Tag: Racing

T-minus 20-days and counting to the 33rd running of the $1-million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic (G1) Sept. 2 at Del Mar, and it's beginning to look like a possible rematch between two talented 3-year olds.

Geaux Rocket Ride and Arabian Knight locked horns in the TVG.com Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park last month. It was a coming out party of sorts for Geaux Rocket Ride, who put away Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage in midstretch and stormed home much the best that day. Arabian Knight faded to third after leading down the backstretch and around the far turn. Nearing the home turn, Mage and Geaux Rocket Ride came calling.

Geaux Rocket Ride's trainer, Richard Mandella, mentioned at the time the Pacific Classic was a possible next spot for the son of Candy Ride, but once he got back to Del Mar with him, he began considering the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes as an option instead. The Pacific Classic would be against older horses, the Shared Belief is restricted to 3-year-olds so it would allow 'Rocket' to stay with his own age group. In the end, Mandella went back to his initial intention to run in the Pacific Classic.

“We're a little heavier on the million dollars,” Mandella said. “I have my price, you know.”

Geaux Rocket Ride worked five furlongs Friday at Del Mar in 1:01.40.

Bob Baffert's Arabian Knight, a son of Uncle Mo, was coming back from a five-month layoff in the Haskell and may have needed the race. He was the favorite in the Haskell off of his scintillating win in the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn in January.

Arabian Knight has worked twice since returning to the West Coast. His most recent was Friday, a seven-furlong move in 1:24.40.

Baffert is also pointing Defunded to the Pacific Classic. He finished fourth in the G2 San Diego (G2) last month, but prior to that Defunded won the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and the Californian (G2). The son of Dialed In has been a staunch competitor in the handicap division all year.

Defunded worked four furlongs Monday in :49.20.

Stilleto Boy is another horse being considered for this year's Pacific Classic. Trainer Ed Moger Jr.'s Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner worked five furlongs Saturday at Del Mar and stopped the clock at :59.40, the fourth best time at the distance.

Rattle N Roll is on the list of possibles for the Pacific Classic. He's been running back east where he's developed into a top-class racehorse. The son of Connect won three consecutive Grade 3 races at Keeneland, Pimlico, and Churchill Downs before coming up short and finishing second to West Will Power in the Stephen Foster (g1) at Ellis Park last time out.

Trainer Kenny McPeek is also considering the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) for Rattle N Roll, run on the same day as the Pacific Classic. He worked four furlongs in :50.55 at Saratoga Saturday.

Trainer Bob Hess Jr. has nominated Order and Law to the Pacific Classic. The winner of the Cougar II (G3) at Del Mar last month was running in claiming races just four months ago. But he ran second in an allowance race at Presque Isle Downs in June and then came out to Del Mar and won the 1 1/2-mile Cougar II, giving Hess the confidence to take a shot.

Order and Law put in his first work since his victory in the Cougar II, going four furlongs in :50.20 at Del Mar on Tuesday.

Finally, trainer Doug O'Neill is considering two for the Pacific Classic. Slow Down Andy finished second to Senor Buscador in the San Diego (G2) and O'Neill believes the son of Nyquist belongs.

His other hopeful, Katonah, has developed an issue that may prevent him from running. When last seen, Katonah was winning the Pleasanton Mile.

“He's battling a bruised foot,” O'Neill said. “So we have to play it by ear.”

The post Geaux Rocket Ride, Arabian Knight Could Meet In Pacific Classic In Haskell Rematch appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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On Sunday morning, owner Lee Einsidler of LRE Racing was still basking in the glow of his Saratoga Race Course-loving star Casa Creed, who for the second straight year Saturday captured the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) going one mile over the inner turf.

Trained by Bill Mott and co-owned by Einsidler with Mike Francesa's JEH Racing, Casa Creed became the fourth horse to win two editions of the Fourstardave, joining Got Stormy [2019, 2021], Hall of Famer Wise Dan [2012-13] and the race's namesake Fourstardave [1990-91], who captured the prestigious race when it was run as the Daryl's Joy.

Einsidler stopped by Mott's stable at the Oklahoma training track to pay Casa Creed a visit after his big win. He said the fan favorite, affectionately known as the 'Mayor of Saratoga,' will now have sights set on the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) in November at Santa Anita.

Although yet to win a Breeders' Cup race, Casa Creed has been a participant in the past three runnings, finishing a respective 12th [2020] and eighth [2021] in the Mile before running ninth in last year's Turf Sprint (G1).

“He looks amazing. He came out of the race great. His legs are cool, he's eating up and feeling great,” Einsidler said. “We'll give him a break now and see if we can get him out to California for the Breeders' Cup.”

Boasting a 6-4-0-2 record over the Saratoga turf, Casa Creed won the Grade 3 Kelso at Saratoga on July 15 and the 2019 Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in during his sophomore season, one year after breaking his maiden over the Spa main track in August 2018.

In addition to his Spa accolades, Casa Creed captured two straight runnings of Belmont Park's six-furlong Jaipur (G1)  [2021-22] while running third behind last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Caravel in this year's edition. He also shipped halfway across the world the past couple of Februarys to finish a close second in the 1351 Turf Sprint (G3) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

“He loves to win. He loves to race and we're so grateful that he's a part of our life. It was just one of those amazing, amazing days,” Einsidler said.

Casa Creed earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure – his eighth lifetime triple digit number – for the Fourstardave, where he earned a “Win And You're In” entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile in November at Santa Anita Park. The evergreen 7-year-old son of Jimmy Creed additionally competed in his fourth straight Fourstardave, finishing third in the 2020 and 2021 editions, respectively.

In last year's running, Casa Creed utilized his typical late-pouncing style en route to a 1 1/2-length triumph over eventual champion turf female Regal Glory.

“You can't imagine that you'd run in the same Grade 1 race at Saratoga four years in a row. That's not anything even remotely something you would ever think about, but to win it for the second year in a row made for an amazing day,” Einsidler said. “I'm so appreciative of what Bill Mott and his staff have done for this horse for the entirety of his career. As a 7-year-old, there's the argument to be made that yesterday's race was the best race of his life.”

Casa Creed entered the Fourstardave from a triumph in the Kelso going one mile at the Spa, where he benefited from a slow start from post time favorite Annapolis and fended off his foe to win by one length. But the tables were turned in Saturday's race, where Casa Creed had to catch the Irad Ortiz Jr.-piloted Annapolis in deep stretch, collaring the Grade 1-winning millionaire in the final sixteenth to win by three-quarters of a length under Luis Saez.

“He had every reason not to catch the horse in front, who's a very good racehorse. He went after him, caught him, and beat him to the wire,” Einsidler said. “We knew that was going to be their plan after the way the Kelso unfolded where we got the jump on him. We knew Irad would go and Luis knew it so he figured he would follow him. He knew what he had underneath him. He told me this morning that he was very confident going down the lane that he was going to catch him. Casa Creed has a great closing kick, we saw that yesterday. I have great respect for Annapolis and all the other horses in the race. But we beat him by a comfortable margin, which was very gratifying. It wasn't like it was a nose finish; we spotted him three or four lengths coming down the stretch.”

With an overall record of 33-9-5-5, Casa Creed has banked $2,460,308 in lifetime earnings.

The post ‘Mayor Of Saratoga’ Casa Creed To Get Break, Aim For Breeders’ Cup Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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