Tag: Racing

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

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have two opportunities to win the Grade 2, $200,000-guaranteed Starlet for a seventh consecutive year Saturday at Los Alamitos.

The race for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles is being offered locally for the 10th time after being run as the Hollywood Starlet (1981-2013) at Hollywood Park.

Post time is 12:30 p.m. The Starlet is the last of nine races and has an approximate post time of 4:30 p.m.

Baffert, whose streak of Starlet victories includes Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bast (2019), Varda (2020), Eda (2021) and Faiza last year, entered Nothing Like You and Grazia.

Owned by Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio and John Rogitz, Nothing Like You will be seeking her third win in a row.

The daughter of Malibu Moon filly out of the Brother Derek mare Miss Derek followed up a 6 ½ length maiden victory in her fourth career start Oct. 14 with a nose win over Tambo in the Desi Arnaz five weeks later at Del Mar. She's earned $117,160.

An Uncle Mo filly out of the Malibu Moon mare Tonasah, Grazia won her debut by 3 ¼ lengths Nov. 12 for Gandharvi LLC and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds LLC. The victory at six furlongs was worth $36,600.

Chatalas will be aiming for her third win – and second in a Grade II – for Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, Dan Agnew and William Chatalas and trainer Mark Glatt.

The daughter of Gun Runner and the Indian Charlie mare Indian Safari captured the Chandelier Oct. 7 at Santa Anita before finishing ninth in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last month. She's banked $207,200.

A 9-1 upset winner over maidens nearly a month ago, Great Forty Eight will make her stakes debut for Firebird Racing LLC and trainer Tim Yakteen. The daughter of Constitution and the Exchange Rate mare Angela's Ashes is 1-for-4 with earnings of $54,220.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella will seek his first Starlet success with two start maiden Flynn's Chance.

A Medaglia d'Oro filly out of the Bernardini mare Venetian Sonata, Flynn's Chance was third – defeated by 1 ¾ lengths – behind Great Forty Eight Nov. 12 when stretched to eight furlongs. She's earned $7,820 for Spendthrift Farm LLC.

Completing the field is Pacific Rose, who was supplemented for $7,500 by owners California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC and Dominic Savides.

Winless in four starts for trainer Doug O'Neill, the daughter of Not This Time and the Bernardini mare Naples Rose has earned $21,080. She has been fourth in three of her outings, including the Chandelier, when checking in 2 ½ lengths behind Chatalas.

From inside out, the field for the Starlet Stakes: Nothing Like You, Juan Hernandez rides, 120 pounds; Pacific Rose, Joel Rosario, 120; Flynn's Chance, Umberto Rispoli, 120; Great Forty Eight, J.G. Torrealba, 120; Chatalas, Antonio Fresu, 120 and Grazia, Flavien Prat, 120.

The post Baffert Enters Two Fillies In Pursuit Of Seventh Straight Starlet Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post