Tag: Racing

MJM Racing's eye-catching 2-year-old filly V V's Dream will be in search of her first stakes victory when she squares off against five rivals in Sunday's 122nd running of the $225,000 Debutante (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The six-furlong Debutante Stakes is one of five stakes contests on the Sunday card from Ellis Park. First post is 11:45 a.m. (all times Central) and the Debutante will go as Race 3 of 10 with a post time of 12:43 p.m. The supporting stakes on the card are the $275,000 Hanshin presented by the JRA (Listed), the $225,000 Bashford Manor, the $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes and the $175,000 Maxfield Overnight Stakes.

Trained by three-time Debutante Stakes winner Kenny McPeek, V V's Dream impressively rallied from six lengths off the early pace in her debut to defeat seven fillies by 6 ¼ lengths. The gray daughter of Mitole stopped the clock on :57.91 for five furlongs and earned a 93 Brisnet Speed Rating. McPeek previously won the Debutante with Behave Virginia (2021), Restless Rider (2018) and Sunny Skies (2017). V V's dream will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. from post No. 3.

Another intriguing prospect that entered the Debutante is Heider Family Stables' Hibernacle. Now under the care of Brendan Walsh, Hibernacle galloped to a 7 ½-length victory on debut at Keeneland for former owner/trainer Wesley Ward. Hibernacle will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from the rail.

The Debutante Stakes began in 1895 and has produced seven Champion 2-year-old Fillies including last year's winner Wonder Wheel. The others are: Chilukki (1999), Silverbulletday (1998), Golden Attraction (1995), Bewitch (1947), Alcibiades (1929) and Anita Peabody (1927).

Here is the field for the 2023 Debutante Stakes from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Hibernacle (Gaffalione, Walsh)

2. George's Honey (Rey Gutierrez, Mark Casse)

3. V V's Dream (Hernandez, McPeek)

4. Brightwork (Luis Saez, John Ortiz)

5. City Ghost (James Graham, Henry Johnson Jr.)

6. Easy Red (Cristian Torres, Doug O'Neill)

The Del Mar Group's Wilson Q will attempt to notch his second-lifetime victory in as many starts when he faces five 2-year-old rivals that entered Sunday's 122nd running of the $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The six-furlong Bashford Manor was tabbed as Race 5 of 10 with a post time of 1:45 p.m. (all times Central) First post is 11:45 a.m.

The young Wilson Q broke sharply in his May 18 debut at Churchill Downs and gamely held off Gold Sweep by a neck. Gold Sweep subsequently returned to romp by nine lengths on June 11 at Belmont Park. Wilson Q is a son of Constitution out of the Speightstown mare Margate Gardens. The Doug O'Neill trainee is based at Keeneland and sports a sharp 1:00.20 five-furlong move from the gate in his most recent work prior to the Bashford Manor. Jockey Rey Gutierrez will be in the saddle from post No. 1.

Here's the field for the Bashford Manor in order of post positions (with jockey and trainer):

1. Wilson Q (Gutierrez, O'Neill)

2. Unified Point (Junior Alvarado, John Ortiz)

3. Go Otto Go (Florent Geroux, Steve Asmussen)

4. Call Me Andy (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh)

5. The Wine Steward (Luis Saez, Mike Maker)

6. Lou's Legacy (Yarmarie Correa, Hugo Andrade)

7. Magical Mark (Cristian Torres, Karl Broberg)

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Ellis Park on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated. Featured on the Ellis Park simulcast signal on Twin Spires are expert handicappers Joe Kristufek, Scott Shapiro and Kaitlin Free.

FanDuel will offer live on-site coverage Friday-Sunday at Ellis Park. Fans can also watch the action on the FanDuel+ app on smart devices.

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

The post Debut Winners V V’s Dream, Wilson Q Headline Sunday’s Juvenile Stakes At Ellis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Barry and Joni Butzow's Zozos, the speedy winner of the $175,000 Knicks Go Overnight Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day, was entered to face eight rivals in Sunday's 68th running of the $275,000 Hanshin Stakes presented by the JRA (Listed) at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming.

The one-mile Hanshin Stakes is one of five stakes contests on the Sunday program that will offer mandatory payouts in all exotic wagers. First post Sunday is 11:45 a.m. (all times Central) and the Hanshin will go as Race 9 of 10 at 3:55 p.m. Along with the Hanshin, the other stakes events on the card are the $225,000 Bashford Manor (Listed), the $225,000 Debutante (Listed), the $175,000 Anchorage Overnight Stakes and the $175,000 Maxfield Overnight Stakes.

Zozos is an alumni of the 2022 Kentucky Derby where he finished 10th behind Rich Strike. Trained by Brad Cox, Zozos qualified for Kentucky Derby 148 with a runner-up finish to Epicenter in the Louisiana Derby (G2). As a 4-year-old, the son of Munnings only has three starts but sports two victories in a conditioned allowance event at Fair Grounds and the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes. Jockey Florent Geroux will retain the mount and break from the rail.

Another accomplished horse entered in the Hanshin is David Miller, Eric Grindley and John Werner's Three Technique. Campaigned by Jason Cook, Three Technique was victorious in the 2022 Knicks Go Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs. The son of Mr Speaker finished a long neck behind Cody's Wish in last year's Hanshin. In his most recent start, Three Technique bested six rivals in an allowance event at Churchill Downs. Regular rider Rafael Bejarano will be in the irons from post No. 8.

Rigney Racing's improving gelding Warrior Johny will attempt to nab his first stakes score in the Hanshin. Trained by Phil Bauer, Warrior Johny dominated a 7 ½-furlong allowance contest in his last start at Churchill Downs. Junior Alvarado will retain the mount and break from post 3.

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

1. Zozos (Geroux, Cox)

2. Strava (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart)

3. Warrior Johny (Alvarado, Bauer)

4. Tartufo (Gabriel Saez, Carlo Vaccarezza)

5. War Campaign (Corey Lanerie, Phil Sims)

6. Seize the Night (Cristian Torres, Wayne Lukas)

7. Collaborate (Luis Saez, Mike Maker)

8. Three Technique (Bejarano, Cook)

9. Santin (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh)

Fans can watch and wager on all the action from Ellis Park on www.TwinSpires.com, the official wagering provider of Churchill Downs Incorporated. Featured on the Ellis Park simulcast signal on Twin Spires are expert handicappers Joe Kristufek, Scott Shapiro and Kaitlin Free.

FanDuel will offer live on-site coverage Friday-Sunday at Ellis Park. Fans can also watch the action on the FanDuel+ app on smart devices.

Sunday will close out the portion of the Ellis Park meet where the dates were transferred from Churchill Downs. The traditional Ellis meeting will begin Friday, July 7. For more information about racing and gaming from Ellis Park, visit www.ellisparkracing.com.

The post Zozos, Three Technique Face Off In Sunday’s Hanshin Stakes At Ellis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Following some much-needed rain in the Chicagoland area, the $100,000 Hawthorne Derby was contested at 1 1/8 miles over a yielding turf course on a blustery Sunday card. The field of six was led by 6-5 favorite Out of Deductions for trainer Chris Block. A close second choice at 8-5 was Really Good for Mike Maker.

When the gates sprung it was the Larry Rivelli trainee Act a Fool who quickly grabbed the lead under jockey Alexis Centeno and opened up a 4½-length lead through the opening quarter in :24.32. With longshots Wolf Hunter and Russian Hammer chasing on the backstretch, Act a Fool cruised through a half in :49.80.

Into the far turn, the field started to bunch up as favored Out of Deductions drew within a couple of lengths of Act a Fool through six furlongs in 1:13.92. Centeno asked Act a Fool for his best at the top of the lane and the Oscar Performance colt willingly responded, opening up again on the lead and cruising to a 4½-length score in 1:52.62.

Really Good rallied from the back of the pack to finish second while Out of Deductions held third followed by Wolf Hunter, Russian Hammer, and Money Agent to complete the order of finish.

Owned by Richard Ravin and Patricia's Hope LLC of Vince Foglia, Act a Fool earned $60,000 for the victory and improved his career line to 4-0-0 from five career starts–he did not start as a 2-year-old–and $116,548 in earnings. A $100,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where Paramount Sales consigned him, he was bred in Kentucky by Brook T. Smith Investments LLC. His dam is the Quality Road mare Post Script.

Act a Fool is the second Derby winner this weekend for Rivelli, following Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Two Phil's triumph in the Ohio Derby (G3) Saturday at Thistledown Racino.

Act A Fool paid $8.40 for the win as the 3-1 third wagering choice.

Centeno was confident that Act a Fool would get the job done Sunday.

“He's bred for anything,” Centeno said. “Obviously, we knew he could run well on dirt. But I knew he was going to run big today. We just needed to be patient. He never ran this far, but I knew we had plenty left when we turned into the stretch. He did everything himself. He was very comfortable. As soon as we came out of the turn and asked him to go, he did. He was running easy.”

The post Act A Fool Scores For Rivelli In Hawthorne Derby In Stakes Bow appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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