Tag: Racing

A morning after their stablemate in the Saffie Joseph Jr. stable, White Abarrio, breezed at Gulfstream Park, Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking and Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules Iavarone's O'Connor were sent to the main track at Palm Meadows for easy half-mile breezes Sunday morning.

All three Joseph trainees are scheduled to compete in the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream.

Skippylongstocking breezed a half-mile in :48.50, while O'Connor was timed in :51.05 at Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. Both horses were breezing for the first time since running in the Dec. 31 Harlan's Holiday (G3), won by Skippylongstocking.

Joseph, who expressed satisfaction with the first-works-back, also sent Ken Ramsey and the Estate of Sarah Ramsay's Artie's Princess to Palm Meadows' main track for a half-mile breeze in :48.45 seconds in preparation for a start in the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf invitational (G3).

At Santa Anita Sunday morning, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Speaking Scout, who captured the Hollywood Derby (G1) in his most recent start for trainer Graham Motion, breezed a half-mile in :48.20 for a start in the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1).

The post Skippylongstocking, O’Connor Back To Work For Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Godolphin's Clark (G1) winner Proxy had his final major workout Saturday before the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park, turning in another strong – if a bit eventful – performance at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

The 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup for 4-year-olds and up headlines a program of eight stakes, seven graded, worth $5.3 million in purses including the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G3).

The 5-year-old Proxy's official time for the six-furlong move to the seven-eighths pole was 1:13.20, the fastest of two works at the distance Saturday morning. But it wasn't all smooth sailing.

Trainer Michael Stidham designed the work's first five-eighths of a mile to be in company with Godolphin's Global Sensation — achieved with the two working as a pair in a lively 1:00.40 — with Proxy working an additional eighth-mile past the wire. With a crush of horses working right after the track's renovation break, exercise rider Arturo Aparicio ran into traffic past the wire and had to steer Proxy around a couple of horses galloping out from their own workout.

“Basically Proxy had to go around those horses and weave a little bit to navigate around the turn,” Stidham said by phone. “It probably cost him a length or two in the final time. But a very nice work. He finished up well and went on out real nice and continued to gallop out well down the backside.

“The last work [five-eighths in a minute flat] and this work were the two important works. I just wanted to see him finish up willingly and then continue around the turn with good energy,” he added. “He did that last time and this time really well.”

Godolphin is a finalist to win its sixth Eclipse Award as North America's outstanding owner and its third as outstanding breeder, one of each came under its Darley banner. Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's international racing and breeding operation swept both Eclipse awards for 2021.

The 2022 winners will be honored Jan. 26 at the Eclipse Awards winner at The Breakers in Palm Beach. Godolphin's $16.3 million in purse earnings easily led all owners last year, with its 88 victories ranking fifth.

“Every May right after the Derby, we get anywhere from about 15 to 18 2-year-olds that come into our barn,” Stidham said of training for Godolphin. “For a trainer, it's like a dream come true to have the pedigrees, the stallions they breed to and the dams these horses are out of. Most are either graded stakes winners themselves or producers of graded stakes winner. Those are the kinds of horses that get unloaded off a van and into our barn.

“If you try to go buy those pedigrees at a sale, you'd spend millions of dollars trying to duplicate those horses. As the recipient of those kinds of horses, as a trainer there is no better spot to be in,” he added. “You never know when a Mystic Guide [winner of the Dubai World Cup (G1) in 2021] or a Proxy is coming off the van. It's very exciting.”

Stidham said Godolphin's patience with horses such as Proxy is a hallmark of Sheikh Mohammed's program.

“I've been doing this 45 years now,” Stidham said. “There's no better job to have than working for them in the industry, because of that reason. They hire trainers they believe in and have confidence in. Certainly, we have to discuss all our decisions and plans with them, but they give us the ability to do the right thing, no matter what, for the horses. There's no hesitation if we say, 'This horse has a little of this or a little of that. We need to slow down. Or we need to stop.' It's always what's best for the horse.”

Proxy is a good example of that theory in practice. Big things were expected from the son of super sire Tapit out of the millionaire mare Panty Raid, a Grade 1 winner on turf and synthetic and Grade 2 winner on dirt as well as the dam of graded stakes winner Micheline.

But Proxy's camp ditched Kentucky Derby (G1) dreaming and regrouped after the colt finished fourth in both the Louisiana Derby (G2) and Lexington (G3). Proxy resumed racing 10 1/2 months later, winning an allowance race in New Orleans. He had two seconds and a pair of thirds before earning his first stakes victory in his Grade 1 debut in Nov. 25 Clark, which also was at the Pegasus distance of 1 1/8 miles.

“We talk about it, that Proxy wasn't quite where he needed to be to go into the Triple Crown,” Stidham said. “It wasn't 'Oh well, why don't we do this or that?' It was a done deal. Believe me, the reason Mystic Guide did what he did was because of that, allowing us to go slow with him and skip some of the big races, including the Breeders' Cup. With Proxy, skipping the Triple Crown has allowed us to get to winning the Clark. I don't think a lot of people realize how important those decisions are in a horse's career, for their future.”

The post Godolphin’s Proxy Avoids Trouble In Sharp Work For Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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As an owner and breeder who invests in fillies at auction, Jon Clay of Alpha Delta Stables has his sights set on one day winning the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. On Saturday, Clay hopes his impressive maiden winner Occult will take him one step closer to his lofty goal when the Into Mischief dark bay makes her stakes debut in the $100,000 Busanda at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Busanda, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies, is a qualifying event for the May 5 Kentucky Oaks and offers the top-five finishers points based on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale.

Trained by Chad Brown, Occult enters the Busanda off a sharp maiden score going a one-turn mile on Dec. 18 at the Big A. After bumping with a rival at the break, she settled in fourth position before tipping out into the clear in deep backstretch. Occult matched strides with pacesetting favorite My Betsy around the far turn before drawing off to a 4 1/4-length score, registering a field-best 72 Beyer Speed Figure. The winning effort was a second-out graduation for Occult, who finished a distant fourth on debut to eventual stakes-placed Padma.

“We're very optimistic that she can continue to move forward. We're excited about the race tomorrow and hopefully we can hit the board,” said Clay.

Clay has bred a number of quality runners, including multiple Grade 1-winner Vekoma as well as Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and 2022 Eclipse Award finalist Elite Power. He currently owns a band of about 20 broodmares that are boarded at both Mill Ridge Farm and Lane's End Farm in Kentucky. The quality group of mares includes multiple Grade 1-placed Point of Honor, graded-stakes winner Jacaranda – a half-sister to prominent sire Constitution, as well as Vekoma's three-time winning half-sister Bloody Point.

Clay said he is hopeful that Occult will one day be a shining addition to his broodmare band, citing her top-class pedigree. Bought for $625,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, she is out of the graded stakes-winning Empire Maker mare Magical Feeling.

“That's what I look for when I buy fillies. I always look for pedigree,” Clay said. “That's really important since I'm a commercial breeder. My program is if I buy at auction, I buy fillies. So, I look at winning the Kentucky Oaks as my equivalent of winning the Kentucky Derby. Getting to the Oaks is the most important thing for me. Hopefully, she can get some black type in here and join my broodmare band one day.”

Clay said he looks beyond the immediate family when buying fillies at auction, and dives deep into their maternal bloodlines. Occult's third dam, Good Mood, is also the second dam of Golden Ticket, who dead-heated for first in the 2012 Grade 1 Travers. Additionally, Good Mood is the fourth dam of Grade 1-winning filly Dream Tree.

“I really like to look for fillies that have a good depth of pedigree,” Clay said. “That's what attracted me to her. Into Mischief is a great and very well proven stallion and I don't have a lot of Into Mischiefs, so I thought I would give it a go. I was interested in looking for a two-turn horse and hopefully she'll be able to get the distance and move on from there. There's 20 Oaks points up for grabs for the winner. That would go a long way in terms of getting in the starting gate in May.”

Clay came close to achieving his dream when his Brown-trained homebred Lewis Bay finished third in the 2016 Oaks, beaten three lengths by the victorious Cathryn Sophia. Lewis Bay, a five-time graded stakes-winning daughter of Bernardini, retired with $1,166,560 in earnings and is now part of Clay's broodmare band.

“It was exciting to be there and hopefully Occult will keep moving forward and we can accrue some points,” Clay said. “But I don't dream that far ahead, I just take it race by race and not worry about what's a month or two months down the road. I just want her to have a good race and come out of it healthy. That's the way I approach my racing.”

Clay garnered success last fall with homebred Raging Sea, who finished third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4 at Keeneland. The Curlin filly will not make the Kentucky Oaks according to Clay, who said she will turn her attention to targeting prestigious races over the summer at Saratoga Race Course.

“She had to have a bone chip removed so she'll miss the Oaks,” Clay said. “But hopefully, we'll get her back so she can run later this season and hit all the good races at Saratoga. That was a disappointment but it's great to have Occult step up in her place.”

Occult, who was tabbed the 7-5 morning line, will break from post 2 under Dylan Davis.

The post Busanda: Jon Clay Chasing Kentucky Oaks Dream With Maiden Winner Occult appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio breezed five furlongs in 59.24 seconds at Gulfstream Park Friday morning in preparation for a scheduled start in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) presented by Baccarat Jan. 28.

“It was a good solid work. Tyler [Gaffalione] was on him this morning. He was in good order, finished well,” Joseph said. “He had a good gallop-out. We're pleased with where we're at. Things have gone well so far. We need another good 15 days.”

The winner of the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) last season is among 12 top older horses in North America on the most recent invitation list for the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup, which will be featured on the Jan. 28 card at Gulfstream with the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf (G1), a 1 1/8-mile stakes for older horses, and the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G3), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares.

White Abarrio, who most recently finished a close third in the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct, is joined on the Pegasus invitation list by a pair of stablemates, Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking, last year's third-place finisher in the Belmont Stakes (G1) who won the Harlan's Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream Dec. 12, and Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules Iavarone's O'Connor, a Chilean Group 1 winner.

“Skippy and O'Connor will breeze [Saturday],” Joseph said.

While Abarrio's Friday workout, the fastest of eight recorded at the distance, was his fourth breeze following his third-place finish in the Dec. 1 Cigar Mile, in which he finished less than a length behind victorious Mind Control.

“I think right now, coming into this race, he's as good as ever. He's coming off his best race number-wise. That was the fastest he ever ran, even faster than his wins,” Joseph said. “So, he's coming off his fastest race; he's had good spacing and runs well fresh; and he's coming back to the track he's 4-for-4 on. I think everything is aligning properly.'

Gaffalione has the Pegasus mount on White Abarrio. Jose Ortiz has been signed on to ride Skippylongstocking, while Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call on O'Connor.

The post ‘Everything Is Aligning Properly’: Bullet Breeze Keeps White Abarrio On Track For Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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