Tag: Racing

Longshot Wizard of Westwood would've made his namesake proud as he relaxed and controlled Sunday's $100,000 Singletary Stakes but just missed as favored Mi Hermano Ramon was able to get up and win by head under Umberto Rispoli.

Trained by Mark Glatt, Mi Hermano Ramon got 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.70.

Although he bobbled slightly leaving the gate, Wizard of Westwood was quickly in control under Abel Cedillo through fractions of :23.96, :49.05, 1:13.17, and 1:37.21 and he enjoyed a one length edge a furlong from home over a group of four pursuers.

Allowed to idle midway around the turn, Mi Hermano Ramon, under confident handling, found himself fifth, with about 3½ lengths to make up turning for home with modest fractions to overcome.

“He is obviously a really good horse and if you look back at his race at Keeneland…Webslinger (third in the Grade 3 Transylvania going 1 1/16 miles on turf at April 7 at the Lexington track) came back and won at a big price Saturday at Churchill Downs (Grade 2 American Turf),” said Ryan Glatt, assistant to his father, Mark. “…If you really look at the form, you can pick this horse out. It was a slow pace today, but he got the job done.”

Fourth, beaten three lengths in the Transylvania, Mi Hermano Ramon was off at 3-2 in a field of six 3-year-olds and paid $5 for the win.

Bred in Kentucky by Red Baron's Barn, Mi Hemano Ramon is a chestnut gelding by Creative Cause out of the Suances mare Sassy Suances. Owned by his breeder along with Rancho Temescal and raced exclusively on turf in all five of his starts, Mi Hermano Ramon posted his first stakes win and his third overall victory. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $169,700.

“I was surprised a little bit when Game Time (one of three Michael McCarthy trainees and the eventual fourth place finisher) took back today,” said Rispoli, who was aboard for the first time. “…I had a ton of horse underneath me and I was just trying to put him in the clear. Credit to the barn, to Mark and everybody.”

In a gallant effort, Wizard of Westwood, off at 7-1 finished a half length better than his stablemate Escape Artist.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Escape Artist finished three-quarters of a length in front of Game Time, who was the second choice in the race at 2-1 with Juan Hernandez.

The post Mi Hermano Ramon Up In Time To Score First Stakes Win In Singletary appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Double B Racing Stables' Carter (G1) runner-up Repo Rocks returned to winning form with a powerful 5 1/4-length score in Friday's Westchester (G3), a one-turn mile for older horses, at Belmont Park.

Trained by Jamie Ness and piloted by Ruben Silvera, Repo Rocks tracked Expressman through fractions of :22.99 and :45.80 over the fast main track before taking over at the five-sixteenths and drawing clear to win in a final time of 1:34.96.

Repo Rocks will now target the $1-million Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 10 going a one-turn mile as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

“It's a big day–Belmont Day. We're very excited,” Ness said. “Hopefully, we have a good month of training.”

The 5-year-old Tapiture gelding has won five of six starts since join the Ness barn, taking the Let's Give Thanks and Blitzen at Parx before making the grade in the seven-furlong Toboggan (G3)  in January at the Big A with an 8 1/2-length romp that earned a career-best 111 Beyer.

Repo Rocks made his next two starts at Aqueduct, capturing the one-mile Stymie in February ahead of a runner-up performance to Doppelganger in the seven-furlong Carter Handicap on April 8.

Following the Westchester, Ness said the stretch out in distance and the sweeping turns at Belmont benefitted Repo Rocks.

“I thought the bigger track would be better, and I think a mile is his distance,” Ness said. “He's this big, long-striding horse. This is the trip I wanted, and it was perfect on the outside with one horse to chase.”

Ness also credited the prominent trip provided by Silvera, who took over from Andrew Wolfsont. Silvera has teamed up with Ness to win 340 races from 1,206 career starts.

“That's his kind of riding style. He's an aggressive gate rider,” Ness said. “He works him and gets on him in the morning.”

Ness said the lofty 109 Beyer earned Friday validates Repo Rocks tour de force in the Toboggan.

“It shows that the Toboggan wasn't a fluke and that he has it in him,” Ness said. “A lot of times, you run one big number and can never repeat it. He got pretty close to repeating it and it shows he's a legit horse. Now, it's my job to try and get him to run back to it again.”

Repo Rocks posted a trio of bullet works between the Stymie and the Carter and the lackluster effort prompted Ness to take his foot off the pedal heading into the Westchester.

“I think the Grade 1 got me and I pushed him a little harder for the Carter and he ran a little flat. You learn from your mistakes and try not to repeat them again,” Ness said. “I brought him back to Parx [after the Westchester] and I think I'll take him to Fair Hill for a week to 10 days and then get back to work and point for the Met Mile. I'll probably put a couple breezes in him.”

Bred in Virginia by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, III, Repo Rocks boasts a record of 35-9-7-6 for purse earnings of $795,871.

The post Repo Rocks To Get Another Shot At Grade 1 Glory In Met Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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R. A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rock Ridge Racing, BlackRidge Stables and James F. Brown's Pass the Champagne provided her connections with a gratifying victory in Saturday's Ruffian (G2), a one-turn mile for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.

Pass the Champagne was an emphatic 5 1/2-length winner after tracking the pace set by Gerrymander and pouncing to the lead at the stretch call. She drew away strongly down the lane under Feargal Lynch to complete the course in 1:36.13.

“She looks real good and we're just delighted with her,” said trainer George Weaver. “She's a filly in the mornings that has said to us that she's a really good racemare, and it's been a long road for her.”

Weaver was rewarded for his patience with the 5-year-old daughter of Flatter, who has had two lengthy layoffs since making her first start in January 2021 at Gulfstream Park with trainer Rusty Arnold. She won at second asking that February in her first start for Weaver before running a close second to subsequent two-time champion Malathaat in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland and finishing off-the-board in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She did not return until last February at Gulfstream when she won an optional claiming event, and was on the bench again for almost a year before finishing second in the Wayward Lass this January at Tampa Bay Downs.

“She ran a great second in the Ashland and then nothing went right in the Oaks where she got squeezed at the start and pinched back,” said Weaver. “She came up with an issue that needed time off. We got her back and she won early in her 4-year-old year and we had to stop on her again. It's been a long road for her and as often is the case in this game, you just have to be patient. She always told us she was worth waiting on. We could have retired her, but we felt like she had some unfinished business on the racetrack.”

Pass the Champagne entered the Ruffian off a game second-place finish in the Heavenly Cause at Laurel Park. She has banked $315,070 in total earnings from a consistent record of 9-3-4-0. Weaver said he is proud to see the mare add a graded win to her resume.

“It's real gratifying seeing her put in that kind of performance (Saturday),” said Weaver. “She deserves it and she's that good of a filly. Heck, I'm a little ashamed I haven't been able to show that until now, but better late than never.”

Weaver said it is likely Pass the Champagne will now target a return to top-level competition in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps going 1 1/16 miles over Big Sandy on June 10. The Ogden Phipps is a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Santa Anita Park.

“We'll definitely nominate there and I do think – and always did think – that she's a filly that appreciates the big, wide turns at Belmont,” said Weaver. “She ran big yesterday in her only start at Belmont, and I don't think we have a choice but to give her a chance to be a Grade 1 winner.”

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