Tag: Racing

By Daryl Timms

Any questions about Lucky Sweynesse loosening his grip on the world's best sprinter mantle were swept aside Sunday when trainer Manfred Man's speedster surged to victory in the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1) at Sha Tin.

It was a redemptive triumph for Lucky Sweynesse, who had no luck in last year's edition of the race when he was trapped with nowhere before finishing sixth behind Wellington after a tiring Lim's Kosciuszko went back through the field.

Momentarily on Sunday, it looked like Lucky Sweynesse was again in need of a big slice of luck at the top of the straight when Zac Purton had to get off heels and hook him around runners to get a clear passage up the straight, but he quickly accelerated to score from the fast-finishing outsider Lucky With You. Wellington, last year's winner, finished third.

Hong Kong horses filled the first five positions with Victor The Winner in fourth and Duke Wai, fifth. And what a difference year makes.

“I had the run inside Victor The Winner, but when James (McDonald) went for him, he shifted in and hampered me a little bit but he (Lucky Sweynesse) accelerated so quickly, I was able to come out across his heels and he had his chance from there – he did what he had to do. I love him.”

Purton said Lucky Sweynesse deserved the win.

“He's been our best sprinter for the last year, and he was able to atone for last year,” said Purton, who predicted pre-race Lucky Sweynesse was back to his best after a relatively modest start to the season.

“I could feel in the morning his trackwork had improved, and his action was getting a little bit better. His all-around demeanor in the morning was getting back to where it was last season. I could see he was blossoming at the right time.”

It was Purton's 11th overall Group 1 win at the Longines Hong Kong International Races. It was his third victory in the Hong Kong Sprint after a pair of wins by Aerovelocity in 2014 and 2016.

After resuming with two seconds, the gelding scored a narrow victory in the BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (G2) at Sha Tin last month.

But the doubters still questioned whether the 5-year-old New Zealand-bred Sweynesse gelding would return to his absolute best, who visibly eased up over the final 50 meters.

Wellington, now under the care of Jamie Richards, hasn't won a race in seven attempts since winning last year's Hong Kong Sprint. It was the gelding's second run back after finishing 10th of 16 in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) in June at Royal Ascot.

Europe's best sprinter, Highfield Princess, a four-time Group 1 winner in three different countries, was aiming to be the first raider to win the Sprint since Japanese champion Danon Smash's 2020 success.

Coming off a last start win in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (G1), the John Quinn-trained British star was faced with the obstacles of both a European and a mare never previously winning the race.

The British sprinting queen bypassed last month's Breeders Cup at Santa Anita in favor of the Hong Kong assignment for trainer John Quinn as she aimed to add the Asian conqueror title to her list of credits, but she finished sixth.

Lucky Sweynesse was sent off as the raging favorite last year and it was repeated again this time around.

Victor The Winner and Jasper Krone were both in the traditional roles in the front early, with Lucky Sweynesse positioned not far off them.

When Lucky Sweynesse got clear running, he surged past Victor The Winner, to score by three quarters of a length from the fast finishing Lucky With You, while Wellington was 1 3/4 lengths away in third. Victor The Winner was a further two lengths from the winner in fourth. The winning time was 1:09.25 for the about six furlongs.

Lucky With You's jockey, Andrea Atzeni, said the gelding ran a blinder.

“He finished off quite nicely and he was beaten by a champion,” he said.

Lucky Sweynesse, who was produced by the Red Clubs mare Madonna Mia, was bred by Luigi Muollo, Allan Sharrock, and Paul Dombroski.

The post ‘He Was Able To Atone For Last Year’: Lucky Sweynesse Gets Redemption In Hong Kong Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Bob Baffert made it seven consecutive $200,500 Starlet (G2) victories as 2-1 third choice Nothing Like You controlled throughout Saturday at Los Alamitos.

Stretched back to two turns a month after she had rallied to win by a nose going seven furlongs in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar, the 2-year-old Malibu Moon filly established the lead from the inside immediately under jockey Juan Hernandez and was never seriously challenged on her way to a 5¼-length victory.

Owned by a partnership that includes Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio, and John Rogitz, Nothing Like You has won three times in a row after finishing second, eighth, and fourth in the first three starts of her career.

Out of the Brother Derek mare Miss Derek, Nothing Like You completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.78 and the $120,000 payday pushed her bankroll to $237,160. She paid $6.20, $3.60 and $2.40.

Although the outcome was no surprise, Baffert didn't foresee the Starlet would play out the way it did.

“I thought my other filly (Grazia, the 9-5 second choice who finished last in the field of six) would be on the lead,'' he said. “(Nothing Like You) was pretty fresh today because I'd backed off on her a bit because I'd just run her at Del Mar.

“(Hernandez) said she popped out of there and he said nobody wanted the lead so he just took it. Once I saw her on the backside with that long stride you could tell she was in control of the race.

“It took this filly a while to come around. She wasn't real quick. We knew once we stretched her out that would be her game. The longer the better for her.''

Overall, the win added to Baffert's record total in the Starlet. He now has 10, including the trio he won at Hollywood Park when the race was run as the Hollywood Starlet. His victories in Inglewood, Calif. came with Excellent Meeting (1998), Habibti (2001), and Streaming (2013).

The Starlet win was the second in three years for Hernandez, who also scored with Eda in 2021.

“She's improving with every race and distance is what she has always wanted,'' said Hernandez after his record 15th daytime Thoroughbred stakes win at Los Alamitos. “She relaxed perfectly. I let her go at the head of the stretch and she took off.''

Great Forty Eight, who was second under the wire as the longest shot in the field at 29-1, was disqualified and placed fourth for shifting out under left handed encouragement from apprentice jockey J.G. Torrealba and impeding Chatalas, the 9-5 favorite, with about an eighth of a mile to go.

As a result of the incident, the maiden Flynn's Chance, a 17-1 shot, was elevated to second and Chatalas was moved up to third.

Bred in Kentucky by Notch Hill Farm, Wolverton Mountain Farm, and Spendthrift Stallions LLC, Nothing Like You is out of the Brother Derek mare Miss Derek. He sold for $190,000 to John Rogitz at the OBS Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale in April. Wildheart Thoroughbreds was the consignor.

Baffert and Hernandez also teamed to win the day's second race with heavily favored Elwood Blues.

Although he had to settle for third money in the Starlit with Chatalas, trainer Mark Glatt tripled, scoring with Tiff With Jimmy in the third, Issa Court in the sixth and Top Gun Tommy in the eighth.

The post Baffert Adds To String Of Starlet Victories With Nothing Like You appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Set-Hut's phenom Touchuponastar set the pace and turned back Tumbarumba's far-turn bid to win his second $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic Saturday at Fair Grounds.

The 4-year-old Star Guitar gelding out of the Lion Heart mare Touch Magic was bred by Coteau Grove, along with the second- and third-place finishers, Tumbarumba and Cosmic Train.

When the top two Classic finishers went eyeball to eyeball in the far turn, it was only a matter of a few strides before Touchuponastar put Tumbarumba away and quickly took an insurmountable three-length advantage. Tumbarumba never stopped trying to re-engage, making up ground late.

Trained by Jeff Delhomme and guided by jockey Tim Thornton, Touchuponastar finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Tumbarumba and covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.12.

“He's all class,” Thornton said. “I knew when he got away clean in the first jump that they were going to have to run today to beat him. I was in-hand waiting. He's such a great horse, they've done such a great job with him. It's a joy to ride him.”

With a lifetime record of 13-10-2-1 and $618,100 in purses, the question remains could former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme's Touchuponastar step out of Louisiana and take on top stakes routers.

“The Louisiana breeders program is so great over here,” trainer Jeff Delhomme said. “It gives us the opportunity to run for the money. We don't need to chase the money. We can stay right here. Would we like another chance next year in the Steve Sexton (G3) [in which Touchuponastar was second May 29 at Lone Star Park]? Yes. Maybe try him [March 23] in the New Orleans Classic (G2)? Yes. I don't think we need to go far to take on better competition, but I think all these Louisiana-breds are giving us all we can handle right now.”

On hand in the winner's circle, Keith and Ginger Myers of Coteau Grove Farms were able to witness a few of the best of their breeding program run first, second, and third in the Classic.

“What's special is where we are,” Keith Myers said. “We're here at home in Louisiana. We're very close to Jake (Delhomme), and we see the Delhommes as our family. Having success together makes it more special. To have three who were bred at the farm run one, two, three–it's quite rewarding. Touchuponastar was big and athletic (as a yearling), but I don't remember having thoughts that this was going to be the one. Really it was a little bit of a surprise.”

Set-Hut's Louisiana Champions Day success continued later on the card as Mangum surged late to win the $100,000 Sprint.

Finishing a half-length back, Bron and Brow survived a steward's review to secure place honors. Trained by Jeff Delhomme, Mangum covered the six furlongs in 1:10.83.

​​“Jake (brother Delhomme) studied the Form last night,” Jeff Delhomme said. “And the best numbers he threw were sprinting at Evangeline and Delta so we took a chance (running in the Sprint) and it worked out. We've got the entire family here. Winning big races on a day like this is like a dream come true.”

Winner of the Jacob V. Morreale going one-mile 70 yards over opening weekend, Mangum was guided by Corey Lanerie in both stakes scores.

“Hats off to the entire team,” Lanerie said. “They had this horse ready. He was a lot better than the last time I rode him. We took a lot of dirt early and I was running out of goggles. We had to find somewhere to go. I was rerouting. We found a hole and luckily we had the horse to do it. It's fun when you get there in time because a lot of times you don't.”

In the mix against a full field of 14, bettors backed Mangum to the tune of 9-2. He returned $11.

With the Sprint score, the rising 3-year-old by Mo Tom boasts a 12-7-1-3 lifetime record totaling $315,360 in purse earnings.

According To Design Behemah Star Shines In Turf

With little early speed signed on for $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf, Brittlyn Stable homebred Behemah Star stole to the front ahead of the far turn and turned back Who Took the Money in the final stages to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Trainer Shane Wilson had cross-entered the Star Guitar gelding in the Classic, but opted for the Turf.

“This was the total plan,” Wilson said. “We entered in both races. Earlier in the week I got beat on the turf when speed went to the front and we tried to be tactical but they didn't come back to us. I handicapped this race and didn't see any speed in here so we decided to go in this spot. (Behemah Star) had run once on the turf and he was forward to run second. We wanted to do something similar again today. It worked out.”

Ridden by jockey Jose Guerrero, Behemah Star pressed the pace through the first two calls and covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.76.

“The plan was to get him out aggressively from the gate,” Guerrero said. “It worked pretty well. I was able to get in a perfect spot behind the inside horse and he slowed down so I slowed down with him, saving energy, and when we got to the three-eighths  pole he exploded and finished it off in front from there.”

Behemah Star rewarded his backers to the tune of $39.60. With a career record of 19-5-5-4, Behmah Star's first turf tally upped his bank to $309,821.

Ova Charged Survives Photo For Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint Threepeat

Employing her signature stalking speed, Brittlyn Stable's homebred Ova Charged beat Basalt Street by a thin lip to take her third $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint in a row. Stablemate Spirited Beauty ran third.

Together with Behemah Star's Turf win, Brittlyn Stable added two on the day for a record 17 Louisiana Champions Day victories in 33 years of running

By the Star Guitar, the Shane Wilson trainee ran the six furlongs in 1:10.67. At 7-5 under jockey Jose Guerrero, Ova Charged has now won nine times in 12 outings with one place-finish, racking up $428,780 in purses along the way.

Free Like Q Girl Wires Distaff

Leading the pack of fillies at every call, Gerald Bruno Jr., Chasey Deville Pomier, and Jerry Caroom's Free Like a Girl proved much the best wiring the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Distaff.

Holding off all advances, the 4-yar-old daughter of El Deal rolled down the homestretch as A G's Charlotte scrambled to get second, a distant 4 3/4 lengths back.

Trainer Chasey Pomier had entered the versatile filly in both the Distaff and the Sprint, and just like ahead of her score last out in the Doris Hebert, it was a last-minute decision.

With Vicente Del-Cid back in the irons, Free Like a Girl covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.49.

The recently minted millionaire added $60,000 to bump her bankroll to $1,066,578 and her career record to a hard-knocking 32-15-8-4. They knew, making Free Like a Girl the 8-5 favorite. She returned $5.20 for the win.

Good And Stout Just Good Enough In Juvenile

C.J. McMahon's first win at the meet came on the center stage as he guided Whispering Oaks Farm's Good and Stout to victory in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile winner's circle.

Going six furlongs in 1:12.22, the son of Coal Front held off the late rail rally of El Dinero by a nose. Trained by Carol Castille, Good and Stout's freshman grade card tallies up to 5-2-1-1 along with $101,000 in the bank. Prescient backers were paid $4.80 for the victory.

Accommodate Eva Flies Late In Lassie

Flying down the center of the track late, Valene Farm's Accommodate Eva nailed Clearly a Test to win the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Lassie by three-quarters of a length.

After routing in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and finishing 10th, trainer Dallas Stewart's decision to cut back in distance proved wise.

Under Brian Hernandez Jr., Accommodate Eva was sent off at 4-1 and covered the six furlongs in 1:11.98 while improving her record to  6-2-0-1. The daughter of Munnings' maiden win came at Keeneland against open company. Accommodate Eva has bankrolled $126,230.

The post ‘He’s All Class’: Touchuponastar Repeats In Louisiana Champions Day Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Favored Tejano Twist used a devastating late kick to easily win the $150,000 Ring the Bell for sprinters, and Butterbean came from well off the pace to record a narrow victory in the $150,000 Mistletoe for fillies and mares Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

Tejano Twist ($4.40), last of eight early, roared to the lead in midstretch in beating stablemate and fellow millionaire Necker Island by five lengths. Both horses are trained by Chris Hartman. Sir Wellington finished another three-quarters of a length farther back in third.

Chris Landeros rode Tejano Twist, who covered six furlongs over a fast track in 1:10.02. Tejano Twist trailed by 10¾ lengths after the opening quarter.

“Hoping for a 1-2 finish and got it,” Hartman said. “That's an impressive throw, I'll tell you what. That's just his style. We're rolling through the (older sprint stakes series here). That's the game plan. Necker Island ran a swell race. Just second best.”

Tejano Twist won for the ninth time in 28 starts to raise his career earnings to $1,179,854. Winner of the Whitmore Stakes (G3) last year at Oaklawn. Tejano Twist was exiting a victory in the Bet On Sunshine Stakes Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs. Both races were six furlongs.

“Special,” Landeros said. “Very special. Got a turn of foot. Could be one of the legit ones, you know? Just blessed to be a part of him. I had kind of the same trip as last time. He's just one those horses that just eyeballs them from the back and makes his move. Stay out of the way because he's going to turn it on. At the eighth pole, he'll you give another gear. Just amazing.”

Tejano Twist is 4-year-old Practical Joke gelding out of the Cuvee mare Haley's Lolipop. He is campaigned by JD Thoroughbreds LLC and Joey Keith Davis and was bred in Kentucky by Tom Durant.

The Mistletoe finish was much closer. Butterbean ($24.60) edged Misty Veil by a half-length, with Ice Orchid another neck farther back in third in the one-mile race.

Butterbean, under Julien Leparoux, trailed by some ninth lengths early before advancing toward the leaders on the second turn and was up time in the middle of the track. The winning time over a fast track was 1:38.54.

“She's got one run and the fast pace helped,” said Ray Bryner, who oversees winning trainer Kenny McPeek's Oaklawn division. “It set up perfect. If we get a quick pace and they back up a little, she really gets her engine running. It worked out well.”

The Mistletoe marked the third career Oaklawn stakes victory and first as a regular for Leparoux, a two-time Eclipse Award winner.

“She's got one run,” Leparoux said. “Today, it was good for her. She had a nice finish.”

Butterbean, a 4-year-old Klimt filly out of the Johannesburg mare Letting Go, raised her career earnings to $476,410 after winning for the fifth time in 16 starts. The Mistletoe was her fourth career stakes victory.

Campaigned bu Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek) and William Klimashousky, she was bred in Kentucky by Woodgate Farm.

Saturday's estimated attendance was 17,000.

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