Tag: Racing

Undefeated in two starts in 2023, Elm Drive will return to the scene of her blowout debut win when she takes on eight other fillies in the $200,000-guaranteed Great Lady M. Stakes Tuesday at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif.

A Grade 2 at 6 ½ furlongs, the Great Lady M. is the final of nine races on the special Fourth of July program at the Orange County track. Post time is 1 p.m. PT and scheduled post time for the main event is 5:05 p.m.

Owned by Little Red Feather Racing and trained by Phil D'Amato, Elm Drive, a daughter of Mohaymen and the Indian Charlie mare Lets Dance Charlie has begun her 4-year-old campaign with victories in the Grade 3 Monrovia – which was rained off the turf – April 8, then captured the Mizdirection – on grass – six weeks later.

Successful in half of her 10 starts with a bankroll of $408,140, Elm Drive cruised home by eight lengths at Los Alamitos on June 26, 2021, then returned last year to finish third in the Great Lady M.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who has won the Great Lady M. four times since 2015 – Fantastic Style (2015), Marley's Freedom (2018-2019) and Gamine (2021) – entered Eda for Baoma Corp.

A 4-year-old Munnings filly out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me, Eda was successful in her return to the races April 26, defeating Teddy's Barino by a head as the 9-10 favorite in a $78,316 allowance at Santa Anita.

The win after a layoff of more than 13 months was her sixth in eight starts and pushed her bankroll to $472,600. She's 1-for-1 locally, having captured the Grade 1 Starlet in 2021.orp

Trainer Steve Miyadi and owner-breeder Nick Alexander, who won this race in 2022 with Becca Taylor, will try to go back-to-back with Rose Maddox.

A 4-year-old gray daughter of Grazen and the Unusual Heat mare Heat the Rocks, Rose Maddox has won five of 15 and earned $327,782. Worse than third only twice, she was most recently second in the Fran's Valentine at one mile on turf, defeated by a half-length by Eddie's New Dream.

Trainer Doug O'Neill is scheduled to have two starters – Awake At Midnyte and Vegas Magic.

Owned by J. Paul Reddam's Reddam Racing LLC, Awake At Midnyte, a 4-year-old Nyquist filly out of the Union Rags mare Midnight Union, was fourth as the favorite in the Monrovia, defeated by two lengths by Elm Drive.

A $320,000 purchase as a 2-year-old, Awake At Midnyte has won twice in 13 starts and banked $382,175.

A 3-year-old daughter of Good Magic and the Rockport Harbor mare Heidi Maria, Vegas Magic hasn't raced since finishing 10^th of 13 in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last Nov. 4 at Keeneland.

Owned by a partnership that includes Omar Aldabbagh, Todd Cady and Ty Leatherman, Vegas Magic went 3-for-5 last year – topped by a 14-1 upset in the Grade 2 Sorrento last Aug. 13 at Del Mar – and earned $243,200.

Both Awake At Midnyte and Vegas Magic will be making their Los Alamitos debut.

Dance to the Music will be seeking her second consecutive graded stakes win for Red Baron's Barn LLC and Rancho Temescal and trainer Mark Glatt as she makes her initial start at Los Alamitos.

A 4-year-old Maclean's Music filly out of the Congrats mare Beautified has been idle since winning the Grade 3 Desert Stormer March 25. The win as the 6-5 choice was the third in nine starts for Dance to the Music, who has earned $229,080.

Chismosa will be cutting back in distance after finishing third in the Melair May 28, a race prohibitive favorite Ceiling Crusher won by 17 lengths.

Owned by breeder Jaime Renella and trained by Rafael DeLeon, the 3-year-old Clubhouse Ride filly out of the Cal Dreams mare You Can Dream is seeking her first win of 2023 after going 3-for-3 last year. Two of her victories came in the CTBA and Generous Portion – stakes restricted to California bred s – at Del Mar. She's earned $209,000.

After cashing at 5-1 in a starter allowance sprint on turf June 2, Real Fire will make her first start at Los Alamitos for owner Les Blake and trainer Steve Knapp.

The 4-year-old daughter of Street Boss and the Stroll mare Hinder is 3-for-12 with earnings of $118,060. In two earlier tries on dirt, Real Fire finished third and second in consecutive maiden races last year.

Pammy's Ready, who has made 15 of her 16 starts on turf, will compete for the first time since finishing sixth of seven in an optional claimer down the hillside layout at Santa Anita April 22.

Owned by breeder Rockingham Ranch and now trained by Librado Barocio, the 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready has won twice and banked $207,700. Her only start on the main track was a runner-up finish in a maiden race at one mile over a sloppy surface Dec. 27, 2021.

From inside out, the Great Lady M. field:  Elm Drive, Ramon Vazquez rides, 124 pounds; Eda, Juan Hernandez, 124; Rose Maddox, Hector Berrios, 119; Real Fire, Abel Cedillo, 119; Pammy's Ready, Kyle Frey, 119; Chismosa, Tiago Pereira, 114; Awake At Midnyte, Mario Gutierrez, 119; Vegas Magic, Antonio Fresu, 114 and Dance to the Music, Edwin Maldonado, 124.

The post Elm Drive, Eda Among Nine Contesting Holiday Renewal Of Great Lady M. At Los Alamitos appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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When last seen at Gulfstream Park, Lea Farms LLC's Willy Boi rallied from off the pace to capture the Smile Sprint (G3) by a length. His professional score came as no surprise to bettors, who had made the Jorge Delgado trainee their 4-5 favorite.

One year later, Gulfstream fans aren't likely to support Willy Boi at the mutuel windows or on their XpressBet apps with nearly as much enthusiasm for Saturday's $100,000 Smile Sprint (G3), considering the 5-year-old gelding hasn't visited a winner's circle since last year's triumph in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up.

Although Willy Boi did finish third in the A. G. Vanderbilt (G1) at Saratoga in his subsequent start, the Florida-bred gelding has gone winless in his six races since last year's Smile.

“He's always been training well in my opinion. He hasn't changed, I know he hasn't had the best results in his last few starts, but he's keeps acting the same and doing the same as last year when he was having more success,” Delgado said. “I haven't lost any hopes in him. I'm hoping he can rebound at some point and be the horse he was last year.”

Willy Boi hasn't raced at Gulfstream since his Smile score, which was preceded by a dominating 5 ¼-length victory in the Big Drama stakes at Gulfstream. His past fondness for the Gulfstream Park surface encouraged Delgado to ship the son of Uncaptured back to South Florida from Monmouth Park.

“That's the main reason we sent him there. We know he loves the track. He's been super on that surface,” Delgado said.

Rated at 8-1 on Saturday's morning line, Willy Boi will seek a return to form that propelled him to victory last year.

“It was his career-best race against a good group of horses, and he did it in good fashion,” Delgado said. “Hopefully he can do the same this year.”

Jose Batista has also ventured from Monmouth Park to ride Willy Boi.

Stonehedge LLC's Dean Delivers has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday's $100,000 Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Whether or not the 4-year-old gelding can come out of the 6-furlong 'Summit of Speed' headliner with a victory, bettors will be confident that the Michael Yates trainee will give it his all.

Dean Delivers has finished first or second in 11 of 15 career starts, which include a third-place finish, two fourth-place finishes and one fifth-place finish.

“He's danced every dance. He's an exciting horse to be able to train. He's a lot of fun,” Yates said.

Dean Delivers was graded stakes-placed twice during the Championship Meet, finishing second in the Harlan's Holiday (G3) behind Sibelius, who went on to win the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) in his next start; and third in the Fred Hooper (G3) behind Endorsed, who went on to win the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), in which the Yates trainee finished fourth.

“When he runs, the next day he's tired. He's given you his 'A' game. He's a good sound horse. I think we've figured out what he wants to do between races. He doesn't require a lot of breezing,” Yates said. “He just keeps marching out there day in and day out and lets you know when he's getting sharp. We just try not to do too much with him and stay out of his way.”

Dean Delivers was sharp for his most recent start in the Big Drama, in which the son of Cajun Breeze closed from off the pace and drew away to a 3 ¾-length triumph.

“Looking back on it, I would say he got a little bit of class relief in his last race,” Yates said. “I think he put together a winning race.”

Emisael Jaramillo, who was aboard Dean Delivers for the first time, has the return mount Saturday.

The post Smile Sprint: Willy Boy Hoping To ‘Rebound’ On Home Track, Favored Dean Delivers Always Gives His ‘A’ Game appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Forte resumed serious business on Friday morning over the Belmont Park training track, working a half-mile in 50.40 for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

With exercise rider Hector Ramos aboard, Forte went to the training track following the 9:30 a.m. renovation break and breezed in company with graded stakes winner Major Dude, who is a probable contestant for next Friday's Grade 3, $250,000 Manila at Belmont. The move was Forte's first since finishing second in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 10.

“We were just looking for an easy work back and I thought that was accomplished today,” said Pletcher's Belmont-based assistant Byron Hughes. “I thought he was moving well within himself. He looked comfortable and happy. You couldn't ask for anything more than that at this point.”

Forte won Gulfstream's Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 4 and Grade 1 Florida Derby on April 1. He entered the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs as the morning-line favorite, but was scratched the morning of the race with a bruised foot.

Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable's Tapit Trice breezed a solo half-mile in 48.03 seconds over the training track Friday with exercise rider Fernando Rivera in the irons. The move was the Grade 1-winning millionaire son of Tapit's second work since finishing third in the Belmont Stakes.

“I thought he breezed really well,” Hughes said. “It was a good gallop out for him. He looked pretty sharp today and came out of the Belmont in good shape. He's maybe a little sharper now this time of year than he was last year. But that's what you see in these Tapits. It seems like the older they get, the sharper they get.”

Tapit Trice won the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 11 at Tampa Bay Downs and the Grade 1 Blue Grass on April 8 at Keeneland en route to a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

Following Forte's breeze, last year's Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest took another step towards her 2023 debut, going five furlongs in 1:01.22 in company with Too Boss over the training track. Owned by Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House, Nest has consistently breezed over the training track since mid-May.

“I think she's progressed well with each breeze,” Hughes said. “She seems to be getting fitter and fitter and responds well to the breeze. With each breeze you can tell that she gets a little sharper every week.”

The post Belmont Runner-Up Forte Records ‘Comfortable And Happy’ Breeze; Tapit Trice ‘Pretty Sharp’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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David E. Miller, Eric Grindley, and John Werner's multiple graded stakes-placed Three Technique, listed at 5-1 on the morning line in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 John A. Nerud, will return to Belmont Park for the first time since finishing third in the 2021 renewal of the seven-furlong sprint for older horses.

Trained by Jason Cook, the 6-year-old Mr Speaker horse is cross-entered in Sunday's $275,000 Hanshin at Ellis Park and was initially looking to improve on his runner-up effort in last year's renewal won by eventual Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor Cody's Wish.

However, when the Hanshin was moved from a one-turn mile at Churchill to a slightly different configuration out of the chute at Ellis Park, Cook decided to give the dark bay another try in the Nerud.

“I'm loading him up and bringing him to New York. He loves a one-turn mile but at Ellis the mile is a turn-and-a-half,” Cook said. “I really wanted to run in the Hanshin. We got beat a neck to Cody's Wish in that race last year and it kind of stung that they brought that good a horse to that race. But we're coming to New York. I think he's more of a one-turn horse.”

Three Technique launched his career in the care of his former conditioner Jeremiah Englehart and finished third in the 2021 John A. Nerud when 1 3/4-lengths back of the victorious Mind Control. He was made available at the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale but RNA'd and was haltered for $40,000 from a runner-up effort in a six-furlong sprint at the end of that month when conditioned by Robert Medina.

“He just had so much back class. I won a 27-way shake for him. I just happened to win the lottery that day,” said Cook, with a laugh.

Cook first tried the dark bay in a trio of tests over synthetic at Turfway Park topped by a third-place finish in the Forego in February 2022. But Three Technique proved his best efforts come on dirt, taking the restricted Knicks Go on last year's Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill two starts before his memorable Hanshin effort. He closed out his campaign with a rallying third in the Grade 3 Ack Ack in October at Churchill and a non-threatening sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland.

“When I got him, I ran him in a couple little stakes at Turfway and I don't necessarily think he liked the Tapeta as much as he likes the dirt. He ran good races and ran hard, but just didn't get there,” Cook said. “Obviously, he won on Derby Day and he's just been a joy to train. He runs hard every time.

“Last year, I thought I might win the Ack Ack and he kind of shuffled a little bit at the start and there wasn't enough pace in front of him,” continued Cook. “But I always thought with the right bunch he could be a Grade 3 or a Grade 2 type. He's that kind of horse.”

Three Technique enters from an impressive allowance optional-claiming score at Churchill Downs on May 27 over the well-regarded Kupuna, who had recently finished a close second to Zozos in the Knicks Go at the Louisville oval for trainer Bret Calhoun.

“In his allowance race the other day, they came home in 23 and change after going a pretty slow half. That was a really nice horse that he was doing with, a horse that's on his way up,” Cook said. “Bret said to me after, 'boy your horse ran game.' The worst thing about his talent level is he catches them on the way up to being Grade 1 horses and he catches them on the way down. He never has an easy race.”

Cook is the son of the late jockey Lois “L.C.” Cook, who captured the 1957 Kentucky Oaks with Lori-El. Cook has never saddled a horse at Belmont Park and his lone New York entrant was Remember the Roar, who finished sixth in an August 1997 claiming event at Saratoga Race Course.

“I'm going to try and buck the trend and win one in New York,” Cook said. “My dad was a jockey and I like history and that track has a lot of history. My dad was one of the leading riders in the country in the '50s.”

With Three Technique's regular rider Rafael Bejerano riding at Ellis Park on Saturday, Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, winner of two-thirds of this year's Triple Crown, has picked up the mount from post 2.

“You can't get a much hotter rider than the jock I got. He's won a few big races lately,” said Cook, with a laugh. “And what better place to sit and make a big run from the three-eighths pole home than Belmont Park, right?”

A memorable New York victory could be made that much sweeter by the presence of the horse's trio of owners in the building as Three Technique looks to keep his perfect in-the-money record of 5-1-2-2 over Big Sandy intact.

“All three owners can never seem to be in the same spot at the same time, but I think they'll all be flying to New York for the race,” Cook said. “He's never been off-the-board there and he's doing good – and when they're doing good, you have to take your shot.”

The post ‘When They’re Doing Good, You Have To Take Your Shot’: Three Technique Back In New York For Jason Cook appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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