Tag: Racing

Although he's a three-time Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and was inducted into racing's Hall of Fame in 2017, business has been slow of late for Victor Espinoza, but in Sunday's $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship (G2) at Santa Anita, the 51-year-old native of Mexico City looked half his age aboard Balladeer for the first time.

The pair lead seven rivals on a merry chase, leading at every point of call en route to a half-length score. Time for the 1 1/4 miles was 1:58.94 on firm footing.

Fresh off a rousing gate-to-wire score going 1 5/16 miles on turf under Florent Geroux at Kentucky Downs Sept. 9, Balladeer was keen out of the gate with Espinoza and wide-out in the short run down the hillside turf to the dirt crossing. He settled into a nice rhythmic stride as the field came past the wire for the first time and was bounding along to the far turn as last year's John Henry winner, Masteroffoxhounds, loomed dangerously, cutting Balladeer's lead to a half length a quarter mile out. Balladeer was far from finished, however, and repelled the challenge while staying on gamely to prevail in a huge effort.

Off at 6-1 in his second career stakes assignment, Balladeer paid $15 for the win. The John Henry Turf Championship marked his stakes debut after competing in a dozen allowance or allowance-optional claiming races since July 2022. He is trained by George Papaprodromou.

Owned by Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran, Balladeer, the 4-year-old colt by Distorted Humor out of the Galileo mare Golden Ballad picked up $120,000 for the win, increasing his lifetime earnings to $367,290 from an overall mark of 18-4-2-2. He was bred in Kentucky by Bonne Chance Farm LLC. Nguyen paid $355,000 to acquire the bay colt at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Selected Yearlings Showcase, where Gainesway consigned him.

Trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Masteroffoxhounds ran a tremendous race and was actually gaining again on the winner at the wire but had to settle for the place, finishing 1¼ lengths in front of Speaking Scout.

Next to last heading to the far turn, Speaking Scout, off at 7-1 with Joel Rosario, finished a half length in front of Brazilian-bred Planetario.

Fractions on the race were :23.36, :47.41, 1:12.07, and 1:35.95.

JOHN HENRY TURF CHAMPIONSHIP QUOTES:

JOCKEY VICTOR ESPINOZA, BALLADEER, WINNER: “He took the dirt crossing wide, but it wasn't really important because I was able to control him without fighting with him or irritating him. When I crossed the dirt, we just went towards the rail and he was just going at a nice speed. I was just pleased with the way he responded to my command.

“He was strong all the way, even when the horses came to him, he would not let them go by. I just have fun riding these types of horses that just go out there and do their job.”

TRAINER GEORGE PAPAPRODROMOU, BALLADEER, WINNER: “He ran huge at Kentucky Downs and he came out of the race great. This race came up and there was nothing else until Del Mar, so we figured just give him one more shot then give him a break after this, so it worked out perfectly.

“At the three-eighths I saw Maldonado (Masteroffoxhounds) getting close, but I knew my horse and he had another gear based on the distance of his last race. He was fit enough to take them all the way.

“We won a lot of races with Victor way back and he's back now again. He worked him at Del Mar and we gave him a shot. Why not?”

PART-OWNER CALVIN NGUYEN, BALLADEER, WINNER: “This race was more exciting because it is a Grade II and he beat Gold Phoenix and we are really excited. Victor did a great job getting her to relax and all the credit to Victor and George. I was standing next to my sister-in-law and when he got out I was really apprehensive, but he had time to settle and just relax. I thought he was going a little fast, but he had another gear at the end, it was awesome.

“It will be up to George where we go next. We will see how he comes out of the race, this race came up a little quick and George said to give it a shot, so we will let him decide.”

The post Balladeer Makes All To Win John Henry Turf Championship In Stakes Debut appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Originally based in England, trainer John Sadler's long-fused Missed the Cut went from turf to dirt on Sunday at Santa Anita and responded with his first stateside victory, winning by 5½ lengths going 1 1/2 miles in the $100,000 Tokyo City Cup (G3).

Confidently ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Missed the Cut completed the trip in 2:32.78.

With a field of 3-yera-olds and up reduced to four runners by the late scratch of Donner Lake, Rispoli was intent on attending the pace set by Bob Baffert's Azul Coast, who showed the way to the quarter pole while Missed the Cut saved ground at the rail. The winner then swung three-wide outside of both Azul Coast and Kiss Today Goodbye, who wrested control from the pacesetter turning for home.

At that point, Missed the Cut was ready for his best as he sailed by Kiss Today Goodbye under mild hand urging and appeared to find his best stride late in a dominant effort.

Most recently a close fourth going 1 3/8 miles on grass in the Del Mar Handicap (G2) Sept. 2, Missed the Cut was off at 3-5 and paid $3.20.

Owned by Bee Zee LLC, Lanes End Racing, St. Elias Stables LLC, Edward Babington, Edward Hudson, and Lynne Hudson, Missed the Cut, a 4-year-old Quality Road colt out of the Elusive Quality mare Beauly, had three minor stakes wins on grass in England at age three and is now 11-5-1-0 overall. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $285,777. He was bred in Kentucky by Framont Ltd.

Ridden by Hector Berrios, Kiss Today Goodbye bested Azul Coast by 4¼ lengths for second. Order and Law was fourth to complete the order of finish.

Fractions on the race were :24.65, :49.79, 1:15.23, 1:41.67, and 2:07.39.

TOKYO CITY CUP QUOTES

JOCKEY UMBERTO RISPOLI, MISSED THE CUT, WINNER: “I was loaded all the way. He relaxed for me behind the speed and when I asked him in the stretch he responded. Very nice effort.”

TRAINER JOHN SADLER, MISSED THE CUT, WINNER: “He's a horse that can run long distance. He had a good race here in the spring before we went to Del Mar, he showed he liked the main track. This is his fourth start (stateside), so his whole story isn't written yet, but it was a good race for him today. I'd like to thank the Japanese Racing Association for putting on a nice show. I had a good time with them in London with the Longines World Championships, great connections here today.

“He might be a good horse for an international race, he's already run in England and Saudi Arabia so who knows.”

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Touch'n Ride, under Kazushi Kimura, wore down a game rival in Elysian Field and then survived a rider's claim of foul to win the $400,000 Breeders' Stakes, the final jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, Sunday at Woodbine.

It was the duo of slight 3-1 choice Paramount Prince, winner of the first jewel, the King's Plate, in August, and newcomer to the classic series, 75-1 Hemlo Gold, who led their 12 rivals into the first turn on a summer-like day at the Toronto oval. They were followed by Kaukokaipuu, 15th in the Plate, and second in the Prince of Wales (the second jewel in the series), with Midnight in Malibu fourth. Touch'n Ride, fifth in the Plate, sat in fifth.

Hemlo Gold was head in front after an opening quarter in :23.71 over a firm E.P. Taylor turf course, shadowed by Paramount Prince, with Midnight in Malibu and Kaukokaipuu third and fourth, respectively.

The lead duo continued their up-front tussle that saw Paramount Prince a half-length on top through a half in :48.75. Kimura had Touch'n Ride well within range of the leaders, still comfortably positioned in fifth after a mile. Paramount Prince and Hemlo Gold were still on top heading into the final turn, but the cavalry charge was coming, including Woodbine Oaks victress and Plate runner-up Elysian Field, who was full of run to the outside, and a surging Touch'n Ride.

It then set the stage for a lengthy battle down the long E.P. Taylor stretch, as Elysian Field and Touch'n Ride broke away from their pursuers, neither horse giving an inch, as they drifted to the far outside midway down the lane.

At the wire, Touch'n Ride, a Chiefswood Stable homebred trained by Layne Giliforte, eked out a nose victory. Elysian Field was four lengths ahead of Twowaycrossing, at 51-1, for second. Philip My Dear was fourth. The final time for the 1½ miles was 2:27.56.

Tito's Calling, Wickenheiser, Kaukokaipuu, British Artillery, Tiburon, Sammy Stone, Simcoe, Hemlo Gold, Paramount Prince and Midnight in Malibu rounded out the order of finish.

Sahin Civaci, aboard Elysian Field, launched a claim of foul against Kimura and Touch'n Ride, but it was disallowed by the stewards.

“It feels amazing,” said Kimura, who notched his first win in the series. “I've always tried to win the Triple Crown and I've finally made it. Last week, I got on him in the morning and he was a very nice horse on the turf. I was quite comfortable staying behind Paramount Prince, the King's Plate winner.”

Giliforte, who has over 900 career training wins to his name, found a way to ride out the unfolding drama.

“It's nerve-racking when you watch a horse get herded out like that,” he said. “The biggest worry is that the horse is going to slip up inside the field. If it impeded your trip, you can claim foul and reverse the order, but if a horse slips up the inside and you have nothing to do with it, it can take the win from you. Nerve-racking to watch.”

But also deeply rewarding.

“I'm getting choked up over it,” said Giliforte. “I had a great feeling going into the race and for him to come through the way he did and Kazushi to give him the ride that he did, it's fantastic.”

With the Breeders' victory, Touch'n Ride, a son of Candy Ride (ARG) out of Niigon's Touch, by Niigon, is now 2-0-1 from four starts. Chiefswood won the 2018 edition with Neepawa.

The bay gelding, third choice on the toteboard, paid $10.20 for the win.

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