Thrilling uncertainty surrounds the purchase of a well-bred yearling. How will the prospect develop physically and mentally? Will the runner be ready at age 2 or require greater patience? Will it prefer turf or dirt? Long or short? Can it compete at the highest levels? Can it accomplish anything memorable?
Tag: Racing
Undefeated Isolate Ships To New York For Sunday’s Nashua Stakes
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Isolate has done no wrong in his first two career starts and puts a perfect record on the line when shipping to New York for Sunday's 44th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Nashua going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The stakes event for juvenile colts pays homage to Belair Stud's winner of the 1955 Preakness and Belmont Stakes trained by Hall of Famer Sunny “Jim” Fitzsimmons. Notching two American classic triumphs in addition to victories in the Florida Derby, Wood Memorial and Jockey Club Gold Cup earned Nashua Horse of the Year honors that year and induction into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1965. He parlayed his talent to some of his offspring including Hall of Fame distaffers Shuvee as well as Gold Digger – the dam of prolific sire-of-sires Mr. Prospector.
Trained by Kathy Ritvo, Isolate did just as his name suggested in his last-out gate-to-wire effort where he defeated winners over a sloppy main track at Gulfstream Park by 10 lengths, while garnering a 79 Beyer Speed Figure.
The Florida-bred son Mark Valeski was a three-quarter length winner against his Sunshine State-bred counterparts in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight on August 6 at Gulfstream, where he defeated next out-winner and subsequent stakes winner Poppy's Pride.
“He had a really tough trip in his first race but he managed to find an opening and won the race,” said Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Dean Reeves. “In the slop he pretty well dominated the field. He hasn't had a nice trip on the dirt where he can really show his talent, but we're hopeful all will go well on Sunday and see how we stack up against some good horses.”
Isolate has been training forwardly into his stakes debut, recording a five-furlong bullet in 1:00.20 on October 24 over a fast main track at Gulfstream Park.
“He's one of those that you have to be careful with because he'll go too fast,” Reeves said. “He put in two really good works and did what he needed to do. It's a long trip, but so far the reports I'm getting is that he's doing fine. He's a tough and mature horse for a 2-year-old.”
Bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Isolate is the sixth offspring out of the Unbridled's Song mare Tranquil Song, who has produced four other winners. He was bought for $70,000 from the Keeneland November Sale in 2018.
“Jimmy Gladwell picked him out as a weanling,” Reeves said. “He's got a great eye for a horse and we really liked him ever since we got him. He's developed into a nice horse so far.”
Jockey Cristian Torres will be back aboard from post 5 after piloting the colt to his impressive last out win.
Invading from Pennsylvania is Parx maiden winner Irish Honor who won on debut on October 28 for trainer Joseph Taylor.
Owned by Chuck Zacney's Cash Is King Racing, LC Racing and Ho Dee Boy Stable, the son of second crop sire Honor Code will arrive at the Nashua off just over a week's rest after a 1 ¾-length victory over a wet-fast main track at Parx.
“He's always trained like a real nice horse,” Taylor said. He's calm and he takes everything in stride. First time I entered him, I scratched him because the track came up sloppy. When we ran him last time, he missed the break a tad. When he came around the turn, we saw the length in his stride. I was talking to [Cash Is King owner] Chuck [Zacney] this morning, It's coming back quick but he seems to have a lot of energy. It's a short field so we're giving him a shot.”
Jockey Pablo Morales will ride from post 3.
Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, who saddled 1997 Nashua winner and subsequent multiple Grade 1-winner Coronado's Quest, sends out impressive maiden special weight winner Ten for Ten in pursuit of a second Nashua triumph.
Owned by Donald and Donna Adam's Courtlandt Farms, the gray or roan son of first crop sire Frosted led at every point of call en route to an eight-length maiden score at second asking when traveling 1 1/16-miles over a sloppy main track on October 16 at Belmont Park. The maiden win earned a 78 Beyer.
Ten for Ten was off a step slow on debut and raced from four or five lengths off the pace en route to finishing second in a six-furlong maiden special weight on September 7 at Saratoga.
Purchased for $410,000 from the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Ten for Ten is out of the Eskendereya mare Summer Vacation – a half-sister to Grade 1-winner and graded stakes producing sire Creative Cause as well as Grade 1-winning distaffers Vexatious and multiple graded stakes winner Destin.
Jockey Eric Cancel will pilot Ten for Ten from the inside post.
Following a debut win, Nova Rags will attempt to make his first start against stakes company a winning one for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
Owned and bred by Michael Shanley, the chestnut son of Union Rags bobbled at the start of his debut but arrived in time for a three-quarter-length score in a six-furlong maiden special weight on October 10 over a fast main track at Belmont Park.
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will be aboard from post 2.
Completing the field are Pickin' Time [post 4, Trevor McCarthy], Civil War [post 6, Nik Juarez] and Spectatorless [post 7, Ferrin Peterson].
The Nashua is slated as Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 11:50 a.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.
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Nonna Madeline Headline’s Saturday’s Turnback The Alarm At Aqueduct
Trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented by three fillies as looks to secure a fifth triumph in Saturday's 26th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Turnback the Alarm going 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares over the Aqueduct main track.
Pletcher won previous editions of the Turnback the Alarm with Indian Vale (2005), Unbridled Belle (2009), Dame Dorothy (2014) and Eskenformoney (2017).
Arriving fresh off a second career stakes triumph in the Lady's Secret at Monmouth Park is Teresa Viola Stable and St. Elias Stable's Nonna Madeline, who owns a consistent 12-4-3-1 record. The 4-year-old Candy Ride bay maintained a stalking position in second in the early stages of the 1 1/16-mile Lady's Secret and engaged in a stretch battle with fellow Turnback the Alarm aspirant Royal Flag, holding off the stubborn foe to win by a nose, earning a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She ran well that day,” said Pletcher's Belmont Park-based assistant Byron Hughes. “She's a tough, hard-knocking horse and did a good job of fighting off Chad Brown's filly [Royal Flag] at the wire. It was a good solid win and she's coming into the race in good form.”
The hard-fought victory made amends for a lackluster performance in the Grade 3 Shuvee on August 30 at Saratoga, where she was a distant eighth as the lukewarm favorite after winning the Spa's Summer Colony.
“She was a little further back in that race than we would have liked,” said Hughes. “She seems to do her best running when she's on the pace or close to it.”
Hailing from the prestigious lines of prolific broodmares La Troienne and Numbered Account, Nonna Madeline is out of the Storm Cat mare Cool Storm -a full-sister to Grade 1-winner Bluegrass Cat. She was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm.
Jockey Nik Juarez retains the mount from post 3.
Farfellow Farm's Another Broad, third in the Lady's Secret, will attempt her first victory since taking the 2019 Top Flight Invitational at the Big A.
In her last out effort, the 5-year-old Include bay sported blinkers for the first time and was more forwardly placed early on. Another Broad will again race in blinkers on Saturday.
“The blinkers seemed to put her in the race a little more,” Hughes said. “Her last few races, she finished up well but didn't really have much of a pace to run into.”
Jockey Chris DeCarlo will pilot Another Broad from post 1.
Whisper Hill Farm's royally-bred Graceful Princess will be making her stakes debut and third career start for Pletcher in pursuit of a third career victory.
The daughter of multiple champion-producing sire Tapit out of 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace made her debut for the Pletcher barn a victorious one when strolling home a 6 1/2 length winner in a first-level allowance event on April 24 at Gulfstream Park. Graceful Princess did not race again until October 4, when a distant fifth in a Belmont Park allowance.
Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will ride from post 4.
Trainer Chad Brown sends out Royal Flag in attempt to turn the tables on Nonna Madeline after a nip-and-tuck stretch duel in the Lady's Secret.
The three-time winner fought to the outside of fellow Candy Ride daughter Nonna Madeline through the stretch run of the Lady's Secret.
In her lone start at Aqueduct, Royal Flag was a second-out maiden winner over a muddy and sealed main track in December, where she romped to an eight-length victory before defeating winners going two turns for the first time in a February 7 Gulfstream Park allowance race. She acquired graded stakes black type in her two starts prior to the Lady's Secret with a distant third in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park and a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga.
A W.S. Farish Kentucky homebred, Royal Flag is a half-sister to five-time graded stakes winner Catalina Cruiser and a full-sister to graded stakes winner Eagle.
Royal Flag breaks from post 2 under jockey Trevor McCarthy.
Completing the field is New York-bred Mrs. Orb, who makes her graded stakes debut for trainer Michael Miceli. Owned by her trainer in partnership with Ruggeri Stable, Richard Coburn and Script R Farm, the daughter of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb arrives from three runner-up finishes in stakes company against fellow New York-breds and seeks her first trip to the winner's circle since winning the Bay Ridge in December at Aqueduct.
Breaking from post 5, jockey Eric Cancel will ride Mrs. Orb.
The Turnback the Alarm is slated as Race 3 on Saturday's 10-race program, which offers a first post of 10:30 a.m. Eastern. America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the Aqueduct fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
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Casse Holds Strong Hand In Both Autumn, Maple Leaf Stakes At Woodbine
Six hopefuls, including Mark Casse trainees Dream Maker, Salute With Honor, and Skywire, are set to contest the $175,000 Autumn Stakes (G2), while 10 starters set their sights on top spot in the $125,000 Maple Leaf Stakes (G3), Saturday at Woodbine.
Casse, who won the Autumn in 2008 with Marchfield, will be represented by a pair of graded stakes winners, Salute With Honor and Skywire, and graded stakes placed Dream Maker, in the 1 1/16-mile main track Autumn for three-year-olds & upward.
A 6-year-old son of To Honor and Serve, Salute With Honor arrives at Saturday's race off a one-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Durham Cup (G3) on October 11. Bred and owned by Live Oak Plantation, the chestnut gelding bested his stablemate Skywire by a length in the Tapeta race.
Holding a 3 ½-length advantage at the stretch call, Salute With Honor went on to notch his second straight score. It's the second time the Florida-bred has rattled off two straight wins, the first time coming last year when he recorded victories on July 20 and September 27.
He now owns a mark of 7-2-2 from 19 starts.
“He's fast,” said Casse. “When they leave him alone, he's tough to beat. He's on a roll now.”
Skywire, a 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex, has endured an uneven campaign, having recorded one win and a pair of seconds in six starts.
The lone triumph came in the Eclipse Stakes (G2) on July 4. Dismissed at 17-1 on the tote board, the Ontario-bred rallied stoutly and secured a 1 ¼-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta event.
In the Durham Cup, he was once again rolling late, closing two-wide late in the turn and making up ground with each step.
Although he didn't net top prize, Skywire, bred by the late Bill Graham, earned high praise from Casse for the determined display.
“He needs some help up front. He comes with a big run. I thought he ran extremely well last time because he got hung up a little bit. Salute With Honor was able to use his speed to get away from him. I think both horses are pretty equal in their abilities. I think it's just kind of who gets the trip when it comes to Salute With Honor and Skywire.”
Dream Maker, a three-time winner from 10 races, won his last start on September 27 at Woodbine.
The 4-year-old son of Tapit, bred and owned by John Oxley, notched a 2 ¼-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Tapeta race.
“Dream Maker is a horse I thought a lot of,” offered Casse. “At one time, I thought he was a [Kentucky] Derby horse. He's extremely tough to train. I thought Emma [jockey, Wilson] did a superb job with him when he won his allowance race last time out. He has a ton of ability, he just doesn't always show it.”
Casse is hoping for a repeat performance from the grey colt, who will make his fourth straight appearance at the Toronto oval on Saturday.
“Dream Maker has to bring his A-game. If he comes with his A-game, he'll be very tough. The problem is that you just don't know when he's going to come with it. I think, even with him winning last time, that was his B-game.”
Are You Kidding Me won consecutive (2015-16) editions of the Autumn. Starting in 1920, Kentucky Derby champion and U.S. Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Exterminator, won the race three straight years.
***
Casse is represented by the duo of Heavenly Curlin and Tappitty Tappitty in the 1 ¼-mile main track Maple Leaf Stakes, for fillies & mares, three-year-olds & upward.
Bred in Kentucky by Elevage II, Heavenly Curlin, a 3-year-old daughter of Curlin, has compiled a record of 2-0-1 from four starts.
Owned by Gary Barber and John Oxley, the bay is on a winning roll ahead of her spot in the Maple Leaf starting gate.
On July 12, Heavenly Curlin rallied to win a 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race at Woodbine, getting up for a 1 ¾-length score in a maiden special weight event.
Just shy of three months later, she was back in the winner's circle, winning at the same distance and on the same surface, this time a half-length victory with Emma-Jayne Wilson in the irons.
Prior to those efforts, Heavenly Curlin finished 10th in her career bow on the turf at Gulfstream in December of 2019, followed by a third over the Aqueduct main track in her three-year-old debut at Aqueduct in February.
“She's three and I normally don't like them taking on older fillies just yet,” explained Casse. “But she's training really well and I thought her last race was really good. I think she'll run well.”
Live Oak homebred Tappitty Tappitty, a 4-year-old daughter of Tapit, will go after her third career win in what will be her ninth start.
“She's been a bit of an underachiever so far,” said Casse. “She's done her best running on the grass, but we feel she trains well enough on the Tapeta to give her a chance. Both fillies, they have really good pedigrees. So in the future, for them to be broodmares, it's important for them to get black type.”
The Casse pair will meet up with a group of rivals that includes multiples graded stakes placed Art of Almost, multiple graded stakes winner Elizabeth Way and 2019 South Ocean stakes champ Gun Society. All three are from the barn of trainer Roger Attfield.
Attfield has won three Maple Leafs crowns, including back-to-back scores with Triple Wow in 1987 and Arcroyal the following year.
Hockey Hall of Fame legend and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Conn Smythe won six runnings of the Maple Leaf, including four straight editions (1974-77). Last year, Lift Up took the Maple Leaf in a time of 2:04.23.
The Autumn goes as race eight and the Maple Leaf is listed as race six. First post for the 12-race card is 12:25 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com.
Beginning this weekend, Woodbine is adding a Late Pick 5 to its wagering menu every Saturday and Sunday. The 20-cent minimum wager includes the last five races on the program.
$175,000 AUTUMN STAKES (GRADE 2)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Dream Maker – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse
2 – Timeskip – Justin Stein – Renee Kierans
3 – Armistice Day – David Moran – Barbara Minshall
4 – Vanzzy* – Luis Contreras – Michael Pino
5 – Skywire – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
6 – Salute With Honor – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
* supplemented
$125,000 MAPLE LEAF STAKES (GRADE 3)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Peace Seeker – Kazushi Kimura – Nicholas Nosowenko
2 – A Broken Breeze – Simon Husbands – Alexander McPherson
3 – Silent Tango – Justin Stein – Richard Morden
4 – Auntie Katherine – Juan Crawford – Alison Jennings
5 – Gun Society* – Daisuke Fukumoto – Roger Attfield
6 – Juliana – Luis Contreras – Ignacio Correas
7 – Heavenly Curlin – Rafael Hernandez – Mark Casse
8 – Elizabeth Way* – David Moran – Roger Attfield
7 – Tappitty Tappitty – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse
8 – Art of Almost – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield
* supplemented
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