Race 3. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.
The post Regal Glory Moves Late To Take De La Rose At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
