Tag: Racing

Trainer Jose Pinchin and Michael Bernard's Atomically foiled Lynx's bid to sweep the 2022 fillies division of the FTBOA Florida Sires Stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park while drawing away to a dominating 6 ¾-length victory in the $400,000 My Dear Girl.

The My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile final for the fillies division of the series for juveniles sired by accredited Florida stallions, co-headlined Saturday's FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes program with the $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile finals for the colts and geldings division.

Arindel's Lynx had devastated her competition in the stretch run of all three of her previous starts, closing strongly to win her debut before trouncing her rivals in the first two legs of the FSS series, the $100,000 Desert Vixen at six furlongs and the $200,000 Susan's Girl at seven furlongs. Yet, it was Atomically ($7.60) who was the stronger filly in the stretch Saturday while scoring her first stakes victory in her first start in this year's FSS series.

The daughter of hugely successful first-crop sire Girvin debuted with a third-place finish Aug. 22 before graduating by seven-lengths in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race Sept. 2. Atomically was racing around two turns for the first time and broke from the No. 9 post position for her stakes debut in the My Dear Girl.

“She was training so good. And her numbers were so good. Her numbers were way above everybody else in the race,” said Pinchin, whose wife Tracy and Bernard bred Atomically. “We weren't overly concerned about [the post]. The only thing we were concerned about was whether she was seasoned enough, because she only had two runs.”

Lynx got away from the starting gate cleanly from her No. 2 post but was shuffled back to fifth on the first turn, as Dreaming In Style sprinted for the lead with Time Passage, Dorth Vader and Cajun Tease in pursuit. Atomically advanced along the backstretch on the outside of horses under Edgar Perez to enter contention following a half-mile in 47.90 seconds.

Atomically swept to the lead on the far turn while Lynx got a clear to make her run. Although Lynx made a solid run into the stretch, but the 4-5 favorite was no match for the Pinchin trainee, who lengthened her advantage to the wire.

“I thought I was in a perfect position and at the half-mile pole I had a lot of horse,” Perez said. “I asked her to run and he went.”

Pinchin saddled Three Rules for a sweep of the 2016 colts and geldings division of the Florida Sire Stakes.

Atomically ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.35. Lynx held second under Edgard Zayas, 4 ¼ lengths clear of Dorth Vader.

Scandalous Act (2013) was the last filly to sweep her division of the FSS series. Eclipse champion Awesome Feather (2010), Aclassysassylassy (2004) and Nancy's Glitter (1997) had previously accomplished the feat.

The post Atomically Wins My Dear Girl, Denies Lynx Sweep Of FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Augustin Stable homebred filly Born Dapper, already having shown an affinity for turf and synthetic surfaces, had no trouble adjusting to the dirt in her stakes debut in powering home a 3 ¼-length winner under Jevian Toledo in Saturday's $150,000 Selima at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 93rd running of the Selima for 2-year-old fillies was the third of five stakes worth $575,000 in purses on opening weekend of the calendar year-ending fall meet, serving as co-headliner with the $150,000 Laurel Futurity for 2-year-olds. Both races were rained off the grass and contested at one mile on the main track.

Born Dapper ($8.20) was one of two horses owned by George Strawbridge of Augustin and trained by Jonathan Thomas along with Delight, the 3-1 program favorite that was scratched with the change of surfaced.

“We were forecasting the weather,” Thomas said. “The thought process was that if it rained like this we'd leave [Born Dapper] in and scratch the other filly and probably vice versa if it had stayed on. I wanted to see the complexion of the race and go from there.

“We were thrilled. The filly's been training super,” he added. “I had a feeling being Union Rags over a Pulpit mare she'd probably handle the slop and the dirt and the distance and all that, so it was great.”

Born Dapper settled in third along the inside as Anotherdaygoneby was intent on the lead and held it through fractions of 25.03 and 49.62 seconds, chased by Majesty's Freedom. Toledo tipped Born Dapper to the two path rounding the far turn for clear run, and they hit the top of the stretch in command before pulling away to win in 1:42.19 over the sloppy and sealed surface.

“Jonathan is very good, he never really gives much instructions. He just said to let her break, let her put herself in a comfortable spot and make a run when you're ready,” Toledo said. “So, I let her break on her own and she break good. I see someone that wanted to go so I let them go and sat right behind them. She relaxed beautiful, and before the quarter pole I just put her in the clear and she took right off.”

Pacesetting Anotherdaygoneby held second by 2 ¾ lengths over Lady Azteca, with another 1 ½ lengths back to Bee Mountain in fourth. The Classy One, 6-5 favorite What an Honor, Cha Cha Tap and Majesty's Freedom completed the order of finish. Lifelovenlaughter and Private Credit were also scratched.

“Jevian is such a great rider. He saved ground where he could [and] bided his time,” Thomas said. “He came into the lane with a lot of confidence and you could see the filly kind of soak that up, too. It all went better than expected.”

Born Dapper debuted running second in a five-furlong maiden special weight sprint May 28 over the all-weather surface at Woodbine before finishing third in a six-furlong turf sprint there July 2. She graduated in her prior start, a one-mile maiden special weight over the Monmouth Park turf Aug. 13.

“What we'll do is get her down to Keeneland after this and breeze her on the dirt a few times and let her tell us. I've run her on the Tapeta, on the grass and on this and she's shown up every time we've run her,” Thomas said. “She's earned her way to trying something, kind of that next step.”

First run in 1926, the Selima is named for the great English race mare who was imported to the U.S. in the 1750s by Benjamin Tasker Jr., manager of the famed Belair Farm in Prince George's County. The daughter of the Godolphin Arabian, considered 'Queen of the Turf,' also gained fame as a broodmare.

The post Born Dapper Now A Dual-Surface Threat After Selima Victory On Dirt appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Tami Bobo and Lugamo Racing Stable's Congruent, the most expensive horse in the field, emerged from a tight pack on the far turn to split horses at the top of the stretch and put away a stubborn Otago through the lane to earn his first stakes victory in Saturday's $150,000 Laurel Futurity at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 96th running of the Futurity for 2-year-olds was the first of five stakes worth $575,000 in purses on opening weekend of the calendar year-ending fall meet, serving as co-headliner with the $150,000 Selima for 2-year-old fillies. Both races were rained off the grass and contested at a mile on the main track.

Ridden by Feargal Lynch for South Florida-based trainer Antonio Sano, Congruent ($23.40) covered the distance in 1:40.45 over a sloppy and sealed surface to win by 2 ½ lengths. It was the second win in four starts for the gray or roan son of Tapit out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Part the Seas, who fetched $350,000 as a 2-year-old in training at OBS in March.

“I know we have a good horse. He's in the process of maturing and growing,” co-owner Luis Gavignano said. “He's only 2, but he has a great pedigree and since we bought him in Ocala, we knew that we had a good horse. We know that he needs more distance, but he's improving every race.”

Gavignano said neither he nor Sano were concerned when the race was moved off the turf due to heavy overnight rain that lasted into the morning as a residual of Hurricane Ian.

“When I talked to the trainer, that was one of the points. He was very confident. He said, 'I know how he's working, and I think he's going to do good,'” Gavignano said. “One of the things that we saw today, he's not scared to fight. Before he was a little bit. We put on blinkers for his second race because he was a little bit nervous the first time. Knowing that he's fighting some good horses, we know that he's going to be improving.”

Splendor Beauty, one of four horses in the Futurity entered for main track only, got the early jump and led through a quarter-mile in 24.36 seconds and a half in 48.49, pressed to his outside by 20-1 long shot Free Soul. Lynch tucked Congruent in third along the rail, momentarily dropping back to fifth while they awaited room midway around the far turn. Lynch gave Congruent his cue straightening for home, splitting Splendor Beauty to his inside and Free Soul, then engaged in mid-stretch with Otago who had a clear run on the outside, before steadily edging clear.

“They said, 'Don't rush him. Just take your time on him and let him settle and relax,' and he settled beautiful,” Lynch said. “He had a great trip on the rail and went on in between horses. I had to go when I did. I didn't want to, but that gap was getting smaller so I had to take it. It's hard to make up ground on this track today. He's a nice horse.”

Lynch said he also spoke with South Florida-based rider Edgard Zayas about Congruent. Zayas was aboard for each of the colt's first two starts, including a 2 ½-length maiden victory going seven furlongs Aug. 13 at Gulfstream Park.

“He said he's a nice horse and the more you sit against him the more he travels, the more he gives you,” Lynch said.

Otago was a decisive second, 6 ¾ lengths ahead of Freedom Road, who held off late-running Fun Lovin Criminal by a neck. It was another nose back to We Don't Need Roads in fifth, followed by Quincy Cafe, Free Soul, Roan Burgundy and Splendor Beauty. Dataman, Dandy Handyman, Fire Baron and Hendrickson were scratched.

“I saw the list and a lot of great horses have won this race,” Gavignano said. “We're going step by step. Of course, everybody wants to go to the big races but let's enjoy this one and then we'll make plans for the next one.”

During their post-race conversation, Lynch raised the idea of trying Congruent at Keeneland.

“I think he's a good enough horse to go over there,” he said. “If they can find a little spot for him, I wouldn't be afraid to take him anywhere.”

The Futurity, contested as a Grade 1 from 1973-'88 and maintained its graded status through 2004, has a rich history dating back to 1921 inaugural winner Morvich, who would go on to win the 1922 Kentucky Derby. The Futurity has also been won by Triple Crown champions Affirmed, Citation and Secretariat along with Barbaro, In Reality, Honest Pleasure, Quadrangle, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid and Tapit.

The post Tapit Colt Congruent Proves Best In Off-The-Turf Laurel Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post