Tag: Racing

The Estate of Robert J. Amendola's Evvie Jets, who recorded her best season yet with a Grade 2 win and purse earnings of $379,338 from six starts, was withdrawn from Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and will return for a 6-year-old campaign.

Michael Amendola, son of the late Robert Amendola, said that after a family discussion the 5-year-old Twirling Candy mare is wintering at In Front Training Center in upstate New York and will return to the care of trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci and his brother and assistant Ilkay Kantarmaci in time to launch a spring campaign.

“The consensus was to keep it going for another year,” Amendola said. “My mom had a lot of influence in wanting to continue to run and we felt my dad certainly would have wanted her to run one more year, so here we are.”

Kentucky-bred Evvie Jets has become a fan and barn favorite since being claimed for $80,000 in September 2021, posting a record of 16-6-5-1 since for purse earnings of $689,708 led by wins in last year's Noble Damsel (G3) at Belmont at the Big A and a memorable head score in the Mohegan Sun Ballston Spa (G2) in August at Saratoga Race Course. During this stretch, she also captured the Plenty of Grace at the Big A and the Perfect Sting at Belmont.

She made her Grade 1 debut last out, overcoming a slow start from the outermost post 8 to finish third in the First Lady at Keeneland when less than four lengths back of the victorious Gina Romantica, who headed her Chad Brown-trained stablemate In Italian for the win. Evvie Jets earned a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“If only we'd had a better post. When you look at the head on, the gate was so far off the rail,” Amendola said. “That certainly didn't help her chances. I'm not saying we'd have got up to win, but if we could have looked In Italian in the eye. … Gina Romantica had that opportunity and just ran right by her. Still, we were real happy with that performance.

“She came out of the race great — we sent her to In Front Farm about an hour south of Saratoga,” Amendola continued. “She's been there the last two winters and she's doing great. Hopefully, she'll have a good 6-year-old campaign and she can get that Grade 1 notch on her belt.”

Evvie Jets launched her storybook season with one-mile stakes scores in the Plenty of Grace and Perfect Sting surrounding an off-the-board effort in the Beaugay (G3) when returning on shorter than usual rest at 1 1/16-miles.

She failed to fire her best effort when sixth in the Spa's restricted one-mile De La Rose on August 2, but Amendola said Kantarmaci was adamant the bay had more to give and insisted on bringing her back in the 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa (G2) just three weeks later.

“I have to take my hat off to Matt [Mertkan] and Ilkay for selecting that race,” Amendola said. “She had been doing well and we were expecting a big performance in the De La Rose but didn't get the outcome that we'd like. When she came back to the barn it was like she hadn't run, so the next morning we decided we were going to run in the Ballston Spa.”

Manny Franco picked up the mount for the Ballston Spa and utilized a perfect ground-saving trip, rallying stoutly up the rail to take command with an eighth of a mile to run and stave off multiple graded stakes winner Fluffy Socks to secure a head win in a field that included divisional stalwarts Gam's Mission [4th], Technical Analysis [5th] and Consumer Spending [6th]. The sparkling effort earned honors as WinStar Farm's Ride of the Meet.

“That was a really nice field,” Amendola said. “And for that to happen at Saratoga — a place we spent most summers when I was growing up — and to win a Grade 2 up there was really special.”

The Amendola family currently have allowance winner Arrio in training with the Kantarmacis and also own a Central Banker weanling out of the 10-time winning Jump Start mare Jump for Joy. Arrio, a 5-year-old Paynter gelding, is a turf specialist entered next week at Laurel Park and there are tempered hopes for the weanling.

“We enjoyed her mom's competitiveness and did well with her. If she has her mom's heart, we'll have fun with her,” Amendola said.

But there is little doubt that Evvie Jets is the queen of the barn.

“We're circling those big races in the spring and fall at Keeneland,” Amendola said. “We'd love to get that Grade 1 in her. Hopefully, we have five or six starts for her [next] year and each one will be more exciting than the last.”

A half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Forever Mo, Evvie Jets is out of the Consolidator mare Natchez Trace, who is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed Vermilion and stakes-winner Perfectly Clear. Evvie Jets boasts a career record of 23-7-6-3 for purse earnings of $770,868.

The post Fan Favorite, Former Claimer Evvie Jets To Stay In Training In 2024, Seek Grade 1 Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's undefeated graded stakes winner Integration set to make his New York debut in Saturday's $250,000 Hill Prince (G2), a 1 1/8-mile outer turf test for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, the Quality Road colt is perfect through two starts at Colonial Downs, drawing off to a 6 1/2-length score in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on Aug. 12 and prevailing with a five-wide run over Grade 1 winner Program Trading in the 1 1/8-mile Virginia Derby(G3) on Sept. 9.

“His two races have been really good. He had a little break as there wasn't really any place to run him that I like,” McGaughey said.

Produced by Grade 1 winner Harmonize, by Scat Daddy, the $700,000 Fasig-Tipon Saratoga Select Yearling Sale purchase from the Brookdale Sales consignment has breezed back eight times over the all-weather surface at Fair Hill Training Center, including an easy three-eighths in :39 flat Saturday.

“He's been training well out there every week on the Tapeta and he seems to like it — we'll see,” McGaughey said.

McGaughey will unveil a well-bred 2-year-old on Friday at Aqueduct in Corporate Power, a Curlin bay out of the Quality Road mare Road to Victory, who is best remembered for turning back Monomoy Girl in the 2017 Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs. Corporate Power is also a half-brother to debut maiden winner Willakenzie.

Owned by Courtlandt Farms, the $925,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase from the Gainesway consignment has breezed extensively at Belmont Park, including four works from the gate, in preparation for his debut in the Friday opener, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight sprint over the main track.

“He's training good. I'm pleased with him and pleased to get to run him,” McGaughey said. “He worked good out of the gate here the other day. We've got into him pretty good.”

Stuart Janney III's multiple graded stakes-placed Kentucky homebred Limited Liability registered a 95 Beyer for a closing sixth-place finish in Saturday's Red Smith (G2) over firm footing here.

The 4-year-old Kitten's Joy gray rallied from 10th to finish 2 3/4-lengths back of the victorious Master Piece (CHI).

“He wasn't beat that far, but he only ran in spots,” McGaughey said. “He's on his way to Florida and we'll see if we can't figure him out.”

Limited Liability has banked $417,448 through a record of 13-3-1-5.

McGaughey did enjoy success Saturday at Churchill Downs when DATTT Stable's Kentucky homebred Smokin' T made the grade in the River City (G3), a 1 1/8-mile turf test for 3-year-olds and up.

With John Velazquez up, the 4-year-old War Front colt settled in seventh but made an early move to take control at the stretch call and power through the wire a 1 3/4-length winner to register a career-best 97 Beyer.

“I was sure pleased with the way he finished up,” McGaughey said.

McGaughey said Smokin' T could come under consideration for the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

“That could be something to think about. I keep wanting to give him a rest and he won't let me. He left for Florida today,” McGaughey said.

Smokin' T sports a record of 8-3-1-4 this year, including a win in the Fasig-Tipton Lure in August at Saratoga.

The post McGaughey: Integration Set For Hill Prince; Well-Bred Corporate Power Ready For Debut appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Master Piece (CHI) registered a 99 Beyer Speed Figure from his triumph in Saturday's Red Smith (G2) going 1 3/8 miles on the Aqueduct Racetrack inner turf.

Trained by Rick Dutrow, Master Piece equaled the number he earned when capturing last year's Eddie Read (G2) at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar for his former conditioner Michael McCarthy. The 7-year-old Mastercraftsman ridgling ended a seven-race losing streak with his come-from-behind performance in the Red Smith under Jose Lezcano, fending off a late inside rally from multiple Grade 1-placed Soldier Rising to win by a neck.

“He looks good this morning; looks like he's happy,” Dutrow said. “He was good yesterday, that's for sure. He certainly liked that grass course. He got everything his way. It was a beautiful trip and a great ride. All good stuff and I hope it happens again.”

Master Piece joined Dutrow's stable earlier this summer following a pair of third-place finishes at Gulfstream Park graded stakes level for his previous trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. He made his first start for Dutrow when second in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claimer on July 4 over a yielding Widener turf at Belmont Park before finishing a distant tenth in the Arlington Million (G1) on August 12 at Colonial Downs.

Dutrow said the turnaround in form could be due to the cooler autumn weather.

“When he came into us, he got sick and he had to be taken to the clinic for a few days,” Dutrow said. “After we brought him back, he's been doing well. Sometimes the hot weather gets to him. I think he reacts to it, so I was very happy to see him run in the cool weather. I feel that he really likes that a lot better. I hope that in his next few starts he gets to run under conditions that help him.”

Saturday's winning performance could propel Master Piece to the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park, where he was seventh in last year's edition of the $1-million race, but Dutrow said he will speak to the ownership group before confirming any plans. Master Piece is owned by Michael Iavarone, Julia Iavarone, Nicholas Zoumas, Dino Baccari, Frank Argano, and Peter Douglass.

“Right now, he's just going to hang out where he is until we decide everything on him. We'll go from there,” Dutrow said.

The Red Smith conquest added to recent high-level prosperity for the Dutrow barn, which also includes a victory in last Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita with White Abarrio. The 4-year-old gray son of Race Day earned a third career Grade 1 victory in the Classic, which came three months following a score in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Owned by C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa, White Abarrio has his sights set on the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

The following day, the Dutrow-trained juvenile colt Where's Chris captured Aqueduct's listed Nashua at 19-1 odds by three-quarters of a length over two-time stakes-winner Book'em Danno.

“All three of those horses that ran big were training big,” Dutrow said. “We were very excited to watch the two white horses run. Chris was just filling in the race until he turned for home. We just had a lot of fun watching all three of them run.”

Dutrow said he would consider the $250,000 Remsen (G2) on Dec. 2 going 1 1/8miles at the Big A for Where's Chris, a son of Twirling Candy.

“He ran big the other day,” Dutrow said. “Might as well look at it. The horse looks like he's doing well.”

The post Master Piece Could Take Second Crack At Pegasus World Cup Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's homebred 4-year-old filly Wicked Halo concluded her career in style with a come-from-behind, two-length triumph over Little Prankster in Saturday's 18th running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

The victory was her eighth against stakes company in three seasons of racing, and third this year.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Steve Asmussen, Wicked Halo had a perfect trip in the six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. Relaxing in last of six down the backstretch as Your So Sillea ran the first quarter mile in :21.61, she advanced into fourth around the turn and needed a seam to get through at the top of the stretch after a half-mile in :44.75. The opening appeared and Wicked Halo shot through with ease between Your So Sillea and a fading Fire On Time. Wicked Halo took command at the three-sixteenths pole and easily turned back Little Prankster to stop the teletimer in 1:09.97.

“She's an incredibly nice filly,” Gaffalione said. “She was able to relax a little bit early and turning for home really responded nicely when I asked her.”

The win was worth $183,450 and improved Wicked Halo's career earnings to $1,579,400 with a record of 9-3-5 from 18 starts.

“We're so proud of her career and for her to go out like the winner we know she is,” Asmussen said. “This was her swan song and she'll head off to the broodmare band. She's been incredible for us on the racetrack and we're extremely proud of what she's accomplished.”

At age 2, Wicked Halo won the $200,000 Adirondack (G2). Her 3-year-old season included wins in the $158,700 Leslie's Lady Overnight Stakes and $188,500 Tepin at Churchill Downs; $250,000 Prioress (G2) and $334,500 Raven Run (G2). Earlier this year, Wicked Halo won the $250,000 Matron at Oaklawn Park and $125,000 Twin Bridges at Ellis Park.

Prior to the Dream Supreme, Wicked Halo finished a nose back of eventual Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) runner-up Yuugiri in the $350,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at Keeneland on Oct. 7.

Wicked Halo, the odds-on 4-5 favorite, returned $3.66 for the win.

Little Prankster, the 8-5 second choice, held on for second,  2 1/4 lengths to the good of third-place finisher Last Leaf. Your So Sillea, Fire On Time, and Royal County completed the order of finish.

Wicked Halo is a 4-year-old daughter of Gun Runner out of the Tapit mare Just Wicked and was bred in Kentucky.

Asmussen won the Dream Supreme for a record-extending fifth time. His other wins came with Savorthetime (2004), Speedinthruthecity (2014), Vertical Oak (2018) and Mia Mischief (2019). Winchell Thoroughbreds also campaigned Speedinthruthecity.

The Dream Supreme is named after the six-time graded stakes winner who won the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs in 2001. Trained by Bill Mott, Dream Supreme won two Grade I sprints in her 16-race career and earned $1,007,680 between 1999-2001.

The post Wicked Halo Wins Dream Supreme In Racing Swan Song, To Start Broodmare Career appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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