Tag: Racing

After Hard-Luck Trip In Breeders’ Cup, Imprimis Gearing Up For 2021 Campaign

Breeze Easy LLC's two-time graded-stakes winner Imprimis, exiting a hard-luck trip in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1), returned to the work tab with a three-furlong move over Gulfstream Park's inner turf course Sunday.

Imprimis covered the distance in 36.06 seconds for trainer Joe Orseno. The 5-year-old gelding was within striking distance in the stretch of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint only to check sharply after being moved inside by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and lost all chance, finishing 13th.

“It was just a tune-up. We're going to scope him and we're going to look at him and see if we need to evaluate anything, so that's why I wanted to get this into him,” Orseno said. “I was real happy with him. I got 36 [seconds], the clockers just sent me 36-and-1 and out in 48, so it was excellent.”

A stakes winner in each of his three seasons of racing, starting with the 2018 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico Race Course, Imprimis won the Shakertown (G2) in 2019 and the Turf Sprint (G2) Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs as his prep for the Breeders' Cup.

Imprimis is undefeated in four starts at Gulfstream, including the 2019 Silks Run, his last time over the track. Orseno is looking at the $75,000 Janus on New Year's Day and the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Feb. 13, both for 4-year-olds up sprinting five furlongs on the grass.

“We're talking about it. February, for sure, and then his races will be spaced out two months apart,” Orseno said. “We were thinking about Saudi Arabia for about a minute and a half and then decided we didn't want to do that to him at the risk of knocking him out for the rest of the year.

“He doesn't need to do that. If I keep him on that every two months, his next race will be Keeneland and then Belmont and then Saratoga and it's spread out pretty good,” he added. “At least we have a plan. Let's hope he cooperates.”

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Pegasus World Cup: Between Hard Races, Round Pen Plays Important Role For Jesus’ Team

On the morning after his hard-fought victory in Saturday's $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel, Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team was very much on course for a planned start in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.

“Jesus came out of the race good and happy,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said.

Jesus' Team spent Sunday morning winding down in a round pen at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach, after grinding out a victory by three-quarters of a length in the 1 1/8-mile headliner of Saturday's 22nd Claiming Crown, a nine-race event that pays tribute to the claiming horses that provide the backbone of the daily racing programs at racetracks throughout the country.

“I'll give him a week in the round pen before preparing for the Pegasus World Cup,” said D'Angelo. “In between the hard races the last five months, I think the round pen has been very good for him. It's good for him mentally and physically,”

Jesus' Team, a 3-year-old son of Tapiture, became Claiming Crown-eligible when he started his career in the claiming ranks but has developed into a multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed performer, having finished third in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and second in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his two starts prior to the Jewel to earn the 2-5 favorite's role Saturday. The stretch-running colt worked hard to earn the victory over loose-on-the-lead pacesetting Storm Runner, who did his best to fight off the favorite. Jockey Luis Saez, who rode six winners Saturday, opted to keep Jesus' Team closer to the early pace than usual to closely monitor the dangerous Storm Runner.

“It was a hard race. He had only one work before the race. I chose only one work to keep him happy and healthy. I had confidence in him,” D'Angelo said. “In his last two races, he ran back to front – only one move. [Saturday] he made two runs, like he did in the Jim Dandy. He ran close to the front early. That's not good for him.”

D'Angelo said he expects the Jewel to set up Jesus' Team perfectly for the Pegasus.

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Proud Emma Earns First Graded Stakes Victory In Bayakoa At Los Alamitos

Returning to dirt and getting the waiting ride she prefers, Proud Emma rallied to defeat Message and four others fillies and mares in the Grade 3, $100,0000 Bayakoa Stakes Sunday at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez – substituting for the sidelined Hall of Famer Mike Smith – for trainer Peter Miller and owners Gem, Inc. and Tom Kagele, Proud Emma was reserved early off the pace set by Miss Stormy D and Stellar Sound, rallied outside and outfinished Message in the final sixteenth to prevail by a half-length.

The win was the sixth in 16 starts for the daughter of Include and the Proud Citizen mare Debutante Dreamer, who was bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones. Her first success in a graded stakes increased her earnings to $304,658.

The 9-2 fourth choice in the field of six, Proud Emma paid $11.20, $3.80 and $2.40 while completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.40. Message returned $4 and $2.40 while finishing six lengths clear of Stellar Sound, who rushed to battle for the lead and opened up two lengths after a half mile despite breaking last. The show price on Stellar Sound, the 13-10 choice, was $2.20. Miss Stormy D, Blue Diva and Donut Girl completed the order of finish.

“She ran great,'' said Kagele. “We've been trying to get a graded stakes with her and she finally did it for us today. She likes to sit off it and it set up very nicely for her. We were confident she would come running. She shows up every time, but this was awesome. We plan to keep her in training in 2021.''

This was Hernandez's first collaboration with Proud Emma, whose most recent win came when she finished in a dead heat with Message in the Tranquility Lake Aug. 28 at Del Mar.

“(Miller) told me to just sit behind the speed and she'd give me a strong run. She relaxed perfectly, then really responded when I asked her to get by (Message).''

Racing resumes Thursday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 1 p.m.

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