Rockemperor (Ire) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dose Of Weekend Graded Stakes A Cure For Any Breeders’ Cup Hangover

Sailing into the weekend fresh off the Breeders' Cup might sound like a bit of a letdown, but there is some graded racing scheduled that will cure any hangover of the purple and white variety.

Across a triad of tracks, including Aqueduct, Woodbine and Churchill Downs, we find both Grade II and Grade III races over the turf and the Tapeta which should come as a welcome dose.

First on Saturday, the Big A cards the GIII Pebbles S., which is a one mile battle on the Inner Turf. If Chad Brown trainee Rhiannon (Medaglia d'Oro) can build on her first grass attempt at second asking, which was an impressive seven-length score Sept. 16, then she's the pick.

Before we send the bay filly straight to the winner's circle, don't count out her stablemate, Startup Mentality (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who debuted a winner at Monmouth Park July 22. Nor should we negate the talent of GI Coaching Club Oaks runner-up Sacred Wish (Not This Time). The George Weaver trainee finished just off the board in the GIII Valley View S. at Keeneland Oct. 27.

Towards the end of the Aqueduct card the renewal of the GII Red Smith S. includes a number of experienced older turf experts who will take on the 3-year-old upstart and younger brother to MGISW Nest (Curlin) in Lost Ark (Violence). Last seen winning the off the turf GI Jockey Club Invitational Oct. 7 during the Belmont at the Big A meet, the Todd Pletcher trainee is going to have his work cut out for him against the likes of MGISP Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and GSW Verstappen (War Front).

The Sunday action concludes in Ozone Park with the GIII Long Island S., which will be headlined by GSW Vergara (Noble Mission {GB}).

Heading to Canada, Woodbine Racetrack puts on a pair of Saturday graded stakes races in the GIII Maple Leaf and the GII Bessarabian. Both have large fields, but the latter might be the most intriguing with several alums present from the GIII Ontario Fashion S. Oct. 14. Out of the bunch, look for GSW Loyalty (Hard Spun) to get back to her winning ways for Gainesway Stable and LNJ Foxwoods.

Trucking down to Churchill Downs that same afternoon, the GIII River City S. is a nine-furlong route over the Matt Winn Turf Course. You'll recognize stalwarts GISW Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and GSW Cellist (big Blue Kitten), plus older colts like GSW Kitodan (Point of Entry), GSP Smokin' T (War Front) and GSW Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro). A mark of consistency, SP Siege of Boston (War Front) takes his first shot at graded company for owner Joseph Allen and trainer James Toner.

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Brown Brigade Readies for Breeders’ Cup

Several of runners targeting next month's Breeders' Cup at Del Mar breezed for trainer Chad Brown at Belmont Saturday, including Oct. 2 GI Champagne S. winner Jack Christopher (Munnings), who worked a half-mile in :49.05. According to Brown, the Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant-owned colt remains on target for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5.

“He was great,” said Brown. He was in control the entire way and galloped out super. He came back good.”

Also on Saturday's worktab, Klaravich Stables' multiple Grade I-winner Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) breezed five-eighths in 1:01.85 in company with Peter Brant's multiple Grade I-winner Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

“They went excellent this morning,” said Brown. “Both horses are on target for the Breeders' Cup.

Domestic Spending, who will target the Turf, is a winner of a trio of Grade Is including this season's Manhattan and a co-topping effort with Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) in the May 1 Turf Classic. Most recently, he was a closing second in the GI Mr. D on Aug. 14 at Arlington Park.

“He breezed great today and galloped out strong. He's very fit,” Brown said.

According to Brown, Raging Bull, a closing third in the Sept. 18 GI Woodbine Mile, will make his next start in the Mile.

“He's looking for really fast ground and I expect to get that at Del Mar,” added Brown.

In addition to Domestic Spending, Brown is also aiming GI United Nations scorer Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) and GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. victor Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) at the 12-furlong test. The former worked five panels in 1:00.50 in company with Group 2-placed filly Nazuna (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (1:00.40).

Targeting the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, Peter Brant's My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso's Orglandes worked a half-mile in company over the inner turf. The 11-furlong GIII Waya S. winner went in :49.23, while the latter completed the task in :49.26.

“The mile and three eighths is a good trip for her,” Brown said of the half-sister to champion Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}).

Also on target for the F&M Turf, Juddmonte's Pocket Square (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) worked five furlongs in 1:02.02 with Tamahere (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (1:02.11) over the inner turf.

“The filly is training pretty good. I'm going to pre-enter her in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and see what it looks like,” said Brown of the Sept. 25 GIII Athenia S. winner. “Her last race really changed my mind about her. I thought she ran good at that distance and the way she galloped out steady. If she's good enough or not, I'm not sure. It's not a definite she's going but I want to take a look at it and see.”

Klaravich Stables' Portfolio Company (Kitten's Joy) breezed a half-mile in :49.41 in company with General Ken (Violence), a recent private purchase for an ownership led by Louis Lazzinnaro. A maiden winner, Portfolio Company was runner up in the GIII With Anticipation S. in September at Saratoga and GII Pilgrim S. Oct. 3 at Belmont. He is targeting the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Brown also confirmed that Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}), last out winner of the GII Beldame S., will target the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}), recent winner of Keeneland's GI First Lady S., would be pre-entered to the Mile.

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Rockemperor Leads Home Longshot Chad-zacta in Joe Hirsch

Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) led home one of the better-paying Chad Brown-trained exactas in recent memory in Saturday's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. The French Group 3-placed runner was fifth as the favorite in this race last year after a close second in the GI Manhattan S. to stablemate Instilled Regard (Arch) in July and a third to fellow Brown pupil Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. at Churchill that September.

He kicked off this season with a third in the GII Fort Marcy S. May 1 behind yet another stablemate, and was fifth to Brown's highly regarded Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the local GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. June 5. The bay got a chance to build some confidence with an easy optional claiming tally here June 26, and was second to re-opposing Cross Border (English Channel) in the GII Bowling Green S. at the Spa July 31 before settling for fourth behind race favorite Gufo (Declaration of War) in the GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. upstate Aug. 28.

Dismissed at 15-1 while shedding blinkers for the first time since the Fort Marcy, Rockemperor had only race favorite Gufo beaten as they raced under the line for the first time. He was still patiently ridden after a mile in 1:38.62 and as Gufo went for what would prove a premature run. Rockemperor swept past foes widest leaving the home bend, put away the leg-weary Gufo and the rest of his rivals in upper stretch and poured it on from there to score by two lengths. Lightly raced Serve the King (GB) (Kingman {GB}) rallied into second over Gufo. The all-Brown exacta paid $178.50 for $2.

“I think he's the type of horse that's always keen going a long distance and is always pulling right away. I think the key is [Brown] told me he wanted to take off the blinkers,” winning pilot Javier Castellano said. “He's a funny horse because if you leave him too far back, he doesn't come. I think he was in the right place at the right time today. I think he was behind and it felt they went pretty quick, and he relaxed so well. When Gufo moved it gave me the opportunity to get to following. It was a key decision to get to win the race.”

This was the third Joe Hirsch win for Brown, who noted that Rockemperor was a supplemental entry into Saturday's event.

“Serve the King was always running here and Rockemperor was entered in an allowance race the other day and the race didn't go. I have to give credit to [co-owner] Sol Kumin, he was the first one to text me and say, 'Shouldn't we think about the Joe Hirsch?' Why not? He was doing really good and I've been really impressed with the horse in the morning. He's always a good work horse.”

Brown continued, “We put a different bit in his mouth for a little more control. He got a little rank on us lately. For a horse that was always lazy the first half of his career, I couldn't really get him to kick like he showed in his works. He was one paced. I put blinkers on him to get him motivated and warm him up in the post parade–everything you do to try and put a horse more in the game. It came to a boiling point in the last race because he overcompensated and was way out of control with [jockey] Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] and bothered [stablemate] Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) in the race.”

As for a potential start, or two, in the GI Breeders ' Cup Turf next month, Brown said, “Both horses–you'd have to look at it. We'll see how the figures come back, but I'm not going to make any decisions right now. Serve the King ran second and to be fair he had a lot of trouble in the stretch. He looked like he would've had a chance to win as well. They would have been very close at the wire if he'd had a better trip.”

Brown-trained mares would run 1-2 in Keeneland's GI First Lady S. about an hour after the Joe Hirsch.

Saturday, Belmont Park
JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $500,000, Belmont, 10-9, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:25.61, fm.
1–ROCKEMPEROR (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
                1st Dam: Motivation (Fr) (SP-Fr), by Muhtathir (GB)
                2nd Dam: Jade Island, by Jade Hunter
                3rd Dam: Nijinsky's Best, by Nijinsky II
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
   WIN. (€50,000 Ylg '17 ARAUG; €12,000 2yo '18 ARQMAY).
O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables,
Michael E. Kisber & Michael J. Caruso; B-Haras du Mezeray
(IRE); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Javier Castellano. $275,000. Lifetime
Record: GSP-Fr, 20-4-5-6, $914,404. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Serve the King (GB), 126, h, 5, Kingman (GB)–Fallen In Love
(GB), by Galileo (Ire). (260,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Peter M.
Brant; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $100,000.
3–Gufo, 126, c, 4, Declaration of War–Floy, by Petionville.
O-Otter Bend Stables, LLC; B-John Little & Stephen Cainelli
(KY); T-Christophe Clement. $60,000.
Margins: 2, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 15.60, 14.80, 1.85.
Also Ran: Channel Maker, Arklow, Japan (GB), Cross Border.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Pedigree Notes:
Rockemperor becomes the 14th highest-level winner, 49th graded/group winner and 90th black-type winner for Coolmore veteran Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). He is the 13th stakes winner (nine group or graded) for broodmare sire Muhthathir (GB). He hails from the extended female family of MGISW and GI Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up Yagli and important female influences Blush With Pride and her daughter Better Than Honour. The winner's dam Motivation has an unraced 2-year-old by Almanzor (Fr). She sold for €160,000 to Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock while in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB) at the 2019 Arqana December breeding stock sale.

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Brown Packs Triple-Punch in Churchill’s Turf Classic

A fixture in the highest level grass events on racing’s biggest days, Chad Brown offers a three-pronged attack in Saturday’s GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. Listed at 7-2 on the morningline is Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), a close-up second in Santa Anita’s GII Charles Whittingham S. May 23, but subsequently demoted to third, followed by another runner-up finish in Belmont’s GI Manhattan S. July 4. Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) has proven consistent if not sparkling since his arrival in the U.S. last season. Second in the Lure S. and GII Bernard Baruch H. at Saratoga last summer, the French bred recorded his first American win in a Keeneland allowance last October before rounding out the year with a narrow second to Next Shares (Archarcharch) in Del Mar’s GII Seabiscuit H. in November. Fourth in his seasonal return in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Jan. 25, he returned from a six-month respite to win Monmouth’s Aug. 9 Oceanport S. Paco Lopez, who was aboard for his latest win, gets the return call. Brown also saddles last year’s GII American Turf S. scorer Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). In his most recent start, the 4-year-old was a 1 1/2-length winner in a Saratoga optional claimer July 18.

Known for his serious turn of foot is Gaining Ground Racing’s Factor This (The Factor), who holds a four-race winning skein heading into this. Third in his seasonal bow in the Colonel E.R. Bradley S. at the Fair Grounds Jan. 18, the 5-year-old won his next two at that venue-the Feb. 15 GIII Fair Grounds S. and GII Muniz Memorial Classic S. Mar. 21-before making it three straight with a neck score over English Bee (Enlish Channel) in Churchill’s GII Wise Dan S. June 20. The well-supported favorite for the 10-furlong Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup S. Aug. 2, he prompted the early pace and proved best late to score by a 1/2 length.

Bowies Hero (Artie Schiller) won last summer’s nine-furlong GII Eddie Read S. and the GI Shadwell Turf Mile S. at Keeneland later that October before finishing fifth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Given plenty of R&R after that effort, he returned with a second on the June 21 GIII American S. before having to settle for fourth in his title defense in the July 26 Eddie Read.

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