ry eikleberry | Horse Racing Free Tips

Quick Start Puts Eikleberry Atop Sam Houston Jockey Standings

It was an excellent opening weekend at Sam Houston Race Park for rider Ry Eikleberry who won seven races over the first three days of the meet at the Houston, Texas, track to top last year's leading rider Stewart Elliott and veteran jockey Danny Sorenson, who each made three trips to the winner's circle.

A native of Phoenix, Ariz., Eikleberry was the leading rider at Turf Paradise in 2009, 2010 and 2011 before riding in New Mexico. Last year, he made the move to Louisiana and Texas to ride for trainer Karl Broberg and won 42 races at Sam Houston Race Park, finishing second in the standings to Stewart Elliott.

“Honestly, I had no idea I would do that well here last year,” explained Eikleberry. “I knew I had Karl's business, but was pleasantly surprised that I got calls from a number of other trainers. Since I began riding (in 2005), there have been many ups and downs, but right now, it's very good!”

From Houston, Eikleberry had a successful meet at Canterbury Park before heading back to Delta Downs He suffered a fractured right wrist in a morning accident there, which did not require surgery, but kept him out of action for two months. Eikleberry turns 33 on Jan. 11 and looks forward to a successful year ahead.

“I was told not to ride while it healed as further trauma would have required surgery,” he said of the wrist fracture. “I was in a cast for two months and am glad I took the necessary time off. It's been a great start in Houston.”

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Love The Nest Impressive On Minnesota Festival Of Champions Night

Love the Nest, a 2-year-old son of Blame trained by Joel Berndt and owned by Robert Lothenbach, powered to an impressive 7 1/4 length victory in Wednesday's Northern Lights Futurity, one of six $100,000 statebred Thoroughbred stakes on Minnesota Festival of Champions Night at Canterbury Park.

Love the Nest broke quickly from the gate under Ry Eikleberry and battled between horses through a fast 21.66 second first quarter mile. The prohibitive favorite took control at the quarter pole and discouraged Doctor Oscar, second in the wagering at 5 to 2, who moved in from off the pace. The well-regarded colt pulled away in a final time of 1:10.27 for six furlongs.

“When he broke so clean I was very confident,” Berndt said, “and then turning for home I saw Oscar on the outside and I thought it's a horse race. Very happy he kept on and it looks like he can go a little further.”

Love the Nest paid $3.20 to win.

“He'll be a nice 3-year old,” Berndt said, not yet willing to commit to another race this year.

Eikleberry also rode Drop of Golden Sun to a win in the $100,000 Crocrock Sprint Championship, this time coming from five lengths back. He passed pacesetter Mr. Jagermeister in deep stretch to win by 3/4 length. Drop of Golden Sun is owned and trained by Tony Rengstorf. He paid $11.00 to win.

Mac Robertson added to his record 37 Festival victories by winning two more, both for owner John Mentz of Lakeville and both with Roimes Chirinos aboard. Cinco Star won the Blair's Cove Turf Championship by a length and a half and Clickbait the scratch-depleted three-horse Bella Notte Distaff Sprint by 9 3/4 lengths. Each was a prohibitive favorite with Clickbait paying $3.20 and Cinco Star $3.40.

The stakes portion of the 12-race card began in the fifth race with 2-year-old She's My Warrior racing gate to wire under Alonso Quinonez. She's My Warrior is trained by Tim Padilla who co-owns the filly with Pete Mattson of Prior Lake. Breaking from the rail, she jumped to the lead, was challenged by favorite Honey Bella, but quickly increased her advantage, in the end winning by 3 3/4 lengths.

“We weren't going to get trapped down there behind other horses,” Padilla said after the race.

Rush Hour Traffic provided a mild upset in the Princess Elaine Distaff Turf Championship. Unchallenged for the lead, the 4-year-old filly went gate to wire with Ruben Fuentes riding for trainer Gary Scherer and owner Sugarland Thoroughbreds LLC. She returned $12.60. Ready to Runaway, trained by Robertson, finished a nonthreatening second.

“She's a strong filly,” said Scherer who did not expect Rush Hour Traffic to go to the front. “Once she broke good [Fuentes] was committed to stay just stay where he was at. It worked out well.”

The card concluded with the $62,900 Minnesota Quarter Horse Futurity and the $60,550 Minnesota Quarter Horse Derby. Jason Olmstead trained the winning favorites of both races. In the Futurity, Olmstead trainees finished first through fourth with Relentless Courage a length the best. Luis Valenzuela rode for owners Paul Luedemann and Tom Maher. In the Derby, Jess Rocket Man was simply too much, covering 400 yards in 19.870 second, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over Western Reserve. Edwin Escobeo rode the winner for Lunderborg LLC.

Total handle was $1,884,984, the second largest total in the 28 renditions of the Festival of Champions.

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Northern Playboy Posts Minor Upset In Minnesota Derby

Upsets were sandwiched by favorites in the five stakes races run Wednesday evening at Canterbury Park. The first stake, the $50,000 MTA Sales Graduate Futurity, went to 2-5 favorite Westa Waverly and the final stake, the $50,000 Glitter Star, to 1-5 winner Ready to Runaway. In between were 10-1 Minnesota Oaks winner Hotasapistol, 6-1 Minnesota Derby winner Northern Playboy and Drop of Golden Sun, 6-1 winner of the $50,000 Wally's Choice. Both the Oaks and the Derby offered $100,000 purses. All five races were restricted to horses bred in Minnesota.

Hotasapistol, a 3-year-old filly owned and bred by Gary and Brenda Bergsrud, is trained by Clinton Stuart and was ridden by Alonso Quinonez. She covered the 1 mile and 70 yards of the Minnesota Oaks in 1:44.57, using a rail trip to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Hotasapistol paid $22.60 for a $2 win wager.

The Minnesota Derby winner Northern Playboy was bred and is owned by Dale Schenian and his trainer Francisco Bravo. Leading rider Ry Eikleberry was aboard the 3-year-old gelding that paid $14.20. Northern Playboy tracked favorite Weekend Ride and Public Safety in the early stages. Eikleberry waited for room to get by.

“I wasn't even sure if I could get through,” he said, but when Weekend Ride drifted out the eventual winner shot through and pulled away for a 4 3/4 lengths victory. “I was on much the best,” Eikleberry said. “We're really proud of him.”

Drop of Golden Sun went gate to wire in the Wally's Choice defeating all-time Minnesota bred money earner Hot Shot Kid by 3 1/4 lengths. He is owned and trained by Tony Rengstorf and was ridden by Francisco Arrieta. Drop of Golden Sun paid $15.00 to win.
Westa Waverly set the pace in the MTA Sales Graduate Futurity, fended off a challenge from Well Pro in the stretch, and then drew off to win by 4 lengths under Quinonez. The 2-year-old gelding, trained by Coty Rosin and owned by Jeff Ryan and Gary Starkson, returned $2.80. Final time for the 5 furlongs was 58.08 seconds.

Ready to Runaway continued her Canterbury main track dominance with an easy win in the Glitter Star Stakes. Jockey Roimes Chirinos sent the 4-year-old filly to the lead in the 1 1/16 mile race and was never challenged. She was under wraps at the wire, clear of second-place finisher Clickbait by 8 1/2 lengths. Ready to Runaway, $2.40, is trained by Mac Robertson for owner John Mentz. She has now won eight of 10 main track races at Canterbury.

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