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Lucky Move Avenges 2019 Loss To Mrs. Orb In Bay Ridge

Ten Strike Racing's Lucky Move overtook Mrs. Orb in deep stretch, rallying from last to outkick the even-money favorite by a half-length in Sunday's $100,000 Bay Ridge for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Lucky Move, the winner of the Empire Distaff Handicap on October 24 at Belmont Park going 1 1/16 miles, handled the stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for the seventh running of the Bay Ridge, notching her second consecutive victory. The result was the reversal of last year's 1-2 finish in the Bay Ridge, when Mrs. Orb bested Lucky Move by a nose.

The Juan Carlos Guerrero trainee broke sharp from the inside post under Kendrick Carmouche but stayed off pacesetter Singular Sensation's early speed as she led the compact four-horse field through an opening quarter-mile and the half on the fast main track.

Out of the turn, Singular Sensation kept the lead under Manny Franco near the rail, with Mrs. Orb giving close pursuit before gaining temporary command from the outside. But Carmouche, who urged Lucky Move up from the rear of the field, continued to press his charge as she thundered home in the stretch, getting the edge in the final jumps to hit the wire in 1:56.54.

“It was a different result this year. I had that nose in mind from last year when I lost this race,” Carmouche said. “I knew it was going to be slow up front. I just had to sit, wait and bide my time. My horse ran very well. Juan Carlos Guerrero had this horse ready to run.”

Off as the 6-5 second choice, Lucky Move returned $4.40 on a $2 win bet. The veteran Lookin At Lucky mare, bred by Maltese Cross Stables and Stonegate Stables, capped her 6-year-old campaign by improving her career earnings to $429,759.

“You don't worry about [the pace]. You just got to sit and wait as long as you can to make them run and let them run home the last eighth of a mile,” Carmouche said. “She had me in a good spot the whole way around. No excuses today. I just had to get the job done.”

Mrs. Orb, ridden by Dylan Davis, finished second for the fifth consecutive race, besting Singular Sensation by 1 ½ lengths. Firenze Freedom completed the order of finish.

Owned by Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn, Script R Farm and trainer Michael Miceli, Mrs. Orb added another runner-up effort to her ledger, joining her efforts this year in the Critical Eye, Union Avenue, Empire Distaff Handicap and the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm in her previous start on November 7 at Aqueduct.

“She was nice and relaxed,” Davis said. “She always tries hard. It's just a timing thing with her. She locked eyes with the five [Singular Sensation] and just barely got by. She's a steady grinder. Once she gets there, she kind of steadies up a bit.”

Sky Kitten and Kilkea were scratched.

Live racing resumes on Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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Welder Gets Chance To Break More Remington Park Records Dec. 19

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 at the Oklahoma City, Okla., racetrack, Remington has to re-write its history book.

Such may be the case on Saturday, Dec. 19, when the 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 10:23 p.m. 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,” said trainer Theresa Sue 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 prepared 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 and 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 5 p.m., featuring the $200,000 Springboard Mile. The Saturday and Sunday programs each begin at 7:07 p.m. All times are Central.

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Japanese-Trained Normcore Upstages Magical In Hong Kong Cup

Zac Purton has crowned a week of stellar milestones by becoming the first rider in history to partner nine Hong Kong International Races winners after Japanese mare Normcore upstaged Win Bright and Magical in the HK$28 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin.

Purton, 37, gained the ride on the grey after Christophe Soumillon was forced to forfeit the mount after failing to secure an unconditional release from quarantine following a COVID test on Thursday.

On Wednesday at Happy Valley, Purton became only the second jockey after Douglas Whyte to ride 1,200 winners in Hong Kong.

The reigning jockey champion, Purton was jubilant after breaking the Hong Kong International Races' tie he had shared with Frenchman Gerard Mosse after Normcore outsprinted fellow Japan's Win Bright and Ireland's Magical.

“It's something I'm very proud of, it's a great achievement,” he said.

“To also now be the only jockey to win the full set of international races twice is also for myself somewhat rewarding.

“Hopefully, I can just can continue to have luck at this meeting going forward.

“It's been a great week, I'm very thankful that I get these opportunities.”

Purton was grateful to regain the ride on Normcore, whose previous G1 triumph came in the Victoria Mile when partnered by another Australian, Damian Lane, in May 2019.

“Initially we sort of confirmed the ride and then when it was announced Christophe was coming, they changed their mind. They're entitled to do that,” Purton said.

“It was what it was, I just had to accept that. Thankfully, it came back.”

Purton has been synonymous with Hong Kong International Races success with eight previous triumphs on the jurisdiction's most prestigious day.

The New South Welshman savored Vase glory with Dominant (2013) and Exultant (2018), the Mile with Ambitious Dragon (2012), Beauty Only (2016) and Beauty Generation (2018), Sprint with Aerovelocity (2014 and 2016) and the Cup with Time Warp in 2017.

Purton stalked the 2019 Cup winner Win Bright in the run before peeling widest in a riveting global contest.

Japan's three runners finished in the top four, with Danon Premium trailing Magical to the line.

“She (Normcore) had to fight for it, Win Bright gave a really sharp kick and his love for Sha Tin was starting to show through,” Purton said.

“But she was determined and inch by inch, she just kept putting herself in the frame.”

Trained by Kiyoshi Hagiwara, Normcore ran fourth to Admire Mars in last year's Hong Kong Mile.

Hagiwara has handled several topliners since taking out a trainers' licence in 1996, including Logi Universe, Le Vent Se Leve and Obruchev.

Ryan Moore said a slackening mid-race tempo wrecked Magical's chances of becoming the first horse trained by Aidan O'Brien to snare eight G1s.

“There was a lack of pace so therefore I couldn't go where I wanted to go,” Moore said.

“She ran well.”

Normcore is the first filly or mare to win a HKIR since Ed Dunlop's champion Snow Fairy took the Cup in 2010.

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Hometown Hero Golden Sixty Runs Win Streak To 11 With Hong Kong Mile Triumph

They came, they saw, they tried to blunt his dash, but they failed to conquer Golden Sixty: Hong Kong's burgeoning hometown hero dismantled his international rivals in the HK$25 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin with an exquisite performance.

“He's amazing, isn't he?” jockey Vincent Ho said, moments after the brilliant 5-year-old unleashed an unanswerable burst of speed that carried him to a dazzling two-length victory.

For Ho and trainer Francis Lui, Golden Sixty's success is a first at the Hong Kong International Races.

Lui was delighted and relieved to see his standout galloper seal a 14th win from 15 starts, and surpass the great Beauty Generation's 10 wins in a row with his 11th-straight triumph – in Hong Kong, only the near-immortal Silent Witness has won more races on the bounce.

“I can have a good sleep tonight!” Lui declared. “I'm very happy – at the moment, I don't know what to say, (my heart) is still pumping. As a jockey, as a trainer, as an owner, you're dreaming of this.

“I was worried about the horses from Japan and Ireland but now, after this race, he has shown me that he's a champion.”

Lui's pre-race concerns were natural with Japan's 2019 victor Admire Mars in the line-up along with last-start G1 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Order Of Australia, from Ireland's powerful Aidan O'Brien stable. But his anxiety proved needless, the invaders were no match for last season's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner, who races in the silks of Stanley Chan Ka-leung.

With speed enough to have posted nine wins at 1200m and 1400m, and the fortitude to last the local Derby's 10 furlongs, the Medaglia d'Oro gelding seems to have it all.

When the gates crashed back, Ho exhibited apposite confidence on the 1.3 favorite, allowing his mount to settle third-last – seven lengths off the lead – while Ryan Moore pressed Admire Mars forward to stalk outside the front-running Ka Ying Star.

“They went a little bit hard early and I was quite far back, so I just let him slide through from the 600 (meters) and it only took him a few strides to almost get to them. I tried to save him until I let him down and when I asked for him, he did it really well, he gave me a really big effort,” Ho said with typically deadpan understatement.

Golden Sixty cruised around the field turning for home; the Australian-bred bounded rapidly through his gears and when he hit top speed, his stride was a blur of quickening power.

“When I hit the top of the straight, I knew,” Ho said. “I was just cruising and I didn't think anyone could beat him in that sort of sprint.

“He's a horse that really wants to compete, he's the best horse in Hong Kong at the moment. Today is all about him.”

Golden Sixty's winning time was 1:33.45; his closing 400m spilt, a strong 22.05.

Such a performance, with the admirable G1 FWD Champions Mile winner Southern Legend second and Admire Mars a battling third, sees Golden Sixty take up the baton as Hong Kong's latest star from the once imperious Beauty Generation.

Connections announced shortly after the race that 8-year-old Beauty Generation will race no more. Hong Kong's highest-rated galloper of all time – rated the equal of another great miler, Able Friend – bowed out with a meritorious fifth place and a Hong Kong career tally of 18 wins from 34 starts, as well as the local all-time record prize money haul of HK$106,233,750.

At his peak, Beauty Generation was an incredible force around Sha Tin, claiming two editions of the Hong Kong Mile among his eight G1 wins for trainer John Moore – his last three races came under the care of trainer David Hayes.

“I knew it may be on the table,” said Zac Purton, who rode the Kwok family's champion 28 times.

Beauty Generation

“It's a bitter-sweet day. It's a sad end. He's been the best horse for me in my career. I'm certainly going to miss him. He was brave again today and wherever he may go in the world, I'm sure I'll go and visit him in his paddock one day.”

Beauty Generation was high-class in Australia before scaling Hong Kong's heights but never ventured away from Sha Tin to test his mettle as a champion overseas. Lui said when pressed that the Golden Sixty team will consider off-shore options in the future but not while the world remains in its pandemic-induced turmoil.

“Not this season,” he said. “Because of the virus, we'll keep him in Hong Kong this season.”

With Ireland's Mogul carrying off the Hong Kong Vase and Japanese raiders Danon Smash and Normcore capturing the Hong Kong Sprint and Hong Kong Cup respectively, Hong Kong needed a big performance from its latest home town hero.

Golden Sixty delivered just that, and with it, the promise that Hong Kong has unearthed yet another athlete to rank among the world's best.

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