Tag: Racing

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Fawning and Midnight Bella had the distinction of being the first horses to breeze over Gulfstream Park's new turf course Monday morning, three days prior to the long-awaited return of turf racing on Thursday's program.

Fawning, ridden by veteran jockey Julien Leparoux, and Midnight Bella, guided by former jockey Aaron Gryder, worked a half-mile in company on the outer part of the course. Fawning raced outside Midnight Bella before getting the better of her workmate nearing the wire. The official clocking for the easy breeze was 53.40 seconds.

“It was very nice. It obviously was great looking, but it felt good to be on it too. The horse got over it very nicely,” Leparoux said. “There's a nice cushion and when we came back there weren't very many divots.”

Gryder, who rode 3,905 winners before stepping away in 2020 and taking a management position with Gulfstream's parent company 1/ST Racing, was equally pleased with the condition of the turf course.

“They skipped over nicely. There's a good cushion to it and they weren't cutting into it much,” said Gryder, Senior Vice President of Racing Operations.

Joseph, the leading trainer during the current Sunshine Meet after claiming his first Championship Meet title last winter and capturing the spring/summer Royal Palm Meet title, is obviously looking forward to the return of turf racing that came to a halt in June for the construction of the new course that is virtually identical to the one at sister track Santa Anita.

“Tapeta has been a good filler, but you obviously want to have the turf as an option,” Joseph said. “Fawning worked on it and she's going to run on it on Sunday. Midnight Bella is going to run next week. Both of them are going to run on the grass, so it was good to get a work on it.

“It's a firm turf, but you're not hearing any noise,” Joseph added. “Sometimes you hear horses rattle, but this has a good cushion. It's in great shape.”

Fawning, who finished third in the March 26 Melody of Colors in her only turf start before coming off a seven-month layoff to finish second in an Oct. 29 optional claiming allowance on Tapeta, is entered to run in Sunday's Race 5, a mile optional claiming allowance on turf. Midnight Bella, a three-time winner on turf, was claimed for $25,000 in her most recent outing, an Aug. 12 optional claiming allowance on Tapeta.

The post Workers Test Gulfstream’s New Turf; Return Of Grass Racing Scheduled For Thursday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Appearing for the final time in his history-making career, “The Bulldog” was best in show once more.

Bulldog Hanover, who electrified the sport this season with his speed and personality, romped to victory in Saturday's (Nov. 26) $345,000 TVG Series Open Pace championship by 2-1/4 lengths over Tattoo Artist in a stakes record 1:47.3 at the Meadowlands. Abuckabett Hanover finished third.

The winning time lowered the previous stakes record of 1:48, first set by Sweet Lou in 2014 and equaled by McWicked in 2018, by two-fifths of a second.

It took Bulldog Hanover three-eighths of a mile to get the lead from This Is The Plan, who brought the field to the opening quarter in :26.1. But once he was on top, there was no looking back. Bulldog Hanover and driver Dexter Dunn hit the half in :54.2 and three-quarters in 1:21.3 on their way to the career-ending triumph.

“Week after week, he puts those kinds of runs in,” said Dunn, who gave several fist pumps crossing the finish line. “He doesn't do it easy. He was working in that first turn; he was (outside) in hot speed and I just carried on with him. He's got all the power. It was an amazing performance tonight and a great way to go out for him.”

The win was Bulldog Hanover's 14th in 16 races this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to $1.64 million for Canadian-based trainer Jack Darling, who owns the 4-year-old stallion with Brad Grant. For his career, the Hanover Shoe Farms-bred son of Shadow Play-BJ's Squall won 28 of 37 starts and earned $2.41 million.

In July, also at the Meadowlands, Bulldog Hanover became the fastest horse in harness racing history when he won the William R. Haughton Memorial in 1:45.4.

He retires with four of the nine fastest race miles in history and a record total of six wins in under 1:47. Among those were two Canadian record-equaling 1:46.4 victories at Woodbine Mohawk Park, most recently in the Breeders Crown last month.

“I'll remember this season with him for the rest of my life,” Dunn said. “It's hard to come by horses like this and it's an amazing ride once you do it. Thanks to Brad and Jack and (caretaker) Johnny (Mallia) for letting me sit behind him. It's been great.”

Following the victory celebration, Bulldog Hanover was given a retirement ceremony in the Meadowlands winner's circle.

“He's just been tremendous as a racehorse,” Darling said during the ceremony. “He has a way of pulling at your heartstrings. Warming up tonight, going on the track, it was very emotional. He's just that kind of a horse. He's so classy, he has the personality; he's just a special horse.”

Darling put Bulldog Hanover in the care of trainer Noel Daley when the horse raced at the Meadowlands during the summer, so Darling watched Bulldog Hanover's record 1:45.4 mile from home. When asked to reflect upon that performance, Darling said, “I was just happy he won the race. I wasn't even thinking about the time, and when they flashed the time up, my wife and I jumped 10 feet in the air.”

Bulldog Hanover closed his career by winning 18 of his last 20 races. In addition to the Haughton and Breeders Crown, his triumphs this year included the Canadian Pacing Derby, Dan Patch Stakes, Dayton Derby, Harrah's Hoosier Park Pacing Derby, Graduate Series final, and a division of the Roll With Joe.

He will head to full-time stallion duty at Seelster Farms in 2023. He bred 79 mares this year prior to racing.

“He's going to a good life, and he's right close by so we can see him anytime we want,” Darling said.

Grant said the journey with Bulldog Hanover was “an amazing ride.” Grant also was among the owners of trotting mare Atlanta, who also had a retirement ceremony Saturday night at the Meadowlands following her performance in the TVG Series Mares Trot.

“They both seem to have huge fan bases,” Grant said about the two outgoing stars. “They're going to be missed on the track, but they'll be in the breeding barn, so in the years to come, they'll be remembered.”

The post Top Dog: Fastest Harness Horse In History, Bulldog Hanover Goes Out On Top appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trademark collared pacesetter Fighter in the Win into the final turn, turned back a challenge from Stolen Base at the top of the stretch, and drew off late to win the off-the-turf $300,000 Commonwealth Turf at Churchill Downs by four lengths.

Sunday's closing day feature was transferred from the turf to the “sloppy” dirt track because of rain in the Louisville area.

Trademark, who scratched out of Friday's Clark (G1) versus elders in favor of this race, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.39 to collect his first career stakes win. Martin Garcia rode the winner for trainer Vicki Oliver.

Longshot Fighter in the Win was the quickest from the gate and set fractions of :23.61 and :47.48 as Trademark tracked about a length behind. Fighter in the Win gave way with three furlongs to run as Trademark dragged Garcia to the front. Stolen Base came within 1 ½ lengths of Trademark leaving the turn for home, but Trademark was much the best in the slog. The rest finished well back.

“This horse does some of his best running when he's outside of horses,” Garcia said. “So, up the backside I kept him out of trouble. Around the turn, you could tell I had a lot of horse left.”

Trademark is a son of Upstart out of the Creative Cause mare Creative Trick and was bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones. The four-time winner returned $9.12 as the 7-2 second betting choice in the field of six 3-year-olds. Stolen Base, with Luis Saez up, was second, and Red Danger, ridden by Julien Leparoux, finished 11 ¾ lengths back in third.

Actuator, Fighter in the Win, and Play Action Pass completed the order of finish. Running Bee, Mount Rundle, Ready to Purrform, Portfolio Company and Barberini were scratched.

Trademark netted $183,450 for owner Ann Braxton Lynch's BBN Racing LLC and now boasts career earnings of $463,689 from a record of 4-1-0 in 13 starts.

“I was happy Martin sort of took him off the early pace up the backside,” Oliver said. “We always knew the Commonwealth would be an option, but the Clark was coming up a short field. So, we entered him in both spots to keep our options open.”

The post Trademark Draws Away In Off-The-Turf Commonwealth Turf At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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