Tag: Racing

Multiple Maryland-bred champion filly Luna Belle, a five-time stakes winner that has gone unraced since last spring, is set to launch her long-awaited comeback in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Million Distaff at Laurel Park.

The Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and older and $100,000 Sprint for 3-year-olds and up, both going seven furlongs, are among eight stakes and four starter stakes on the 38th Jim McKay Maryland Million program, 'Maryland's Day at the Races' celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state.

Highlighted by the $150,000 Classic for 3-year-olds and up, first race post time is 11:30 a.m.

Owned by Deborah Greene and trainer Hamilton Smith and bred by Smith, Greene and her late father, Fred Greene Jr., Luna Belle will be racing for the first time in 513 days in the Distaff after having her five-stakes win streak snapped in last spring's Black-Eyed Susan (G2), her graded debut.

“She came up with some minor problems,” Smith said. “She came out of the Black-Eyed Susan with some bone bruising and we had to give her time for that. After one thing or another we got her back into training. We were debating whether to not run her anymore and sell her as a broodmare in foal, and she did not catch.

“We decided to put her back into training and if she did well, we'd go ahead run her and then decide whether we want to sell her or not,” he added. “We have her booked in Kentucky in November, so this race will have a lot to say about whether we want to sell or keep her.”

The Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale is scheduled for Nov. 8-16.

Luna Belle is by Great Notion, who has had at least one Maryland Million winner for 13 straight years. Fourth by a length following a tough trip in last year's Lassie, she won the Maryland Juvenile Fillies to cap a campaign where she was voted the state's top 2-year-old female. She began her 3-year-old championship season with wins in the Xtra Heat, Wide Country, Beyond the Wire and Weber City Miss, all at Laurel, the latter earning her an automatic berth in the Black-Eyed Susan.

“When she had that streak of wins, she pretty much dominated,” Smith said. “Watching the replays of her races, she got in some traffic jams and stuff where a normal horse wouldn't have recovered and run as well as she did. But once she got loose, she just exploded. She was just much the best at that point in time.”

Luna Belle has been working steadily for her comeback since early August, posting nine times breezes at Laurel capped by back-to-back five-furlong bullet moves in 59.60 seconds Sept. 29 and Oct. 6.

“We're very pleased with the way she's doing right now, so hopefully she'll run her race,” Smith said. “I'd like to have gotten a race into her before the Maryland Million, but it didn't happen. She's been training well and her works have been pretty consistent, pretty strong. Hopefully she'll come back and be as competitive as she was last spring. That would be nice. If she does that then she'll run well.”

Smith also entered Mens Grille Racing's Response Time, a 5-year-old mare that has earned six of her eight career wins at Laurel, was second to Grade 3-placed Beguine in the July 29 Alma North, and exits a 1 ¼-length triumph in the 6 ½-furlong Timonium Distaff over multiple stakes winner Malibu Beauty, also entered in the Distaff.

“She ran well last time. Going around that bullring you never know how they'll perform, but she handled it well. That was one of her better races. She sat off the lead a little bit, then took the lead and went on with it and was pulling away there at the end,” Smith said. “She's been a consistent horse all year, running real well. We expect her to run well again Saturday.”

Among those lining up against Luna Belle are multiple stakes winners Fille d'Esprit and Malibu Moonshine. Happy Face Racing Stable's Malibu Moonshine, Maryland's champion 2-year-old filly of 2022, won the Maryland Juvenile Fillies and Gin Talking to cap last season and ran third in the Feb. 5 Ruthless before going to the sidelines. Based in New York, she returned to be eighth in the seven-furlong Miss Disco July 29 at Laurel.

CJI Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm's Fille d'Esprit is a 15-time career winner, 13 at Laurel, and is 2-for-3 this year after a 2022 campaign that saw her win five stakes including the Distaff and run third in the Barbara Fritchie (G3). Second in the Fritchie Feb. 18, she returned a winner Sept. 29 at Laurel to push her lifetime bankroll to $777,881.

Fille d'Esprit's Jerry Robb-trained stablemate, 2022 Lewes winner Mama G's Wish; Mavilus, winner of the 2022 Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap; Sweet Gracie, third in last year's Distaff; Moonboots and Quiet Imagination are also entered.

Maryland-breds on the also-eligible list are Intrepid Daydream, a winner of two straight including Laurel's Shine Again Sept. 16, Isabella's Glory and Canoodle.

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Hazelbrook, Canada's 2022 champion female sprinter, will defend her title in Saturday's $150,000 Ontario Fashion (G3) Presented by Tanqueray at Woodbine.

A six-furlong main track event for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and upward, the Ontario Fashion has attracted 11 starters.

Trained by Lorne Richards, Hazelbrook, 6-2-2 from 13 starts, won last year's race by three-quarters of a length as the 2-5 choice.

Although winless from three starts (sixth, third and sixth) in her 5-year-old campaign, the daughter of Bayern-Zaphia, who has had to contend with digestive complications throughout her racing career, is doing well ahead of the Ontario Fashion.

“With all the issues she's had to deal with, she's always gone out there and given a very honest effort,” said Richards. “There is no reason she can't run well this weekend.”

Saturday's race will likely be the final appearance for Hazelbrook, who is headed for the upcoming Keeneland Sale on November 7.

Bred in Kentucky by Mike Bilbrey, she is Hip No. 20, listed as a racing or broodmare prospect.

“We have her in the sale there, so this is probably her last race,” said Richards. “It's been a tough journey for her. She's been a nice horse and none of those issues were her fault. You feel bad she's had to go through all that. I like her.”

Hazelbrook posted a 4-2-0 mark from six starts en route to her Sovereign recognition last year. Her 2022 triumphs also included stakes scores in the Hendrie (G3), at 26-1, and the Sweet Briar Too.

Owned by True North Stable, she debuted with a third-place effort in a six-furlong main track race at Woodbine on November 7, 2020, in her only start of the year.

Hazelbrook returned to racing the following September and proceeded to rhyme off two straight wins.

Richards, whose top horses have included Financingavailable, a multiple stakes winner, who took the 2007 Ontario Fashion and is a three-time Sovereign Award recipient, graded stakes-placed Stormy Rush, stakes winner Dancingall Theway, and graded stakes winner Sheila's Prospect, is hoping Hazelbrook can come up with a big effort on Saturday.

“I liked her from the very start. The only thing is that she's very quirky. She has had those issues with her digestive system for a while, so that's something we've had to monitor closely. The clinic in Guelph told me it's kind of like colitis. It's something where you have to take it day-by-day, but there's no denying she has plenty of talent. She can be high-strung, so we do our best. But I'm not going to complain. She shows up every time.”

Other starters include multiple graded stakes winner Our Flash Drive, graded stakes winners Ready to Venture (GB), and Loyalty, and stakes winner Spun Glass.

Field for the Ontario Fashion (Race 10)

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Souper Munnings – Ryan Munger – Ian Wilkes

2 – Ready to Venture (GB) – Rafael Hernandez – Michael Stidham

3 – Hazelbrook – Jason Hoyte – Lorne Richards

4 – Spun Glass – Luis Contreras – Michael Trombetta

5 – Hard Edge – Eswan Flores – Stuart Simon

6 – Loyalty – Kazushi Kimura – Josie Carroll

7 – Our Flash Drive – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

8 – Vantarsi – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

9 – Time for an Angel (S) – Declan Carroll – W. John Bourke

10 – Awesome Treat – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Steve Attard

11 – Artie's Princess – Sahin Civaci – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

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Arashi will go after his second straight score when he goes postward in Saturday's $250,000 Cup & Saucer Stakes at Woodbine.

A 1 1/16-mile event for Canadian-foaled 2-year-olds run over the E.P. Taylor turf, the 86th running of the Cup & Saucer has drawn 10 hopefuls, including Arashi, an Ontario-bred son of Karakontie (JPN)-Don't Tell Lou.

Bred and owned by Sangreal Investments, LLC, the bay finished fifth in his debut, a 6 ½-furlong sprint over the E.P. Taylor on July 23.

One race later, the Gail Cox trainee fought on gamely to finish second in a one-mile race over the same surface but was elevated to first after an inquiry.

“I think he's a very nice horse who is also very mature when he runs,” said Cox. “He'll go through traffic, he doesn't care where he is in the race, and he'll run hard. His pedigree and how he runs shows that he is a turf horse. I like him. He did become a winner because someone got their number taken down – and that horse didn't interfere with us – but I still think Arashi ran a very big race there.”

Cox, who won the 2011 edition of the Cup & Saucer with Hard Not to Like, is pleased with how her rookie gelding is coming into his first stakes test.

“He had really worked quite well heading into his first start and then on from there. I have trained others from the family that weren't as good, so when he first came to us, you weren't expecting a lot.”

Arashi, which means storm in Japanese, has had a series of steady works ahead of Saturday's engagement, including a five-furlong breeze, in :59.00 over the Woodbine Tapeta on October 7.

“He actually has an odd personality. He's quite mean, very mean, but good when you're on him, which is the important part. In the stall, not so much. You have to be very careful in the stall. I don't know why, but now we have a good system in place with him. He paddocks wells, he's good in the gate, and he's not worried where other horses are. He's trained forwardly every start. He's a very good work horse.”

The groom is Carlos Balbuena.

Other hopefuls include the Mark Casse trio English Jubilee, Magic Slips, and My Boy Prince, and Kevin Attard trainees King Rosso, War Painter, and Zippy Gizmo.

Hall of Fame trainer Jim Day has won 10 editions of the Cup & Saucer, including seven straight runnings from 1984-1990.

Saturday's 11-race card also features the $150,000 Ontario Fashion (G3) and $150,000 Ontario Matron (G3).

The Cup & Saucer is slated as the eighth race. First post time is 1:15 p.m. Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com, bet365, and the Dark Horse Bets app.

Cup & Saucer Stakes

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – King Rosso – Kazushi Kimura – Kevin Attard

2 – Arashi – Justin Stein – Gail Cox

3 – My Boy Prince – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

4 – English Jubilee – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

5 – Pontiac – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Barbara Minshall

6 – Magic Slips – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

7 – War Painter – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard

8 – Awesome Entry – Eswan Flores – Krista Cole-Simpson

9 – Bearing Down – Luis Contreras – Philip Hall

10 – Zippy Gizmo – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard

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Michael J. Ryan's Grade 1-placed Irish homebred Be Your Best will look to return to winning form in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sands Point, a nine-furlong inner turf route for sophomore fillies, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Horacio De Paz, the Muhaarar bay returns to New York following a runner-up effort on August 19 in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. Although cross-entered in Saturday's Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, De Paz said Be Your Best will race at Aqueduct.

Be Your Best exited post 9-of-10 under Juan Hernandez in the Del Mar Oaks and closed from sixth position with a menacing four-wide move through the final turn to finish 2 3/4-lengths back of the victorious Anisette, who exited that effort to finish second against elders in Saturday's Grade 2 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita Park.

“It was a very good effort on her part, especially flying out there to Del Mar,” De Paz said. “The winner, Anisette, is a really nice filly. We didn't get to save all the ground around there like she did – she [Anisette] had a dream trip and the rail opened up for her. But, a good effort on our part, for our filly.”

Be Your Best made her first two starts at Saratoga Race Course, graduating impressively last July and following last September with a 3 3/4-length score in the P. G. Johnson over good going. She completed her 2-year-old campaign with a third-place finish over yielding ground in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo last October here ahead of a troubled ninth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November at Keeneland.

Be Your Best has made four starts this year, all in graded company, including a close runner-up effort in June at Belmont Park in the Grade 2 Wonder Again won by a neck by Prerequisite, who is entered in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup. That effort was followed by a disappointing ninth-place finish less than one month later in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational.

“She ran a winning race that day, so it was good to see that effort,” De Paz said of the Wonder Again try. “We just came back too quick in the Belmont Oaks. She regressed and that told us she just needs more time between races, which showed when we went out to California.”

Be Your Best has breezed back four times over the Belmont dirt training track since the Del Mar Oaks, including a half-mile effort in 48.83 seconds on October 5.

“She's maintained very well and is healthy and doing really good. I'll probably just gallop her into the race. She's fit and ready to go,” De Paz said. “I breezed her early last week anticipating the rain and the week prior we missed a breeze because of the weather. But, she's good to go and she doesn't need to do anything more.”

With more rain in the forecast this weekend, De Paz said his filly shouldn't mind a little cut in the ground.

“She ran at Saratoga on good turf and she handled that,” De Paz said. “I think she'll be OK.”

Manny Franco, aboard for the Wonder Again effort, has the call from post 4.

Godolphin's Irish homebred Eternal Hope [post 7, Jamie Spencer] will face four returning rivals from her deep-closing score last out in the 11-furlong Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational on September 16 here for trainer Charlie Appleby.

The Teofilo chestnut was away last-of-7 under Jamie Spencer in the 11-furlong test and trailed as many as 23 lengths back before rallying six-wide down the lane to secure a neck score over Neecie Marie.

Eternal Hope captured the 12-furlong Oaks Trial over the Lingfield synthetic in May ahead of a distant seventh in the Group 1 Epsom Oaks in June. She entered the Jockey Club Oaks from a third-place finish in the 10-furlong Group 2 Prix Alec Head over soft going on August 20 at Deauville, finishing 1 1/2-lengths back of the victorious Group 1-winner Jannah Rose. The runner-up of that event, Lumiere Rock, came back to win the Group 2 Blandford at The Curragh. Lumiere Rock and Jannah Rose ran third and seventh, respectively, last out on October 1 in the Group 1 Prix de L'Opera at Longchamp.

Eternal Hope is out of the Dubawi mare Voice of Truth, who is a half-sister to multiple group-winner and sire Rio de La Plata.

Michael Milam's Neecie Marie [post 5, Abner Adorno] returns for another crack at Eternal Hope following her narrow miss last out after a ground-saving rally under returning rider Abner Adorno in the Jockey Club Oaks for trainer Butch Reid, Jr.

The Pennsylvania-bred Cross Traffic bay has won 3-of-5 starts since making a victorious switch to turf racing in June at Parx. She arrived at her graded stakes debut from a deep-closing 2 1/4-length score in the state-bred Mrs. Penny on August 21 at Parx with Adorno up for the first time.

“When she won the small stake [Mrs. Penny] here, she was well back and many wide around the turn and still drew off,” Reid, Jr. said. “Abner rode her and it gave him good confidence in her and I thought he rode her excellently [in the Jockey Club Oaks], she just got outrun a little in the last 100 yards. Other than that, I thought it was a perfect race.”

Reid, Jr. said Neecie Marie, who won over good going in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer on July 24 at Parx, will appreciate shortening up to nine furlongs.

“It seems to me with turf races once you get out past a mile and an eighth or so it's all about the timing of the finishing run. Abner knows her well and it should set up nice,” Reid, Jr. said. “I do like the turnback a little bit going from a mile and three-eighths to a mile and an eighth. She'll certainly finish full of run in this one.”

Neecie Marie breezed back a half-mile in 49.12 October 6 over the Parx main track.

“She came back with a nice little breeze last weekend and we're looking forward to running,” Reid, Jr. said.

Neecie Marie is out of the Ontario-bred Posse mare Lode Lady, who is a half-sister to 2022 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Rich Strike and Grade 2-winning turfer Llanarmon.

Others returning from the Jockey Club Oaks are fourth-place Highland Grace [post 8, Junior Alvarado] for trainer Barclay Tagg, fifth-place Quarrel [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche] for conditioner Robert Ribaudo, and the Jose Jimenez-trained pacesetter Stephanie's Charm [post 9, Jose Gomez], who will race with blinkers off.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will send out a formidable pair of contenders looking to make the grade in Don Alberto Stable's dual Grade 3-placed Kentucky homebred Alpha Bella [post 10, Jose Ortiz] and Wertheimer and Frere's Kentucky homebred Soviet Excess [post 1, Dylan Davis].

Alpha Bella was last seen finishing a game third in the nine-furlong Virginia Oaks on September 9 at Colonial Downs. The Justify chestnut pressed the pace of eventual winner Thirty Thou Kelvin, looming large with an outside move at the top of the lane but could not stay the course landing three-quarter lengths back of the winner, who posted a neck score over the deep-closing returning rival Root Cause.

Alpha Bella entered the Virginia Oaks from a 22 3/4-length score in an off-the-turf optional-claimer on August 10 at Saratoga to notch her first win since graduating in December over the Gulfstream Park green. She followed that win with close runner-up graded efforts traveling 1 1/16-miles on turf in the Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream – missing by less than a length to Cairo Consort – and the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs when a neck back of Mission of Joy.

Soviet Excess, by Uncle Mo, graduated in April over the Gulfstream synthetic and followed with an optional-claiming win there on turf in May. She shipped to New York to finish a close-up third in the one-mile Wild Applause at Belmont and outran her odds when a closing third at 28-1 in the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 19 at Saratoga. Last out, Soviet Excess closed from well off the pace to finish third in the one-mile Winter Memories on September 15 here.

Rounding out the field is the stakes-placed Root Cause [post 6, Trevor McCarthy] for trainer Chad Brown; and Leave No Trace [post 3, Jose Lezcano], winner of the Spa's Grade 1 Spinaway last September, who will make her turf debut for trainer Phil Serpe. Essaouira, Amanda's Folly and Ichiban are entered for the main-track only.

The Sands Point is slated as Race 2 on Saturday's 10-race card which also features the $125,000 Floral Park in Race 4. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of every day of Belmont at the Big A on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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