Tag: Racing

A Maryland mainstay for parts of six decades and a winner of more than 2,000 career races, trainer Hamilton Smith is inching closer to one race that has yet eluded him.

Smith, 78, will send out Kathleen Willier's All Threes in the $150,000 Classic, the 1 1/8-mile centerpiece for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday's 38^th Jim McKay Maryland Million program at Laurel Park celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state.

Eight stakes and four starter stakes worth $1.08 million in purses make up 'Maryland's Day at the Races,' with a special first race post of 11:30 a.m. ET. The Classic goes off as Race 11 with a scheduled post time of 5:10 p.m.

Based at Laurel, Smith has run in the Classic five times since 2013 and finished third in each of the past two years with The Poser, who was beaten less than a length at odds of 7-1 in 2021 and 6 ¼ lengths at 11-1 in 2022.

Smith also finished third with favored Just Jack in 2016. Talk Show Man, a two-time Maryland Million Turf winner for Smith, was fourth as the favorite in the 2015 Classic and fifth in 2013.

“Everybody would like to win that one,” Smith said of the Classic. “I've run in it several times, but I haven't quite gotten there yet. It would be nice. Maryland Million Day is a big day for Maryland, and you always like to do good. We're going take a swing at it and see what happens.”

Bred in Maryland by Walter Vieser, All Threes is a 5-year-old son of Great Notion, who has produced at least one Maryland Million winner for 13 consecutive years. All Threes will be trying nine furlongs for the first time, but has two seconds and a third – beaten a total of four lengths – going a mile and a sixteenth in three of his last four races.

Among the horses to beat All Threes are stakes winners Everett's Song, Yodel E.A. Who and Grade 3 winner Double Crown, who is the 9-5 program favorite in the main field of eight Maryland-sired horses. Three Maryland-breds are on the also-eligible list, including third alternate Big Blue Kitten (8-5).

“He's run with some good company, no doubt about that. He's been on the board, anyway. He always tries so we'll give him a shot and see what happens,” Smith said. “He tries hard and he's been very consistent.”

All Threes, who drew Post 6 with jockey Sheldon Russell, is rated as the 7-2 third choice behind Grade 3 winner Double Crown and defending champion Ournationonparade (3-1), seeking to become just the sixth horse to win back-to-back Classics and seventh with three Maryland Million victories. All Threees has been third or better in eight of nine starts this year and 11 of 15 of 24 lifetime.

Smith is tied for the fourth-most Maryland Million wins with eight, seven behind all-time leader Dale Capuano, who retired at the start of 2023. Smith won the Nursery for 2-year-olds with Carnivorous Habit in 1997 and Greatbullsoffire in 2016, the Lassie for 2-year-old fillies with Gin Talking in 1999, the Ladies for fillies and mares 3 and up on the grass with Debbie Sue in 2006, the Distaff for fillies and mares 3 and up with Blind Date in 2010 and Lionhearted Lady in 2015, and the Turf with Talk Show Man in 2014 and 2018.

“Talk Show Man, he won two there and he hooked that real good horse of Rodney Jenkins' in a couple of those races [Phlash Phelps]. They fought it out pretty good, back and forth. They were pretty evenly matched and they were very exciting races those two ran,” Smith said. “He handled turf and dirt, anything. He was a real nice horse.”

In addition to All Threes Smith has two other starters on the day, both in the $100,000 Distaff sprinting seven furlongs – Response Time and Luna Belle, Maryland's champion 2-year-old filly of 2021 and 3-year-old filly of 2022. A five-time stakes winner, also by Great Notion, she is making her first start since last spring's Black-Eyed Susan (G2).

“It feels good to win any of them, to tell you the truth. Doggone right. You've got all the Maryland people and big crowd out there. It's always great to perform well under those circumstances,” Smith said. “I hope we have a good day. These horse breeders and the farms, they deserve a big day. Without them we wouldn't have the Maryland-bred racing.”

Stakes preceding the Classic include the $125,000 Ladies for fillies and mares 3 and up in Race 3, $125,000 Turf for 3-year-olds and up in Race 5, $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies in Race 6, $100,000 Sprint for 3-year-olds and up in Race 7, $100,000 Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up in Race 8, $100,000 Nursery for 2-year-olds in Race 9 and $100,000 Distaff in Race 10.

The Ladies and Turf, both at 1 1/8 miles, and 5 ½-furlong Turf Sprint are all scheduled for the Exceller turf course. The Lassie, Nursery and Sprint are set for six furlongs and the Distaff for seven furlongs on the main track.

There will be carryovers of $8,851.08 in the 50-cent Late Pick 5 (Races 8-12), $3,766.83 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 7-12) and $2,916.56 in the $1 Jackpot Super High 5 (Race 6).

Notes: Jockey Jeiron Barbosa doubled for the second straight day Friday, aboard La Traviesa ($10.40) in Race 8 and Poggibonsi ($9.40) in Race 9 … Jaime Rodriguez also rode two winners, Berks ($3.20) in Race 5 and Moncrief ($22.40) in Race 10 … Jockey Sheldon Russell was shaken up after his mount, Binnie, acted up in the gate and was scratched prior to Race 7, a maiden claiming event for 2-year-old fillies. A younger full sister to multiple stakes winner Crabcakes favored at 7-5 for her debut, the Morgan's Ford Farm homebred daughter of Great Notion is named for late horsewoman Elizabeth 'Binnie' Houghton, who bred and raced Crabcakes. Russell was replaced on his lone remaining mount, Gastown Babe, who ran second behind La Traviesa in the second-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up. The winning time was 1:02.83 over a firm Exceller turf course … Poggibonsi held off Violent Vixen the length of the stretch to win the co-feature, a second-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting 5 ½ furlongs, in 1:04.87 on a fast main track.

The post Hamilton Smith Chasing Elusive Maryland Million Classic Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A field of seven 2-year-old New York-breds representing some of the top stables in the country are set to face off in the 61st running of the $161,547 New York Breeders' Futurity on Monday at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack (FLGR).

Trust Fund, from the barn of Todd Pletcher; Tall Paul, trained by Bob Baffert; Whatchatalkinabout, from the Wesley Ward stable; and Mischief Joke for trainer Mike Maker headline the six-furlong sprint. The Futurity is scheduled as the eighth race on the nine-race card, with first-race post time set for 1:15 p.m.

The talented assembly of 2-year-olds drew many of the country's best jockeys to Finger Lakes to ride in the race. Irad Oritz Jr., Jose Ortiz, Joel Rosario, Manny Franco, Kendrick Carmouche and Katie Davis are making the trip to Farmington.

Throughout the years, some top New York-bred runners launched their stakes careers in the Futurity, including the legendary Say Florida Sandy in 1996 enroute to career earnings of $2,085,408, and the great filly Proud Puppy in 1988. She earned $407,543 during her career.

This year's renewal of the Futurity brings together two of the top three finishers from the $99,388 Aspirant Stakes, an annual prep for the Breeders' Futurity.

Trust Fund and Tall Paul were involved in the three-horse blanket finish in the Sept. 25 stake that was won by Canigetaloan. The rivals are two of the main contenders in the Monday feature.

Trust Fund hails from the Pletcher barn. The Hall of Fame trainer has won the Futurity three times, including twice with horses who prepped for the race by winning the Aspirant.

Beaten by just a head in the Aspirant despite racing widest around the turn, the son of Practical Joke will retain the services of jockey Jose Ortiz, who is currently fourth in the nation in purse earnings.

Trust Fund has made three lifetime starts, including his maiden victory at Saratoga in his career debut and a sixth-place finish in the $200,000 Funny Cide at Saratoga. He was a $150,000 yearling purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York Bred yearling sale.

Tall Paul, favored at even money in the Aspirant, will be making his fourth start. The Baffert trainee finished a head behind Trust Fund in that race and had the worst of the trips, taking it right to early leader Antonio of Venice and then fighting gamely right down to the wire.

The Frosted colt was a $475,000 purchase at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March sale by longtime Baffert clients Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, the latter for whom the colt is named.

Like Trust Fund, Tall Paul broke his maiden against state-breds on Aug. 12 at Saratoga.

Irad Ortiz Jr. is listed to ride.  Ortiz is currently the nation's leading jockey in wins with 307 and purse earnings with $29,872,239.

The 2-1 morning-line favorite is Whatchatalkinabout. Third in his most recent start, the Funny Cide for New York-breds, the son Dialed In will enter the starting gate as a first-time gelding.

The Ward trainee was an $82,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling sale.

Jockey Joel Rosario, 2021 Eclipse Award-winning rider and winner of more than 3,500 career races, will make his first-ever appearance at Finger Lakes. Rosario is currently ranked sixth in the nation in purse earnings.

The other rider from the current top 10 standings who will compete in the Futurity is Manny Franco, who knows a little about winning the race.

Franco, ninth in the standings, won the Futurity in 2021 with Senbei and in 2022 aboard Acoustic Ave. Both were trained by Christophe Clement. He rides Mischief Joke for Maker on Monday.

In addition to the Futurity, Racing Secretary Jerry Richards has also carded the annual renewal of the Leon Reed Memorial Stakes as the third race. The six-furlong sprint for older New York-breds has a purse of $50,000.

Flying Emperor is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Reed Memorial, which is named in honor of the former FLGR employee who tragically passed away in a starting gate accident in 2005. The 2-1 program choice will be under the direction of Emanuel De Diego.

Emanuel De Diego will ride the 6-year-old gelding for trainer James Wright. Flying Emperor has defined consistency at his home track, finishing first or second in 21 of his 22 starts at FLGR.

Andre Worrie, the track's leading rider in 2022, is set to return to competitive action on Monday. Worrie has missed the last nine weeks with an arm fracture. He is listed to ride Started With Stars in the first race.

Complimentary Finger Lakes programs for Monday and all Finger Lakes cards can be downloaded at https://www.equibase.com/content/CustomPPs/FingerLakes/FingerLakes0925.pdf.

There will also be a promotion on Monday with Daily Racing Form where the Finger Lakes on-line DRF past performances can be accessed at no charge.

About Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack: In operation since 1962, the facility added gaming to its offering in 2004 and expanded again in 2013 by adding 33,000 square feet with a $12 million expansion. FLGR is highlighted by over 1,100 gaming machines, the 448-seat Buffet, Remedy Bar & Lounge, as well as live and simulcast thoroughbred racing. Gaming doors open at 8 a.m. and racing doors open at 11:30 a.m. daily. For more information, visit www.fingerlakesgaming.com.

The post New York Breeders’ Futurity: Trust Fund, Tall Paul Among Top 2-Year-Olds In Finger Lakes’ Feature appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A pair of stakes featuring veteran timber jumpers headline this Saturday's National Steeplechase Association doubleheader in New York and Virginia.

At the Genesee Valley Hunt Races in Geneseo, N.Y., the only steeplechase in the Empire State outside of the NYRA flat tracks, three races worth a collective $50,000 have been carded, all over timber. Topping the day is the $25,000 Genesee Valley Hunt Cup at 3 ½ miles. The other races are a $15,000 maiden and a $10,000 allowance restricted to amateur or apprentice riders. Both of those events are at 3 miles.

In the four-horse feature, the standout is Ballybristol Farm's Andi'amu, the 2019 and 2022 National Steeplechase Association timber champion, now trained by Neil Morris. The 13-year-old French-bred remains highly competitive. A winner of 11 races – nine stakes – in 17 outings since 2018, Andi'amu has finished second four times. In his 2023 debut, Andi'amu won the Middleburg Hunt Cup. In his first outing since placing in the Virginia Gold Cup in May, Andi'amu contended before tiring to finish third in the Brown Advisory stakes at Shawn Downs two weeks ago. Tuscany Racing's Monbeg Stream, trained by leading conditioner Leslie Young who is coming off a six-win weekend on September 30 and October 1, captured three straight before being pulled up in the Willowdale Steeplechase in May. In his prior start, he won the Maryland Grand National.

Kiplin Hall's Renegade River, trained by Paige Reynolds, has made the most of a pair of 2023 stakes starts, with a close second to Monbeg Stream in the Grand National and a score in the Willowdale Steeplechase in Pennsylvania over that foe in April.

Charlie Fenwick's Royal Ruse hasn't won a race in three and a half years, but enters the Hunt Cup off a career-defining second in the historic Maryland Hunt Cup in April for trainer Sanna Neilson.

For complete entries, click here: https://nationalsteeplechase.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Genesee-Valley-overnights.pdf. Post time is 1 p.m.

The races are only part of festivities at Genesee. Friendly, leashed dogs are welcome, and there are canine events such as terrier and wiener-dog races, a jumping contest, agility courses, sled-dog demos, plus a parade of the Genesee Valley Hunt foxhounds. For kids, there are stick-horse races and pony rides; adults can partake in wine and craft beer tastings. The festivities began at 10 a.m.

Nearly 400 miles South of Genesee, eight races have been carded for the 69th Virginia Fall Races at Glenwood Park in Middleburg. First run in 1955, the meet carries $205,000 in purses for a mix of timber and hurdle races.

Anchoring the program is the $50,000 National Sporting Library & Museum Cup stakes at 3 ¼ miles. The race has gotten a purse bump of $20,000 over last year.

A field of seven is expected, including The Hundred Acre Field's Cracker Factory, who captured the race last fall for trainer Mark Beecher. The eight-year-old is coming off a come-from-behind victory in the Brown Advisory stakes over Elusive Exclusive and champion Andi'amu at Shawan Downs two weeks ago.

The wildcard in the race is Dolly Fisher's venerable star Schoodic, trained by her son, Hall of Fame conditioner Jack Fisher. The 13-year-old, a multiple stakes winner of nearly half-million-dollars over hurdles and timber, returned recently after 17 months on the sidelines to run a hard-charging second, beaten 2 ½ lengths by Chosen Mate in an allowance race at Shawan Downs. A model of consistency over his 11 years on the track, Schoodic has 13 top-three finishes in 15 starts since April 2019.

Leslie Young, sends out Leipers Fork Steeplechasers' Tomgarrow, the 2021 timber champ. Tomgarrow began 2023 with a win in the My Lady's Manor stakes, and had won four of his previous five outings coming into the Virginia Gold Cup in May, where he fell.

Fat Chance Farm's Flaming Sword, trained by Richard Valentine, was second in the Willowdale Steeplechase, and set the pace for 2 miles in the Brown Advisory at Shawan before tiring to finish last. Valentine also saddles Jacqueline Ohrstrom's Hafajay, who makes his first start in more than two years. The lightly raced British-bred 10-year-old broke his maiden over timber at Winterthur in 2021.

Upland Partners' Shootist, trained by Todd McKenna, makes his first appearance at Middleburg. The nine-year-old son of Smart Strike is stakes placed over timber. He was third in the Maryland Grand National and competitive in the four-mile Maryland Hunt Cup before tiring and being pulled up at the 18th fence.

Rounding out the field is Stooshie, a winner of two of his past four starts for leading owner Irv Naylor and trainer Cyril Murphy. The 10-year-old broke his maiden at the Virginia Fall Races in 2022 and outfought multiple stakes winner Storm Team in an allowance event at the Old Dominion Hounds meet in April. He lost his rider in his only other start this year, in the Steeplethon stakes at Great Meadow.

Besides the timber stake, the card consists of two $30,000 maiden special weight hurdles; a $30,000 handicap for horses rated at 115 or less; a $20,000 maiden starter allowance for horses who have run for a claiming tag of $20,000 or less; a $20,000 maiden contest over timber; a $25,000 steeplethon over mixed obstacles; and a training flat finale. Post time is 12:30 p.m.

For complete entries, click here: https://nationalsteeplechase.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Middleburg-revised-1.pdf

You can watch all of Saturday's races via live stream from the link on the NSA homepage, www.nationalsteeplechase.com. The stream is sponsored by Brown Advisory.

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The field for the Oklahoma Classics Cup, powered by FanDuel TV, has been set with two past winners of the race included in the field of six for the 1-1/16 miles main event on Friday, Oct. 20 at Remington Park.

Returning Classics Cup champ That's Something and Absaroka, winner in 2021, will face four others in the $131,000 guaranteed race for Oklahoma-breds, 3-year-olds and older. Number One Dude, second to That's Something in the Cup a year ago, has received morning-line favoritism at 8-5 odds. Ghost Hero, the pace-setter before tiring to 10^th in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby in September, is the very close second-favorite in the morning line at 9-5 odds. That's Something checks in as third favorite at odds of 5-2.

Number One Dude is still searching for his first win of the season after a fourth-place effort in open company in the $100,000 Governor's Cup on opening night of the Remington Park season. The 5-year-old owned by Terry Westemeir of Broken Arrow, Okla. and trained by Scott Young, then finished second in the Red Earth Stakes on Sept. 22 against fellow Oklahoma-breds over the turf, beaten by seasoned grass veteran Tap the Dot.

Leandro Goncalves has his normal mount on Number One Dude who also ran second in the 2021 Classics Cup behind Absaroka.

Ghost Hero returns to face Oklahoma-breds for the first time since winning the Will Rogers Stakes at Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla. on May 8. The 3-year-old owned by Norman Stables of Thomasville, Ala. and trained by Jayde Gelner has been competitive in open company stakes action since that score. He ran fourth in the Texas Derby in late May at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas, then third in the Hilton Memorial at Charles Town in West Virginia in August before his tiring 10^th in the Oklahoma Derby.

A colt by Shaman Ghost from the Super Saver mare Queen Buxley, Ghost Hero has posted a pair of workouts since his Oklahoma Derby attempt to ready for the Classics Cup. Regular jockey Floyd Wethey, Jr. will have the mount. Ghost Hero is undefeated in Oklahoma-bred stakes company at Remington Park, winning the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile and the Don McNeill Stakes last year as a 2-year-old.

Owner and trainer Lynn Chleborad will saddle That's Something, attempting to have the first repeat winner in the Classics Cup since Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Famer Shotgun Kowboy won his third straight Cup in 2019. The 6-year-old gelding by Read the Footnotes from the Concern broodmare Cherokee Princess has raced twice this season at Remington Park. He sprinted six furlongs on Sept. 14, finishing third in his first race off a layoff of nearly 10 months. A turf attempt at 7-1/2 furlongs on Sept. 22 produced a fifth-place effort in the Red Earth Stakes, 6-3/4 lengths behind Tap the Dot and 5-1/4 lengths behind Number One Dude. Jockey Luis Quinonez will have his regular spot on That's Something.

Absaroka, finished a distant eighth, beaten 21-1/4 lengths by That's Something last year in the Classics Cup. The denial in his attempt to repeat victory in the race was also his last attempt against Oklahoma-breds. He recently finished third in a $20,000-level claiming event at Remington Park on Sept. 27. Trained by J.R. Caldwell since being claimed in April for $5,000 at Will Rogers Downs, Absaroka will gain the riding expertise of Remington Park's leading jockey, Stewart Elliott.

Number One Dude is the top earner in the Classics Cup with $465,700 bankrolled. He shares the honor for most career wins in this race with Absaroka, both have visited the winner's circle nine times.

The field by post-position and program order for the Oklahoma Classics Cup, with horse, jockey, trainer and morning-line odds:

1. Kwontro: Alfredo Triana, Jr., Pat Swan, 12-1
2. Ghost Hero: Floyd Wethey, Jr., Jayde Gelner, 9-5
3. I'm Crenshaw: Lindey Wade, Federico Villafranco, 15-1
4. Absaroka: Stewart Elliott, J.R. Caldwell, 8-1
5. That's Something: Luis Quinonez, Lynn Chleborad, 5-2
6. Number One Dude: Leandro Goncalves, Scott Young, 8-5 (morning-line favorite)

The Classics Cup will be race nine of 10 on the Oklahoma Classics Night, celebrating Oklahoma-bred Thoroughbreds. The scheduled post will be 11:05pm. The first race of the night is set for 7:07pm. All times are Central.

Remington Park has provided more than $331 Million to the State of Oklahoma general education fund since the opening of the casino in 2005. Located at the junction of Interstates 35 & 44, in the heart of the Oklahoma City Adventure District, Remington Park is home to the Oklahoma Classics, the top night of racing in the state for Oklahoma-breds, on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. Remington Park presents simulcast racing daily and non-stop casino gaming. Parking and admission are always free. Must be 18 or older to wager on horse racing or enter the casino gaming floor. Visit remingtonpark.com for more information.

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