Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Welder Attempts To Tie All-Time Win Record At Remington Park

Two-time Oklahoma Horse of the Year Welder is costing Remington Park a lot of money in ink. Virtually every time he steps on the track here, Remington has to re-write its history book.

Such is the case on Saturday, Dec. 19, when this 7-year-old Oklahoma-bred millionaire gelding will be trying to tie the track record for most career wins at Remington Park – 15. If he wins the $34,000 Guthrie Sprint allowance race on the next-to-last night of racing this meet, he would move into a three-way tie with Highland Ice and Elegant Exxactsy. Each of those horses won 15 times at Remington Park. The Guthrie goes as the eighth race and is scheduled to go to post at 10:23pm-Central.

“It would be exciting to tie the win record but I am so happy with everything he has done so far in his career that I'm just pleased he is still running and winning,” Luneack said. “Welder is training really well. It was a nice easy workout for him Thursday. He should be happy and ready.”

Welder worked five furlongs over a fast track at Remington Park on Dec. 10 with regular jockey David Cabrera aboard, going in 1:03.47, handily.

The last time Welder raced here, he won the $70,000 Silver Goblin Stakes on Nov. 13. He set a new record in that event, winning his 11th career stakes at Remington, breaking the tie he held with Okie Ride in that category. It was also the 11th stakes win in a row here for the gelded son of The Visualiser, out of the Tiznow mare Dance Softly. That was a record he already owned and was extending.

Here is a quick look at the other records this greased-streak of gray lightning has set along the way under the tutelage of trainer Teri Luneack for owner Ra-Max Farms (Clayton Rash), both of Claremore, Okla.

Two-time Oklahoma Horse of the Year (2018 & 2019).
Only horse in Remington Park history (since 1988) that has won back-to-back Horse of the Meet trophies (2018 & 2019).
Only horse in Remington Park history to win four stakes races in one season (2018).
Set track record for six furlongs of 1:08.13 in winning the David M. Vance Stakes on Sept. 29, 2019.
Eleven consecutive stakes wins in a row at Remington Park – two Remington Park Turf Sprints (one was taken off the turf and moved to a sloppy main track), four wins in the Silver Goblin Stakes, three wins in the Oklahoma Classics Sprint, and two David M. Vance Stakes.

An indication of just how well Luneack has prepped this big-hearted Okie-bred the past couple of years could be seen as far back as the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes on March 9, 2019 at Oaklawn Park when he ran two lengths behind Whitmore. All Whitmore did was come back and win the 2020 Breeders' Cup Sprint by 3-1/4 lengths. Those two could meet again during the 2021 Oaklawn season next spring.

Welder was made the 6-5 morning line favorite for the Guthrie allowance by Remington Park odds-maker Jerry Shottenkirk. The seven-horse field includes two horses that have actually finished ahead of Welder in the past. That pair – Share the Upside (5-1) and D' Rapper (6-1) – have not, however, beaten Welder on the track he loves the most, Remington Park.

Share the Upside, from Remington Park all-time leading trainer (by wins) Steve Asmussen's barn, also ran in the 2019 Hot Springs Stakes and finished a half-length ahead of Welder for second in that race. D' Rapper last beat Welder this summer by 1-1/4 lengths in the Iowa Sprint Stakes at Prairie Meadows on July 5. Welder beat D' Rapper in the $150,000 David Vance Stakes by 7-3/4 lengths, the last time they went head-to-head at Remington Park, in September 2019.

Welder has started 19 times in Oklahoma City and won 14 of those for $819,859 here. Overall, Welder has won 25 of 37 starts, run second five times and third four times for lifetime earnings of $1,179,018. Luneack found him as a yearling at Center Hills Farms' division in Pryor, Okla., at Mighty Acres and Rash purchased him for $6,400.

If Welder can extend his win records and keep accumulating records, he could be well on his way to his third Oklahoma Horse of the Year and unprecedented third Remington Park Horse of the Meet.

“The prospect of having a third year Horse of the Meet is unimaginable,” said Luneack.

Here's a look at the field in the Guthrie allowance, race eight on Dec. 19, from rail to the outside with horse, trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:

1) Gordy Florida: Kenny Smith, Richard Eramia, 12-1

2) Direct Dial: Danny Pish, Lane Luzzi, 9-2

3) Welder: Teri Luneack, David Cabrera, 6-5 (morning-line favorite)

4) American Dubai: Clinton Stuart, Ken Tohill, 10-1

5) Tiz Alluptome Now: Steve Asmussen, Kevin Roman, 8-1

6) D' Rapper: Oscar Flores, (no rider named), 6-1

7) Share the Upside: Steve Asmussen, Stewart Elliott, 5-1

Remington Park live racing continues with five more race dates left in this 2020 season. Action resumes Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 14 & 15 with the first race at Noon. The final weekend is Friday through Sunday, Dec. 18-20. The first race on Friday night is at 5pm, featuring the $200,000 Springboard Mile. The Saturday and Sunday programs each begin at 7:07pm. All times are Central.

The post Welder Attempts To Tie All-Time Win Record At Remington Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Laurel Park: Inaugural Spectacular Bid On Jan. 16 May Attract Unbeaten Jaxon Traveler

One of the newest stakes on the Maryland Jockey Club calendar may land a star attraction for its inaugural running next month.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's 2-year-old stakes winner Jaxon Traveler, undefeated through three starts, could make his sophomore debut in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Jan. 16 at Laurel Park.

“That could be an option,” West Point founder and president Terry Finley said of the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds sprinting seven furlongs, named for the Hall of Fame winner of the 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1) and 1978 Laurel Futurity (G1).

“Statistically, even with really, really good horses, it's very tough to win three races in a row. We know that,” Finley said. “[It's] a small percentage of horses, especially at a good level or above. We knew he had talent and you just love the fact that he was able to put three very consistent, very solid if not better than very solid efforts together. It sets us up very well for 2021.”

In all, a total of six stakes worth $550,000 in purses will be offered on the Jan. 16 program including the return of the $100,000 Xtra Heat, last run in 2007 at Pimlico Race Course. Laurel's 2021 winter meet begins Jan. 1.

Finley said Jaxon Traveler, currently part of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen's New York-based string, is expected to bypass Laurel's remaining 2020 juvenile stakes – the $100,000 Heft at seven furlongs and $100,000 Howard County going about 1 1/16 miles Dec. 26 – and spend the winter at Oaklawn Park.

Jaxon Traveler became a stakes winner with his workmanlike three-quarter-length triumph in the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity Dec. 5 at Laurel. He captured his Sept. 25 unveiling at Pimlico by 10 lengths and followed up with a four-length optional claiming allowance win Oct. 23 at Laurel.

“He was dead tired for three or four days and then he kind of sprang right back. That was a very taxing effort,” Finley said. “Toby Sheets, who runs Steve Asmussen's barn in New York, has been very happy with him all along. There's no doubt that he came with it that day and he had to dig deep. We're not in a rush to get back.”

Finley said the immediate plan is to keep Jaxon Traveler, a son of multiple graded-stakes winning sprinter Munnings and grandson Grade 1 turf winner After Market, at shorter distances.

“He's definitely told us he's not a horse that we need to try to push on to the Derby trail. We realize that at this point in his career we need to stay at sprint distances,” Finley said. “We're trying to map out a winter campaign but I'd like to think that after being at this for so many years, we realize that the worst thing we can do is try to fit a square peg into a round hole. That's what we're not going to do with this dude. He'll stay at sprint distances for now.”The $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs at Pimlico, traditionally run on Preakness weekend, could be another target for Jaxon Traveler. Asmussen won the Chick Lang in 2015 with Holy Boss and 2018 with Mitole, the champion male sprinter of 2019.

“Obviously when you have a horse like this, a sprinter that you think can be at the top echelon, you're thinking about getting him to the Chick Lang over a racetrack that he's already run. You're thinking about the Woody Stephens and you're thinking about the [Allen] Jerkens,” Finley said. “Ironically, Steve has had pretty good success with that path over the last couple years with some horses that are now standing in Kentucky. So, we're hoping that we're in that zone and if we get lucky we can follow that same path.”

West Point's Desbordes ($11.60), a 3-year-old daughter of Central Banker trained by George Weaver, held off a late run for Ortinola to capture Sunday's eighth-race finale, a one-mile claiming event for fillies and mares 3 and up. The winning time was 1:39.56.

The post Laurel Park: Inaugural Spectacular Bid On Jan. 16 May Attract Unbeaten Jaxon Traveler appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Undefeated White Filly Sodashi Makes Japanese Racing History

Sodashi became the first white horse to win a Japanese Grade 1 race when the 2-year-old daughter of the gray American-bred Kurofune (by French Deputy) won Sunday's 72nd running of the $1.3-million Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse.

Ridden by Hayato Yoshida, the Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. homebred trained by Naosuke Sugai nosed out Satono Reinas and Chrisophe Lemaire while favored at odds of 2-1, with Uberleben and Mirco Demuro a neck back in third in the field of 18 Japanese-breds.

Sodashi covered 1,600 meters (one mile) on firm turf in 1:32.40. The win in the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies likely assured her the title of champion 2-year-old filly.

The win was the fourth without a defeat for Sodashi, who was produced from the white mare, Buchiko (registered as white but had spots throughout her body), a daughter of the Kingmambo stallion King Kamehameha. Buchiko was produced from the white mare Shirayukihime, a daughter of the nearly jet-black Sunday Silence.

Sodashi defeated maidens in her July debut, then took both the G3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes in September and the G3 Artemis Stakes in October. After being reluctant to load into the starting gate in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, the white filly raced in fourth early, moved to the lead in the final quarter mile then resolutely held off Satono Reinas in the closing stages.

Buchiko is the dam of Sodashi

“Going into the race as favorite was a bit of a load, but I'm thrilled with the outcome,” jockey Yoshida said. 'She hated to even go near the gate but I'm relieved that all went well and that we were able to be positioned just as I hoped. The going affected her good turn of foot but she gave all she had. There is room for improvement, and I hope we can get her ready for next year's classics.”

The post Undefeated White Filly Sodashi Makes Japanese Racing History appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Rodriguez Has Jerome Pencilled In For Notebook Winner Eagle Orb’s Next Start

E.V. Racing's Eagle Orb is training forwardly off a victory in the Notebook on November 14 and the Orb colt could make his next start in the $150,000 Jerome on New Year's Day at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., trainer Rudy Rodriguez said Sunday morning.

The Jerome, for newly minted 3-year-olds going one-mile, is a prep for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1, offering 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Eagle Orb tied a personal-best with a 74 Beyer Speed Figure for his 2 3/4-length victory in the Notebook against fellow New York-breds going six furlongs, marking his first stakes win.

Eagle Orb won his debut on August 21 at Saratoga Race Course and stepped up to stakes company to run second to next-out winner Thin White Duke in the Funny Cide on September 4 at the historic track.

Bred by Barry Ostrager, Eagle Orb is 2-2-0 in five career starts and has been breezing at Belmont since the Notebook as he prepares to stretch back out to one mile for the first time since running second to Brooklyn Strong, another next-out winner, in the Sleepy Hollow on October 24 for state-bred juveniles.

Rodriguez said he's confident to see Eagle Orb compete against open company after a successful 2-year-old campaign.

“We want to stretch him out to the Jerome coming up,” Rodriguez said. “He always tries. He shows he can run good, so we want to give him the opportunity to try that. So far, so good. He's doing everything we asked him. He looks pretty good and if he can run well there, we'll have more confidence in him.”

“Right now, his options are open, but we need to keep dreaming. That's what we are here for,” he added.

On Saturday, Yankee Division earned black type in his stakes debut, running third in the Alex M. Robb at the Big A. Competing at the longest distance of his career at 1 1/8 miles for just the second time in 14 starts, the 4-year-old son of Midnight Lute was last-of-six through the opening half-mile before rallying for third under jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr. finishing five lengths back to winner Bankit and runner-up and two-time defending Alex M. Robb-winner Mr. Buff.

Yankee Division, owned by Rodriguez with Michael Imperio and Andrew Gurdon, has registered three consecutive 86 Beyers, including for is win against allowance company on September 28 at Finger Lakes.

“He's looking good; it was a good performance,” Rodriguez said. “It came up a very tough race, but he was impressive. I think the distance was key for him. He's a big horse and he likes to run and run. The only time I tried to run him long before, it was at Finger Lakes and two turns. He was training good heading into the race, so I was happy.”

Rodriguez said he might try to maximize remaining conditions before returning to stakes company in 2021 for his 5-year-old year, but left open the possibility of higher competition for the gelding who was bred in New York by Carolyn Vogel.

Repole Stable's Backsideofthemoon was nominated to the $100,000 Queens County on Saturday, but Rodriguez instead entered him in an allowance optional claiming contest on Thursday in Aqueduct's Race 5.

The gelded son of Malibu Moon will complete his 8-year-old year in the one-mile contest looking to build on his win against optional claimers on November 13 at Aqueduct going 1 1/8 miles in a race that was moved off the turf.

Rodriguez said the veteran of 46 starts is planning to still run as a 9-year-old in 2021 and return to stakes company; a level at which he competed four times this year, including a second in the Jazil in January and third in the Stymie in March at Aqueduct.

“We're just trying to keep him happy and he's a good horse to be around,” Rodriguez said. “He always tries and he has a good body and good size. We nominated him to the [Queens County] because there aren't that many options this time of year, but we think he'll be in a good spot [Thursday] and then we'll see [what next year brings].”

The post Rodriguez Has Jerome Pencilled In For Notebook Winner Eagle Orb’s Next Start appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post