When trainer Ken McPeek decided to buck history by entering the filly Swiss Skydiver in the 145th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, he was keeping close to him the words of his late mother, Ann. “Son, stretch yourself,” she told him. “You’ll be fine.”
Tag: Racing
Racing Writers Pedulla, Ehalt Analyze the 2020 Preakness Stakes
Bob Ehalt and Tom Pedulla became fast friends when they met on their first day at Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx, N.Y., in 1970. Bob soon introduced Tom to the joys of thoroughbred racing. They have endured some rough moments at the track, with Tom taking exception when Bob repeatedly smacks him on the back with a program as one of their horses launches an all-out drive. Much to Tom’s chagrin and the amusement of onlookers, Bob has been known to call for security as he proceeds to cash a $27 triple.
Undefeated Yaupon Ties Stakes Record In Chick Lang Romp
L. William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Yaupon kept his perfect record intact in impressive fashion Thursday, streaking to a stakes-record four-length triumph in the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.
The 45th running of the six-furlong Chick Lang for 3-year-olds helped launch a spectacular Preakness weekend program of 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses over three days featuring the 145th running of Saturday's $1 million Preakness (G1).
Stakes action was kicked off earlier on Thursday's card with upset victories by Hollis in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint and A Great Time in the $100,000 The Very One, both going five furlongs on the grass.
Favored at 3-5 over eight rivals, Yaupon ($3.20) improved to 4-0 with his second straight graded-stakes triumph following the Amsterdam (G2) Aug. 29 at Saratoga in his previous start. The winning time of 1:09.10 matched Lantana Mob from 2008 for the fastest in stakes history.
Both Yaupon and Lantana Mob came from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who also won the 2018 Chick Lang with 2019 champion sprinter Mitole. It was the first Chick Lang victory for Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
“Put him on the lead and keep him on the lead, and he keeps running,” Velazquez said.
Velazquez did precisely that, hustling Yaupon to the front from the gate and assuming control through testing splits of 22.77 and 45.11 seconds, pressed to his outside by Arkaan while the rest of the field tried to keep pace. Yaupon was firmly in command as Arkaan dropped back once straightened for home and sprurted away as Double Crown came with a steady run to edge 17-1 long shot Relentless Dancer for third.
“You've got to ride him the first part. For the first three-sixteenths of a mile, I had to ride him just to keep his head on the business,” Velazquez said. “Even at the three-eighths pole I am reminding him, 'Hey, keep your mind on your business.' Then when he switched down the lane then he knew. It was 'OK, time to go.'”
Unraced at 2, Yaupon debuted with a nose victory June 20 at Churchill Downs then rolled by 3 ¾ lengths in a Saratoga allowance July 18, both races coming over older horses. In his first race facing straight 3-year-olds he captured the six-furlong Amsterdam, his stakes debut.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Double Crown won the Roar and Carry Back over the spring and summer at Gulfstream Park, and was exiting a third-place finish in the Smile Sprint (G3) Sept. 5 under regular pilot Cristian Torres, who made the trip north to ride. Double Crown was racing for the first time in Maryland since his debut triumph last September, after which he was purchased privately.
“He always gives 100 percent,” Torres said. “I had a perfect trip. He broke good. I let him settle off the speed. At the three-eighths, he started picking it up very nice and down the stretch, when I got him clear, he was rolling.”
Run as the Hirsch Jacobs Stakes from its inception in 1975 to 2009, the Chick Lang was renamed in honor of the racing industry legend widely known as 'Mr. Preakness,' who passed away in 2010 at age 83.
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Sharp Samurai, Mo Forza Face Brazilian Royal Ship In City Of Hope Mile At Santa Anita
Trainer Mark Glatt's venerable 6-year-old gelding Sharp Samurai and Peter Miller's razor sharp 4-year-old colt Mo Forza head a field of seven 3-year-olds and up in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
A winner of the 2018 City of Hope Mile and most recently a solid second on dirt in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar Aug. 22, Sharp Samurai will also be cutting back in distance a quarter mile, while Mo Forza, a 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, comes off a stirring 4 1/4-length win on turf in the G2 Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 23.
Along with the top pair, Richard Mandella's promising Brazilian-bred Royal Ship and Val Brinkerhoff's hard knocking Restrainedvengence help make the City of Hope Mile a wide open affair on Saturday.
SHARP SAMURAI
Owner: Red Baron's Barn & Rancho Temescal
Trainer: Mark Glatt
Second, beaten three lengths by Maximum Security in the Pacific Classic, he returns to his preferred surface and retains the services of upstart Juan Hernandez. A huge second, beaten a half length by repeat winner United two starts back on turf in the mile and one eighth G2 Eddie Read Stakes July 26, Sharp Samurai has two seconds and a third from three starts this year and will hope to use the City of Hope Mile as a springboard to a berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland. A winner of five out of his nine starts over the Santa Anita lawn, Sharp Samurai is 8-2-2-2 at one mile on grass. With eight wins from 21 overall starts, he has earnings of $981,270 and will be seeking his fifth graded stakes victory.
MO FORZA
Owner: Bardy Farm & OG Boss
Trainer: Peter Miller
Idle since well beaten in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25, Mo Forza came back ready for Miller on Aug. 23, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 101 in taking the G2 Del Mar Handicap. With top jock Flavien Prat set to ride him back, Mo Forza will be bidding for his sixth win from 12 overall starts. Three for five at one mile on turf at Santa Anita, Mo Forza has won five out of his last six starts, including the G1 Hollywood Derby four starts back on Nov. 30. Bred in Kentucky and owned in-part by former trainer Barry Abrams' Bardy Farm, Mo Forza is out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed and is a four-time graded stakes winner with earnings of $614,460.
ROYAL SHIP
Owner: Fox Hill Farms, Inc. & Siena Farm, LLC
Trainer: Richard Mandella
A Group 1 stakes winner two starts back in his native Brazil, this 4-year-old colt by Midshipman lagged far back early and closed with a rush to be third, beaten 4 1/4 lengths in the G2 Del Mar Mile Handicap Aug. 23 and he figures to improve by many in his second start with Mandella. With Mike Smith riding him back, Royal Ship seeks his sixth win from nine overall starts.
RESTRAINEDVENGENCE
Owner: Kelly Brinkerhoff & Bob Grayson, Jr.
Trainer: Val Brinkerhoff
Second, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by Mo Forza two starts back in the Del Mar Mile Handicap, this hard hitting 5-year-old gelding by the Giant's Causeway stallion Hold Me Back comes off a game head victory in a $200,000 stakes going a mile and one eighth on dirt at Albuquerque Downs as the 4-5 favorite on Sept. 19. Second, beaten a head in last year's City of Hope Mile, Restrainedvengence is equally as effective on turf and dirt and will be ridden back by Ruben Fuentes. With eight wins from 25 starts and earnings of $625,222, he seeks his first graded stakes win in his 26th career start.
G2 CITY OF HOPE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 12:30 p.m. PT
- Sharp Samurai—Juan Hernandez—122
- Restrainedvengence—Ruben Fuentes—122
- Majestic Eagle—Ricardo Gonzalez—122
- Royal Ship—Mike Smith—124
- Bob and Jackie—Heriberto Figueroa—122
- Blitzkrieg—Abel Cedillo—122
- Mo Forza—Flavien Prat–126
First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Santa Anita's races can be viewed live and free of charge at santaanita.com.
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