Tag: Racing

Nice Guy Stable's King Cause closed on the front-runners with a four-wide rally on the turn, opened a clear lead in early stretch, and continued on to win the $300,000 Texas Turf Classic by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday at Lone Star Park.

Sent off the favorite at 2-1 odds under Rene Diaz, who earned his first career stakes win, the 8-year-old Creative Cause gelding was posting his ninth win from 38 career starts and ended a four-race winless stretch dating from his victory in the Knickerbocker (G3) Oct. 9 at the Belmont at the Big A meet. His record also includes a victory in last year's Kentucky Cup Classic, his first career starts win, at Turfway Park.

King Cause paid $6 for the Saturday's win after completing the 1 1/8-mile turf contest in 1:47.73 on a course rated as firm. He came into the race off a sixth-place finish in the Fort Marcy Stakes (G3) at Belmont on May 6 but easily held back the closing bid of runner-up Kokokomo in the Texas Turf Classic. Dean Martini checked in third, five lengths behind Kokokomo, in the seven-horse field.

Trained by Mike Maker, who won last year's edition of the Texas Turf Classic with Field Pass, King Cause was bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones. His dam is the Street Cry mare Street Mate. He banked $174,600 for Saturday's win, elevating his lifetime bankroll to $823,828.

The Texas Turf Classic was one of four turf stakes with purses totaling $750,000 on the Summer Turf Festival card at the Grand Prairie, Texas racetrack.

It took a photo finish to decide the winner in the $150,000 Grand Prairie Turf Sprint. The 4-year-old colt Cogburn hit the wire first, giving him his second stakes win at Lone Star Park in as many tries. The Steve Asmussen trainee was able to overcome a poor start and mount a furious rally to get up in time with Ricardo Santana Jr. in the irons. Cogburn, a 4-year-old Not This Time colt, covered the five furlongs in :55.64 as the post-time favorite. The $2 win wager returned $3.80. Clark O. Brewster, and William and Corinne Heiligbrodt own the stakes winner. Big Chopper and Atras finished second and third to complete the trifecta.

The $150,000 Wasted Tears, for fillies and mares, was contested at 1 1/16 miles. George Sharp's, Glenall, was able to sit back and stalk the pace before showing a burst of speed to win by 2 1/4 lengths and return $11.40 for the win. David Cabrera was aboard for trainer Shawn H. Davis. This was the third win from 19 tries for the Irish-bred 4-year-old Coulsty filly and the first at Lone Star Park.

This year's running of the $150,000 Chicken Fried Stakes attracted a solid field of fillies and mares to compete in the five furlong sprint. Unbridled Mary shipped from the West Coast and made her first start in the Lone Star State a winning one. Jockey Hector Isaac Berrios was able to split rivals and close with a rush, crossing the finish line in :56.18, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of the wagering favorite Tiz Magic. John Sadler trains the 4-year-old Maclean's Music filly owned by Pearl Racing, Pine Racing Stables and West Point Thoroughbreds. She paid $5.60 for the win.

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Masaiva Inc.'s Le Da Vida halted a five-race winless skid dating from an allowance-optional claiming score last fall at Keeneland when upstaging even-money favorite Interstatedaydream in the $250,000 Lady Jacqueline Stakes on the Ohio Derby (G3) undercard Saturday at Thistledown Racino.

The Chilean-bred daughter of Gemologist raced in midpack in the 10-horse field through six furlongs before willingly advancing under Vincent Cheminaud, grabbing the lead nearing the top of the stretch, and drawing clear to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Le Da Vida returned $7.20 after completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.02 on a fast track.

Interstatedaydream, under Florent Geroux, was last in the early running and closed for second, outfinishing Sixtythreecaliber by a half length.

Le Da Vida improved to eight wins from 21 career starts while posting her first U.S. stakes triumph. She competed creditably at the highest level in Chile, where she placed second or third in five group stakes, including three Group 1s. The 6-year-old dark bay or brown mare, produced by the Gstaad mare Viene Cantando, has a lifetime bankroll of $407,734.

The post Chilean-Bred Le Da Vida Ends Drought In Lady Jacqueline, Trumps Interstatedaydream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Miss Speedy, under Sahin Civaci, rocketed away from her rivals down the lane to take the $100,000 Ballade Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

The 5-year-old daughter of Souper Speedy-Miss Dorothy came into the six-furlong main track event for Ontario-sired older fillies and mares, having gone winless in her past three starts.

On Saturday, however, she was at the top of her game for owner Gary Barber.

Ol' Blondie, who entered on a two-race win streak, broke sharply and took the lead as Civaci placed Miss Speedy, the 7-5 choice, just off the pacesetter through an opening quarter reached in :22.57.

Miss Speedy was a head in front of Ol' Blondie after a half-mile in :45,07, with Gamble's Silver, also having won two straight, settled nicely into third and 2-1 second choice Artie's Princess sitting fourth.

Ahead by a length at the stretch call, the Mark Casse trainee zipped away from the pack to an easy 2 ¾-length score in a time of 1:09.07. Gamble's Silver, at 19-1, was second, while 29-1 Talk to Ya Later came running late to secure third.

“She's honestly just an easy horse to ride,” said Civaci. “You can sit off with her, you can take the lead. She's an honest horse and she tries really hard and that's what matters. So, I'm really grateful for the opportunities I'm getting. I thank Mr. Casse and Mr. Barber for letting me get on these nice horses.”

After an off-key 10th in the Inside Information Stakes (G2) to launch her 5-year-old campaign in January, Miss Speedy was then second to Our Flash Drive in the Whimsical (G3) on May 13. The dark bay came into the Ballade off a fifth in the Pink Lloyd Stakes on June 4.

Bred in Ontario by Linda Mason from the Stormin Fever mare Miss Dorothy, it was the second stakes win for Miss Speedy ($4.90), who won the 2021 Duchess Stakes at Woodbine. She is now 5-1-1 from 12 lifetime starts.

Ol' Blondie, Souper Flashy, Souper Pecan, Diamond Crush, Artie's Princess, Pleasure's Gold, and Sacred Dancer rounded out the order of finish.

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Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Two Phil's got a perfect stalking trip from stand-in jockey Gerardo Corrales and easily won the $500,000 Ohio Derby (G3), the Buckeye State's richest Thoroughbred race, Saturday at Thistledown Racino.

Corrales, substituting for injured regular rider Jareth Loveberry, positioned 3-5 favorite Two Phil's just behind the early pace set by Henry Q, who was pressured by Bishop Bay through six furlongs, and had the Hard Spun colt ready to roll around the far turn as Bishops Bay edged to the lead. In the matter of a few strides, Two Phil's easily took charge from Bishops Bay nearing the home turn and opened a two-length lead in early stretch before drawing away to a 5¾-length triumph.

Trained by Larry Rivelli, Two Phil's returned $3.60 after covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.60 on a fast track.

Bishops Bay, the 7-5 second choice in the eight-horse field, hung on for second and was well clear of third-place finisher Hayes Strike, who was another seven lengths back. Lord Miles, who was scratched from the Kentucky Derby, finished fourth while making his first start since taking the Wood Memorial (G2).

Henry Q, Timesatappin, Agnello's Dream, and Last Cookie completed the order of finish.

Two Phil's, who entered off a gallant second, one length behind Mage, in the Kentucky Derby May 6, added a third graded win to his record following his victory last fall at Churchill Downs in the Street Sense Stakes (G3) and the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) March 25 at Turfway Park in his start prior to the Louisville classic. Overall, he improved his record to 4-2-1 from nine career starts. The $300,000 winner's share of the Ohio Derby purse increased his lifetime earnings to $1,283,450.

Two Phil's, who is out of the General Quarters mare Mia Torri, was bred in Kentucky by co-owner Phil Sagan, who campaigns him with Patricia's Hope LLC and Madaket Stables LLC.

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