Tag: Racing

German-bred Dalika scored her third front-running graded stakes win of the year when she rolled to a 1¾-length victory over Perseverancia in the $268,500 Cardinal (G3) on Thanksgiving Day at Churchill Downs.

Dalika, a 6-year-old mare owned by Paul Varga's Bar Mar Equine LLC, ran 1 1/8 miles over firm turf in 1:50.61 to collect the seventh stakes win of her career. Most notably, she determinedly won the Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs in August and followed that with a triumph in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G3) in September.

Brian Hernandez Jr. rode the winner for trainer Al Stall Jr.

Breaking from post-position five in the field of nine fillies and mares, Dalika established position from the outset while setting fractions of :24.36 and :49.07 as 8-5 favorite Adventuring rated in second down the backstretch. Curly Ruth attempted to challenge from the outside on the final turn but was quickly dismissed. At the head of the stretch, Dalika had a two-length advantage over the Adventuring as Perseverancia, who rated well back in seventh early on, rallied late in the stretch for the place.

“I've learned from watching (the late former jockey) Miguel (Mena) ride her that you just stay out of her way and she'll give you her best run,” Hernandez said. “She's just a solid filly. I told (owner) Paul (Varga) after the race that she could've easily went a mile-and-a-half today.”

The triumph was worth $148,800 and increased her earnings to $1,441,586. She boasts a record of 10-7-0 in 31 starts.

“Since we got her as a 2-year-old she's been so consistent in her races,” Varga said. “She really likes it over here at Churchill. She's had 31 races in her career, at all distances, and she's given us 10 wins now. She's so tough on the lead. She's actually been a seven-time runner-up. This year particular she's had a tough campaign. Every time it looks like she's going to get passed she stays game.”

Dalika returned of $5.72 for the win as the second betting choice. Perserveranica, ridden by Julien Leparoux, was 1 1/4 lengths in front o third-place finisher Adventuring, under Joel Rosario.

The order of finish was completed by Sunny One, Lake Lucerne, Flippant, Pass the Plate, Curly Ruth, and Disappearing Act. Wave of Goodness was scratched.

Prior to the Cardinal, Dalika finished last of six in the Fall Harvest on the Breeders' Cup undercard Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

“We just threw her last race out at Keeneland in the Fall Harvest,” Hernandez said. “Things didn't go her way that day and that wasn't the Dalika that we know.”

Dalika, a gray or roan daughter of Pastorius out of the Hurricane Run mare Drawn to Run, was bred in Germany by Gestut Ammerland.

The post ‘She Could’ve Easily Went A Mile-And-A-Half Today’: Front-Running Dalika Lands Cardinal appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Rigney Racing's Played Hard broke on top, dictated the pace, and turned back challenges at the top of the stretch from Bellamore and Moon Swag to take the $485,000 Falls City (G3), the traditional Thanksgiving Day fixture for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Phil Bauer and ridden by Joel Rosario, Played Hard ran 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:49.39 while defeating Bellamore by one length in gate-to-wire fashion.

Breaking from post four in the field of six fillies and mares, Played Hard maintained about a one-length advantage over Leader of the Band down the backstretch while setting quarter-mile fractions of :23.71, :47.43, and 1:11.43. Leader of the Band gave way leaving the turn as Bellamore, from the outside, and Moon Swag, from the inside, ranged into contention. Played Hard cut the final turn wide and had plenty left as she opened up down the stretch for the one-length victory as the odds-on favorite.

“She keeps getting better,” Rosario said. “She fought hard on the lead and didn't want to give it up. There were a couple horses that got close to her, but she never gave way.”

The victory marked Played Hard's second graded stakes win in her last three starts, both coming at Churchill Downs. In September, she scored a comfortable 5 ¾-length win in the Locust Grove (G3) for her first graded stakes triumph.

“I'm actually pretty speechless right now,” Bauer said. “This is what it's all about. You win a half-million dollar race on your home track with your family and the greatest owner (Richard Rigney) in attendance. It can't get much better on Thanksgiving. I'm so proud of Played Hard. She pinned her ears back and didn't want to let anyone by.”

Prior to Thursday's Falls City, Played Hard finished third behind eventual Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) winner Malathaat and Army Wife in the Spinster (G1) at Keeneland on Oct. 9.

“Things didn't work out last time in the Spinster, but we got her back to Churchill and she loves it here,” Bauer said. “We're excited to keep her in training next year.”

Played Hard paid $2.90. Bellamore, the 10-1 fourth betting choice ridden by Martin Garcia, outfinished She's All Wolfe, who was another five lengths back in third under Joe Rocco Jr.

Moon Swag, Leader of the Band, and Ava's Grace completed the order of finish.

With the Falls City win, Played Hard improved her overall record to five wins, five seconds, and two thirds in 14 starts. Thursday's $305,520 winner's share increased her earnings to near-millionaire status at $978,390.

Bauer said the goal for Played Hard in 2023 is to secure a Grade 1 win.

Played Hard is a 4-year-old bay daughter of Into Mischief out of the Tiznow mare Well Lived. She was bred in Kentucky by Susan Casner and was sold to Rigney Racing for $280,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September yearling sale, where Four Star Sales consigned.

The post ‘She Never Gave Way’: Played Hard Repels Challengers In Gate-To-Wire Falls City Romp appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Hollywood Turf Cup was one of the staples of the fall meet stakes schedule at Hollywood Park, dating back to 1981. John Henry won the race in 1983 and it's been won by such Hall of Fame trainers as Charlie Whittingham, Bobby Frankel, and Jack Van Berg, as well as by riders Laffit Pincay Jr., Chris McCarron, Pat Day, and Bill Shoemaker.

So when Hollywood Park closed back in 2013, it was a no-brainer that one of the races Del Mar would adopt for its fall dates would be the Hollywood Turf Cup. They even kept the name intact, notably because it fit in nicely with the showbiz theme for the Bing Crosby season.

Since the change of address, the Hollywood Turf Cup remains a coveted trophy for some of the best marathon grass runners in horse racing. The tradition continues Friday at Del Mar as a field of seven line-up for the 41^st running of the 1 1/2-mile, Grade 2 event.

The race appears to be a wide-open affair with some horses stepping up to a graded stakes for the first time, while others are trying to prove they belong at the that level. Del Mar's current leading trainer, Phil D'Amato, brings two of his horses to the dance. Irish-bred Prince Abama is coming off a runner-up finish in the Lure Stakes Oct. 29 at Santa Anita. Prior to that race the 4-year-old Tamayuz gelding finished third in the City of Hope (G2) there Oct. 1.

“He's a horse on the improve,” D'Amato said. “We gave him time off as a 3-year-old to grow up, and he's come back better, more mature and more competitive.”

D'Amato's other horse is Cash Equity. The French-bred came to his barn earlier this year and won a second-other-than allowance at Santa Anita in May. But he ran eighth in the Eddie Read (G2) at Del Mar this summer and fourth in the John Henry Turf Classic (G2) Oct. 1 at Santa Anita.

“We're just trying to get to know him and find out what he's best at,” D'Amato said. “He's a horse that always trains very well. I think it's a question of what exact style he wants to have and at what distance.”

British-bred Dicey Mo Chara, out of the Leonard Powell barn, could be sitting on a big race. He missed by a half length in finishing third in the Del Mar Handicap (G2) in September then missed by a neck to Masteroffoxhounds in the John Henry (G2) last month. The 4-year-old Adday gelding has finished in the money in four of his five races on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

“The horse is doing well,” Powell said. “He's had a very good year. Every time we came up a bit short against stakes level horses and hopefully Friday we'll be a bit more lucky. He's getting better with age and hopefully he continues to mature.”

Irish-bred The Grey Wizard is shipping in from the Graham Motion barn in Maryland. He was a distant second to Nations Pride in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational (G3)  in September at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet and is still eligible for an entry level allowance. He fired a handy half-mile bullet workout in :48.80  at Del Mar Sunday.

The Hollywood Turf Cup is the seventh race on the nine-race Friday card. First post is 12:30 p.m (PT).

The full field from the rail with the jockey, morning line odds: The Grey Wizard (John Velazquez, 4-1); Cash Equity (Umberto Rispoli, 7-2); Go On (Mario Gutierrez, 8-1); Avenue (Juan Hernandez, 5-1); Dean Martini (Edwin Maldonado, 15-1); Prince Abama (Flavien Prat, 3-1), and Dicey Mo Chara (Ryan Curatolo, 5-2).

The post D’Amato Double Handed In Wide-Open Hollywood Turf Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gold Square's Saratoga maiden special weight winner Instant Coffee was tabbed as the slight 5-2 morning line favorite in his attempt for graded stakes glory in Saturday's 96th running of the $400,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs.

The Kentucky Jockey Club, run at 1 1/16 miles, will award the top 5 finishers points on a 10-4-3-2-1 scale towards a spot in the starting gate for the $3-million Kentucky Derby (G1) next May.

First post Saturday is 1 p.m. (ET) and the 12-race program features all 2-year-old races as part of “Stars of Tomorrow II.” The Kentucky Jockey Club will go as Race 11 at 5:56 p.m. The card will also include the $400,000 Golden Rod (G2), $200,000 Ed Brown, and $200,000 Fern Creek.

Trained by Brad Cox, Instant Coffee was a determined three-quarters of a length victor in his debut. The son of Bolt d'Oro returned in the Breeders' Futurity (GI) at Keeneland where he finished fourth behind eventual Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Forte.

“We're looking forward to him in this spot,” Cox said. “The Breeders' Futurity came up a key race with Forte coming back to win the Juvenile. He had a pretty tough trip in the Breeders' Futurity, and I think that experience can benefit him by maturing off of that start.”

Here is the complete field for the Kentucky Jockey Club from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Curly Jack (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss, 3-1); Western Ghent (Mickaelle Michel, D. Wayne Lukas, 20-1); Denington (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek, 12-1); Gigante (Corey Lanerie, Steve Asmussen, 12-1); Red Route One (Tyler Gaffalione, Steve Asmussen, 7-2); Freedom Trail (Florent Geroux, John Terranova, 6-1); Hayes Strike (Rafael Bejarano, Kenny McPeek, 10-1); Instant Coffee (Luis Saez, Cox, 5-2); and Cyclone Mischief (Joe Talamo, Dale Romans, 8-1).

Inaugurated in 2005, Churchill Downs' Stars of Tomorrow programs have helped launch the careers of numerous graded stakes winners, including more than 50 Grade 1 winners led by Horses of the Year Gun Runner (2017) and Rachel Alexandra (2009), Kentucky Derby (G1) winners Super Saver (2010) and Mandaloun (2021) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winners Rachel Alexandra (2009), Believe You Can (2012), Monomoy Girl (2018), and Secret Oath (2022).

The post ‘We’re Looking Forward To Him In This Spot’: Cox-Trained Instant Coffee Morning Line Favorite For Kentucky Jockey Club appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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