Tag: Racing

Reddam Racing's Today's Flavor made every pole a winning one in Sunday's $100,000 Affirmed Success, a six-furlong sprint for New York-bred older horses to complete the stakes action at the Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet.

Trained by George Weaver and piloted by the meet's leading rider Manny Franco, Today's Flavor closed out the racing action on the card after the scheduled ninth and final race was canceled due to inclement weather.

Today's Flavor, a 5-year-old Laoban gelding, was hustled out of the outermost post 6 by Franco and marked fractions of :22.47 and :45.53 over the sloppy and sealed main track with Amundson tracking to his outside in second.

Franco and Today's Flavor maintained their lead through the turn as the Jose Ortiz-piloted Sheriff Bianco loomed a threat with an inside move and Amundson prepared to launch his bid. But there would be no catching Today's Flavor, who opened up by 1 1/2-lengths at the stretch call and crossed the wire a 3 3/4-length winner in a final time of 1:09.58. Sheriff Bianco completed the exacta by 1 1/2-lengths over Amundson with Scocciatore, My Boy Tate and Lobsta rounding out the order of finish. Listentoyourheart was scratched.

Today's Flavor won four consecutive races over the Big A main track from a state-bred maiden score on November 27 through to an open allowance win on February 18 that garnered a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure. He entered from a pacesetting fourth on April 8 in his stakes debut in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Carter Handicap, finishing 1 3/4-lengths back of the victorious Doppelganger.

“He's a nice horse. He showed us last time in the Grade 1 Carter with the quick pace in front of him that he still gave it to me in the end and just lost by about a length,” said Franco, who completed the spring meet with 37 wins. “Today, with the New York-bred company, I was so confident in him because I knew that he was the best horse in the race.

“I just rode him like that and he got it done. It was the plan to just let him roll. It was a sloppy track and I didn't want to get dirty,” added Franco, with a laugh.

Sheriff Bianco, a six-time winner entering on one week's rest from an optional-claiming score here, earned his first stakes placing for the spring meet's leading trainer Linda Rice.

“We had a forward trip,” said Ortiz. “The winner is a good horse and ran in a Grade 1 race last time and came back to state-bred company today. He did what he was supposed to do – he went to the lead and stayed there.”

Today's Flavor, bred in the Empire State by Joseph Calvo, banked $55,000 in victory while improving his record to 5-3-0 from 10 starts. His dam is the Speightstown mare Evangelical.

Live racing resumes Thursday on Opening Day of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

The post Today’s Flavor Splashes To Front-Running Stakes Breakthrough In Affirmed Success appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Stakes action will make its return to Belmont Park on Friday as trainer Christophe Clement will saddle a pair of formidable contenders in Atomic Blonde and Amazing Grace to headline a compact field of five older fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles on the inner turf in the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay to help highlight the second day of the spring/summer meet.

The 64th running of the Sheepshead Bay, slated as Race 4, is one of two stakes on the day with the grass marathon joining the Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester for 4-year-olds and up going one mile on Big Sandy in Race 8. First post for the nine-race card is 1 p.m. Eastern.

Moyglare Stud Farm's Amazing Grace, like her stablemate Atomic Blonde, made her North American debut last out in the Grade 3 Orchid on April 1 at Gulfstream Park. The German-bred 5-year-old Protectionist chestnut showed late-closing speed, rallying from seventh-of-eight to post a half-length victory in the 1 1/2-mile marathon over firm turf, earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

Amazing Grace made her first 15 outings in Europe, including a 3-1-4 record in her previous eight starts for her former conditioner Waldemar Hickst. Her overseas form is led by a close runner-up effort in the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in July at Munich ahead of a win in the Group 2 T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis in September at Baden-Baden.

Atomic Blonde, owned by Michaela Faust, West Point Thoroughbreds and Heather Winters, ran third – just 1 3/4 lengths off Amazing Grace – in her first start across the Atlantic, registering a 96 Beyer. The 4-year-old daughter of The Grey Gatsby was a Group 3 winner in Italy over soft going in October, which could be valuable experience if forecasted rain at Belmont comes to fruition.

Both Amazing Grace and Atomic Blonde acclimated to their new surroundings while training with Clement's contingent at Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown, Florida. The pair breezed five-eighths in 1:04.40 Friday over the Payson Park turf.

“They are both doing great. They had an easy work at Payson. I kept them in Florida for as long as I could because the weather was great,” Clement said. “Amazing Grace had a very good trip last time, but she's a very good filly and trained very well before the race.

“Atomic Blonde ran a good race as well,” Clement added. “She may have moved a touch early but she's trained very well since the race and they both deserve a shot. There's rain in the forecast and they both run well on softer turf.”

Kendrick Carmouche will ride Amazing Grace, drawing post 5, while Eric Cancel will have the call aboard Atomic Blonde in breaking from post 2.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Chad Brown will saddle a trio of challengers, including Virginia Joy [Jose Gomez, post 3], Mylady [Dylan Davis, post 1], and Higher Truth [Manny Franco, post 4].

Peter Brant's multiple graded stakes-winner Virginia Joy is looking to repeat in the Sheepshead Bay after a 14 1/4-length triumph in last year's edition. The German-bred made her 6-year-old bow with a fourth-place effort behind the victorious Mylady in the Grade 3 The Very One in March at Gulfstream, which marked her first race since running eighth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Keeneland.

That Breeders' Cup appearance closed a 2022 campaign that saw the Soldier Hollow mare record wins in that year's The Very One and a gate-to-wire domination in the Sheepshead Bay as part of a four-horse field that earned her the lone triple-digit Beyer of her career with an even 100 figure. A third-place finish in the Grade 2 Glens Falls at Saratoga Race Course preceded a win by a neck over War Like Goddess in the Grade 2 Flower Bowl at the Spa, which propelled Virginia Joy to the Breeders' Cup.

Faust's Mylady gave Brown a victory in The Very One for her first North American win in her second attempt, building on a fifth-place finish elevated from sixth via disqualification in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor in October at Woodbine for her former conditioner Markus Klug. After a five-month freshening, the German-bred tallied a 95 Beyer for her three-quarter length victory over Higher Truth for a Brown-trained exacta.

The 4-year-old daughter of The Grey Gatsby was a Group 3 winner last April in her native Germany and earned a Group 1 placing in August when three-quarter lengths shy of the victorious Toskana Belle in the German Oaks at Dusseldorf.

Team Hanley, Jeff Drown and Michael Ryan's Higher Truth has been knocking on the door in graded stakes for Brown, starting with a third-place effort in the 2021 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational and continuing with runner-up efforts in both the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational and the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational that year.

Overall, the 5-year-old Galileo mare is 0-2-2 in four career graded stakes starts but will be returning to the track where she last won, notching a 4 1/2-length score against optional claimers going 1 3/8 miles in July.

The post Clement To Send Out Formidable Pair In Sheepshead Bay appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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C Two Racing Stable and Antonio Pagnano's White Abarrio and Jeff Drown's Zandon, both Grade 1 winners on last year's Road to the Kentucky Derby, will face off in a competitive renewal of the $175,000 Westchester (G3) for older horses traveling a one-turn mile on Friday at Belmont Park.

The Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained White Abarrio, winner of last year's Grade 1 Florida Derby, makes the second start of his 4-year-old campaign after a fever caused him to miss a start in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack. He remained at Belmont Park to make his preparations for the Westchester over the last three weeks.

“He's doing really good,” said Joseph. “It took a couple days for him to bounce out of the fever, but he came back fine and is in good order right now. His rider, who has gotten on him his whole life, went up to Belmont with him and he knows him best – he said he's very happy with how he's been training.”

White Abarrio arrives at the Westchester from a dominant victory in a key seven-furlong optional claimer on March 4 at his home base of Gulfstream Park, rallying from fourth-of-10 to take command at the stretch call and draw off under Tyler Gaffalione. He defeated returning rival Weyburn, next-out winner of the Sir Shackleton, by 4 1/2 lengths with next-out starter allowance winner Collaborate finishing third. The effort was awarded a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

The Westchester will be White Abarrio's third start around a one-turn mile, his other two efforts an allowance victory in his first start for Joseph in October 2021 at Gulfstream and a game third-place finish in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap in December at the Big A.

Joseph said White Abarrio should relish the return to one mile.

“We're excited to keep him at one turn from now on,” Joseph said “I think his class as a sophomore allowed him to excel beyond a mile because he was ahead of those horses at the time. As he got older, I think he'll excel more at seven-eighths to a mile.”

White Abarrio first flashed his talents in his September 2021 debut with a 6 3/4-length victory for trainer Carlos Perez before being purchased privately and transferred to Joseph care. He earned back-to-back graded stakes victories in his first two sophomore outings, scoring a prominent victory in the Grade 3 Holy Bull and an off-the-pace coup in theFlorida Derby ahead of a 16th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

The gray son of Race Day made his seasonal bow with a distant eighth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream, but rebounded impressively when cutting back in distance to win his latest start. He has posted two works over the Belmont dirt training track, most recently covering five furlongs in 1:00.50 on Friday.

“He's tactical and hopefully he can put himself in a good spot,” said Joseph. “From there, we hope it all goes well.”

Paco Lopez has the call from post 4.

The Chad Brown-trained Zandon [post 7, Dylan Davis] breezed a half-mile in :48.88 Friday over the Belmont Park dirt training track before scratching out of a Saturday allowance at Aqueduct and rerouting to this spot for his 4-year-old debut.

The dark bay son of Upstart was last seen finishing an even fourth in the Cigar Mile, finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind the bunched up top trio of Mind Control, Get Her Number, and White Abarrio to close out his sophomore season.

Zandon put together a productive campaign last year, finishing third in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds Race Course ahead of a visually impressive 2 1/2-length score in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland where he rallied from last-of-11 at the three-quarters call and kicked clear down the stretch.

He went on to hit the board in four other graded events last summer, including third-place finishes in the Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Travers, the latter of which garnered a career-best 105 Beyer. He finished a game second in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby in September three lengths behind the victorious Taiba.

Brown will also saddle the New York-bred Dr Ardito [post 3, Manny Franco], who brings a formidable six-race win streak into his graded debut for the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner.

Owned by Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb, Dr Ardito's impressive streak dates to a second-out graduation in April 2021 going the Westchester distance at Aqueduct. He was away from the races for 10 months before returning victoriously at allowance level last February and following with two more allowance victories, including a half-length score against open company in May.

The son of Liam's Map, bred by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, was then given another lengthy respite before returning in January to earn an open-company allowance victory and make a successful stakes debut in the one-mile state-bred Haynesfield in February, landing a head triumph over multiple graded stakes-placed Bankit.

Double B Racing Stables' Repo Rocks, runner-up in the Carter, will look to regain winning form for trainer Jamie Ness after suffering his first loss since being transferred to his current conditioner in November.

The son of Tapiture raced in fourth-of-6 throughout the first two points of call under Andrew Wolfsont in the seven-furlong Carter, swinging five-wide in the turn and setting his sights on pacesetter Today's Flavor at the top of the stretch. The 5-year-old gelding gained ground with every stride, but could not outrun fellow closer Doppelganger and settled for second 1 1/4 lengths behind that foe while preserving place honors by a nose over returning rival Expressman.

“He came out of the last race fine and things are going well, so we should be ready to go,” said Ness. “We got a little wide trip in the Carter and he ran second when it wasn't his 'A' effort, so we've got to be happy about that. To still run second in a Grade 1 that day says a lot.”

Ness said he expects Repo Rocks will benefit from a return to one mile.

“A little more distance is better for him,” said Ness. “That might be his ideal distance. He's a big horse with a big stride.”

Repo Rocks posted a strong run of form for Ness heading into the Carter, notching four consecutive stakes scores that included a Grade 3 win in the Toboggan in January at the Big A and a follow-up win in the Stymie over the same course. He earned a field-best 111 Beyer for his Toboggan victory, pouncing from off the pace to win by a dominant 8 1/2 lengths.

Rpeo Rocks has worked back once at Parx Racing since the Carter, covering a half-mile in a swift :47.68 on Friday.

“He likes to train aggressively and he's responded well to that,” said Ness.

Ruben Silvera picks up the mount from post 8.

The aforementioned Expressman [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche] is in search of his first stakes victory for owner St. Elias Stable and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. The 4-year-old son of Liam's Map had a tough trip in the Carter when he was bumped and steadied down the backstretch while vying for position. He re-rallied under Jose Ortiz to swing four-wide in the turn and made a late bid down the lane to come up just shy of place honors.

Expressman earned a lofty 107 Beyer for his debut maiden victory in August at Saratoga Race Course where he led at each point of call and strolled home a 7 1/4-length winner. He has one additional win in four starts since, posting a hard-fought head victory in a February optional claimer at Gulfstream Park traveling nine-furlongs.

Completing the field are The Players Group's dual graded stakes-placed Bourbon Calling [post 1, Feargal Lynch], who has won three consecutive allowance tilts since being haltered for $32,000 by trainer Antonio Arriaga in November; Edward Potash, Brad Yankanich and trainer Jim Ryerson's four-time winner Unbridled Bomber [post 5, Mychel Sanchez]; and Chiefswood Stables' 2021 Grade 3 Gotham winner Weyburn [post 6, Trevor McCarthy], who posted a last-out repeat victory in Gulfstream's Sir Shackleton for conditioner Jimmy Jerkens.

The Westchester is slated as Race 8 on Friday's nine-race card, which co-features the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay in Race 4. First post is 1 p.m. (ET).

The post Grade 1 Winners White Abarrio, Zandon To Meet In Competitive Westchester appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Already with a slew of good horses and her first Grade 1 winner in the barn, trainer Brittany Russell has another exciting prospect on her hands in Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's undefeated 3-year-old filly Goodgirl Badhabits.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Claiborne Farm resident sire Mastery continued to impress her connections with another popular, eye-catching optional claiming allowance victory Saturday at Laurel Park, a front-running 10¼-length triumph at odds of 1-5. Despite swerving right at the break, she was quickly in front under jockey Jevian Toledo and soon gone, completing seven furlongs in 1:24.47 over a main track rated good while in hand.

Her win came seven weeks and two days following her impressive debut run at Laurel, where she overcame a bobbled break to power home by 12¾ lengths, again in gate-to-wire fashion, in 1:05.39 for 5 ½ furlongs.

“I'm really excited about her. I've been excited about her since the first few times I breezed her,” Russell said Sunday. “The day we debuted her, I couldn't wait to run her. For her to train well in between the maiden run and follow it up again with a convincing effort like she did yesterday, it just solidified everything that we thought about her. There's never been a day we didn't love her.”

Goodgirl Badhabits, who was produced by the Vindication mare Dazzler, is a half sister to Dazzling Gem, a son of Misremembered, who ran third in both the 2016 Sir Barton at Pimlico Race Course and Louisiana Derby (G2) as a 3-year-old and captured the Clasico Jose Celso Barbosa Memorial, a Grade 1 race in Puerto Rico, as a 6-year-old in 2019.

Bred by Lisa Reynolds, Jennifer Feiner, and Woods Edge Farm LLC, Goodgirl Badhabits purchased by James Blake for $135,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale, where Wood Edge Farm consigned her. She went unraced at 2 before joining Russell's Laurel string. She has earned $63,600 in her two starts.

“I didn't have her in the barn as a 2-year-old,” Russell said. “I think she was ready to come in and then she had a little setback on the farm, so they took care of her and gave her some time. Since she's been back in, she's been such a pleasure.”

Though circumstances led to the time between starts being longer than planned, Russell and the connections have no designs to rush into anything with Goodgirl Badhabits as they explore her options going forward.

“I always had the Miss Preakness in the back of my mind. I thought she was that kind. It was just sort of the timing,” Russell said. “I didn't want to run her back in four weeks when the first allowance came up and they ended up canceling and they brought the race back. We had to sort of wait for this race. She's a nice filly and she deserves time in between if we're trying to develop her and move forward into bigger races. It worked out just fine.

“You won't see her back in three weeks or anything for the Miss Preakness, but there's a lot of good races coming up. There's some races in New York we're going to probably take a look at,” she added. “I think ultimately we want to get her back to the racetrack, make sure she trains as good as she did before the race, and we need to determine if we want to try her a little further or keep her short. That's another thing we have to decide.”

The $150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs May 19 is among 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.6 million in purses over Preakness weekend at Pimlico highlighted by the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles, also May 19, and 148th Preakness Stakes (G1), middle jewel of the Triple Crown, May 20.

The post ‘There’s Never Been A Day We Didn’t Love Her’: Unbeaten Goodgirl Badhabits Promising Filly For Russell appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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