Tag: Racing

A winner at the distance, Phil D'Amato's classy Oakhurst fits nicely atop a field of six fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Oakhurst comes off an even sixth-place finish going 1 3/8 miles on grass in the G3 Red Carpet Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 23.  Oakhurst, who was a close fourth at 1 1/8 miles three races back in the G2 John C. Mabee Stakes Sept. 9, will be handled by Flavien Prat on Saturday.

A 4-year-old daughter of the Pulpit stallion Mr Speaker out of the Dynaformer mare Happiness Is, Oakhurst has one win from six starts with D'Amato, who sent her out to a close fourth-place finish in her first Southern California start six races back—the G1 American Oaks on Dec. 26, 2022.

Originally trained on the east coast by Chad Brown, Oakhurst has three wins from 14 overall starts and earnings of $249,445.

On the improve for trainer Paddy Gallagher, Irish-bred Yerwanthere, a first condition allowance winner two starts back going one mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 28, rallied from well off the pace to finish second, beaten three quarters of a length going a mile on grass in the restricted Kathryn Crosby Stakes Nov. 11 and will hope to be rolling late again as she tries an extra furlong for the first time.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Yerwanthere, a 4-year-old filly, had two wins from five starts in Ireland and England and is three for eight overall with Umberto Rispoli riding back.

D'Amato will also saddle Lakota Spirit, who like Yerwanthere, is a “now” horse who comes off three solid races, her most recent a one mile turf win in a first condition allowance on Nov. 26.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin, Lakota Spirit, in what will be her fourth start since relocating to Southern California with D'Amato, will be ridden back by regular pilot Juan Hernandez.

Owned by Peter Brant and Mrs. Paul Shanahan, Lakota Spirit had one win from six starts with Chad Brown and is 9-2-4-1 overall with earnings of $156,265.

Race 3 of 9  Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

1. Lakota Spirit—Juan Hernandez—121
2. Rebel Girl—Lanfranco Dettori—121
3. Angel Nadeshiko—Antonio Fresu—121
4. Luminiferous—Kazushi Kimura—121
5. Oakhurst—Flavien Prat—121
6. Yerwanthere—Umberto Rispoli—121

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at  10 a.m.

The post D’Amato Has Leading Pair In Robert J. Frankel Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Greeley and Ben, winner of the Dave's Friend on December 23 at Laurel Park, will look to secure millionaire status in Saturday's Listed $150,000 Gravesend, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Horacio De Paz for owner Darryl E. Abramowitz, the 9-year-old Greeley's Conquest gelding has banked $981,138 through a 42-25-7-2 record that includes five stakes wins topped by a victory in last year's Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap here.

Greeley and Ben raced for six different trainers before joining the De Paz stable this year. He has made three 2023 starts at Laurel Park, finishing a distant sixth off a nearly one-year layoff in November before last-to-first wins traveling six furlongs in a December 2 optional-claimer and the aforementioned Dave's Friend.

“He's thriving. He's in a good movement right now,” De Paz said. “When we ran him the first time, we had to train him and breeze him a few times to get him ready for the race. He's a big, compact horse and carries good flesh, so he had to work some of that off.

“Now, it's just a matter of maintaining his fitness without overdoing it,” continued De Paz. “If you go back and look at his past performances, he's a horse that always ran back-to-back races. He's been doing that awhile, so I think when he's in a good moment you have to not take it away from him. Younger horses might need more time, but he seems to thrive off it.”

De Paz said Greeley and Ben, who took the Fall Highweight on two weeks' rest and won 15-of-17 races between April 2021 and September 2022, is a natural athlete.

“I'd compare him to Mike Tyson – someone that still looks like he could step in the ring, just very athletic naturally,” De Paz said. “That's the way this horse is. He's just a pro and physically, the way he carries himself, he's very light on his feet for as old as he is.

“He's very solid, very mature,” added De Paz. “I have horses that are 4-years-old that probably hit the ground harder than he does. He's very athletic looking.”

Although Greeley and Ben closed from last in each of his recent two outings, including from 10th and 8 3/4-lengths off the pace in the Dave's Friend, De Paz said the hard-knocking bay has considerable form to be closer to the pace if needed.

“I didn't expect to be as far back as we were last time,” De Paz said. “He broke and left himself where he was at with the field running away from him. He came with a good run at the end. I don't mind closing sprinters – sometimes I like them a bit more than sprinters who go to the lead and get in a dogfight and faze each other out because they go too fast.

“He's done it every way and right now he seems to be running good from behind,” continued De Paz. “As he runs a little more, he'll probably get a little sharper.”

Dylan Davis, who guided Greeley and Ben to a prominent allowance score here last November, has the call from post 3.

Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber's New York-bred Bold Journey [post 4, Eric Cancel] will look to double up on stakes score for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

The 4-year-old Hard Spun colt made the grade last out in the six-furlong Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap on November 24 here with a last-to-first charge to best returning rivals Durante and Rotknee. With Jose Ortiz up, Bold Journey settled in fifth as Durante led through splits of 22.68 seconds and 46.06 over the fast main track. He was given his cue at the quarter-pole and tipped out eight-wide to score under a drive by one length over Durante in a final time of 1:10.91.

The victory marked the first stakes score for the Fred W. Hertrich, III and John D. Fielding-bred chestnut, who has banked $486,243 through a 19-6-6-0 record.

Trainer David Jacobson will saddle a pair of contenders in Durante [post 5, Manny Franco] and Stage Left [post 1, Ruben Silvera].

Durante, co-owned by Jacobson with JKX Racing, has won five of his last seven starts led by a frontrunning score in the six-furlong Grade 3 Bold Ruler on October 27 at Belmont at the Big A.

The 4-year-old Distorted Humor bay, previously trained in California by Keith Craigmyle, won from off-the-pace after stumbling at the start of his August debut for Jacobson at Penn National but has utilized a blistering pacesetting approach since.

Stage Left, by Congrats and out of the multiple graded stakes-winning Repent mare Diva Delite, is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Midnight Bisou. The 7-year-old dark bay gelding joined the Jacobson barn in March and has won 4-of-13 starts since, including scores in the off-the-turf King T. Leatherbury in April at Laurel and the Rumson in September at Monmouth Park.

Stage Left finished fourth in the Bold Ruler and arrives from a close sixth-place finish in the Dave's Friend where he rallied seven-wide after exiting the outermost post 10.

Rounding out the field is William J. Butler's New York-homebred Rotknee [post 2, Jose Lezcano], who has won 3-of-7 starts at the Big A led by a score in the state-bred Hudson in October over muddy and sealed going.

Trained by Mike Maker, the 4-year-old Runhappy colt earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his prominent effort in the Hudson where he opened up by 5 1/2-lengths at the stretch call en route to a one-length score over the late-running Grade 1-placed Ny Traffic, who is entered in Saturday's Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday at Gulfstream Park.

The Gravesend is slated as Race 3 on Saturday's nine-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post ‘Mike Tyson’ Of Racehorses: 9-Year-Old Greeley And Ben Could Achieve Millionaire Status In Saturday’s Gravesend appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Phil D'Amato's classy Irish-bred Balnikhov cuts back in distance and heads a field of 12 3-year-olds and up going about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's one of a kind hillside turf course in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes.

A fast finishing third, beaten one length going a mile and one sixteenth over the Del Mar lawn in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap Nov. 25, Balnikhov, a two-time graded stakes winner on grass, will be trying the hillside course for the first time on Saturday and will be ridden by Antonio Fresu, who guided him to a narrow second place finish four starts back in the G2 Eddie Read Stakes on July 30.

A 4-year-old gelding owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC and Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Balnikhov's last win came six starts back in the G3 San Francisco Mile on April 29. Although winless since then, he has competed well in a series of graded turf stakes at distances of 6 ½ furlongs to a mile and one eighth.

A winner of three stakes from 14 stateside stakes starts with D'Amato, Balnikhov is 22-6-5-3 overall with earnings of $664,343.

Most recently second, beaten 1 ¾ lengths going five furlongs on turf in Del Mar's Stormy Liberal Stakes Dec. 2, D'Amato's Irish-bred Turn On The Jets gives the stable a powerful one-two punch. A first condition allowance winner going five furlongs on turf in his U.S. debut nine starts back in August, 2022, this 4-year-old gelding was subsequently a close second and third in a pair of second condition hillside allowances here in October and November of 2022 and will thus be making his third career hillside appearance on Saturday.

Owned by the Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig, et al, Turn on the Jets, who can make or press the early lead if need-be, will be reunited with Juan Hernandez, who has won with him twice from six engagements.

Winless but close in his five Southern California starts, four of them stakes, Mark Glatt's Irish-bred I'm A Gambler has shown an affinity for the hillside course in his last start and rates a huge chance with Frankie Dettori taking over for the first time.

Fourth, beaten one length down the hill in the Grade II Eddie D Stakes two starts back on Sept. 30, I'm A Gambler was most recently fifth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths down the hill in a classified allowance Oct. 29, a race in which he was off at odds of 2-1 in a field of eight.

A winner of nine out of his 24 starts in both England and Ireland, I'm A Gambler, a 4-year-old gelding, is 29-9-4-3 overall. Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, he has earnings of $312,695.

Race 1 of 9 Post time 12 p.m. PT

THE GRADE 2 JOE HERNANDEZ WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

1. Lucky Score—Edwin Maldonado—125
2. Balnikhov—Antonio Fresu—123
3. Daniel's Magic—Kazushi Kimura—121
4. Forbidden Kingdom—Flavien Prat—121
5. Peaceful Waters—Hector Berrios—121
6. I'm A Gambler—Lanfranco Dettori—121
7. Lovesick Blues—Tyler Baze—121
8. Johnny Podres—Kyle Frey—121
9. Tahoe Sunrise—Victor Espinoza—119
10. Turn On The Jets—Juan Hernandez—121
11. Olympic Runner—Umberto Rispoli—121
12. Front Run the Fed—Geovanni Franco—121

ALSO ELIGIBLE
13. Dancing Buck—Edwin Maldonado—121

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.

The post Santa Anita: Full Field Of 12 Drawn For Saturday’s Down-The-Hill Joe Hernandez Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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O'Connor will enter Saturday's $150,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3) with the opportunity to earn a berth in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

The Harlan's Holiday, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up over Gulfstream's main track, will be featured on a program that will also feature the $200,000 Ft. Lauderdale (G2), a prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), as well as the $150,000 Suwanee River (G3), the $125,000 Rampart, and the $100,000 St. Augustine Handicap.

Michael Iavarone and partners' O'Connor enters the Harlan's Holiday off a career-best performance at Keeneland in the Fayette (G2). The Chilean-bred son of Boboman settled off the pace before kicking in late to prevail by a head in the 1 1/8-mile stakes. His encouraging effort under Tyler Gaffalione was his first victory since capturing his U.S. debut by eight lengths in October 2022.

“In the Keeneland race, he was off the pace, but he was handy the whole way. He was into the bridle and traveled well for Tyler,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “If he can travel the same way, it will increase his chances Saturday.”

After winning his U.S. debut, O'Connor finished an even fourth in last year's Harlan's Holiday before finishing far back in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup. He followed up his Pegasus disappointment with a runner-up finish at Gulfstream in the Ghostzapper (G3), in which he closely attended the pace throughout.

“The Ghostzapper last year, it was a bit of a surprise to see him that close to the pace. I think he's better coming off the pace,” Joseph said. “He was so impressive in his [U.S.] debut, but then he lost form. He ran OK after that. The Ghostzapper was an OK run but still disappointing.”

O'Connor was sidelined for a few months after undergoing surgery for an entrapped epiglottis. He went on to finish a late closing third in the West Virgina Derby (G3) at Mountaineer, a surging second behind stablemate Skippylongstocking in the Charles Town Classic (G2), only to lose all chance in the Woodward (G2) at Aqueduct following a bad start.

“He ran good at Charles Town. In the Woodward, everything went wrong, then he came back and won at Keeneland. That was his best race, obviously, so far,” Joseph said. “If he can duplicate something like that, he can be competitive.”

Tyler Gaffalione has the return call on O'Connor.

Joseph is also scheduled to saddle John Fanelli and partners' Ny Traffic for the Harlan's Holiday. The multiple graded stakes-placed 6-year-old son of Cross Traffic, who is a multiple-stakes winner at sprint distances, will stretch out around two turns for the first time in more than two years after coming off a year layoff with an optional claiming allowance win and a runner-up finish in the Hudson at Aqueduct.

“He's in good order, first of all. He ran some good route races before we cut him back,” Joseph said. “Now that he's come back and run a couple of good races, we decided it was a good time to try him again around two turns. He's won at this distance at Gulfstream, so he's 1-for-1. It's a perfect scenario to see if he wants to run two turns again.”

After winning a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Gulfstream Nov. 1, 2020, Ny Traffic was graded stakes-placed in the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds, Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill and Haskell (G1) at Monmouth. He finished off the board in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Preakness (G1) before eventually being converted into a sprinter.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call on Ny Traffic.

West Paces Racing LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC's Dubyuhnell will continue on the comeback trail in the Harlan's Holiday following a most encouraging optional claiming allowance victory Oct. 28 at Keeneland off a six-month layoff.

The 3-year-old son of Good Magic, who hadn't run since finishing far back in the April 1 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream, was forwardly placed in the 1 1/8-mile race before taking the lead in the stretch and prevailing by a length over next-out winner Denington.

“He ran really well. He had been training with a 2-year-old we are really high on,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “You never know going a mile and an eighth coming off that big of a layoff. He's going well coming into this race, so hopefully, we're competitive.”

Dubyuhnell was a precocious 2-year-old, breaking his maiden in his second start before winning the 1 1/8-mile Remsen at Aqueduct. However, he would disappoint in the Sam Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs and Florida Derby before going to the sidelines.

“He was a very precocious 2-year-old. He broke his maiden impressively and came back to win the Remsen. He was a very talented young horse. We tried to get on the Triple Crown Trail, but it didn't play out in his favor. We had to give him a little break that went longer than we anticipated. We're happy to have him back.”

Luis Saez is slated to ride Dubyuhnell for the first time Saturday.

Haras Lizzie Inc.'s Miles D, a Grade 1 stakes-placed son of Curlin, finished a close second in the Delta Mile Nov. 3 at Delta Downs while making his first start for trainer Amador Sanchez. Previously trained by Chad Brown, the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred finished third in the 2021 Travers (G1) at Saratoga. Miles D, who won the Discovery at Aqueduct later that season, has been in the money in nine of 11 career starts.

Leonel Reyes has the call on Miles D.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher entered PRO Thoroughbred Enterprises LLC's Grand Aspen and Harrell Ventures LLC and CHC Inc.'s Gasoline in the Harlan's Holiday. Grand Aspen, a 4-year-old son of Dialed In, enters the race off a dominating optional claiming allowance victory at Churchill Downs. Gasoline, a 4-year-old gelded son of Curlin had won three of four starts prior to finishing fifth in the Nov. 24 Clark (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Jose Ortiz has the call on Grand Aspen, while Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Gasoline.

My Racehorse and Rocket Ship Racing's Blue Devil has made a successful transition from turf and Tapeta to dirt in recent starts. After winning an off-the-turf allowance at Saratoga, the 4-year-old gelded son of Uncle Mo came back to win another allowance at Saratoga before finishing second in the Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs. The Jeff Hiles trainee is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Clark at Churchill.

Junior Alvarado has the call Saturday.

Arindel's Octane, Carrie Broden, Michael and Julia Iavarone's Steel Sunshine and Double B Racing Stables' Lure Him in round out the field.

West Point Thoroughbreds' Signator will be scratched, said Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

The post O’Connor Will Try To Duplicate Keeneland Effort In Harlan’s Holiday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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