Tag: Racing

Hazelbrook, a 4-year-old daughter of Bayern, goes for another graded stakes crown, this time in Saturday's Grade 2 $175,000 Bessarabian Stakes, at Woodbine.

The 7-furlong main track feature for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and upward, has drawn nine starters, including Hazelbrook.

Trained by Lorne Richards, the True North Stable charge has enjoyed a stellar campaign, a season that includes four wins from five starts, and stakes success in the Grade 3 Hendrie, the Sweet Briar Too, and most recently, the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion.

The bay's other 2022 start was a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Seaway when she finished second to multiple graded stakes winner Lady Speightspeare, who was third in the recent Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland.

“It's been a great year for her,” said Richards. “She's been good every start and we're really proud of her.”

Bred in Kentucky by Mike Bilbrey, Hazelbrook finished third at 68-1 in her debut in November 2020, a 6-furlong maiden special event race over the Tapeta.

She began her 3-year-old season in style, winning her first two races before finishing eighth in the Duchess Stakes on September 25, 2021, the final start of her sophomore campaign.

Hazelbrook was back in the winner's circle after her first start of 2022, the beginning of a three-race win streak.

“I liked her from the very start,” said Richards. “The only thing is that she's very quirky. She has had issues with her digestive system for a while, so that's something we've had to monitor closely. The clinic in Guelph told me it's kind of like colitis. It's something where you have to take it day-by-day, but there's no denying she has plenty of talent. She can be high-strung, so we do our best. But I'm not going to complain. She shows up every time.”

Partnering Hazelbrook with jockey Jason Hoyte has proven to be a winning combination.

“Jason has worked for me for years, galloping, and she was kind of a bad actor. I didn't get a lot of takers wanting to ride her. We finally got her onto the track, and she dumped her rider the first time she was supposed to run, and she ended up getting scratched. But Jason has done a fantastic job with her. I'm just happy for him. He's a good kid and I'm pretty happy for him that he's had that success with her.”

The Bessarabian will be the final start of the season for Hazelbrook, who sports a lifetime record of 6-1-1 from nine starts.

“She deserves it. She's had a great year, but she can be hard on herself. She's pretty easy to rate and she goes when you ask her. You can't knock her at all.”

Mark Casse sends out the duo Beyond Mybudget and Our Flash Drive. Fellow conditioner Saffie Joseph, Jr. has Artie's Princess and Allworthy entered.

Trainer Roger Attfield and Kinghaven Farms teamed to win the first two editions of the Bessarabian, in 1985 with Summer Mood and one year later with Playlist.

The race is named after Canada's champion older female of 1986, a multiple stakes winning daughter of Vice Regent trained by Michael Doyle and owned by Eaton Hall Farm. She finished her racing career with an 18-5-4 mark from 37 starts.

Also on Saturday, 11 fillies and mares, 3-years-old and upward, will travel 1 ¼-miles on the Tapeta in the Grade 3 $150,000 Maple Leaf Stakes.

U.S. based Charges Dropped, Creative Cairo, and Transient (GB) take on a group that includes Kevin Attard trainees Angelou and Munnyfor Ro.

Conn Smythe, principal owner of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs from 1927 to 1961 and builder of Maple Leaf Gardens, leads all owners with seven Maple Leaf crowns.

Inaugurated in 1892, the race was won last year by Skygaze.

The Bessarabian is carded as race eight on Saturday's 10-race program. The Maple Leaf goes as race seven. First post is 1:20 p.m. Fans can also watch and wager on all the action through HPIbet.com and the Dark Horse Bets app.

FIELD FOR THE GRADE 2 BESSARABIAN

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Artie's Princess – Jose Ortiz – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

2 – Sweet Enough (GB) – Emma-Jayne Wilson – Roger Attfield

3 – Hazelbrook – Jason Hoyte – Lorne Richards

4 – Lorena – Rafael Hernandez – Stuart Simon

5 – Beyond Mybudget – Declan Carroll – Mark Casse

6 – Our Flash Drive – Patrick Husbands – Mark Casse

7 – Awesome Treat (S) – Jose Campos – Steve Attard

8 – Loyalty – Luis Contreras – Josie Carroll

9 – Allworthy – Kazushi Kimura – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

FIELD FOR THE GRADE 3 MAPLE LEAF

Post – Horse – Jockey – Trainer

1 – Crystal Glacier (S) – Eswan Flores – Mark Casse

2 – Owen's Tour Guide (S) – Leo Salles – William Armata

3 – Charges Dropped – Kazushi Kimura – Michael McCarthy

4 – Il Malocchio – Sahin Civaci – Martin Drexler

5 – Dreidel – Declan Carroll – Josie Carroll

6 – Munnyfor Ro – Justin Stein – Kevin Attard

7 – Angelou – Luis Contreras – Kevin Attard

8 – Peace Seeker – Slade Jones – Nick Nosowenko

9 – Creative Cairo – Rafael Hernandez – Christophe Clement

10 – Silent Causeway – Patrick Husbands – Laura Krasauskaite

11 – Transient (GB) – Jose Ortiz – Saffie Joseph, Jr.

The post ‘Very Quirky’ Hazelbrook Chasing Another Graded Stakes Win In Bessarabian appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A total of 95 of some of the nation's top claiming-level horses, including seven also-eligible entries, have been entered in Saturday's 24th annual Claiming Crown Championship Series, which will be staged beneath Churchill Downs' historic Twin Spires in Louisville, Ky. for the first time.

The Claiming Crown features lucrative prize money for horse racing's blue-collar athletes as they compete for $1.05 million in purses over eight races with starter allowance conditions. The event will bring together claiming-level horses from around the country as horses based in 11 different states are represented: Kentucky, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

The first of 11 races Saturday is 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Claiming Crown will cover Races 4-11 starting at 2:30 p.m. Racing from Churchill Downs is scheduled to be televised on FS2's “America's Day at the Races” from 2-6 p.m.

Magic Cap Stables' Twelve Volt Man will defend his title against a field of 10 colts and geldings that were entered in Saturday's $175,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Churchill Downs. The featured Jewel will go as Race 10 of 11 at 5:35 p.m.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Twelve Volt Man has competed for the majority of his 10-race career in South Florida with the exception of a third-place finish in the $100,000 Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct in New York. The 4-year-old gelded son of Violence started for a $35,000 claiming tag on Oct. 14, 2021 to become eligible for the Claiming Crown.

In last year's Jewel at Gulfstream Park, Twelve Volt Man finished three-quarters of a length in front of Hanalei's Houdini to spring the 10-1 upset victory under jockey Edwin Gonzalez. Saturday's Jewel will be the first start for Twelve Volt Man since winning a starter handicap at Gulfstream Park on Aug. 28. Gonzalez will be in town to ride and the duo will break from post No. 9.

One of the top local hopes in the Jewel is multiple stakes-placed Intrepid Heart. Owned by Jack Wagon Stables and trained by Joe Sharp, Intrepid Heart finished a hard-fought second to stablemate Twilight Blue in the $200,000 Fort Larned on Aug. 13 at Churchill Downs. The former $25,000 claim sports an overall record of 27-8-7-4 with earnings of $520,382. Since Sharp claimed Intrepid Heart on Sept. 24, 2021, the 6-year-old gelded son of Tapit has only finished off the board once and hasn't finished worse than second in his last seven starts. Tyler Gaffalione will have the mount on Intrepid Heart and break from post 5.

Among the other competition entered in the Jewel is Happy Got Lucky Stable's $153,000 Maryland Millions Day Classic winner Ournationonparade. Trained by Parx-based conditioner Jamie Ness, Ournationonparade was claimed off Chris Hartman for $50,000 on Sept. 28 and went on to win the Maryland Millions Classic by 5 ¾ lengths as the 2-1 favorite. Jockey Paco Lopez will be in the irons from post 10.

Here's the complete field for the Claiming Crown Jewel from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Benevengo (Luis Saez, Jesus Cruz);
2. Frosted Grace (Chris Landeros, Robertino Diodoro);
3. Calibrator (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph Jr.);
4. Keystone Field (Gerardo Corrales, Mike Maker);
5. Intrepid Heart (Gaffalione, Sharp);
6. Digital (Corey Lanerie, Rick Hiles);
7. Tiz Rye Time (Rafael Bejarano, Tom Van Berg);
8. Decision Maker (Florent Geroux, Tom Van Berg);
9. Twelve Volt Man (Gonzalez, Joseph); and
10. Ournationonparade (Paco Lopez, Jamie Ness).

Paradise Farms Corp.'s recent allowance winner Onenightstandards leads an oversubscribed field of 16 colts and geldings entered in Saturday's $150,000 Claiming Crown Emerald at Churchill Downs.

Run at 1 1/16 miles on turf, the Emerald will go as the finale on the 11-race card with a post time of 6:05 p.m. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.

Trained by Mike Maker, Onenightstandards won a one-mile allowance event two starts ago at Kentucky Downs. The 4-year-old son of Archarcharch was claimed for $80,000 last September but became eligible for the Emerald after starting for a $20,000 claiming tag on April 7, 2021 at Keeneland. Overall, Onenightstandards has won three of 13 career starts with purse earnings of $173,762. In his last start, Onenightstandards finished third in a 1 ½-mile allowance event at Keeneland. Onenightstandards will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post No. 4.

Here's the complete field for the Emerald from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Red Flag Alert (Fernando, De La Cruz, Cheryl Winebaugh);
2. Rogue Element (Corey Lanerie, Jeff Hiles);
3. Driftwood (Rafael Bejarano, Matt Kordenbrock);
4. Onenightstandards (Gaffalione, Maker);
5. Underdressed (Edgar Morales, Rey Hernandez);
6. Bear Oak (Rogelio Miranda, Ismael Bahena);
7. Samui Sunset (Jean Alvelo, Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon);
8. Major Wager (Santo Sanjur, Anna Meah);
9. Big Agenda (Luis Saez, Joe Sharp);
10. Carom (Martin Garcia, Eddie Kenneally);
11. Freedom Matters (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph Jr.); and
12. Markitoff (Adam Beschizza, John Ennis).

Also Eligible: On a Spree (Beschizza, Juan Cano); Max K.O. (Edwin Gonzalez, Joseph); and Shady McGee (IRE) (Gerardo Corrales, Maker).

Main Track Only: Palace Coup (Gaffalione, Joe Sharp).

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Jesus's Team has made more than a million dollars the hard way, outgrowing his claiming roots to knock heads with the best horses in training and more than holding his own.

The 5-year-old son of Tapiture will make his unlikely and long-awaited return to action Saturday at Gulfstream Park after a 15-month absence, having called upon the deep reserve of the grit and resilience that had fueled his racing career to overcome serious physical obstacles.

The multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed campaigner will start his comeback in a stakes-quality optional claiming allowance at a mile in Gulfstream's Race 10.

“I'm very happy run him again after all the problems that he had. It's been a long, long trip for him,” trainer Jose D'Angelo said. “He's a warrior. I'm very happy with the way he's training. I always said, 'If he's training good, we'll go forward.'”

After undergoing surgery to repair a small chip in his left front ankle following a subpar showing in the Alydar Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 6, 2021, Jesus' Team was afflicted with a nasty case of Salmonella, a bacterial infection from which he recovered, only to subsequently develop laminitis in his two front feet. Through expert care at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., the overachieving Kentucky-bred returned to good health, but his racing career clearly remained in jeopardy.

D'Angelo was just happy that Jesus' Team had survived such an ordeal when he sent him to trainer Kenny McPeek's Magdalena Farm in Lexington, Ky. to convalesce. After regularly shuttling between South Florida and Magdalena to check up on his prized stable star, D'Angelo brought Jesus' Team back to his base at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, Jan. 29 to resume light training. After impressing his trainer, he was put back into more serious training and continued to flourish during the series of seven workouts leading up to Saturday's return.

Jesus' Team broke his maiden at Gulfstream for a $30,000 claiming tag on March 18, 2020, before being transferred to D'Angelo, for whom he scored at first asking in a $25,000 claiming race. Two starts later, Jesus's Team finished a solid fourth behind Authentic, who would go on to be named 2020 Horse of the Year, in the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth. The D'Angelo trainee would go on to finish third in the Jim Dandy (G2) and third in the Preakness (G1) before outrunning his 62-1 odds to finish a late-rallying second behind Knicks Go in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). After tuning up with a victory in the Claiming Crown Jewel, Jesus's Team would once again finish second behind Knicks Go in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream.

“For me, this horse means everything. He put me on the map in this country. He let me show my ability as a trainer. He brought me to all the big races and always gave all of his heart in each race,” said D'Angelo, who was the leading trainer in Venezuela before venturing to the U.S. in 2019. “I owe a lot to him.”

Jesus' Team finished sixth in the $12 million Dubai World Cup Invitational (G1) and finished off-the-board in two subsequent starts before being sidelined and winning his health battles against long odds.

Jesus' Team will break from the rail post position while making his first start for Sonata Stable in the one-turn mile race, which attracted Super Corinto, an Argentine-bred son of Super Saver who will be making his first U.S. start after capturing the Gran Premio Hipodromo Chile (G1) in his most recent start; Noble Drama, an enduring multiple-stakes winner; as well as stakes winners Sole Volante, Wind of Change and Clapton.

Although Jesus' Team will have to contend with a strong field, an inside post, and a return from a 15-month layoff, D'Angelo is just happy to have him back at peak health and at the races.

“I think the post position 'one' is not good for his first race off the layoff. He doesn't need the lead. He comes from behind, so we'll hope for a good start and let him run,” D'Angelo said.

Miguel Vasquez, fresh off his riding title for the spring and summer's Royal Palm Meet at Gulfstream, is named to ride Jesus' Team for the first time.

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