Tag: Racing

Oceanic, a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Constitution-Rockin Girl, tackles six furlongs of E.P. Taylor turf and 12 rivals in Sunday's $250,000 Nearctic Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine.

Trained by Jordan Blair for Surfside Stables, LLC, 6-year-old Oceanic has encountered his fair share of bad racing luck over a career that has yielded a 4-3-3 mark from 25 starts, to go along with $348,624 (U.S.) in earnings.

The bay's past three starts are prime examples of tough trips he's endured.

On May 23, at Indiana Downs, Oceanic stumbled at the three-eighths pole but recovered to finish fourth, 2 ¼ lengths behind the winner in the five-furlong turf race. One race later, on July 1, Oceanic stumbled at the start of the Highlander (G2T) at Woodbine but rallied to finish second, a half-length back of Lucky Score in the six-furlong trek over the E.P. Taylor turf.

Last time out, on August 6, the gelding was bumped early in the 5 ½-furlong KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint Stakes at Ellis Park, before regrouping to finish fourth.

“He's had a lot of issues and other things over the years,” said Blair. “But he's a trier and he always gives you everything he's got.”

Blair sees the E.P. Taylor course as an ideal fit for Oceanic.

“We've freshened him for this one and he seems to always run well off a freshening. We had to decide whether to run at Ellis Park, Kentucky Downs, or at Keeneland or Woodbine. One thing we noticed about Canada, is that he flourished on that turf course, and the extra half-furlong really fits his running style right now. It could make all the difference in the world. With such a big course up there, at least in our last race, the horses really spread out and gave us a lot of running room.”

“And the turf course is beautiful. I had come up to Toronto many years ago when I was an assistant with Kenny McPeek and we won the Summer Stakes (in 2009) with a horse named Bridgetown. I've been up there several times and experienced it and it's a lovely course. It has big, sweeping turns and it gives the horses room to run. With more than a quarter mile turning for home, it gives you a real true sense of your horse, rather than having those troubled trips like Oceanic has dealt with. He stumbled in the Highlander, but he had plenty of time to make that big run.”

Bred in Kentucky by DP Racing LLC, Oceanic debuted with a second-place effort on April 1, 2020, in a six-furlong dirt race at Tampa Bay Downs. He broke his maiden in his seventh start, a 4 ½-length score at five panels over the Tampa Bay turf on January 17, 2021.

His lone stakes victory came in last year's Woodford Reserve Da Hoss Stakes. He was second in the Woodford Reserve (G2T) next time out and then contested the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), finishing thirteenth to Caravel.

“It almost feels like he should be a Grade 1 winner by now,” said Blair. “He's as talented as any of the turf sprinters out there, but without getting the breaks. Hopefully, he can get away well, and if he's able to settle mid-pack, then watch out. If he can get the trip, I think he's sitting on a pretty big race.”

Oceanic will face some heavy hitters in the Nearctic, a group that features multiple graded stakes winner Lucky Score, who is 2-2-4 in his last eight starts. Other hopefuls include graded stakes winner Big Invasion, 2023 Connaught Cup (G2T) victor Dream Shake, multiple graded stakes-placed Ice Chocolat (BRZ), and graded stakes winner Masen (GB). ​ ​

Field for the Grade 2 Nearctic
Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Dream Shake – Rafael Hernandez – Michael Stidham ​

2 – Remuda – Patrick Husbands – Eoin Harty

3 – Jazz Hands – Shane Ellis – Harold Ladouceur

4 – County Final (S) – Edgard Zayas – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

5 – War Bomber (IRE) – Ryan Munger – Norm McKnight

6 – Oceanic – Reylu Gutierrez – Jordan Blair

7 – Lucky Score – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

8 – Masen (GB) – Kazushi Kimura – Chad Brown

9 – Last American Exit – Justin Stein – Harold Ladouceur

10 – Ice Chocolat (BRZ) – Javier Castellano – Mark Casse

11 – Big Invasion – Dylan Davis – Christophe Clement

12 – Rockcrest – Keveh Nicholls – Nigel Burke

13 – Dhabab (IRE) – William Buick – Edward Vaughan

The post Oceanic Searching For Better Trip In Sunday’s Nearctic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With The Moonlight looks to continue the remarkable local success of trainer Charlie Appleby and owner/breeder Godolphin when the Irish-bred 4-year-old faces nine other fillies and mares in the E.P. Taylor Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.

The E.P. Taylor, run over 1 ¼ miles on the eponymous turf course, offers Grade 1 status and a purse of $750,000.

With The Moonlight will be the first E.P. Taylor starter for Appleby, whose eight Grade 1 wins from 11 starters here include the two most recent Woodbine Miles with Master of The Seas (IRE) and Modern Games (IRE). All those successes came for owner Godolphin and included six homebreds.

“Woodbine is a fair track, and this filly has shown she adapts well to training and racing away from home in the U.K.,” said Appleby.

With The Moonlight will be making her fifth appearance in North America, having recorded a win in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational and seconds there in the Lake Placid and the Belmont Oaks Invitational. The daughter of the spectacular Frankel (GB) was the runner-up behind the very talented In Italian in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland this spring.

Appleby considered the Saratoga Oaks the most impressive of those efforts.

“She got warm in the preliminaries, but managed to overcome that, getting a good position in the race and reversing form with the filly (McKulick) who had beaten her in the Belmont Oaks.”

With The Moonlight has been away from the races since finishing sixth over “soft” going in the Group 2 Dahlia at Newmarket on May 7.

Slated to start in the Grade 1 New York Stakes at Belmont on June 7, the filly missed that engagement due to what was described at the time as a “poor scope” and was sent home.

“We have been happy with her training over the summer,” said Appleby.

With The Moonlight will be looking for her first Grade 1 victory in the E.P. Taylor but numbers Grade 2 runner-up finishes in the Cape Verdi and Balanchine in Dubai this winter among her six overall successes.

“She settled well that day too, showing maturity,” said Appleby, of the latter effort.

William Buick, successful here with Master of The Seas (IRE) and Modern Games (IRE) and also an E.P. Taylor winner in 2009 with Lahaleeb (IRE), retains the mount on With The Moonlight.

Locally-based Moira and Fev Rover comprise a solid local team for the E.P. Taylor.

Moira, a 4-year-old trained by Kevin Attard, who was facing older rivals and trying turf for the first time in last fall's E.P. Taylor, is coming off a smashing 6 ¼-length victory in the Grade 2 Canadian over 1 1/8 miles of turf here September 9.

“She's doing well,” said Attard, who sent out Starship Jubilee to win the E.P. Taylor in 2019. “She's coming off a big win, obviously, and she's had some good works since then.”

Winner of Sovereign Awards as Canada's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly last year, Moira had finished second in each of her first three starts this season.

Fev Rover (IRE) defeated Moira on one of those occasions, leaving that rival 4 ¼ lengths back when making her seasonal bow over one mile of turf in the Grade 2 Nassau.

Returning to action two weeks later in Saratoga's Grade 1 Diana Stakes, Fev Rover was a close and unlucky third but got her Grade 1 victory next time out in the Beverly D. at Colonial Downs.

In the Canadian, however, the Mark Casse-trained 5-year-old was fourth as the odds-on favourite.

“It was disappointing, but I was using the race as a prep for the E.P. Taylor and the Breeders' Cup (Filly and Mare Turf),” said Casse. “We're just hoping it works out. She's training really good into this race. We're expecting a big effort.”

Chad Brown, who won last year's E.P. Taylor with Rougir (FR) and the 2020 renewal with Etoile (FR), will be represented this year by Saratoga shippers Consumer Spending, Rocky Sky (IRE) and Kalifornia Queen (GER).

Christophe Clement, who took the 2021 E.P. Taylor with Mutamakina (GB), will be looking to emulate that feat with Amazing Grace (GER) and Atomic Blonde (GER).

Skims (GB), conditioned by Shug McGaughey, was in town for a runner-up effort in the Canadian, with Atomic Blonde just behind in third.

Aspen Grove (IRE) trained by Jack Sisterson, joins Fev Rover (IRE) as the only Grade 1 winners in the field. The daughter of Justify captured last year's Belmont Oaks Invitational.

Field for the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Fev Rover (IRE) – Javier Castellano – Mark Casse

2 – Amazing Grace (GER) – Dylan Davis – Christophe Clement

3 – Skims (GB) – Sahin Civaci – Shug McGaughey

4 – With The Moonlight (IRE) – William Buick – Charlie Appleby

5 – Aspen Grove (IRE) – Oisin Murphy – Jack Sisterson

6 – Moira – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard

7 – Consumer Spending – Kazushi Kimura – Chad Brown

8 – Atomic Blonde (GER) – Trevor McCarthy – Christophe Clement

9 – Rocky Sky (IRE) – Declan Carroll – Chad Brown

10 – Kalifornia Queen (GER) – Patrick Husbands – Chad Brown

The post E.P. Taylor Stakes: Locals Moira, Fev Rover Take On International Shipper With The Moonlight appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Klaravich Stables' Grade 1-winner Randomized will look to notch her second consecutive graded score in Sunday's Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame, a nine-furlong main track test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, Randomized posted a breakout score in her last start when taking the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama presented by Keeneland Sales by four lengths on August 19 at Saratoga Race Course.

The 3-year-old daughter of Nyquist stretched out beyond 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the 10-furlong test and responded to the task with aplomb, leading at every point of call under Joel Rosario to draw clear down the lane and complete the course in 2:03.07. The effort was awarded a career-best and field-high 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

Bred by Richard and Connie Snyder's Cove Springs in Versailles, K.Y., Randomized boasts the special distinction of being the first Grade 1 winner for her breeders, who moved their operation to Kentucky from New Mexico nine years ago.

Connie Snyder said Randomized holds a special place in both her and her husband's hearts as she has brought their operation to a level they had always dreamed of reaching.

“We are just over the moon about it,” said Snyder, whose broodmare band stands at around 15. “She's such a beautiful filly and my husband had said since Day One about her that she was always such a forward-moving filly and was willing to do whatever you asked her to do. I wouldn't say we had an inkling she would be a Grade 1 horse, but I think all breeders always dream and hope.”

Randomized's Alabama effort came on the heels of a 1 1/2-length victory in the restricted one-mile Wilton on July 14 at the Spa, a strong rebound from an uncharacteristic sixth-place finish when making her stakes debut in the June 9 Grade 1 Acorn presented by Great Jones Distilling Co. at Belmont Park. In addition to her stakes scores, the bay filly was a winner at second asking in March in her lone start over the Aqueduct main track, coasting home a 5 1/2-length winner in a one-mile maiden tilt.

A $420,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Randomized is out of the unraced Elusive Quality mare French Passport, who is a half-sister to the Brown-trained multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Smooth Air, graded stakes-winner Overdriven and the nine-time winning mare Super Phoebe, who produced multiple Grade 1-winner Got Stormy and graded stakes-placed Sir Alfred James. The Snyders purchased French Passport for $200,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and have seen a tremendous return.

“That was a very pleasant surprise,” Snyder said of Klaravich Stables' purchase of Randomized. “They've been such supporters of some of the horses we've bred and we just couldn't be more thankful and appreciative.”

With Randomized among the top of the sophomore female division, Snyder said it would be an achievement of a lifetime if the filly makes an appearance at the Breeders' Cup in November at Santa Anita Park.

“Most people dream of going to the Kentucky Derby, but our dream is going to the Breeders' Cup,” said Snyder. “Not many people get to do what they truly love in life, and we've been very blessed with the horses we have and their accomplishments. We will be watching this weekend and praying.”

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 3.

Haruya Yoshida's multiple graded stakes-winner A Mo Reay was last seen finishing a distant sixth in the Grade 3 Locust Grove on September 16 at Churchill Downs. Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the daughter of Uncle Mo was Grade 1-placed as a juvenile when in the care of Hall of Fame conditioner Todd Pletcher, and made a winning debut for Cox in Fair Grounds Race Course's Pago Hop on New Year's Eve after selling for $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale.

This year, A Mo Reay reached her full potential when scoring her first graded victories in the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita Park. Her best finish in three start since came in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis in July at Ellis Park where she crossed the wire third and was elevated to second via disqualification.

Out of the graded stakes-placed Pioneerof the Nile mare Margaret Reay, A Mo Reay was initially purchased for $400,000 by Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse.com at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She has banked field-best earnings of $812,775 through a record of 15-5-2-3.

Flavien Prat has been tasked with the ride from post 2.

Godolphin's Kentucky homebred Nostalgic [post 4, Junior Alvarado] returned to the winner's circle last out with a rallying 1 1/2-length victory in an August 19 optional claimer at the Spa that garnered a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro earned her first win since taking Aqueduct's Grade 3 Gazelle last April from just off the pace under Jose Ortiz, an effort that propelled her to a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks where she finished a distant 10th.

In addition to her Gazelle score, Nostalgic garnered graded black type when third in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks last summer at the Spa and second beaten a neck in the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap in November at the Big A. She holds a career record of 13-4-2-1 with $463,275 in total purse earnings.

Completing the field is Holly Crest Farm's graded stakes-placed New Jersey homebred Riding Pretty [post 1, Jairo Rendon], who enters from a dominant 9 1/2-length romp in an optional claimer for state-breds on September 2 at Monmouth Park for trainer Eddie Owens, Jr. The Jack Milton dark bay was third in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks two starts back and earned two stakes placings against fellow state-breds when third in the Jersey Girl Handicap on July 8 and second defeated a neck in the Smart N Classy Handicap in June.

A second generation homebred, Riding Pretty is out of the unraced Girolamo mare High Renaissance, a half-sister to Holy Crest Farm homebreds Speaking, a multiple stakes-winner for Owens, Jr.; the stakes-placed juvenile Sea Streak; the winning All Even, dam of dual graded stakes-placed Great Navigator; and Stiffed, a multiple graded stakes-placed mare who produced Grade 2-winner Affirmative Lady.

The Beldame is slated as Race 3 on Sunday's nine-race program, which co-features the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity, a “Win and You're In” for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, the Grade 3, $150,000 Matron, and the rescheduled Grade 3, $150,000 Noble Damsel. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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