Tag: Racing

Millie Girl, who has hit the top three in all her starts, chases her first stakes success in the $150,000 Ontario Matron (G3), Saturday at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile main track feature for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and upward, has drawn 12 starters, including the 5-year-old daughter of Hard Spun-Mendocino Beano, who brings a mark of 3-2-3 from eight races into her latest test.

Trained by Catherine Day Phillips, who co-owns (through her Kingfield Racing Stable, Ltd.) with Braconcrest Inc. and Apricot Valley Thoroughbreds, the dark bay launched her career with two consecutive victories, both at seven panels on the E.P. Taylor turf, including a half-length score in her career bow last July.

“I trained Millie Girl's dam, Mendocino Beano, for the Fitzhenrys (breeders and owners, Sean and Dorothy) and she was very talented,” noted Day Phillips. “I was very excited to have Millie Girl, named after Dorothy's beloved dog, in our barn.”

Since her first two appearances, Millie Girl has raced three times on the Tapeta, twice at seven furlongs, and once at 1 1/6 miles, along with three starts on the E.P. Taylor, over “good” ground at 1 1/16 miles on October 22, over “firm” going at 6 ½ furlongs on June 3 and on “yielding” ground at one mile on July 1.

The Ontario Matron will be her fourth consecutive stakes engagement. She was third in both the Royal North (G2T) and Nassau (G2T), the latter won by multiple Grade 1 winner Fev Rover (IRE), with Canada's 2022 horse of the year, Canadian Stakes (G2T) victress Moira, finishing second.

Millie Girl, a $67,000 (U.S.) Keeneland Association November Breeding Stock Sale purchase in 2021, was a determined second in her most recent outing, the Seaway (G3) on September 17.

“She has shown talent from the start of her training,” said Day Phillips, of the mare bred in Ontario by Sean Fitzhenry. “She has taken time to develop both mentally and physically, but she has been worth the wait.”

Kevin Pena Salgado is the groom.

Other starters include multiple graded stakes winners Il Malocchio and Souper Hoity Toity, stakes winners Mouffy and Strega, and multiple graded stakes-placed Angelou.

First post time is 1:15 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com, bet365, and the Dark Horse Bets app.

Field for the Ontario Matron

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Ephrata (GB) – Eswan Flores – Josie Carroll

2 – Il Malocchio – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler

3 – Mouffy – Kazushi Kimura – Jonathan Thomas

4 – Do You Love Me (S) – Gaddiel Martinez – W. John Bourke

5 – Souper Hoity Toity – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

6 – Whimsical Dance – Ryan Munger – Gail Cox

7 – Saratoga Vision – Justin Stein – Alexander Patykewich

8 – Millie Girl – Rafael Hernandez – Catherine Day Phillips

9 – Devil's Bit – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield

10 – Angelou – Luis Contreras – Kevin Attard

11 – Strega – Luis Contreras – Kevin Attard

12 – Tamarama (GB) – Declan Carroll – Jack Sisterson

The post ‘Worth The Wait’: Consistent Millie Girl Faces 11 Rivals In Ontario Matron appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Bryan Minnich's homebred gelding King's River, taking advantage of a class drop to graduate in dominant fashion last time out, will step back up into stakes company for the first time in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery at Laurel Park.

The Nursery for 2-year-olds and $100,000 Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, both sprinting six 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.

By millionaire Irish War Cry, whose three graded-stakes wins included the historic Pimlico Special (G3) in 2018, King's River was one of eight juveniles in for a $20,000 tag Sept. 29 on opening day of Laurel's fall meet. He had finished off the board in each of his first two races, the first in a waiver maiden claimer and the second in a $50,000 claimer on the grass at Colonial Downs.

“We felt we needed to make that move because he'd been struggling a little bit and we thought it would be something to give him a little confidence. I don't know if it gave him that much confidence, but we're going to find out. It was definitely the race I was looking for,” trainer Linda Albert said. “We'll see how it looks when we go to the big leagues this time.”

Breaking from the rail, King's River quickly recovered after being bumped at the start to assume an early lead and go on to a front-running 13-length triumph while pulling away despite being green under a hand ride from jockey Forest Boyce. The performance convinced the connections to take a shot in the Nursery, which Albert won in 2007 with Regal Solo, who would return to win the Classic in 2010.

“After the race we were sitting there saying that the race is coming right up. You do only get one crack at it with a 2-year-old. It's right here and it is one of my favorite days, so we'll give it a try,” Albert said. “He's doing great.”

King's River gets Boyce and the rail again in a full field of 14 that includes Maryland-bred also-eligibles Call Me Andy and It's My Rainbow.

“It's not ideal [but] it's where he was last time. It's going to kind of force his hand to be up close like that but, hopefully, he learned a little something last time,” Albert said. “That was the trouble in his other two races. He wasn't learning much, but we're going to give him a chance. We're glad to have Forest back. She's got the hot hand right now.”

Four horses – Bigdaddysboy, Blame the Tux, Point Pelee and Full Proof – enter the Nursery off victories. No Guts No Glory Farm's homebred Bigdaddysboy, a popular three-length debut winner Sept. 1 at Timonium, is one of three horses trained by John Robb, who won the Nursery in 1993 with Run Alden and 2011 with Glib.

Maryland's leading trainer, Brittany Russell, is represented by Karmac Stable homebred Prado Road. The gelded son of Golden Rod was beaten a neck in his lone start, a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight over a wet-fast track Sept. 30 at Delaware Park.

Rolling Meadows Farm's homebred maiden Summerstateofmind was second, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Robb-trained Nursery entrant Dance for Green Aug. 6 at Laurel, and ran fourth in a six-furlong maiden special weight Sept. 15 at historic Pimlico Race Course. Trainer Tim Keefe is seeking his first win in the Nursery.

“I almost won it with a maiden a few years back [Dancing With Maude in 2016]. People thought I was crazy but I knew the horse belonged. He came flying and finished second,” Keefe said. “Obviously [Summerstateofmind] is still a maiden, but it doesn't matter. He's run well. His last race was good. He was beaten by a bunch of [well-bred] horses so we decided we'd give it a shot and see where we are with him.”

Catahoula Moon, Kohler's, Street Tough and Speedyness complete the field.

The post ‘You Do Only Get One Crack At It’: Homebred King’s River Steps Up For Maryland Million Nursery appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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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.

The post Multiple Maryland Champion Luna Bella Returns From 513-Day Layoff In Maryland Million Distaff appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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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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