Tag: Racing

What better way to ring in the New Year than a three-day weekend with eight stakes, highlighted by preps for Gulfstream Park's three most prestigious events – the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

The $150,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3), a key prep for the Jan. 27 Pegasus, and the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a steppingstone to the Pegasus Turf, will headline a program with four stakes on Saturday, Dec. 30, while the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man will be the first stop on the Road to the (March 30) Florida Derby on New Year's Day, Monday, Jan. 1.

The Harlan's Holiday, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up, received 17 nominations, including four Pegasus hopefuls trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. The defending two-time Championship Meet training titlist has nominated Michael Iavarone and partners' O'Connor, who captured the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland in his most recent start, John Fanelli and partners' Ny Traffic, a Grade 1 stakes-placed multiple stakes winner, Gentry Farms' West Coast Cowboy, a multiple graded stakes-placed son of West Coast, and Ken Copenhaver's County Final, who finished third in the $100,000 Sabal Palm last time out.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has nominated three for the Harlan's Holiday, including Harrell Ventures LLC and CHC Inc's Gasoline, PRO Thoroughbred Enterprises LLC's Grand Aspen and Repole Stable and partners' Dynamic One.

Trainer Kenny McPeek nominated Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy, a multiple Grade 2 winner, while trainer Danny Gargan and West Paces Racing LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC are represented by Grade 2 winner Dubyuhnell.

The Fort Lauderdale, a 1 ½-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up, drew 19 nominations, including Three Diamonds Farm's Atone, who captured the Pegasus World Cup Turf last year. Trainer Michael Maker, who saddled Atone for his career achievement, is also represented on the nominations list by Three Diamonds Farm's Beuys and Dynadrive, Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's Henley's Joy, Jordan Wycoff's Red Run and Michael Hui's Street Ready.

Trainer Chad Brown has nominated a quartet of horses for the Ft. Lauderdale, Jeff Drown and Don Rachel's Exact Estimate, Team Hanley and partners' I'm Very Busy, Calumet Farm's Running Bee, and Peter Brant and partners' Stone Age.

Pletcher, who saddled Colonel Liam for back-to-back Pegasus Turf wins in 2021 and 2022, has nominated three for the Ft. Lauderdale, Whisper Hill Farm LLC's Grand Sonata and Repole Stable's Jerry the Nipper, as well as Grand Aspen.

The Harlan's Holiday and the Fort Lauderdale will be joined on the Saturday, Dec. 30 card by the $150,000 Suwannee River (G3) and $125,000 Rampart.

The Suwannee River, a mile turf race for fillies and mares on turf, is a prep for the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2). The 74th running of the tradition-rich stakes drew 20 nominations, including Gentry Farm's Accomplished Girl, who won the Presque Isle Masters (G2) last time out, and six Brown trainees.

The Rampart, a mile stakes for fillies and mares on the main track, drew 11 nominations, including Rodney Lundock's defending champion Maryquitecontrary, who went on to win the Inside Information (G2).

The Mucho Macho Man, a mile stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, will be accompanied on the New Year's Day program by the $150,000 Cash Run, a mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

The Mucho Macho Man received 12 nominations, including Leon King Stable Corp.'s Bentornato, a three-time stakes winner who sustained his first loss while finishing third in the $300,000 FSS In Reality for trainer Jose D'Angelo. Brad Grady and David Grund's Seminole Chief, who was saddled for a victory in the In Reality by Jack Sisterson, is also among the nominees. Undefeated Boy Magic, a Jorge Delgado-trained son of Good Magic owned by AMO Racing USA, and a Brendan Walsh-trained duo of Qatar Racing LLC and Hunter Valley Farm's First World War and Trade Winds Farm's Raguel are also prominent nominees.

The Cash Run drew nine nominations, including Ernest C. Frohboese's Chi Chi, a multiple-stakes winner trained by Herman Wilensky; Whisper Hill Farm LLC's Leslie's Rose, a recent impressive debut winner trained by Pletcher, and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Queen's Martini, who graduated with style in her Saratoga debut for trainer Christophe Clement. AMO Racing USA's Omaha Girl, who finished off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) after winning the Hallandale Beach, has also been nominated for the Cash Run by Delgado.

The New Year's Eve Dec. 31 program will co-feature the $100,000 Janus, a five-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up, and the $100,000 Abundantia, a five-furlong dash on turf for fillies and mares, each attracting 15 nominations.

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Continuing to expand its innovative global partnerships, 1/ST Racing announced Wednesday that the newly upgraded Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G2) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27 will become an automatic qualifier for the Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1), the highlight of the Aug. 1 Qatar Goodwood Festival in West Sussex, England.

The Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf is part of Gulfstream's Pegasus World Cup Day presented by Baccarat Jan. 27, featuring seven graded-stakes races including the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

“Goodwood Racecourse is one of the crown jewels in global racing. It's an honor to work together with Goodwood on growing each of our events and brands at home and abroad,” said Aidan Butler, CEO, 1/ST RACING & GAMING.

“Goodwood is thrilled to be partnering with 1/ST on this exciting initiative. This is a great first step in what we hope will be an exciting partnership over the coming years,” said Lord William Gordon Lennox, Director, Goodwood.

Earlier this year 1/ST partnered with Royal Ascot in making Gulfstream's Royal Palm Juvenile and Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies races automatic qualifiers for entry into one of six 2-year-old races during the June Royal Ascot Meeting. Crimson Advocate, winner of the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, went on to win the Queen Mary (G2).

1/ST's partnership with Goodwood, like its partnership with Royal Ascot, will include a $25,000 travel stipend to the winning connections of the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

For tickets and more information on the Pegasus World Cup go to: pegasusworldcup.com

The post Upgraded Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Now An Automatic Qualifier For Goodwood’s Group 1 Nassau appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented in Saturday's $125,000 Tropical Park Oaks by a pair of fillies who will be back on familiar footing on Gulfstream Park's turf course.

Cairo Consort was a multiple-stakes winner last season at Gulfstream Park after being purchased by Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing LLC for $875,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November sale. Grade 1 stakes-placed in the Natalma at Woodbine and in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for her former owners, Cairo Consort won at first asking in mile Ginger Brew Jan. 7. The daughter of Cairo Prince came right back to win the 1 1/16-mile Sweetest Chant (G3) Feb. 4 with an impressive stretch rally that followed a terrible start.

“She seemed to do well at Gulfstream. She had one really remarkable race in the Sweetest Chant where she threw her head at the start and seemed like she blew any chance of being successful at that stage,” Pletcher said. “She made a remarkable run to get up to win.”

Cairo Consort ran out of ground in the March 4 Herecomesthebride (G3) at Gulfstream, in which she was beaten by a head by next-out stakes winners Danse Macabre and Papilio. The gray Kentucky-bred filly went on to finish second, a neck behind Papilio in the Appalachian (G2) at Keeneland before finishing off the board in the Edgewood (F2) at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard.

“She really ran well four of five times. She didn't seem to fire in the Edgewood. We decided to give her a break at that point with the idea that we'd have her ready for Gulfstream where she seemed to like it,” Pletcher said. “She looks good. She's filled out a bit. She's grown up. She's been training well. We'd expect her to run well off the layoff.”

Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard for all three of Cairo Consort's Gulfstream starts, returns for the Tropical Park Oaks.

Alpha Bella broke her maiden in her fourth career start in her turf debut a year ago in a mile maiden special weight event at Gulfstream Park. The daughter of Triple Crown champion Justify came back to finish just three-quarters of a length short while finishing second behind Cairo Consort in the Sweetest Chant. The Don Alberto Stable homebred was beaten by just a neck while finishing second in the Tampa Oaks (G3) in her next start. She finished off the board in two subsequent starts before going on a break in May.

“It looked like she was going to win the Sweetest Chant. She hung in there until Cairo Consort got her late,” Pletcher said.

Alpha Bella returned to action Aug. 10 at Saratoga, where she scored by 22 ¾ lengths over her only rival in an off-the-turf optional claiming allowance. The versatile filly came back to finish third on turf at Colonial Downs in the Virginia Oaks, just a half-length behind the winner. In her most recent start, she finished fourth following a wide trip in the Sands Point (G2) at Aqueduct Oct. 14.

“She's very consistent. She shows up and runs consistent every time,” Pletcher said. “We freshened her up a little bit. She's coming into the race in good order.”

Luis Saez, who was aboard Alpha Bella in her two Gulfstream starts as well as her Saratoga romp, has the call.

Pletcher is one of four trainers who have each entered a pair of fillies in the Tropical Park Oaks, joined by Chad Brown, Josie Carroll and Graham Motion.

Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding Stable, Cambron Racing LLC and Laura Leigh Stable's Implicated and Klaravich Stable Inc.'s Startup Mentality are scheduled to represent Brown in the 12-horse field, while Brown-trained Notinamillionyears is also-eligible.

Implicated, who closed out her 2022 campaign with a victory in the Chelsey Flower before going to the sidelines for nearly a year, is coming off a victory at Aqueduct in the Pebbles (G3) in her second start back.

Startup Mentality closed well to finish third in the Pebbles, three-quarters of a length behind her stablemate. The daughter of Kingman was coming off a four-month layoff following a debut victory at Monmouth Park.

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride Implicated, while Jose Ortiz has the call on Startup Mentality.

Mark Dodson's Speed Trap and Di Scola Boys Stable's Dolce Sopresa, will represent Carroll. Speed Trap is a daughter of Bernardini who is scheduled to make her turf debut Saturday coming off a two-length optional claiming allowance on Tapeta at Woodbine. Dolce Sopresa is a daughter of Maclean's Music who has won two of three starts on dirt prior to a third-place finish in the Bessarabian (G2) on Tapeta.

Joe Bravo has the call on Speed Trap, while Paco Lopez is slated to ride Dolce Sopresa.

Motion will be represented by Calumet Farm's Sun Bee, who had won two in a row before finishing off the board in her stakes debut in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs last time out; and Wertheimer and Frere's Zipadoo, who will make her stakes debut Saturday after finishing no worse than third in four turf starts.

Jorge Ruiz is named on Sun Bee, while Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the return call on Zipadoo.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Tango Uniform Racing LLC and Steven Rocco's Breath Away, who captured the Sanibel Island at Gulfstream Park April 1, enters the Tropical Park Oaks off a third-place finish in the Nov. 5 Autumn Miss (G3) at Santa Anita.

Vincent Cheminaud is scheduled to ride the Christophe Clement-trained English-bred filly for the first time Saturday.

Holly Crest Farm's Riding Pretty, Tracy Farmer's Colonial Pursuit, and Ken Ramsey's Be My Sunshine round out the field.

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Trainer Jose D'Angelo has decided to give Soldi Stable LLC and Ohana Racing LLC's Amstrong a second chance on turf in Saturday's $125,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park.

The multiple stakes-winning son of Tapwrit's only prior start on turf, a distant off-the-board finish in the July 7 Manila (G3) at Belmont Park, will hardly flatter his chances in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday's 11-race program that will also feature the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks, $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) and the $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3).

“I know we have a heavy handicap against the other horses, but we have to try him because he gallops good on the grass,” said D'Angelo, who stables Amstrong at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training center in Palm Beach County.

Following a pair of main-track sprint races to open his career, Amstrong graduated with style by four lengths while making his two-turn and Tapeta debuts April 15. He came right back to score by 3 ¾ lengths in the Not Surprising Stakes on Tapeta June 10, before being shipped to Belmont Park for his turf debut in the Manila (G3). Sent to post at 30-1, Amstrong was never a factor while finishing seventh.

“When I decided to go to New York, he was galloping very good on grass,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said.

Amstrong went on to finish a respectable third in a dirt allowance at Laurel before returning to Gulfstream, where he extended his undefeated streak on Tapeta to four in a row with back-to-back victories in the Bear's Den and Showing Up. He sustained his first loss on the all-weather surface with a close second-place finish in the $100,000 Sabal Palm while facing older rivals for the first time.

“I like him because he's improving with every race, if you look at his numbers,” D'Angelo said. “Last time was his first time against older horses and he handled it very well.”

Miguel Vasquez, who has been aboard for all five of Amstrong's Tapeta starts, has the return call.

Amstrong will concede considerable turf experience to Taylor Creek's Anglophile while carrying equal weight (124 pounds) with the Brian Lynch-trained graded-stakes winner.

Anglophile is coming off an off-the-board finish over a sloppy Aqueduct track in the off-the-turf Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Aqueduct. In his prior start, the son of English Channel won the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Derby (G3) at Kentucky Downs.

“He's a mile-and-a-half type marathon horse cutting back in distance. We've freshened him up a little bit. We'll give him a try,” Lynch said. “There's a little bit of speed in there. He should get a good pace to run at. He'll be running late.”

Anglophile, who will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, overcame trouble in last season's 7 ½-furlong Cutler Bay to finish a fast-closing second at Gulfstream.

“We got a little sharper work into him. He's not going the marathon distance, but we've got him on his toes,” Lynch said.

Live Oak Plantation's Souper Blessing enters the Tropical Park Derby off a second-place finish on Tapeta in the Showing Up, in which Amstrong closed late to prevail by a neck. The Michael Trombetta-trained son of Temple City finished third in the Toronto Cup at Woodbine in his first and only race on turf in his prior start.

Edwin Gonzalez has the return mount on the homebred colt who is eligible for a $25,000 FTOBA win bonus.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing LLC and Edward Hudson Jr.'s Ohana Honor is a late-developing son of Honor Code who will be seeking his first stakes victory. Winless in his first six starts on dirt and grass, the Shug McGaughey trainee graduated on the main track at Colonial Downs, where he came right back to capture a 1 1/16-mile allowance on turf by four lengths. Ohana Honor, who will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, went on to finish second in the mile Gio Ponti on turf at Aqueduct in his most recent start Oct. 6.

Freddy Lewis Jr.'s Smokey Mandate will also be searching for his first stakes victory Saturday, but the Michael Maker-trained son of Strong Mandate is multiple stakes-placed at Churchill Downs and Kentucky Downs.

M Racing Group LLC's Eyes On the King, who finished third behind Amstrong and Souper Blessing in the Showing Up, and John Oxley and Breeze Easy LLC's Boppy O, a graded-stakes winner who won the Jersey Derby at Monmouth, were entered in the Tropical Park Derby by Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

Daniel Walters, Dennis Smith, Anthony Smith and trainer Rohan Crichton's Legacy Isle, John Conforti's April Fools Andy, Arnmore Thoroughbreds LLC and Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC's Torigo, trainer Dan Hurtak's Mutaawid, and R Larry Johnson's Souzak round out the 12-horse field. Pocket Aces Racing LLC's Irish Aces and B A Bloodstock's Harrington are also eligible.

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