The Runhappy Travers Stakes will be truly living up to its nickname of “The Midsummer Derby” this year. As part of a revamped Saratoga Race Course schedule, the 1 1/4-mile Travers has been moved up three weeks to an Aug. 8 date with a $1 million purse as the centerpiece of a 71-stakes schedule worth $14.45 million for the 40-day meet July 16-Sept. 7.
Tag: Racing
Canadian Champion Pink Lloyd Chasing Fourth Straight Score In Jacques Cartier Stakes
Multiple stakes winner and multiple Sovereign Award champion Pink Lloyd, with Rafael Hernandez in the irons, will make his eight-year-old debut in Thursday's Grade 3, $125,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes, at Woodbine.
Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Robert Tiller and owned by Entourage Stable, Pink Lloyd, a 22-time winner from 27 starts, chases his fourth straight score in the six-furlong Jacques Cartier.
A victory would put the Ontario-bred son of Old Forester in the record books as the only horse to win four consecutive editions of the race. Pink Lloyd currently shares the mark with Essence Hit Man, an Ontario-bred son of Speightstown, who won the added-money race from 2011-13.
“That would be astronomical,” said Tiller, one win shy of 2,000 for his career. “There's really no word for it. There are no words for this horse, whether he wins or loses. I know he's going to run a big one. I've got him as ready as I can get him. He's a legend. If that [stakes record for wins] were to happen, it would be absolutely wonderful.”
While his stature as a fleet-of-foot sprinter and fan favorite remains unchanged, there will be one notable difference when Pink Lloyd takes to the Tapeta on Saturday.
His regular rider, champion jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva, called it a career at the end of the 2019 Woodbine campaign, finishing with 2,286 wins, including 249 stakes triumphs.
The seven-time Sovereign Award-winning rider will be tuning in to watch the Jacques Cartier.
“I will watch the race and I will say to Pink Lloyd, 'Just give your best, be safe, and I love you.' That's what will be in my mind when he loads into the gate,” said Da Silva.
Hernandez will now take over the reins of a horse that went undefeated in eights starts – all stakes – in 2017, en route to three Sovereigns, highlighted by Horse of the Year honors.
“It's not a new rider, it's an old rider,” said Tiller, of Hernandez (Da Silva was serving a riding suspension), who teamed with the chestnut to win the 2018 Jacques Cartier while also setting the track standard, 1:08.05, for six furlongs on the Tapeta. “He's won with the horse. It was a logical choice, a no-brainer to me.”
“For me to ride the horse back is a pleasure,” said Hernandez. “He's an unbelievable horse. The only time I was on the horse, he broke the track record. I feel good about that.
“I'm always going to do my best and try to win as many as we can. He knows how to run. He's an old horse and does everything by himself. He just needs somebody on him to make the race official. He's so good, he doesn't need anybody on his back. He can do everything. He broke good, he can get himself where he wants, and he knows when it's time to run. When he turns for home and he switches leads, he knows it's time to go and the next stop for him is the winner's circle.
“I appreciate the owners and Bob Tiller giving me the opportunity to ride him back and I'm going to do my best every time I get on the horse. I feel that horse is like Woodbine's horse. Everybody cheers for that horse every time he runs.”
In May, Pink Lloyd, bred by John Carey, was voted top male sprinter for the third straight year. Unbeaten in six stakes starts in 2019, he also won his second Sovereign as champion older male main track runner.
The gelding's sizable talent – and trophy haul – is matched by a big personality.
“His personality is ridiculous,” said groom Michelle Gibson, with a laugh. “I guess the best way to describe 'Pink' would be a grumpy old man. He is not a mushy, lovey kind of horse, except in his own way. You have to know him to appreciate when he's lovey-dovey. He is all class every day and extremely smart. He knows when it's entry day, race day or just a walk day. And he's very vocal. He lets you know he is the man. The way he comes out of the starting gate is pretty much the same as when he exits his stall to go train in mornings. He loves it. And when he is in his 'spot,' chilling, nothing is going make him move – not me or the boss. 'Pink' really only does what 'Pink' wants and of course we all allow it. So when you see him switch leads in the stretch and come flying down to the wire, you know that's because 'Pink' wants it.”
When asked for two words to describe one of Canada's most prolific sprint stars, longtime assistant trainer Tom Lottridge responded, “simply awesome.”
“This horse, he has given me more thrills and excitement than any other horse in my career,” said Gibson. “I cry every time he crosses the wire because he just does it with all heart and for the pure love of racing. I am honoured and blessed to be in his company every day. I would do anything for 'Pink' and he would do the same for me.”
Tiller is expecting another strong showing from his stable star in his season's debut.
“He's doing very, very well right now. I expect a big race. Sometimes he gets too sharp, and he gets goofing off around the gate, but he's been really good. And he's had a lot of training on the main track, which I think is going to help him. If he behaves himself, I think he's going to be very hard to beat.”
The Jacques Cartier is slated as race seven on Thursday's eight-race card. First post time is 3:45 p.m. ET. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and tune into Racing Night Live on TSN3 and TSN5 from 6-8 p.m. for live racing from Woodbine Racetrack and Woodbine Mohawk Park.
$125,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes (Grade 3)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer
1 – Malibu Secret – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Martin Drexler
2 – Dixie's Gamble – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll
3 – Circle of Friends – Patrick Husbands – Donald MacRae
4 – Not So Quiet – Kazushi Kimura – Mark Casse
5 – Pink Lloyd – Rafael Hernandez – Robert Tiller
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March To The Arch Out To Defend His Wise Dan Effort This Saturday At Churchill
Live Oak Plantation's 2019 Wise Dan (Grade II) winner March to the Arch will attempt a repeat victory in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile turf event but needs to rebound from a puzzling 10th-place effort in last month's Grade I Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita.
“I've only been around him for a little while but you'd have to assume he just didn't like it in California,” trainer Mark Casse's locally based assistant David Carroll said. “It was just such a puzzling effort where he didn't show much run at all. The thing of it is, his form in all of his previous races was very good. He's run some very nice efforts over the last year that if you draw a line through that race, he fits right in with this field. We know what he did in last year's race and hopefully he can run right back to that effort once again.”
Saturday's $200,000 Wise Dan presented by Ford (GII) is the featured event on the 11-race program and will go as Race 9 at 5:01 p.m. (all times Eastern) The race will share the stakes spotlight with the inaugural running of the $100,000 Audubon presented by TwinSpires.com at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds. The Audubon is carded as Race 6 at 3:25 p.m.
March to the Arch is the 5-1 third choice on the morning line behind multiple graded stakes winner Factor This (8-5) and stakes winner Parlor (9-2). March to the Arch is not a stranger to pulling off an upset; he won last year's Wise Dan at odds of 10-1 when he surged to the front past 2-1 favorite Admission Office. March to the Arch, a now 5-year-old son of Arch, finished a half-length in front of Parlor in last year's event.
Following his Wise Dan victory last June, March to the Arch was winless until he defeated Florida-breds on Jan. 18 in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione was aboard March to the Arch for 10 of his 21-career starts but he opted to ride Parlor in Saturday's race leaving the six-time winner in the hands of Florent Geroux.
The complete field for the Wise Dan from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Just Howard (Rafael Bejarano, Graham Motion, 10-1); English Bee (James Graham, Motion, 10-1); Factor This (Shaun Bridgmohan, Brad Cox, 8-5); Eons (Adam Beschizza, Arnaud Delacour, 50-1); Aquaphobia (Corey Lanerie, Mike Maker, 6-1); Ritzy A.P. (Declan Cannon, Jack Sisterson, 20-1); March to the Arch (Florent Geroux, Mark Casse, 5-1); Emmaus (IRE) (Brian Hernandez, Connor Murphy, 15-1); Casa Creed (Martin Garcia, Bill Mott, 15-1); Hembree (Gerardo Corrales, Maker, 12-1); and Parlor (Tyler Gaffalione, Maker, 9-2).
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Royal Ascot Day Four: Golden Horde Fends Off U.S.-Based Kimari In Commonwealth Cup
Friday's G1 highlight at Royal Ascot, the Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs, saw a decisive victory for Golden Horde. It was an eighth Royal Ascot victory for both trainer Clive Cox and jockey Adam Kirby.
Always traveling well, the son of Lethal Force held a clear advantage a furlong from home and was never threatened as he scored by a length and a half from American challenger Kimari (Wesley Ward/Frankie Dettori).
“Clive [Cox] is like a second father to me,” Kirby said. “We have always had a good relationship, and long may it last. We have been together a long time; he knows me and I know him, and we are very honest with each other. That's why we get on so well together. It is straightforward.
“I kept it uncomplicated, although the race went a bit back to front. I thought the Wesley Ward horse would give me a lead to half-way but he didn't jump. Golden Horde has a great natural cruising speed, and it was all very easy. Full credit to Clive, he has done a great job.”
Clive Cox added: “I am very proud of him. We have got a great team at home and to win a G1 first time out with any horse is difficult, but given the way things are this year, it's the same for a lot of people, but I am really proud. He is a horse to go forward with – I really hope and pray he has got a longer journey to go ahead of him.”
The G1 July Cup is expected to be next for Golden Horde.
The feature race of the day goes to Adam Kirby and Clive Cox 🏆
Golden Horde sprints home to land the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup!#RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/OhcVhyxpjJ
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 19, 2020
The five-furlong Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap got proceedings underway on day four of Royal Ascot. Despite being a 21-runner handicap for 3-year-olds, the contest was turned into something of a procession as red-hot favorite Art Power came home three and a half lengths clear. It was a sixth Royal Ascot winner for trainer Tim Easterby and a seventh for jockey Silvestre de Sousa.
“This is very important, especially for my team King Power Racing and Top [Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha),” said de Sousa. “Obviously his Dad is not here but whatever way he is he will be looking down for his horse, I am so glad to be involved with King Power Racing it is a big operation and getting bigger. This is the place we like to have winners, big winners like this.”
In the day's second race, Dandalla made it two wins from as many starts when powering to an impressive victory in the G3 Albany over six furlongs, handing jockey Ben Curtis his first Royal Ascot win.
“”It is on every jockey's to-do list. I have been coming down to Royal Ascot for a good while now and not really getting involved, so finally to get a winner is unbelievable,” Curtis said. “It is funny, it was a surreal feeling. I came there are the two [furlong pole] traveling very well, and I just popped her between a couple just inside the two, and she came alive. I knew when we accelerated that nothing else would be able to pick up the way I did, because she picked up very well. In the last furlong I said, 'We're out on our own', and it was a brilliant feeling and a great performance by the filly.”
Owned by Nick Bradley Racing & Elaine Burke, the daughter of Dandy Man took up the running well over a furlong from home and never looked in any danger after that point. It was a second Royal Ascot victory for trainer Karl Burke, who is now considering the 1,000 Guineas for the filly.
“Dandalla has got a great turn of foot and then she keeps on galloping,” Burke said. “A few times at the top of the Middleham gallop where we do most of our work, jockeys have been struggling to pull her up. My daughter Lucy earmarked her since before Christmas. She actually came in one day and said 'I hate to say it, but this filly reminds me of Laurens.' That will tell you how high she thought of her. She is probably more precious than Laurens – Laurens had not even run at this time during her two-year-old career. She is also speedier than Laurens. The question now is how far we stay, and we have got plenty of time to think about.”
American-based trainer Wesley Ward nearly got his first Royal Ascot win of 2020 in Friday's third race, the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes, with 2-year-old Golden Pal. However, The Lir Jet made a strong run in the late stages of the five-furlong contest and got up to score by a neck for trainer Michael Bell and jockey Oisin Murphy.
The winner is now unbeaten in two starts, having won on debut at Yarmouth on June 3, when he was owned by the trainer's son Nick. Following that win, the two-year-old Prince Of Lir colt was purchased by Qatar Racing. Now, The Lir Jet has earned an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint this fall at Keeneland.
“At Yarmouth he broke the track record, but he did not learn a lot because he went so easy, so today he really had to dig in and learn how to race,” Bell said. “My son Nick found him from Robson Aguira, who bought him very cheaply and was going to breeze him up. When the breeze-ups were cancelled Robson and Nick came to an arrangement and the horse came to us. Then Sheikh Fahad was watching Yarmouth on telly and sent me a text asking if he was for sale, and the rest is history. A good bit of business for all involved, and very nice for us to have a good winner for a very important owner – it is high profile for us. Any trainer needs good horses and good winners, especially for big operations like Qatar.”
Frankie Dettori was in the winner's enclosure for the 70th time at Royal Ascot after four-year-old filly Fanny Logan landed the G2 Hardwicke Stakes over a mile and a half. Dettori delivered the daughter of Sea The Stars with a perfectly timed challenge entering the final furlong and went on to score by a comfortable two and a half lengths from Alounak.
Trainer John Gosden, saddling his fifth winner of the week, said: “Frankie's belying his years and it is a pleasure to be around him. His knowledge and his feel when riding work in the morning – he is one of the few who is extremely accurate when talking about horses in the mornings – what they need and what they don't need – and he is a great race-reader and a fabulous jockey. We are lucky to have him about.”
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