Tag: Racing

With two sharp recent wins to her credit, Bob Baffert's Adare Manor looms large in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita as she faces four rival fillies and mares going a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita main track.

Although a disappointing second as the 4-5 favorite three starts back in a classified allowance at seven furlongs, Adare Manor bounced back with a game head victory going a flat mile at the same condition on March 31, and her rousing 4 ¾ length triumph in the G2 Santa Maria at a mile and one sixteenth may've been the best race of her career.

A 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo out of the Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway, Adare Manor is owned by Michael Lund Petersen.  Blessed with an abundance of natural speed, Adare Manor will be extremely tough to beat with regular rider Juan Hernandez back aboard.

A G3 stakes winner here at age three, Adare Manor has earnings of $501,600 and is 10-4-4-0 overall, with all of her wins coming on the Santa Anita main track.

Talented Arizona-bred Desert Dawn, winner of last year's G2 Santa Anita Oaks, returns from Kentucky where she finished fifth, beaten six lengths in the G1 La Troienne Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth on March 5.

A 4-year-old filly trained by Phil D'Amato and owned by her breeder, H and E Ranch, Inc., Desert Dawn has been winless in six starts since her Santa Anita Oaks score, but has been in the money in four of those starts—all graded stakes, including a third place finish in the Kentucky Oaks.

By Cupid out of the Honour and Glory mare Ashley's Glory, Desert Dawn, with regular rider Umberto Rispoli up, will hope to get a stalking trip and be able to run down the top selection late.  The leading money earner in the field with $672,525, Desert Dawn is 13-2-2-4 overall.

John Sadler's Kirstenbosch, a game nose winner of the G3 La Canada four starts back, will be making her fifth start of the year as she tries to improve upon a fifth place finish behind Adare Manor in the G2 Santa Maria, a race in which Kirstenbosch bobbled at the break and was never a factor.

Ridden by the now-departed Kazushi Kimura in her last five starts, Kirstenbosch will get the first-time services of Hector Berrios, who with four stakes wins at the current Hollywood Meet, ranks second to Juan Hernandez, who has nine added money victories.

Owned and bred in Kentucky by Keith Abrahams, Kirstenbosch, a 4-year-old filly by Midnight Lute out of the Belong to Me mare Llandudno, is 13-3-3-2 with earnings $372,480.

THE 83RD GRADE II SANTA MARGARITA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 4 of 10 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
Desert Dawn – Umberto Rispoli – 122
Adare Manor – Juan Hernandez – 126
Smoothlikebuttah—Tiago Pereira—122
Tiz a Macho Girl – Kyle Frey – 122
Kirstenbosch—Hector Berrios—124

First post time for a 10-race card on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday is at 1 p.m., with admission gates opening early at 8:00 a.m. to accommodate a tremendous undercard from Belmont Park.

The post Baffert-Trianed Adare Manor Leads Field Of Five For G2 Santa Margarita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Kevin Attard trainees Courtly Ro and Fashionably Fab will chase top prize in Saturday's $125,000 Fury Stakes Presented by Stella Artois, at Woodbine.

A key prep on the road to this year's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser (July 23, at Woodbine), the seven-furlong main track Fury, for 3-year-old fillies foaled in Canada, has attracted nine hopefuls.

Courtly Ro, a daughter of Cairo Prince, will make the first start of her sophomore season for owner Raroma Stable.

Bred by Sam-Son Farm, the grey filly went 1-0-1 from four starts in 2022. She broke her maiden in her second outing, a half-length score at seven furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

She capped off her campaign with a seventh in the Natalma (G1T) on September 17 and a fifth in the 1 1/16-mile main track Princess Elizabeth in October.

“Courtly Ro hooked some tough ones in the last two races of her 2-year-old campaign, but I think they served as important learning experiences for her,” said Attard, who won last year's Fury with eventual Woodbine Oaks and Queen's Plate winner, and Canada's horse of the year, Moira. “We're hoping that she will continue to move forward in her sophomore season.”

Attard is pleased with how Courtly Ro has been prepping for her third straight stakes appearance and second consecutive Tapeta engagement.

“She had a good winter and we've given her a steady work tab getting ready for this race. She's just a nice filly with a great attitude.”

His other hopeful is Terra Racing homebred Fashionably Fab, a daughter of Silent Name (JPN).

After a third in her career bow last September, the dark bay reeled off three straight scores, including a maiden-breaking 11 ¼-length romp in a seven-furlong Tapeta race next time out. She made it two straight trips to the winner's circle after a three-quarter length victory at 6 ½ furlongs on November 3 before a season-ending triumph in the six-furlong main track Shady Well Stakes on December 9.

“One of the first things that comes to mind with Fashionably Fab is the consistency she's shown,” said Attard. “She's a filly that can handle any challenge and doesn't get fazed by something new. I think another impressive thing is her ability to dig in down the lane. Whenever she's engaged by a rival, she steps up and enjoys the challenge.”

Attard, who has posted 685 career wins, is ready to get things rolling with the filly who has earned $124,273 (U.S.) to date.

“She had a really nice winter and we're looking forward to seeing her get things underway for her 3-year-old campaign.”

Dual hall of fame trainer Mark Casse, who will be represented by Elysian Field, Me and My Shadow, and Ticker Tape Home, has won six editions of the Fury, including four consecutive runnings from 2011-14.

The Fury is slated as race nine of 10. First post time is 1:10 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet and the Dark Horse Bets app.

FIELD FOR THE $125,000 FURY STAKES PRESENTED BY STELLA ARTOIS

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Tito's Calling – Luis Contreras – Ross Armata, Jr.

2 – Speed Trap – Kazushi Kimura – Josie Carroll

3 – Canadian Sweetheart – Eswan Flores – Renico Lafond

4 – Elysian Field – Sahin Civaci – Mark Casse

5 – Ticker Tape Home – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

6 – Me and My Shadow – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

7 – Courtly Ro – Ryan Munger – Kevin Attard

8 – Fashionably Fab – Rafael Hernandez – Kevin Attard

9 – Anam Cara – Jose Campos – Sarah Ritchie

The post Woodbine Oaks Prep: Attard Pair Ready For Fury Stakes Challenge appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Kentucky homebred Warrant will look to double up on stakes scores in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Brooklyn, a 12-furlong main track marathon for older horses, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 5-year-old Constitution chestnut finished second to Fearless in this event last year and has already posted a pair of wins this campaign, including a prominent neck score over returning rival Red Run last out in the 1 1/2-mile Isaac Murphy Marathon Overnight on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Warrant has breezed back twice, including a five-eighths effort in 1:00 flat on June 3 over the Churchill main track in company with graded-stakes winning stablemate Angel of Empire, who will contest Saturday's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets.

“He ran well in the Brooklyn last year. Hopefully, he steps up and can get the job done this year,” Cox said. “He's coming off a big run at Churchill and he's been working heads up with Angel of Empire the last few weeks and they've been great company for one another. He's set up for a big effort.”

Warrant, who made the grade in the 2021 Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park, will exit post 7 under Flavien Prat.

Flying P Stable, R.A. Hill Stable and Flying Partners' multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Lone Rock [post 8, Javier Castellano] won this event in 2021 by 11 1/4-lengths for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

The 8-year-old Majestic Warrior gelding, a 16-time winner from 44 starts, added the 13-furlong Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to his ledger in November 2021 at Del Mar. He finished a game second in his seasonal debut in the 12-furlong Temperence Hill in April at Oaklawn Park but was a non-factor when last-of-6 last out in the Isaac Murphy.

Jordan Wycoff's stakes-winner Red Run [post 2, Tyler Gaffalione] will look to turn the tables on Warrant after making a late bid to miss by a neck last out in the Isaac Murphy for trainer Mike Maker.

The 4-year-old Gun Runner colt is a full brother to Red Route One, who will contest Saturday's Belmont Stakes. He is out of the Tapit mare Red House, who is a full-sister to 2014 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Untapable and a half-brother to multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Paddy O'Prado.

Maker said the pedigree was a significant factor in the connections decision to claim Red Run for $50,000 out of a runner-up effort in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer on March 12 at Oaklawn Park.

“He's a Gun Runner and I felt he wanted a lot more distance,” Maker said. “He was unlucky to lose last time. He ran hard and came running, he just couldn't get to the winner.”

Red Run won the Texas Turf Mile last January over firm footing at Sam Houston, but has yet to hit the board in five graded attempts including on dirt, turf and synthetic.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, a five-time Brooklyn winner, will saddle the lightly-raced optional-claiming winner Bright Future [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable.

The 4-year-old Curlin colt, a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, has made four career starts, all at a distance of one-mile that includes two wins at Gulfstream Park.

“It's an interesting experiment with a horse that shows some talent. He really gives us the impression that he's looking for more distance,” Pletcher said.

Bright Future is out of the graded-stakes placed Bellamy Road mare Sophia's Song, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Tax Refund.

Michael Foster's Next [post 5, Luan Machado] captured the 13-furlong Grade 2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in November at Keeneland for trainer William Cowans, registering a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

His graded breakthrough came on the heels of an 18 1/4-length romp in an off-the-turf edition of the 12-furlong Cape Henlopen in September at Delaware Park. The 5-year-old Not This Time gelding has won three times since being haltered for $62,500 last April at Keeneland.

A talented field of 11 stayers includes recent Temperence Hill winner Calibrate [post 9, Ruben Silvera] for trainer Jamie Ness; graded-stakes placed Forewarned [post 6, Dexter Haddock], who is approaching the $1 million mark in earnings for owner/trainer Uriah St. Lewis; graded-stakes placed Portos [post 1, Trevor McCarthy] for conditioner Tom Morley; four-time winner Code Runner [post 11, Reylu Gutierrez] for trainer Caio Caramori; three-time winner Centavo [post 10, Omar Hernandez Moreno] for conditioner Naipaul Chatterpaul; and three-time winner Alfio [post 3, Luis Saez], who makes his stakes debut for trainer Anthony Quartarolo.

The Brooklyn is slated as Race 6 on Saturday's lucrative Belmont Stakes Day card. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern.

The FOX Sports family of networks will present expansive coverage and analysis of Belmont Stakes Day beginning with America's Day at the Races on FS1 at 11 a.m. Coverage then shifts to FOX, where America's Day at the Belmont and Belmont Day on FOX will air from 3-7:30 p.m.

America's Day at the Belmont Stakes will complement the FOX broadcast with parallel coverage geared to the avid and experienced horseplayer from 4-7:30 p.m. on FS1. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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