Tag: Racing

Multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter Wicked Halo will attempt to win her ninth-career race in Saturday's 18th running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs.

Owned and bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds and trained by Steve Asmussen, the accomplished Wicked Halo remained based at Churchill Downs instead of shipping to California and competing in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). Wicked Halo and her rivals will go to post at 2:30 p.m. as Race 4 of 11. First post is 1 p.m.

Wicked Halo has been an ultra-consistent filly throughout her career, only finishing out of the top three positions once in 17 starts while banking $1,395,950. Recently, Wicked Halo battled Filly and Mare Sprint runner-up Yuugiri in the Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at Keeneland but lost by a scant nose at the wire. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will have the return call and break from post No. 5.

While many fillies and mares entered in the Dream Supreme have unsuccessfully faced Wicked Halo in the past, a new filly on the scene is Rigney Racing's Little Prankster, who enters the race off three-consecutive victories for trainer Phil Bauer. The daughter of Practical Joke broke her maiden by an impressive 7 ¾ lengths in late July at Saratoga and followed up that victory with two allowance wins at Saratoga and Keeneland. Hall of Famer John Velazquez will be in the irons from post 4.

Here is the Dream Supreme field in order of post positions (with jockey and trainer):

1. Your So Sillea (Corey Lanerie, Phil Sims);
2. Last Leaf (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally);
3. Fire On Time (Martin Garcia, Dale Romans);
4. Little Prankster (Velazquez, Bauer);
5. Wicked Halo (Gaffalione, Asmussen); and
6. Royal County (Charlie Oliveros, Eric Reed).

The post Wicked Halo Chasing Ninth Career Victory In Saturday’s Dream Supreme appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Nathan McCauley, Michael Olszewski and William Minton's Wise Dan Stakes (Grade 2) winner Stitched headlines an over-subscribed field of 15 turf specialists that entered Saturday's 44th running of the $300,000 River City Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile River City, scheduled to be run on the Matt Winn Turf Course, was carded as Race 10 of 11 with a post time of 5:35 p.m. (all times Eastern). Along with the River City, Saturday's program also will feature the 18th running of the $300,000 Dream Supreme (Listed). First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Greg Foley, Stitched achieved his biggest honors winning the Wise Dan three starts ago at Ellis Park. The 4-year-old son of Mizzen Mast has won six races overall and also sports stakes victories in last year's Caesar's and Mystic Lake Derby. Jockey Florent Geroux will be in the irons from post No. 9.

Among the other rivals entered to face Stitched is Calumet Farm's three-time winner Cellist. Trained by Rusty Arnold, Cellist nearly led gate-to-wire three weeks ago in the 1 ½-mile Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland but was caught in the last jump by Bold Act. Cellist will break from the rail under Martin Garcia.

Here is the complete River City field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Cellist (Garcia, Arnold);
2. F Five (James Graham Brian Lynch);
3. Red Run (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mike Maker);
4. Rockemperor (IRE) (Tyler Gaffalione, Chad Brown);
5. Kitodan (Alex Achard, Eric Foster);
6. Smokin' T (John Velazquez, Shug McGaughey);
7. Dominican Pioneer (Gerardo Corrales, Wesley Ward);
8. Grand Sonata (Luis Saez, Todd Pletcher);
9. Stitched (Geroux, Foley);
10. Injunction (Rafael Bejarano, Carlo Vaccarezza);
11. Siege of Boston (Jorge Ruiz, Jimmy Toner); and
12. Harlan Estate (Joe Ramos, Whit Beckman).

Also-eligibles: Accredit (Luan Machado, Pavel Matejka); Beatbox (Cristian Torres, Cherie DeVaux); and Street Ready (Luis Saez, Mike Maker).

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Churchill Downs on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Live racing from Churchill Downs continues through Nov. 26 on a Wednesday-Sunday schedule. Daily first post is 1 p.m. with the exception of Thanksgiving Day which has an early 11:30 a.m. start.

The post Wise Dan Winner Stitched Headlines Full Field In Saturday’s River City appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Who better to have on a front-runner than Edwin Maldonado? Answer: No one.

With Maldonado at the reins, Spendthrift Farm's Ruby Nell, despite stumbling at the break, was in complete command throughout as she took Sunday's closing day co-feature at Santa Anita, the $100,000 Autumn Miss (G3), winning by 3¼ lengths over heavily favored Anisette while getting one mile on turf in 1:32.67 and earning her first graded stakes victory.

With four scratches reducing the Autumn Miss to a field of seven sophomore fillies, Ruby Nell had a five-length advantage over 24-1 longshot Justique around the first turn and widened from there, opening up by eight lengths turning for home in a literal cakewalk on trainer Richard Mandella's 73rd birthday.

“She's really gifted, a very good filly,” Mandella said. “…She stumbled leaving the gate today and off terrible, (but) she looked so relaxed. I thought well, maybe he will tuck her right in there and she got a head of steam and when she does, she's pretty strong.”

A winner of the Unzip Me Stakes at about 6½ furlongs down the hillside turf course on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita, Ruby Nell was off as the 5-2 second choice and paid $7.60 for the win.

A daughter of Bolt d'Oro out of the Not For Love mare Rich Love, Ruby Nell, who sold for $1.2 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select (Gulfstream) Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where Tom McCrocklin consigned her, has four wins, two seconds, and a third from eight starts. With the winner's cut of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $258,520. She was bred in Kentucky by Solana Beach Sales.

“She is a very versatile filly,” said Maldonado, who notched his second win of the 19-day meet. “When we ran down the hill, naturally, there was a lot more speed than going a mile, so she kind of fell back. … We knew with the today that she was the lone speed but nevertheless, we were trying not to rush anything.

“Wherever she broke, wherever she was, we were happy with. She just won it her way today.”

Anisette was the victim of a lone speed scenario, and although she put in a good run, it wasn't nearly enough. A Grade 1 winner, British-bred Anisette outfinished Breath Away by a half-length for second.

Fractions on the race were :22.61, :45.46, 1:08.67, and 1:20.60.

The post Front-Running Ruby Nell Dominates Autumn Miss For Graded Stakes Breakthrough appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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