Tag: Racing

NBS Stable's multiple graded stakes winner Spooky Channel is set to clash with Foster Family Racing, Douglas Miller, and William Wargel's returning Grade 3 winner Kitodan in Sunday's sixth running of the $250,000 Ky Downs Turf Cup Preview, one of four stakes contests on the nine-race program from Ellis Park.

The full field of turf specialists that entered the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview will go to post at 3:55 p.m. (CT) in Race 9. First post is 11:45 a.m.

The stellar afternoon of racing will feature a quartet of stakes contests where the winners will receive an automatic entry-fees paid spot to their corresponding race at Kentucky Downs. The winner of the KY Downs Preview Turf Cup will receive a berth to the $1.7-million Kentucky Downs Turf Cup (G2) Sept. 9.

Trained by Evansville, Ind. native Jason Barkley, Spooky Channel has spent the summer based at Ellis Park preparing for this start. The classy 8-year-old son of English Channel last ran in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs where he finished a gallant third behind Up to the Mark and Hong Kong Harry. Barkley claimed Spooky Channel for $80,000 on April 30, 2021 and five starts later won the Sycamore Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. In late March, Spooky Channel edged clear of Rising Empire to win the Muniz Memorial (G2) at Fair Grounds. Jockey James Graham will have the mount from post No. 11.

Kitodan is also a former $80,000 claim by his trainer Eric Foster. The son of Point of Entry is set to make his 4-year-old debut in the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview, his first start since his four-length victory in last year's Dueling Grounds Derby (G3). Kitodan's resume also includes a victory at Churchill Downs in the Audubon Stakes, three weeks after Foster claimed him from trainer Mike Maker. Jockey Francisco Arrieta will ride Kitodan from post 8.

Other accomplished horses that entered the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview include Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, T-N-T Equine Holdings, and Saratoga Racing Partners multiple graded stakes winner Get Smokin and trainer Mike Maker's duo of Texas Turf Classic winner King Cause and Schuster Memorial winner Me and Mr. C.

Here is the complete field for the KY Downs Turf Cup Preview from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. War Campaign (Corey Lanerie, Phil Sims)

2. F Five (Rafael Bejarano, Brian Lynch)

3. Cellist (Martin Garcia, Rusty Arnold II)

4. Get Smokin (Luis Saez, Mark Casse)

5. King Cause (Rene Diaz, Maker)

6. Mount Rundle (Walter Rodriguez, Michelle Nihei)

7. Me and Mr. C (Gerardo Corrales, Maker)

8. Kitodan (Arrieta, Foster)

9. McLovin (Alex Achard, Rodolphe Brisset)

10. Siege of Boston (Jorge Ruiz, Jimmy Toner)

11. Spooky Channel (Graham, Barkley)

12. Camp Hope (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)

AE 13. Vintage Print (Adam Beschizza, Paulo Lobo)

AE 14. Arturo Toscanini (IRE) (Luis Saez, Eddie Kenneally

Ultra-Consistent Safeen Top Pucker Up Stakes

Fergus Galvin and Rebecca Hillen's Safeen, who has yet to finish off the board from six career starts, will be in search of her first graded stakes victory against a field of nine 3-year-old fillies that were entered in the $300,000 Pucker Up Stakes (G3).

The 1 1/8-mile Pucker Up Stakes, run on turf, will go to post as Race 8 at 3:22 p.m. The winner of the Pucker Up Stakes will receive an automatic berth to the $1-million Dueling Grounds Oaks on Sept. 3 at Kentucky Downs.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Safeen scored her first stakes victory in the Horseshoe Indianapolis Handicap two starts ago. Last time out, Safeen surged late but couldn't catch Xigera and Heavenly Sunday in the Tepin Stakes at Ellis Park. The regally bred daughter of War Front will once again have the riding services of Luis Saez, who will return to Kentucky from his summer base at Saratoga. The duo will break from post No. 4.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' stakes winner Lily Poo was entered in the Pucker Up and will attempt to score her third victory from eight starts. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Lily Poo was victorious in the California Oaks in late April at Golden Gate Fields prior to making her journey to her Kentucky base. In her last start, Lily Poo finished a solid third to Defining Purpose and Taxed in the Indiana Oaks (G3) at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Jockey James Graham will be back aboard from post 7.

Another intriguing prospect that entered the Pucker Up is Peter Brant's Frontal Attack. Trained by three-time Pucker Up-winning conditioner Chad Brown, Frontal Attack made an impressive rally from more than eight lengths off the pace to break her maiden on June 23 at Ellis Park. The daughter of War Front will break from post 2 under Gerardo Corrales. Brant teamed up with Brown in the 2019 Pucker Up with Cafe Americano.

The Pucker Up will run for the first time at Ellis Park. The previous 21 runnings were contested at Arlington Park.

Here is the complete field for the Pucker Up from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Bling (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver)

2. Frontal Attack (Corrales, Brown)

3. Time to Race (Jack Gilligan, Michelle Nihei)

4. Safeen (Saez, Kenneally)

5. Hang the Moon (Francisco Arrieta, Mike Stidham)

6. Wonderfull Lady (FR) (Adam Beschizza, Brendan Walsh)

7. Lily Poo (Graham, McCarthy)

8. Champagne Calling (Chris Landeros, Ian Wilkes)

9. Freydis the Red (FR) (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)

Mint Julep Winner Henrietta Topham To Meet New Year's Eve in Ladies Turf Mile Preview

Cambus-Kenneth Farm's recent Mint Julep Stakes (Grade 3) winner Henrietta Topham leads an over-subscribed field of 14 fillies and mares, including classy Grade II winner New Year's Eve, entered in the sixth running of the $200,000 KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview.

The KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview Stakes is carded as Race 7 of 9 with a post time of 2:50 p.m. (CT), and one-mile turf will provide the winner a berth to the $1-million Ladies Turf (GIII) Sept. 2 at Kentucky Downs.

Henrietta Topham achieved her biggest lifetime victory in early June when she surged late to win the Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs. Trained by Geoff Mulcahy, Henrietta Topham had a troubled voyage to finish third last time out in the Indiana General Assembly Distaff at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Jockey James Graham will retain the mount from post No. 2.

Trainer Brendan Walsh entered a trio of contenders in the KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview including Qatar Racing and Fergus Galvin's Grade 2 heroine New Year's Eve. The three-time winner has not found the winner's circle since her victory in the 2022 Edgewood (G2) at Churchill Downs but sports two graded stakes placings following that race in the Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3) and the Modesty (G3). Jockey Luis Saez will have the call on New Year's Eve from post 9.

Walsh's other entries in the race are Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine, and Kurz Equine Investments' Arm Candy, and Dewberry Thoroughbred's Princess Theorem.

Allen Stable's For the Flag will be in search of her first stakes victory in the KY Downs Preview Ladies Turf Mile but enters the race on a three-race win streak. Trained by Jimmy Toner, the fleet-footed For the Flag broke her my 1¼ lengths in March at Gulfstream Park and has since easily gone through the allowance ranks. The 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo won a first-level allowance contest in April at Keeneland and a second-level allowance in mid-June at Belmont Park. Jockey Jorge Ruiz rides For the Flag from post 4.

Here is the complete field for the KY Downs Ladies Turf Mile Preview from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Glenall (IRE) (David Cabrera, Caio Caramori)

2. Henrietta Topham (Graham, Mulcahy)

3. Fancy Martini (Chris Landeros, Chris Hartman)

4. For the Flag (Ruiz, Toner)

5. Sweet Dani Girl (Gabe Saez, Carlo Vaccarezza)

6. Boudoir Burlesque (Rafael Mojica, Anna Decker)

7. Sinfiltre (Francisco Arrieta, Todd Pletcher)

8. Querobin Dourada (Joe Talamo, Paulo Lobo)

9. New Year's Eve (Saez, Walsh)

10. Lady Hideaway (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes)

11. Princess Theorem (Adam Beschizza, Walsh)

12. Takntothecleaners (Edgar Morales, Ethan West)

AE 13. Bhoma (Gerardo Corrales, Wayne Catalano)

AE 14. Arm Candy (Vince Cheminaud, Walsh)

Chiseler Headlines Competitive Turf Sprint

Hoolie Racing Stable's Dade Park Dash hero Chiseler returns to Ellis Park and will face an over-subscribed field of 14 turf sprinters that entered Sunday's sixth running of the $200,000 KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint.

Run at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, the KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint will go as Race 6 of 9 with a post time of 2:18 p.m.

Trained by Greg Foley, Chiseler recorded his first stakes victory in the Dade Park Dash when he strongly rallied from just off the pace to defeat five rivals by 2¼ lengths. Chiseler will be ridden by Corey Lanerie from post No. 8.

Surfside Stables' Oceanic was entered in the KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint in search of his fifth-lifetime victory. The gritty son of Constitution finished a game runner-up to Lucky Score in the Highlander Stakes (G2) at Woodbine. Trained by Jordan Blair, Oceanic won last year's Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs and subsequently finished a narrow runner-up to multiple Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal in the Woodford Stakes (G2) at Keeneland. Jockey Rey Gutierrez has the call from post 4.

The classy Just Might is scheduled to make the 45th start of his career in the KY Downs Preview Turf Sprint, but it will be his first race at Ellis Park. Co-owned and bred by trainer Michelle Lovell, Just Might has yet to find the winner's circle since his victory in last year's Might Beau at Churchill Downs. The 11-time winner's resume sports victories in stakes contests on both turf and dirt. In his last start, Just Might steadily closed ground late but could not catch Nobals and Charcoal in the William Garrett Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Regular rider Colby Hernandez will be aboard Just Might from the rail.

Here is the field from the rail out for the KY Downs Turf Sprint Preview (with jockey and trainer):

1. Just Might (Hernandez, Lovell)

2. Let My People Go (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver)

3. Collaborate (Luis Saez, Mike Maker)

4. Oceanic (Gutierrez, Blair)

5. Bakers Bay (Joe Talamo, Tom Drury)

6. Excess Magic (Francisco Arrieta, Bret Calhoun)

7. Charcoal (Alex Achard, Tracey Wisner)

8. Chiseler (Lanerie, Foley)

9. One Timer (E.T. Baird, Larry Rivelli)

10. Bad Beat Brian (Chris Emigh, Brittany Vanden Berg)

11. Pure Panic (Walter Rodriguez, Eric Foster)

12. Red Hot Rod (Brian Hernandez Jr., Rey Hernandez)

AE 13. Mailman Money (Brian Hernandez Jr., Chris Hartman)

AE 14. Remuda (James Graham, Eoin Harty)

Ellis Park's Kentucky Downs Preview Days will kick off Saturday with a trio of stakes contests each worth purses of $200,000 – the Dueling Grounds Preview, the Mint Ladies Turf Sprint Preview and the Mint Millions Mile Preview. First post Saturday is 11:45 a.m. (CT).

The post Four Stakes Draw Competitive Fields For Ellis Park’s KY Downs Preview Day Next Sunday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Peacock Family Holding's Senor Buscador came running late to pull off a $29 surprise in the 82nd edition of the Grade I2San Diego Handicap at Del Mar racetrack on Saturday.

Geovanni Franco rode the 5-year-old horse by Mineshaft who turned in a strong run on the outside in the lane to finish up 1 1/4 lengths to the good. The horse is trained by Todd Fincher, who was winning his first stakes race at Del Mar.

Finishing second in the Grade 2 feature was Reddam Racing's Slow Down Andy, while a length and three quarters farther back was pacesetter Brickyard Ride, who races for owner-breeder Alfred Pais. Defunded, the 4-5 favorite, finished fourth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths.

Final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.54 and the winner picked up $180,000 from the total purse of $302,000.

Senor Buscador was capturing his sixth victory in his 12th trip to the post. He now has banked $667,427.

The track's popular Pick Six wager carried over for the sixth straight day and will go into Sunday's “mandatory” payout session with $384,489 in the kitty to start the day.

The 11-race card means that the Pick Six wager will be held on the sixth through 11th races.  First post for the afternoon is 2 p.m.

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GEOVANNI FRANCO (Senor Buscador, winner) – “I had a really good trip. The trainer (Todd Fincher) told me he liked to be outside away from horses when it came time to run. So early on I had a good spot inside; they were all coming together and we just stayed back on the rail. Then on the backside I eased him out toward the middle and we were going easy. When I asked him at the three-eighths (pole), he just went. He really dug in. We got it done.”

TODD FINCHER (Senor Buscador, winner) – “I told him (Franco) to just let the horse do his thing, don't panic and start riding early. He's got one strong kick. He'll start picking them up at the half mile pole on his own. Wait as long as you can then push the button. He'll never do anything but fall back out of the gate so we needed a good set-up.”

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FRACTIONS: :23.03  :46.30  1:10.36  1:35.95  1:42.54

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The stakes win was the first of the meet for both the rider and the trainer. The stakes win was the sixth at Del Mar for rider Franco, but his first in the San Diego. The stakes win was the first ever at Del Mar for trainer Fincher.

The winning owner, Peacock Family Holdings, is headed by Joe Peacock of San Antonio, TX.

The post Senor Buscador Posts $29 San Diego Handicap Surprise appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's reigning champion 2-year-old male Forte came out on the winning end of both a tight photo finish and a stewards' inquiry to take the $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2), a 1 1/8-mile main track test for sophomores at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the talented Forte added blinkers for the first time in the afternoon and engaged in a dramatic stretch duel in between the Brad Cox-trained duo of Angel of Empire and pacesetter Saudi Crown and narrowly defeated his rivals for his first win since the Florida Derby (G1) in April at Gulfstream Park.

“He loves the game,” said Pletcher, who won a record-extending seventh Jim Dandy. “He's always been that way, he's always trained super. He's very competitive in the afternoons, he's an intelligent horse.”

Ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte cleanly exited post 2 in the five-horse field and maintained inside stalking position while matching strides with Angel of Empire to his outside, the pair battling for second position as Saudi Crown rushed up to lead through an opening quarter-mile in :23.93  and the half-mile in :48.10 over the sloppy and sealed main track.

With the running order unchanged down the backside, Ortiz preserved his inside position into the turn as Saudi Crown kept clear at the helm two-wide off the rail. Angel of Empire remained within striking range in the center of the course, looming large as Forte needed room for an outside bid alongside Saudi Crown after three-quarters in 1:12.30. Ortiz opted to angle Forte out late in the turn and brushed with Angel of Empire at the top of the lane as Forte forged a path towards a resolute Saudi Crown, who dug in to find more under Florent Geroux in the final sixteenth.

“I was close to the rail. The horse in front stayed there. I had a chance to hit the clear, I did. As soon as I hit the clear, my horse go forward,” Ortiz said.

Forte gained ground with every stride with Angel of Empire just off his flank coming down to the final strides before the wire, but Forte made one final push late to get his nose down over a drifting Saudi Crown and completed the course in 1:49.61. Angel of Empire finished a half-length back of Saudi Crown with Disarm and the Cox-trained Hit Show, who bobbled at the start, completing the order of finish.

A lengthy stewards' inquiry into the stretch run resulted in no change to the order of finish.

Ortiz, aboard for each of Forte's lifetime outings, said some late drifting by Saudi Crown caused him to have to take Forte wider than he had anticipated.

“The horse in front, I don't know if he see something, but he was getting out bad,” said Ortiz. “He kept coming out, coming out, but I'm on his heels. It was hard to stop at the moment of the race. I was right there. I was close to making the lead. He kept coming out and Flo [Geroux] tried to do his best and I have to keep riding. At the same time, I have the other horse, finally we get straight and he corrects his horse and we get to the wire and thank God, we get a head in front at the end.”

Three of Forte's four challengers are trained by Brad Cox, which Pletcher said made him anticipate a heated stretch run.

“You're the one with a target on you back and you've got another stable with three horses in there. We were expecting some race tactics,” Pletcher said. “I think once he [Forte] was able to get himself in the clear and the horse on the lead kept drifting out, out, out and maybe into the eight path at one point. Irad said that compromised him a little bit from moving forward sooner.”

Forte entered from a rallying runner-up effort to Arcangelo in the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 10 at Belmont Park, his first start back off 10-week's rest after scratching the morning of the Kentucky Derby (G1) due to a bruised foot. Forte had been tabbed the morning-line Derby favorite after a spring campaign that saw him score in Gulfstream Park's Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby.

Pletcher, who had added blinkers for Forte's final work in prep for the Jim Dandy last Saturday, said he noticed the son of Violence was more involved earlier in the race with the equipment change.

“Irad said he thought [the blinkers] left him pretty focused and he wasn't too headstrong with them,” said Pletcher. “I think they made a positive change without being overwhelming. His record is fantastic without blinkers, but we just felt like the middle of the turn in the Belmont compromised his chances of winning. In the Florida Derby, he did the same thing but he was able to overcome it. We felt like this was the race to give them a try.”

The Jim Dandy is Forte's second graded coup at the Spa, adding to a win in last year's Hopeful (G1) as part of a championship season that included Grade 1 wins in the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland.

Bred in Kentucky by South Gate Farm from the Blame mare Queen Caroline, Forte banked $275,000 in victory and improved his lifetime record to 9-7-1-0. He returned $3.50 for a $2 win ticket.

Cox, who won the 2021 Jim Dandy with Essential Quality, said he was pleased with each of his runners.

“I'm very proud of the effort,” said Cox. “He's [Saudi Crown] a Grade 1 horse in the future. Angel of Empire ran well as well. Hit Show missed the break a little bit and it cost him a little bit, I think.”

Cox added that the dynamics of the race were altered slightly when Hit Show, who often races prominently, stumbled at the break.

“I would probably have switched Hit Show and Angel of Empire based on form and knowing them and where they would have ended up, but I don't know if would have changed anything today,” said Cox.

The Jim Dandy is the traditional local prep for the $1.25-million Travers (G1) going 1 1/4 miles on August 26, a race that Pletcher had indicated is the main summer goal for Forte.

While the Travers is the next likely stop for Forte, Cox said Saudi Crown will instead target the $1-million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on September 23 at Parx Racing traveling nine furlongs.

“We got beat by a champion today. Our colt, he's very good. All three of them are good, but Saudi Crown has a tremendous amount of upside,” Cox said. “I doubt you'll see him here going a mile and a quarter in four weeks; the PA Derby is what we're going to zero in on and try to get there.”

Cox said Angel of Empire could potentially target the Travers next, while plans for Hit Show will be determined in the near future.

The post Forte Edges Saudi Crown By Whisker In Jim Dandy Duel, Survives Lengthy Inquiry appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Tyson made it two straight graded stakes scores after taking the $175,000 Seagram Cup (G2) Saturday at Woodbine.

Sent off as the 2-5 choice, Tyson was sent to the front early by Rafael Hernandez in the 1 1/16-mile main track event for 3-year-olds and up, as Carrothers shadowed the leader from in second, with Clear Destination and Kingmax positioned in third and fourth, respectively.

Reaching the opening quarter in a tepid :25.26, Tyson held a two-length advantage over Carrothers, as the trio of Clear Destination, Artie's Storm, and Kingmax tracked behind as  the leaders duke it out through a half in :49.88.

As the field turned for home, the head-to-head battle continued on the front end with Tyson, along the inside, eventually emerging with a clear lead, taking a half-length advantage at the stretch call and converting it into a three-length win in a time of 1:43.26.

Carrothers fended off a late rally from Artie's Storm to secure second. Clear Destination was fourth, followed by Kingmax and Seventyseven Stone.

Hernandez, aboard for Tyson's Dominion Day (G3) triumph on July 1, was once again impressed by the determined effort from the 4-year-old son of Tapit  out of Honouring, by Smart Strike.

“He's a really nice horse,” said Hernandez. “Josie [trainer, Carroll] told me, 'Raffi, just play it by ear. It's a small field, just see what happens and try to give a good race to the horse.' He'll do anything you want him to do. He showed up today.” ​ ​

John Sikura, who co-bred and co-owns Tyson under the Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings Inc. banner, along with Stretch Run Ventures LLC, lauded the effort of the colt he named after former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.

“It's one of our best pedigrees, one that we've cultivated for more than 30 years,” stated Sikura. “I have great admiration for Mike Tyson, and I thought this is a special horse, so I wanted to name him Tyson. Wonderful horse, beautifully bred and I want to thank everyone at the farm for the great job they've done, and Josie, for being a magnificent trainer and holding this horse together and getting him on the right track. It looks like he's going to be a champion. I love Canada and I love Woodbine. It's great to be here, particularly when you win.”

Carroll, who won the 2011 Seagram Cup with James Street and the 2019 and 2020 editions with Mr Ritz, also had rave reviews for the Kentucky-bred, now 4-0-1 from five career starts.

“This horse just improves steadily,” said Carroll. “He's a very unseasoned horse compared to his competition. He has matured so much with racing. He's gone from a big, goofy boy to a horse that has just settled down and turned into a very classic kind of horse.”

Tyson paid $2.90 for the win.

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