Tag: Run Classic

Newgate Fires Bullet For Dubai World Cup

Newgate (Into Mischief), recent winner of the GI Santa Anita H., was one of nine American horses to turn in breezes Saturday morning both domestically and abroad in advance of the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse in two weeks' time.

An $850,000 Keeneland September yearling, Newgate returned to the worktab for the first time since the Mar. 3 Big 'Cap, covering five furlongs in a bullet :58.20 (1/77) in the company of GIII Native Diver S. winner Mr Fisk (Arrogate) at Santa Anita. Frankie Dettori, who won his fourth World Cup aboard the Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer (Tonalist) in 2022, has the riding assignment in the $12-million feature.

Stablemate Hopkins (Quality Road) went five-eighths of a mile in :58.80 (2/77) and will have Luis Saez aboard for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, a race in which he was beaten just one length into fourth in 2023.

“We had a great day breezing,” trainer Bob Baffert told SF Racing's Tom Ryan, who added, “Two healthy and happy horses. We look forward to getting them to Dubai with Jimmy and Humberto “Beto” to acclimate them to the Meydan surface and surroundings. It's very exciting, and we are very grateful to have the caliber of horse to get invited to participate in such valuable and prestigious events.”

Also turning in a work at Santa Anita was Two Rivers Over (Tamarkuz), who covered five furlongs in 1:00.40 (19/77) and is expected for the G2 Godolphin Mile, an event won by his sire in 2015. Trainer Doug O'Neill has tabbed Edwin Maldonado to ride.

Crupi (Curlin) will attempt to give trainer Todd Pletcher a maiden victory in the World Cup and the 4-year-old, third to National Treasure (Quality Road) and Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) when last seen in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Jan. 27, went five furlongs in 1:00.91 (1/7) at Palm Beach Downs Saturday morning. Luis Saez, who guided Crupi to victory in Saratoga allowance company last summer, made the trip up to breeze Crupi and has the mount at Meydan.

Jose D'Angelo breezed his two big-night entries about 10 miles north of Palm Beach Downs at Palm Meadows. Caramel Chip (Midshipman), fourth to Sibelius (Not This Time) in the Feb. 10 Pelican S. at Tampa, was the fastest of 92 workers going a half-mile as he stopped the clock in :47.45. While he stretches out in distance for he Godolphin Mile, his Gulfstream Park Sprint-winning stablemate Run Classic (Runhappy) will take on defending champ Sibelius in the Golden Shaheen. The Tom Durant galloper went in :48.95 (22/92). D'Angelo reports that Cristian Demuro rides Caramel Chip, while Florent Geroux will hop aboard Run Classic.

Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) has been doing the bulk of his training towards the G1 Al Quoz Sprint on the turf, but he turned in his final piece of work over the dirt course at Payson Park. The 8-year-old breezed a half-mile in :49.20 (11/63), with part-owner Lee Einsidler commenting, “He went great and he's doing fantastic.”

A pair of U.S.-trained horses who made the short trip over to Dubai after placing in races on the Saudi Cup program were out over the Meydan main track Saturday morning.

Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), third to Senor Buscador in the G1 Saudi Cup, went a half-mile under the lights in a reported :48.50. He takes on defending champion Isolate (Mark Valeski) in the Godolphin Mile. Bold Journey (Hard Spun) went a similar distance in a reported :48.46 after daybreak for trainer Bill Mott. The New York-bred faces a rematch with Japan's Remake (Jpn) (Lani) in the Golden Shaheen after closing nicely for third to that rival in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Feb. 24.

Pandagate (Arrogate), last-out winner of the Gander S. at Aqueduct works Sunday at Payson Park towards a potential appearance in the G2 UAE Derby, per assistant trainer Miguel Clement.

 

 

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Keeneland Workers Prep For Opening Weekend Stakes

Several runners being pointed to opening weekend stakes turned in works Sunday morning over the fast main track.

Dixiana Farms' homebred Hayes Strike (Connect) along with Mendelssohns March (Mendelssohn), owned by Harold Lerner, Nehoc Stables, AWC Stables and Team Stallion Racing Stable, tuned up for expected starts in Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. by working 5 furlongs in 1:00.60 in company together.

Hayes Strike comes into the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass off a victory in the Private Terms S. at Laurel March 18.

“I don't run many horses in Maryland,” trainer Kenny McPeek said of Hayes Strike. “His race at Turfway (in the Leonatus Stakes on Jan. 21 in which he finished ninth) … nothing went right. He didn't ship well, and he didn't handle the synthetic surface at all. I just needed to get him back on the dirt and get him back to winning.”

Mendelssohns March has two wins in two starts with victories on the turf at Fair Grounds and on a sloppy dirt track at Oaklawn Park.

McPeek is the most recent of six trainers to have swept the GI Central Bank Ashland and Toyota Blue Grass in the same year. McPeek, who first accomplished the double in 2002 with Take Charge Lady and Harlan's Holiday, is expected to send out Magdalena Racing, Colette Marie Vanmatre and James Ball's Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) in the Ashland. Defining Purpose worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.20.

Half-mile workers included Mr. and Mrs. Tsunebumi Yoshihara's Yuugiri (Shackleford) who went in :48.80 in preparation for the GI Madison S. for trainer Rodolphe Brisset; Tom Durant's Run Classic (Runhappy) who worked a half in :47.80 for the GIII Commonwealth S. for trainer Bret Calhoun; and Michael J. Ryan's Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) in :49.80 for the GII Appalachian S. for trainer Horacio De Paz.

Also working Sunday morning was West Coast Stables' Pride of the Nile (Pioneerof the Nile), currently 28th on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with 17 points, who drilled 6 furlongs in 1:16 on the main track under Ferrin Peterson for trainer Doug O'Neill in preparation for Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Pride of the Nile shipped to Keeneland the middle of last month after a troubled trip in the GIII Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita March 5.

“I was glad to get her,” said Stephanie Murray, who oversees the O'Neill string at Keeneland. “Today was her third work here. The first time, she worked on the (all-weather) training track because of the rain.”

The post Keeneland Workers Prep For Opening Weekend Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Equibase Analysis: Run Classic Poised To Provide Big Upset In Louisiana Derby

This Saturday's Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby is the first “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points system race to offer the winner enough points (100) to guarantee a start in the gate on the first Saturday in May. The winner's share of the $1 million isn't bad either, but in spite of those two incentives only eight horses were entered.

The two most accomplished runners, Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon, have traded wins on the run up to this race. Midnight Bourbon won the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes in January but ended up third in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes four weeks later, that race won by Mandaloun.

Risen Star runner-up Proxy, who also finished second in the Lecomte, will attempt to turn the tables on his rivals. O Besos finished fourth and nearly six lengths behind third place finisher Midnight Bourbon in the Risen Star and may have his work cut out for him, as may both Rightandjust and Starrininmydreams, who finished sixth and ninth, respectively, in the race.

Hot Rod Charlie ships in from California off a big effort when beaten a neck and a nose for the win in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and certainly fits with the best in this field. Last but certainly not least, Run Classic steps into stakes competition off a maiden win over the track in his second career start.

It is still early in the season, so much so that horses which have only run a couple of times can win Kentucky Derby prep races like the Louisiana Derby. This was evidenced last weekend when Concert Tour won the Rebel Stakes in only the third start of his career and his first in a two-turn race. Run Classic has already run two turns so that is not a question and in that regard he is one step further along as compared to Concert Tour. Run Classic debuted in mid-January in a sprint and finished second of 10, earning a 94 Equibase Speed Figure in the process.

Stretched out to a mile and one-sixteenth for career start number two four weeks later, on the same day as the Risen Star, Run Classic stalked the pacesetter while third in the early stages, put in a quick burst to get to the front with an eighth of a mile to go, then coasted home to an easy three and one-quarter length win. Although he earned a 90 figure, I feel he could have run faster if need be.

Putting those figures in perspective, likely Louisiana Derby betting favorite Mandaloun earned a 97 figure winning the Risen Star. Being as Run Classic is more lightly raced he may have more improving to do, as compared to Mandaloun and others already proven competitive in similar races. Specifically, making his third career start and second in a route, Run Classic has a lot of potential to leap frog over the more logical contenders and post the upset to win. That is exactly what By My Standards did to post the upset win in this race in 2019 at odds of 22/1 when winning the race after breaking his maiden in a route over the track one race earlier. By My Standards was trained by Bret Calhoun, who trains Run Classic, and that is precisely why I'm choosing Run Classic to post the upset win in the Louisiana Derby.

Hot Rod Charlie entered the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November off a maiden win in a route. Then in the Juvenile and making his second consecutive start in a dirt route, Hot Rod Charlie finished second at odds of 94 to 1, earning a career-best 100 in the process. Returning for his 3-year-old campaign at the end of January, Hot Rod Charlie proved his Breeders' Cup effort to be no fluke as he closed from fourth after stumbling at the start, missing the win by inches in a three horse photo. The 97 figure earned can logically by improved upon in his second start off a layoff so Hot Rod Charlie deserves strong consideration as a contender to win this race.

Mandaloun won the first two races of his career, both sprints, with a 97 figure in the best of the pair. Stretched out to two-turns for the first time in the Lecomte Stakes, Mandaloun was really no threat for wire-to-wire winner Midnight Bourbon but did finish just a head behind runner-up Proxy, perhaps because the winner got an uncontested lead and also because the winner had the experience of running two-turn races previously. Improving off the experience, Mandaloun turned the tables on Midnight Bourbon to win the Risen Star clearly by one and one- half lengths, equaling the 97 figure earned one month earlier. Since the distance of the Louisiana Derby is only one-sixteenth of a mile farther than the Risen Star, I don't see any issue with Mandaloun running his best here. Whether that best effort is good enough to beat the improving Run Classic and Hot Rod Charlie is the reason why this race will be a great one to watch and wager on.

The rest of the field, with their best representative Equibase Speed Figures, is Midnight Bourbon (99), O Besos (94), Proxy (97), Rightandjust (90) and Starrininmydreams (88).

Win Contenders:
Run Classic
Hot Rod Charlie
Mandaloun

Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby – Grade 2
Race14 at Fair Grounds
Saturday, March 20 – Post Time 6:44 PM E.T.
One Mile and Three Sixteenths
Three Year Olds
Purse: $1 Million

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Calhoun Hopes Lightning Strikes Twice With Louisiana Derby Hopeful Run Classic

If trainer Bret Calhoun has his way, lightning will strike twice at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on March 20. Two years ago, the Calhoun-trained By My Standards broke his maiden on the Risen Star (G2) undercard and parlayed that score to a win in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Run Classic is in position to pull off the same feat three weeks from now in the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby.

Tom Durant's Run Classic, a 3-year-old son of Runhappy, has the look of a late-bloomer for Calhoun, as he didn't make his career debut until Jan. 16 at Fair Grounds, finishing a good second over 6 furlongs. He built on that effort on the Feb. 16 Risen Star undercard, when he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles, pulling clear for a 3 ¼-length win that brought obvious comparisons to By My Standards. The path of the two may be similar, but there are some differences as well.

“We were lucky enough to make this move once before but By My Standards had had a little more seasoning,” Calhoun said. “Unfortunately this horse is a little lighter on seasoning. I think and hope he can make it up with talent and was able to learn enough in those two races to have enough.”

Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards broke his maiden in his fourth career start and was able to learn some lessons along the way. That experience came in handy when he upset the Louisiana Derby at 22-1. Run Classic, who has proven to be a bit more precocious, is still learning on the fly, but he's clearly shown the ability to be a top horse. Calhoun admitted the Louisiana Derby has been on the radar, but he wasn't disappointed when Run Classic drew the rail in his debut and then fell short of reeling in the speedy Blameworthy.

“I think sometimes you get upset when you don't win, but him running second that day from the inside was beneficial moving forward and to maybe get to the Louisiana Derby,” Calhoun said. “The fact he had to overcome some things, face some traffic; I think him getting beat that day was the best thing to happen. It allowed him to run two turns against maidens and get some more seasoning.”

Run Classic put it all together in his first two-turn start, as he settled in third early, tracked the leaders, opened up in midstretch, and drew off convincingly. The win was a culmination of sorts for Calhoun, along with Durant, who paid a hefty $475,000 for Run Classic at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. As a son of grade 1-winning sprinter Runhappy, who never won going two turns, Calhoun new the price tag was a big one. He also knew it could have been a lot more.

“I think physically he looks like that kind of horse (that will go long),” Calhoun said. “Pedigree-wise he was a little bit suspect for distance, and I think that's why he didn't bring $800,000 or more. We did our homework and heavily put all of our faith into the physical aspect of him. When we bought this horse, this is what we bought him for.”

Run Classic will be spotting a lot of experience to some very talented horses, should he start in the Louisiana Derby. The top-3 finishers of the Risen Star—Mandaloun, Proxy, and Midnight Bourbon—are all expected back and are clearly at the top of the local heap, while some talented new shooters will line up as well. Calhoun knows the hurdles, but he also knows the playbook to get it done.

“It's a huge step forward, going two races with maidens to the La. Derby horses, but we think he's up to it,” Calhoun said. “The fact I've done it before, how I had them prepared, it gives us confidence. I still think he was a little green and inexperienced. He ran and won on pure, raw talent. He's a pretty smart horse and I think he'll figure things out pretty quickly, and if he does, and moves forward mentally, I think physically he's there.”

Durant has been in the game for over 20 years and has played it at a high level, while not shying away from spending big in the sales ring. He also got a taste of the Triple Crown Trail in 2017, when Silver Dust ran in a trio of Derby preps at Oaklawn Park for then-trainer Randy Morse but was unable to advance on to the Run for the Roses. Calhoun is hoping Run Classic takes the final step for an owner who has put his time in.

“This is why Tom plays the game,” Calhoun said. “He loves horse racing in general, but he loves running in the top end and that's what he's striving to get to and he's very excited about. He's allowed us to go to the sales and improve the quality of horses he has. He's thrilled right now and hopefully we can keep going.”

As for By My Standards, the son of Goldencents is still going strong and is gearing up for a 5-year-old campaign. He followed up his Louisiana Derby win with an 11th-place finish in Louisville then was given the rest of the year off. The break proved a beneficial one, as By My Standards came back last year to win a trio of grade 2's and was second to champion Improbable in Saratoga's Whitney (G1) in August. He's now 6-for-14 lifetime, with over $1.8 million in earnings, and there's clearly only one thing left to accomplish.

“Our biggest goal this year would be to win a Grade 1 with him and we'll be in search of that,” Calhoun said. “Our whole schedule would be to try and get a grade 1. I think he has the potential to take another step forward this year. He's a horse that's gotten better throughout his career so far. He's remained very sound and physically he's gotten better all the time.”

By My Standards returned to the work tab for the first time February 15, going an easy 3 furlongs in :38.60 at Fair Grounds. As an older horse with plenty of furlongs under him, Calhoun indicated it won't take his stable star long to get ready, and races like Churchill Downs' Alysheba (G2), which By My Standards won last year, and their Stephen Foster (G2), a race he finished second in, could be early season goals this spring and early summer. Regardless, By My Standards gives Calhoun plenty of reasons to think he'll be better than ever this year after what he saw in his first work back.

“We got exactly what we wanted,” Calhoun said. “He went off very slow and picked it up at the end. He'll move to a half-mile this week and he'll progress very quickly.”

“When you give older horses time off, you always hope they come back mentally the same and with the same desire,” Calhoun continued. “That's yet to be determined, but he seems to be mentally and physically very good and we're optimistic we'll have a big year with him.”

Calhoun took over the training of Silver Dust a couple of years ago. The now 6-year-old son of Tapit was last seen finishing 10th in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Nov. 7 at Keeneland. The veteran is 6-for-31 and has earned $885,677 in a distinguished career, and one that figures to resume soon.

“Silver Dust is pretty much ready to run,” Calhoun said. “I'm not sure where he's going to show up. We're just searching for a race.”

Although Silver Dust has enjoyed a stellar career, Durant certainly hopes that Run Classic puts it all together much more quickly. If he does, the Road to the Kentucky Derby might come calling.

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