Tag: Racing

A day after traveling four furlongs in the second-fastest time at Churchill Downs, D.J. Stable's Wonder Wheel headed back to the track to jog two times around the outside rail under exercise rider Kim Carroll. Coming into the Kentucky Oaks dappled out with a healthy coat and sharp morning works, the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner will look to return to her 2-year-old form after finishing sixth in April's Ashland Stakes (G1) and second in February's Suncoast Stakes for trainer Mark Casse.

“She came out of yesterday's work really well,” assistant trainer David Carroll said. “She's a champion and is so talented. Unfortunately we didn't see the best of her in her last race. There was no real reason why she ran the way she did. She cooled out in five minutes and bounced back to the barn. She cleaned up her feed. She scoped clean. She was two for two (at Keeneland) so you can't blame the track. After the race Tyler (Gaffalione) thought she just had a bad day.”

The dark bay daughter of Into Mischief by Wonder Gal is also two-for-two at Churchill Downs, breaking her maiden from off the pace and winning the Debutante Stakes wire-to-wire. Joel Rosario, who was aboard for Thursday's workout, will be aboard Wonder Wheel in the Oaks, his first mount on the four-time winner.

“He's as good as they come—a terrific rider,” Carroll said. “We're of the opinion that maybe the way that she ran in the Breeders' Cup was probably best race that she has run, even though (rallying from far back to win) wasn't by design. I think if she were to relax and settle near the back, there's no better pilot than Joel to get her switched off early and flying home late.”

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Hoffman Thoroughbreds and Tom McCrocklin's Promiseher America recorded her final serious piece of work in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks on May 6 at Churchill Downs, when going a half-mile in 49.77 seconds over a fast Belmont Park training track.

The chestnut daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah was piloted by exercise rider Fernando Tapara and traveled the four furlongs outside of stablemate Ribot's Valentine.

Promiseher America was a third-out maiden winner going a one-turn mile on February 19 at the Big A before providing trainer Ray Handal with his first graded stakes triumph when capturing the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 8 – the final local Oaks prep – by a half-length.

Handal, who will be saddling his first Kentucky Oaks contestant, said the work went according to plan.

“Perfect work,” Handal said. “She literally nailed the first eighth in 12 and three [seconds] and picked it up from there. I had her galloping out in 1:02 and 1:16. It was exactly what I wanted. I was looking for 49, 1:01 and four and a 1:15 or 16 gallop out and she did it perfectly. She did it all in-hand just floating over the ground. All systems are go.”

Promiseher America will depart New York on Sunday and is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs early Monday morning. Handal added that Jorge Vargas, Jr., aboard for the Gazelle victory, would most likely retain the mount for the Oaks.

Bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Low, Promiseher America is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Promisedyouheaven, whose dam Hurricane Bernie is a half-sister to dual Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Mizdirection [2012-13]. She was bought for $75,000 at the 2022 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Also on the work tab for Handal was Merrylegs Farm's New York homebred Timeless Journey, who went a half-mile in 50.77 over the training track. Third in the open company Top Flight on April 2 at Aqueduct last out, Timeless Journey could target the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian going a one-turn mile on May 6 at Belmont Park.

“She breezed great today. She went 50 and four and had a nice strong gallop out. If it fits, we'll take a shot in there,” Handal said.

Timeless Journey, by Verrazano, defeated fellow Empire State-breds in the March 12 Biogio's Rose at the Big A two starts back in her first stakes conquest.

Handal also spoke of Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing's Funny How, who breezed a half-mile in 49.33 over the training track in preparation for a possible start in the Grade 3, $175,000 Vagrancy on May 14 at Belmont.

Handal said the Vagrancy's 6 1/2-furlong distance is ideal for the New York-bred daughter of Overanalyze as opposed to stretching out for the Ruffian. She was last seen finishing second in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap on April 7 at the Big A, which ended a five-race win streak.

“The 6 1/2 furlongs we know she can do. The mile is still a bit of a question mark,” Handal said. “Even though she seems like she would go a one-turn mile just fine, I think we just stick to what we know for now and then explore down the line.”

Bred by Hibiscus Stables, Funny How is a half-sister to multiple New York-bred stakes winner Funny Guy.

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Dual hall of fame trainer Mark Casse sends out the trifecta of Gran Spirited, Ninetyfour Expos and Stayhonor Goodside in the $125,000 Woodstock Stakes, Sunday at Woodbine.

The six-furlong Woodstock, for 3-year-olds, has been a key prep race leading up to the Queen's Plate, now the King's Plate and set for August 20, the first leg of the historic Canadian Triple Crown series.

A son of Shaman Ghost, Gran Spirited won two of five starts in his rookie campaign, including the Simcoe Stakes, at 6 ½ panels on the Woodbine Tapeta last August.

Owned by René Hunderup's Heste Sport Inc., the dark bay, who was co-bred (along with Delaware Run Farm) in Ontario by Hunderup's Norse Ridge Farms, will make his 3-year-old debut in the Woodstock.

“He's a nice horse and has really grown up through the wintertime. He's training better this year than he did last year. We don't have a whole lot of options with him, but I figure that he's going to get better with more distance.”

After a sixth to start his career, Gran Spirited broke his maiden next time out, a head score at six furlongs on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course on July 29.

Declan Carroll, aboard for all five starts, gets the call again.

Bred in Ontario by Robert Marzilli and owned by D.J. Stable LLC, Ninetyfour Expos will also be making his sixth career start in the Woodstock.

The dark bay son of Outwork finished third in his debut last May at Woodbine before stepping up to the plate with a resounding 8 ¼-length triumph at five furlongs over the Toronto oval Tapeta one race later on May 29.

This will be the third stakes appearance for the gelding who was fifth and fourth, respectively, in last year's Soaring Free and Grade 1 Summer, both run on the E.P. Taylor.

“He's training well. He's wintered well, but he's going to have to step his game in this one. There are a couple of really nice horses in this race.”

Stayhonor Goodside, another D.J. Stable LLC sophomore, is Casse's third hopeful.

A son of Honor Code, bred in Ontario by Stan Dodson, the dark bay won first time out last May going 4 ½ panels on the Woodbine Tapeta. His next five races were all stakes, including a third in the turf Soaring Free and a second in last October's 1 1/16-mile Cup and Saucer, also run on the E.P. Taylor.

The gelding brings a mark of 1-1-1 from six starts into the Woodstock.

“He's training well too. He had a good winter, but like Ninetyfour Expos, he's going to have to step it up on Saturday.”

Casse, who recently won his 12th straight and 15th overall Sovereign Award as Canada's champion trainer, won the 2018 edition of the Woodstock with Curlin's Honor.

The Woodstock is Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race card. First post time is 1:10 p.m.

Fans can watch and wager on all the action via HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse app. ​

FIELD FOR THE $125,000 WOODSTOCK

POST – HORSE – JOCKEY – TRAINER

1 – Stayhonor Goodside – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

2 – Gran Spirited – Declan Carroll – Mark Casse

3 – New York Thunder (S) – Ricardo Santana, Jr. – Jorge Delgado

4 – Ship the Goods – Kazushi Kimura – Christophe Clement

5 – Ninetyfour Expos – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Mark Casse

6 – Opposites Attract (S) – Justin Stein – Michael Trombetta

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The $75,000 Bosselman Pump & Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes has attracted a full field of 10 horses for Saturday's 1 1/16th mile race at Fonner Park.

“The $75,000 Bosselman Gus Fonner Stakes is the richest race run annually at Fonner Park,” Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak said. “The field of 10 in the race is certainly the best field of horses we will present all year. Mission accomplished. Money talks and it attracts. It will be an excellent betting race.”

Trainer Mark Hibdon, who will send Sarcastic Tone to the post for the Bosselman, agreed.

“For as long as I've been coming here, this is one of the toughest ones I've seen drawn up,” said Hibdon, who has been coming to Fonner Park since 2017. “It's anybody's race. I think there are several horses in there that are deserving and can win it.”

At the top of the list would be morning-line favorite Buck Moon. The 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Malibu Moon and Grand Pauline is 9-5 on the morning line. He's coming off a 10-length win in an allowance optional claiming race March 23 at Hawthorne.

Its A Wrap was trained by Isai Gonzalez a year ago and won the Dowd Mile in 2022 before finishing fifth in the Bosselman. Its A Wrap, now trained by Jon Arnett, has been off since a Jan. 25 win at Tampa Bay Down and is 4-1 on the morning line.

Gonzalez is back in the Bosselman with Munqad, a horse he claimed just three weeks ago for $20,000. At 8-1 on the morning line, he will likely go out to the lead along with Buck Moon.

“It looks like there's going to be a lot of competition,” Gonzalez said. “We've been looking at the field, and there are a lot of nice horses this year.”

Fleetridge, shipping in from Keeneland, is 6-1 on the morning line. This will be his first out since October.

Medicine Tail, winner of the Tondi earlier this meet, is 10-1 for trainer David C. Anderson. He's also bringing Bellamys Roan at 20-1 from Oaklawn Park.

Caseys Memory, a ship-in from Will Rogers Downs, and Cave Hill, who is trained by Larry Donlin and finished second in the Dowd, are both 12-1.

Unrestricted, trained by Marissa Black, is 20-1 after finishing fifth in the Dowd.

Long-time Fonner Park assistant racing secretary Wayne Anderson was impressed by the Bosselman field.

“I think it's one of our strongest fields,” Anderson said. “It's going to be a race kind of up for grabs depending on if the speed horses hook up and kind of set it up for the come-from-behind horses.

“And having the horses that ran first and second in the Dowd Mile coming back, that's always a good sign.”

The race will go as the 9th race on a card of ten races. First post is 1:30 pm CT; the 9th race post time is 5:40 pm CT.

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