Racing | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cedillo To Sub For Luis Saez Aboard Maximum Security In San Diego Handicap

Abel Cedillo has been named to ride Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 18 when the 2019 champion 3-year-old makes his first start since being transferred to trainer Bob Baffert.

The New Year's Day colt was previously trained by Jason Servis, who in March was indicted on criminal charges of misbranding drugs and conspiracy resulting from an FBI probe into the illegal doping of racehorses.

Maximum Security's regular rider, Luis Saez, tested positive earlier this week for coronavirus and required to go into quarantine.

Baffert said Saez would regain the mount when he returns.

“I thought he might fit the horse,” Baffert said of Cedillo. “Cedillo has won some races for me, including that stake on the Wests' filly, Fighting Mad (the G2 Santa Maria on May 30 at Santa Anita).”

Cedillo, formerly based in Northern California, is completing his first full year in Southern California. At the recently completed Santa Anita meet, Cedillo finished second behind Flavien Prat in the rider standings.

Maximum Security has been assigned 127 pounds under the handicap conditions of the 1 1/16-mile San Diego, five more than Higher Power (winner of the G1 Pacific Classic in 2019) and Midcourt (G2 San Pasqual winner in 2020). No horse since Native Diver toted 131 pounds in 1965 has carried more weight in winning the San Diego Handicap. California Chrome won under 126 pounds in 2016 in his first start since winning the G1 Dubai World Cup.

First across the wire but disqualified for interference in the G1 Kentucky Derby last year, Maximum Security won eight of 10 races, most recently taking the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia. The organizers of that event withheld the winner's purse after the federal indictment of Servis, trainer Jorge Navarro and two dozen others.

Baffert conceded Maximum Security may need a race after being off nearly five months since the Saudi Cup.

“I feel I've done as much with him as I can for this,” Baffert said on Sunday. “I've been working him in company. He's a lazy horse in the morning and I can see now why they may ran him for $16,000 (maiden claiming) first out. He's a really smart horse; a lot of class, and a really intelligent horse.”

Maximum Security finished his serious preparations for the San Diego with a five-furlong breeze on Saturday in :59.60.

Equibase past performances of San Diego Handicap nominees

The post Cedillo To Sub For Luis Saez Aboard Maximum Security In San Diego Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Ashland Winner Speech Heading Back To California To Train For Kentucky Oaks

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables' Speech is scheduled to return to Del Mar on Monday following her three-length victory in Saturday's $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The victory earned Speech 100 qualifying points toward the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs. Speech has 160 points and ranks second in points for the Oaks that is limited to the top 14 point earners to pass the entry box.

Speech gave trainer Michael McCarthy his first Keeneland stakes victory. McCarthy watched the victory from Del Mar, where an hour and a half later he won the third race.

“Justin Curran was deputizing on my behalf and was very pleased with them (Speech and third-place Toyota Blue Grass-G2 finisher Rushie) this morning,” McCarthy said via text.

Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie is scheduled on the Monday flight to Del Mar.

McCarthy now has eight weeks to get ready to return to Churchill, where he spent several meets as an assistant to Todd Pletcher before going out on his own.

“Most likely both will have a few works here at Del Mar before deciding on a Churchill Downs arrival date,” McCarthy said about Speech and Rushie.

Rushie is not Triple Crown nominated, and plans are uncertain for the colt, who has picked up 40 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the Run for the Roses on Sept. 5.

“Nothing is set in stone for Rushie,” McCarthy said. “There are plenty of options.”

The post Ashland Winner Speech Heading Back To California To Train For Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Leinster Leads 1-2 Finish For Rusty Arnold In Shakertown Stakes

Amy Dunne, Brenda Miley, Westrock Stables and Jean Wilkinson's Leinster collared 2018 Shakertown winner Bound for Nowhere at midstretch and held off stablemate Totally Boss by a head to win the Grade 2 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Rusty Arnold, Leinster covered the 5½ furlongs on a firm turf course in a course-record 1:00.86.

Bound for Nowhere, under regular rider Julio Garcia, led the field through fractions of :21.16 and :43.55 with Tiger Blood in closest pursuit and Leinster stalking in fourth.

Bound for Nowhere opened a daylight advantage in the upper stretch and grudgingly gave way to Leinster, who in turn held off Totally Boss.

The victory was worth $90,000 and improved Leinster's bankroll to $524,211 with a record of 21-4-6-4. Leinster is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Majestic Warrior out of the Royal Academy mare Vassar.

Leinster paid $22.40, $8.60 and $5.40. Totally Boss, with Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard, returned $7.40 and $5.20 with Bound for Nowhere finishing another neck back in third and paying $3.80 to show.

Fast Boat finished another half-length back in fourth and was followed in order by Extravagant Kid, Tell Your Daddy, Corruze, Tiger Blood, Just Might, Texas Wedge, Real News, Shared Legacy and Wildman Jack.

Shakertown Quotes
Tyler Gaffalione: “(Leinster) broke well. He put himself right in the race. I was able to drop in behind the speed. I had the perfect trip, really. All credit goes to (trainer) Rusty (Arnold) and his team. He told me when I got to the Paddock that (Leinster) was ready today. And he definitely showed it.”

Did you think you won the photo? “I was very confident. I had the momentum going forward.”

Rusty Arnold, trainer of 1-2 finishers Leinster and Totally Boss:

What was it like waiting out that photo finish? “It was probably the first time in my life I was begging for a dead heat. I've watched it three times and I couldn't tell (who won). It was going to work good for me either way, but it would have worked really good for me if it was a dead heat.”

Did you think both horses would have performances like that? “I did. They both came back from their one race at Churchill (a May 29 allowance, their first start of 2020), which they didn't win. But they were hung up in the virus this winter in Florida and we didn't get them going as early as we wanted. They have really done well here, both horses.”

How do you get them to peak again here for Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1)? “Not sure yet, but I'm going to work on that. I think the race today is probably good enough to get them both in. But we'll work our way backwards from that. That's where we want them both.”

The post Leinster Leads 1-2 Finish For Rusty Arnold In Shakertown Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

With Jenny Wiley Victory, Rushing Fall Now A Grade 1 Winner At 2, 3, 4 And 5

E Five Thoroughbreds' Rushing Fall collared pacesetting Jolie Olimpica (BRZ) at the eighth pole and then drew clear to win the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley by three-quarters of a length at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Javier Castellano, Rushing Fall covered the 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in a course-record 1:39.02.

Jolie Olimpica set the pace with fractions of :23.42, :46.94 and 1:10.10 with Rushing Fall in closest pursuit. Rushing Fall began closing the gap on the far turn but was unable to draw on even terms until midstretch where she began to slowly inch away.

Rushing Fall's fifth Grade 1 victory was worth $210,000 and increased her earnings to $2,278,000 with a record of 13-10-2-0.

The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of More Than Ready out of the Forestry mare Autumnal notched her fifth Keeneland stakes victory, a total that trails only the record seven owned by Wise Dan.

Rushing Fall won the Jessamine (G3) in 2017, the Appalachian (G2) and Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) in 2018 and the Jenny Wiley (G1) in 2019. She joins Intercontinental (GB) in 2004-2005 as the only repeat Jenny Wiley winner.

She becomes the third horse since 1976 to win Grade 1 stakes as age 2, 3, 4 and 5 joining Lady Eli and Beholder.

Rushing Fall returned $3.60, $2.60 and $2.10. Jolie Olimpica, ridden by Mike Smith, returned $5.20 and $3.60 with Juliet Foxtrot (GB) finishing third another half-length back under Tyler Gaffalione and paying $3.20 to show.

It was another 1¼ lengths back to Altea (FR) and Toinette, who dead-heated for fourth with Secret Message, La Signare (FR) and Mucho Unusual completing the field in order.

Jenny Wiley Quotes
Bob Edwards, whose e Five Racing Thoroughbreds owns Rushing Fall: “She's tenacious and once she got a nose ahead, she wasn't letting up. She was going to bury her.”

On Rushing Fall winning Grade 1 races each year from ages 2-5: “It's a dream come true. Everyone wishes for a horse like this. I hope I get another one in my racing career like her. This is just phenomenal. We're all sitting around watching it at the house. I'm still shaking. The adrenaline spike is still there even when you're watching from your couch. And not a terrible day for Chad (Brown).”

Javier Castellano: “She's the type of horse that she doesn't have to be on the lead. Today it worked out great. I could keep track of the front runners. The way she did it is amazing. She's a really nice filly.”

The post With Jenny Wiley Victory, Rushing Fall Now A Grade 1 Winner At 2, 3, 4 And 5 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post