road to the kentucky derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

California Shippers Enhance Big Field Expected For Jan. 29 Southwest At Oaklawn

A dozen horses remained under consideration early Sunday afternoon for the $750,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Jan. 29 at Oaklawn, racing secretary Pat Pope said.

Post positions will be drawn Monday for the Southwest, along with two other stakes races Jan. 29 at the Hot Springs, Ark., track. The 1 1/16-mile Southwest is Oaklawn's second of four Kentucky Derby points races, offering 17 to the top four finishes (10-4-2-1) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

Dash Attack, Barber Road, Ignitis, Vivar and Barber Road, the 1-2-3-5-7 finishers, respectively, in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 1 are expected to return for the Southwest. The one-mile Smarty Jones was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race.

The Southwest is expected to attract two shippers from Southern California – one for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert (Messier or Newgrange) and one for trainer Doug O'Neill (Slow Down Andy).

Other horses expected to be entered Monday include Dec. 18 Oaklawn maiden special weights graduate Call Me Jamal for trainer Mike Puhich and lightly raced Osbourne for trainer Ron Moquett of Hot Springs. Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, who has 21 of the 103 nominees, is scheduled to have at least one starter in the Southwest, Pope said.

“I see 10 for sure, with the possibility of a dozen,” Pope said. “And we're hoping the plane is scheduled to fly in here.”

A flight carrying five Southern California-based horses for Saturday's stakes tripleheader, including two for Baffert and two for O'Neill, is scheduled to arrive Tuesday in Arkansas, Pope said.

Baffert has dominated Oaklawn's Kentucky Derby prep series the last decade, notching 17 victories since 2010. He has won the Southwest four times.

Messier won the $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) Nov. 14 at Del Mar before finishing second behind Slow Down Andy, beaten a length, in the $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) Dec. 11 at Los Alamitos to close 2021. Newgrange is unbeaten in two career starts, including the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) Jan. 1 at Santa Anita.

Because Baffert has been suspended by Churchill Downs, his horses are ineligible for Kentucky Derby qualifying points. The suspension stems from a possible medication violation involving his 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

Slow Down Andy has won 2 of 3 starts overall, with his only loss a runner-up finish in the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Stakes Nov. 5 at Del Mar. The seven-furlong race was restricted to California-breds. O'Neill and breeder/owner J. Paul Reddam campaigned Slow Down Andy's sire, 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.

Dash Attack collected 10 points for his victory in the Smarty Jones to remain unbeaten in two career starts for trainer Kenny McPeek. Barber Road (John Ortiz), Ignitis (D. Wayne Lukas), Vivar (Brad Cox) and Ben Diesel (Dallas Stewart) are all seeking their first stakes victory.

Osbourne will be making his local debut after finishing second in the $400,000 Springboard Mile Stakes Dec. 17 at Remington Park in his last start. Osbourne, who has raced three times, is a gelded son of 2014 Southwest winner Tapiture.

Post positions also will be drawn Monday for the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes for older sprinters. The Martha Washington is Oaklawn's first of three Kentucky Oaks points races. Like the Southwest, it offers 17 points (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest prize for 3-year-old fillies.

Expected Martha Washington entrants include unbeaten Como Square for Cox, Grade 1 winner Eda (Baffert), multiple stakes winner Optionality (Asmussen), powerful Dec. 31 allowance winner Secret Oath (Lukas) and stakes-placed Tonito's (O'Neill).

Eda and Tonito's finished 1-3, respectively, in the $300,000 Starlet Stakes (G1) Dec. 4 at Los Alamitos. Eda is also ineligible to collect Kentucky Oaks points because of Baffert's suspension by Churchill Downs.

The six-furlong King Cotton field is expected to be headed by Grade I winner Collusion Illusion for trainer Mark Glatt and track record holders Hollis (Ortiz) and Nashville (Asmussen).

Collusion Illusion won the $250,000 Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) in 2020 at Del Mar. Hollis set Oaklawn's 5 ½-furlong mark (1:02.17) in a Dec. 10 allowance race. Runner-up Nashville set Keeneland's 6-furlong track record (1:07.89) in the $125,000 Perryville Stakes for 3-year-olds in 2020 at Keeneland.

The post California Shippers Enhance Big Field Expected For Jan. 29 Southwest At Oaklawn appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sharp Maiden Winner Early Voting Gearing Up For Stakes Debut In Withers

Klaravich Stables' highly-regarded Early Voting took another step forward on Sunday morning when logging a half-mile work over the Belmont training track in preparation for the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on Feb. 5 at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y.

The Chad Brown-trained son of 2021 leading freshman stallion Gun Runner completed the four-furlong move in 49.41 over a fast main track with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard. The breeze was his third work following a career debut maiden victory on Dec. 18.

“He worked really well this morning. Jose was aboard and I was very happy with the work,” said Brown's Belmont-based assistant Dan Stupp.

Breaking his maiden at a one-turn mile, Early Voting stayed in the clear down the backstretch under Ortiz while battling with two other runners up front. He fended off a late rally from Matt Doyle to win by 1 1/2 length, registering a 76 Beyer.

Early Voting appears to be taking a similar path to that of stablemate Risk Taking, who captured last year's Withers following a maiden score.

“I thought Risk Taking was a more forward training horse,” Stupp said. “With Early Voting, you can see the ability, but he's a little green acting. He had a lot to learn and grow up, he had some physical maturing to do, but his first race moved him up quite a bit. Mentally, he's still a work in progress but you can definitely see the progression off that maiden win. I'm excited to see him run back.”

Other probable candidates for the nine-furlong Withers, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers, include Courvoisier, Constitutionlawyer, Cooke Creek, Noneedtoworry, Smarten Up and Un Ojo.

Early Voting, bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm, is out of the unraced Tiznow mare Amour d'Ete – a half-sister to 2004 Champion Sprinter and prolific sire Speightstown and a full-sister to millionaire Irap. All are out of 1995 Canadian Champion Juvenile Filly Silken Cat. Early Voting was purchased for $200,000 from the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency.

Also on the work tab Sunday for Brown was Klaravich Stables' Default Protection, who went a half-mile in 50.01 over the Belmont training track. It was the 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road's second work since a second-out maiden victory on January 2 which she won by 12 1/2 lengths.

“I thought the work was great, just a maintenance half. Jose was on for the work, he rode her last time,” Stupp said. “It was a very good work, exactly what you would want to see. I wanted to see her work today and then get with Chad. She ran a great race to break her maiden over a wet track. I thought she got a lot of good experience out of that race, so we weren't surprised she moved forward. By watching her train, she's got potential to step up.”

The post Sharp Maiden Winner Early Voting Gearing Up For Stakes Debut In Withers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Cooke Creek On Target For Rematch With Courvoisier, Smarten Up In Feb. 5 Withers

Cooke Creek on target for G3 Withers; Undefeated Jet Force set for stakes debut

Cheyenne Stable's Cooke Creek breezed a half-mile in 50.58 over the Belmont dirt training track Jan. 19 in preparation for the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on Feb. 5 at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y. The nine-furlong test for sophomores offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Cooke Creek is one of three Jeremiah O'Dwyer trainees stabled in New York at the barn of Belmont-based trainer Natalia Lynch along with Jet Force and Sibelius.

A dark bay son of Uncle Mo, Cooke Creek finished third as the mutuel favorite last out in the one-turn mile Jerome, contested over a sloppy and sealed main track on New Year's Day.

“Cooke Creek came back here [to Laurel] after the Jerome and I sent him back up to Belmont last week and he breezed there Wednesday,” O'Dwyer said. “He'll have one more breeze at Belmont – I'd love it to be Saturday, but I'll have to see how the weather is going to be. If all goes well, he'll have a nice five-furlong breeze next week and then run in the Withers.”

Cooke Creek made his first two starts at Delaware Park, winning a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight in September ahead of a driving half-length score around two turns in the one-mile Rocky Run in October.

He entered the Jerome from a runner-up effort to Rockefeller in the one-turn mile Grade 3 Nashua on Nov. 7 at Belmont.

Cooke Creek will enjoy a rematch in the Withers with Jerome-winner Courvoisier and runner-up Smarten Up. Although Cooke Creek garnered two Kentucky Derby points for his third-place Jerome effort and is currently 24th on the leaderboard, O'Dwyer said he's not thinking about the first Saturday in May just yet.

“The Withers is going to be another test. You're always hoping you might have a Derby horse, but they have to progress along to get there,” said O'Dwyer, whose past Derby trail success includes a win in the 2019 Grade 2 Remsen with Shotski. “This is the path we're taking and I think it's a good spot for him, going two turns up there. He seems to be fit and well and I think the two turns will help him.

“But the first three that ran in the Jerome are all going to be thinking the same thing – the further they go, the better they'll be,” O'Dwyer added. “The winner of the Jerome broke his maiden going a mile and an eighth up there and the [connections of the] second horse are adamant their horse wants to go further as well, so we're all thinking along the same line. That's why we run them – to find out.”

Orpen Horses' Jet Force, a sophomore daughter of Jimmy Creed, boasts a perfect record through two starts at Penn National. She breezed a half-mile in 53.06 Jan. 19 over the Belmont dirt training track.

A $17,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Pennsylvania-bred chestnut graduated sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs on December 8 and followed up nine days later with a 2 3/4-length score in a six-furlong allowance sprint.

O'Dwyer said Jet Force is nominated to Saturday's $100,000 Xtra Heat, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies at Laurel Park but could also consider the $100,000 Ruthless, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies on Feb. 6 at the Big A.

“She's going to sprint for now. She went an easy half and had a nice gallop out after,” O'Dwyer said. “We'll probably enter in the stakes at Laurel and see how it comes up and we have the Ruthless as a backup.”

Sibelius, a 4-year-old son of Not This Time owned by Jun. H. Park and Delia Nash, has made his last two starts at the Big A, winning a seven-furlong allowance sprint last out on Jan. 8.

“He's ran two nice races up there in New York,” O'Dwyer said. “We'll try and run him through his conditions first of all. There's one for him at the beginning of February going seven-eighths again.”

Bred in Kentucky by Taylor Brothers Properties and Pollock Farms, Sibelius graduated at second asking sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs in April at Keeneland ahead of off-the-board efforts in the off-the-turf Grade 3 Penn Mile in May, the six-furlong Concern in July over the Pimlico main and the seven-furlong Robert Hilton Memorial on August 27 at Charles Town.

O'Dwyer said Sibelius benefited from the more than three-month layoff out of the Charles Town effort.

“He was immature mentally more than anything else and a little bit physically, I guess,” O'Dwyer said. “When he threw in a couple of clunkers, there was nothing wrong with him physically and he was sound, but we just decided to take a step back. We gave him a little turn-out time and let him re-group. Thankfully, it worked. He came back really good and is after running two decent races off the layoff. We hope there's a bit more progression in him.”

The post Cooke Creek On Target For Rematch With Courvoisier, Smarten Up In Feb. 5 Withers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Call Me Midnight Flies Late, Nails Epicenter At The Line For 28-1 Upset In Lecomte

Peter Cantrell's Call Me Midnight sprang a 28-1 upset in Saturday's Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes, flying from the back of the pack to nip pacesetter Epicenter (8-5) by a nose on the wire. The 3-year-old son of Midnight Lute, ridden by James Graham for trainer Keith Desormeaux, completed 1 1/16 miles over the Fair Grounds' fast main track in 1:44.36. The victory earned Call Me Midnight 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Call Me Midnight broke his maiden in his fifth career start with a last-to-first run at Churchill Downs on Nov. 13, but ran poorly next out when seventh in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club on Nov. 27.

“I convinced myself the wrong way to run him back quickly in Louisville,” Desormeaux said. “I wanted to give him another start over the track, but it was ill-conceived… What gives you confidence is the horse's confidence. He was exuding thusly today. He was very calm in the paddock.”

Last-out winner of the Gun Runner Stakes at the Fair Grounds, Epicenter broke sharply and demanded the lead under jockey Joel Rosario. Initially pressed by Surfer Dude through a quarter in 23.40 seconds, Epicenter pulled away to lead by a length and cover the first half in :47.01. Blue Kentucky was up close early, and race-favorite (3-2) Pappacap, last-out second in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, moved up the inside to fourth down the backstretch.

Meanwhile, Call Me Midnight was content to trail from second-last early under Graham. He began picking up rivals around the far turn, and Graham decided on the overland route while maintaining momentum on the outside of his rivals.

Pappacap made his way up the rail to encroach on Epicenter's lead at the head of the lane, but Epicenter never allowed himself to be passed on the inside. However, Call Me Midnight and Graham were in the midst of a huge rally down the center of the racetrack and were just able to catch Epicenter in the final strides.

At the finish it was Call Me Midnight by a nose over Epicenter, with Pappacap just a half-length back in third. Trafalgar finished fourth.

Bred in Kentucky by Hartwell Farm, Call Me Midnight is out of the unraced First Defence mare Overseen. As a weanling, the colt brought a final bid of $25,000 from Milton Lopez at Keeneland November. Unsold for $37,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale, Call Me Midnight returned to the sales ring at OBS October and brought $17,000 from Team Work Horseman Group. Desormeaux selected the colt for Cantrell the next March at OBS, paying $80,000 for the Navas Equine-consignee.

With two wins from seven starts, Call Me Midnight has earned just over $220,000. It was also the first graded stakes win for Cantrell.

The post Call Me Midnight Flies Late, Nails Epicenter At The Line For 28-1 Upset In Lecomte appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post