Tag: Racing

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will have two chances in Monday's $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks at Gulfstream Park to get off to a fast start for the 2022-2023 Championship Meet on the Opening Day program.

McGaughey is scheduled to send out a pair of highly promising fillies in Allen Stable Inc.'s Personal Best and Phipps Stable's Surprisingly, in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf that will co-headline Monday's 10-race program with the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds.

Personal Best ran the best race of her seven-race career in her most recent start in a 1 3/8-mile allowance on turf at Aqueduct, where she stalked the pace before drawing clear by 4 ¾ lengths.

“Her last few races have been really good, the last one especially. She's a filly we've always been pretty high on,” said McGaughey, who will also saddle Fort Washington for a start in the Tropical Park Derby. “A mile and a sixteenth may not be her best gig, but I like her a lot. I think, throughout the year, she'll be a very useful horse.”

The homebred daughter of Tapit will be making her stakes debut in the Tropical Park Oaks with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons.

“She'll be a little back in this race, but Irad will have her where she's supposed to be, and we'll go from there,” McGaughey said. “She's shown some speed going longer. I don't know what she'll do going shorter.”

Surprisingly won her first two starts of 2022, impressively drawing away to victory at Horseshoe Indianapolis in June and Ellis Park a month later. She was compromised by early traffic before finishing seventh in the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs in her most recent start Sept. 8.

“She ran a good race in Virginia coming off a couple allowance races and wasn't beat that far. We've trained her here for a good while and she's been doing really, really well,” McGaughey said. “I thought it was worth taking a chance [in the Tropical Park Oaks] – her last chance running against 3-year-olds.”

Edgard Zayas has the call on the daughter of Mastery.

Michael Nentwig, Michael Dubb, Beast Mode Racing LLC, John Rochfort and trainer Robert Falcone Jr.'s Spirit And Glory, who rallied from last to win the Virginia Derby, will be awaiting Surprisingly in the Tropical Park Oaks. The Irish-bred daughter of Cotai Glory finished fifth in the Sands Point (G2) and fourth in the Winter Memories at Aqueduct in her two subsequent starts.

Isaac Castillo is scheduled to ride Spirit And Glory for the first time Monday.

Fortune Racing LLC's Candy Light, who was three-quarters of a length ahead of Spirit And Glory while finishing second in the Winter Memories, is slated for a return in the Tropical Park Derby. The Graham Motion-trained daughter of Candy Ride had finished third behind Spirit And Glory two starts earlier in the Virginia Oaks.

Jose Ortiz has the call aboard Candy Light.

John Gallegos' My Philly Twirl, who captured her third straight race during last season's Championship Meet in the Sanibel Island; St. George Stable LLC's Omixochitl, who weakened to finish fifth in the Virginia Derby after leading in the stretch; and Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne and Patrick L. Biancone LLC's Diamond Wow, a stakes-winning daughter of Lookin At Lucky who finished second in the 2021 Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland; are among other top contenders in the Tropical Park Oaks.

Jumeirah, Frosted Oats and Gunesh round out the field.

The post ‘Irad Will Have Her Where She’s Supposed To Be’: Personal Best Leads McGaughey Pair In Tropical Park Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's Axthelm, who debuted at Gulfstream before making his next three starts in Kentucky, has returned for the South Florida's racetrack's opening day of the 2022-2023 Championship Meet Monday.

The 3-year-old son of Into Mischief is scheduled to face 11 other 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes that will co-headline a 10-race program with the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Axthelm's July 17 debut in a maiden special weight race at five furlongs Tapeta didn't go as trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. had expected.

“He's shown ability from the beginning. Obviously, he has a good pedigree – an Into Mischief homebred for Ed,” Joseph said. “First time out, we thought he would win. We were a little surprised he didn't. It was probably a little shorter than he wants to go, but it was a good spot to start him out.”

The five-furlong race on Tapeta certainly set him up perfectly for his return to action at Kentucky Downs six weeks later. The Kentucky-bred colt graduated by a head over Chad Brown-trained favorite Growth Capital while running a mile on turf in a $157,000 maiden race.

“We waited for that spot,” Joseph said.

Axthelm made two more starts at Keeneland, finishing third in both races at a mile on turf. In his most recent start in the Bryan Station (G3), he made a serious challenge for the lead at the top of the stretch before settling for third, beaten by less than a length by victorious Balnikhov. Todd Pletcher-trained runner-up Wit, went on to finish a close third in the Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar.

“I thought he ran OK in his first race but I thought he showed a much better performance in that stake when he had a few weeks to acclimatize there,” Joseph said. “He was bottled up for most of the race. He never really got out, but for a horse who was making only his fourth start facing those quality horses, I thought he showed a lot of grit.”

Axthelm has produced a series of four strong breezes at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, since returning from Keeneland.

“We discussed and put our heads together and decided to go straight to the Tropical Park Derby – give him a little freshening and start him back up for this race,” Joseph said. “Everything seems to have gone on target. He's always been a good work horse. I think he's coming into the race really well.”

Edgard Zayas, who was aboard Axthelm for his first three starts, has the return mount Monday.

Peter Brant and Joseph Allen LLC's Fort Washington, who finished seventh, beaten by just 2 ½ lengths by Balnikhov following an extremely slow start, will also return in the Tropical Park Derby. The son of War Front, who captured the Tale of the Cat at Monmouth in June, will be equipped with blinkers for the first time.

“The last two times he didn't break and he ran really good races. He just gave himself way too much to do,” McGaughey said. “I put blinkers on him and schooled him in the gate at Payson Park. He seems to pop right away from there now. I think, if he breaks good, he'll be in contention and finish good.”

Fort Washington will be ridden for the first time by Jose Ortiz.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is scheduled to saddle Whisper Hill Farm LLC's Grand Sonata and St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable's Steady On for starts in the Tropical Park Derby, for which the Pletcher-trained Native Thunder is second on the also-eligible list.

Grand Sonata, who captured the Dania Beach and the Kitten's Joy (G3) at Gulfstream last season, most recently finished third in the Gio Ponti at Aqueduct, beaten three-quarters of a length by Churchtown and a neck by Steady On, both of whom he will face again in the Tropical Park Derby.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, a five-time Championship Meet titlist, has the call.

Steady On, a late-developing son of Pioneerof the Nile, overcame a hard bump at the start of the 1 1/16-mile Gio Ponti before finishing second. H had won his two previous starts at a mile on turf.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount.

W.B. Harrigan and Mike Pietrangelo's Churchtown set a controlled early pace with mild pressure to his outside before holding on to win the Gio Ponti by a half-length under Junior Alvarado, who will be aboard again Monday. Trained by Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, the son of Air Force Blue has been first or second in six of nine career starts.

Silverton Hill LLC's Red Danger, who captured the Pulpit at Gulfstream last season; Gary Barber, Manfred Conrad and Penny Conrad's Golden Glider, a gelding that has never run on turf and ran respectably in several Triple Crown preps earlier in the year; Reeve Thoroughbred Racing's Dakota Gold, a multiple New York-bred stakes winner who finished fourth in the Gio Ponti; and Three Diamonds Farm and Deuce Greathouse's Stolen Base, won won the American Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs in May; are among the top contenders in the Tropical Park Derby.

Grand David, Night Jumper and Venezuelan Triumph round out the field. Native Thunder is joined on the also-eligible list by Marwad.

The post Gritty, Well-Bred Axthelm Back At Gulfstream Park For Tropical Park Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Stonestreet Stables' first-out winner Corona Bolt headlines a field of six juveniles colts entered in Monday's $100,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes, one of four 2-year-old stakes events on the nine-stakes “Road to the Derby Kickoff” program at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La.

The six-furlong Sugar Bowl will go as Race 4 of 13 with a post time of 1:30 p.m. CT. The spectacular day of racing features the $100,000 Gun Runner Stakes (Race 11) and $100,000 Untapable (Race 12). Both races offer the last chance for Kentucky Derby and Oaks dreamers to earn qualifying points (10-4-3-2-1) as 2-year-olds. The juvenile counterpart to the Sugar Bowl, the six-furlong $100,000 Letellier, will go as Race 8.

Brad Cox trains the 8-5 morning line favorite Corona Bolt who debuted on Nov. 19 at Churchill Downs, beating nine rivals going 6 1/2 furlongs, including the next-out winner Communication Memo from the Asmussen barn. A Bolt d'Oro colt out of the Quiet American dam Stormbeforethecalm, Corona Bolt was purchased for $225,000 at the Keeneland November Sale.

“Hopefully he'll stretch out when it's time,” Brad Cox said. “But this is the right spot for his second career run.”

Florent Geroux retains the mount and will break from post No. 3 with early speed drawn on either side.

One of Corona Bolt's rivals in the Letellier is his stablemate, Novogratz Racing Stable's Distorted Pro. Making his fourth start in the Sugar Bowl, this Distorted Humor colt broke his maiden at Horseshoe Indianapolis in November, finishing ahead of Natural Harbor, a next-out winner. Distorted Pro has one trip around the local surface where he dueled throughout against Release McCracken, who eventually got the best of him. Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. will ride Distorted Pro from the rail.

Cox has had runners finish second in the Sugar Bowl three times (Twirling Cinnamon 2015, Amongst 2019, and Gagetown 2020). Neither he nor any of the other trainers with entries has ever won this historic race.

Another top colt entered into the Sugar Bowl Stakes is Kevin Stedman's $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile winner Late September. With a 92 Brisnet Speed figure in his most recent stakes victory, the Louisiana-bred has run the fastest figure in the field. Handicappers would be wise to throw out his third-place finish in November's Peluso Memorial.

“In the Peluso he moved from seven furlongs to 5 1/2 which can be a little confusing for a 2-year-old. Plus the track was wet,” trainer Jose Camejo said.

Bred by Coteau Grove in Louisiana, the son of Munnings will be piloted from post No. 6 by Fair Grounds' current leading jockey Jose Luis Rodriguez.

Another formidable runner is Norman Stables and Mark Norman's seasoned seven-time runner Toddchero who has started in four stakes and traveled to six tracks, starting with his debut win at Lone Star Park. He is trained by Jayde Gelner, son of Scott Gelner, who won this race for Norman Stables in 2017 with Land Battle.

Here is the complete field for the Sugar Bowl Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line odds):

1. Distorted Pro (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Brad Cox, 5-2);
2. Alto Road (Colby Hernandez, Ronnie Cravens III, 8-1);
3. Corona Bolt (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 8-5);
4. Machine Gun Man (James Graham, Howard Alonzo, 10-1);
5. Toddchero (Jareth Loveberry, Jayde Gelner, 9-2);
6. Late September (Luis Saez, Jose Camejo, 7-2).

Juddmonte's debut-winner Dazzling Blue tops a field of eight juveniles that were entered in Monday's $100,000 Letellier Memorial. The Brad Cox-trainee will have her hands full in the 63rd running of the six-furlong dirt-sprint which features talented fillies from the barns of Al Stall Jr, Tom Amoss, Brendan Walsh, Ken McPeek, and others.

Dazzling Blue led through all calls in November at Churchill Downs where she dominated eight rivals by 4 1/2 lengths in a maiden special weight. The daughter of Into Mischief out of the Curlin dam Blue Violet was bred by WinStar Farm and purchased for $500,000 by Juddmonte as a Keeneland September Yearling. She has one local work, and will be adding Lasix for her anticipated return.

Juddmonte and Cox won the 2019 edition of the Letellier with Taraz, also a daughter of Into Mischief. Tabbed at 5-2 in the morning line, Dazzling Blue will be ridden in the Letellier by Florent Geroux from post No. 2.

Chief among her competitors in the Letellier is J S Stables and Little Red Feather's Promise of Hope, trained by Tom Amoss. The impressive debut-winner made her second start in the Adirondack (G3) where she was pulled up; next, she returned to finish third in an allowance at Kentucky Downs. She followed up that turf effort with another, running in the Jessamine (G2), where she finished last going 1 1/16 miles.

“With any young horse you want to find out what their capabilities and limitations are,” Amoss said. “(Promise of Hope) broke her maiden sprinting and we wanted to see will she go further, will she go two turns, will she go on the grass. We feel very comfortable that she is a sprinter on dirt or grass and we'll keep her in those kinds of races.”

Third to the Untapable favorite Pretty Mischievous over a sloppy Keeneland track, the Ghostzapper filly got back to her winning ways over the fast track at Fair Grounds on Dec. 4. Corey Lanerie will ride the 7-2 morning line second choice from post No. 4.

“This time of year with young horses, if they've won two races there's not many allowance races available,” Amoss said. “You have to see how she'll do against stakes competition. I recognize the talent of Brad Cox's filly (Dazzling Blue) and we're looking forward to seeing how (Promise of Hope) measures up against her.”

Godolphin's Twice as Sweet turned heads winning November's Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel Park, earning a field-fastest 92 Brisnet Speed figure. In her third local work, she impressed the clockers breezing five furlongs in 1:01.20, the third best of 51 going that distance. Twice as Sweet is trained by Brendan Walsh. The Candy Ride filly out of the Tapit dam Snowbell has proven to be an effective presser, finishing in the exacta in the two races she did not win for a 2-2-0 record in 4 starts. Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride the filly made 4-1 in the morning line from post No. 8.

Another impressive maiden winner that was entered in the Letellier is Highlander Training Center's Neutralize. Trained by Al Stall Jr., the Run Happy filly out of the Blame dam Spank dueled throughout to prove best when debuting on Nov. 23 at Churchill Downs. Stall looks for his second Letellier victory, having sent out Total to the winner's circle in 2007. Neutralize will be ridden by Colby Hernandez from post No. 3.

Here is the complete field for the Letellier from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Condensation (Luan Machado, Chris Hartman, 10-1);
2. Dazzling Blue (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 5-2);
3. Neutralize (Colby Hernandez, Al Stall Jr., 6-1);
4. Promise of Hope (Corey Lanerie, Tom Amoss, 7-2);
5. Flamand (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Elias Lopez, 12-1);
6. Miss Shipman (Juan Vargas, Lonnie Briley, 8-1);
7. Gavinera (Deshawn Parker, Ken McPeek, 8-1);
8. Twice as Sweet (Brian Hernandez Jr., Brendan Walsh, 4-1).

The post Brad Cox-Trained Debut Winners Corona Bolt, Dazzling Blue Headline Fair Grounds’ Juvenile Sprint Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Positioned as North America's final Grade 1 turf test for 3-year-old fillies, Monday's $300,000 American Oaks has attracted a large field of 11 sophomore fillies going 1 1/4 miles over the Camino Real turf course, with Mark Glatt's English-bred Bellstreet Bridie rating a big chance in what shapes up as one of the best betting races on the opening day 11-race card at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Although ridden by Flavien Prat to an impressive 4 ¼-length win in her U.S. debut, Bellstreet Bridie will be handled by Mike Smith in the American Oaks, as Prat has opted to ride eastern invader Salimah for Chad Brown.  Close to the pace in the G3 Red Carpet Stakes at 1 3/8 miles over the Del Mar turf Nov. 24, Bellstreet Bridie assumed command early and drew off to an emphatic 4 ¼-length win at odds of 4-1.

Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Bell Street Bridie is 6-1-2-2 at the Oaks distance and is 13-4-4-3 overall.

Trained by four-time Eclipse champ Chad Brown, Irish-bred Salimah, who ships in from her Belmont Park base, will be seeking her first graded stakes victory in what will be her first Southern California start.

A winner of her last two races and three of her four career starts, upstart Salimah was a first-out maiden winner going a flat mile on turf Jan. 22 at Tampa Bay Downs and she comes off a rousing three-length score going 1 1/16 miles over a yielding turf in an ungraded stakes Nov. 13 at Aqueduct.  Ridden last time out by Jose Ortiz, she was ridden by Prat to a one-length victory going the same distance over the Aqueduct turf in a first condition allowance two starts back on Nov. 13.

Owned by Stephanie Seymour Brant, Salimah's lone defeat came in her second start, a one mile turf allowance at Saratoga on Aug. 27, a race in which she finished seventh in a field of nine at odds of  3-1.

English-bred Skims, fresh off a one-length win going 1 1/8 miles on turf in the G2 Sands Point Stakes at Aqueduct Oct. 15, retains the services of John Velazquez and rates a huge chance for Shug McGaughey.  By superstar Frankel and owned and bred by Andrew Rosen, Skims was a close second going 1 5/16 miles on turf in an ungraded stakes at Kentucky Downs two starts back on Sept. 5 and should have no problem with a mile and one quarter on Monday as she seeks her first Grade 1 win.

Raced exclusively on grass in nine starts, Skims has three wins, a second and two third place finishes.

GRADE I AMERICAN OAKS

WITH JOCKEYS AND WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Rhea Moon—Juan Hernandez—124
2. Sparkle Blue—Joel Rosario—124
3. Lady Clementine—Lanfranco Dettori—124
4. Oakhurst—Hector Berrios—124
5. Bellstreet Bridie—Mike Smith—124
6. Mise En Scene—Tyler Gaffalione—124
7. Skims—John Velazquez—124
8. Pizza Bianca—Umberto Rispoli—124
9. Salimah—Flavien Prat—124
10. Duvet Day—Kazushi Kimura—124
11. School Dance—Ramon Vazquez—124

Special early first post time for an 11-race card on Monday, which includes six graded stakes, is at 11 a.m.  Admission gates will open at 9 a.m.

The post Newcomer Bellstreet Bridie Among 11 Fillies Contesting American Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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