Tag: Racing

Idle since June 11, Bob Baffert's trainee Hopper will be bidding for his second consecutive graded stakes win in Saturday's Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita as he heads a field of nine older horses going 1 1/8 miles.

A runaway 5 ½ length winner of the G3 Affirmed Stakes last June, Hopper, who broke his maiden going seven furlongs in his second start on May 7 of last year, earned a solid 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the Affirmed and despite his lack of recency, could pose an elusive front-running target in the San Pasqual.

Owned by Lanni Bloodstock, SF Racing, LLC and Madaket Stables, LLC, Hopper will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado, who was aboard for a sixth place finish in his six furlong maiden turf debut three starts back on Feb. 25, 2022. By the War Front stallion Declaration of War, Hopper is out of the Caesour mare Irridescence.

Most recently third going 1 1/8 miles in the G3 Native Diver Stakes Nov. 27 at Del Mar, Phil D'Amato's Newgrange posted a 97 Beyer two starts back in taking a one-mile classified allowance in gate to wire fashion here on Nov. 6.

A 4-year-old colt by Violence out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, Newgrange will be ridden for the first time by leading man Juan Hernandez. A winner of last year's G3 Sham and G3 Southwest Stakes, he's owned by David Bernsen, LLC, Little Red Feather Racing and Rockingham Ranch.

With an overall mark of 7-4-0-2, Newgrange boasts earnings of $325,000.

Perhaps the biggest question mark in the San Pasqual is the Peter Miller-trained Perfect Flight, a handy winner of the ungraded Zia Park Derby two starts back on Nov. 22, but a distant ninth here going seven panels in the opening day G1 Malibu Stakes Dec. 26.

Twice graded stakes placed routing on turf last year, Perfect Flight has good tactical speed and will be ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo. A 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, Perfect Flight, who is three for seven on dirt and is owned by Gary Barber, looms dangerous at a price.

A winner of the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August of 2021, Hronis Racing's 6-year-old Tripoli fits well with these horses and always merits respect in this context. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli will get the first-time services of Kizushi Kimura, who seeks his third stakes victory of the young meet.

A full horse by Kitten's Joy, Tripoli is 21-4-4-3 overall with earnings of $920,460.

THE GRADE 2 SAN PASQUAL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Hopper—Edwin Maldonado–122
2. Tripoli—Kazushi Kimura—120
3. Parnelli—Victor Espinoza—120
4. Perfect Flight—Joe Bravo—120
5. American Admiral—Ramon Vazquez—120
6. Newgrange—Juan Hernandez—122
7. Go On—Mario Gutierrez—120
8. Breakfast Ride—Luis Contreras—120
9. Messier—Kent Desormeaux—122

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. with admission gates opening at 10:30 a.m.

The post Hopper Returns From Six-Month Layoff, Faces Eight Rivals In San Pasqual appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With a come-from-behind style that leaves her backers on the edge of their seats, C R K Stable's Justique, idle since Nov. 19, heads a field of six sophomore fillies going a flat mile in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

The Las Virgenes is the first leg in the 1/ST Coast to Coast Pick 5, a $1 wager with a player friendly 15 percent takeout on a series of five races between Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park.

Additionally, the Las Virgenes winner will receive 20 qualifying points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 5, with eight, six, four and two points going to the second through fifth place finishers.

A $725,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Justique is by 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify and is out of the Bernardini mare Grazie Mille. Trained by John Shirreffs, Justique rallied from last to take her 5 ½ furlong debut by 2 ½ lengths July 31 at Del Mar and was subsequently third when stretched out to a mile and one sixteenth in the G2 Chandelier Stakes here on Oct. 8.

In her best race to date, Justique again rallied from last under Victor Espinoza to win the seven furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes by 2 ¼ lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 19. Justique was entered in the G3 Santa Ynez, rescheduled to Jan. 8 after weather-related cancellations, but Shirreffs scratched the filly when she developed a fever. Now recovered and having posted works on Jan. 13 and Jan. 21, Justique will be trying two turns for the second time in what will be her fourth start on Saturday.

Although Justique will no doubt command a good deal of attention on Saturday, Bob Baffert's Faiza, idle since winning the G1 Starlet going 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos Dec. 10, has plenty of natural speed and should be extremely tough to beat as she tries to remain unbeaten in her third start.

Purchased for $725,000 out of a 2-year-old in training sale in May of last year, Faiza, who is by Girvin out of the Smart Strike mare Sweet Pistol, is owned by Michael Lund Petersen. With Flavien Prat out of town Saturday to ride at Gulfstream Park, Ramon Vazquez will ride Faiza for the first time.

Faiza is ineligible for Las Virgenes qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks because of Baffert's two-year suspension by Churchill Downs, stemming from his Medina Spirit being disqualified from a 2021 Kentucky Derby victory because of a medication violation. The case is under appeal.

A winner of two out of her first three starts, all on turf, Doug O'Neill's Pride of the Nile, who despite stumbling at the break, ran a huge race when second, beaten a head by Faiza in the G1 Starlet, rates a huge chance with Juan Hernandez back aboard. Now that she's established she can act on dirt as well as turf, Pride of the Nile, who earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure in the Starlet, will likely stalk the early pace in what will be her fifth career start.

By Pioneerof the Nile and out of the Hard Spun mare Inny Minnie, Pride of the Nile is owned by West Coast Stables, LLC.

Along with Faiza, O'Neill's Broadway Girls also figures to ensure a fast pace. A gate to wire one mile maiden turf winner two starts back on Nov. 13, she then took the one mile turf Blue Norther Stakes here on Dec. 30 in the same front-running fashion.

Well beaten in her only dirt try, a 5 ½ furlong maiden race on Aug. 21 at Del Mar, Broadway Girls, who is owned by Stanley Cup champion defenseman Erik Johnson's ERJ Racing, LLC, Pappas Horse Racing Corp and Neil Haymes, will be making her fifth career start in the Las Virgenes.

Graded stakes-placed in her last two races, trainer Michael McCarthy's Uncontrollable will be ridden for the first time by Kazushi Kimura, who will be seeking his third added money win at the current meeting.

An even third, beaten 5 ½ lengths by Faiza in the G1 Starlet Dec. 10, Uncontrollable was second, beaten just three quarters of a length at 24-1 in the G2 Chandelier Stakes here on Oct. 8.

Owned by Repole Stable, Uncontrollable is a California-bred filly by the Flatter stallion Upstart and is out of the Include mare Behavioral. A first-out winner going five furlongs versus statebreds on July 22, Uncontrollable, in her second start, was second going six furlongs in the California-bred Generous Portion Stakes Sept. 5.

With a win, two seconds and a third place finish from four starts, Uncontrollable will hope to be rolling from off the pace.

THE GRADE 3 LAS VIRGENES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 2 of 9 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

1. Faiza—Ramon Vazquez—124
2. Sweet Trouble—Kent Desormeaux—120
3. Broadway Girls—Edwin Maldonado—124
4. Pride of the Nile—Juan Hernandez—122
5. Uncontrollable—Kazushi Kimura–120
6. Justique—Victor Espinoza—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m.

The post Oaks Prep: After Missing Santa Ynez With Fever, Talented Justique Returns In Saturday’s Las Virgenes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Graded stakes action for the calendar year on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit kicks off Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack with veteran sprinter Drafted headlining a field of nine in the seven-furlong Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan for older horses.

Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hilbert and Thomas E. O'Keefe's Drafted, a 9-year-old gray or roan son of Field Commission, arrives at his 2023 debut with a ledger of 33-10-3-4 and earnings of $1,157,443 as the field's lone millionaire.

He will be seeking a repeat Toboggan triumph after capturing last year's edition by 4 1/2 lengths to win his first race in nearly three years. A victory Saturday would make him the first repeat Toboggan winner since Calibrachoa [2011-12] and would add his name to a lengthy list of dual Toboggan winners which includes, among others, fan favorite Affirmed Success [2002-03], as well as Hall of Famers Eight Thirty [1940-41] and Devil Diver [1943-44].

Trained by David Duggan, Drafted enjoyed a prosperous season in 2022, including wins in the G3 Runhappy on May 14 at Belmont Park, the Mr. Prospector on June 4 at Monmouth Park, and a curtain-closing score last out in the Gravesend on Dec. 30 at Aqueduct. He additionally was third beaten 10 3/4 lengths by eventual G1 Breeder's Cup Sprint winner Elite Power in the G2 Vosburgh in October at Belmont at the Big A; and was fifth, by the same margin, to Cody's Wish, subsequent winner of the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, in the G1 Forego in August at Saratoga Race Course.

While Drafted continues to display the desire to compete, Duggan said his veteran warhorse will likely not be squaring off against any of the heavier hitters in the sprint division this year.

“We know where our level is and we aren't going to shoot for the stars. We're going to basically pick off the races he can win,” Duggan said. “We'll get through this one and then pick our spots from there. He's nine and he's got age under him, so you've got to be realistic on where you spot him.”

Following his first three starts as a juvenile with trainer Eoin Harty, Drafted joined the contingent of Dubai-based conditioner Doug Watson in 2017. He picked up two Group 3 triumphs in early 2019 during his Middle Eastern tenure, capturing the Al Shindagha Sprint and the Mahab Al Shimaal. He joined Duggan's barn in late 2020, winning last year's Toboggan in his ninth start for his current trainer.

“He's always been something of a fan favorite, we just weren't able to get him to that kind of stage,” Duggan said. “Once we got into our rhythm and got him into the right spots without over facing him, he became the horse we knew he could be – like a movie star that just did a couple of B movies before doing a couple of A movies. There are some good sprinters out there. Just look who he's been up against. Horses like Cody's Wish and Elite Power. We're looking forward to Saturday's race.”

Luis Rodriguez Castro will pursue his first graded stakes triumph as a jockey when guiding Drafted, who carries a co-field high 124 pounds, from post 3.

Drafted will face a formidable foe in Rainbow's End Racing Stable's Milton the Monster [post 7, Manny Franco, 120 pounds], who sports a 4-for-4 record going seven furlongs on the main track.

Trainer Tom Morley claimed the 6-year-old son of Jack Milton for $62,500 out of a local allowance optional claimer over a sloppy and sealed track on Dec. 3 at the Toboggan distance, en route to a New Year's Day score at seven furlongs over muddy and sealed going.

Previously trained by John Servis, Milton the Monster was an emphatic 12 3/4-length winner of his seven-furlong debut last January at Parx Racing, recording a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure. He finished third in the Stymie in March at the Big A before completing the trifecta behind Drafted in the Mr. Prospector in June three starts later.

Morley cited the Toboggan distance as the primary reason for running.

“He's obviously very good at seven furlongs and he's obviously good on a wet track as well,” said Morley. “His last two starts were both seven [furlongs] at Aqueduct, but both have been a sealed track and we're not going to get that on Saturday. He absolutely deserves to take his chance in here and we're very happy with the way he's training. The reason we claimed him is because he had some good races behind some rock solid horses. Seven furlongs around one turn seems to really suit this horse. The horse seems to be in very good form, he looks healthy and appears to be in good shape.”

Morley also spoke volumes of owners Mike Iannaconi and Bob Scavetta of Rainbow's End Racing Stable, who participated in graded stakes action at the Big A in November 2019 when Red Right Hand finished 10th in the G3 Red Smith.

“They've been very loyal to my barn,” Morley said. “They set up Rainbow's End a few years ago and they've only had horses with me. They've been tremendous supporters of the barn. They're a local syndicate that is growing in size and strength. They've made some astute claims and they're great people to be involved with.”

Trainer Norman “Lynn” Cash has entered G2 Kelso Handicap winner Double Crown [post 5, J.D. Acosta, 124 pounds] and Pirate Rick [post 2, Jose Gomez, 120 pounds]. Both horses are cross-entered at Parx with Double Crown listed in a one-mile allowance on Monday, while Pirate Rick is entered in a Tuesday allowance sprint that also includes potential Toboggan aspirant Wendell Fong.

Double Crown has been soundly beaten in his three starts since springing a 42-1 upset in the Kelso on Oct. 29 at Belmont at the Big A, where he confronted mutuel favorite Baby Yoda in deep stretch to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The 6-year-old Bourbon Courage gelding enters off a 10th in the Queens County on Jan. 7 at the Big A.

While Double Crown looks to return to winning form, stablemate Pirate Rick enters the Toboggan off a string of four victories. The 6-year-old Liam's Map gelding arrives off short rest, capturing a local six-furlong allowance optional claimer on Sunday by seven lengths while earning a 104 Beyer. A six-furlong allowance winner at Mahoning Valley Race Course and Mountaineer Race Course during the latter portion of 2022, Pirate Rick will make his first start going seven furlongs in the Toboggan.

Trainer Juan Avila will ship Victoria's Ranch's Little Vic to New York by way of Parx in search of a second career stakes score. The 4-year-old Practical Joke bay captured the City of Laurel in November at Laurel Park in his lone start going seven furlongs before finishing a nose behind Drafted in the Gravesend.

Boasting a consistent 11-4-2-1 record and $206,230 in earnings, Little Vic has taken his show on the road with all four of his wins taking place at different tracks. He broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park at first asking in September 2021 before winning a six-furlong allowance in May at Monmouth Park. He defeated two next-out winners in a Delaware Park allowance in October before capturing the City of Laurel.

Carlos Olivero, who has been aboard Little Vic for three of his four wins, will retain the mount from post 8. Little Vic, assigned 122 pounds, will race with blinkers on.

Also invading from Parx is Double B Racing Stables' Repo Rocks [post 6, Andrew Wolfsont, 122 pounds], who enters off two stakes victories at the Philadelphia-area oval for trainer Jamie Ness. Second in last year's Toboggan, the 5-year-old Tapiture gelding defeated stakes winners Twisted Ride and Beren in the November 23 Let's Give Thanks before capturing his 2023 debut in the Blitzen on January 4.

Completing the field are multiple stakes-placed Three Two Zone [post 1, Dylan Davis, 118 pounds], graded-stakes placed Wendell Fong [post 4, Jorge Vargas, Jr., 118 pounds], and graded-stakes placed Synthesis [post 9, Gokhan Kocakaya, 120 pounds], a nine-time winner.

Inaugurated in 1890, the Toboggan was originally known as the Toboggan Slide as it was contested on the downhill Eclipse course at Morris Park. The Toboggan is slated as Race 7 on Saturday's nine-race card. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct winter meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the best way to bet every race of the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post ‘We Know Where Our Level Is’: 9-Year-Old Drafted Begins Carefully-Crafted Season In Saturday’s Toboggan appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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