Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Mystic Guide Strong In The Stretch To Win Jim Dandy Stakes

Appearing to be home free at the top of the stretch, jockey Luis Saez looked over his right shoulder aboard Jesus' Team to check for any potential spoilers. What he saw was a dirt-covered Mystic Guide mounting a charge that would eventually lead him to the winner's circle in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga.

The 3-year-old Ghostzapper colt broke from the outside post, and settled near the back of the six-horse field, two paths off the rail. Longshots First Line and Celtic Striker led the group into the first turn, followed closely in third by Pegasus Stakes runner-up Jesus' Team, and the lead duo separated from the rest as they straightened out to the backstretch in an opening quarter of :23.37 seconds.

First Line led the way across the back straightaway, with Celtic Striker on his outside hip, while Mystic Guide waited patiently in the back of the field. The half-mile went by in :47.61 seconds, and Jesus' Team spent the next quarter-mile lodging a three-wide move to the front.

Jesus' Team was firmly in command at the top of the stretch, but Ortiz had brought Mystic Guide up through the middle of the field in the meantime, and appeared on the outside of the new leader as the eighth-pole drew near. After some right-handed urging by Ortiz, Mystic Guide drew up beside Jesus' Team, who fought on for a few strides before conceding the lead.

Ortiz kept Mystic Guide to task through the final sixteenth, fending off a late charge from Liveyourbeastlife to win by a length. Jesus' Team carried on for third, while betting favorite Dr Post ran an even fourth.

Mystic Guide completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:49 flat over a fast main track for owner Godolphin and trainer Michael Stidham. He paid $6.60 to win as the field's second choice.

The Jim Dandy was Mystic Guide's second win in five career starts, and his first victory in stakes competition. Stidham added blinkers to the colt for the Jim Dandy after finishing third in his most recent start, and his stakes debut, a third in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes on July 16 at Saratoga.

A homebred for Godolphin, Mystic Guide is out of the five-time Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Music Note, who also ran under the Godolphin blue.

The post Mystic Guide Strong In The Stretch To Win Jim Dandy Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Off For 22 Months, Analyze It Impresses In Monmouth’s Red Bank

Luis Cabrera didn't hesitate when asked whether Analyze It's impressive victory in Saturday's $150,000 Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park signaled the long-awaited return for the talented 5-year-old.

“I would say after this that he is back – 1:35 and change is impressive,” said Cabrera, who oversees trainer Chad Brown's string at the Oceanport, N.J., track.

Idle for 22 months, the multiple graded stakes winner made short work of his six rivals in scoring a sharp 1 3/4-length victory in the 47th edition of the Red Bank Stakes.

Time for the mile over a turf course listed as “firm” was 1:35.54.

Last seen finishing a close-up third in the Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 3, 2018, Analyze It flashed the talent that saw him finish second twice, by a head and a neck, to Catholic Boy two years ago.

“We weren't concerned about the layoff the way he has been working to come back for this,” said Cabrera. “He just had a few problems, nothing serious. He has been working very good for this so we had high expectations.”

With jockey Joe Bravo saving ground along the rail behind dueling leaders Abiding Star and Irish Strait through an opening quarter in :24.24 and then :48.55 Analyze It was eager for room entering the final turn. Bravo found a crease coming out of the turn and Analyze It blew past the front runners.

Megacity rallied for second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Abiding Star.

“It's so nice when you deal with the best of the best,” said Bravo. “He came over to the track with so much professionalism, so relaxed. Just by his demeanor you can tell he's a good one.

“He broke alertly and what makes him such a professional is he has been taught to turn it off and relax. Good horses make creases. He made his. He has run against the best of the best. This was a good spot for him to come back. He should get some confidence from this.”

Now sporting a 4-3-1 mark from nine career starts, the son of Point of Entry, owned by William H. Lawrence boosted his lifetime earnings to $849,400.

“Going forward now, that's Chad's decision,” Cabrera said of Analyze It's next possible start.

The post Off For 22 Months, Analyze It Impresses In Monmouth’s Red Bank appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Rushie Finds His Stride At Shorter Distance In Grade 2 Pat Day Mile

Formerly a contender for the 2020 Kentucky Derby, Rushie demonstrated a propensity for shorter distances in his decisive victory in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Jockey Javier Castellano kept the gray off early pacesetters Vertical Threat and Tap It to Win throughout the backstretch.

In his last start, a third in the Grade 2 Blue Grass, part of Rushie's finish could be attributed to his wide trip but in Saturday's race, his position sitting three wide throughout the Pat Day Mile did not take the bite out of his closing kick. Rushie and Castellano drew even with the early leaders and emerged from the final turn moving forward, holding off a late run from Sonneman at the wire.

Tap It To Win held on for third.

Rushie paid $7.80 to win. The final time for the mile was 1:34.41.

Michael McCarthy trains Rushie for Jim and Donna Daniell. He also has a third-place finish behind Honor A.P. in the G1 Santa Anita Derby earlier this summer.

Ocala Stud bred the son of Liam's Map and Colonel John mare Conquest Angel. Rushie was a $70,000 juvenile purchase by West Bloodstock out of the 2019 OBS March Sale, where he was consigned by Ocala Stud.

See the full chart here.

PAT DAY MILE QUOTES, courtesy Churchill Downs media office

Javier Castellano (winning rider, Rushie) — “I had the perfect trip. I was outside and took advantage of it. The way the race developed it was perfect, it was what I was looking for today. We sat two or three lengths off the pace and I kept track of those horses. When we turned for home, I asked him and the horse responded so well. I think the mile was perfect today for the horse. I'm glad we got it done.”

Michael McCarthy (winning trainer, Rushie) — “Part of me wanted to go with the Derby. The horse was training well all along but I can't thank the owners enough for supporting me. We ended up in the Pat Day Mile and were rewarded with a great effort. Hopefully this race sets us up for a solid fall campaign. I'm not sure which way we go from here. It's been a long day and a tough day yesterday in the Oaks (with Speech) so we're just going to savor this one and see what happens down the road.”

Manny Franco (rider, Sonneman, second) — “I'm really happy with the way he finished. Steve (Asmussen) has done a great job with him. I'm just happy with second. It changed the race (with the scratches of Cezanne and No Parole) because we thought there was going to be more pace in front. With the scratches, it wasn't too fast early.”

Steve Asmussen (trainer runner-up Sonneman and fifth-place finisher Echo Town): “The race didn't set up the way either one of them needed. Echo Town was kind of boxed in there, and then going too slow and then held up. Not ideal for him. Sonneman had trained really well and deserved the chance. But he'd have benefited from more pace as well. I think the two scratches really distorted the race.”

John Velazquez (rider, Tap It to Win, third) — “I thought he ran really well. I was hoping he held on for second but that's all he gave me. I was sitting perfect. I know the horse inside (Vertical Threat) had a little bit of speed so I could concede off him. He sat well, really nice and eventually when they came to me at the three-eighths pole I tried to hurry up and tried to keep my head in front of the other horse (Rushie) but he had too much horse.”

The post Rushie Finds His Stride At Shorter Distance In Grade 2 Pat Day Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Fancy Liquor Keeps Geroux’s Hot Streak Alive In American Turf

Florent Geroux continues to have a big weekend at Churchill Downs, following up his five-win Kentucky Oaks day with a victory aboard Sky Chai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's homebred Fancy Liquor in the Grade 2 American Turf.

The 3-year-old son of Lookin at Lucky entered the $500,000 race off a victory in the listed Caesars Stakes at Indiana Grand, and was sent off as the third choice of seven runners at odds of 9-2. Fancy Liquor, trained by Mike Maker like third-place finisher Field Pass, closed from well off the pace to best Taishan by a half length on the wire, completing 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:42.83.

“I wasn't expecting what we got, but it worked out,” Maker said. “So I'm very pleased. Field Pass is a stakes winner over this course and didn't quite run his race at Saratoga. Tyler (Gaffalione) didn't feel like he handled the softer going today but still ran a good race. Flo said he was loaded, on the gallop out and everything.”

On or near the pace in each of his five lifetime starts thus far, Fancy Liquor wasn't able to keep pace with the early speed in the American Turf. Geroux found himself at least a dozen lengths off the leaders entering the backstretch, but the French veteran didn't panic, guessing that the frontrunners would tire and come back to him.

There were three across the track in the heated early pace battle: American Butterfly on the rail, Sugoi between horses, and 6-5 favorite Smooth Like Strait on the outside. They blasted through early fractions of :23.04 and :46.48, pulling away by about eight lengths from 9-5 second choice Field Pass. It was another four or so lengths back to Fancy Liquor in fifth.

American Butterfly dropped out of the race nearing the far turn, and Sugoi quickly followed suit. By that point, Field Pass had started making up ground on the outside and took over the lead from Smooth Like Strait. Those two battled for several strides before Smooth Like Strait conceded, but the effort left Field Pass vulnerable as Fancy Liquor and Geroux swept up the middle of the course in the final eighth of a mile.

Fancy Liquor grabbed the lead and refused to let Taishan by in the final yards, crossing the wire a half-length the best. Field Pass held on to finish third over Smooth Like Strait.

Bred in Kentucky by his owners, Fancy Liquor is out of the 21-time winning Secret Romeo mare Brandys Secret. The colt won on debut at Gulfstream Park in February of this year, and finished third behind Field Pass next out on the synthetic at Turfway Park in the Jeff Ruby Steaks. Fancy Liquor was again best by Field Pass two starts later when third in the G3 Transylvania, but got away from his stablemate to win the Caesars Stakes in Indiana in his final prep for the American Turf. Overall, Fancy Liquor's record stands at 3-1-2 from six starts for earnings of over $450,000.

“This horse seems to be still learning,” Geroux said. “He broke really well but the horses in front of me were going really fast. He's shown in the past he's run well on the lead but he doesn't necessarily have to have the lead. The race I rode aboard him at Keeneland (the Grade III Transylvania) he came from just off the pace and we got beat by Field Pass that day but I know (Fancy Liquor) was still learning and getting better. Even back in the Jeff Ruby Steaks, where he beat us there, too, (Fancy Liquor) ran a really solid race.”

The post Fancy Liquor Keeps Geroux’s Hot Streak Alive In American Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post