rodolphe brisset | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hush Of A Storm, Gretzky The Great Headline 100-Point Jeff Ruby Steaks

Joseph P. Morey Trust's $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes winner Hush of a Storm, along with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Grade 1-winning colt Gretzky the Great top a field of 12 3-year-olds that were entered in Saturday afternoon's 50th running of the $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) – the premiere stakes event at Turfway Park's meet.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks is one of six stakes events on Saturday's 12-race afternoon spectacular at Turfway, which begins at 1:10 p.m. (all times Eastern). The centerpiece 1 1/8-mile race over the synthetic Tapeta surface is carded as Race 11 with a post time of 6:25 p.m. Wagering is available online at www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

The Jeff Ruby Steaks will award the top four finishers points on a 100-40-20-10 scale towards a spot in the starting gate for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

The other stakes races on Saturday's card are the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), a Championship Series race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks worth 50-20-10-5 points to the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1); $150,000 TwinSpires.com Kentucky Cup Classic (Listed); the $100,000 Rushaway; the $100,000 Latonia Stakes; and the $65,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes.

Hush of a Storm, trained by Bill Morey and ridden by Santiago Gonzalez, was the 1 ½-length winner of the Feb. 26 Battaglia Memorial, the local prep for the Jeff Ruby Steaks. The Creative Cause colt had to survive an inquiry and objection in the race after he lugged in and appeared to affect fellow rivals Like the King, Gretzky the Great and Hard Rye Guy in the stretch. Following a review of the race, the stewards issued no change to the order of finish. Hush of a Storm is a perfect 3-for-3 over the Tapeta surface at Turfway. He broke his maiden by 5 ½ lengths on Dec. 19 and followed up that win three weeks later with a half-length first-level allowance score. His only blemish came in a seven-furlong maiden claiming $150,000 race over the dirt at Churchill Downs. Hush of a Storm drew post No. 2.

One of the other top rivals in the Jeff Ruby Steaks is $250,000 Summer (G1) winner Gretzky the Great. Named after the NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, the Nyquist colt was the even-money favorite in the Battaglia Memorial. In that race, he was pressured on the lead for nearly one-mile before giving way to Hush of a Storm. The Mark Casse-trainee will get a jockey change to Chris Landeros for the Jeff Ruby Steaks and will break from post 10.

Another horse likely to garner attention in the race is SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) runner-up Tarantino. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Tarantino began his career on turf at Del Mar in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He finished second in the $101,000 Zuma Beach at Santa Anita prior to his transfer to Brisset. Immediately after he entered Brisset's string in South Florida, he defeated six rivals in a first-level allowance over the turf at Gulfstream Park. His most recent start was a fourth-place finish in the $300,000 Fountain of Youth (GII) where he was defeated 5 ¼ lengths by Greatest Honour. Jockey Florent Geroux will ride from post 7.

The complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Hush of a Storm (Gonzalez, Morey); King's Ovation (Albin Jiminez, Dale Romans); Awesome Gerry (Martin Garcia, Saffie Joseph Jr.); Sainthood (Gerardo Corrales, Todd Pletcher); Smiley Sobotka (Declan Cannon, Romans); Tarantino (Geroux, Brisset); Moonlite Strike (Rafael Hernandez, Joseph); Hard Rye Guy (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes); Gretzy the Great (Landeros, Casse); Dyn O Mite (Deshawn Parker, Keith Desormeaux); and Hockey Dad (Rafael Bejarano, Doug O'Neill).

Hard Rye Guy and Hockey Dad were not nominated to the Triple Crown at the early closing but could become eligible with a $6,000 late payment that is due on Monday.

The National Weather Service forecast for Florence, Ky. calls for a gorgeous afternoon of racing with sunny skies and a high temperature of 71 degrees.

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‘Got To Give Him A Shot’: Brisset Has Former Turfer Tarantino On Target For Fountain Of Youth

Second in the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3) while making his debut on dirt, Tarantino is scheduled to remain on the Triple Crown trail for the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile, who was a nose away from being undefeated on turf in his first three starts, earned 4 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (G1) in the Holy Bull and will go for considerably more points in the Fountain of Youth.

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, a 50-20-10-5 qualifying points race, is the major prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n Dale Farm at Xalapa March 27 at Gulfstream.

“I think we've got to give him a shot to qualify on his own,” trainer Rodolphe Brisset said as Tarantino schooled in the Gulfstream walking ring during Thursday's third race. “If it doesn't work, we'll focus on the grass.”

Tarantino, who won his debut and lost a stakes by a nose in Southern California with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, captured a Dec. 11 optional claiming allowance on turf at Gulfstream in his first start for Brisset. He pressed the early pace in the Holy Bull and held gamely to finish second, 5 ¾ lengths behind victorious Greatest Honour and 3 ¾ lengths ahead of favored third-place finisher Prime Factor.

“Based on what I've been seeing the past week and a half, I think he needed the race, to be honest,” Brisset said. “I know he ran the first week in December, but I think six or seven weeks were really good timing for him. We brought him the right way for the turf and dirt, but we're hoping he can be a couple lengths better this time.”

Tarantino, who is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson, breezed Sunday for the first time since the Holy Bull, timed in 49.45 seconds for a half-mile at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“He's a cocky horse. He's never going to breeze in 47, out in 59,” Brisset said. “He's a 49-and-2, but the way he does it, you can see that he's doing good.”

Brisset said he won't alter Tarantino's training schedule for the Fountain of Youth.

“As of now, we're going to do the same as what we did last time. School today, breeze on Sunday and, if everything goes well, bring him here Thursday or Friday. He's going to train here a couple days,” Brisset said.

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Holy Bull: Brisset Hoping Tarantino Is The Real Deal, Greatest Honour Will ‘Run All Day’

In just three races, Tarantino has shown the promise of a future turf star, but his connections are hoping that the Triple Crown will be in the future of the son of Pioneerof the Nile following Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Tarantino, who is a nose away from being undefeated, is scheduled to make his debut on dirt in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n Dale at Xalapa.

“He's been breezing well enough on the dirt. He's not a show-er in the morning, but I'm lucky enough where I can get on him myself. We felt that his works are good enough where we can give him a try,” trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. “Like I say, he's not a show-er but he does enough where we feel comfortable giving him a try and finding out, sooner than later, if he wants the dirt or not.”

Tarantino began his career for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in Southern California, where he captured his career debut Sept. 20 at Del Mar and came back to finish second by a nose in the Oct 4 Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita – both races at a mile on turf – before being transferred to Brisset.

“It took him a couple weeks to get used to our routine. It's a little bit different than what Bob Baffert had,” said Brisset, whose trainee has had a series of four workouts at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, for his dirt debut. “He was breezing pretty well for a while and then in his last work before we ran him at Gulfstream, he went a half on dirt in 48 (seconds) out in 1:12-and-change.”

A decision was made that Tarantino would run in a Dec. 11 optional claiming allowance scheduled for a mile on turf at Gulfstream, rain or shine. The Kentucky-bred colt closely stalked the pace before drawing away to victory.

“We did want to find out if he can run on the dirt, but the rain stopped and the race stayed on the grass,” Brisset said. “He won pretty nicely. He won by two, but I'm pretty sure we didn't go to the bottom of the horse.”

Tarantino's dam, Without Delay, registered her only victory on turf, but the daughter of Seeking the Gold did produce Before You Know It, a daughter of Hard Spun who earned more than $300,000 and was a stakes winner and a graded-stakes runner-up on dirt.

“It's better to find out now if we have a horse for the big one,” Brisset said. “If it doesn't work out, we know we have a horse for the grass. We know he has a lot of talent.”

Tarantino is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Racing LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson.

Edgard Zayas, who was aboard for Tarantino's victory at Gulfstream, has the return mount.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey was dreaming of a bright future for Greatest Honour as he watched the 3-year-old son of Tapit school in the Gulfstream Park paddock and walking ring without turning a hair between races on Wednesday.

“He's developed a lot. I was just sitting there thinking if he goes through the winter and spring and keep going in that direction, he can be good,” McGaughey said.

Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park is in Greatest Honour's immediate future.

Greatest Honour finished a late-closing third while sprinting in his first two starts, before stretching out two turns at Aqueduct Nov. 8 to finish second, beaten by just a head by Known Agenda, who went on to finish third in the Remsen (G2). The Courtlandt Farms homebred broke through to graduate, closing from seventh to win going away in a 1 1/16-mile maiden test at Gulfstream Dec. 26.

“The farther, the better for him. I think he can run all day,” McGaughey said. “He's got enough of a kick that if he gets a little pace, he can challenge here.”

McGaughey's also confident that the more experience he gets, the better Greatest Honour will be.

“He's a Tapit, so we had to work around some things, but he's really good now,” said McGaughey, who named Jose Ortiz to ride Greatest Honour.

McGaughey will seek to add the Holy Bull to the extensive list of achievements on his Hall of Fame resume that includes victories in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) with Orb in 2014. Orb went on to give McGaughey his first Kentucky Derby success.

“Their running styles are similar – they both come from behind, but pedigree and looks-wise they're different. This horse is taller, while Orb was more compact,” McGaughey said.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. views Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park as the ideal test of Awesome Jerry's qualifications for continuing on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1).

“If he's ever going to get two turns it will be here,” said Joseph of the 1 1/16-mile headliner on Saturday's 12-race program with five graded stakes. “It's kind to horses with speed like himself and there's a short wire. I think it's a good spot to try.”

The Holy Bull will be Awesome Gerry's first try around two turns…on a conventional one-mile track. The son of Liam's Map wrapped up his juvenile campaign with a close second in the seven-furlong Jean Lafitte Stakes around the two turns of the 'bullring' at Delta Downs.

Racing with blinkers for the first time, Awesome Gerry showed the way into the stretch before finishing third, 2 ¾ lengths behind victorious Mutasaabeq and 8 ½ lengths ahead of the fourth-place finisher.

“The last time he ran a mile I thought he handled the distance. He stayed on after he was passed,” Joseph said. “We're going to give him another go at it. He's training very well. I think he's going to run a bang-up race.”

Awesome Gerry won the first two races of his career at Gulfstream and Gulfstream West before hitting the road to finish fourth in the Nyquist at Keeneland and second in the Jean Lafitte.

Awesome Gerry is scheduled to wear blinkers again Saturday.

“I worked him with blinkers again, and he relaxed much better. I think he's going to run a good race,” said Joseph, who named Tyler Gaffalione to ride the colt owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC.

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Despite On-Track Success, Irad Ortiz Jr. Says ‘2020 Was Sad For Everyone,’ Hopeful About Year Ahead

WinStar Stablemates Racing's Gulf Coast successfully stretched out after a pair of sprints to start her career and became a stakes winner for the first time in Friday's $75,000 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The one-mile Cash Run for newly turned 3-year-old fillies was the second of three $75,000 stakes on the New Year's Day program, preceded by Imprimis winning the Janus for 4-year-olds and up and followed by Hear My Prayer's victory in the Abundantia for fillies and mares 4 and older, both sprinting on the turf.

Irad Ortiz Jr. swept all three stakes as part of a five-win afternoon to open the calendar year. The Championship Meet's two-time defending leading rider, Ortiz is favored to win a third straight Eclipse Award later this month as North America's champion jockey.

Ortiz began his big day notching back-to-back wins aboard 4-year-old first-time starter and 4-5 favorite Luann ($3.80) in Race 5 and 3-year-old filly Lionessofbrittany ($13.20) in Race 6.

“I have to thank all the trainers and owners for all the opportunities, honestly. Thank God, he keeps me healthy,” Ortiz said. “I'm living my dream right now. I'm so happy, all the trainers and owners they keep riding me. It's been a hard year to follow all the horses, and I just feel blessed.”

Ortiz led all North American jockeys with 300 wins and $21,050,726 in purse earnings in 2020, a year where racing was paused and reshuffled across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ortiz finished with 1,266 mounts, the fewest since his rookie year of 2011 (1,016).

At Gulfstream, he has led the Championship Meet standings with 135 wins in 2018-19 and 115 in 2019-20. He ranks second at the current stand which began Dec. 2, trailing Luis Saez, 34-30.

“Last year, we had a good year, but there were a lot of things going on, honestly. I lost my grandfather. 2020 was sad for everyone. A start like this, hopefully, we can start the new year and forget everything that was bad last year and get going with a regular life, hopefully,” Ortiz said.

“I always come here trying my best on all the horses. You never expect it, they just come up. I just keep riding and riding the whole day,” he added. “I try to win every time. Thank God, we got five winners.”

Gulf Coast ($6.40), a bay daughter of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Union Rags trained by Rodolphe Brisset, completed the distance in 1:37.46 over a fast main track to win by a half-length over late-running Honorifique. It was 3 ¾ lengths back to Honorifique in third, followed by Shea D Summer, Orbs Baby Girl, Gladys, Sky Proposal and Quinoa Tifah.

“I think everything set up the way we were looking [for]. Irad got her in the clear after the first quarter, I think that was a good move,” Brisset said. “She's a pretty big filly and we were really looking forward to running her a little bit longer than we did the first two times.”

Adios Trippi, racing first time for Gulfstream-based trainer Peter Walder after two starts in the Mid-Atlantic at 2, was quickest from the gate and led through fractions of 23.08 seconds for a quarter-mile pressed by fellow long shot Orbs Baby Girl and 45.71 for the half, when previously undefeated stakes winner and 8-5 favorite Shea D Summer picked up the chase.

Breaking from Post 2 inside all but one of seven rivals, Ortiz let the speed go and raced in mid-pack before tipping into the clear three wide down the backstretch. Gulf Coast began passing horses with little urging around the far turn and was set down at the top of the lane, powering through the stretch to her second win from three starts.

Irad Ortiz swept the three stakes on Gulfstream Park's New Year's Day program, including the Cash Run aboard Gulf Coast

“I had a perfect trip. I broke good and was able to get my filly where she wants to be,” Ortiz said. “She was a little more comfortable outside. We were there and I took my time and when I asked her to run, she was there. She started picking it up from the half-mile all the way to the quarter pole. After that I worked hard on her and she kept going.”

“[Brisset] just told me, 'She's not going to give you anything easy, you're going to have to work for it.' I don't like to get in the horse's way, so I just got her out of there and let her find her stride on the backside,” he added. “We were back a little farther than we wanted early but she was comfortable. He said to ride her with confidence and give her the chance, and she did it.”

Gulf Coast broke her maiden Nov. 10 at Indiana Grand before overcoming some early trouble to be second in the Sandpiper Dec. 5 at Tampa Bay Downs, both going six furlongs. Brisset said Gulf Coast, purchased for $300,000 as a 2-year-old in training last March who began her career on the West Coast with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, will get some time leading up to her next start.

“We ran her back in 26 days, 27 days and that's not usually what we do, but we were looking for some black type,” Brisset said. “She showed class and quality to us, but now we've got the win in a stakes out of the way. I think two turns, yes, but I think six weeks, too.”

Cara Oliver's stakes winner Hear My Prayer ($21), who has typically raced on or near the lead through seven starts, split horses at the top of the stretch and came with a sweeping move on the outside through the lane to reel in Tracy Ann's Legacy and Lenzi's Lucky Lady and edge clear to a 2 ½-length victory in the Abundantia.

The winning time was 55.27 seconds over a firm turf course. It was the fourth career win and third from four starts on the grass at Gulfstream for Hear My Prayer, who is trained by David Fisher.

“She broke good, put me right there. The trainer said she was doing great,” Ortiz said. “She put me in a good position. I held her together and she relaxed and came back to me. She waited for the time to go, when I asked her turning for home, she responded.”

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