Tag: Racing

Trainer Chris Hartman holds a strong hand for the $150,000 Ring the Bell Stakes Saturday at Oaklawn, sending out millionaires Tejano Twist (#6) and Necker Island (#5) in the six-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up.

“Sheesh,” Hartman said, “they look good in there, don't they? Both of them. Little concerned about the pace scenario.”

The Ring the Bell goes as the sixth of 10 races, with probable post time 2:50 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:30 p.m.

The nine-horse Ring the Bell field from the rail out: Osbourne (#1), Julien Leparoux to ride, 124 pounds, 5-1 on the morning line; Manuelito (#2), Walter De La Cruz, 121, 20-1; Ultimate (#3), Ramsey Zimmerman, 124, 12-1; Top Gunner (#4), Ricardo Santana Jr., 121, 15-1; Necker Island (#5), Cristian Torres, 124, 8-1; Tejano Twist (#6), Chris Landeros, 124, 8-5; Ryvit (#7), Keith Asmussen, 122, 2-1; Caddo River (#8), Rafael Bejarano, 124, 20-1; and Sir Wellington (#9), Eduardo Gallardo, 124, 12-1.

Program favorite Tejano Twist (#6) was among Oaklawn's top older male sprinters last season, winning an allowance race and the $200,000 G3-Whitmore Stakes. In his last start, the late-runner was a 1 ½-length winner of the six-furlong $300,000 Bet On Sunshine Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Necker Island (#5) won the 2021 Bet On Sunshine, was fourth this year and fourth in the $350,000 G2-Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland.

“Both are doing good,” said Hartman said. “Hoping for a 1-2 finish.”

In addition to Tejano Twist, three other Oaklawn stakes winners are entered – Ryvit (#7) for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Caddo River (#8) for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and Sir Wellington (#9) for trainer Mac Robertson.

Ryvit (#7), a supplemental nominee who has never faced older horses, won three six-furlong races last season at Oaklawn, including the $150,000 Bachelor Stakes for 3-year-olds. He added victories in the $200,000 G3-Chick Lang Stakes May 20 at Pimlico, Ellis Park's $175,000 Maxfield Stakes in July and $300,000 Steel Valley Sprint Stakes last month at Mahoning Valley. Ryvit (#7) overcame a troubled start to win the Steel Valley, his 10th start of 2023.

“He's run some wonderful races,” Asmussen said. “If anything, his last race was his best race. Lot of travel. Hopefully, it didn't take too much out of him. Obviously, been anxious to get him back here because of the meet that he had last year.”

Caddo River (#9), a homebred for Arkansas lumberman John Ed Anthony, has spent most of his career in two-turn events, winning Oaklawn's one-mile $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes in 2021 and finishing second in the $1 million G1-Arkansas Derby later in the meeting. He has lost five consecutive starts, and has never raced six furlongs.

“Mr. Anthony decided that he would like to back him up and try to sprint him,” Lukas said. “So, we're going to try that.”

Sir Wellington (#9) won Oaklawn's $150,000 Gazebo Stakes in 2021 at Oaklawn.

Ultimate (#3) gave 2022-2023 Oaklawn leading owners Heath and Sheena Campbell their first career stakes victory in Prairie Meadows' $100,000 Iowa Sprint in July.

The post Oaklawn: Chris Hartman Holds Hot Hand With Two Millionaires In Ring The Bell Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The $100,000 Steady Growth, a 1 1/16-mile main track stakes for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and upward, headlines Sunday's card at Woodbine.

A 5-year-old son of Big Screen-Executive Affair, Cruden Bay brings a record of 5-9-1 from 19 starts into his first stakes appearance.

Owned by Michael Lay, the gelding, who has finished first or second in 13 of his past 15 races, is 3-4-0 from seven starts in 2023.

“The biggest thing about him is his non-stop effort,” said trainer Don MacRae. “Every race he runs in, he consistently tries right to the wire. You start to hear more and more people talk about him. When they look at his form, they see how consistent he is. It doesn't matter what level he is running at or who the competition is, he doesn't realize it – he just fires his top effort every time.”

MacRae, who has posted $722,560 (U.S.) in earnings so far this season, the most since his 2010 campaign, recalled the moment that he first saw the bay who was bred in Ontario by Spring Farm.

“He was an ugly duckling. My wife and I went to look at him a couple of times at the sale (2019 Canadian Premier Yearling Sale). He had what they call a ewe neck… there was no real muscle definition to his neck. When I spoke to Michael Lay, we knew this horse had a very good catalogue page. He's a half to (multiple stakes winner) Cooler Mike and (stakes winner) Sav, so I told Michael, 'If he grows into himself, he's going to be a very good-looking horse, and he could be a very good one.'

“I have been taught by some very good horseman and they would say that you have to see what they might look like as they get older. We were envisioning that with him, and things have turned out as we hoped, probably even better than we imagined.”

Cruden Bay launched his career with a 7 ¼-length stunner in a six-furlong Tapeta race on November 11, 2020, in what was his only 2-year-old start. After a trio of sixths in his 3-year-old year, Cruden Bay went 1-5-1 from eight engagements in 2022.

One effort caught MacRae completely off-guard.

“Last November, he finished fifth and was beaten seven lengths. That shows you why sometimes trainers know nothing. I had two horses in the race – Sir Sahib was the other – and I didn't think it was possible for Cruden Bay to get beat. As it turned out, Sir Sahib galloped that day. I had worked them twice ahead of that race, both in company, and Cruden Bay blew his doors off in those works. I remember going back to the barn and telling the girl who rubs Sir Sahib, 'I feel bad because he can't win. Cruden Bay is just too good right now.' And he didn't fire. But he certainly has been fantastic for us.”

That confidence prompted MacRae to give the bay his first shot at stakes competition.

“He loves the game,” said the conditioner, who will also send out multiple stakes-winning 5-year-old Avoman in the Steady Growth. “Even as a 2-year-old, he loved it. He loves what he does, and he still does to this day. He wants attention, he wants to be around people – he'll poke his nose at you to get you to come over and pet him. He's just a cool dude in every way.”

Lisa Knight has been the groom throughout Cruden Bay's entire racing career.

“Her work has been vital in the success of this horse,” said MacRae. “He takes a lot of work. He is an athlete, and he does have his little bumps and bruises from time to time. I sincerely believe that if it wasn't for the work Lisa has done with this horse, I don't think he'd be half the horse he is.

“As much as trainers are the ones who get the attention, good and bad, it is important to take a moment to thank the people who put so much into these horses. What Lisa has done with this horse – words can't describe it.”

Other hopefuls in the last stakes race of the 2023 Woodbine season include 2021 Woodbine Mile (G1T) victor Town Cruise, multiple graded stakes winner Artie's Storm, graded stakes winner Secret Reserve, multiple stakes winner Dun Drum, and stakes winners Mason's Gamble, Perfect Crime, and Rapid Test.

First post time for the 10-race card is 1:05 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com, bet365, and the Dark Horse Bets app.

Field for the Steady Growth (Race 8)
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Secret Reserve – Leo Salles – Mike Mattine

2 – Mason's Gamble – Justin Stein – Josie Carroll

3 – Perfect Crime – Jose Campos – Patrick Dixon

4 – Grandson (S) – Luis Contreras – John LeBlanc, Jr.

5 – Town Cruise – Patrick Husbands – Brandon Greer

6 – Dun Drum – Ryan Munger – Ian Black

7 – Artie's Storm – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Paul Buttigieg

8 – Rapid Test – Rafael Hernandez – Catherine Day Phillips

9 – Avoman – Sahin Civaci – Don MacRae

10 – Cruden Bay – Kazushi Kimura – Don MacRae

11 – Ron's Gizmo – Keveh Nicholls – Ron Sadler

The post Former ‘Ugly Duckling’ Cruden Bay Brings Consistent Effort Into Stakes Debut appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jun Park and Delia Nash's Sibelius, who capped a three-race win streak in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in March, is being pointed to a return to where it all began in the $125,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) Dec. 23 at Gulfstream Park.

“That's the target right now,” trainer Jerry O'Dwyer said of the 5-year-old Sibelius, who has posted four timed works since mid-November on the main track at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

In his most recent, Sibelius went five furlongs in 1:01.90 Dec. 3, second-fastest of six horses on the day.

“We brought him back down here a couple months back, six weeks anyway, gave him a bit of a freshening and put him back on the work tab,” O'Dwyer said. “I'm pretty happy with him. He's doing well. He's been breezing away and we're going to aim him for the Mr. Prospector.”

Sibelius, a gelded son of Not This Time, became a stakes winner last fall in the Lite the Fuse at Pimlico Race Course, then ran fourth in the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland and second in the Bet on Sunshine at Churchill Downs before his 2 ¼-length triumph in the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector over subsequent Grade 3 winner Dean Delivers.

“He kind of announced himself in the race last year and then he kept peaking after that, that's for sure,” O'Dwyer said. “We're hoping we can do the same. Like any horse, you're learning from him as much as they're learning from you. If we can get him to peak at the right time again, we'll be more than happy.”

Sibelius kicked off 2023 with a stakes-record victory in the Pelican at Tampa Bay Downs before heading overseas for the Golden Shaheen. Sibelius and jockey Ryan Moore rallied up the rail to move past leaders Hopkins and Gunite in the stretch and hold off defending champion Switzerland to win by a nose. It was the third graded win for O'Dwyer, who also won the 2019 Remsen (G2) with Shotski.

Since the Golden Shaheen Sibelius has raced three times, finishing fourth in the June 30 Aristides, seventh in the July 29 Bing Crosby (G1) at Del Mar and fifth in his return to the Phoenix Oct. 6, where he was beaten six lengths by subsequent Cigar Mile (G2) winner Hoist the Gold.

“He's a very straightforward horse,” O'Dwyer said. “We're going to try to repeat what we did last year by going to the Mr. Prospector and then probably to Tampa and then hopefully back to Dubai, where he flourished. Those are the three spots we have picked out right now.”

The post Group 1 Winner Sibelius Aiming For Mr. Prospector Repeat appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Repole Stable's Grade 2-placed Noted, well-beaten by stablemate Fierceness in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) last month, shortens up for his return to the grass in Saturday's $100,000 Pulpit at Gulfstream Park.

The Pulpit for 2-year-olds anchors an 11-race card co-headlined by the $100,000 Wait a While in Race 6 for 2-year-old fillies, both going 7 ½ furlongs around two turns on Gulfstream's new turf course. First race post time is 12:10 p.m.

A gray or roan son of Cairo Prince, winner of the 2014 Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream, Noted fetched $200,000 as a yearling last fall. He had two wins and two seconds in his first four starts before finishing off the board for the first time when last of nine in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

It was the second time on dirt for Noted, winner of the one-mile Sapling Aug. 26 at Monmouth Park in his only previous try. Second by a length that day was Dornoch, a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and Florida Derby runner-up (G1) Mage that was a comeback winner of the Dec. 2 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.

“We were kind of torn,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He had trained well enough on the dirt and he had that good win in the Sapling over what's turned out to be a nice horse, but it didn't work out in the Breeders' Cup.

“Now we'll head back to the grass and see what that does,” he added. “He's run very well on the turf and I'd have to say at this stage he's a little better on the grass, but we'll not rule out giving him another try on the dirt at some point.”

Noted made his first two starts on the grass, running second a five-furlong maiden special weight June 22 at Belmont Park before graduating going 1 1/16 miles July 22 at Saratoga. Following his win in the Sapling, Noted came up a nose short of Can Group in the 1 1/16-mile Bourbon (G2) Oct. 8 at Keeneland. The winner came back to be fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

“That was a tough beat,” Pletcher said. “He just couldn't get his nose on the wire, but he ran great so we're looking for him to bounce back with another good effort.”

Pletcher won last year's Pulpit with Ari Gold as well as 2016 with Tapwrit. Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard for four of five starts, is named to ride Noted from Post 8 in a field of 11.

Trainer Mike Maker is also a two-time winner of the Pulpit, with Swagger Jagger in 2015 and Henley's Joy in 2018, and he will be represented this year by Robyn Kaiser's Liam's Journey. Yet to win through three starts, the Liam's Map colt was second in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs and hasn't raced since dead-heating for third, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Pletcher-trained Agate Road, in the 1 1/16-mile Pilgrim (G2) Oct. 4 at Aqueduct.

Among five horses trying turf for the first time are Reminder and Okiro. Tami Bobo's Reminder, a $180,000 son of 2018 Florida Derby winner Audible, has made four starts over Gulfstream's all-weather Tapeta course, most recently finishing third in the one-mile, 70-yard Armed Forces Nov. 4.

Yutaka Enterprises Corp.'s Okiro has also raced exclusively on Tapeta, including a runner-up finish behind Mattingly in the five-furlong Hollywood Beach Sept. 30. The son of Japanese-bred Yoshida will add blinkers after running second by a length in a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance Nov. 3.

“He's training very good,” trainer Jose Garoffalo said. “He came back after the last race very good. We're going to try him on turf. I think that he can handle the surface very good. We're happy how he's been. He's been running very good and training excellent. We have no issues with him, so I think we have a shot with him in the Pulpit.”

Okiro drew outermost Post 11 in the Pulpit under jockey Leonel Reyes, up for each of the last two starts.

“We have some concern about the post position but he has some speed and maybe it'll be good for him,” Garoffalo said. “He's got some tactical speed, so I think he's going to handle the position very well.

“He's going to go two turns, but I think he can handle the distance. When he's been running short he has shown some finish. He closes hard. He'll get the distance, without a doubt. The main for thing is going to be the surface,” he added. “We always had in mind to try him on turf. His pedigree suggests some turf influence so I think he's going to handle it. The only way to find out is to try.”

Boardshorts Stables' Double Your Money is trained by Brian Lynch, who won the 2021 Pulpit with Red Danger. The bay colt wound up eighth after taking a short lead into the stretch of the Bourbon, beaten less than three lengths, after graduating in a one-mile maiden special weight Sept. 9 at Kentucky Downs.

Prevent, second in the Armed Forces on Gulfstream's Tapeta Nov. 4; Palm Tree, racing first time as a gelding after running seventh in the Bourbon; Ship to Shore, third in the six-furlong Smoke Glacken on dirt Sept. 9 in his latest start; Summer Storm Stric, General Ledger and Tocayo are also entered.

The post Pulpit Stakes: Pletcher Looking For Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Also-Ran Noted To ‘Bounce Back’ On Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post