Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Laurel Park Live Racing Schedule Adjusted for April 17-19

As an equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) quarantine nears its end, the Maryland Jockey Club has modified the upcoming live racing schedule at Laurel Park.

Next week, Laurel Park will race Saturday through Monday, April 17-19, before returning to the usual Thursday through Sunday schedule for the 16-day spring meet that ends May 2.

For horsemen, races in the current condition book for Thursday, April 15 will be used Saturday, April 17, while races in the book for Friday, April 16 will be used Monday, April 19.

Positive cases of the equine herpesvirus caused MJC to cancel the final three days of Laurel's winter meet, March 26-28, and delay the start of the spring meet from April 1 to Thursday.

Saturday, April 24 is Laurel's Spring Stakes Spectacular program featuring seven stakes worth $750,000 in purses led by the $125,000 Federico Tesio for 3-year-olds and $125,000 Weber City Miss for 3-year-old fillies.

The 1 1/8-mile Tesio is a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 while Weber City Miss is a 'Win and In' race for the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 14, both at Pimlico.

The post Laurel Park Live Racing Schedule Adjusted for April 17-19 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Nominations For Derby Week Stakes At Churchill Downs Close Saturday

All Kentucky Derby Week stakes nominations at Churchill Downs, including the second closing of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade 1) and $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1), close Saturday.

The second closing of the April 30 Longines Kentucky Oaks costs $1,500 while the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic is a $1,000 payment. All stakes nominations can be made by contacting Churchill Downs assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork at Dan.Bork@kyderby.com or call (502) 638-3806.

A total of 18 stakes events are scheduled to be run Kentucky Derby Week led by the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on Saturday, May 1. There are six graded stakes events on the undercard of the Derby: the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, the $500,000 Derby City Distaff presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1), the $500,000 Churchill Downs presented by Ford (G1), the $500,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2), the $500,000 American Turf (G2) and the $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (G2).

The Kentucky Oaks undercard is topped by the $500,000 La Troienne (G1). Also run on the undercard will be the $400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (G2), the $300,000 Eight Belles presented by Smithfield (G2), the $300,000 Edgewood (G2) and the $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (G2).

The stakes action begins Saturday, April 24, with opening night of the spring meet where the headlining race will be the $125,000 William Walker (Listed). Tuesday's Champions Day card is topped by the $120,000 Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Wednesday's card will feature the $125,000 Kentucky Juvenile and the “Thurby” program on Thursday will showcase a stakes duo of the $150,000 Unbridled Sydney and the $120,000 Opening Verse.

For more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen.

The post Nominations For Derby Week Stakes At Churchill Downs Close Saturday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mystic Guide, Mishriff Share Top Billing In Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings

After impressive displays during the Dubai World Cup card, Mishriff [122] and Mystic Guide [122] share the top spot in the second edition of the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings for 2021.

LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings Leading Horses click here for complete rankings
Rank	Horse	Rating	Trained
1	MISHRIFF (IRE)	122	GB
1	MYSTIC GUIDE (USA)	122	USA
3	EDUARDO (AUS)	121	AUS
3	NATURE STRIP (AUS)	121	AUS
5	CHARLATAN (USA)	120	USA
5	EXULTANT (IRE)	120	HK
5	GOLDEN SIXTY (AUS)	120	HK
5	LIFE IS GOOD (USA)	120	USA
5	LORD NORTH (IRE)	120	GB

Mishriff, who was already at the top of the rankings following his victory in the Saudi Cup, switched back to turf and won the LONGINES Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) in his next start. Mystic Guide, meanwhile, took the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) by 3 ¾ lengths to land at the top of the rankings. He came into the race having won the Razorback Handicap (G3) by six lengths to begin his 2021 campaign.

Lord North [120] is also in the top five after winning in Dubai. He earned his ranking by being victorious in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1), which he took by three lengths in his first start of the year.

Joining Australia's Nature Strip [121] in the co-third spot is Eduardo [121], who is a perfect two-for-two this season. Eduardo defeated Nature Strip by a short head in the Hyland Race Colours Challenge Stakes (G2) and then went on to win the Bisley Workwear Galaxy (G1) by 3 ½ lengths.

Several other horses who have impressed in Australia this season find themselves ranked as well, including Mugatoo [119], who defeated Russian Camelot [118] by half a length in the All-Star Mile. Additionally, Sir Dragonet [118] won the Kia Tancred Stakes (G1) by 2 ¼ lengths to join the rankings.

Elsewhere, Malmoos [119] is ranked after winning the World Sports Betting SA Derby (G1) by 5 ¼ lengths to claim South Africa's Triple Crown. He also won the World Sports Betting S A Classic (G1) and World Sports Betting Gauteng Guineas (G2) to accomplish the feat.

In America, Colonel Liam [118] is two-for-two this year after winning the Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2) following his score in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1), and champion filly Swiss Skydiver [118] made her seasonal debut a winning one when she took the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) by 2 ¾ lengths.

In Japan, Lei Papale [118] is ranked after she took the Osaka Hai (G1) by 4 lengths, and in France, Skalleti [118] began his season with a victory in the Prix Exbury (G3) by 3 ½ lengths to join the rankings.

The post Mystic Guide, Mishriff Share Top Billing In Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘Really Good Horse’ Hit The Road Ships East For Friday’s Maker’s Mark Mile

In 2013, in his second year of training on his own, Dan Blacker saddled four runners during Keeneland's Spring Meet.

“I didn't have the right horses then,” the 39-year-old Blacker said Thursday, the morning after he arrived here with what would qualify as a “right horse” in Hit the Road. The Grade 1 winner looms as one of the favorites for Friday's 33rd running of the $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile (G1).

Owned by the partnership of D K Racing, Radley Equine, Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski and Dave Odmark, Hit the Road galloped on the main track Thursday.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Hit the Road brings a four-race win streak into the Maker's Mark Mile. That skein includes a victory in the Thunder Road (G3), which gave Blacker his first graded stakes triumph, and a narrow win in the Frank Kilroe Mile (G1) for Blacker's initial Grade 1 tally.

“He's a really good horse. He's a Grade 1 winner and there is not much better than that,” Blacker said.

The Maker's Mark Mile represents the first venture outside California for Hit the Road.

“A couple things I am looking for is to see how he handles the ship, and I am doing my anti-rain dance,” Blacker said. “I would prefer for it to be firm (turf) tomorrow.”

Heavy rain is forecast for Lexington beginning Thursday afternoon and going until midnight.

Blacker said Hit the Road likely would return to his home base at Santa Anita following Friday's race and he would not consider the $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic (G1) at 1 1/8 miles May 1 at Churchill Downs.

“My gut feeling is that he is a miler,” Blacker said. “Most likely we'd wait for the ($500,000) Shoemaker Mile (G1) on Memorial Day (May 25). If I did (run him) a mile and eighth, it would be at Santa Anita.”

Florent Geroux, who was aboard for the victory in the Kilroe, has the mount Friday.

The post ‘Really Good Horse’ Hit The Road Ships East For Friday’s Maker’s Mark Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post