Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Circus Maximus, Terebellum To Vie For Breeders’ Cup Berth In Tuesday’s Queen Anne At Royal Ascot

Flaxman Holdings, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Circus Maximus (IRE) and Godolphin's Terebellum (IRE), lead a field of 16 entered for Tuesday's US$317,000 Queen Anne Stakes (G1) on opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting. The Queen Anne winner will secure an automatic berth into the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races, whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course, in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov 6-7.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Queen Anne to start in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run at 1 mile over the Keeneland turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a minimum travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must already be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program or it must be nominated by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of October 26 to receive the rewards.

The Queen Anne, run over a straight mile, is the first of four Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” races to be conducted during the Royal Ascot meeting. The race will be televised by NBCSN and TVG on Tuesday at approximately 8:50 a.m. ET.

Circus Maximus, trained by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, will be making his first start since a fourth-place finish in last November's TVG Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. In 2019, Circus Maximus established himself among Europe's top milers when he captured the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) at the Royal Meeting, holding off King of Comedy (IRE) by a neck. That win came after a sixth-place finish in the 1 ½-mile Investec Derby (G1). After a second-place finish in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood, and a seventh in the Juddmonte International (G1) at York, Circus Maximus earned his second Group 1 score in September by taking the Prix de Moulin (G1) at ParisLongchamp by a nose over Romanised (IRE).

In the Breeders' Cup Mile, Circus Maximus, the 7-2 third choice, made a bold move from eighth place in the stretch but was edged out for third.

“I think he ran a good race at the Breeders' Cup,” said Alan Cooper, Flaxman Holdings' racing manager. “There was a thought he might have finished third with a slightly clearer run but that's history. We need to focus on going forward and hope he is going to have a good 4-year-old career.”

Flaxman Holdings and the Niarchos Family have won the Breeders' Cup Mile six times, with Miesque (twice), Spinning World, Domedriver (IRE), Six Perfections (FR) and Karakontie (JPN).

Leading the challengers confronting Circus Maximus is the 4-year-old filly Terebellum (IRE), who will be taking on male rivals for the first time after five starts against her own gender. Trained by John Gosden, this brown daughter of Sea the Stars (IRE) out of the Elusive Quality mare Marvada (IRE), began her season on June 6 with an impressive win in the 1 ¼-mile Dahlia Stakes (G2) at Newmarket. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Terebellum won last year's Group 2 Nonette Stakes at Deauville. She closed out 2019 with a very good effort against older fillies and mares in the 1 ¼-mile Prix de l'Opera Longines (G1) at Paris Longchamp, fighting for the lead inside the final 200 meters before winding up fifth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths.

Sheikh Abdulla Al Khalifa's Skardu (GB), trained by William Haggas, finished fourth behind Circus Maximus at Royal Ascot last year. A 4-year-old chestnut son of Sharmadal, Skardu, ridden by James Doyle, ran just once more in 2019, finishing fourth as the 2-1 favorite behind Duke of Hazzard (FR) in the Celebration Mile (G2) at Goodwood in August.

“He is in good shape but I am just a bit worried he might be underdone,” said Haggas. “We have had a lot of time with him but he is taking some getting fit. He is fit enough to run. James Doyle has been very happy with his work but my feeling is I am not sure whether he is quite there yet.”

Mrs. Fitri Hay's 4-year-old Duke of Hazzard, trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, has five wins in 15 starts, including his last three races, all at the one mile distance. Prior to taking the Celebration Mile, the chestnut son of Lope de Vega (IRE) won the listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket and the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (G3) at Goodwood. Duke of Hazzard will be ridden by P.J. McDonald.

One of the veterans in the Queen Anne field is the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned 7-year-old Mustashry (GB). Trained by Sir Michael Stoute and ridden by Dane O'Neill, Mustashry, eight for 18 lifetime, finished seventh in last year's race after being bumped in the stretch. Prior to the Queen Anne, the bay or brown gelding by Tamayuz (GB), won the 1-mile Lockinge Stakes (G1) at Newbury. He finished 2019 by capturing the 7-furlong Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards Challenge Stakes (G2) at Newmarket in October.

Lightly-raced 4-year-old Fox Chairman (IRE), trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by Silvestre De Sousa, has not been off the board in four starts. Owned by King Power Racing, the Kingman (GB) colt was second last year to Sangarius (GB), as the 7-2 favorite, in the Hampton Court Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot. He followed that performance by winning the listed Bet 365 stakes at Newbury in July.

Another group stakes-winning female entered for Tuesday is Mrs. R.J. McCreery's Billesdon Brook (GB), who won three races last year including the Group 1 Sun Chariot at Newmarket for trainer Richard Hannon. Ridden by Sean Levey, the 5-year-old daughter of Champs Elysees (GB) comes into the race off a second-place finish in the listed 1-mile Snowdrop Fillies' Stakes over the all-weather surface at Kempton on June 3.

Mrs. R.F. Johnson Houghton's 6-year-old gelding Accidental Agent (GB), the 2018 Queen Anne Stakes winner, also has been entered for trainer Eve Johnson Houghton and rider Charles Bishop.

The Queen Anne is the fourth race to award a Breeders' Cup Challenge berth this year for the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile. In January, Kantor, Blank, Sarkis & Yutar's 4-year-old gelding Vardy (SAF) won the L'Ormarins Queen's Plate (G1) at Kenilworth Racecourse in South Africa to gain the first berth in the division. Peter M. Brant's 5-year-old Raging Bull (FR) captured the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita Park in California on May 25, and on June 7, Sunday Racing Co.'s 4-year-old filly Gran Alegria earned an automatic starting position into Mile by taking the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse.

The post Circus Maximus, Terebellum To Vie For Breeders’ Cup Berth In Tuesday’s Queen Anne At Royal Ascot appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘She’s Got A Big Future’: Dogtag Takes Possibly Perfect As Heavy Favorite

Trainer Richard Mandella's heavily favored Dogtag rallied from mid-pack to take Sunday's $75,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths, thus providing Santa Anita's runaway leading rider Flavien Prat with his fourth win of the day and his 79^th victory through 56 racing days at the Arcadia, Calif., track.

With a hillside start, Dogtag was allowed to settle into stride in the first run by the wire as Prat had her on a long rein, about 3 ½ lengths off pacesetter Desert Oasis heading into the far turn. Despite the fact Dogtag had moderate fractions to run into, she unfurled a dazzling turn of foot around the turn and hit the front turning for home, from where she was not seriously challenged.

A handy 1 ½-length second condition allowance winner while pressing the pace at a flat mile here on May 16, Dogtag, a 4-year-old filly by War Front who is owned by her breeder, LNJ Foxwoods, was off as the 4-5 favorite in a field of seven fillies and mares and paid $3.60, $2.80 and $2.20.

“She was very professional and she handled the course beautifully,” said Prat, who was aboard for the first time today. “The mile and a quarter is always a question, but just about everybody was trying it for the first time and the way she relaxed, it was no problem at all. When I asked her around the turn, she took me to the lead very nice, it looks like she's got a big future.”

Out of the Unbridled's Song mare Diamond Necklace, Dogtag who was Grade 3 stakes placed last July at Saratoga when trained by Chad Brown, picked up her third non-graded stakes win in her third start for Mandella and improved her overall mark to 9-4-1-2. With the winner's share of $48,360, Dogtag increased her earnings to $247,511.

“She seems to be getting better and better,” said Mandella. “I thought she'd break sharp and be on the lead, but Flavien got her to settle real nice, which was good. He usually does the right thing. We'll go ahead and point to the John Mabee at Del Mar (Grade 2, 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 5).”

Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Don't Blame Judy rallied from next to last to finish second, besting a late closing Pretty Point by a head. Off at 10-1, Don't Blame Judy paid $6.60 and $4.20.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Pretty Point got rolling late from last and paid $3.80 to show while off at 9-1.

With three days remaining in the current stand which concludes next Sunday, Prat has built an unsurmountable 23-length advantage over Abel Cedillo, 83-60.

Fractions on the Possibly Perfect were 23.70, 48.20, 1:12.82 and 1:37.26.

Racing resumes on Friday with first post time for a nine-race card at 1 p.m.

The post ‘She’s Got A Big Future’: Dogtag Takes Possibly Perfect As Heavy Favorite appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Neptune’s Storm Wears Down Kiwi’s Dream In San Francisco Mile

Neptune's Storm overtook stubborn Australian-bred Kiwi's Dream in deep stretch to win Sunday's Grade 3 San Francisco Mile Stakes, closing-day feature at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif.

Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by William Antongeorgi III, Neptune's Storm covered one mile on firm turf in 1:35.50, winning by a head and earning $150,000 from the San Francisco Mile's $251,350 purse. He paid $8 to win.

Kiwi's Dream, who similarly was caught in the final strides to lose by a head to Restrainedvengence in the May 25 All American on the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate, was 1 ¾ lengths clear of Camino Del Paraiso in second, with Restrainedvengence, the 8-5 favorite, finishing fourth. Arch Prince, Majestic Eagle, Simply Breathless and Murad Khan completed the order of finish in the race for 3-year-olds and up. All starters carried 125 pounds except for Simply Breathless, the lone mare in the field, who carried 120 under the weight for age conditions.

Neptune's Storm tracked Kiwi's Dream in second from the outset, the latter going right to the front under Golden Gate's leading rider, Juan Hernandez, and setting moderate fractions of :23.97, 48:11, and 1:11.91. Antongeorgi moved Neptune's Storm alongside the frontrunner at the top of the stretch, the seven furlongs clocked in 1:23.88, but Kiwi's Dream proved a tough foe to overtake, giving away grudgingly in the final yards for locally-based trainer Victor Trujillo.

A 4-year-old gelding by Stormy Atlantic out of the Irish-bred mare Immortal Life, by Iffraaj, Neptune's Storm was winning for the sixth time in 16 career starts. His only previous graded stakes victory came Oct. 19 at Belmont Park in the G2 Hill Prince. Neptune's Storm was a close second Nov. 30 in the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar and he comes out of a seventh-place finish to Raging Bull in the G1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita May 25.

Neptune's Storm was bred in Kentucky by Tracy Farmer and races for CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig and Daniel Weiner.

Live racing of the 2019-2020 Winter/Spring meet at Golden Gate concluded on Sunday with mandatory payouts in the Pick 5's, Rolling Super High Five and Golden Pick Six jackpot wagers. Racing resumes at Golden Gate Fields on July 29 with the “Sonoma County Fair Meet at Golden Gate Fields” which runs through August 11. The Golden Gate Fields Summer meet immediately follows with live racing from August 12 through October 6.

The post Neptune’s Storm Wears Down Kiwi’s Dream In San Francisco Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Captain Bombastic, Saez Team Up To Take Belmont’s Mike Lee For New York-Breds

Team Hanley's Captain Bombastic ran down a game 38-1 longshot Listentoyourheart in the final furlong, overtaking him from the outside and holding on for a 1 1/4-length victory in Sunday's $100,000 Mike Lee for New York-bred 3-year-olds going seven furlongs at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Captain Bombastic, a stakes-winner against state-breds as a juvenile, continued a consistent start to his career, improving to 3-2-1 in six starts. To keep the streak alive, the Forty Tales colt first tracked the early speed as Listentoyourheart led the eight-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 22.51 seconds and the half in 45.45 on the fast main track.

Under Junior Alvarado, Listentoyourheart was not content to be a mere pacesetter, holding the advantage out of the turn and continuing with a strong run near the rail at the top of the stretch.

Captain Bombastic, under Luis Saez, pressed on out of the turn and steadily gained ground on his rival before finally gaining command in the deep stretch. Saez kept up the pressure and Captain Bombastic responded, completing seven furlongs in 1:21.94.

“There was a nice pace up front. That was the plan,” Saez said. “I knew we had a couple speed [types] outside of us, so the plan was to track them. We got our spot and when we made our move he responded. I was very comfortable. I had a lot of horse. When he put me in that spot, I knew he was going to win.”

The Jeremiah Englehart trainee improved to 2-0-1 in three career starts. Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Captain Bombastic, off at 3-1, paid $8.20 on a $2 win wager and improved his career earnings to $316,800.

“He's a really cool horse,” Englehart said. “He's not the biggest horse. He's small compared to most of the horses in this race, but he likes to run.

“He just looked really good coming into this race,” he added. “He's just very athletic and I thought Luis did a great job. I didn't want to be down in behind horses on the fence, I thought we'd be more in the clear, but it worked out well. I thought we would sit a stalking trip on the outside, but Luis rode him very confidently, saved the ground on the turn, split horses and had horse to finish.”

Listentoyourheart, trained by Christophe Clement, looked strong off a nine-month layoff, besting 8-5 favorite Dream Bigger by one length for second. The son of Afleet Alex started his sophomore campaign in the same strong fashion in which he commenced his juvenile year, when he won his debut last June before running second in the Rick Violette and third in the Funny Cide during the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course.

“He ran a big race,” Alvarado said. “He broke very sharp and I decided to try and take it from there. I thought maybe because I'm on a longshot, they would let me go out nice and easy. He did show that he belonged with these horses. He finished up well.”

City Man, Three Jokers, Mission Wrapitup, Bourbon Bay and Gandy Dancing completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Thursday with a 10-race card highlighted by the $125,000 Critical Eye for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going one mile on the main track in Race 9 at 5:36 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:15 p.m.

The post Captain Bombastic, Saez Team Up To Take Belmont’s Mike Lee For New York-Breds appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post