ride a comet | Horse Racing Free Tips

Colonel Liam Favored In Ultra-Competitive Turf Classic

Saturday's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic brings together this country's best turf runners currently in training, and Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) has an opportunity to cement his status at the top of the heap in a race with several winning chances.

The $50,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.2-million OBS April breezer is four-for-five on the grass, his lone defeat coming at the hooves of Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) when beaten a half-length into fourth in the Saratoga Derby last August. Given some rest following that hard effort, the immaculately bred gray colt has been untouchable since, with victories in the Tropical Park Derby, the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf–with Lasix off, by rule–and a latest success in the GII Muniz Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds Mar. 20. He races without Lasix again Saturday, but the waters are considerably deeper.

Domestic Spending would go on to frank the form of his Saratoga success in his lone other sophomore appearance, a fast-finishing defeat of the re-opposing Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) in the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar Nov. 28. With Irad Ortiz, Jr. sticking with Colonel Liam, trainer Chad Brown has reached out to Flavien Prat for the ride.

Digital Age (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is the defending champion, having returned a juicy 8.60-1 when closing from ninth of 10 to score by 3/4 of a length in September. He is best forgiven for his 11th in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile in November, as the trip was likely on the short side and he found himself last early with too much to do against Grade I milers. Whereas he had the benefit of race fitness last summer, he races first off a six-month absence here.

Like Domestic Spending, Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}) is a Hollywood Derby winner, having scored in 2018, and has since returned from a 2-year vacation to win three of five starts. The 6-year-old beat recent Elusive Quality S. winner Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) in the GIII Tropical Park Turf S. at Gulfstream Jan. 9, but was bumped at the start of the GI F.E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita Mar. 6 and was seventh, though not beaten far, behind the talented Hit The Road (More Than Ready). Ride a Comet rallied from last of nine to round out the exacta underneath Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) when last seen in the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Apr. 9, but he clearly handles this trip and is sneaky here at a price. A Grade I victory would be very meaningful for this half-brother to GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit).

The post Colonel Liam Favored In Ultra-Competitive Turf Classic appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Maker’s Mark Mile: Heads Up Ride From Irad Ortiz Lands Raging Bull In The Winner’s Circle

With a quick pace to chase down, reigning champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. made a bold decision to move a bit earlier than his late-running rivals in Friday's Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Race Course. The choice paid off in a big way when the frontrunners dropped back and Raging Bull got a head start down the stretch, growing bold on the lead and pulling away to win by two lengths on the wire. It was the first win since May of 2020 for Peter Brant's 6-year-old son of Dark Angel, who completed a mile over the “good” turf in 1:33.86.

Trained by Chad Brown and sent to post at odds of 7-2, Raging Bull is now a three-time Grade 1 winner with a record of 7-3-3 from 18 lifetime starts, and total earnings of nearly $1.5 million.

“Both horses (Raging Bull and stablemate and third-place finisher Sacred Life [FR]) ran great, especially given the layoffs they were facing,” Brown said. “Raging Bull got a great trip and setup. He's much more effective with a solid pace in front of him. Irad deserves a lot of credit for getting him into the race early and securing a great spot into the first turn.”

An early speed battle erupted between Get Smokin, Somelikeithotbrown, and Flying Scotsman, who traded punches through fractions of :22.47 and :45.65. Ortiz had Raging Bull settled just behind Field Pass in fifth against the rail, no more than four lengths behind the leaders down the backstretch.

At the three-eighths pole, Ortiz sent Raging Bull hard up the rail to take third, then angled out sharply to maintain his momentum while three wide as the leaders straightened for home. Raging Bull easily inherited the lead, and had more than enough left to hold off the deep closers through the length of the stretch.

Ride A Comet ran on credibly to finish second, while Sacred Life was third. Field Pass checked in fourth, and 5-2 favorite Hit the Road was fifth.

“He was traveling so good down the backside,” Ortiz said of Raging Bull. “I was close to the leaders. I tried to stay in contact with the field. He broke sharp today. I had an advantage there. The first turn, I let him run then I slowed him down. He relaxed so well. He was like 3 or 4 lengths behind the leaders. I said I'm just gonna wait until it's time to go. By the three-eighths pole, I saw some separation so I went for it a little early. He responded well, so I just went for it. He still had something at the end.”

Bred in France by Dayton Investments Limited, Raging Bull is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Rosa Bonheur, a daughter of five-time graded stakes winner Rolly Polly (Mukaddamah).

The post Maker’s Mark Mile: Heads Up Ride From Irad Ortiz Lands Raging Bull In The Winner’s Circle appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Comet Rides Hot Streak into Kilroe Mile

Ride a Comet (Candy Ride {Arg}) rides a four-race win streak into his first try at the highest level in Saturday's GI Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita. Starting off his hot streak with a victory in the GII Del Mar Derby in September of 2018, the blue-blooded bay was on the sidelines for 25 months and returned with an optional claimer score on the Woodbine synthetic Oct. 16. Capturing the GII Kennedy Road S. over that oval Nov. 21, he won the GIII Tropical Turf S. back on the grass at Gulfstream Jan. 9.

Another horse on a hot streak is Hit the Road (More Than Ready). Capturing a local optional claimer in May, the bay took the Oceanside S. at Del Mar July 10 and was subsequently shelved. He returned with a decisive victory in this course-and-distance GIII Thunder Road S. Feb. 6.

Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) came up a head short of Grade I glory two starts back and looks to break through at the top level this time. Winner of the GIII La Jolla H. last summer, the bay was fourth in the GII American Turf S. Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, but rebounded with a victory in the GII Twilight Derby back in Arcadia Oct. 18. He was a very close second next out in the GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 28 and returned to the winner's circle next time in the GII Mathis Brothers Mile Dec. 26.

The post Comet Rides Hot Streak into Kilroe Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Additional Invitees Listed For Pegasus World Cup, World Cup Turf

Gulfstream Park officials announced Sunday additional invitations to the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), to be held Saturday, Jan. 23 at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.

Independence Hall, a 12 ¼-length winner of the Nashua (G2) at two and runner-up in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at three, and Coastal Defense, fourth Nov. 27 in the Clark (G1), have received invitations for the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup and have been added to the also-eligible list.

Moving into the main body of the Pegasus World Cup from the also-eligible list are Grade 1 winner Math Wizard and Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner King Guillermo.

Ride a Comet, an impressive winner Saturday of the Tropical Turf (G3), has been invited to the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf and was placed on the also-eligible list. Moving into the main body of the Pegasus Turf is Next Shares and Field Pass.

Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at Pegasusworldcup.com.

Fans can watch and wager on the Pegasus World Cup at 1stbet.com and xpressbet.com.

Independence Hall, a 4-year-old son of Constitution, returned from an eight-month layoff to win under allowance conditions in November at Del Mar before finishing fifth Dec. 26 behind Charlatan in the Malibu (G1). Independence Hall is trained by Michael McCarthy, who trained 2019 Pegasus World Cup winner City of Light.

Dale Romans, who saddled Mr Freeze to a second-place finish last year behind Mucho Gusto in the Pegasus World Cup, trains Coastal Defense. A 5-year-old son of Curlin, Coastal Defense was fourth in the Clark as well as the Oct. 10 Fayette (G2).

John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm LLC's Ride a Comet is undefeated in four starts since returning from a two-year layoff. The 6-year-old son of Candy Ride, trained by Mark Casse, also won the Kennedy Road (G2) in November at Woodbine.

The post Additional Invitees Listed For Pegasus World Cup, World Cup Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post