Tag: Racing

Ten older horses led by defending champion Slew's Tiz Whiz square off in Sunday's 88th running of the $150,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash.

The Mile goes as race 8 on a 10-race card with first post 2 p.m. PT.

Slew's Tiz Whiz drew the No. 9 post and was made 9-5 morning line favorite as he bids to become only the fifth two-time Mile winner and just the second at Emerald Downs.

Elttaes Stable's Five Star General is 2-1 on the morning line with California invader Il Bellator, owned by Theresa and Edward DeNike of Kent, third at 6-1.

Trained by Tom Wenzel, owned by Slew's Crew Racing and ridden by Jose Zunino, Slew's Tiz Whiz can join Amble In (1946, 1948), Trooper Seven (1980-1981), Simply Majestic (1988-1989), and Stryker Phd (2014-2015) as repeat winners of Washington's most historic race. The lone Washington-bred in this year's lineup, Slew's Tiz Whiz rallied from eight lengths back to prevail by 2 ¾ lengths last year, surging past Papa's Golden Boy late and stopping the teletimer in 1:34.46.

The 5-year-old bay gelding is 1-1-0 from two starts in 2023, including a sparkling score in the 6 ½-furlong Governor's Stakes three weeks ago. Slew's Tiz Whiz life mark is 7-3-2 from 17 starts with earnings of $222,857.

Five Star General also can make Mile history. The well-traveled 7-year-old could become the first horse to finish in the money in four straight Miles, having finished second in 2020 and third in 2021 and 2022. This year's race marks his fourth different trainer in the Mile, with Grant Forster succeeding Doris Harwood, who took over from Sandi Gann, who succeeded the late Glen Todd.

Purchased by Ken Alhadeff from the Glen Todd dispersal, Five Star General has improved with age and changed to a front-running style that netted a win and two seconds this year at Fair Grounds, Evangeline Downs, and Horseshoe Indianapolis. Five Star General is 9 for 29 lifetime with earnings of $520,269, but 0-2-3 in seven starts at Emerald Downs.

Joe Bravo, winner of over 5,600 races and nearly $200,000 million in purses, makes his first Emerald Downs appearance to ride Five Star General.

Il Bellator is a wildcard. Trained by Jose Bautista, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Shackleford has a sparkling resume this year on turf—finishing fourth beaten 2 ½ lengths at 68-1 in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile and third beaten a half-length at 56-1 in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile. Il Bellator also captured the 2022 California Derby on synthetic, but is winless in two starts on dirt, most recently finishing a distant third in the Pleasanton Mile.

Seattle Bold steps up in class following consecutive dirt route wins at Pleasanton and Sacramento and was claimed for $40,000 from the latter by trainer Dan Markle and owner Craig Peerenboom. A 5-year-old California-bred, Seattle Bold figures to add to Sunday's early pace.

The top earner and graybeard in this year's field is Zestful, an 8-year-old Ghostzapper gelding stretching out after a fourth and third in the Budweiser Stakes and Governor's Stakes. Earner of $706,780 in a 55-race career, Zestful is trained by Justin Evans, currently the meet leader with 36 wins through Sunday.

Trainer Blaine Wright has been in the thick of the Longacres Mile the last five years, compiling a win and three seconds, and saddles Top Executive this year. The 2021 Emerald Downs' Horse of the Meeting, Top Executive tuned up with a 6 ½-furlong allowance win July 23 and is 6 for 11 lifetime at Emerald Downs.

A Man's Man, owned by 102-year-old Howard Hammer, tries to regain the form that saw the California-bred son of Mucho Macho Man win 7 of 13 starts and $169,984 in 2022. Arma d'Oro tries two turns and moves up to stakes company following three good allowance sprints. Exclusive Speaker raced in a $6,250 claimer as recently as May but has fared well in routes including a track record of 1:38.20 for 1 mile & 70 yards.

You're the Cause authored one of the biggest upsets in track history in the 2022 Muckleshoot Derby, rallying from last for a $115.60 stunner. Javier Matias, winner of the 2018 Mile on Barkley, has the mount for trainer Debbie Van Horne.

Entries were also drawn for the $50,000 Emerald Distaff, $50,000 Muckleshoot Derby, and $50,000 Washington Oaks. Emerald Downs offers a special Championship Sunday all stakes $0.50 Pick 4 on races 5-8; last year's produced a mammoth $67,847.05 payout with victories by Zippin Sevenz ($49), Tiz a Macho Girl ($45), You're the Cause ($115.60), and Slew's Tiz Whiz ($8.80).

$150,000 Longacres Mile (Race 8, 5:45 p.m.)

1: A Man's Man, Alex Cruz, 118 lbs., 20/1
2: Arma d'Oro, Alexander Chavez, 118, 20/1
3: Zestful, Alexis Valdes, 124, 12/1
4: You're the Cause, Javier Matias, 118, 30/1
5: Seattle Bold, Rocco Bowen, 118, 8/1
6: Il Bellator, Alejandro Gomez, 118, 6/1
7: Five Star General, Joe Bravo, 124, 2/1
8: Top Executive, Silvio Amador, 118, 15/1
9: Slew's Tiz Whiz, Jose Zunino, 124, 9/5
10: Exclusive Speaker, Kevin Orozco, 118, 20/1

The post Slew’s Tiz Whiz Defends Longacres Mile Title Sunday At Emerald Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Pura Vida Investments' impressive maiden winner Rhyme Schemes will look to take it to another level in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Herb Moelis Memorial Saratoga Special, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juveniles at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Norm Casse, the Ghostzapper chestnut garnered a field-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating with a frontrunning 9 1/2-length romp at second asking on June 15 at Ellis Park in a key race that produced next-out winners Pass the Hat, Timberlake, and Beaudacious Colton.

Casse said he was expecting a good effort from Rhyme Schemes following an even sixth-place finish in his May 18 debut at Churchill Downs won by Wilson Q, who was a next-out second in the Bashford Manor. The runner-up in Rhyme Schemes' debut voyage, Gold Sweep, was a next-out winner of the Tremont, while the third-place Works for Me also graduated at next asking.

“We went in with a new game plan this year. The 2-year-olds that arrived early, we weren't going to crank them up,” Casse said. “He ran a sneaky good race on debut and he came back and we knew he was ready for his second start and he ran really impressively that day.”

Casse said Rhyme Schemes doesn't necessarily need the lead.

“I think that was a circumstance where he was the fastest horse in the race that day with gate speed and early speed,” Casse said. “The cool thing about Rhyme Schemes is he's a professional. You would think he's an older horse around the barn. He does everything right. I don't think he has any boxes he has to check to run a good race. He can be wherever he wants to be and hopefully he's talented enough to win.”

Rhyme Schemes has breezed back five times since his maiden score, including a half-mile in 49.33 seconds Saturday in his lone timed work over the Spa main track in company with older stakes-placed Mac Daddy Too.

“I thought he went really well. Here at Saratoga, I don't think you want to ask your horse to do too much breezing. The track is pretty demanding,” Casse said. “We like to get him out there and give him a nice maintenance move over the track and I was really happy with the way that he went. He worked with a good allowance horse and went heads up with him. It was a perfect work.”

The $210,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the Distorted Humor mare Katherine. His third dam, Turbo Dream, produced dual Grade 1-winner Dream Rush.

Ricardo Santana, Jr. retains the mount from the outermost post 6.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and St. Elias Stable's first-out maiden winner Haul [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] will make his Spa debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Haul pressed the pace three-wide in his July 9 debut under the Spa's leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., taking command in upper stretch and powering clear to a three-length win in a final time of 1:05.64 for 5 1/2-furlongs over a fast main track at Belmont Park. The victory earned a 68 Beyer.

Haul has breezed back three times with two of those efforts over the Spa main track, including a half-mile in 48.13 Saturday.

“He's a professional colt who was able to win on debut and does everything right in the morning,” Pletcher said. “He took the race really well and has come back with a couple solid breezes. I'm very pleased with him.”

The Army Mule colt, a $260,000 purchase from the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Western Fame mare Western Kitty. His third dam, Tizso, produced 2012 Grade 1 Haskell-winner Paynter; while his fourth dam, Cee's Song, produced Hall of Famer Tiznow.

Courtlandt Farms' Edified [post 5, Joel Rosario], a $650,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, garnered a 69 Beyer for his 3 1/2-length debut maiden win on July 1 at Ellis Park.

Sent to post at odds of 9-1 from post 2 under returning rider Joel Rosario for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Edified stalked along the inside from third through the half-mile before tipping out and taking charge at the stretch call to win in a final time of 1:10.97.

Edified, by Tapit, is a half-brother to Grade 1-winner Constellation. He is out of the stakes-winning Not For Love mare For Royalty, who is a half-sister to Grade 2-winner Kiss to Remember as well as El Viento, a multiple Grade 1-winner in Puerto Rico.

Qatar Racing's Woodcourt [post 3, Jose Ortiz] was purchased for $95,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale following a second-out maiden win traveling 5 1/2-furlongs on June 17 at Ellis Park. He will make his stakes debut in the care of trainer Brendan Walsh.

The Ransom the Moon colt, previously trained and co-owned by John Ennis with Niall Collum, tracked in second position as odds-on favorite Balta set swift splits of 22.17 seconds and 45.07 over the fast main track. Balta opened up a two-length lead at the stretch call, but Woodcourt persevered with a two-wide run and took command inside the final sixteenth to secure the 1 1/4-length score in a final time of 1:04.90. Balta, a $685,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase, graduated next out at the same course and is entered in Sunday's Ellis Park Juvenile.

Woodcourt has breezed back four times with three efforts over the Oklahoma training track, including a three-eighths work Tuesday in 35.20.

Rounding out a talented field are maiden winners Lasso [post 1, Edgard Zayas] for trainer Juan Alvarado; and Market Street [post 2, Jaime Torres] for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

The Saratoga Special is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 11-race card which also features the $150,000 Galway in Race 7 and the Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile, in Race 9. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

Saratoga Live will present live coverage and analysis of the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule/.

The post Runaway Maiden Winner Rhyme Schemes Headlines Saturday’s Saratoga Special appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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