Rockemperor | Horse Racing Free Tips

Uni Could Try For Redemption In Aug. 22 Fourstardave At Saratoga

Following a third in her seasonal bow in the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 27 to stable mate Newspaperofrecord, reigning Champion Turf Mare Uni is a possibility to face colts in the Grade 1, $400,000 Fourstardave on August 22 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Chad Brown, Uni suffered her only loss of 2019 in last year's Fourstardave, where she made up 17 lengths to finish third, beaten 2 ½ lengths to a track-record setting performance by Got Stormy. The 6-year-old daughter of More Than Ready solidified championship honors in her next two starts in taking the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland where she set a new course record for one mile on the turf and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

“The only Grade 1 going a flat mile on the grass at Saratoga is against boys. Will we try it? Probably,” said Bradley Weisbord of BSW/Crow Bloodstock, who manages Uni on behalf of owners Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta and Bethlehem Stables. “She was an unlucky loser last year to Got Stormy. We could take that route again this year and try to protect our title in the First Lady at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Mile.”

Since joining Brown's all-star shed row in 2017 after beginning her career in France for Fabrice Chappet, Uni has placed in all but one of her 13 starts for the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner, including a total of eight stakes victories over six different tracks. Additionally, all of her last nine starts took place going a flat mile.

“She's won on soft turf before, but [jockey] Joel [Rosario] said she was struggling with the turf that day,” Weisbord said of the Just a Game. “She probably needed the race. She had a splint issue in April and breezed four or five times heading into the Just a Game so she wasn't super cherry heading into the race and you have to be cherry to beat a filly like Newspaperofrecord. Hats off to Chad for getting her back to Grade 1 form. She'll be tough the rest of the year.”

In 2018, Uni won twice over soft and yielding turf in the De La Rose at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont Park. Although the turf was listed as “firm” for the Just a Game, there were rain showers in the Elmont area earlier in the program.

Uni, bred in Great Britain by Haras D'Etreham, is out of the Dansili broodmare Unaided.

Rockemperor who was a close second in the Grade 1 Manhattan to stable mate Instilled Regard, could target the Grade 1, $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic on September 5 at Churchill Downs

The Brown-trained son of Holy Roman Emperor had dead aim on the pacesetters when four-wide at the top of the stretch under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, briefly took command within the final half-furlong, but was nosed out of victory by stablemate Instilled Regard.

“It's hard to know what his best distance his, but a mile and an eighth should hit him right over the head,” Weisbord said. “We've gotten beat a lot in stakes, but what made that such a brutal beat was because he had the horses in front of him collared. I don't think the horse or Johnny saw Instilled Regard coming.”

Still in search of his first North American victory, Rockemperor has placed in four of his five starts in the United States. He made his seasonal bow in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds before being disqualified from second to third in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham at Santa Anita.

Rockemperor is owned by Madaket Stables in partnership with Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael E. Kisber and Bethlehem Stables.

Bred in Ireland by Haras du Mezeray, Rockemperor is out of the Muhtathir broodmare Motivation and comes from the same family as multiple graded stakes winner on turf Yagli. Both hail from the prestigious lineage of prolific broodmare Best In Show.

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Brown Stable Showing No Signs Of Slowing Down After Four-Win Day At Belmont

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown enjoyed a tremendous day at the races on Saturday's Runhappy Met Mile Day card by notching four wins, highlighted by a one-two finish in the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan with Instilled Regard and Rockemperor.

Brown leads all trainers at the Belmont spring/summer meet with 22 wins heading into Sunday's card; a tally boosted Saturday by allowances scores with Tribhuvan and Fortin Hill, as well as a visually-appealing maiden score by Publication.

OXO Equine's Instilled Regard, piloted by Belmont's leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr., demonstrated a tremendous turn of foot to weave between rivals and collar stablemate Rockemperor in the final jump of the 1 ¼-mile inner turf test. The 5-year-old Arch bay, bred in Kentucky by KatieRich Farms, matched the 102 Beyer Speed Figure from his prior score in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy at Belmont.

“The horse really deserved to win a Grade 1. He ran a great race yesterday,” said Brown. “He had been knocking on the door of winning a big race. I'm really proud of the horse. He's improved a lot.”

Instilled Regard launched his career on dirt for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, finishing third in the 2017 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity and fourth in the 2018 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Brown has transformed the talented dark bay into a top-flight turf runner posting solid Grade 1 efforts when third in the 2018 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar and third again in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park to kick off his 2020 campaign.

Brown said Ortiz, Jr, who has earned the last two Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey, is instrumental in the success of Instilled Regard as well as other barn stars such as Grade 1 Runhappy Met Mile runner-up Network Effect.

“He's a really important part of the team. He keeps improving and he's a super talented rider,” said Brown. “He showed that yesterday with several of his rides on our horses. He got the best out of Network Effect in the Met Mile. With Instilled Regard, after getting shuffled on the turn, he was able to get him to rebreak for him again and find his way through traffic to get there. That was a super, super ride.”

Ortiz, Jr. tops the Belmont rider tables with 34 wins heading into Sunday's card, seven more than his brother, Jose.

Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael E. Kisber and Bethlehem Stables' Rockemperor earned a career-best 102 Beyer for his Manhattan effort under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez.

The 4-year-old Holy Roman Emperor colt arrived at the Manhattan off a similar narrow defeat in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham in May at Santa Anita when second by nose to United before being placed third via disqualification.

Brown said Rockemperor, bred in Ireland by Haras du Mezeray, has a top-flight win in his future.

“You'd think so,” said Brown. “He was unlucky to lose yesterday. He probably never saw that horse coming. He ran a super race but he just got nailed on the wire.”

Klaravich Stables' Network Effect saved ground in third position under Ortiz, Jr. in the Runhappy Met Mile. With no room to bid inside of Vekoma as the field straightened away, Ortiz, Jr. tipped Network Effect out and rallied inside of Warrior's Charge before outbattling Code of Honor for second by a neck. The effort marked the third occasion where Network Effect ran second to Vekoma including the last out Grade 1 Runhappy Carter at Belmont and the 2018 Grade 2 Nashua at the Big A.

Brown said the 4-year-old Mark Valeski chestnut is likely to make his next start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Forego, presented by America's Best Racing, a seven-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up on August 29 at Saratoga.

“I think the Forego would be on his radar,” said Brown.

Brown sent a number of his stable stars to breeze on the Belmont turf on Sunday including Peter M. Brant's Sistercharlie who worked five furlongs in 1:02.55 in company with Etoile.

Sistercharlie, a 6-year-old Myboycharlie bay, earned Champion Turf Female honors in 2018 after winning 4-of-5 starts, including Grade 1 wins in the Jenny Wiley at Keeneland, the Diana at Saratoga, the Beverly D. at Arlington Park and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs.

She won 3-of-4 starts last season while defending her titles in the Diana and Beverly D. and adding the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational to her ledger. She last raced in November at Santa Anita when third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Etoile, previously trained by Aidan O'Brien for Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith, posted her third breeze for Brown. The Kentucky-bred War Front bay won the Group 3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Sprint in May 2019 on debut at Naas in Ireland. She was off-the-board in her next two starts when eighth in the Group 1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park at Newmarket and last out in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November at Santa Anita.

Brown said Sistercharlie will make her seasonal debut in the Grade 2, $200,000 Ballston Spa, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for older fillies and mares slated for July 25 at the Spa.

“She's going to go to the Ballston Spa. She's training very well,” said Brown regarding Sistercharlie.

The Brant-owned Raging Bull breezed four furlongs in 50.33 in tandem with John D. Gunther and Eurowest Bloodstock's Without Parole.

Raging Bull, a 5-year-old son of Dark Angel, hit the board in three Grade 1s to close out his 2019 campaign when third in the Manhattan at Belmont, second in the Fourstardave at Saratoga and elevated to third in the Woodbine Mile.

He returned in May with a five-wide rally to capture the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mike at Santa Anita.

Without Parole, still in search of his first win for Brown after three starts, was third in the Shoemaker Mile. The 5-year-old Frankel bay won the Group 1 Qatar Sussex in 2018 at Goodwood for former trainer John Gosden.

Both Raging Bull and Without Parole are headed to Keeneland for the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile on July 10.

“It was their final small piece of work just a few days out from their race at Keeneland. I thought it went perfect,” said Brown. “As long they come out of the work good tomorrow they'll fly out to Keeneland.”

They will be joined on the flight by e Five Racing's Rushing Fall, a four-time Grade 1-winner, who will look to defend her title in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes on July 11 at Keeneland.

Also breezing on the turf Sunday through four furlongs in 49.38 for Brown were Klaravich Stables' Grade 2-winner Digital Age and Shadwell Stable's Mutakatif, a last-out allowance winner at Gulfstream Park in February.

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He’ll Take Manhattan: Instilled Regard Gives Brown Sixth Win In Grade 1 Turf Fixture

As is quickly becoming custom, the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan was dominated by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, who saddled Instilled Regard and Rockemperor to a one-two finish in the prestigious 1 1/4-mile turf race on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The win was Brown's sixth Manhattan victory in nine years. He first won the race in 2012 with Desert Blanc and in 2019 saw his barn complete the trifecta, with champion Bricks and Mortar taking home the top prize.

Mirroring the tight finish on the track, OXO Equine's Instilled Regard and Rockemperor were practically inseparable in the betting as both went off at 2-1 in Brown's quest to win back-to-back editions of the Manhattan for a third time, with Rockemperor the slight favorite as they each sought their first Grade 1 victory.

When the gates opened, Rockemperor gained a distinct advantage over his stablemate heading into the clubhouse turn as Hall of Famer John Velazquez piloted the 4-year-old colt into the garden spot, just off the pace while hugging the fence. Instilled Regard was forced to settle in midpack with the meet's leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard as Cross Border led the eight-horse field through modest splits of 24.56 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, 50.46 for the half, and 1:15.93 for three-quarters on Belmont's firm inner turf course.

From the back of the pack, Sadler's Joy uncorked a menacing rally on the outside, while Rockemperor's fortuitous run continued as he tipped out from behind horses into the stretch and a chasm opened up in front of him. But Ortiz, Jr. deftly navigated Instilled Regard through traffic, making a decisive move to split the pair at the sixteenth pole and then charging home to a neck victory over his stablemate, hitting the wire in 2:02.59.

“They both got really good trips,” said Brown. “Both jockeys did a great job and both horses responded super. It's unfortunate one of them had to lose. In the end, Instilled Regard just made the last move of the chess match. I'm so proud of the horse. He keeps getting better.”

Brown credited his staff for the success in the Manhattan.

“It's a testament to my team,” Brown said after the race. “Through the years a lot of different horses have passed through our hands but much of my same team is intact and they've been working with all these horses. All the credit goes to them.”

The Manhattan marked the second win of the year for Instilled Regard, a son of Arch who also finished third in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational in his 2020 debut. After he started on dirt, running a late-closing fourth-place finish in the 2018 Kentucky Derby while in the barn of Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Instilled Regard has only once finished outside the trifecta on the surface. The Manhattan score bumped his earnings to $983,240, just shy of the million-dollar mark, and he returned $6.30 on a $2 win wager.

“His mind is getting better and better every time he runs on the grass,” said Ortiz. “With this horse, he does everything you want. I like that. I can use it to get in position and he comes back to me so well. He saved all the energy until the end. When I asked him for it, he gave it. I had to work so hard but when I tipped him out, he responded so well. I knew I had a chance to get there, and he got there on time.”

Hard-knocking veteran Sadler's Joy came up just short yet again on the Belmont turf, finishing a half-length behind Rockemperor in third.

“Unfortunately for him, he was at a disadvantage going a mile and a quarter with no pace,” said Javier Castellano, rider of Sadler's Joy. “He was closing very well. I was not disappointed at all in the horse. He always tries and one day, we're going to catch up.”

Channel Maker, Cross Border, Spooky Channel, Devamani and Dot Matrix completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race card First post is 1:15 p.m. Eastern.

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