Tag: Racing

New York-bred Bold Journey doubled up on stakes scores while bringing his win streak to three in a row in Saturday's $150,000 Gravesend, a listed six-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, and Pantofel Stable, the 4-year-old Hard Spun colt added to a last-out score in the Fall Highweight Handicap (G3) on Nov. 24 at Aqueduct with a similar off-the-pace effort and an optional claiming conquest by a nose two starts back at the Big A. The Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding-bred colt is a half-brother to Americanrevolution, a Grade 1-winning New York-bred who stands his first season at stud in 2024 at Rockridge Stud.

Ridden to victory by Eric Cancel, Bold Journey utilized his usual late-running tactics once again in the Gravesend and tracked in fourth of five runners after emerging from post 4. Post-time favorite Durante was keen to his outside and Rotknee, who broke outwardly from post 2 under Jose Lezcano, rocketed up the rail to take a clear lead from Durante and mark the opening quarter-mile in :21.94 over the muddy main track.

“You knew on paper they were going to gun it out,” Cancel said of Durante and Rotknee. “I just tried to sit the right trip – which I did – and the horse responded really well.”

Rotknee maintained his command through the turn and completed a half-mile in :44.95, but Bold Journey, despite being 6 1/2 lengths behind, steadily made up ground with every stride to loom large to the inside of Durante at the top of the lane.

Stage Left, who tracked in third throughout, tried in vain to advance down the center of the track and to the outside of Durante, but Bold Journey had the greatest momentum and rolled by a valiant Rotknee at the eighth pole, widening his margin to cross the wire 4 1/2 lengths in front in a final time of 1:09.46.

Rotknee staved off Durante to preserve place honors by a nose with Stage Left finishing another head back in fourth. Greeley and Ben, who trailed throughout, completed the order of finish.

The win marked the second stakes score for Cancel since returning from injury in October. The 27-year-old native of Carolina, Puerto Rico was aboard Bold Journey for the first time since guiding him to an allowance victory in June at Belmont Park.

“I'm very grateful. I want to thank everybody who has given me the opportunity to get back on the horses I was riding [before his injury],” said Cancel. “I get along with him very well. I was very happy they gave me back the opportunity to ride him and it worked out very well.”

Cancel added that Bold Journey was primed to give a strong effort.

“He broke very sharp today. He usually sits back early in the race,” Cancel said. “I just let him get comfortable and once I asked him, he knew what he needed to do. He just engaged and from there on that was it.

“He was very explosive today,” Cancel continued. “As soon as I asked him, he didn't hesitate. He didn't take a while like he usually does. Today, he just exploded and from there on I just had to hang on tight.”

Bold Journey, produced by the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze, banked $82,500 in victory and improved his lifetime record to 20-7-6-0 with lifetime earnings of $568,743. McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, agent's $80,000 OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training purchase returned $8.10 on a $2 win bet. He is a McKathan Bros. Sales graduate.

Lezcano said the Mike Maker-trained New York-bred Rotknee, who was a last-out third to Bold Journey in the Fall Highweight, was hampered by a tangled beginning.

“He broke a step behind and broke out. After that, I sent a little bit and he jumped in the bridle and went on,” Lezcano explained. “That's the way he wants to run, I think. The winner can run – can't take nothing away from him. My horse gave me what he's got – he ran his best.”

The post Bold Journey Coasts Clear In Muddy Gravesend For Third Straight Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Dismissed at 18-1, trainer Paddy Gallagher's Angel Nadeshiko pulled off a front-running heist in Saturday's $100,000 Robert J. Frankel (G3) at Santa Anita as she had plenty left in the tank late to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

Allowed to make an easy lead while in-hand under Antonio Fresu around the first turn, Angel Nadeshiko strolled through fractions of :25.67, :51.16, 1:15.41, and 1:38.98 over a turf course softened some by early morning rain and listed as good.

With fellow longshot Rebel Girl second, a length behind the winner going to the far turn, Fresu asked for more, and Angel Nadeshiko shook loose, and kept Lakota Spirit at bay.

Angel Nadeshiko finished 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.69.

Fresu said he followed Gallagher's instructions.

“He told me to put her on the lead; she used to run really well when she was in front before,” Fresu said. “There was no other pace other than me, so I just took an easy lead and I tried to do my job. Obviously, Paddy brought her in in good shape, it was a well deserved win for him.”

Most recently fifth in one-mile Dark Mirage at Los Alamitos on Sept. 23, Angel Nadeshiko, a 4-year-old filly by Carpe Diem, was winless in her last seven starts dating back to December 2022. She returned $39.80 for Saturday's triumph.

Owned by U.S. Equine, Angel Nadeshiko, who is out of the Arch mare Cianchetta, notched her first stakes win and her third overall win from 16 career starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, she improved her earnings to $227,780.

Lakota Spirit, ridden by Juan Hernandez, saved ground while a close third most of the trip and fired off the turn for home but couldn't overcome the slow pace set by the winner, finishing second.

Ridden by Flavien Prat and like Lakota Spirit, trained by Phil D'Amato, Oakhurst was third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Lakota Spirit.

The post Front-Running Angel Nadeshiko Springs 18-1 Surprise In Robert J. Frankel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Considered a top-tier Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect early last year but winless in his last six starts, Forbidden Kingdom came back running following a seven-month layoff to take Saturday's $200,000 Joe Hernandez (G2) by a half length at Santa Anita.

The Hernandez, originally scheduled at about 6½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course, was moved off the hill due to early morning rain that measured four-tenths of an inch.

Ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, Forbidden Kingdom, who was trying turf for the second time, showed an abundance of natural speed out of the gate and had a half-length advantage on eventual runner-up Dancing Buck three furlongs out.

Turning for home, Forbidden Kingdom, running at the rail, raced head and head with Dancing Buck to the sixteenths pole, where Forbidden Kingdom was able to establish a half-length edge, which he held to the wire. He covered the 6½ furlongs in 1:14.92 on turf rated as good.

Fractions on the race were :23.99, :48.19, and 1:09.16 for six furlongs.

“He got me into the race right away and used all his speed,” Prat said. “From there we were able to get some fractions and he kicked home well.”

A winner of the prestigious San Felipe (G2) on March 5, 2022 and subsequently a well-beaten sixth as the even-money favorite in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Forbidden Kingdom had been idle since fourth in the Triple Bend (G2) May 27 at Santa Anita.

Off Saturday at 4-1 in a field of 12 3-year-olds and up, Forbidden Kingdom paid $10.60 for the victory.

Trainer Richard Mandella said he always thought Forbidden Kingdom would like the grass.

“When I ran him as a two year old on it, he didn't do that good,” he said. “He didn't know what he was doing back then. We've also been on kind of a losing streak with him a while, so my confidence level was not great. He's always trained like a really good horse and he is a really good horse. He fought an intestinal problem a year ago and it took I'm a while to get over it. I think now we are back in the game.

“I can't say enough about (owners) Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse to tell me to take the time that I wanted and do it right. Get him back slow and here's what you get. That's what racing is all about. It is not, 'What is this month's bottom line?' It is trying to make the best thing out of what you've got.”

A 4-year-old colt by American Pharoah out of the Five Star Day mare Just Louise, Forbidden Kingdom notched his third career Grade 2 victory and improved his overall record to 12-4-3-2. With Saturday's winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $679,500.

Forbidden Kingdom was bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm and sold for $300,000 as an offering in the Paramount Sales consignment at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Selected Yearlings Showcase.

Ridden by Edwin Maldonado for Richard Dutrow and sent off at 13-1 odds, Dancing Buck, who broke from post position 12, ran too good to lose as he pressed the winner throughout, never threw in the towel, and was easily second best, finishing 1¾ lengths in front of Turn On The Jets.

The post Forbidden Kingdom Takes Joe Hernandez In Comeback, Switch To Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Unbeaten Denim and Pearls and local stakes winner Valentine Candy are program favorites for the $200,000 Year's End Stakes and $150,000 Renaissance Stakes, respectively, Sunday at Oaklawn.

The one-mile Year's End for fillies and six-furlong Renaissance highlight a 10-race program exclusively for 2-year-olds, the second in Oaklawn history. Racing begins at 12:30 p.m. (CT), with probable post times for the Renaissance and Year's End, 3:18 p.m. and 4:14 p.m., respectively.

Both races drew seven entrants.

Denim and Pearls (2-1) will be making her first start around two turns for trainer Brad Cox after winning her Oct. 21 debut at Keeneland by a nose sprinting and stretching out to a mile in an entry-level allowance Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs. Denim and Pearls won that race by 3½ lengths.

“Physically, she looks like she can handle two turns,” Cox said. “She's been training at the Fair Grounds and doing well. I'm excited about her.”

Also entered in the Year's End are Floating Beauty; unbeaten Tapit Jenallie, the early 5-2 second choice; Asternia; Neom Beach; Ice Cold; and Pula.

Tapit Jenallie has won her two starts by a combined 13¼ lengths for trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. She exits a 5½-length score in the seven-furlong $100,000 My Trusty Cat Stakes Nov. 10 at Delta Downs.

Ice Cold (3-1) broke her maiden by 10 lengths against Indiana-breds in the one mile and 70-yard $100,000 Miss Indiana Stakes Oct. 4 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and was second behind Denim and Pearls last month. Ice Cold is a half-sister to Indiana-bred standout Corningstone, a multiple stakes winner of $400,948. Both horses are trained by Kenny McPeek, who won four races on Oaklawn's inaugural card for 2-year-olds in 2022, including the Year's End with future Grade 1 winner Defining Purpose.

“They're not alike,” McPeek said, comparing Ice Cold and Corningstone. “One's a Mitole (Ice Cold) and Corningstone's a Kantharos. They're definitely apples and oranges. But they both won that Indiana-bred route stake by (large margins).”

Valentine Candy (8-5) looks to become the first two-time stakes winner at the 2023-2024 Oaklawn meeting in the Renaissance. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Valentine Candy was a romping 6¾-length winner of the opening-day $150,000 Advent Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs Dec. 8. Asmussen is also scheduled to start Booth (3-1), a blowout debut winner sprinting Oct. 7 at Keeneland.

“Very fast horses,” Asmussen said. “Very fortunate to have them. Obviously, 3-year-old sprint races – Oaklawn gives us a nice opportunity to do it.”

The Renaissance also drew Googol Joke, Normandy Hero, General Shipman, and supplemental entrants Tejon Pass and Frost Free.

Normandy Hero (5-2) finished second, beaten a half-length, in the six-furlong Bowman Mill Stakes Oct. 28 at Keeneland for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Valentine Candy was 3¼ lengths farther back in third. Normandy Hero, in his last start, finished third in the Ed Brown Stakes at 6½ furlongs Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs.

“We think he's a horse that can win a stakes down the line,” Brisset said. “I don't think he wants to go too far, so we'll see what happens.”

Tejon Pass exits a third in the seven-furlong  Bob Hope (G3) Nov 19 at Del Mar for trainer Peter Miller.

Both the Year's End and Renaissance are being run for the second time. The Year's End is a steppingstone to Oaklawn's 8 ½-furlong $250,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Jan. 27.

The post Denim And Pearls, Valentine Candy Look To Shine In Stakes On Oaklawn’s Exclusive Card For Juveniles appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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