ralph nicks | Horse Racing Free Tips

Nicks Hoping To ‘Breeze’ To Fourth FSS Affirmed Victory In A Row

A resilient winner of the $100,000 Dr. Fager Aug. 1, Breeze On By will seek his second straight FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes victory in the $200,000 Affirmed at Gulfstream Park Saturday while giving trainer Ralph Nicks a solid shot at his fourth consecutive success in the seven-furlong event for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions.

The Affirmed will co-headline Saturday's Florida Sire Stakes program at Gulfstream with the $200,000 Susan's Girl, a seven-furlong event for juvenile fillies. The $75,000 Proud Man, a mile turf stakes for 2-year-olds and the $75,000 Sharp Susan, a mile turf stakes for juvenile fillies, will be supporting stakes on a 12-race program. The Affirmed will be included in the Rainbow 6 sequence Saturday, when a mandatory payout is scheduled.

Nicks has saddled the Affirmed winner the past three seasons, scoring with Soutache (2017), Garter and Tie (2018) and Liam's Lucky Charm (2019).

“Six, seven years, I've been here now. After the second year, I knew I had to competitive in the sire stakes,” said Nicks, who made a decision to base his stable year-round in South Florida when Gulfstream Park instituted a Spring/Summer Meet. “I've been fortunate enough to have clients to send me horses that are eligible for that and I've been fortunate enough to have some with the talent to get it done. The racing gods have allowed us to put it all together on those days.”

Breeze On By gave Nicks his seventh Florida Sire Stakes success since 2006, while providing Gilbert Campbell's Stonehedge Farm with a 13th victory in the prestigious tradition-rich series while winning the six-furlong Dr. Fager. (Michael Yates-trained Go Jo Jo Go upped that total to 14 for Stonehedge with a win in the Aug. 1 FSS Desert Vixen.)

The gelded son of Cajun Breeze, who made a rather auspicious debut while capturing a July 12 maiden special weight race at Gulfstream by six lengths, set the pace in the six-furlong Dr. Fager before meeting a strong challenge from Gatsby at the top of the stretch. After Gatsby put his nose in front in mid-stretch, Breeze On By fought back gamely to prevail by a length.

“He seemed to have handled the pressure of two races close together. It looks like he put some weight on and matured some more, so hopefully he'll move forward from here,” Nicks said. “He's a big rangy horse. I think he'll handle [seven furlongs] fine. It'll depend on pace scenarios and set-up, but time will tell on that.”

Emisael Jaramillo has the return call.

Nicks and Stonehedge will also be represented in the Affirmed by a pair of promising maiden winners, Seazan and Big Daddy Dave.

Seazan, a gelded son of Khozan who finished second in his June 10 debut in a $50,000 maiden claimer, stepped up to capture a seven-furlong maiden special weight race on the Dr. Fager undercard.

“He might be a bit of a sleeper in there. In his second start at seven-eighths of a mile, he really liked it. He's a horse that's definitely going to run on down the racetrack,” Nicks said.

Samy Camacho has the mount aboard Seazan.

Big Daddy Dave, also a gelded son of Khozan, captured his debut by 3 ¼ lengths May 30.

“We gave him time after his debut and we were pointing him to the first leg. When he came back he ended up getting sick,” Nicks said. “I think he'll run well.”

Edgard Zayas has the call aboard Big Daddy Dave.

Nicks is confident in the abilities of the three prominent South Florida jockeys to give their mounts their best chances for success.

“I like my hand going into it. Any of the three are capable. Hopefully, they'll stay out of each other's way,” Nicks said. “There are some different dimensions there. Big Daddy Dave and Breeze On By can control the early part of the race if wanted. They both could stalk and set off, and Seazan is an obvious closer. We'll try and let it play out. It'll be up to Jaramillo, Zayas and Camacho to see what happens.”

Top Boss, another gelded son of Khozan, will give Stonehedge a fourth chance to boost its gaudy FSS numbers. The Kathleen O'Connell-trained Top Boss captured a $50,000 maiden claiming race by 7 ½ lengths in his fourth career start.

Hall of Famer Edgar Prado has the call aboard the Stonehedge hombred.

Arindel's Gatsby, an impressive winner of his April 12 debut, rebounded from an off-the-board finish in the June 27 Bashford Manor (G3) at Churchill Downs with his gusty second-place finish in the Dr. Fager. The homebred son of Brethren pulled off an upset victory over heavily favored Golden Pal in his April 12 debut at 4 ½ furlongs at Gulfstream, chasing the Wesley Ward-trained odds-on favorite into the stretch before edging clear by three-quarters of a length. Golden Pal has gone on to impress on turf, finishing second in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot and winning last week's Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga handily by 3 ½ lengths.

Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa's Famous Gent made a middle move from back in the pack and raced evenly thereafter to finish fourth in the Dr. Fager.

Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained Famous Gent, who broke his maiden in the second career start, entered the Dr. Fager off a troubled third-place finish behind highly regarded Papetu in the first juvenile allowance race of the Spring/Summer Meet.

The son of First Dude will be ridden by Christian Torres.

Flying Finish Farm's Florala Al, Vicente Stella Stables LLC's Grey Dom and Just For Fun Inc.'s Advance Cash round out the field.

The post Nicks Hoping To ‘Breeze’ To Fourth FSS Affirmed Victory In A Row appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Breeze On By, Gatsby Prep For Rematch In Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed Division

Stonehedge LLC's Breeze On By is scheduled to seek his third straight victory and second leg of the 2020 Florida Sire Stakes series Aug. 29 in the $200,000 Affirmed at Gulfstream Park.

The gelded son of Cajun Breeze is set to square off against Arindel's Gatsby, whom he defeated by a hard-fought length in the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager, the Aug. 1 first leg of the tradition rich series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions. The homebred gelding rushed to the lead from his rail post position, set a pressured pace and battled back when headed by Gatsby to prevail in the six-furlong sprint.

Trained by Ralph Nicks, Breeze On By is undefeated in two starts, including a sensational front-running six-length victory in his July 12 debut at Gulfstream. Stonehedge and Nicks will also be represented by Seazan, a son of Khozan who broke his maiden in his second career start on the Dr. Fager undercard.

Gatsby, a homebred son of Brethren who finished 8 ¼ lengths clear of the third-place finisher in the Dr. Fager, won his April 12 debut, in which he chased odds-on favorite Golden Pal into the stretch before edging away to victory by three-quarters of a length. The Wesley Ward-trained Golden Pal went on to finish second in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot, while Gatsby finished off-the-board in the June 27 Bashford Manor (G3) at Churchill Downs. Gatsby rebounded with a strong effort in the Dr. Fager.

The field for the seven-furlong Affirmed is also expected to include Kenneth Fishbein's Boca Boy and Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa's Famous Gent, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Dr. Fager.

Kenny McPeek, who trains the No. 1-ranked 3-year-old filly in the country in Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and Alabama (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver, will seek dominance in the Florida Sire Stakes filly division with newcomer Raining Sunshine in the $200,000 Susan's Girl . Martin Erin Haught's homebred daughter of First Dude graduated in her second career start while romping to a 5 ¾-length maiden victory at Gulfstream Aug. 2.

Stonehedge LLC, which has won 14 Florida Sire Stakes series races, will also be well represented in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl by Go Jo Jo Go, who captured the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series for fillies. The Michael Yates-trained daughter of Khozan closed from last to capture the $100,000 Desert Vixen by 1 ¼ lengths over favored Princess Secret. Stonehedge LLC will also be represented by Oh Deborah, a Ralph Nicks-trained daughter of Winslow Homer who debuted with a 3 ½-length victory in a $50,000 maiden claiming race by 3 ¼ lengths July 19.

Princess Secret, a daughter of Khozan owned and trained by Daniel Pita, is expected to try to make amends in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl. Princess Secret, who debuted May 7 with a four-length victory, finished a troubled second behind highly regarded Papetu while taking on the boys in a July 5 allowance before finishing second in the Desert Vixen.

Arindel's Freak, a daughter of Brethren who finished a nose behind Princess Secret while checking in third in the Desert Vixen, is slated to return in the Susan's Girl. Arindel will also be represented by Lyrical, a daughter of Brethren who finished sixth in the Desert Vixen.

Trainer Steven Dwoskin's Alluramore, a daughter of Gone Astray who finished an even fourth in the Desert Vixen, is expected to run in the Susan's Girl.

The Florida Sire Stakes series is scheduled to wrap up Sept. 26 with the $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies.

The post Breeze On By, Gatsby Prep For Rematch In Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed Division appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘Ornery’ Shivaree Will Be Tested Over Travers’ Mile And A Quarter

Jacks or Better Farm has made far more than its fair share of noise on the Florida circuit over the past 20 years, but on Saturday the Ocala-based operation seeks its first graded stakes triumph at Saratoga when Shivaree competes in the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers.

Trained by Ralph Nicks, Shivaree is the most seasoned horse in the “Mid-Summer Derby” field with a dozen starts under his belt, including a runner-up finish behind Runhappy Travers favorite Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Florida Derby in March. The son of Awesome of Course has maintained consistent form throughout his 12 starts with a 3-3-2 record, but arrives at the Runhappy Travers a distant 11th in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland.

Fred Brei, proprietor of Jacks or Better Farm, said the Blue Grass effort was puzzling and he is hoping for a return to form with Shivaree charting a course toward the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

“We have no idea what happened in his last race. That was the first time he hadn't shown up for us in a long time,” said Brei. “At this point, he'll let us know whether he likes a mile and a quarter. That's one of the reasons we're here.”

Shivaree was foaled and raised at Jacks or Better Farm, and Brei said Shivaree was a bit of a handful as a 2-year-old.

“As a yearling he was rather normal for a colt. No more energetic and no less energetic than the others,” Brei said. “But as a 2-year-old he was ornery. He did whatever he pleased, whether you liked it or not. It wasn't until our fifth start before he broke his maiden. Not because he didn't have the ability, he just wouldn't center his brain on running was all. That's just the way he was for basically most of his 2-year-old year.”

Shivaree graduated by besting fellow Florida-breds by 9 ½ lengths at Gulfstream Park West. His full brother Garter and Tie, who ran ninth in last year's Grade 2 Amsterdam at the Spa, didn't break his maiden until his fourth start but subsequently became a three-time stakes winner. Both are out of two-time stakes winner Garter Belt.

“I would say they're all hardheaded,” Brei said of the family which includes three other six-digit earners. “Garter Belt was the same way. The mare gives you those horses that have to get racing in their brain, and you get it there from running not from training. Shivaree just took a fairly long time. We race 2-year-olds and we have for 20 years. For us to have a 2-year-old take four times to show you they can win a race is uncommon.”

With 40 qualifying points from a runner-up effort in the Florida Derby, Shivaree is 14th on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard. His upcoming effort in the Runhappy Travers, which offers 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top four finishers, will be telling for his connections.

A win in the Travers would be a first Grade 1 victory for the farm since Awesome Feather won the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs.

“The Travers would be a fantastic race for us to win,” Brei said. “It would show us that we belong in the Derby. Also, it would be the first big race winner since Feather.”

Shivaree has had some time to get acclimated to the Saratoga main track, having breezed five furlongs in 1:03.20 on August 1.

“He's been up there for a week and he seems to be taking to it well. Ralph sent me pictures Wednesday morning and Shivaree seems to be enjoying himself,” Brei said.

Shivaree is from the same family as many of Jacks or Better's most notable runners including millionaire Jackson Bend, who was third in the 2010 Preakness, and multiple graded stakes winner Fort Loudon.

The post ‘Ornery’ Shivaree Will Be Tested Over Travers’ Mile And A Quarter appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘It Was Perfect,’ Tagg Says Of Tiz The Law’s Final Runhappy Travers Work

Sackatoga Stable's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-champ Tiz the Law was the first horse on the main track at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Saturday morning, breezing five furlongs in 59.44 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers slated for August 8.

“I wanted to go in a minute and he went in a minute. It was perfect,” said trainer Barclay Tagg. “We couldn't have worked better. He came back good and he was breathing good. Everything was good. He's a gem to work with. He is doing perfectly as far as I'm concerned. I don't know what else we can do for him. I like this colt. Why wouldn't you? We've got a nice horse.”

The “Mid-Summer Derby,” to be contested at 1 1/4 miles for the country's most talented 3-year-olds, is one of three Grade 1s on the day, joining the $300,000 Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going seven furlongs in a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

The day will also see sophomore fillies compete in the prestigious Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Test at seven furlongs, with the card bolstered by the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint for older males, and the Grade 3, $150,000 Waya, a 1 ½-mile turf route for older fillies and mares.

Sent out at 5:30 a.m., Tiz the Law recorded splits of 23.4, 36 and out in 1:13.2 over a fast main track with exercise rider Heather Smullen aboard.

“He's a little more relaxed in the morning,” said Smullen. “He's nice and professional and does his job. There is always adversity. If he sees someone, he will get strong. He will get aggressive. He's a racehorse. Luckily, there was no one out there today. He went out there today and did what I told him to do. He was strong and consistent. It sure seems like it [that he's ready for the Travers]. He's done everything they have asked him to do.”

A three-time Grade 1 winner, the son of second-crop sire Constitution followed up his August 2019 debut win at the Spa with a four-length score in the Grade 1 Champagne in October at Belmont. He completed his juvenile campaign with a close third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club, contested on a sloppy strip at Churchill Downs.

Tiz the Law launched his sophomore season at Gulfstream Park with a three-length romp in the Grade 3 Holy Bull in February. He then dominated the nine-furlong Grade 1 Florida Derby by 4 ¼ lengths on March 28.

Last out, Tiz the Law captured the first leg of the revised Triple Crown when 3 ¾-lengths the best in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Tagg and Sackatoga Stable traveled the Triple Crown road in 2003 with another New York-bred in Funny Cide. The Distorted Humor chestnut prevailed by 1 ¾-lengths in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby under Hall of Famer Jose Santos. He followed up with a 9 ¾-length score in the Grade 1 Preakness, but finished third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes after setting the early pace in his Triple Crown bid.

Sackatoga Stable's operations manager Jack Knowlton said he was pleased with his colt's final preparations.

“Fortunately, he's an easy horse to deal with. He gallops out the way you want him to gallop out. Everything looks as good as it can be,” said Knowlton. “I want to enjoy the next week because it is going to be a lot of fun. We will get to do a lot of things and we will enjoy the moment at Saratoga. Hopefully, everything will work out. We've got four weeks to hopefully win another [Kentucky] Derby.

“It's exciting [to be here for the Travers]. My second biggest disappointment with the whole Funny Cide run was not being able to even run in the Travers,” added Knowlton. “When he got sick, that was a bigger disappointment after not winning the Triple Crown. Now, we've got a second chance. It's not often you get second chances the way we have with this horse and to do things that we couldn't do. We checked one box by winning the Belmont. It would be wonderful to check this box to win the Travers. I have a lot of confidence that he's going to get the mile and a quarter.”

Bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the graded stakes-winning Tiznow broodmare Tizfiz. He has accumulated earnings of $1,480,300.

Tiz the Law, who leads all contenders with 272 Derby qualifying points, will contest a unique Triple Crown scenario that will continue with the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, rescheduled from Saturday, May 2 to Saturday, September 5, as the second leg of the Classic series. The Grade 1 Preakness, originally slated for May 16, will close out the Triple Crown on October 3 at Pimlico Race Course.

Runhappy Travers contenders Country Grammer and Shivaree breezed at 8:45 a.m. after the break on the Saratoga main track, while possible entrant Mystic Guide breezed at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Maryland.

Paul Pompa, Jr.'s Country Grammer, last out winner of the Grade 3 Peter Pan for trainer Chad Brown, worked a half-mile in company Saturday morning on the main track in 47.66. The Tonalist bay was clocked the opening quarter-mile in 24 flat.

A maiden winner at second asking when travelling nine furlongs in November at the Big A, Country Grammer was fifth in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in his seasonal debut in February at Gulfstream. Following a closing third in a one-turn, 1 1/16-mile allowance event on June 4 at Belmont, Country Grammer made his return to two turns a winning one in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan on Opening Day July 16 at Saratoga.

The experienced Shivaree, trained by Ralph Nicks for Jacks or Better Farm, was clocked five furlongs in 1:03.27 after the break on the Saratoga main.

“It looked like he went well. He's a tough horse and he handles everything fine,” said Nicks. “He handled shipping up there fine. He seems to be in good form. It was a nice maintenance breeze on the bridle, just kind of cruising around there this morning so all is well. We decided last week to take a shot, and everything's good.”

The Awesome of Course colt, a Florida homebred, boasts a record of 12-3-3-2 with purse earnings of $345,505. He captured the Buffalo Man and Limehouse at Gulfstream to kick off his 3-year-old campaign and was the runner-up in both the Grade 3 Swale and Grade 1 Florida Derby at the Hallandale Beach oval. Last out, Shivaree failed to fire when 11th in the Grade 2 Blue Grass on July 11 at Keeneland.

Junior Alvarado will have the call in the Runhappy Travers.

Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide, a late-running third in the Grade 3 Peter Pan for trainer Mike Stidham, added blinkers for his five-eighths work in 1:01 flat Saturday at Fair Hill.

“We felt like he was a little more handy with the blinkers on,” said Stidham. “He broke off three lengths behind another horse. We told the rider to stay even with the other horse down to the wire and he galloped out well. He went out in 13 and change. I was very happy with the addition of blinkers.”

Stidham said he will consider both the Runhappy Travers and the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy at nine furlongs on September 5 for Mystic Guide.

“We're considering the Travers and we're also considering maybe waiting and running in the Jim Dandy,” said Stidham. “We haven't decided yet but this definitely was a work we were going to use to see if the blinkers helped, which they seemed to, and then decide how aggressive we want to be. Obviously, going into the Travers would be a bit of an aggressive move.”

By Ghostzapper, the Kentucky homebred colt is out of five-time Grade 1-winner Music Note. Mystic Guide made his first two starts at Fair Grounds including a debut third in a six-furlong sprint in February ahead of a five-length maiden score when travelling 1 1/16-miles on March 21 that earned an 84 Beyer.

Mystic Guide rallied to finish second behind Tap It to Win in a June 4 allowance around one-turn with eventual Peter Pan victor and likely Runhappy Travers rival Country Grammer 1 1/2-lengths back in third.

With Jose Ortiz aboard for the first time in the Peter Pan, Mystic Guide settled in eighth position in the nine-furlong event rallying wide to finish third, 3 1/2-lengths back of the victorious Country Grammer, who was a neck better than Caracaro.

The probable field for the Runhappy Travers, which offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers, is also expected to include Caracaro [Gustavo Delgado], Max Player [Linda Rice], Uncle Chuck [Bob Baffert] and South Bend [Bill Mott].

The post ‘It Was Perfect,’ Tagg Says Of Tiz The Law’s Final Runhappy Travers Work appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post