Tag: Racing

Frankel Colt Hurricane Lane Adds Second G1 To His Resume In Grand Prix De Paris

The Irish Derby winner, who'd just lost his unbeaten record when third in the Epsom Derby, smashed the field in a hot Grand Prix de Paris (G1) on Wednesday which, probably more than ever, looked like the Derby of all Derbies.

Hurricane Lane (Frankel), for Godolphin, led the field behind the front-runner of the Aidan O'Brien squad, The Mediterranean (Galileo). He came by entering the last straight and simply went away to win by six lengths over Wordsworth (Galileo), third in the Irish Derby and second here with a length over King Edward VII Stakes (G2) winner Alenquer (Adlerflug), who had beaten him in the Royal Ascot Derby.

Hurricane Lane was bought for £200,000 (about US$236,000) as a yearling at Tattersalls, a few months before his dam Gale Force (Shirocco) was consigned there in foal to Australia and sold for £300,000 (about US$350,000) to Charlie Gordon-Watson. Trained in Britain by James Fanshawe, Gale Force came to France to crown her career with a Listed win in the Denisy, a two-miler run at Saint-Cloud in November on a very heavy turf.

At stud, Gale Force first gave Frankel's Storm (Frankel), a Listed-placed also fifth in the Prix des Réservoirs (G3) at 2, then Hurricane Lane, and a Sea the Stars colt. It is a family originating from the Aga Khan studs.

WHAT CONNECTIONS SAID

William Buick (jockey of Hurricane Lane, 1st)

“I would like to start by thanking France Galop, who have worked with the BHA. Their collaboration has made sure that everything was in place so that I could come and ride the horse. On Monday weren't even sure it would be possible! That was already a small victory. This horse is a superstar. He really had the perfect race today, unlike at The Curragh. The layout of the racecourse, the ground, the rhythm… Everything was perfect for him. He has a good cruising speed and a strong acceleration. Even more so, he is a very relaxed horse in his head! Off the back of that I think that the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe has to be a serious option for the autumn time.”

Charlie Appleby (trainer of Hurricane Lane, 1st)

“He's obviously been a very exciting horse to deal and he's only been beaten once in his life and that was in the Derby when I felt inexperience caught us out. Today's performance has franked him as one of the best three-year-olds in Europe and he's an exciting horse. As we always do we'll allow the dust to settle but you would have to be thinking about him as a serious contender for the Arc. We'll give him a bit of a break now because he's run in an English Derby, and Irish Derby and then backed it up two and a half weeks later in a Grand Prix de Paris. He deserves to have a break but whether he can give himself a break is another thing. He ran in the Grand Prix because he'd come out of the Irish Derby so well. He has a great constitution. He has a great mind and he show his wellbeing in the morning. A huge team effort goes into the way the horses are running at the moment and I'm delighted for his Highness Sheikh Mohammed.”

Olivier Peslier (jockey of Wordsworth, 2nd)

“He has ran well, despite not taking me along early. I had to shake him along to get him to follow the winner, to make sure I didn't get caught for toe. After that, he was very courageous and put in an excellent effort to finish second. He will be better suited by something a bit longer like the St Leger. He needs a little time to get going but he is quite talented.”

James Doyle (jockey of Alenquer, 3rd)

“The draw wasn't ideal. As we know it's not easy historically from the wide draw at Longchamp over a mile and a half. I rode him to come home and he's finished off very well. We were on the back foot a little bit and I had a little look up around the 800 metres out and I thought we had a bit of a mountain to climb. If the pace had held up it would have given me a chance but they did sort of steady at half way and made it very difficult for me to get into it. But I'm very proud of him, he's run a solid race and he's got the trip well. ”

The post Frankel Colt Hurricane Lane Adds Second G1 To His Resume In Grand Prix De Paris appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Wesley Ward-Trained Headline Report Tops Field Of 12 Juveniles In Saturday’s Sanford

Trainer Wesley Ward will continue the tradition of using the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course to help springboard careers of talented juveniles, with the conditioner sending out Headline Report as part of a 12-horse field in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track.

The 106th edition of the Sanford, on the first Saturday of the 40-day meet at the Spa, will go off in Race 9 on the 11-race card that will be highlighted by the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana for older fillies and mares in Race 10. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Headline Report captured his debut by 2 1/4 lengths on April 23 at Keeneland, besting a five-horse field by completing the 4 1/2 furlongs in a final time of 51.75 seconds as the heavy favorite over a fast track. Ward, who will be seeking his first Sanford win, kept Headline Report training at Keeneland since, and the Gormley ridgling worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 from the gate on Independence Day.

Owned by Breeze Easy and bred in Kentucky by Ledgelands and Andrew C. Ritter, Headline Report started his career with lofty expectations after being purchased for $550,000 at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

“We're excited about that guy,” Ward said. “He's been coming along pretty well. He had a nice work from the gate at Keeneland. We're excited to get him in the Sanford.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez piloted Headline Report in his first start and will have the return call on Saturday, breaking from post 9.

Greg Tramontin's Ottoman Empire rallied from seventh-of-11 in his debut to post a one-length victory in a five-furlong maiden special weight on June 20 at Churchill Downs. Trainer Tom Amoss said the Classic Empire colt had been training well at Churchill leading into his first race but then showed an ability to take dirt and adapt to racing circumstances under pressure.

“What I really liked was how he handled the shock that a lot of young horses get when breaking from the gate for the first time,” Amoss said. “When they all break at the same time and get that experience, they get dirt kicked in their face, which is a lot for a young horse to take in. He broke fine, but it was just a lot for him to take in at once and he handled it well.”

A $120,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Ottoman Empire showed a strong closing kick, rallying from third in the stretch to overtake Chileno and Conagher before holding off Texas Red Hot's late charge.

“I really liked how he finished,” Amoss said. “He had a bit of a wide trip but he still finished up nice and strong.”

Bred in Kentucky by Pedro Gonzalez and Lenny Cohen, Ottoman Empire will be ridden by Jose Ortiz from post 7.

Bell Gable Stable's Maryland Brando trounced an eight-horse field by 11 1/2 lengths in a five-furlong maiden sprint on June 2 at Delaware Park. The first-out effort for trainer Gary Contessa netted a 59 Beyer Speed Figure and showed the form that made the Flatter colt a $250,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale.

“I knew what I had; he won and he was being pulled up the last eighth of a mile,” Contessa said. “He drew away but there's a lot more left in the tank with that horse. He just has everything in the right place. His mind is good – not great – but he's very business-minded. He's got a big, strong shoulder on him. As soon as I started training him, I pretty much knew what I had. He dots all the i's and crosses all the t's.”

Bred in Maryland by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds, Maryland Brando has found a comfort zone training at Delaware Park but will now ship in for a race for the first time, drawing post 6 with Carol Cedeno aboard.

“I'm coming far enough in advance where he'll get over it if he doesn't ship well,” Contessa said. “I'll school him a couple of times in the paddock, which you need in Saratoga. I've been at Saratoga for the last 35 years, so it's an opportunity for me to be there and I think I'm bringing the right horse.”

Mueller Thoroughbred Stable's Candy Landing also made an impact in his first start, cruising to a 4 1/2-length score that netted the Brendan Walsh trainee a 70 Beyer for his victory going 5 1/2 furlongs on June 11 at Churchill.

A son of Twirling Candy, Candy Landing will be shipping to Saratoga from his base at Churchill, drawing post 2 with James Graham in the irons.

Wit, owned by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable, showed the form that made the Practical Joke colt a $575,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, drawing away to a six-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint over a good Belmont main track on June 5. Wit will enjoy a formidable trainer-jockey combination, as Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will saddle the horse with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard from the inside post.

Willis Horton Racing's Seize the Night won on debut for conditioner Dallas Stewart on May 14 going five furlongs at Churchill and will take the step up in class, drawing post 11 in tandem with Jon Kenton Court.

Due Vini was a half-length winner in his first start on June 20 at Monmouth Park. Trained by Kelly Breen, the Florida homebred owned by Mr. Amore Stable will exit from post 8 as Luis Saez rides.

Kavod, who ran second in the Tremont for co-owner and trainer James Chapman, will be making his fourth career start. After running fourth on debut in April at Keeneland, the Lea colt earned a winner's circle trip in April at Belmont before his stakes bow in early June. He is also co-owned by Tritain Biddinger. Manny Franco rides from post 10.

Palm Beach Racing's Trust Our Journey, an American Pharoah chestnut trained by Carlos David, enters from a prominent third in the Tremont.
A maiden winner at first asking in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on May 1 at Gulfstream, Trust Our Journey will exit post 4 under Eric Cancel.

Cammarota Racing's Lucago, third in his first start on June 3 at Gulfstream, won over the same track in his second start, besting Fishing for Fun by three-quarters of a length on July 1. Junior Alvarado will have the call from the outermost post.

Richie's World Stables' Dance Code edged For the Dreamers by a neck to win his debut going 4 1/2 furlongs on June 28 at Parx. Trained by Juan Vazquez, Dance Code will depart post 5 with Jose Lezcano aboard.

Frank Catapano and Nicholas Primpas' Catch the Smoke, a half-length first-out maiden-claiming winner on June 20 at Monmouth Park, will look to go 2-for-2 for trainer Wayne Potts, drawing post 3 with Dylan Davis on the bridle.

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day 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.

The post Wesley Ward-Trained Headline Report Tops Field Of 12 Juveniles In Saturday’s Sanford appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Brown Chasing Sixth Straight Diana Victory With Lemista, Pocket Square

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will send out Lemista and Pocket Square in Saturday's 83rd renewal of the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana as he looks to secure his sixth consecutive win in the nine-furlong inner-turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course.

Brown captured the first of his record six Diana wins in 2011 with Zagora and has enjoyed success in the last five editions with Dacita [2016], Lady Eli [2017], Sistercharlie [2018-19] and Rushing Fall [2020].

A former assistant to the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, himself a two-time Diana winner, Brown spoke about his affinity for the prestigious race on a recent episode of the Across the Board with Andy Serling podcast.

“We've had enormous success with it; I'm lucky. We've had the right horses,” said Brown. “It's a real honor to have that level of success looking back at five Dianas in a row. These are the [types of] races Frankel would point towards.”

Brown will saddle Lemista, a 4-year-old daughter of Raven's Pass, for three-time Diana winning owner Peter Brant, who campaigned Sistercharlie [2018-19] and Just a Game [1980] to Diana scores.

Lemista earned a 100 Beyer in her North American debut in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Beaugay on May 8 at Belmont, finishing a late-closing second to Diana-rival Harvey's Lil Goil.

The Irish-bred dark bay, previously trained by Ger Lyons, captured the Group 2 Kilboy Estate three starts back at the Curragh over yielding going.

Lemista has trained extensively on the Belmont inner turf following the Beaugay, posting eight works dating back to May 22, including a five-furlong effort in 1:01.80 on Sunday in company with Pocket Square [1:01.89].

“She's a top class filly. I have high hopes for her,” Brown said. “We've been pointing for this race for a while and I'm excited to get to it. I think that the time has done her well. She's been working consistently well.”

Juddmonte Farms' Pocket Square, a Group 3 winner at Deauville in October 2019 for former trainer Roger Charlton, rallied to an impressive allowance win in her North American debut on April 7 at Keeneland.

Brown said Pocket Square, by Night of Thunder, missed a breeze heading into her even fifth last out as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game, a one-mile jaunt over good turf on June 5 at Belmont.

“She missed her last work with the storms that came through and maybe the soft-ish turf didn't help,” said Brown. “I really thought she was lined up really well going into the Just a Game and I was hopeful she could overcome, but things just didn't work out. She's come back and worked really super, so I'm drawing a line through it and going right back at another Grade 1 with her.”

Despite good form over soft going in Europe, Brown said he would prefer firmer footing for Pocket Square.

“I know she ran well in Europe that way [on good-firm ground], but I think she's more effective on a firm turf course from what I've seen in her training,” said Brown.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will also look to extend his Diana win record to seven, piloting Pocket Square from post 2, while Irad Ortiz, Jr. will guide Lemista from post 7.

Trainer Charlie Appleby enjoyed a one-two finish with 4-year-old Godolphin fillies Althiqa and Summer Romance in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game.

The Godolphin greys have squared off in their last three starts, dating back to the one-mile Group 2 Cape Verdi in January at Meydan won by Althiqa, a British homebred by Dark Angel. Summer Romance turned the tables on Althiqa in the nine-furlong Group 2 Balanchine in February at Meydan.

In their North American debuts, Summer Romance, an Irish-bred daughter of Kingman, set a sharp pace under Luis Saez, but could not stay off the late run of Althiqa under Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

Both fillies remained at Belmont following the Just a Game, breezing extensively on the Belmont inner turf before shipping upstate to Saratoga on Monday.

Summer Romance, who won the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth at Epsom last July, will exit post 6 under Saez, while Althiqa, who boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 10-5-2-3, will be piloted by Manny Franco from post 8.

The Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman Harvey's Lil Goil will look to give Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his fifth Diana win.

Mott, who last won the Diana in 2010 with Proviso, captured three straight editions with Sand Springs, Angara and My Typhoon from 2005-07.

A 4-year-old American Pharoah grey, Harvey's Lil Goil enjoyed a remarkable sophomore campaign, winning the Grade 3 Regret at nine furlongs over firm Churchill Downs turf last June ahead of a game third in the 10-furlong Alabama on the Saratoga main track.

The versatile filly completed her 3-year-old year with a pair of Grade 1 turf starts at Keeneland, including a win in the nine-furlong Queen Elizabeth II Cup in October over good going and a closing third in the 1 3/16-mile Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf over firm footing in November.

A prominent winner of the Beaugay in her seasonal debut on May 8 on good Belmont turf, Harvey's Lil Goil was an even fifth last out in the 10-furlong Grade 2 New York contested on yielding Belmont turf on June 4.

“It was very soft ground,” said Mott of the New York effort. “Some of our stakes have been run on really soft ground and it could have worked against her a little bit.”

Mott said a turnback in distance as well as the tighter turns of the Saratoga inner turf should benefit Harvey's Lil Goil.

“That [cutting back] won't hurt her I don't think,” said Mott. “She's run well on that type of oval previously. She won the Queen Elizabeth at Keeneland and she ran good in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland and that's a tight turf course, so I don't think that will hurt her.”

Harvey's Lil Goil has recorded four works since the New York, including a five-furlong effort in 1:00.12 on the Oklahoma dirt training track on July 9.

“She couldn't be doing any better,” said Mott.

Junior Alvarado retains the mount from post 5.

Lael Stables' Magic Attitude, a 4-year-old daughter of the late Galileo, will look to improve off a flat seventh last out in the New York.

The British-bred bay was a Group 3 winner in France last May for trainer Fabrice Chappet before being transferred to conditioner Arnaud Delacour for a fall campaign.

In October, Magic Attitude captured the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, part of NYRA's Turf Triple series, in her first start for Delacour and followed with a third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

The talented bay has made three starts this year, including a win in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay on firm Belmont turf in May. She will exit post 3 under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in her Saratoga debut.

Madaket Stables, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron and Bradley Thoroughbreds' La Signare made the grade with a front-running score in the 2018 Grade 3 Wonder Again traveling nine furlongs on the Belmont turf.

The 6-year-old French-bred daughter of Siyouni, trained by Brendan Walsh, has made four of her last six starts in Grade 1 company, including a third in the 1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley on yielding Keeneland turf in April and a closing second in the nine-furlong Gamely last out on firm footing on May 31 at Santa Anita.

La Signare will emerge from the inside post under Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Phipps Stable homebred Vigilantes Way enters from a 2 1/4-length score in the Eatontown, a 1 1/16-mile test over firm Monmouth Park turf on June 20.

The 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro bay, out of the Unbridled mare Salute, is a half-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Mr Speaker and Grade 1-winning steeplechaser Snap Decision.

Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, Vigilantes Way boasts a record of 12-5-2-3 and will be piloted from post 4 by Jose Ortiz.

The Diana is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day 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.

The post Brown Chasing Sixth Straight Diana Victory With Lemista, Pocket Square appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Norm Casse ‘Hoping For A Little Bit Of Luck’ With Pretty Birdie In Opening Day Schuylerville

Trainer Norm Casse said he is hoping to start the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on a high note when he sends out Pretty Birdie on Saratoga's Opening Day this Thursday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville.

Owned by Marylou Whitney Stables, the homebred juvenile daughter of Bird Song won at first asking on June 18 at Churchill Downs, leading at every point of call and extended her advantage throughout the five-furlong journey to win by 3 3/4 lengths.

Casse said he noticed something special in Pretty Birdie since she arrived at his barn from Ocala, where she was broken by Randy Bradshaw.

“We've always been high on her,” Casse said. “She came up from Randy Bradshaw with other Whitney babies. It was pretty obvious from day one that she was the most precocious. She's professional, fast, loves to run and just has all the kind of qualities you look for in a racehorse. So, she's earned her spot in this race. We're just hoping for a little bit of luck.”

Despite displaying frontrunning tactics on debut, Casse said Pretty Birdie would likely track the pace under Luis Saez, given the amount of speed in the field of nine juvenile fillies.

“It seems like there's a ton of speed in there,” Casse said. “I just hope we break sharply from the rail and forwardly placed in the pace. At some point hopefully Luis can find a way out and we can make our run.”

Casse learned his craft as an assistant from his father, Hall of Famer Mark Casse. He now seeks his first graded stakes triumph at the Spa since going out on his own in 2018, and his second graded stakes victory overall of his career. In 2019, he saddled Hard Legacy – also owned by Marylou Whitney Stables – to a score in the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill Downs.

“To win the Schuylerville on opening day at Saratoga, with everything going back to normal after the pandemic, would be amazing,” Casse said. “Obviously, it's a privilege to be associated with the Whitneys and John [Hendrickson], knowing what they mean to the town of Saratoga.”

Casse, who has 16 stalls at the Spa for the meet, expressed excitement in running some of his talented juveniles at Saratoga this summer.

“We're really lucky to have a bunch of nice 2-year-olds, so we thought it would be the right time to come back up here,” Casse said.

Some juveniles for Casse that are possible for stakes action later this meet include Ontheonesandtwos who was a last out second in the Debutante on June 26 at Churchill Downs and could race in the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on August 8.

Glacial, third in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 26 at Churchill Downs, is possible for the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite.

The post Norm Casse ‘Hoping For A Little Bit Of Luck’ With Pretty Birdie In Opening Day Schuylerville appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights