Tag: Racing

Leon King Stable Corp.'s Bentornato maintained his perfect record Saturday while powering to a 2¾-length victory in the $200,000 Affirmed, the second leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series at Gulfstream Park.

The seven-furlong Affirmed co-headlined Saturday's 11-race program with the $200,000 Susan's Girl, a seven-furlong stakes for fillies won by R Harper Rose, in the series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions.

The Jose D'Angelo-trained Bentornato, who had previously rolled to a FSS first-leg victory in the $100,000 Dr. Fager Sept. 9, is on course for a bid to sweep of the Florida Sire Stakes series in the $300,000 In Reality at 1 1/16 miles Dec. 2 at Gulfstream.

On Saturday, Bentornato had to survive an objection and stewards' inquiry concerning crowding during the backstretch run to claim his fourth career win without a loss. The son of Valiant Minister broke alertly to vie for the early lead before jockey Emisael Jaramillo successfully managed to rate the speedy colt just to the outside of early pacesetter Esperon.

With weakening inside pressure, Bentornato assumed a clear lead on the far turn and showed the way into the stretch after briefly being challenged by Sound of the Beast. Hurricane Nelson made a late bid to the outside and Mattingly cut the corner into the stretch to enter contention, but Bentornato shook off the mild challenges and drew away to victory.

“I am so happy. We were so high on him,” D'Angelo said. “We were prepping him, not for this race but for the next one because maybe it will be harder for him. He responded very well. He didn't look too sharp and need to have the lead. Going two turns, maybe he will get slower fractions and he will be better.”

Bentornato ($3.60) collected his third straight stakes victory after running seven furlongs for the first time in 1:23.50, a final time built on fractions of 22.59 and 45.50 seconds for the first half mile.

“He's 4-for-4, but he's still a little green,” said D'Angelo, whose undefeated colt dropped over to the rail in the stretch before changing leads late. “He always wants to go close to the rail, but we can improve that.”

Mattingly, a stakes winner on Tapeta, finished second in his dirt debut, a neck ahead of Hurricane Nelson.

D'Angelo swept the first legs of the Florida Sires Stakes series with Bentornato and Welcome Back, who captured the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies. Unfortunately, Welcome Back was scratched from the Susan's Girl after sustaining a minor injury Friday night while kicking a stall wall. D'Angelo said undefeated Welcome Back will be ready to compete in the $300,000 My Dear Girl, the third leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series.

Bred by Tanma Corp, Bentornato was produced by the Put It Back mare Her Special Way and was a $170,000 purchase by Champion Equine at the OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consigned him.

The post Bentornato Survives Objection, Inquiry To Prevail In Affirmed, Stays Unbeaten appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Former classic starter Raise Cain prevailed by a head over Dr. Venkman after a stretch-long duel in the $250,000 Perryville on Saturday at Keeneland.

Trained by Ben Colebrook and ridden by Luis Saez, Raise Cain covered the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:23.58.

Verifying and Confidence Game zipped an opening half-mile in :45.69 with Dr. Venkman racing three-wide just behind the leaders and Raise Cain saving ground in fourth.

On the turn, Dr. Venkman went after the top two with Raise Cain tipping off the inside and moving just behind Dr. Venkman.

At the top of the stretch, those two hooked up with Raise Cain owning the initial momentum to stick his head in front only to have Dr. Venkman battle back to hold a narrow edge through the lane until Raise Cain pushed by for good in the final 20 yards.

Andrew and Rania Warren's Raise Cain is a Kentucky-bred son of Violence out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Belle. Winner of the one-mile Gotham (G3) by 7 1/2 lengths at 25-1 odds this spring at Aqueduct, he was unplaced in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The Perryville marked his second stakes victory and improved his record to 13-3-2-1 while boosting his earnings to $577,066 with Saturday's $153,063 check.

“His only wins were around one turn,” Colebrook said. “He got us to the (Kentucky) Derby and he's been such an overachieving horse, he really deserved it. I think (jockey) Luis Saez made the difference. He rode him great. I mean, all the riders have ridden him well, but Luis gives you that just extra little bit. That's probably what we needed today.”

Andrew Warren paid $180,000 to acquire Raise Cain at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Warrendale Sales consigned him.

Raise Cain returned $14.88 for the win. Dr. Venkman, sent off as the favorite under John Velazquez, finished 1¼ lengths in front of Post Time in third.

It was another 5½ lengths back to Loyal Company with Verifying and Confidence Game completing the order of finish.

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Vahva collared pacesetter Alva Starr in deep stretch and edged to a half-length victory in the 25th running of the $349,375 Lexus Raven Run (G2) for 3-year-old fillies Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by John Velazquez, Vahva covered the seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:23.28.

“She's been a gritty filly throughout her career but really had to run that filly down,” said DeVaux, who notched her first Keeneland stakes victory.

Velazquez said he knew favorite Alva Starr would be tough to beat but his mount was game for the win.

“I got close to the heels of the horse in front (Alva Starr), held my position, and when I pulled (Vahva) out she responded. That's all you can ask of the horses. She was there for me, and she did it all,” said Velazquez, who posted his 62nd Keeneland win, three of which have come in the Raven Run, including in 2008 with Informed Decision and 2012 with Gypsy Robin.

Alva Starr led the field of seven through an opening quarter-mile in :22.61 while under pressure from Ancient Peace with 2-1 second choice Vahva tracking in fourth. On the far turn, Vahva began to close in and by the top of the stretch it was game on between the two favorites.

Alva Starr stubbornly clung to an advantage through most of the run through the lane, yielding only inside the sixteenths pole as Vahva pushed past for the victory.

Vahva was coming off a victory in the Charles Town Oaks (G3) Aug. 25. A Kentucky-bred daughter of Gun Runner out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Holiday Soiree, Vahva improved her record to 10-4-2-2 and increased her earnings to $873,810 with Saturday's $211,575 check.

Vahva returned $7.06 for the win.

Alva Starr, stretching out to seven furlongs for the first time, finished 12½ lengths in front of third-place finisher Dazzling Blue.

“We knew we were up against a new factor (first time beyond six furlongs),” said Alva Starr's trainer, Brett Brinkman. “I am not scared to run her seven-eighths (again). She is a sprinter.

“We will probably take her home (to Fair Grounds in New Orleans) and piddle around with her, give her some time off and regroup.”

It was another half-length back to Apple Picker in fourth, with Lily Poo, Lady Radler, and Ancient Peace following in order.

Vahva was bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds, which sold her for $280,000 to DBR IV and West Point at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The post Vahva Collars Front-Running Favorite Alva Starr For Raven Run Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ghost Hero captured the biggest race on Remington Park's Oklahoma Classics Night card in fine style Friday–the $131,000 Classics Cup.

The 3-year-old Shaman Ghost colt won last year's Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and the Don McNeill Stakes last year at Remington before being soundly defeated there in the Springboard Mile to end the season. This year, he won the Lafayette at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana and Will Rogers Stakes Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., before returning to Remington Park and finishing 10th in the Oklahoma Derby (G3), but emphatically rebounded in the Classics Cup.

Under jockey Floyd Wethey Jr. Ghost Hero romped to a  7 1/4-length triumph while covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.37 on a fast track.

“He just bounced in his last race (Oklahoma Derby),” said trainer Jayde J. Gelner. “He had two big races before the Oklahoma Derby.”

Ghost Hero was sitting two lengths off the lead after a half mile in the Classics Cup, stalking pacesetter Kwontro (29-1), who eventually faded to last. Kwontro set early fractions of :23.25 for the first quarter mile and :46.93 for the half mile. Ghost Hero took over when he hit three-quarters in 1:11.67 and clocked a mile in 1:38.17.

Despite Ghost Hero's comfortable five-length led in early stretch, Wethey continued to urge on the winner through the stretch.

“I didn't want to hold anything back,” said Wethey, “and I didn't. My first win on him, I knew he was something special. I was going to stick with him (wherever he went).”

As Wethey returned to the winner's circle, he began tearing the flowers off the blanket of carnations placed over the horse's withers after the race and throwing them into the air in celebration. It was Wethey's second win of the night in the Classics, also taking the $76,000 Oklahoma Classics Lassie aboard Miss Code West.

The win marked Gelner's second trip to the winner's circle on the night, taking the $99,600 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf with Run Slewpy Run earlier in the evening. Ghost Hero gave Gelner his third career Classics win.

The 6-5 second choice, Ghost Hero is owned by Norman Stables (Robert Norman) of Thomasville, Ala. He improved his record to 13 starts, six wins, one second and one third for earnings of $326,282. He was purchased at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, where Fort Christopher's Thoroughbreds consigned him. The ticket was signed in the name of “Father and son”.

Number One Dude, as the 4-5 odds-on favorite, checked in second and was another 1 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place Absaroka (11-1), who won the race two years ago.

Ghost Hero ($4.40)  was bred in Oklahoma by Clark Brewster of Tulsa, Okla. His dam is the Super Saver mare Queen Buxley.

Also on the the Oklahoma Classics Night card, Boom Baby Flats won the $76,000 Juvenile, Dicey took the $99,600 Distaff Sprint, Stormieis Blue won the $111,000 Distaff Handicap, Fly to the Bank captured the $99,600 Sprint, and Eakly took the $99,600 OKC Turf Classic Handicap.

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