Tag: Racing

Race favorite Dolce More dominated this year's Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, marking his third consecutive win in as many career starts. Foaled out of 2013 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) victor Ayusan, the bay colt broke his maiden in his debut race in August (Sapporo, 1,500m) before scoring his first graded victory in his next Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (Tokyo, G3, 1,600m) start on October 8. This victory becomes trainer Naosuke Sugai's 15th JRA-G1 win—his latest was with Sodashi in the Victoria Mile in May this year—while jockey Ryusei Sakai celebrates his second JRA-G1 win just after notching his first in October with Stunning Rose in the Shuka Sho.

Breaking from the second inner stall, Dolce More gunned for the lead but was eased back to third and saved ground behind All Parfait and Granite. Coming into the straight still behind the pacesetter, the Rulership colt was shifted away from the rails for running room, edged clear under left-hand urging while taking over the lead right after the 200-meter marker and held off a strong challenge from the second favorite to prevail by a neck.

“It all went as planned with the trainer, just as I had pictured. I expected the pace to be fast since there were runners coming off short-distanced races. My colt ran in a good position and responded and held on well. I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to ride him today,” commented Ryusei Sakai after the race.

Second pick Danon Touchdown, who came off a runner-up effort in his previous Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (G2, 1,600m) start, settled around 10th on the rails and switched to the outside at the top of the stretch, then launched the fastest late speed to overtake Labeling around 50 meters out but failed to make up ground to reach the winner and was second.

In his second career start, third choice Labeling moved up in the backstretch to camp wide in fifth from the front, kicked into gear in the straight and chased the eventual winner to the wire while caught by Danon Touchdown in the final strides for a neck third.

Other Horses:
4th: (1) Kyoei Brisa—hugged rails around 7th, showed effort to pass one by one in last 300m
5th: (5) Bagradas—settled near winner around 5th, ran gamely until 100m out
6th: (3) All Parfait—set pace, showed tenacity after surrendering lead, weakened in last 100m
7th: (7) Obamburumai—traveled 3-wide in 15th, passed tiring rivals at stretch
8th: (11) Tinia—sat around 7th, angled out for stretch run, even paced
9th: (16) Corpus Christi—unhurried in 13th early, needed more to reach contention
10th: (8) Granite—stalked pace in 2nd, sustained bid up to 200m pole, outrun thereafter
11th: (9) Nishino Best One—trailed in rear, showed belated charge while timed 2nd fastest over last 600m
12th: (4) Dondengaeshi—saved ground in 14th, struggled to find clear path on inner route
13th: (13) Suzuka Double—ran 3-wide in 9th, unable to respond after final corner
14th: (6) Miscela Dorata—positioned around 10th, showed little at stretch
15th: (10) Ume Musubi—advanced to 3rd outside winner, faded after 300m out
16th: (15) From Dusk—was off slow, raced near rear, no factor
17th: (17) Emphasize—traveled 3-wide around 10th, never fired

The post Japan: ‘All Went As Planned’ When Favored Dolce More Captured Asahi Hai Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Olivia Twist's victory in the $100,000 Trapeze Stakes on Saturday at Remington Park kept the 2-year-old filly undefeated after three starts for trainer Todd Fincher.

Fincher has now won the top local races for 2-year-old fillies and also for 2-year-old colts/geldings, winning the $400,000 Springboard Mile with Senor Buscador in 2020.

Olivia Twist, a 2-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro), out of the War Chant mare Twinkling, handled the step up in class to stakes company with ease, but it wasn't before some problems being boxed in early in the race. It was a problem that jockey Cristian Torres said really didn't exist.

Olivia Twist, owned by G. Chris Coleman of Farmington, N.M., covered the first half mile of the race in a box down on the rail, but it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

“She had a lot of speed out of the gate and she broke sharp,” said Torres. “We worked her behind horses (in the morning) and so I knew it was no problem. She just relaxed behind them and when we had an opening and I asked her to run, she opened up.”

Torres, who won the riding title this season at Remington Park, in his first time venturing to Oklahoma City, rode Olivia Twist like a master at 4-5 odds as the heavy favorite. She wound up leaving the field behind when she finally found room and scored by two full lengths at the one-mile distance.

Fincher said it was the first time he had ever seen Olivia Twist race live.

“We got her ready at Ruidoso Downs (in New Mexico),” said the New Mexico-based trainer. “Then we shipped her here. It's tough for me to go back and forth. But she was ready to run once we brought her to Remington Park.”

Olivia Twist started her career with a maiden win at Remington Park on Oct. 19, sprinting five furlongs in :58.66, winning by 2-1/2 lengths. The filly showed strong improvement immediately in an allowance race for non-winners of two lifetime, drawing away from her competitors by 15 lengths at the end of that one-mile race when she stretched out the first time. Torres has ridden her to all three wins.

Olivia Twist won the one-mile Trapeze in a time of 1:40.14 over a fast track after checking back on the rail from third early to fifth halfway through the race. She ate into early fractions set by Bonnieview and Faith Alone, who both faded badly down the stretch. They covered the first quarter-mile in :23.70, followed by a half in :47.59, three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.52 and seven furlongs in 1:26.76.

This was the first Trapeze Stakes win for all connections.

Olivia Twist earned $60,000 from the purse and improved to three wins in three tries for a bankroll of $100,149.

“She has never done anything wrong,” said Fincher. “I've never seen a weak link in her. Our jockey rode a great race and we're very proud of her. We'll take her to Oaklawn on Monday.”

If all goes as planned at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark., Olivia Twist could be pointed toward the Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee Stakes on Feb. 25 at 1-1/16th miles for 3-year-old fillies. The ultimate goal for 3-year-old fillies is the Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy Stakes on April 1.

The order of finish behind Olivia Twist was Demi (2nd), Lucky Deputy (3rd), Appropriated Funds (4th), Bonnieview (5th), Jokes On Blue (6th), Faith Alone (7th) and Doudoudouwanadance (8th).

The post Olivia Twist Remains Undefeated In Trapeze, Fincher Trainee May Target Oaklawn’s Road To The Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Heavily favored Giver Not a Taker rallied along the rail in the stretch to get up in the final strides and defeat 47-1 shot Crypto Ride by a head in the $101,500 King Glorious Stakes Sunday, the final day of the Winter meet at Los Alamitos.

Ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, the 2-year-old homebred for  J. Kirk and Judy Robison earned his third win from five starts in his first venture beyond seven furlongs, completing the mile in 1:38.16 in a race restricted to juveniles bred or sired in California.

The race was marred early on the backside when Please Focus, who was on the lead, ducked out and unseated jockey Mario Gutierrez. A homebred for owner J. Paul Reddam's Reddam Racing LLC, Please Focus, a gelded son of Mrazek, ran loose afterwards, but was uninjured. Gutierrez also escaped unscathed and walked back to the jockey's room.

A Danzing Candy gelding out of the Kitten's Joy mare Kittens Trip trained by Peter Miller, Giver Not a Taker increased his bankroll to $214,750. He paid $3.20 for the win.

“I wasn't really bothered right then (when Please Focus unseated Gutierrez), but on the last turn I wanted to go on and ask him to run, but the jockey (Tiago Pereira) on the horse (Geezer) in front of me was worried about the loose horse and he didn't know where he was going to go,'' said Prat after his second stakes win – he also took the Grade 1 Starlet Dec. 10 with Faiza – of the meet. “(Crypto Ride) got the jump on us, but my horse got brave and regrouped and made a good run down the lane.''

Crypto Ride, who had defeated $50,000 maidens going six furlongs in his Los Alamitos debut nine days earlier, opened a 1 ½ length lead with an eighth of a mile to run, but couldn't quite last for the upset. He finished five lengths clear of 7-2 second choice Geezer, who had a three race win streak ended.

Merit Song, Amigo G A, Tom and Jazzy, Belly Up, and Please Focus completed the order of finish.

The post Favorite Giver Not A Taker Wears Down 47-1 Longshot Late For King Glorious Win In Thrilling Los Alamitos Finale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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