Tag: Racing

Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hilbert and Thomas O'Keefe's multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Drafted breezed a half-mile in :49.49 Saturday over the Belmont Park dirt training track.

Trainer David Duggan said the 9-year-old Field Commission gelding, who boasts a record of 10-3-5 from 35 career starts and  purse earnings in excess of $1.1 million, will bypass a title defense in the six-furlong $175,000 Runhappy (G3) on May 13 at Belmont Park in favor of an allowance tilt at Laurel as he looks to secure his first win of the year.

The veteran gelding opened his campaign with a third-place finish in the Toboggan (G3) at Aqueduct in January ahead of a troubled sixth last out in the Tom Fool Handicap (G3) on March 4.

Drafted posted a record of 4-1-1 from nine starts last year led by NYRA circuit wins in the seven-furlong Toboggan and six-furlong Gravesend at the Big A, and the six-furlong Runhappy at Belmont Park. He also notched a rallying score in the six-furlong Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park ahead of a runner-up effort in the Alapocas Run at Delaware Park.

“He's 9-years-old and doesn't need to be taking on these young guns,” Duggan said. “It's a salty group of sprinters here at the moment, so our plan is to go for an open allowance race at Laurel at the end of this month and try to win [stakes] back at Monmouth and Delaware. The Grade 3 here is going to look like a Grade 2 or a Grade 1.”

Duggan said he's content to pick his spots with the evergreen gelding.

“If we have to run him for a tag, then we won't run him anymore. He's made his million. He's been an iron horse,” Duggan said. “I'd like to run him at Saratoga if there's something available. We'll see how it plays out.”

The post Veteran Sprinter Drafted To Try For For First Win Of Year At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The first race for 2-year-olds at Gulfstream Park is scheduled for Thursday's program, following last week's cancellations at the Hallandale Beach, Fla. track due to historic rainfall.

A field of eight fillies has been assembled for Thursday's Race 1, a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight race.

Arindel, which has had considerable success with precocious 2-year-olds in recent years, will be represented by homebreds Cherokee and Mist.

Florida-bred Cherokee is by Union Jackson  out of the Brethren mare Florence, a full sister to graded stakes winner Cookie Dough, the winner of two legs of the 2018 Florida Sire Stakes series and more than $600,000 in earnings. Cookie Dough, who captured the 2020 Royal Delta (G3) at Gulfstream, also placed in five other graded stakes.

Trainer Jose D'Angelo is slated to saddle Sun Azteca, a daughter of Sharp Azteca, for the 2-year-old season opener. The Kentucky-bred $110,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September sale is out of graded stakes-winning City Zip mare Northern Netti.

Briseida, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Runhappy who was purchased for $80,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sale, is scheduled to make her debut for trainer Fausto Gutierrez and St. George Stable. She was produced by the Lookin At Lucky mare La Piba.

The post Juvenile Season At Gulfstream Park Gets Underway Thursday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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John Ropes' homebred Dorth Vader produced a bullet' five-furlong workout Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a planned start in the May 5 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.

The 3-year-old daughter of Girvin was timed in :59.28, the fastest of 20 workouts recorded at the distance

“We wanted her to gallop out a decent mile. I thought she worked as easy as a horse can work and go :59-and-1 or -2,” trainer Michael Yates said. “She looked like she was merely galloping. Her gallop-out was adequate. We didn't force her while she was galloping out.”

Dorth Vader is 10th on the leaderboard for the Kentucky Oaks.

“That's where we're headed,” Yates said. “It's very exciting. You don't know if you'll ever have that opportunity again.”

Dorth Vader breezed for the first time since finishing a disappointing fourth in the April 1 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).

“The first time going two turns, she made the lead really easy and I think it kind of surprised her seeing a horse come back outside her,” Yates said. “She kind of cocked her head and drifted in and switched leads real late. She just ran a little bit green.”

Dorth Vader is the winner of four of eight starts and three stakes, including the March 4 Davona Dale, in which she scored a 46-1 upset with a decisive 4 ¾ lengths.

The post Dorth Vader Sharp In Breeze For Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen took a bite out of the apple Saturday at Oaklawn. A record-setting bite.

Asmussen won four races on the 12-race card, including the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) with Stonestreet Stables' homebred Clairiere, who used an electrifying late kick under Joel Rosario to edge favored Secret Oath by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile event for older fillies and mares.

Clairiere ($5) represented a record-tying third Apple Blossom victory for Asmussen, following Untapable in 2015 and Midnight Bisou in 2019, and carried added significance because of her connections, record, and pedigree.

“Absolutely,” Asmussen said approximately 10 minutes after the race. “Being a Curlin out of Cavorting that's won a couple of Grade 1s, in training as a 5-year-old, I mean that is the Stonestreet sportsmanship ultimate – keeping something like her racing. And that's why when you're allowed to do something like that, you feel the responsibility of it and how much it means. That's what she's back in training for, a race just like that.”

Stonestreet Stables (Barbara Banke) is among Asmussen's most treasured clients. Clairiere is by Curlin, who Stonestreet campaigned to Horse of the Year honors in 2007 and 2008 with Asmussen. Cavorting is a millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner.

After finishing second in last year's Apple Blossom, Clairiere won the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) last June at Belmont Park in her next start and was poised for an Eclipse Award as the country's champion older dirt female when she entered the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland. Clairiere was denied the hardware after finishing third, beaten two noses, in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Asked if he would be discussing Clairiere – the racehorse, not the broodmare – 5 ½ months following a Breeders' Cup victory, Asmussen said, “I don't know.”

“It would have made her champion,” Asmussen said. “Who knows? But I've known them (Stonestreet) to put a Horse of the Year (Curlin) back in training. Lucky me.”

Clairiere opened her 5-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Secret Oath, in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles March 11 at Oaklawn.

In the rematch, Clairiere trailed Secret Oath by four lengths in midstretch before collaring the 2022 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner in the shadow of the wire. The winning time over a fast track was 1:43.36.

“It (Azeri) was the first race of the year,” Asmussen said. “Of course, you wanted to win. I never want her to lose. When you have her, you don't think she's going to lose. She gives you that sort of confidence. We watched the race run. Kudos to Secret Oath. She's a great mare.”

The Apple Blossom, Clairiere's seventh victory from 18 lifetime starts, increased her earnings to $2,831,392. Asmussen said Clairiere will join his string at Churchill Downs, with next-race plans pending. The $500,000 Ogden Phipps (G1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles is June 10 at Belmont Park.

“We have the beautiful luxury of having Pauline's Pearl for Stonestreet, also,” Asmussen said. “I think Clairiere held up her end of the bargain today and we'll go from there.”

A millionaire Grade 1 winner, Pauline's Pearl won the $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies in 2021 at Oaklawn and finished second in last year's Azeri.

Asmussen also won Saturday's fourth race with Kingdom ($10.20), fifth race with St. Andrews ($16.40) and the ninth race, the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses at six furlongs, with Skelly ($14).

The four-bagger pushed Asmussen's career Oaklawn victory total to 864. Asmussen entered Sunday, Day 59 of the scheduled 68-day meeting, needing only four victories to surpass the late Bob Holthus (867) as the all-time winningest trainer in Oaklawn history. Asmussen became the first trainer in Oaklawn history to reach $50 million in career purse earnings Saturday. Skelly represented Asmussen's record-extending fifth Count Fleet victory and the 100th stakes victory in his Oaklawn career, which is also a record. Asmussen, who has collected a record 12 Oaklawn training titles, waited only a little more than an hour for No. 101 with Clairiere.

“She's a tremendous mare,” Asmussen said.

The post Clairiere To Join Asmussen’s Churchill String, Next-Race Plans Pending appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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