Tag: Racing

Ronald Cuneo's Armando R, scratched from a Thanksgiving Day allowance, came with a steady run on the far outside down the center of the track to upset favored Ournationonparade by a half-length in Saturday's $100,000 Richard W. Small at Laurel Park.

The 22nd running of the 1 1/8-mile Richard Small for 3-year-olds and up anchored three stakes on the post-Thanksgiving program following the $100,000 Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies, won by Swayin to and Fro, and $100,000 City of Laurel for 3-year-olds, captured by Little Vic, both races at seven furlongs.

It was the second straight stakes win for Armando R ($23) following his neck triumph in an off-the-turf edition of the 1 ½-mile Japan Turf Cup Oct. 1 at Laurel, his prior start. He also won an optional claiming allowance June 12 at Laurel in his only prior attempt at nine furlongs.

“He takes care of himself in the morning,” winning trainer Damon Dilodovico said. “Really, he's just so determined.”

Thomas Shelby, beaten a neck when second in the Feb. 12 Razorback (G2) at Oaklawn Park, outran Oct. 22 Maryland Million Classic winner Ournationonparade for the early lead, going the opening quarter mile in 24.16 seconds. Cordmaker, making just his second start since winning the General George (G3) Feb. 19 at Laurel, raced up close in third with American d'Oro, riding a two-race win streak, fourth.

The half went in 48.11 with Thomas Shelby still in front but Ournationonparade closing the gap and American d'Oro passing Cordmaker for third. The running order went unchanged through six furlongs in 1:12.21 while Armando R, unhurried in the early going, began to roll on the outside under Horacio Karamanos.

“I was just so worried with the early lack of pace I didn't know what was going to happen,” Dilodovico said. “But Horacio was in tune with everything. He had him closer than I kind of expected him to be and was able to stay in contention.”

Armando R, a 6-year-old gelded son of Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Blame, reeled in Ournationonparade, who held off a game Cordmaker by a length for second. Cordmaker's third-place finish was worth $10,000, pushing him over the $1 million mark in career purse earnings at $1,000,880.

Thomas Shelby, Forewarned, American d'Oro and Wish for Peace completed the order of finish. Ridin With Biden and Treasure Trove were scratched.

Armando R continued a strong season-ending run for Dilodovico, who moved into a three-way tie for second at Laurel's fall meet with 13 wins from 45 starters  (28.8 percent).

“Our team is unbelievable right now,” he said. “For a smallish stable, they just keep knocking it out.”

Formerly run as the Broad Brush, the multi-millionaire and four-time Grade 1 winner he trained, the Richard W. Small was renamed following the beloved horseman's death from cancer in 2014. Baltimore-born 'Dickie' Small served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War as a Green Beret before becoming a trainer, also campaigning Broad Brush's son, 1994 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Concern. He won at least one stakes race in Maryland every year but one between 1974 and 2014 and is also known for helping launch the riding careers of female jockeys such as Andrea Seefeldt, Jerilyn Brown, Rosie Napravnik and Forest Boyce.

Swayin To And Fro Wires Safely Kept

Baxter Racing Stable's Swayin to and Fro, showing a new dimension, took advantage of her inside draw to lead all the way around and edge clear late to notch her second career stakes victory in the Safely Kept.

Ridden by Grant Whitacre for trainer Mario Serey Jr., Swayin to and Fro ($15.80) completed the distance in 1:24.00 over a fast main track for her fifth win in six career tries over Laurel's main track. Her prior stakes victory came over elders in the restricted Shine Again Sept. 10 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

“We drew the rail and that was Mario's call to just go. He said, 'If she gets tired, she gets tired. Just send her to the front and let's see what we've got,'” Whitacre said. “He changed up the training with her and it paid off today.”

South Carolina-bred Swayin to and Fro broke sharply and was quickly in front under Whitacre, running splits of 22.72 and 45.78 seconds while pressed to their outside by 11-1 long shot Liscolvin. Swayin to and Fro dug in again once straightened for home to keep Liscolvin and 7-2 betting favorite Bazinga C at bay before drawing clear to win by 3 ½ lengths.

Liscolvin held off Bazinga C by a head for second, and it was 3 ¼ lengths back to Moody Woman in fourth. Buy the Best, November Rein, Grade 1-placed Divine Huntress, Click to Confirm, Half Is Enough, Vibrant Judy and Still My Babe completed the order of finish. Sweet Gracie, Last Leaf and Noble Bid were scratched.

“They weren't making me go terribly fast and probably about the three-eighths pole I felt her take a breath. It wasn't like she was getting tired; she was just in hand the whole way and I knew I had plenty left. It worked out perfect,” Whitacre said.

“She kicked away and there wasn't that much competition with her pushing her along. I felt her kind of come back to me a little bit and I kept asking her a little bit and she picked up the bit again and went on,” he added. “She wasn't even blowing coming back, so that was great.”

The Safely Kept honors the champion sprinter of 1989 and member of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame Class of 2011. The daughter of longtime Maryland sire Horatius was the first sprinter to top $2 million in earnings, the first Maryland-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race in the 1990 Sprint (G1), a four-time Maryland-bred champion including Horse of the Year twice (1989,1990) and is one of only seven horses to win three Maryland Million races. She won 24 races, 22 in stakes, from 31 lifetime starts

Little Vic Registers Big Effort In City of Laurel

Victoria's Ranch's Little Vic, unplaced in three graded-stakes attempts this year, dropped into listed company and made his Laurel Park debut a successful one with a determined 1 ½-length triumph in the City of Laurel.

A sophomore son of multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Practical Joke, Little Vic ($12.40) earned his second straight win after beating older horses in an open six-furlong allowance Oct. 20 at Delaware Park for trainer Juan Carlos Avila.

Little Vic settled in fifth as 15-1 long shot Defend took the field of 11 3-year-olds through a quarter-mile in 22.41 seconds with Uncle Buddy in close pursuit and 2021 Timonium Juvenile winner Cynergy's Star three wide in the clear in third. Uncle Buddy inherited the lead after a half in 45.34 while Al Loves Josie began to roll on the outside and jockey Carlos Olivero stayed put along the rail, forging a short lead after six furlongs in 1:10.50 and edging clear.

Radical Right, sent off the 2-1 favorite, came with a sustained late run on the outside to edge Al Loves Josie by a neck for second, followed by Nimitz Class, Uncle Buddy, Local Motive, Irish Boolum, Undercover Kitty, Steinbeck, Cynergy's Star and Defend. Coastal Mission and Twisted Ride were scratched.

Little Vic debuted last fall in South Florida, winning his unveiling at Gulfstream Park and finishing seventh in the Sam F. Davis (G3) Feb. 12 at Tampa Bay Downs in his third start. He was sixth in the May 21 Chick Lang (G3) at historic Pimlico Race Course and 10th in the Sept. 24 Gallant Bob (G2) at Parx prior to his current streak.

The post Armando R, Swayin To And Fro, Little Vic Sparkle In Stakes At Laurel Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Bluebirds Over, under Edgard Zayas, made it two wins in as many starts after another strong showing, this time in the $159,300 Grey Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.

Sent off as the 5-2 co-second choice, Bluebirds Over and 14-1 One Bay Hemingway both broke alertly in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta event, with the former taking the early lead as the field passed the wire for the first time. Mo Tourist tucked into third, Hal sat fourth and Forever Dixie was last of five. 

After guiding the field through an opening quarter in :25.17, Bluebirds Over was quickly overtaken by One Bay Hemingway, who proceeded to open up on his rivals, holding a three-length advantage after a half timed in :48.81. 

As the quintet approached the three-quarter mark in 1:12.37, Zayas gave Bluebirds Over his cue, and the English Channel colt glided up effortlessly on the outside to confront One Bay Hemingway. 

The duo matched strides throughout most of the drive to the wire, with Bluebirds Over eventually wearing down his stubborn foe late to record a 1 ½-length victory in 1:45.32. Mo Tourist nosed out Forever Dixie for third.   

Bred and owned by Edward Seltzer and , the Kentucky-bred colt romped to an eight-length score over a mile and 70 yards on the Gulfstream synthetic in his debut on November 5. 

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Bluebirds Over was far more polished in his second start after running rank in his career bow.  

“He was way, way more relaxed,” said Zayas. “It helped, I think, that we didn't take him away from the pony. The first time, we took him away from the pony and he ran off with me before the race too. He was green the first time. He broke out of there last time and he broke straight to go to the lead, and I was trying to take a hold of him to sit second. It took me a little bit to relax him. But today, he broke out of there sharp, and he relaxed from the get-go. He's really impressive.” 

Bluebirds Over paid $7.20 for the win. 

The post ‘He Relaxed From The Get-Go’: Bluebirds Over Goes From Debut Winner to Graded Stakes Victor In Grey Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing's Bat Flip brought a newfound turf affinity into his stakes debut and passed the test with flying colors, besting a field of nine juveniles in Saturday's fifth running of the $120,000 Central Park going one mile over the Aqueduct Racetrack outer turf.

Bat Flip did not show much in his first two career starts this summer over the Saratoga Race Course main track. But a surface switch has made all the difference for the bay son of freshman stallion Good Magic, who completed the exacta behind graded stakes winner Nagirroc in his six-furlong turf debut on September 24 at Aqueduct before a last out graduation on October 23 going 1 1/16 miles over the Big A turf for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“He really took to [the turf] and I was really pleased with his last race stretching out, so we aimed for this,” said Pletcher, who saddled Never Surprised to a Central Park score in 2020. “I loved the way he finished, I loved the way he galloped out. Looks like a promising colt.”

Bat Flip broke from post 2 under Jose Ortiz, who hustled his charge into second position approaching the first turn with the Joel Rosario-piloted Dr. Settle's Dream commanding the early tempo through an opening quarter-mile in :23.57 over the firm going. Ortiz tipped Bat Flip to the outside of the pacesetter and was only a neck back in second through a half-mile in 47.15. Under no urging from Ortiz, Bat Flip inched his way up to even terms with a tiring Dr. Settle's Dream as 7-5 favorite General Jim launched his bid from the four path.

Ortiz began to get busy aboard Bat Flip passing the three-sixteenths while General Jim battled to the outside of dual stakes-placed Dandy Handyman. Bat Flip had plenty left to keep them both at bay, and won by 1 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:34.30. Dandy Handyman finished a head to the better of General Jim. Ramblin' Wreck, Liar's Poker, Calycanthus, Noble Huntsman, Let's Go Big Blue and Dr. Settle's Dream completed the order of finish. Sweetlou'sgotaces was scratched.

Bat Flip returned $11.20 for a $2 win bet and banked $66,000 in victory while boasting lifetime earnings of $147,750 and a record of 5-2-1-0.

The win was Bat Flip's third straight race piloted by Ortiz, who described the colt as a “manageable horse.”

“He has speed and he can rate, also,” Ortiz said. “He's not a horse that needs the lead. When he ran six furlongs on the grass, he let us know that he could come from behind and pass horses. When we stretched him out for the first time he broke well and I let him be and he went wire to wire. Today, he had a horse in front of him and he settled, which is great. I loved the trip today.”

Ortiz said when stablemate Calycanthus, piloted by Irad Ortiz Jr., to his inside and Liar's Poker, under Dylan Davis, to his outside broke so sharp, he had to coax his charge in order to gain position into the first turn.

“Dylan broke well and Irad broke well as well and they were right next to me, so I had to hustle a little bit to make sure I'm there,” Jose Ortiz said. “The horse responded well and I was able to settle mid-turn and I put him outside Joel along the backside and it was a pretty nice trip after that.”

Pletcher said Bat Flip appeared to have plenty in the tank heading into the final turn.

“It looked like Jose had his hands full and looked like he had a lot of horse,” Pletcher said. “When he turned for home, you could see he was kind of still holding him together waiting to let him out, so I was glad to see him respond the way it looked like he was going to.”

Pletcher said the surface switch has proved beneficial.

“I just decided to give it a try,” Pletcher said. “We felt like he was training well enough on the dirt, but he always seemed like he was just not quite polishing things off the way we would hope. So, we decided to give him a try on the grass and it seemed like it made a big difference.”

Pletcher added that he would not rush to point Bat Flip to a next start but will take a look at the 2023 stakes calendar and map out a campaign from there.

Bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Bat Flip is out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Krazy Kathy, a full sister to graded stakes winner and Pletcher alumnus Intense Holiday and a half sister to turf graded stakes-winning millionaire Money Multiplier. He was bought for $350,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Indian Creek.

The post Blossoming Turf Specialist Bat Flip Best In Aqueduct’s Central Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd.'s Continuar was able to hold off the late charge of Mirror of Mind to win the $220,325 Cattleya Stakes early Saturday morning at Tokyo Racecourse.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Damian Lane, Continuar completed the about one-mile Cattleya in 1:36.60. For his victory, the colt by 2016 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) victor Drefong was awarded 10 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Mirror of Mind, a son of U.S. Grade 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits (elevated to second behind Drefong in the Breeders' Cup Sprint),  finished a half-length back in second and was awarded 4 points while Jasariv (3 points), Plavi  (2 points), and Francorchamps (1 point) completed the top five running order.

“I think I want to take him to Saudi, then Dubai, and then maybe Kentucky,” Yahagi said about future plans for Continuar.

The next stop on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby is the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun held on Dec. 14 at Kawasaki.

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