Tag: Racing

The premium will be on deep breathing and large lungs Thursday – Thanksgiving Day – when nine distaffers are saddled for a 1 3/8-mile tour of the Jimmy Durante Turf Course at Del Mar. Their goal will be to win the $150,000 Red Carpet Stakes (G3).

The holiday card will have an early beginning – 11 a.m. is the first post – and an early conclusion (approximately 3 p.m.) so folks can get home for some turkey dinner.

The 11-furlong test is headed by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Sister Otoole, a 5-year-old mare who is based in the East with trainer Graham Motion at his Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland but has history at Del Mar that bodes well for her chances Thursday. The bay Florida-bred by Amira's Prince shipped west this past summer and came away a winner in the CTT & TOC Stakes at the Red Carpet distance, closing nicely through the stretch to tally by half a length.

She was handled that day by turf specialist Umberto Rispoli and he'll be in the tack again Thursday.

Bellstreet Bridie is an interesting element in the Red Carpet. The 3-year-old daughter of Sir Percy is making her U.S. debut in the race for trainer Mark Glatt. Racing in her native country the past two years she's made a dozen starts and has come away a winner on three occasions. Her ace in the hole Thursday might be the fact that she's run long on the grass on multiple occasions and should not be intimidated by the distance.

Scarabea ran second to Sister Otoole in the CTT & TOC last summer. She's a 4-year-old by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah who is another who has run long on the grass on numerous occasions.

Duvet Day won an allowance race at Del Mar in July at 1 3/8 miles on the lawn. She's an Irish bred 3-year-old by Starspangledbanner.

Following full field from the rail out with (riders):  82 Highlanders or Simonovich's Lady Jae (Ramon Vazquez); US Equine's Angel Nadeshiko (Victor Espinoza); Red Barons Barn or Rancho Temescal's Quattrolle (Hector Berrios); George Hicker's Dramatizer (Mike Smith); Red Barons Barn or Rancho Temescal's Bellstreet Bridie (Flavien Prat); Calumet Farm's Scarabea (Juan Hernandez); Sister Otoole; Featherston, Gold or Maslowski, et al.'s Queen Ofthe Temple (Ryan Curatolo), and Bacharach, Bacharach or Schatz's Duvet Day (Abel Cedillo).

The post Motion-Trained Sister Otoole Seeks First Graded Win In Red Carpet At Del Mar appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Al Shira'aa Farms' Miss Dracarys earned her first career stakes win with a front-running effort under Dylan Davis in Sunday's $135,000 Forever Together, a 1 1/16-mile outer turf test for fillies and mares, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, the 4-year-old Malibu Moon filly entered from a similar pacey effort in a nine-furlong optional-claimer on October 20 at Aqueduct when racing from a four-month layoff.

Drysdale said the strong run of form at Aqueduct has convinced the connections keep Miss Dracarys in training into 2023.

“She's come well as of late. She's an improving filly and we look forward to racing her again next year,” Drysdale said. “That was decided after this race. I spoke to [Al Shira'aa Stud] General Manager Kieran Lalor and he felt that Miss Dracarys should stay in training for next year. She'll spend some time in Kentucky and get turned out.”

Davis hustled Miss Dracarys from the gate and took command through splits of :24.35, :48.73, and 1:13.05 over the firm footing with the Eric Cancel-piloted Evvie Jets tracking in second position.

Cancel gave Evvie Jets her cue into the far turn and the last-out Noble Damsel (G3) winner responded, advancing to the outside of the pacesetter as Finest Work and post-time favorite Messidor launched their wide bids. But Miss Dracarys dug in gamely from the top of the lane and bravely put away the challenge from Evvie Jets to win by one length in a final time of 1:42.40.

Evvie Jets completed the exacta by four lengths over the ground-saving Coconut Cake with Finest Work, Messidor. and Lashara rounding out the order of finish. Por Que No, Fluffy Socks and main-track only entrant Exotic West were scratched.

Davis, who has been aboard Miss Dracarys through her last five starts, said the decision to take the lead was made easier following the scratch of likely pacesetter Por Que No.

“Then it was a no-brainer. It made things a lot easier for us,” Davis said. “She ended up breaking well and I still helped her across there to get to the turn. I found myself on the lead again, so I just tried to mimic the last race. She kind of has one pace so I got into her around the three-eighths pole to get her run going. She's a fighter so when a horse challenges her, she fought off the challenger. I really thought she was going to be second or third and she fought back and ended up the winner.”

Evvie Jets has now posted a record of 3-5-0 from 10 starts since being claimed for $80,000 last September by trainer Mertkan Kantarmaci for owner Robert Amendola. The consistent run of form includes a runner-up effort in the Athenia (G3) September 24 at Aqueduct ahead of making the grade last out on October 22 in the one-mile Noble Damsel.

Cancel said he was proud of the effort from the hard-trying Evvie Jets.

“It was a pretty decent pace. The filly ran very well and the ground was a little too hard for her; she was spinning her wheels a little bit trying to keep up,” Cancel said. “But she ran a big race and she's been improving every single time. We're just really happy with her. I tried to move a little bit earlier because I knew he [Davis] had an advantage over me.”

In addition to her recent optional-claiming score, Miss Dracarys had made two previous starts over the Big A turf, posting a winning debut sprinting six furlongs in December 2020 and a close third to Plum Ali last November over good going in the 1 1/16-mile Winter Memories. She raced twice in optional-claiming company at the Belmont spring/summer meet, including a good second to eventual graded-stakes winner Love And Thunder going one-mile in May and an even fourth on June 10 traveling seven furlongs before taking a break.

The $525,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Shawn Dugan, agent, is out of the Speightstown mare Ask Me When, a full sister to graded stakes-placed Aristocratic and a half sibling to graded-stakes placed Up the Ante.

Bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, Miss Dracarys banked $74,250 in victory while improving her record to 4-2-1 from 12 career starts. She returned $12.80 for a $2 win ticket.

The post ‘She Fought Off The Challenger’: Miss Dracarys Tallies First Stakes Victory Going Wire To Wire In Aqueduct’s Forever Together appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Barry Schwartz's homebred Stonewall Star was rarely ever in doubt when taking down her first stakes conquest in Sunday's ninth running of the $100,000 Key Cents for New York-bred juvenile fillies going six furlongs on the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Stonewall Star, a Flatter bay, went into the gate as the overwhelming 2-5 favorite in the six-horse field, arriving off a hard-fought third against males in the New York Breeders' Futurity on October 17 at Finger Lakes for trainer Horacio De Paz. But she was much the best when squared up against her own gender, keeping maiden Weekend Rags at bay in the stretch rally to win by four lengths.

Stonewall Star was alert when breaking from post 5 under Jose Ortiz and quickly took command through an opening quarter-mile in :23.17 over the fast main track with stakes-winner Small Pebbles one length back and one path to her outside down the backstretch. Stonewall Star extended her advantage approaching the turn as Weekend Rags split rivals and sat off the flank of the leader through a half-mile in :47.59.

Ortiz took a peek back approaching the quarter pole and coaxed his charge into the stretch drive. Weekend Rags, who raced with blinkers on in her second lifetime start, put up a valiant effort, but was unable to reel in Stonewall Star, who covered the journey in 1:13.48.

Weekend Rags finished a neck ahead of late-closing Security Code, who also raced with blinkers on. Completing the order of finish were Dream On Cara, Three Unions, and Small Pebbles.

Stonewall Star, who returned $2.90 for a $2 win wager, earned $55,000 in victory, bringing her lifetime bankroll past the six-figure mark to $130,808. Her record stands at 4-2-1-1 and includes a second-out maiden triumph on September 22 at Belmont at the Big A over next out winner Disruption and black type earning Silver Skillet.

“She moved forward off that race at Finger Lakes,” De Paz said. “I wanted her to get involved in the race, but she broke sharp today. I don't know if that was by mistake; maybe getting settled in the gate a little bit, but she got great position early on.”

Ortiz expressed confidence in his filly following her strong showing in the New York Breeders' Futurity.

“Going into the race, we kind of knew she was much the best. She faced the boys at Finger Lakes and she ran a great race,” Ortiz said. “We were confident today and she didn't disappoint. She got a good trip, broke very alert, and we were in control of the race every step of the way, which is what we wanted to do. She's a nice filly.”

Ortiz said Stonewall Star is likely to be prominent in future starts through the winter.

“She has sat behind horses and took dirt [in the New York Breeders' Futurity], but I think with the kind of pace [we see] in the winter, she'll be on top,” Ortiz said. “If she's got good position, she can sit off speed. That's the good thing about her – she's not a 'one way' horse; she can come from behind, and that's a relief as a rider.”

De Paz said Stonewall Star, who was reluctant to load into the starting gate, can be a little bit fiery.

“She was on her toes,” De Paz said. “Obviously, the gate crew know her, too. She was definitely not trying to be compliant, but she went in and caught a flyer and got in a good spot.”

De Paz noted he would not rule out an open-company start at some point in the future for Stonewall Star.

Bred by Schwartz's Stonewall Farm, Stonewall Star is a full sister to three-time New York-bred stakes winner La Fuerza. Both are out of the two-time winning Proud Citizen mare Jonata.

The post ‘We Kind Of Knew She Was Much The Best’: Stonewall Star Goes Gate To Wire In Key Cents Romp At Aqueduct appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Chris Walsh's classy 3-year-old filly California Angel tops a field of 11 entered in Friday's 31st running of the $300,000 Mrs. Revere (G2) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Mrs. Revere for 3-year-old fillies will go as Race 9 of 12 with a post time of 4:57 p.m. (ET). The turf event is scheduled to be contested in Lane 3, 24 feet from the inside rail. First post is 1 p.m. and the stellar “Black Friday” program also features the 148th running of the $750,000 Clark (G1) in Race 11.

Trained by George Leonard III, California Angel gained many fans before she contested last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

The daughter California Chrome finished 11^th, beaten four lengths in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Following her runner-up effort in the Allen 'Black Cat' LaCombe Memorial March 12 at Fair Grounds, Leonard gave the filly time on the sidelines until September when she finished a determined third in the Dueling Ground Oaks at Kentucky Downs. California Angel went on to finish fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) and second in the Valley View (G3), both at Keeneland, the latter in which she started on just 12 days rest.

Churchill Downs leading rider Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard in the Mrs. Revere, who won last year's Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland prior to the Breeders' Cup, and the duo will break from post No. 6 as she tries to add a second stakes victory to her record.

Trainer Kenny McPeek entered a trio of fillies in the Mrs. Revere: Lugamo Racing Stable's stakes-placed Lady Puchi, Gentry Farms' recent allowance winner Lovely Princess, and Dell Ridge Farm's maiden special weight winner Sweet Lady Ivanka.

Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. rode all three fillies in their most recent starts and will be aboard Lovely Princess for the Mrs. Revere.

In her last start, Lovely Princess rallied from seven lengths off the early pace in a first-level allowance event at Keeneland for a one-length victory. The daughter of Twirling Candy earned an 85 Brisnet Speed Rating for her win. She'll break from post 7 in the Mrs. Revere.

Jockey Julien Leparoux will have the call on Lady Puchi from post 3 while Corey Lanerie will pick up on the mount on Sweet lady Ivanka out of post 5.

Another filly with a graded stakes victory on her résumé is Shortleaf Stable's Matron (G3) winner Bubble Rock.

Trained by Brad Cox, Bubble Rock scored a half-length win as a 2-year-old at Belmont Park in the Matron prior to her 12th-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. As a 3-year-old, Bubble Rock sports a 2 ½-length score in the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes, run over the Tapeta surface at Turfway Park.

Bubble Rock will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 4.

The full field for the Mrs. Revere from the rail out (with jockey, trainer): Take a Stand (Declan Cannon, Vicki Oliver); She's Gone (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); Lady Puchi (Leparoux, McPeek); Bubble Rock (Rosario, Cox); Sweet Lady Ivanka (Lanerie, McPeek); California Angel (Gaffalione, Leonard); Lovely Princess (Hernandez, McPeek); Fancy Martini (Luis Saez, Joe Sharp); Have A Good Day (Florent Geroux, Gustavo Delgado); Quality Star (Joe Talamo, Paulo Lobo); and Joyful Applause (Edgar Morales, Helen Pitts).

The post Leonard-Trained California Angel Among 11 Fillies Entered For Mrs. Revere appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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