Tag: Racing

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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Four-year-old filly Dolce Zel (FR), making her first start in more than 11 months, overcame a gate incident just prior to the break and went on to tally by three-quarters of a length Saturday in the $85.100 Kathryn Crosby Stakes, the feature on the Veterans Day card at Del Mar.

Owned by the partnership of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Robert LaPenta, and Michael Caruso, Dolce Zel earned the $49,860 lion's share of purse in the overnight stakes, boosting her lifetime earnings to $381,515.

Dolce Zel – starting from post 5 with Flavien Prat – reacted when Gandora in post 6 broke through the gate early and ran off for a sixteenth of a mile. But though she, too, went through the gate early, Prat was able to snuggle her down and not let her go far.

Both fillies were reloaded and broke cleanly. While Dolce Zel went on to win, Gandora showed speed but backed up to finish sixth.

Running second in the mile turf test was Yerwanthere (IRE), who bested Nadette (FR) by a neck.

Dolce Zel, the 5-2 favorite, returned $7 to win after covering the grassy mile in 1:35.95.

The bay filly is by Zelzal out of the Dr Fong mare Dolce Attesa. She was bred by Scuderia Micolo Di Nicola Galli and C. SNC.

KATHRYN CROSBY QUOTES

JOCKEY FLAVIEN PRAT (Dolce Zel, winner) – “The horse next to me when through the gate early and my horse thought it was time to go. But we got back settled and everything went OK after that. When I squeezed her, she accelerated nicely.”

TRAINER PHIL D'AMATO (Dolce Zel, winner) – “That's the first time I've had a horse break through the gate and win. I give credit to Flavien (Prat) for catching her really quickly out of there. The six (horse) popped prematurely and caused our horse (to jump) but Flavien did a masterful job of saving her and giving her a beautiful ride after that. This is her first race in almost a year. She got the right spot here, and hopefully we can keep improving.”

FRACTIONS: :23.65 :48.31 1:12.82 1:24.65 1:35.95

The post Dolce Zel Breaks Through Gate Before Winning Return In Kathryn Crosby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Millie Girl, under Rafael Hernandez, made it two straight Grade 3 triumphs when taking the $150,00 Maple Leaf Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, who co-owns (through her Kingfield Racing Stable Ltd.) with Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds, the 5-year-old daughter of Hard Spun out of the Smart Strike mare Mendocino Beano entered the Maple Leaf off a hard-fought head score in the Ontario Matron (G3) on October 14.

Winner of her first two starts, both on turf, last summer at Woodbine, Millie Girl was just as impressive this time.

Sent off as the 6-5 choice in the 1¼-mile Tapeta test for fillies and mares, Millie Girl was near the back of the 12-horse field early. It was 64-1 Inventing who grabbed the lead, followed by Ever Smart and Il Malocchio, last year's Maple Leaf winner, and clicked off an opening quarter in :23.69.

Inventing widened her advantage over her closest pursuers to TK lengths through a half in :47.59, while Rafael Hernandez, aboard Millie Girl, was content to watch the proceedings from in 10th.

Still on top but holding a precarious lead swinging off the turn for home, Inventing was confronted by a host of closers, including Millie Girl, Solo Album, and Indy Champagne. It was Millie Girl who was traveling best of all, going from a charging fourth at the stretch call to a comfortable two-length winner. Solo Album was second, a length in front of Angelou. Indy Champagne was fourth.

The final time was 2:03.53.

“I tried to be as close as I could to the rail to save ground,” said Hernandez. “It was a big field, so I just tried to keep it clear, same situation with so many horses. I had her where I wanted. I didn't want to be too far back. I want to be involved a little bit in the race. I know she always gives me everything. She showed up today like last time and gave her whole heart.”

“She's such a special filly, she's a little quirky as you could see,” added Day Phillips. “She behaved better today in the winner's circle but then had enough. When she's had enough, she's had enough. She's very strong-willed.”

Bred in Ontario by Sean Fitzhenry, the dark bay mare, who was contesting her fifth consecutive graded affair, has never finished lower than third in her 10-race career, posting a 5-2-3 mark.

“Our plan is to race her next season and we're looking forward to it,” noted Day Phillips, of the $67,000 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale purchase in 2021.

Millie Girl paid $4.50 for the win.

The post ‘Strong-Willed’ Millie Girl Charges To Maple Leaf Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Loyalty, under Kazushi Kimura, got back to her winning ways in Saturday's US$131,675 Bessarabian Stakes (G2) at Woodbine.

It was a spirited start to the seven-furlong main track race for fillies and mares, with 103-1 Owen's Tour Guide emerging on top, followed by the quartet of Miss Dracarys, Collecting Flatter, Ready To Venture (GB), and Love to Shop. Owen's Tour Guide owned a half-length lead over Miss Dracarys through an opening panel timed in :23.11, while Loyalty sat seventh of 13.

Owen's Tour Guide still led the pack through a half-mile in :45.67 but was confronted by a host of rivals into the turn for home. Loyalty, trained by Josie Carroll, had loomed into contention, gathering up steam between foes and bursting through with authority to take aim at the leaders.

A head back of Our Flash Drive (last year's winner) at the stretch call, the 4-year-old daughter of Hard Spun out of the Elusive Quality mare Slew's Quality went on to record a 1½-length triumph in a time of 1:22.27.

Love to Shop was second, a neck clear of late-running Dolce Sopresa, also conditioned by Carroll. Our Flash Drive was fourth.

“Last time, there were only a few horses in the front, and she was aggressive from the beginning,” said Kimura. “But today, there were so many front-0runners that fortunately we could set up behind and she was so comfortable from behind and she finished up strong.”

It was the first victory for Loyalty since July 23 when she earned her first graded crown in the Hendrie (G3). She was fourth in the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) on September 18 and third in the Ontario Fashion (G3) on October 14. The dark bay also won last year's Lady Erie Stakes at Presque Isle and the 2022 edition of the Alywow Stakes at Woodbine.

“I thought she was extremely tenacious today,” praised Carroll. “She had every reason not to dig in, she was kind of shuffling around there a little bit and then she pinned her ears and away she went. It's pretty exciting when you get to handle a horse like that.”

Owned by Gainesway Stable and LNJ Foxwoods, Loyalty was bred in Florida by Best A Luck Farm LLC and Godolphin LLC. She was a $270,000 purchase by Solis/Litt at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Gainesway consigned her.

She is now 7-0-2 from 11 career starts with purse earnings of $398,647.

Loyalty, the slight 3-1 choice, paid $8.10 for the win.

Two races earlier on the Woodbine card, Hard Spun's daughter Millie Girl won the $US124,500 Maple Leaf (G3) for fillies and mares.

The post Loyalty Surges From Midpack For Bessarabian Win, Caps Woodbine Graded Double For Hard Spun appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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