Tag: Racing

A close fourth in last year's running, Phil D'Amato's classy English-bred gelding Gregorian Chant heads a field of nine 3-year-olds and up going about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes.

A fast finishing second in his most recent start going one mile on turf in the restricted Wickerr Stakes July 24 at Del Mar, Gregorian Chant has five wins from 11 starts down Santa Anita's unique hillside layout, including victory in the G3 San Simeon Stakes nine starts back on March 13, 2021.

A fresh horse at age six, Gregorian Chant has a pair of bullet works for his return over Santa Anita's inner training track, a 46.80 half mile on Sept. 19, which was best of 40 at the distance and a sizzling five furlongs in :58.60 on Sept. 25.

Owned by Old Bones Racing, LLC, Slam Dunk Racing and Michael Nentwig, Gregorian Chant will be ridden back by Umberto Rispoli.

D'Amato will also send out Irish-bred Coulthard, who is part of a wide-open cast that could contend for the minors. On the improve, Coulthard rallied for an impressive half length win two starts back in a five furlong second condition turf allowance July 30.

Dismissed at 24-1 in the G3 Green Flash Handicap at five eighths on turf Sept. 4, he battled gamely to be third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths and will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Ramon Vazquez. Owned by Jay and Julie Manoogian, Coulthard is a 4-year-old gelding who is winless in four previous tries down the hill.

The Eddie D is named in honor of one of racing's all-time greats, retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye.

THE GRADE 2, $200,000 EDDIE D STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 – Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT.

1. Lane Way—Mike Smith—122
2. Air Force Red—Victor Espinoza—122
3. Goliad—Juan Hernandez—122
4. Gregorian Chant—Umberto Rispoli—122
5. Coulthard—Ramon Vazquez—122
6. Barristan The Bold—Edwin Maldonado—122
7. Whatmakessammyrun—Joe Bravo—122
8. Dubai Key—Hector Berrios—122
9. Tango Tango Tango—Kyle Frey–122

First post time on Saturday for a 10-race card that includes five other stakes, is at 12:30 p.m.

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Phil D'Amato's Gold Phoenix bids for his second consecutive graded stakes win as he heads Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita. A 4-year-old Irish-bred gelding fresh off victory going 1 3/8 miles on turf in the G2 Del Mar Handicap Sept. 3, Gold Phoenix is the 126 pound high weight and he will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez.

Named for the legendary Hall of Fame gelding who was the recipient of the love and admiration of the racing world as a champion on both turf and dirt at Santa Anita, the John Henry has attracted a field of six 3-year-olds and up.

Versatile in terms of pace, Gold Phoenix, a first-out maiden winner going seven furlongs on synthetic in Ireland on Feb. 21, 2021, has enjoyed an outstanding year with D'Amato. Dating back to his U.S. debut on Jan. 17, Gold Phoenix is 7-2-3-2 this year, which includes a close third going a mile and one quarter on turf in the G2 Charles Whittingham Stakes four starts back on April 30.

Ridden by eastern-based Flavien Prat in the Del Mar Handicap, Gold Phoenix was next to last in a field of 11 early, rallied six-deep turning for home and was up to win by a head in a thriller.

Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, LLC and Marsha Naify, Gold Phoenix has a win, three seconds and one third place finish from five tries over the Santa Anita turf.

Third, beaten a half length by Gold Phoenix in the Del Mar Handicap, trainer Leonard Powell's Dicey Mo Chara, who was ridden by eastern-based John Velazquez, will be handled for the first time by Ryan Curatolo. Graded stakes placed, Dicey Mo Chara, a 4-year-old English-bred gelding owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, is in search of his first stakes win.

Fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths in the Del Mar Handicap, D'Amato's classy Masteroffoxhounds will be reunited with Umberto Rispoli, who last rode him to a close third place finish over the course nine starts back in the G3 San Luis Rey Stakes on March 20, 2021.

A 5-year-old horse by War Front, Masteroffoxhounds, who is owned by Rockingham Ranch, is winless in five starts this year with two seconds and a third place finish.

History will be revisited following the John Henry on Saturday, as the winning trophy will be presented by John's Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, who guided the son of Ole Bob Bowers through two Horse of the Year campaigns at ages four and nine, seven overall Eclipse Awards, two Santa Anita Handicap Victories in 1981 and 82 and who smiled all the way to the bank upon John Henry's retirement at age nine in 1984 as racing's all-time leading money earner with more than $6.5 million.

THE JOHN HENRY TURF CHAMPIONSHIP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 10 – Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

1. Gold Phoenix—Juan Hernandez—126
2. Breakpoint—Tyler Baze—124
3. Dicey Mo Chara—Ryan Curatolo—122
4. Masteroffoxhounds—Umberto Rispoli—122
5. Tropical Terror—Mike Smith—122
6. Cash Equity—Hector Berrios–122

First post time for a 10-race card that will include five other stakes on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m.

The post Versatile Gold Phoenix Tops Field Of Six For John Henry Turf Championship appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s multiple Grade 1-winner and $4-million earner Life Is Good headlines Saturday's 69th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.

This year's edition of the prestigious nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds and upward will mark its first running at Aqueduct Racetrack since 1967 when Hall of Famer Damascus bested champions Dr. Fager and Buckpasser. Initially run at Belmont Park in 1954, the Woodward called Saratoga Race Course home from 2006-20 and made a return to Big Sandy last year.

The Woodward co-headlines an action-packed program which also includes the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne – a “Win And You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. Also on the card is the Grade 2, $200,000 Miss Grillo, a “Win And You're In” for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Belmont Turf Sprint.

Life Is Good's sensational record includes seven graded stakes victories, three at Grade 1 level, as well as nine triple digit Beyer Speed Figures. His lone non-triple digit number came in his 9 1/2-length debut romp at Del Mar in November 2020, where he recorded a 91.

A 4-year-old bay son of Into Mischief, Life Is Good has banked $4,086,700 through a 10-8-1-0 ledger, which includes a last out two-length victory in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Whitney on August 6 at Saratoga Race Course over Grade 1-winners Happy Saver and Hot Rod Charlie, which garnered a 107 Beyer. He displayed the same frontrunning fashion to victory in his prior effort in the seven-furlong Grade 2 John A. Nerud on July 2 at Belmont Park, which saw a career-best 112 Beyer.

Life Is Good capped a prominent 3-year-old season with a victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar, before commencing this year's campaign with a triumph over last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year Knicks Go in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on January 29 at Gulfstream Park.

Life Is Good has remained in Saratoga this month following the summer meet, where he has continued to impress Pletcher with his strong morning training. On Saturday, he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.76 over the Spa main track.

“He's a very consistent and impressive horse to watch train,” said Pletcher, who previously won the Woodward with Lawyer Ron [2007], Quality Road [2010] and Liam's Map [2015]. “He's basically done that every single time we've breezed ever since he came to us. You always want things to go smoothly. He's an extremely talented horse. We just always hope that everything goes according to plan. It doesn't ever surprise me, but it is just remarkable how consistent he's been every single day he's out there. Every breeze is impressive and that's just what we've come to expect of him.”

With the Woodward being held at the Big A this fall, the race will be contested around two turns as opposed to Belmont's one-turn configuration for the nine-furlong distance.

“I don't think it hurts,” Pletcher said. “I think we probably would have ended up in the Woodward even if it were run at Belmont Park this year around one turn. But I do like the two turns. It gives him the opportunity to get another two-turn race under his belt prior to the Breeders' Cup.”

Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West, Life Is Good is out of the Distorted Humor mare Beach Walk and was bought for $525,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Paramount Sales. Beach Walk has a yearling colt by Candy Ride as well as a full brother to Life Is Good born this year.

Irad Ortiz, Jr., the pilot aboard all three of Life Is Good's Grade 1 victories, will retain the mount from post 1.

Pletcher has also entered Cypress Creek Equine, Arnold Bennewith and Spendthrift Farm's Grade 2- winner Keepmeinmind, who was last seen finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 3 at Saratoga. The 4-year-old son of Laoban made his first start in 11 months two starts back when besting nine-furlong allowance company on July 22 at the Spa in his debut for Pletcher.

Pletcher saddled both Keepmeinmind and Dynamic One in the 10-furlong Jockey Club Gold Cup with both horses hampered by a slow pace set by Tax and the pace-pressing winner Olympiad.

“He's doing well. He came out of the Jockey Club in good order,” Pletcher said. “Unfortunately, he and Dynamic One were last and second last turning up the backside and there wasn't much pace. Hopefully, he can make a step forward this time.”

Initially campaigned by Robertino Diodoro, Keepmeinmind broke his maiden in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in November 2020 at Churchill Downs following a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. Although winless in seven starts at three, he enjoyed a prosperous year which included finishing second to Essential Quality in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga and a close third in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown.

Joel Rosario, who piloted Yoshida to victory in the 2018 Woodward, will ride Keepmeinmind from post 4.

Dual surface stakes winner Law Professor enters the Woodward off a winning debut for trainer Rob Atras in the restricted Tapit on September 1 over the turf at Kentucky Downs.

Owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stable, the 4-year-old Constitution gelding ended his 3-year-old year on a winning note in an off-the-turf edition of the Grade 2 Mathis Mile at Santa Anita while under the care of trainer Michael McCarthy.

Breaking from post 2, Law Professor will be ridden by Jose Ortiz.

Trin-Brook Farm's graded stakes winner Informative will try to spring yet another upset for owner-trainer Uriah St. Lewis. The 5-year-old son of Bodemeister lit up the Monmouth Park tote board in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile last June, going off at 79-1 odds. He enters off a 14-1 victory in the Grade 3 Phillip H. Iselin on August 20.

Informative, who breaks from post 5, will be piloted by Dexter Haddock.

Completing the field is the David Jacobson owned and trained Thomas Shelby [post 3, Dylan Davis], an 11-time winning Curlin gelding who enters off an allowance optional claiming victory on September 10 at Monmouth Park.

Previously conditioned by Diodoro, Thomas Shelby proved himself competitive at stakes level when second in the Grade 3 Razorback on February 12 at Oaklawn Park.

The Woodward honors the late chairman of the Jockey Club [1930-50] and proprietor of Bel Air Stud, who campaigned Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox and Omaha as well as champions Nasrullah, Nashua, Granville and Johnstown. The Woodward is carded as Race 7 on Saturday's 11-race program. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of every day of Belmont at the Big A on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont at the Big A, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Top Grade 1-winning older horses Art Collector, Hot Rod Charlie and Happy Saver will clash with Kentucky Derby 148 hero Rich Strike in a stellar ninth renewal of the $500,000 Lukas Classic (Grade 2) on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Named in honor of Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic will go as Race 10 of 11 with a post time of 5:26 p.m. (all times Eastern). The Lukas Classic co-headlines Saturday's program along with the $300,000 Ack Ack (G3), a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Dirt Mile Division” race that will go as Race 9 at 4:55 p.m. The first race of the day is 12:45 p.m.

Overall, the six entrants in this year's Lukas Classic have amassed 30 wins with combined purse earnings of more than $12.4 million. The race annually serves as a steppingstone to the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to be held this year Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

Derby winners returning to Churchill Downs have been rare in recent decades. Mandaloun, promoted to first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, finished fourth in this year's Stephen Foster (G2). In 2018, the previous year's Derby winner Always Dreaming concluded his career with a fifth-place finish in the Alysheba (G2). Mine That Bird, the 2009 upset winner, tried turf in the 2010 Firecracker (G2) but finished eighth. Giacomo, another big-price Derby winner in 2005, ran fourth in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs.

A victory by RED-TR Racing's Rich Strike in the Lukas Classic would make him the first Kentucky Derby winner to return to Churchill Downs and win since Silver Charm. The 1997 Derby winner took the 1998 Clark Handicap (G2) beneath the Twin Spires after runner-up finishes to Awesome Again in that year's renewals of both the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) and the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Rich Strike, the son of Keen Ice who scored an 80-1 shocking upset in the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) in May, finished an enigmatic sixth in this year's Belmont Stakes (G1) but rebounded with a respectable fourth in the Travers (G1) behind Epicenter, Cyberknife and Zandon. Trained by Eric Reed, Rich Strike is a perfect 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs. His regular rider Sonny Leon, now based in south Florida, will be in the saddle from post No. 4.

The top earner in this year's Lukas Classic is Hot Rod Charlie. Campaigned by Roadrunner Racing (Greg Helm), Boat Racing (Patrick O'Neill), William Strass and Gainesway Thoroughbreds (Anthony Beck) and trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie has earned a stout $5,251,200 with four victories from 17 starts. The 4-year-old son of Oxbow finished third behind Life is Good and Happy Saver in the $1 million Whitney (G1). Previously, Hot Rod Charlie finished second by 1 ¾ lengths to Country Grammer in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1).

As a 3-year-old, Hot Rod Charlie was one of the country's top sophomores. He finished second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) and won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). In the Breeders' Cup Classic, Hot Rod Charlie was defeated just 4 ½ lengths by last year's Lukas Classic winner Knicks Go. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione has the call in the Lukas Classic and will break from post 5.

One of the other top contenders in the Lukas Classic is Bruce Lunsford's recent $1 million Charles Town Classic (G2) winner Art Collector. Trained by Bill Mott, Art Collector cruised to a 4 ¼-length victory in the Charles Town Classic as the heavy 1-2 favorite.

Previously, the 5-year-old son of Bernardini was the 1 ½-length victor of last year's Woodward Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. The Lukas Classic will be Art Collectors fourth start of his 2022 campaign. In February, Art Collector finished 12th in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1). Mott brought Art Collector back to the races in early August where he defended his title in the Alydar Stakes. Jockey Luis Saez will be in town to ride from post 2.

The aforementioned Happy Saver will attempt to get his revenge from the Whitney on Hot Rod Charlie in the Lukas Classic. Owned by Wertheimer and Frere (Alain and Gerard Wertheimer) and trained by Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver has finished second in his last five outings – the 2021 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and Clark (G1) and this year's Alysheba (G2), Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and the Whitney.

A 5-year-old son of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, Happy Saver won the 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) as a 3-year-old. Overall, the talented chestnut sports a record of 11-5-5-1 with $1,173,300 in purse earnings.

Happy Saver will be ridden by John Velazquez from post 3.

The Lukas Classic field is rounded out by Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's three-time stakes winner King Fury and the Estate of James Coleman Jr.'s five-time winner Chess Chief.

Here is the complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)
2. Art Collector (Saez, Mott)
3. Happy Saver (Velazquez, Pletcher)
4. Rich Strike (Leon, Reed)
5. Hot Rod Charlie (Gaffalione, O'Neill)
6. Chess Chief (Rey Gutierrez, Dallas Stewart)

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