Tag: Racing

Dream Team One Racing Stable's Kentucky homebred Hoist the Gold became racing's newest millionaire with a powerful front-running score in Saturday's $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Dallas Stewart and piloted by John Velazquez, who suggested targeting the one-turn mile for 3-year-olds and up, Hoist the Gold zipped through splits of :22.41, :44.88 and 1:09.04 through six furlongs over the muddy and sealed track and powered home 4 1/2-lengths clear of the late-running Senor Buscador.

Hoist the Gold, a 4-year-old Mineshaft colt, won the six-furlong Phoenix (G2) in October at Keeneland with Velazquez aboard, but faltered to sixth last out when exiting post 3-of-8 in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park.

“What a race. Johnny picked the right race for us,” said Stewart. “He told us at Breeders' Cup the horse doesn't like dirt in his face. He said, 'Just let me ride him the way I want – run him a mile at Aqueduct and he won't get beat.' He was 100 percent right.”

Hoist the Gold, carrying 121 pounds, put away pace-pressing Pipeline and opened up by five lengths at the stretch call with a rail-riding Coastal Mission trying and failing to cut into the margin. Senor Buscador, who was last-of-12 early under Junior Alvarado, had saved ground down the backstretch but tipped eight-wide turning for home and began to pick off rivals one-by-one. Senor Buscador rallied gamely but there was no reeling in Hoist the Gold, who stopped the clock in a final time of 1:34.28.

It was 4 1/4-lengths back to 32-1 longshot Castle Chaos in third with Three Technique, Coastal Mission, Offaly Cool, Dr Ardito, High Oak, Pipeline, Accretive, Everso Mischievous and Cascais rounding out the order of finish.

Stewart credited Velazquez for executing a perfect trip.

“At the eighth pole, he kicked in another gear and got in front of them some more,” Stewart said. “He made that separation and that's the sign of a good horse. I just hate that they took the Grade 1 away, but he showed he's a good horse and we'll take the $500,000 and head down the road.”

Velazquez, who won this event last year with Mind Control, said he felt confident turning for home.

“Right before the quarter pole, I didn't feel anybody around me. I was like, 'Man, they're going to have to really run because I know when he switch the lead, he goes on again,'” said Velazquez, who notched his fourth Cigar Mile win following additional success with Left Bank [2001] and Tonalist. “I didn't feel anybody, but I made him switch the lead and made sure he keep his mind running, because when he gets to the stretch, he runs but he gets out at the same time. I had to keep him busy as well.”

The Todd Fincher-trained Senor Buscador closed from last-of-9 to take the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 San Diego Handicap in July at Del Mar and utilized those same deep-closing tactics in his next three outings – all in Grade 1 company – when fourth in the 10-furlong Pacific Classic at Del Mar, third in the nine-furlong Awesome Again at Santa Anita and seventh, defeated 5 1/4-lengths by the victorious White Abarrio last out in the 10-furlong Breeders' Cup Classic.

Although the 5-year-old, also by Lane's End stallion Mineshaft, raced closer to the pace when taking the one-turn mile Grade 3 Ack Ack last October at Churchill Downs, he could see them all after the opening quarter-mile with Alvarado aboard for the first time..

“He fell back. I didn't want to change his running style, I let it be,” Alvarado said. “At the turn, I started picking it up, I tried to see if I could find any room between horses on the inside and there was nothing. There was just too many horses there so I had to swing outside and I knew at that point I was running for second, but I had to still give it a try. He was game, the track was against him today, and he still put up a good effort.”

Hoist the Gold, out of the Tapit mare Tacit Approval, enjoyed Grade 1-placings at seven-furlongs when third in the Malibu last December at Santa Anita and with a runner-up effort to Cody's Wish in the Churchill Downs in May.

He banked $275,000 in the Cigar Mile to take his career earnings in excess of $1.1 million and improve his record to 26-5-6-3. Hoist the Gold returned $19.40 for a $2 win bet.

The post Freewheeling Hoist The Gold Cruises To Cigar Mile Win, Tops Exacta For Sire Mineshaft appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Dr B made every pole a winning one as she successfully defended her title in Saturday's $200,000 Go for Wand (G3), a one-turn mile for fillies and mares at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Butch Reid, Jr. for Cash is King and LC Racing and piloted by Jose Lezcano, the 5-year-old Liam's Map bay operated on a short lead on the muddy and sealed track over the stalking Gerrymander but continued to find more throughout, opening up by four lengths at the stretch call en route to a 3 3/4-length score over Tizzy in the Sky.

“The track's playing to speed and she likes the track very much, a track just like this – a little moisture on the track, close to the same track last year, I believe. It worked out well,” said Reid.

Dr B set splits of :22.56, :45.06 and 1:09.78 with Gerrymander in second and Tizzy in the Sky watching patiently from third. Gerrymander was given her cue by Jose Ortiz through the turn as the 3-2 mutuel favorite Good Sam was asked to launch her rally by Irad Ortiz Jr.

Dr B put away Gerrymander at the top of the lane and was relishing the wet going as she powered away from her rivals to score in a final time of 1:36.49. The Luis Saez-piloted Tizzy in the Sky pounced to complete the exacta by one length over the late-charging New York-bred Venti Valentine with Good Sam, who was reported to have bled, and Gerrymander rounding out the order of finish. Saddle Up Jessie and Know It All Audrey were scratched.

Lezcano said the swift fractions didn't hamper Dr B.

“Yes it was moving, you know, but I think she is a very nice filly. She ran hard the whole way around,” Lezcano said. “She was very comfortable the first half and I started asking a little bit, but she did pretty good for the whole way almost around.”

It was the first victory in six starts this season for Dr B, who finished second in both the Grade 3 Vagrancy in May at Belmont Park and the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap in July at Saratoga Race Course. She arrived from a distant fourth in the when taking on the boys in the Parx Dirt Mile on September 23.

Reid said Dr B, a gate-to-wire winner in last year's Go for Wand over sloppy and sealed footing, benefited from a short break after the Parx Dirt Mile.

“We sent her to the farm for three or four weeks at Patty Hogan's place over in Jersey,” Reid, Jr. said. “The grass was nice and she really prospered, put on some weight and came back fresh for just the short break that it was.

“To hold her form that long – we gave her some time off after this race last year – it's just great that she's still maintaining this level of competition to be able to compete at this level,” he added. “She's just been an iron mare from the day we got her and has held that way so far.”

Dr B, out of the graded stakes-placed Proud Citizen mare Boleyn, is a half-sister to Reid-trained stakes winner Stand Up Comic as well as stakes-winner Hi Holiday.

Reid said Dr B, if she stays in training, could point to the Interborough in January at Acqueduct with a longer-term goal of the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie on Feb. 17 at Laurel Park.

“It's possible,” Reid said. “We have our eye on the Barbara Fritchie as maybe one of her big dates we'd like to see. We'll need a race somewhere in between there and here, so that's a definite possibility.”

The Todd Pletcher-trained Tizzy in the Sky arrived from a close runner-up effort in Aqueduct's nine-furlong Turnback the Alarm on Nov. 3.

“I thought we were going to be on the lead, but it seemed like when she broke from there, she didn't really want to do nothing,” Saez said. “I had to be after her the whole way, but she kept coming. When we got to the top of the stretch she gave me a little run, but I don't know, I feel like she needs to go more distance.”

Bred in Kentucky by Eico Ventures, Dr B banked $110,000 in victory while improving her record to 22-6-7-2. She returned $10.40 for a $2 win bet.

The post ‘Ran Hard The Whole Way’: Dr B Makes All In Go For Wand Repeat appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Many of the trainers and owners running horses in Saturday's eight Claiming Crown races already won a critical competition before the starting gate even opens at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots: They got the horse at the claim box.

With shrinking foal crops and enhanced purses in areas such as Kentucky, New York and Arkansas, there has never been more demand for a competitive claiming horse, the backbone of American racing. The Claiming Crown was created 25 years ago by the National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association (NHBPA) and the Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders of America (TOBA) to spotlight those horses with their own big-money day.

The 25th Claiming Crown — this year worth a total of $1 million and staged with support from the Louisiana HBPA — clearly has encouraged some owners to seek out horses with this day in mind.

“A lot of guys gear up for this day,” said trainer Robertino Diodoro, whose seven Claiming Crown entrants include three contenders for the $200,000 Jewel in Flying P Stable's Saqeel and Frosted Grace and Ken Ramsey's King's Ovation. “Two of my bigger guys, Flying P and Ken Ramsey, have had success at the Claiming Crown and just love it. Jason Provenzano has mentioned it to me at least once a week for four months about having Frosted Grace for the Claiming Crown. Flying P last winter would say, 'How about this horse (to claim)? He'd be eligible for the Claiming Crown next year.' It was nine or 11 months away, but it shows you how excited some of the owners are and how much pride they take in running in it.”

“It's a big day and very important to a lot of owners. The blue-collar horses get to be the spotlight of the day and run for good money. You have to have blue-collar horses in this game, for sure, for spectators, owners and trainers. They're a big part of our game.”

Claiming a horse is one of the quickest and most effective ways to get new owners into the game – or to bring lapsed owners back. Claim a horse, and you could see it run back in your silks in a matter of weeks.

The concept is relatively straightforward: Claiming races have, as a race condition, a set price tag on the horses to encourage running horses of approximately the same value/ability against each other. If an owner (usually represented by his or her trainer) decides they want one of the horses in the field, they fill out a form – and make sure they have the money to pay for it in their horsemen's account — before the race goes off.

The original owner gets any purse money the horse accrues in the race. But afterward, horses that had valid claims submitted walk back to a new barn. If multiple people drop a claim on the same horse, there's a “shake” – akin to drawing straws – to see who wins.

For example, owner Paul Parker and trainer/co-owner Jeff Hiles needed to win a 13-way shake to get Time for Trouble, the favorite in Saturday's $75,000 Ready's Rocket Express, for $8,000 on June 18, 2021 at Churchill Downs. He was one of five horses claimed out of the race. Time for Trouble has not run in another race since where he could be claimed, that includes winning last year's Ready's Rocket Express at Churchill Downs.

Starter-allowance races such as the Claiming Crown are restricted to horses that have started for a certain claiming price or cheaper in a specified time frame. But there is no claiming involved, making starter races attractive to those who don't want to risk losing their horse.

The complexities of the claiming game increase when horses' eligibility for starter races expires. If they're put in another claiming race to make them re-eligible for starter competition, there's a good chance they'll be claimed. On the other hand, horsemen need to run in spots where they can make money to stay in business. Running a horse over its head repeatedly just to hang on to it doesn't do the owner, trainer or the horse any good.

So it's one thing to claim a horse with the Claiming Crown in mind and another to still have it come Claiming Crown day.

Mike Maker, the all-time leading Claiming Crown trainer with 21 victories, and his fellow horsemen Diodoro, Chris Hartman and Joe Sharp are all over Saturday's Claiming Crown entries. Maker and Diodoro entered seven apiece, Sharp six and Hartman four.

Then there are all the horses racing Saturday that those guys used to train. Take Invaluable — and a lot of people did just that.

Now 6, Invaluable won last year's Claiming Crown Glass Slipper for Maker but will start this year for Sharp, who claimed her two races ago. The Claiming Crown was only Invaluable's second start for Maker, who took the mare off Diodoro for $32,000 at Saratoga in a race where all four horses were claimed. The prior winter, Diodoro had taken Invaluable off Hartman for $30,000 at Oaklawn, a race in which five of eight starters changed hands.

“That one hurts,” Diodoro said of losing Invaluable, the 2022 National HBPA Claiming Horse of the Year. “I loved that mare. I didn't want to lose her. She's as honest as they come. We could have tried to hold her out for the Claiming Crown. But you get to Saratoga, the owners want to win, the purses are big. You can't just 'protect' these horses. You've got to run them where they can win – and there's a pretty good chance you're going to lose them at the claim box.”

The home run is getting a horse that improves to where it can run well in allowance and stakes races. That's the case with Frosted Grace, a $32,000 claim a year ago who has made $382,860 for Flying P in 2023, including winning Lone Star Park's Grade 3 Steve Sexton Mile.

Three other Diodoro-trained horses will make their first start for the barn Saturday, having been claimed specifically for the Claiming Crown. One, Pens Street in the Glass Slipper, has been claimed in three of her last four races.

The $75,000 Iron Horse Kent Stirling Memorial will be the second start for Diodoro with $40,000 claim On a Spree, who changed hands six times in his prior seven starts, including spending one race apiece for Hartman and Sharp.

“The claiming game gives everyone a chance,” said Eric Hamelback, CEO of the National HBPA. “There's often not a lot that separates blue blood from blue collar. Horses every day outrun their pedigrees. High price tags bring high expectations, but sometimes those horses simply aren't good enough for top-level company. That doesn't mean they aren't still good, productive horses. And sometimes horses' form goes off to where they're put in a claiming race to get them back on track. Like Emerald favorite Therapist.”

That New York-bred gelding, an eight-time stakes-winner at the time, was claimed for $25,000 and then for $50,000 in his next start by Maker in January. Therapist now has won three races for new owner Michael Dubb, including the Grade 1 United Nations.

Hamelback noted that Glass Slipper favorite Samarita was a $1,000 yearling who has won her past six races and that Claiming Crown Jewel favorite Money Supply cost $400,000 as a yearling but clearly didn't fit into his original owner's program geared toward the classic races.

“The same mare, Tokyo Time, produced $3 million-earner Olympiad a year after she foaled Iron Horse contender Mau Mau,” Hamelback said. “He lost his first six starts, was put in a $30,000 claiming race, won that day and was claimed and has since raced successfully at his level for several different trainers. There are a lot more Mau Maus than Olympiads. They are good racehorses at their level and bring a lot of joy to their owners and barns. We celebrate them all with the Claiming Crown.”

The post Claiming Crown: Just Getting A Horse Here Can Be A Victory In Itself appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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