Tag: Racing

Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Kentucky homebred Law Professor worked Saturday for the first time since finishing third in the Woodward (G2) on October 1 at Belmont at the Big A, covering a half-mile solo in :49.41 over the Belmont Park training track for trainer Rob Atras.

“I saw the rain coming and was going to wait until tomorrow, but he went today and went really good,” said Atras. “The rider gave me a good report. We're just kind of getting him back on schedule.”

Law Professor hit the board for a second consecutive year in the Woodward, adding to a runner-up effort last year to Life Is Good when the race held Grade 1 status. This year, the Constitution dark bay tracked in third throughout under Manny Franco and was within 1 1/2 lengths of the lead at the stretch call, but could not reel in the victorious Zandon and settled for show 4 1/2 lengths back.

“I was very happy with it and thought he came back good off a little bit of a layoff,” said Atras. “He ran a good race.”

Atras said Law Professor, who captured the 2021 off-the-turf Santa Anita Mathis Mile (G2) and the Excelsior and Queens County this year at the Big A, has several options for his next start. Possible targets include the one-mile $300,000 Forty Niner (G2) on October 28 at Belmont at the Big A, the nine-furlong Fayette (G2) on the same day at Keeneland, or the 1 1/16-mile  Autumn (G2) on November 4 over the Tapeta at Woodbine.

“I'm not 100 percent sure where we're going. We did nominate for the Fayette and for the Forty Niner, but I don't think a mile is really his game,” said Atras. “The Fayette is a mile and an eighth, so we're going to look at that. He settled into Kentucky last fall pretty good, so I wouldn't worry about shipping to Keeneland. I should nominate to the race in Toronto, too. He seems like he can run on anything.”

The post Atras Considering Trio Of Graded Stakes Options For Law Professor appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gary Broad's Vergara and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Transient (GB), who ran 1-2 in the Aristocrat Ladies Marathon (G3) at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9, headline a field of nine fillies and mares entered for next Sunday's 32nd running of the $300,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) to be run at 1½ miles on the grass.

Trained by Graham Motion, who has won the Dowager three times, Vergara prevailed by three-quarters of a length at Kentucky Downs to earn her first victory of 2023 from four races. Joel Rosario, who was aboard that day, retains the mount and will exit post position 3.

Motion will have a second starter in Team Valor International's Romagna Mia (GB). A Group 2 winner last year in Italy, Romagna Mia was third in the Beverly D. (G1) in her U.S. debut at Colonial Downs on Aug. 12. John Velazquez has the mount and will exit post 6.

Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Transient, who is three times graded-stakes placed in 2023. Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount and will break from post position 9.

The field for the Rood & Riddle Dowager, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Henrietta Topham (James Graham, 121 pounds), Viva La Red (Vincent Cheminaud, 121), Vergara (Rosario, 123), Be Up (Luis Saez, 121), Personal Best (Flavien Prat, 123), Romagna Mia (GB) (Velazquez, 121), Loved Reiko (Julien Leparoux, 121), Lovely Princess (Brian Hernandez Jr., 121), Transient (GB) (Gaffalione, 121).

The post Vergara, Transient To Reoppose In Keeneland’s Dowager appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Dale Ladner's Alva Starr, runaway winner of the Prioress (G2) at Saratoga in her most recent start, headlines a field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered  for the 25th running of the $350,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) to be contested Saturday at Keeneland.

A winner of three of five races for trainer and co-breeder Brett Brinkman, Alva Starr made her graded stakes debut in the six-furlong Prioress and led all the way in posting an 8¾-length victory. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount on Alva Starr for the seven-furlong Raven Run and will exit post position 7.

Ladner and trainer and co-breeder Brett Brinkman have been down this road before.

Two years ago, they came to Keeneland for the Raven Run  with a filly they co-bred named Cilla, who had just posted a breakthrough Grade 2 victory in the Prioress.

Alva Starr, like her half-sister Cilla, comes in for the Raven Run off victory in the Prioress.

“Alva Starr is faster than Cilla,” said Brinkman, who trained both fillies for Ladner. “They are a little bit different in disposition in that Alva Starr can be a little standoffish.”

Cilla was making her 11th career start when she finished third in the Raven Run. Alva Starr will be making only her sixth start Saturday.

“She won her first start last year at Delaware Park, and I brought her here for a stakes and was not happy with how she was doing,” Brinkman said. “So I scratched her and backed off her, and it has worked out well. You can tell a big difference in her maturity.”

On Sunday morning, Alva Starr put in her final work for the Raven Run with a half-mile breeze in :49 with Gaffalione up.

“I was looking for an easy :48 or :49 and let Tyler get a feel for her,” Brinkman said. “Nothing like last week (a 5-furlong breeze in :58).”

This is not the first time a Gaffalione has ridden for Brinkman.

“Tyler's dad (Steve) rode for me at Calder when I first got my trainer's license,” Brinkman said.

Alva Starr's dam is Sittin At the Bar, who also has produced stakes winners Club Car and Jack the Umpire, the latter of whom began his career with Ladner and Brinkman.

“Dale names most of the horses,” Brinkman said. “Jack the Umpire was named after an uncle of his who was a high school baseball umpire.”

And Alva Starr?

“They filmed the movie 'This Property Is Condemned' (in 1966) in his hometown of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and the high school kids got to hang out with the actors,” Brinkman said. “Alva Starr's character was played by Natalie Wood.”

Also in the field for the Lexus Raven Run are recent Grade 3 winners Lady Radler and Vahva.

Mellow Patch Inc.'s Lady Radler posted a 23-1 upset in the seven-furlong Dogwood (G3) at Churchill Downs on Sept. 23 for trainer Michael Campbell. Jesus Castanon has the mount for the Lexus Raven Run and will break from post position 8.

Belladonna Racing, Edward Hudson Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, Nice Guys Stables and Twin Brook Stables' Vahva won the seven-furlong Charles Town Oaks (G3) as the favorite in her most recent start for trainer Cherie DeVaux. Vahva will be ridden by John Velazquez and break from post position 4.

The field for the Lexus Raven Run, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Lily Poo (Gerardo Corrales, 118 pounds), Simply Stated (Luis Saez, 118), Nom de Plume (Flavien Prat, 118), Vahva (Velazquez, 118), Apple Picker (Sheldon Russell, 118), Dazzling Blue (Florent Geroux, 118), Alva Starr (Gaffalione, 120), Lady Radler (Castanon, 118), Ancient Peace (Ricardo Santana Jr., 118).

The post Alva Starr Seeks Second Straight Graded Win In Raven Run appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Coastal Mission denied stablemate Muad'dib a third consecutive Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders' Classic win on Saturday night when cruising wire to wire en route to a comfortable 5 3/4-length triumph in the $300,000 race for 3-year-olds and older at Charles Town Races.

The Great Notion gelding took charge into the first turn under Arnaldo Bocachica and led 129-1 shot Tyry Tyrannosaurus by a length through the first half mile while Muad'dib rated in seventh. Coastal Mission extended his advantage on the far turn and opened up by 8 1/2 lengths in early stretch before coasting across the finish line for a six straight victory.

West Virginia's reigning horse of the year, Muad'dib, who took the back-to-back editions of the race in 2021 and 2022, unleashed his rally entering the far turn and advanced to third but could not get close enough to challenge Coast Mission and settled for second. Late in the Game finished another length back in third.

Sent off the 1-5 favorite in the field of 10 West Virginia-breds, Coastal Mission returned $2.40 for the win after finishing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:53.40 on a sloppy (sealed) track.

Trained by Jeff Runco, who bred and campaigns the gray/roan gelding with his wife, Susan, in the name of Coleswood Farm Inc., Coastal Mission notched his eighth win from nine start this year while scoring his third stakes of the season, all at Charles Town. His only off-the-board finish came at Laurel Park March 18 when he was fifth in the Not For Love Stakes.

Overall, Coastal Mission has won or placed in 15 of 16 career starts, his career line standing at 11-3-1. The $141,075 winner's share of purse increased his lifetime earnings to $572,728.

Coastal Mission was produced by the Crowd Pleaser mare Smart Crowd, the dam of Maryland-bred stakes winner and $535,264-earner Lewisfield, who was twice graded-placed.

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