Rich Strike | Horse Racing Free Tips

Top Contenders Put in Final Belmont Breezes

Several major contenders for next week's $1.5-million GI Belmont S. completed their final serious preparations Saturday morning. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher seeks his fourth Belmont trophy, and sent out his pair of representatives, GII Wood Memorial S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and GI Longines Kentucky Oaks runner-up Nest (Curlin), to an in-company half in :49.90 (68/129) over the Belmont training track. Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Jose Ortiz, respectively, piloted the pair, who Pletcher caught breaking off in :24.80 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14 and seven furlongs in 1:27.20.

“I thought it was good. I liked the way they finished and galloped out,” Pletcher said. “Those horses seem to be in good form. This was more of a maintenance work. They had a strong work last week with a big, long gallop out. This week we wanted just a maintenance type of work, which they were able to execute properly.”

Mo Donegal exits a fast-finishing fifth in the GI Kentucky Derby May 7, while GI Central Bank Ashland S. heroine Nest will look to become Pletcher's second filly to win this race, following in the hoofsteps of 2010 heroine Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy).

Also appearing on the Belmont tab was WinStar Farm, CMNWLTH and Siena Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' We the People (Constitution), who covered a solo half-mile on the main track in :47.59 (9/66, out in 1:00.40). Two-for-two at Oaklawn to kick off his career, the $230,000 FTFMAR acquisition bounced back from a seventh-place run in the GI Arkansas Derby Apr. 2 to air by 10 1/4 lengths in the local GIII Peter Pan S. May 14.

“It was a little fast,” said trainer Rodolphe Brisset. “The track with the moisture in it will carry you. He couldn't have done it any easier. He was just galloping. He repeated what we've been seeing the whole time here. It looked like he really enjoyed it to me. We've got to have a good week now.”

Belmont longshot Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), fifth in the GI Preakness S. May 21, breezed a five-eighths over Big Sandy in 1:02.41 (13/17).

“We're coming back in three weeks, so we weren't looking for much. We wanted a steady, long and easy breeze and that's what we got,” trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said.

GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) put in a strong two-mile gallop Saturday.

“He was great,” said conditioner Eric Reed. “The rider said he was moving good and liked it. When he came down the stretch, I was loving the way he was moving today. He can get into his stride and not get distracted here. We went two miles today and tomorrow we'll probably back it up a little bit.”

The post Top Contenders Put in Final Belmont Breezes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Derby Winner Rich Strike Has His First Gallop at Belmont

Rich Strike (Keen Ice), upset winner of the GI Kentucky Derby, got his first look at the Belmont Park main track on Thursday, galloping 1 1/2 miles over the sloppy going with regular exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes in the irons. The chestnut arrived at Belmont early Wednesday morning to prepare for the GI Belmont S. on June 11.

“It seems like he's done everything a little bit better than I thought he would,” said trainer Eric Reed. “We actually took him out yesterday and we were going to give him one turn–the rider said he wanted to give him another, so he went twice on the [training] track and got used to the pony and made a friend there. Today, we took him to the main track. It was a little wet, so we just went one time around and we kind of made him go at our pace. He didn't care for that. His ears were back and he was wanting to go. So, tomorrow he'll get a chance to go out and train like normal.”

Lagunes added, “He's happy. I think he likes this track. He was pretty fresh and was pulling a little, but he's more relaxed here than at Churchill Downs. There [at Churchill], there are a lot of horses and a lot of traffic and he gets a little stressed. But not here.”

The post Derby Winner Rich Strike Has His First Gallop at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike Arrives at Belmont

GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Rich Strike (Keen Ice) arrived in New York by van from Kentucky at 1 a.m. Wednesday to prepare for the GI Belmont S. June 11.

With exercise rider Gabriel Lagunes up, Rich Strike visited Belmont's dirt training track at 9:30 a.m. with the accompaniment of outrider Juan Galvez and his pony Stormy, making two laps the wrong way round.

“He settled down a lot the second time round. A lot of that was trying to get him used to the pony. You could see the farther he went the better he accepted the pony,” trainer Eric Reed said. “I think by the end of the week they'll be good buddies and on race day he needs a buddy. He'll sleep the rest of the day. I know he's tired, he just doesn't show it.”

Going forward Rich Strike will school in the paddock in the morning before training on the main track.

“He's so routine oriented. We're in a new place, so we can set his routine here and in two days, he'll be fine,” Reed said.

Reed said if Rich Strike continues to move forward their long-term target would be the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 27 at Saratoga.

“The owners always wanted to run him in the Travers and I think it's a good spot for him,” Reed said. “If all the horses are freshened and ready that could be a heck of a field in the Travers with Epicenter, Zandon, Early Voting and whoever comes out of this race. It could be a great, great race.”

The post Kentucky Derby Winner Rich Strike Arrives at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Rich Strike Breezes Bullet Five Furlongs

RED-TR Racing's GI Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) dazzled fans Monday at Churchill Downs with a five-furlong move in :59 between Races 5-6 in his final major preparation toward the $1.5 million GI Belmont Stakes S. June 11.

With rider Gabe Lagunes in the saddle, Rich Strike clipped off eighth-mile fractions of :11.80, :23.20 and :34.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Robertson. The 80-1 upset winner of the Derby galloped out six furlongs in 1:12 and completed seven furlongs in 1:26.

Trainer Eric Reed watched the work from the backside so he could watch his prized colt gallop out and supervise him coming off the track.

“He got away real well and worked exactly like we wanted him to do,” Reed said. “The track was a little quicker since it was in the afternoon but it was exactly what we wanted to do. Yesterday he was starting to relax in the morning. After some time away from the races that's sort of what we've seen from him. There's no doubt about his confidence. We've seen him come off the track in mornings more playful. It's like he knows what he did in the Derby. I still don't think we've seen the best of him.”

Rich Strike is scheduled to leave early Tuesday morning to compete in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont, the third jewel of racing's Triple Crown. Reed and owner Rick Dawson opted to skip the second leg, the $1.5 million GI Preakness S., to give Rich Strike more time between starts. The former $30,000 claimer has been based at Churchill Downs' Barn 17 for nearly two weeks.

“We're going on with the year with no regrets,” Reed said. “We did what was best for Ritchie and I'm confident we made the right decision.”

The post Rich Strike Breezes Bullet Five Furlongs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post