Tag: Racing

With standout distaffer Quattroelle absent, Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks rates a huge chance from off the pace in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita. For older fillies and mares at one mile on turf, the Royal Heroine attracted a field of six—four of which exit the G2 Buena Vista which was won by Quattroelle at a mile on grass here March 4.

A 5-year-old California-bred mare by Vronsky, Closing Remarks was full of run at the rail in the run up the backside March 4, but had to steady and lose all position three furlongs out when pacesetter Kitty Kitana stopped suddenly.

Although she was shuffled back at a critical point of call, Closing Remarks, under regular pilot Joe Bravo, was able to gather herself, swing wide and mount an impressive rally, finishing third, beaten 1 ½ lengths.

Trained by Carla Gaines, Closing Remarks was third, beaten one length by Quattroelle two starts back going a mile on turf in the G3 Megahertz Stakes Feb. 4 and checked in second three starts back going a mile and one eighth on turf in the G3 Robert J. Frankel Dec. 31.

Out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks will thus be making her fourth start of the Classic Meet. A winner of the California Cup Oaks at a mile on turf here at age three, Closing Remarks has been a gem of consistency for her connections, placing in seven graded stakes while compiling a race record of 17-3-5-4, good for earnings of $434,820.

With Bravo back aboard on Saturday, Closing Remarks will hope to notch her first-ever graded stakes victory.

With talented Japanese jockey Kazushi Kimura riding for the first time, the Bo Hirsch homebred Honey Jar is a lightly raced 5-year-old mare who appears very much on the improve for trainer Michael McCarthy. Off as the 8-5 favorite in a first condition allowance down the hillside turf on March 4, Honey Jar, ridden by John Velazquez, was an impressive one length victress at about 6 ½ furlongs and she galloped out far in front of the field.

A Kentucky-bred by the Lion Heart stallion Kantharos, Honey Jar, in her lone try at one mile on turf two starts back on Jan. 28, opened up by near-double digits a half mile out and tired to finish second by a length. Back at one mile on Saturday, Honey Jar could prove an elusive front-running target.

Fourth, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Quattroelle in the Buena Vista March 4, the Phil D'Amato-trained School Dance had no apparent excuses at 5-1. Fifth, beaten 2 ¼ lengths as the 2-1 favorite two starts back in the Megahertz by Quattroelle, she finished roughly 1 ½ lengths behind Closing Remarks, who checked in third.

A close second three starts back versus sophomore fillies going a mile and one quarter on turf in the G1 American Oaks Dec. 26, School Dance, a 4-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom, is owned by Agave Racing Stable and Rockin Robin Racing Stables and will be ridden for the sixth consecutive time by Ramon Vazquez.

A considerable question mark in Saturday's Royal Heroine is the 4-year-old Irish-bred Seisai, who will make her U.S debut for Will Farish and John Sadler. Although she was winless in her last 10 Irish starts, she's been facing stiff competition, as seven of them were Group races. With an overall Irish-based race record of 14-2-2-4, Seisai was favored on two occasions. She'll be ridden on Saturday by Umberto Rispoli.

Claimed out of a maiden $20,000 heat seven starts back at Del Mar on Sept. 2, the Ian Kruljac-trained Very Scary is very much on the improve and could present early pace trouble for Honey Jar. A maiden $30,000 winner going 7 ½ furlongs on turf three starts back at Turf Paradise Dec. 19, Very Scary followed that up with a solid gate to wire win in a first condition allowance going one mile on turf here Feb. 4 and she then daylighted three allowance rivals by 13 lengths over a main track listed as good going a mile and one eighth here on March 11.

With Kent Desormeaux back aboard, this 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Connect seeks her fourth win in a row in what will be her first stakes assignment. Owned by Walter Luedtke, Robert Oracheff and R.S. Oracheff, Very Scary is 14-3-4-2 overall with earnings of $143,090.

THE GRADE 2 ROYAL HEROINE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. School Dance—Ramon Vazquez—120
2. Honey Jar—Kazushi Kimura—120
3. Closing Remarks—Joe Bravo—120
4. Nadette—Lanfranco Dettori—120
5. Very Scary—Kent Desormeaux
6. Seisai—Umberto Rispoli—120

First post time for a nine-race card Saturday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

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On a surface that he relishes and a distance where he is two-for-two, Steady On will try to secure his first stakes victory Saturday in the $150,000 Appleton at Gulfstream Park.

The one-mile Appleton for 4-year-olds and up and $150,000 Sand Springs for fillies and mares 4 and older going 1 1/16 miles, both scheduled for the grass, are among 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.35 million in purses on a spectacular 14-race program anchored by the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa for 3-year-olds.

First race post time is 11:30 a.m.

Steady On is co-owned Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, whose Forte is the 4-5 morning-line favorite for the Florida Derby. Both colts are handled by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Since being stretched out following a disappointing debut in a turf sprint at Saratoga in late August, Steady On has emerged as a dependable performer with two wins and three seconds in six starts. In his lone off-the-board finish during that stretch, he was fourth, missing third by a head, in the Carousel Club Handicap over Gulfstream's all-weather track Tapeta track on Jan. 28.

All three of the Pioneerof the Nile colt's seconds have come in stakes company at 1 1/16 miles. The most recent was by a half-length to his multiple graded-stakes winning stablemate in the Canadian Turf (G3) on March 4.

“He's coming off a really good effort,” Pletcher said. “He just got nipped by Emmanuel in the Canadian Turf. His turf races have all been good. Even on the synthetic he ran well but I do believe he's better on the turf.”

With regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, Steady On will start from Post 6 in the field of 12.

Steady On broke his maiden and added an allowance win at one mile during the Belmont at Aqueduct meet in the fall then was a half-length loser to Churchtown, who is also in the Appleton, in the Gio Ponti on Nov. 19 at Aqueduct. He was caught at the wire by Golden Glider in the Dec. 26 Tropical Park Derby, which was moved from the turf to the all-weather track.

Peter Brant and Joseph Allen's homebred Fort Washington finished a neck behind Steady On in the Tropical Park Derby and the Canadian Turf. The War Front colt trained by Shug McGaughey has one stakes win on his resume, the Tale of the Cat at Monmouth Park in June, but has been stakes-placed four times in is 10-race career.

Fort Washington and jockey Jose Ortiz drew Post 5 in the Appleton.

McGaughey will also saddle the Phipps Family's Dreams of Tomorrow, who drew the outside post position.

Just outside of Fort Washington and Steady On in Post 6 is Lea Farms' Winfromwithin, who was second by 1 ¾ lengths to Emmanuel in the Tampa Bay (G3) on Feb. 4. The 5-year-old Into Mischief horse has two stakes wins at one mile, the Columbia at Tampa Bay Downs in 2021 and the Red Bank at Monmouth Park in September.

Gray's Fable, the 2021 Appleton winner, will make his third straight start in the race. He was trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield when he wired the field two years ago and was fourth by two lengths in 2022. Brian Lynch now trains the 8-year-old gelding for Steve Goldfine, Kari Provost and Jeff Zlonis. Joel Rosario has the mount on Gray's Fable, who will leave from Post 3.

Ken Copenhaver's veteran sprinter County Final will race at mile for the first time in his 26th career start. The 5-year-old Oxbow gelding has yet to win a stake, but has the most purse earnings in the field, $531,456.

“We've stretched him out once [to seven furlongs in the Mr. Prospector] but he's never gone two turns on the grass so we're going to give him a try in there,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He's a horse that we claimed and he trains really well. He's a weird horse. He runs five-eighths on the dirt good and then on the grass he'll run six, six and a half pretty good. He runs good on both surfaces. We've sprinted him twice on the grass but he's never stretched out on the grass and that's why I want to give it one try to see where we're at.”

Edgard Zayas will ride County Final from Post 11.

The Appleton field also includes Roseland Farm Stable's He'spuregold; Souper Dormy, who was claimed three starts back by Bruno Schickedanz; LNJ Foxwoods' homebred Striker; Lucky Curlin, making his first start off the claim by Paterpop Racing; Churchtown; and Sunshine Turf Stakes winner Roaring Forties.

The post ‘I Do Believe He’s Better On The Turf’: Steady On Tries Stakes Company In Appleton appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The National Steeplechase Association Spring season got underway this past weekend with a combined 10-race doubleheader at Aiken on Saturday and Cheshire on Sunday, with standout performances from familiar names and newcomers alike.

Former flat star and millionaire Cross Border earned his first hurdle win at Aiken on Saturday. The 9-year-old New York-bred son of English Channel, who recently kicked off his NSA career, was a 4 3/4-length winner in the $15,000 G.H. Bostwick maiden starter hurdle for horses who have competed for a claiming price of $20,000 or less on the flat or over fences. It's hard to believe, but the multiple graded stakes winner actually ran for a $20,000 tag — several times — early in his career at Woodbine.

On Saturday, Cross Border, under Parker Hendriks, broke on top in the 2 1/16 mile event, controlling the pace and holding off a determined Flying Elvis Stable's Be Yourself, with Gerard Galligan aboard.

Trained by Keri Brion, Cross Border gave the Wycoff family's Three Diamonds Farm (who campaigned their star on the flat) their first NSA score.

Cross Border won 11 races in 44 career starts over seven seasons on the flat. Along the way, he has earned $1,171,479, mostly while under the care of trainer Mike Maker. He finished second eight times and third, five. Among his victories were two in the G2 Bowling Green at Saratoga. During his long and productive first career, Cross Border amassed victories over classy competition including Channel Maker, Rockemperor, Tribhuvan, Sadler's Joy, and Red Knight.

Meanwhile, English jockey Harry Beswick began his third season on the NSA circuit with a bang, capturing three races, including back-to-back tallies at the 56th running of the Aiken Steeplechase in South Carolina, and one at the 76th Cheshire Hunt Races in Unionville, Pa. Leading 2022 rider Parker Hendriks doubled at Aiken, while his dad, trainer Ricky Hendriks took a pair – one at each meet. Trainers Keri Brion and Arch Kingsley also bagged two, with Kinglsey's daughter, Taylor picking up where she left off in 2022 – with her second straight win in a training flat race.

Here's a breakdown of the rest of the action:

At Aiken

Kingsley, Cundith run one-two in training flat opener

The James W. Maloney training flat race at a mile and a quarter got the day started, and young Taylor Kingsley, the daughter of former NSA rider and current trainer Arch Kingsley, picked up where she left off in the 2022 season finale at Charleston, where she earned her first victory.

Piloting Cainudothetwist, also owned by her dad, the duo started quickly and finished with speed to spare, taking the contest by three lengths over Irv Naylor's Family Tree. Family Tree was piloted by local Aiken rider Sarah Cundith for trainer Neil Morris.

High Mounte reaches the summit in $20,000 110 Ratings Handicap

Richard Colton's High Mounte, the son of the Sea the Stars — the seven-time Irish-bred G1 winner of Europe's most prestigious turf races — did something his illustrious sire never accomplished: win over hurdles.

The eight-year-old, trained by Arch Kingsley and ridden by Graham Watters, sat off the pace in the field of seven for most of the 2 1/8-mile contest, ranged up four wide in the final turn, poking his head in front. From there, it looked like it might be a real race as Sherry Fenwick's Anticipating, under Gerard Galligan, made a bid exiting the final turn. But High Mounte was just too much horse, extending his lead to the final fence and driving home 10 3/4 lengths clear of Anticipating to record the widest winning margin of the day. Fearnaught Farm's Hooroo was third, three-quarters of a length behind the runner up for jockey Barry Foley and trainer Doug Fout.

For High Mounte, it was his second victory in five NSA outings, and the first in a handicap. His first score was in a maiden claimer at the Carolina Cup last year.

Seismic Wave jolts foes in $25,000 maiden hurdle

William Russell's Seismic Wave is proof positive that an accomplished horse on the flat can have a productive second career over jumps.

With Harry Beswick in the irons for trainer Neil Morris, the seven-year-old son of Tapit stalked Gary Barber's pacesetter, Finding Freedom, launching his bid entering the stretch. At about the same time, Three Diamonds Farm's Girl Dad, under Parker Hendriks, unfurled his rally, and the trio hit the last jump in unison. And that's when things got a bit rough.

Girl Dad fell at the fence, and Seismic Wave came out under left-hand urging, bumping Finding Freedom, a four-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro making his NSA debut for jockey Bernie and trainer Kate Dalton. The winner was able to straighten out and eventually edge clear over a gutsy Finding Freedom to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths.

Dalton lodged an objection against Seismic Wave for interference, but there was no change in order of finish following a stewards' review. Hill Parker's Carl Timothy was third.

For Seismic Wave, a three-time black-type stakes winner of more than $400,000 on the flat, it was his first NSA win and his first victory since taking the English Channel stakes at Belmont Park in the fall of 2019.

Royally-bred West Newton survives trouble to prevail in $30,000 handicap

Talk about overcoming adversity. Dueling for the lead at the last fence, Upland Flats Racing and John W. Lewis' West Newton smacked the wing, briefly lost his momentum, then straightened himself out before kicking clear by 3 1/4 lengths.

Bred by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth — and now trained by Ricky Hendriks — the seven-year-old son of Kitten's Joy opened up a clear lead under Harry Beswick shortly after the flag dropped in the 2 1/8-mile handicap for horses rated at 120 or less.

West Newton was cruising along with a narrow lead late in the race over Daniel Baker's Decisive Triumph, under Jamie Bargary, and Potter Group USA's hard-charging Uco Valley, with UK veteran and NSA newcomer David England aboard.

As the trio approached the final fence, West Newton veered inward, hitting the wing, and relinquishing the lead briefly to Uco Valley. Incredibly, horse and rider were able to pull themselves together, and when Beswick stepped on the gas, West Newton accelerated and Uco Valley was unable to keep up with the winner.

The Insider avenges Alston Cup mishap with convincing Imperial Cup victory

With leading rider Parker Hendriks aboard, Hudson River Farms, Madaket Stables, and R and K Racing's The Insider broke on top and never looked back in the finale, the featured $35,000 Imperial Cup Sport of Kings four-year-old hurdle stakes.

A field of three — all trained by Keri Brion — contested the 2 1/16 mile event, and it was a spirited battle from the get go.

Toting highweight of 157 pounds, The Insider controlled the pace, never leading by more than a few lengths, repelled a challenge by Topic Changer (with Barry Foley) and a big move by the filly Clara Belle and Bernie Dalton before pulling away from the latter to score by three lengths.

For The Insider, a runaway winner of the prestigious Gladstone three-year-old stakes at Far Hills last October when trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Davy Russell, the triumph was consolation for a spill involving both the Irish-bred and Clara Belle at Charleston last fall. The spill occurred at the final fence and the winner was Topic Changer, who avoided the mishap, winning the race and along with it, the three-year-old title.

At Cheshire

Court Ruler rules in $15,000 Cheshire Bowl

It looks like timber racing has a shining new star. A proven talent over hurdles, Leipers Fork Steeplechasers' Court Ruler took off like a jet and finished like a rocket, storming to victory in the Cheshire Bowl by 14 lengths. Like all of the sanctioned timber races at Cheshire, the distance was three miles.

Ridden by 2022 leading apprentice Freddie Procter and trained by leading trainer Leslie Young, Court Ruler proved he's a force to be reckoned with over timber. Taking the lead at the break in the four-horse field, the nine-year-old Irish-bred skipped along the course, flying over fence after fence, building a 20-plus length lead at one time or another.

Veteran timber ace Mystic Strike, making his 14-year-old debut, was second, with The Hundred Acre Field's Cracker Factory third. Fat Chance Farm's Flaming Sword was fourth.

Court Ruler was a two-time winner over hurdles in 2022, including a score in a 120 ratings handicap, and romped by 37 lengths in his second start over timber at Callaway Gardens last fall.

Master Seville wins the Paddy Neilson as rest of field goes off course

Nancy Reed's Awesome Adrian rallied late to take command then held off a stiff challenge by South Branch Equine's Master Seville to capture the $10,000 Louis Neilson III timber allowance (restricted to apprentice riders) by a diminishing half length.

But hold all tickets. After a stewards' review, it was determined that three of the four runners went off course, and the race was awarded to Master Seville, who was correctly ridden by Brett Owings for trainer Mark Beecher.

Master Seville, a two-time winner over timber last year, broke his maiden over the Cheshire course in 2022.

Chosen Mate holds off Rhythmia in first division of maiden timber

In a thrilling finish, Armata Stable's Chosen Mate, ridden by Harry Beswick for Ricky Hendriks, held off a determined challenge by Upland Partners' Rhythmia to prevail by a length and a half in the first division of the maiden timber contest.

For much of the going, the five-horse field remained tightly bunched behind pacesetter Chosen Mate, who was able to scoot clear whenever challenged.

But as the real racing began with the long uphill climb to the finish, Chosen Mate began to open up but couldn't completely shake clear of Rhythmia, ridden by Colin Smith for trainer Todd McKenna. In fact, it appeared as if Rhythmia might catch the winner as both competitors gave it their all.

For Harry Beswick it was his third winner of the weekend, having doubled at Aiken. For Chosen Mate it was his first on the NSA circuit. His last victory came at Kilarney in Ireland back in the summer of 2020.

Fletched claws back to take second division of $10,000 maiden timber

In another exciting finish, Black and Blue Stable's Fletched, the pacesetter who appeared to give way late, staged a remarkable comeback under Elizabeth Scully to edge Ballybristol Farm's Cause for Pardon at the wire by less than a half length. Stewart Strawbridge's Lap of the Gods, who came from far off the pace to stage a stirring rally of his own under Parker Hendriks, was another half length behind in third.

For most of the three miles, there was little change in position among the seven starters, with Fletched on top, Ashwell Stables' Bet the Pot in second, and Cause for Pardon close behind in third.

As the pace quickened with three fences to go, Fletched was joined by Cause for Pardon, under Freddie Procter, and the duo separated themselves from the rest of the field. It wasn't long before Cause for Pardon pulled away and looked like a sure winner. But Fletched got his second wind, narrowing the gap as Lap of the Gods made his move to get up for the show spot.

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