Tag: Racing

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown brings five chances to claim his seventh victory in Friday's Grade 3, $175,000 Lake George, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

The Brown-trained contenders are led by graded stakes-winner Liguria [post 4, Flavien Prat], who enters from a strong three-quarter-length triumph over stablemate Tax Implications [post 3, Manny Franco] in the one-mile Wild Applause on June 24 at Belmont Park. There, she pounced from four lengths off the pace under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to cross the wire first in a final time of 1:35.01 and earn a career-high 87 Beyer Speed Figure.

The daughter of War Front, owned by Alpha Delta Stables, won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante in December at Del Mar before a five-month respite that ended with a close fifth-place effort in the Grade 2 Edgewood in May at Churchill Downs where she was defeated 1 1/2 lengths by the victorious Heavenly Sunday.

Brown spoke highly of Liguria and said the bay filly ranks among the top of her division.

“She's in top form right now,” Brown said. “She's training outstanding. She's a nice prospect – one of the better 3-year-old turf fillies I think. She's found her form back in the second start of the year and she looks pretty good coming into this race.”

Tax Implications tracked close to Liguria throughout the Wild Applause to duel with her down the lane and come up just shy of victory, garnering an 86 Beyer. Owned by Klaravich Stables, Tax Implications graduated by 6 3/4 lengths on debut going one mile in September at Monmouth Park and closed out her juvenile campaign with a runner-up effort stablemate Implicated in the Chelsey Flower in October at Belmont at the Big A.

“It was her first race off the layoff and she'll improve,” said Brown. “They both ran very well.”

Wise Racing's Revalita [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione] has posted three consecutive strong performances at the graded level for Brown, including a last-out third in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Wonder Again on June 11 at Belmont. The Recoletos French-bred was nine lengths behind the pace through the first quarter-mile, but made up ground throughout under Jose Ortiz to finish just 1 1/4 lengths back of her victorious stablemate Prerequisite.

Revalita, who moved stateside in March after beginning her career in her native France with trainer Joel Boisnard, is in search of her first win since a seven-furlong allowance coup in September over soft turf at Le Lion D'angers in France. She finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride for her American debut in March ahead of a close runner-up effort by the same margin in the Grade 2 Edgewood.

“She's a stakes-level horse that's been knocking on the door,” said Brown. “Cutting back to a mile, we'll have to see if it proves maybe just a tick short for her. She's got a nice turn of foot and she's doing well.”

Rounding out the Brown-trained contingent are a pair of winners for Klaravich Stables in Utilization Rate [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Surge Capacity [post 2, Joel Rosario]. The former arrives from a five-length victory at third asking in a May 27 maiden going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont while the latter garnered an 80 Beyer for a 1 1/2-length debut score in a June 10 maiden tilt going the same distance at Monmouth.

“They're only maiden winners, but both of them won impressively by many lengths and I've always thought a lot of them,” said Brown. “I don't see an allowance race that fits them anywhere or any other stake that I really want to take them to, so those two are entered from limited opportunities. I really do think they're graded stakes-level fillies. I don't know off maiden wins, but it wouldn't surprise me either.”

Siena Farm, Michael Kisber, Peter Deutsch and the Elkstone Group's Queen Picasso looks to double up on graded scores after taking the Grade 3 Soaring Softly on May 27 at Belmont.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the Kingman bay, who is undefeated in two starts, tracked a half-length off the pace in second through first half-mile of the seven-furlong sprint before pouncing with a well-timed cue from Jose Ortiz to kick clear at the top of the stretch and win by two lengths.

Queen Picasso is out of the Danroad mare Aris – a half-sister to multiple group stakes-winner Again – and is a half-sister to multiple group stakes-winner and sire Aclaim.

Ortiz retains the mount from post 1.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle Donald R. Dizney's stakes-winner Princess Bettina [post 9, Dylan Davis] for her second start since moving east from the barn of Peter Eurton this spring. The Will Take Charge filly broke her maiden at third asking in October at Santa Anita and won the Arcadia oval's one-mile China Doll in March for her first triumph against winners.

Princess Bettina made her first outing for Pletcher in the one-mile Penn Oaks on June 2 at Penn National where she tracked in fifth through the first two points of call and improved to third when racing two-wide at the quarter pole, but failed to kick clear down the lane and settled for show honors.

“She's doing well. We didn't exactly get the trip we wanted at Penn,” said Pletcher. “We'll probably employ some different tactics here. She came in to us in excellent condition and she's a pretty easy filly to train. She's enthusiastic without overdoing it and she's been pretty straightforward.”

Completing the field are two-time winners Tryinmyheartout [post 8, John Velazquez] for trainer Jose Camejo and Secret Money [post 10, Javier Castellano] for trainer Brendan Walsh; and the stakes-placed Lil Miss Moonlight [post 6, Luis Saez] for conditioner Timothy Hamm.

The Lake George is slated as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race card, which co-features the $135,000 Curlin in Race 4. 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 Chad Brown To Saddle Five Of Ten Starters In Friday’s Lake George At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple Grade 2 winner Wicked Halo headlines a field of seven filly and mare sprinters that entered Sunday's first running of the $125,000 Twin Bridges Stakes at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The six-furlong Twin Bridges was carded as the sixth race on the nine-race card. First post is 11:45 a.m. (all times Central) and the Twin Bridges will go to post at 2:18 p.m.

The ultra-consistent Wicked Halo has won seven of her 14 lifetime starts including victories in the Prioress Stakes (G2) and Raven Run (G2). Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Wicked Halo won her seasonal debut at Oaklawn in the Matron Stakes then was a game runner-up to Matareya in the Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs. Wicked Halo will be ridden by Cristian Torres out of post No. 7.

Another accomplished filly that entered the Twin Bridges was Monarch Stables' five-time stakes winner Last Leaf. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Last Leaf has yet to find the winner's circle in 2023 but sports a narrow runner-up effort to Frank's Rockette in the Roxelana Stakes and a third-place finish to Echo Zulu in the Winning Colors (G3). As a 3-year-old, Last Leaf was victorious at the “Pea Patch” in the Audubon Stakes over fellow Twin Bridges rival Gunning. Jockey Corey Lanerie has the call on Last Leaf from post 3.

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

1. Tap Dance Fever (Francisco Arrieta, Bret Calhoun)

2. Gunning (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)

3. Last Leaf (Lanerie, Kenneally)

4. Speedometer (Keith Asmussen, Steve Asmussen)

5. Dealing Justice (Martin Garcia, Riley Mott)

6. Non Violence (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun)

7. Wicked Halo (Torres, Asmussen)

The Twin Bridges Stakes is named in honor of the iconic two bridges adjacent to Ellis Park that connect Henderson and Evansville, Ind. over the Ohio River. The construction of the bridges was completed during the Great Depression in 1932 and has undergone several name changes over the last nine decades. So, locals simply call them the “Twin Bridges.”

When the project was nearing completion there were many suggestions on what the name should be including, “The Dade Park Bridges.”

In a 1931 article published by Owensboro, Ky.'s Messenger and Inquirer they stated, “It has been officially decreed that when you approach the Dade Park Bridge over the Ohio River from the south that it will be the 'Henderson-Evansville Bridge' and when approaching from the north it will be labeled the 'Evansville-Henderson Bridge.' Can it be possible that Henderson and Evansville are jealous of Dade Park?”

If fans are heading over the Bi-State Vietnam Gold Star Bridges (aka the Twin Bridges) to Ellis Park Racing & Gaming Sunday they will be able to enjoy Dollar Days sponsored by the Kentucky HBPA. The day will feature several discounted food and beverage items including $1 hot dogs, chips, ice cream, soft drinks and $2 beer. For more information, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.

The post Grade 1 Placed Wicked Halo Leads Female Sprinters In Sunday’s Twin Bridges appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Greg Foley will attempt to keep his stakes hot streak intact when Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry Stephens' O Besos makes his 5-year-old debut in Saturday's $125,000 Jeff Hall Memorial at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson, Ky.

The 6 ½-furlong Jeff Hall Memorial is slated as Race 8 of 9 with a post time of 3:22 p.m. (all times Central) First post is 11:45 a.m.

O Besos is a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Orb and an alumni of Kentucky Derby 148 where he crossed the wire fifth. The four-time winner finished fifth in last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and has been on the sidelines since. As a 3-year-old, O Besos finished third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and second in the Matt Winn (G3). Jockey Corey Lanerie will have the mount from post No. 2.

Last year's Jeff Hall Memorial winner Necker Island will defend his title for his owners The Scherr Boys and trainer Chris Hartman. The eight-time winning son of Hard Spun defeated two rivals last time out in the $225,000 Mighty Beau at Ellis Park, his first victory since last year's Jeff Hall Memorial. In last year's event, Necker Island overcame a tough start and edged clear late of Tut's Revenge for a neck victory. Jockey Mitchell Murrill will be back aboard from post 3.

Another accomplished horse that entered the Jeff Hall Memorial is Here Mi Song. Owned by Nathan Hayden and trained by Billy Stinson Jr., Here Mi Song pulled an 11-1 upset victory in the Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. The 5-year-old gelded son of Cross Traffic sports a solid record of 20-5-7-1 with purse earnings of $599,193. Regular rider Alex Achard will be in the irons from post 9.

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

1. Chasing Time (Cristian Torres, Steve Asmussen)

2. O Besos (Lanerie, Foley)

3. Necker Island (Murrill, Hartman)

4. Droppin G's (Luan Machado, Jerry Antonuik)

5. Solidify (Yoel Navas, Juan Cano)

6. Go West (Rey Gutierrez, Bret Calhoun)

7. Classier (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kieron Magee)

8. Tut's Revenge (Francisco Arrieta, Shea Stuart)

9. Here Mi Song (Achard, Stinson)

The Jeff Hall Memorial is named in honor of the longtime Director of Racing Operations at Ellis Park who died last year at age 75. Ellis Park recently unveiled the new name for the winner's circle, “The Jeff Hall Winner's Circle.”

For more information about racing and gaming from Ellis Park, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.

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The 2023 Saratoga steeplechase season begins with a bang on Wednesday with the Grade 1, $150,000 A.P. Smithwick Memorial handicap at 2 1/16 miles, a race that's drawn a competitive field of nine as well as an international array of visiting riders.

Leading the list of contenders for the Smithwick, one of two Grade 1s at Saratoga, is Keystone Thoroughbreds' Noah And The Ark, longshot winner of the G1 Lonesome Glory at Aqueduct last September, who proved his defeat of the mighty Snap Decision while getting a big break in the weights was no fluke. In his following start at level weights, Noah And The Ark kicked in late and got up for second to eventual Eclipse Award winner Hewick in the American Grand National at Far Hills, the most significant hurdle race in the U.S.

Though he contended before fading to fifth in the longer 3-mile Iroquois in Nashville in May, Noah And The Ark is the starting top weight (158 pounds) in the Smithwick, giving away six to 18 pounds to his rivals. Regular rider Harrison Beswick has the mount for trainer Todd McKenna.

Trainers Keri Brion and Hall of Famer Jack Fisher each saddle two challengers in Upland Partners' Freddy Flintshire and Atlantic Friends Racing's Historic Heart (Brion) and Sonny Via's Welshman and Riverdee Stable's Gordon's Jet (Fisher).

In two career Spa starts, Freddy Flintshire, who gets the services of 2022 leading rider Parker Hendriks, has an allowance victory and close second in the Michael G. Walsh novice stakes. He was the runaway winner of the Queen's Cup novice stakes this spring, and has both tactical speed and the ability to come from off the pace. Historic Heart, a tough competitor in the novice ranks, was fourth in last year's Smithwick, and will be ridden by UK-based veteran Danny Mullins, the nephew of legendary Irish conditioner Willie Mullins.

Mullins is no stranger to American steeplechasing, having reached the summit when piloting Mr. Hot Stuff to victory in the Grand National at Far Hills in 2017. Mullins is a veteran of 40 NSA starts over seven years. In his most recent ride, at the Iroquois Races in May, he won a handicap aboard Jimmy P. Historic Heart went to the sidelines for a year following the Smithwick, and tuned up for his hurdle return in a maiden special weights turf race on the flat at 1 3/8 miles at Delaware Park earlier this month. Both carry 148 pounds.

Fisher's duo also pack quite a punch, and seem to be in fine form. Five-year-old Welshman, who was acquired off the flat from trainer Barclay Tagg two years ago, boasts three wins in his past four starts, including the AFLAC Supreme novice stakes at Callaway Gardens last fall and, more recently, the Grade 2 David Semmes Memorial at the Virginia Gold Cup Races in May. In the Semmes, at 2 1/8 miles, he was a convincing two-length winner over Gordon's Jet, who ran gallantly in his stakes debut following a 120 Ratings Handicap victory at Tryon. Previous to that, he was a four-time winner in Europe. Tom Garner rides Gordon's Jet (144 pounds); Graham Watters gets the call on Welshman (152 pounds).

A 10-time winner of $364,000, Sharon Sheppard's Recidean, trained by leading conditioner Leslie Young, was a two-time stakes victor last year, taking the David Semmes Memorial, then closed out his campaign with an emphatic tally in the Appleton hurdle stakes at Far Hills. He began this season with a gutsy second to Snap Decision, but was subsequently non competitive in the Iroquois. Redicean gets a new rider in veteran Robbie Dunne, an Irishman who came stateside recently and rode two races at the summer season opener at Colonial Downs. Prior to that, Dunne made one appearance on the NSA circuit, guiding Macnicholson to a second-place finish behind Moscato in the 2017 Michael G. Walsh novice stakes at Saratoga. Dunne's biggest win came in the 2015 Scottish Grand National on 25-1 shot Wayward Prince. Redicean has been assigned 146 pounds.

Upland Flats Racing's West Newton, trained by Ricky Hendriks, was bred by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and has five victories since coming over from England in 2019. The son of Kitten's Joy has captured his last two starts, including his first stakes, the Van Clief Memorial, at Foxfield in April, though the Smithwick represents a huge step up in class. West Newton carries 144 pounds and Irish jockey Stephen Mulqueen. Mulqueen, who began his NSA career in the spring, has four wins in 17 outings riding for trainer Arch Kingsley.

Irv Naylor's Belfast Banter (144 pounds), an accomplished hurdler in Europe, is still looking for his first U.S. win. In six NSA starts (all in Grade 1 and 2 competition), the eight-year-old Irish-bred's best finish was a second to Redicean in the Semmes. He has two thirds in 2023, in the Temple Gwathmey and Semmes Memorial. Cyril Murphy is the trainer and Barry Foley rides.

A wild card in the race is Patrick Merrigan's Salvino, trained by Patrick Neville and ridden by Gavin Sheehan. Salvino makes the trip from the UK, where he registered one win, in a novice weight-for-age hurdle, and six seconds in 13 career starts. The seven-year-old Irish-bred hasn't hit the board this year, and this will be his first stakes try. Sheehan is a national hunt jockey and has competed in some of the country's most storied events, including the Grand National at Aintree and the Cheltenham Festival. The Irishman rode in four jump races at Saratoga in 2016; his last NSA mount was at Colonial Downs in 2019, where he finished second, beaten a nose.

Post time for all Saratoga steeplechase races is 1:10 p.m. on Wednesdays. NYRA races are broadcast live on Fox2 TV, with replays available on NYRA website, https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/replays.

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