Tag: Racing

Cloud Nine Stable's graded-stakes placed New York-bred Betsy Blue picked up her second straight open-company stakes score in Saturday's $100,000 Interborough, a seven-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Linda Rice and piloted by Jose Lezcano, the 5-year-old Tonalist mare rallied stoutly to overtake her stablemate Piece of My Heart and the stubborn pacesetter Miss T Too to score by one length for her 10th career win.

Betsy Blue was claimed for $50,000 in March 2021 out of a winning effort at third asking at the Big A and has now won eight races for her current connections, including the 2021 Bouwerie against fellow state-breds at Belmont Park.

She finished a distant third in the one-mile Go for Wand (G3) over a sloppy and sealed main track  on Dec. 3 at Aqueduct but returned one week later to take the six-furlong Garland of Roses versus open company.

“She's a great filly to have in the barn for almost two years now. I was impressed with her first two races before claiming her,” said Rice, who missed out on haltering Betsy Blue for $25,000 in her second-out graduation. “I actually was out-shook on her and then we doubled up on her. There was a seven-way shake on her the first time and the second time it was just us. We had to reach a little harder.”

Miss T Too was hustled out of the gate by Eric Cancel to set the Interborough pace with Flight to Shanghai and Self Isolation tracking her early foot through a quarter-mile in :23.54 over the fast main track. Flight to Shanghai pressed the pace down the backstretch with Self Isolation angling off the rail in attempt to split the front pair as Betsy Blue watched from last-of-5 through a half-mile in :47.20.

The Kendrick Carmouche-piloted Piece of My Heart rushed up the rail through the turn as Betsy Blue began to steadily make up ground from her outside perch with a five-wide rally with Miss T Too clinging to a precarious lead turning for home. The pacesetter dug in gamely but she was no match for Betsy Blue, who powered by inside the final sixteenth to secure the win in a final time of 1:25.94.

Piece of My Heart persevered through the final strides to complete the exacta by one length over a game Miss T Too with Self Isolation and Flight to Shanghai rounding out the order of finish. Easy to Bless was scratched.

Lezcano, who won three races on the card, said he wanted to engineer a clean trip for Betsy Blue.

“I saw the three horses go head-to-head there [on the lead] and I kept her in the clear,” Lezcano said. “In the middle of the turn, the one horse [Flight to Shanghai] kind of went out a little, but she was the best filly in the race and she showed it.

“She's so good,” added Lezcano. “She keeps holding her form and in every race, she keeps running better and better. She's a nice horse and there's nothing more I could ask for.”

Carmouche said Piece of My Heart performed admirably against her stellar stablemate.

“I had a perfect trip and I rode the race to win, because I knew Lezcano would have to go around,” Carmouche said. “I figured I would see if I could get a short way home and she ran good, she was just second best. You've got to run almost a 110 Beyer to beat that filly. It's tough.”

Rice said Betsy Blue could target the seven-furlong $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3) on February 18 at Laurel Park with an eye towards the seven-furlong $150,000 Distaff Handicap (G3) on April 7 at the Big A.

“She might be better at six to 6 1/2 [furlongs], closing into faster fractions. I'm not sure seven-eighths to a mile is her best distance, but she's pretty versatile,” Rice said.

Bred in the Empire State by Blue Devil Racing Stable, Betsy Blue, out of the stakes-placed Yonaguska mare Honest to Betsy, banked $55,000 in victory while improving her record to 10-7-2 from 21 career starts. She returned $2.60 for a $2 win wager.

The post ‘She Was The Best Filly In The Race’: Betsy Blue Tops Interborough Exacta For Rice appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Gold Square LLC's Cyberknife worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:01 flat in company with Roman Centurion Saturday morning at Fair Grounds in preparation for next Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The Brad Cox-trained 4-year-old Cyberknife galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.40 under jockey Florent Geroux.

The 1:01 clocking was third-fastest of 41 half-mile works at the track, with the 5-year-old stakes-placed Roman Centurion clocked in 1:01.20.

“It was a good work,” Geroux said by phone. “He's always been a good work horse. So for him, it was just a maintenance work and keeping him busy and fit. He's had plenty of time to get ready and now we're a week from the race.”

Cyberknife comes into the Pegasus off a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), in which he had held a narrow lead the last half of the race but couldn't quite hold off Cody's Wish. That defeat by a head cost Cyberknife a third Grade 1 victory after taking Oaklawn Park's Arkansas Derby and Monmouth Park's Haskell.

Geroux has ridden Cyberknife for the past 10 of his 12 career races. The jockey concurs with Cox that Cyberknife is working better than ever for his last race before going to stud at Spendthrift Farm.

“The horse is definitely maturing now,” Geroux said. “He's stronger physically. I think he put on some weight. He's developing very nicely and made another step forward over the winter, physically and mentally. So we're hoping he's better than he was last year.”

Cyberknife certainly has come a long way from when he finished first in his debut on Sept. 25, 2021 at Churchill Downs but ran greenly and was disqualified to second for interference. Exactly a year ago off a maiden victory on his third attempt, he was drubbed in the Fair Grounds' Lecomte (G3) but regrouped to win an allowance race and then the Arkansas Derby. His only race worse than third since needs no apology: It was the cavalry charge known as the Kentucky Derby (G1), in which he was 18th.

“He would zig zag, lose a little bit of focus,” Geroux said of Cyberknife last spring. “He's been better since. He was perfect in the Breeders' Cup and just got beat by a very nice horse. But it looks like he's doing much better now—hopefully, I'm not speaking too soon.

“It was a tough beat (in the Breeders' Cup). We wanted to finish up the year strong, and we thought it was a good spot,” Geroux added. “We had a great trip, just couldn't hold off the winner, who is a terrific miler. I think the mile and an eighth is more to his liking.”

In other Pegasus World Cup workouts,  Defunded, Get Her Number, and Stilleto Boy got in their final tune-ups in California  Saturday morning.

Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Defunded, an impressive winner of the Awesome Again (G1) and Native Diver (G2) in his two most recent starts, breezed five furlongs in :59.40 at Santa Anita. Trainer Bob Baffert saddled Arrogate (2017) and Mucho Gusto (2020) for victories in the Pegasus World Cup.

Gary Barber's Get Her Number, a close second-place finisher behind Mind Control in the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct last time out, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 for trainer Peter Miller at San Luis Rey Training Center.

Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy worked five furlongs in 1:04.60, handily, at Golden Gate Fields. The Ed Moger Jr.-trained son of Shackleford finished third in last year's Pegasus World Cup.

In Arkansas: Willis Horton Racing LLC's Last Samurai turned in a bullet workout at Oaklawn Park, where Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas' trainee breezed five furlongs in :59.40.

In Florida, Skippylongstocking and Simplification breezed Saturday morning for scheduled starts in the race.

Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking worked a half mile in :50.45 at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach Count. The 4-year-old son of Exaggerator, who is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., is coming off a victory in the Dec. 31 Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Tami Bobo's Simplification, who captured the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream last season, breezed a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.22 at Gulfstream Saturday morning. The Antonio Sano trainee's clocking was the second fastest of 44 workouts recorded at the distance.

The post Cyberknife ‘Stronger Physically’ for Pegasus World Cup, Other Probables Tune Up In California, Arkansas, Florida appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Godolphin LLC's Proxy, winner of Churchill Downs' Clark (G1) in his most recent start Nov. 25, had his final tune up for next Saturday's $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park, breezing five furlongs Saturday morning at Fair Grounds.

If the five-furlong move in 1:01.80 wasn't quite as eye-catching as his previous two workouts, that was by design.

Working by himself at the New Orleans track, Proxy was clocked tooling a half-mile in :49.40 to the wire under regular exercise rider Arturo Aparicio. The 5-year-old campaigner continued on to the seven-eighths pole, but since that gallop out was so strong, it was classified as a five-furlong work, said trainer Mike Stidham.

“The two important works were the last two,” Stidham said by phone from New Orleans. “This was important, but we weren't looking for anything special. We were just looking for maintenance here. He handled it well. He always is a big gallop-out horse, and the best part of the work was the finish and the gallop out. That's what we were looking for, and we got it. He cooled out well, and all is a go as of right now.”

Jockey Joel Rosario will be back aboard for the third straight race. Proxy will ship Sunday evening to Gulfstream Park, arriving Monday.

The Clark was Proxy's first stakes victory of any kind, though he'd never been worse than fourth in eight prior stakes attempts. It also came in his first Grade 1 appearance.

“Certainly, I feel like the Pegasus is going to come up tougher overall, a tougher race, so we have to pick our game up from the Clark,” Stidham said. “I don't think we can run the same race we ran in the Clark and expect to win. I think we need to do a little bit better, and I'm hoping my horse will move forward from the Clark. That's what we need to see.

“He's had plenty of time from the Clark. He's done well here at the Fair Grounds since that race. He'll get to Gulfstream Monday, and he'll have time to settle in. Barring any issues between now and then, we're ready to go.”

Proxy brings a versatile running style into the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus. He's won on the lead; pushed the tepid pace in the Clark before taking command late over the front-running favorite West Will Power; and he's prevailed as a closer.

“Last time there wasn't a lot of speed in the Clark,” Stidham said. “Rosario had ridden West Will Power before and obviously knew him well, so we felt like we needed to stay in striking distance of that horse. Now, in a race like this at Gulfstream, more of a speed-favoring type surface, I'd imagine there's going to be a considerable amount more speed, which should put us in a spot somewhere mid-pack, is my guess. With a rider like Rosario, I'm certainly not going to have much to say to him other than good luck and get the best trip you can.

“He's shown he can do either (style). If they're really going fast, he can sit back and finish into fast fractions. If the pace isn't too hot, he can lay in a close stalking position. It's going to depend on how the race sets up and where Joel thinks is the best spot for him to be.”

With Proxy being a son of Godolphin's Include mare Panty Raid, a Grade 1 winner on turf and synthetic and Grade 2 winner on dirt, Stidham acknowledged toying with the idea of switching to the turf a while back. After all, Panty Raid's older daughter Micheline was strictly turf, winning four stakes and narrowly losing a Grade 1.

“When things weren't panning out like we had hoped with Proxy, where he was not quite getting it done, the subject came up,” Stidham said. “(Godolphin's) Dan Pride and Michael Banahan both said, 'Hey, we need to exhaust all dirt options before we go to the grass, because obviously to make a stallion these days, you've got to win Grade 1s on the dirt.' That was exactly what we did. Turf obviously came up, but it wasn't an option yet – and I'm glad we didn't.”

The post Proxy ‘A Go’ For Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Michael Scheffres' multiple Grade 3-placed Factor It In continued his career-best form Saturday at Laurel Park by cruising to this third stakes victory in five starts, a two-length triumph in the $100,000 Fire Plug.

The 6 ½-furlong Fire Plug for 4-year-olds and up was the fourth of six stakes worth $550,000 in purses on a Winter Sprintfest program headlined by the $100,000 Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies.

Maryland's first stakes of 2023 also included the $100,00 Fire Plug for 4-year-olds and up and $100,000 What a Summer for older fillies and mares, and a pair of $75,000 events restricted to older Maryland-bred/sired horses: the Geisha for males and the Jennings.

With Angel Cruz up for trainer Carlos Mancilla, Factor It In covered the distance in 1:18.01 over a fast main track for his second straight win after capping 2022 in the Dec. 30 Dave's Friend at Laurel.

Factor It In, a 7-year-old son of The Factor, also won the Challedon against fellow Maryland-bred/sired horses last fall and ran third in back-to-back Grade 3 stakes in New York – the Bold Ruler and Fall Highweight – beaten less than a length combined.

“Carlos and his brother Oscar, they do such a spectacular job not only on this horse but on all our horses,” Scheffres said. “They work so hard and they're such a great team. I'm so lucky to have them.”

Five Dreams, runner-up in the six-furlong Blitzen Jan. 4 at Parx, and 40-1 long shot Air Token, winner of the 2021 Maryland Million Sprint, dueled through an opening quarter-mile in :23.51 and a half in 46.62 as Cruz kept Factor It In in the clear in third. Factor It In launched his bid midway around the far turn and set his sights on the leaders once straightened for home, powering through the stretch under Cruz who wrapped up approaching the wire.

“I was afraid Angel might try to go to the front and I haven't seen much speed go wire to wire today. I kept asking Carlos, 'Do you think Angel is going to go to the front?'” Scheffres said. “He did it exactly the way I would have wanted. It was perfect.”

Yodel E. A. Who came with a late run to be second, a length in front of Five Dreams, with another half-length back to multiple stakes winner Alwaysinahurry. Savoy, Karan's Notion, Air Token and Al Loves Josie completed the order of finish. Pirate Rick and Beren were scratched.

Fire Plug was a stakes winner every year from age 3 to 7. The popular gelding won or placed in 49 of 54 career starts with half his 28 victories coming in stakes including the J. Edgar Hoover, Maryland Breeders' Cup and Roman handicaps. Twice graded stakes-placed including the 1991 General George (G2), he was retired later that year at the age of 8 with $705,175 in purse earnings.

Fille d'Esprit Rebounds In $100,000 What A Summer

C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm's Fille d'Esprit, beaten as the favorite in her season finale last month, rebounded with an emphatic 5 ¼-length victory in the What a Summer, her 7-year-old debut.

It was the second stakes win of the day for trainer Jerry Robb, who captured the Geisha for older Maryland-bred/sired females with Award Wanted. Jockey Xavier Perez was aboard.

Swayin to and Fro went off as the 4-5 favorite on the strength of back-to-back stakes wins at Laurel by 10 combined lengths, most recently in the Dec. 30 Willa On the Move, a race where Fille d'Esprit ran fourth. Swayin to and Fro and fellow multiple stakes winner Dontletsweetfoolya raced together up front going a quarter-mile in :22.52.

Fille d'Esprit, a daugheter of Great Notion who won the Maryland Million Distaff and Politely in succession prior to the Willa On the Move, moved up to second behind Swayin to and Fro after Dontletsweetfoolya dropped back following a half in :46.45. Fille d'Esprit overtook Swayin to and Fro at the top of the stretch and opened up, covering the distance in 1:11.70.

Swayin to and Fro was second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of 18-1 long shot Snicket, while Fouette edged Dontletsweetfoolya for fourth. Disco Ebo was scratched.

The What a Summer honors the Maryland-bred mare that was named the Eclipse Award-winning sprinter and Maryland's Horse of the Year in 1977. The Maryland-bred Hall of Famer won 18 of 31 career starts including the Fall Highweight Handicap (G2) and Silver Spoon Handicap twice, Maskette Handicap (G2) and Black-Eyed Susan (G2).

Plot The Dots Becomes Stakes Winner With Jennings Victory

Built Wright Racing Stable's Plot the Dots became a stakes winner for the first time in his 33rd career start, putting away 2021 Maryland Million Classic winner Ournationonparade in the final furlong and rolling to a five-length score in the Jennings.

One of three horses in the Jennings owned and trained by Norman 'Lynn' Cash, Plot the Dots ($12) gave jockey Jevian Toledo his second straight stakes win on the program following 3-year-old filly L Street Lady in the $100,000 Xtra Heat.

Plot the Dots was making his fifth start since being claimed for $40,000 by Cash last fall at Laurel. He had raced in 11 previous stakes, placing twice.

“I always like the back class and he had a lot of back class,” Cash said. “He wasn't running particularly well at the time so we were hoping we could get him back to his ways and, man, what a race today.”

Toledo and Plot the Dots were unhurried as stablemate Monday Morning Qb, the 2020 Maryland Million Classic winner, and 50-1 long shot Whiskey and You raced through splits of :23.94 and :47.66. Even-money favorite Ournationonparade was in the clear three wide and rolled up to the lead around the far turn, followed closely by Plot the Dots, running side by side into mid-stretch before Plot the Dots took over.

“He really likes this track,” Cash said said of the son of Uncle Mo. “He's going to stay here where he likes it. Great ride by Toledo. For a second I thought he was backing up when he was resting him, but then he came on with the long stretch. What a fun day.”

Galerio came on to be second, two lengths ahead of Ournationonparade. One Ten, Exculpatory, Whiskey and You, Ain't Da Beer Cold and Monday Morning Qb completed the order of finish.

The Jennings honors William Jennings Sr., one of Maryland's greatest horsemen whose Glengar Farm was located six miles from historic Pimlico Race Course. Jennings bred, owned and trained 1887 Preakness winner Dunboyne. His grandson, Henry S. Clark, followed in his footsteps and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 1982.

Award Wanted Takes Inside Route To Geisha Triumph

No Guts No Glory Farm and Erica Upton's Award Wanted slipped through an opening along the rail in midstretch and surged past multiple stakes winner Malibu Beauty and 22-1 long shot Bourbon Wildcat to win the Geisha.

It was the second straight win and first in a stakes for Award Wanted ($11.40), who ran third in the 2021 Maryland Million Turf Starter Handicap. The winning time for one mile over a fast main track was 1:40.76.

Jockey Angel Cruz settled Award Wanted in fourth as 2-5 favorite Malibu Beauty, exiting front-running 7 ¾-length triumph in the Dec. 30 Carousel at Laurel, established an early advantage with a quarter-mile in :24.17. Bourbon Wildcat took the initiative and got through along the rail to take the lead after a half in :48.09 as Award Wanted moved up to third.

The order remained unchanged as they straightened for home but as Malibu Beauty on the outside went about trying to reel in the leader, Award Wanted stayed inside and sprinted past them both to win by 5 ¾ lengths for her eighth career victory, five of them coming at Laurel.

“I was confident the mile would work, but I wasn't confident she was going to beat [Malibu Beauty],” winning trainer Jerry Robb said of the 6-year-old Macho Uno mare. “But, we'll take it.”

Bourbon Wildcat was second, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Malibu Beauty. It was two lengths back to Sweet Gracie followed by Startwithabang, Sweet Surprise and Fool Yourself. Intrepid Dream was scratched.

The Geisha pays homage to Alfred G. Vanderbilt's Maryland-bred daughter of Discsovery, foaled in 1943 at his Sagamore Farm in Glyndon, Md. Bred to 1945 Preakness winner Polynesian, she produced one of the greatest racehorses and sires of the 20th century, Native Dancer, in 1950.

The post Factor It In, Fille d’Esprit Among Quartet To Shine On Laurel’s Winter Sprintfest Card, Trainer Robb Scores Stakes Double appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post