Tag: Racing

Trainer Wesley Ward will have two chances in Eye Witness and No Nay Hudson to earn his second score in Sunday's Grade 3, $175,000 Quick Call presented by Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at Saratoga Race Course.

Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor's dual stakes-winner Eye Witness [post 3, Jose Ortiz] has won 3-of-4 starts and enters the 5 1/2-furong Mellon turf sprint for sophomores from wins in the six-furlong Animal Kingdom in March at Turfway Park and the seven-furlong Paradise Creek on May 20 over yielding turf at Belmont Park.

Last out, he settled in fifth position under Jose Ortiz, making an early move for the lead late in the turn and staved off the late charge of Inflation Nation to win by a head. That effort came in contrast to his previous efforts earned in more prominent fashion.

“I left that up to Jose,” said Ward, who captured this event in 2021 with that year's eventual Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint-winner Golden Pal. “He's a very patient rider and when it comes to these kind of horses, I usually go to him or Joel Rosario. I try to fit the riding style to the horse and both of them do well for me with those type of horses.

“He rode a really good race,” added Ward. “He said he moved a little sooner than he wanted to in the race which cost him at the end, but he still held on and won so I was happy.”

The $650,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, a half-brother to stakes-winner More Mischief, is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Gracilia, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes winner and sire Sharp Humor.

Andrew Farm and For the People Racing Stable's No Nay Hudson [post 1, James Graham] also demonstrated new dimensions last out, closing from seventh to win the 5 1/2-furlong William Walker on May 13 at Churchill Downs with James Graham aboard for the first time.

The No Nay Never colt was piloted through five of his first six starts by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, posting prominent efforts when second in the Skidmore in August at Saratoga and third in the Indian Summer in October at Keeneland.

Ward said he wanted to try something new last out and engaged the veteran Graham, who will be in search of his first Spa score.

“I wanted to change the horse's style,” Ward said. “So, I told him, 'rider, you may not understand this one, but I want an Eddie D.' That's an old term from California where Eddie Delahoussaye used to come from way back and come with a run. So, I said to him, 'I'll give you one you do know – give me a Joel Rosario.'”

Graham did not disappoint, rating the talented bay off the pace before unleashing a wide run down the lane to secure a 1 1/2-length win and garner a career-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He rode a beautiful race. He eased him back there like he did and then eased him out and away he went,” Ward said.

The win resonated with Graham and on May 26 he found himself aboard Surveillance taking on the Ward-trained Bound for Nowhere with Rosario up.

“I brought Joel out to ride my old horse Bound For Nowhere at Churchill and James was on another horse in the race and he was laughing at us, pointing at Joel and then pointing at himself and pointing back at Joel like, 'I can do it!'” said Ward, with a laugh.

Neither Surveillance nor Bound for Nowhere hit the board that day, but the improving No Nay Hudson is in with a shout Sunday here and Ward said the colt has trained well, including a half-mile breeze in 48.40 on June 28 over the Keeneland dirt.

“He's one we're just trying to get to settle. My main exercise rider, Julio Garcia, has got the horse to relax,” Ward said. “We're doing some nice, easy slow works and he's got a couple races in him now. Fitness isn't an issue. It's just trying to get his mind to where we can get him to settle. He's at Saratoga now and ready to go.”

The $190,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase is out of the graded-stakes winning Malibu Moon mare Raw Silk.

Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher, Skychai Racing and Angelo Carlesimo's graded-stakes placed Gaslight Dancer [post 10, Tyler Gaffalione] finished third as the mutuel favorite in the William Walker.

Trained by Mike Maker, the City of Light bay was a close second to Nagirroc in the Grade 3 Futurity in October at Belmont at the Big A. He followed with a sixth-place finish in the one-mile Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Keeneland when defeated just 3 3/4-lengths by the victorious Victoria Road.

He entered the William Walker from a 1 1/2-length score in the Palisades on April 16 traveling 5 1/2-furlongs over good Keeneland turf.

The $260,000 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training purchase is out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Raindrops Droptops, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes winner Summer Raven.

Trainer Larry Rivelli will send out Patricia's Hope's stakes-winner Uncashed [post 9, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] for his turf debut.

The Florida-bred Uncaptured bay sports a record of 5-4-1-0 led by a last-out romp in the six-furlong Golden Circle at Prairie Meadows. He was purchased privately from a winning debut in September at Louisiana Downs for breeder Nicksar Farms. Uncashed drifted to finish second on debut for current connections in October at Hawthorne, but returned to win his first two starts this year over the same course.

Rounding out a competitive field are dirt graded-stakes placed Two of a Kind [post 5, Julien Leparoux], who finished second in both the Palisades and William Walker for trainer Brian Lynch; multiple stakes-placed Dr Oseran [post 4, Flavien Prat] for conditioner Christophe Clement; allowance winner Briterdayzahead [post 7, Luis Saez] for trainer Joe Sharp; and maiden winners Charging [post 6, Manny Franco] for trainer Brad Cox, Son of a Birch [post 8, Javier Castellano] for conditioner Tom Morley and the Phil Bauer-trained Kigali [post 2, Florent Geroux]. Acoustic Ave and Joey Freshwater are entered for the main-track only.

The Quick Call is slated as Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race card. 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 Ward Trainees Eye Witness, No Nay Hudson Likely To Be Running Late In Sunday’s Quick Call appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lee Pokoik's Becky's Joker, making her career debut, rang up a $44.40 surprise in Thursday's Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the opening day of Saratoga's 2023 meet on Thursday in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Ridden by Javier Castellano for trainer Gary Contessa, Becky's Joker – a daughter of Practical Joke bred in Kentucky by Warran J. Harang – rallied from just off the pace to by 3 1/4 lengths while covering six furlongs on a fast main track in 1:12.52. She earned the $96,250 winner's share of the Schuyerville's $175,000 purse.

Saratoga Secret and Luis Saez finished second, with Closing Act and Tyler Gaffalione third. Favored Wine On Tap, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., finished fourth in the field of seven juveile fillies.

“She was very professional,” said Castellano. “I liked the way she did it today. She was right behind the horses and she covered up a little bit. She got an education and dirt in the face.

“I liked that move at the quarter pole when she split horses and took off. She leveled off a little bit near the top of the stretch and she did it the right way today. Very professional. She has a lot of potential. To do it like today in her first time, very impressive. She did it the right way.”

Pokoik purchased Becky's Joker as a weanling for $130,000 at the Keeneland November Breeder Stock Sale and she was RNAed for $50,000 when re-offered as a yearling at Keeneland the following September. Pokoik opted to keep the filly and turned her over to his longtime trainer, Contessa.

“We bought her as a weanling and my game plan was to sell all the horses that I can and if I don't sell them, I race them,” said Pokoik. “I tried selling this one twice. Nobody wanted it and she was a good horse. This happened before when I won the Spinaway several years before with Sippican Harbor. No one wanted her either.

“We've been together for 35 years. Even when he was working in Delaware, he was still buying and selling horses for me.”

“I knew that physically she was as good as anything in this race,” said Contessa. “She trained like a stakes horse, but you don't know what's going to happen once the gate opens. I ran a filly that I thought couldn't lose at Belmont and when the gate opened, she started getting hit in the face with dirt and was in full retreat. So you never know, but she told me from Day One, 'I'm the right horse, and I'm good enough for a race like this.' With Lee Pokoik, it's easy because he always wants to run in stakes races. I didn't have to do much convincing to the owner and I would have to just eat a little crow if I was wrong.

“When she broke a little slow, I wasn't surprised because she's so big. She's 16.3 [hands], so I expected her to break slow and I was hoping she would engage immediately and she did. She got right behind the leaders and I loved her position. I felt we had a big chance turning for home.

“I don't have a horse in the barn that can work in company with her, so I started having to work her on her own and she's still working three-quarters [fast]. She's that kind of horse.

“I bought her as a weanling right after she was born and with Lee, we always try to sell them as yearlings. If they don't sell as yearlings, we sell them as a 2-year-old. When she went to the yearling sale, everyone said she was too big. Then we took her to the March 2-year-old sale in Ocala this year and everyone that looked at her said she was too big. I'm thinking in the back of my mind, 'This is good, I may get to keep this one.' That's exactly what happened, and the same thing happened with Sippican Harbor, who won the Spinaway a few years ago. Nobody wanted her at the yearling sale or the 2-year-old sale and we got to win a Grade 1 with her, so hopefully we get to win a Grade 1 with this one.”

The Schuylerville was the first win from seven starts for Contessa, a longtime leader on the NYRA circuit who backed away from trainer for a spell.

“This is the way to come back,” he said. “I've tried the real world, but this side of the fence is the happier place for me. I like the other side of the fence, but I love this side of the fence.”

The post Becky’s Joker Debuts With Opening-Day Schuylerville Score At Saratoga appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gold Standard Racing Stable's graded stakes-winner Hoosier Philly recorded her first work at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday in preparation for the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 22 for conditioner Tom Amoss.

The daughter of Into Mischief logged a half-mile breeze over the main track in 49.49 seconds with regular pilot Edgar Morales up in her second move since winning the Monomoy Girl on June 17 at Ellis Park.

“It was a typical work for her and Edgar Morales flew up to work her,” said Amoss, who is in pursuit of his first CCA Oaks victory. “It was a good work with a strong gallop out. That's her M.O. She's doing fine and she came out of it in good shape. Our plan is to run in the Coaching Club.”

Hoosier Philly will vie for the second graded coup of her career after scoring in the Grade 2 Golden Rod in November at Churchill Downs, which capped a three-race win streak to kick off her career. She followed with a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds Race Course and a fourth in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks before a brief respite and subsequent runner-up performance in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan on May 19 at Pimlico Race Course.

“She's done a great job of getting back on track,” said Amoss. “She had two sub-standard races at the Fair Grounds, and each of them had their excuses. Since then, she's really been herself.”

Hoosier Philly cut back to one-mile in the Monomoy Girl, the shortest distance she had run since graduating in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden tilt on debut in September at Churchill. She set the pace under Morales and drew off in the stretch to win convincingly by 3 1/2 lengths, garnering an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Other upcoming Saratoga stakes starters for Amoss could include My Racehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm's Sixtythreecaliber, who is nominated to the Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee on July 23. The Gun Runner bay was last seen posting a third-place finish in the Lady Jacqueline on June 24 at Thistledown where she stalked the pace and fought down the lane, but could not best her rivals as Le Da Vida crossed the wire first 3 3/4 lengths in front.

“She's doing good and was in today as an main-track only, but that didn't work out,” said Amoss. “The Shuvee is a possibility, but it would have to be a race that has a very small field, so we're monitoring it.”

Sixtythreecaliber's biggest win came in November at Aqueduct Racetrack when scoring a half-length triumph in the Grade 3 Comely at odds of 11-1. Her best result this year was a game runner-up effort to Idiomatic in the Grade 3 Shawnee on June 3 at Churchill.

“That race showed she's back in form,” said Amoss. “I really liked that race and her last two races, she's shown she's rounded back into form as well.”

A new face in Amoss' barn is 2019 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Storm the Court, who has not raced since finishing a distant fifth in the Grade 3 Tokyo City on October 2 at Santa Anita Park when in the care of conditioner Peter Eurton. The 6-year-old son of Court Vision won the 2020 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile en route to Champion 2-Year-Old honors.

As a sophomore, he placed in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby and Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on turf before an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and a subsequent move back to turf so close out the year, including a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile when beaten just three-quarter lengths by Smooth Like Straight.

Last year, he ended a more than year-long respite with a pair of off-the-board efforts in optional claiming company and did not hit the board in five outings. He returned to the work tab in May at Keeneland and trained throughout the spring at Churchill before making his way to Saratoga to breeze a sharp half-mile in 47.69 seconds over the main track Wednesday.

“That was a work where we asked him to be sharp and there's many ways to get a horse fit – sometimes the workouts are based on stamina and sometimes they're based on showing quickness and a turn of foot,” said Amoss. “He's in the process of doing both those things and he's doing well.”

Amoss added Storm the Court has made a positive first impression in his barn and that he will likely return to the races sometime at Saratoga.

“I put him about two or three weeks away from a race, but I we've made no determination what we're going to do,” said Amoss. “I've had him almost two months and he's a real physically imposing horse – a very pretty, masculine horse. He moves well over the track, and those kind are always a pleasure to train.”

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