santa anita park | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Honest’ Tripoli Has Found A New Home On The Main Track

Sired by Kitten's Joy, America's leading active turf stallion eight years in a row and the sire of more than 100 stakes winners in 12 crops, it made sense to have Tripoli race exclusively on grass when the chestnut colt began his career at Santa Anita on May 23, 2020.

It was far from an auspicious debut, however, as Tripoli finished 12th and last at 13-1 in the 5 ½ furlong turf sprint. He did a complete turnaround in his next race, winning by a nose over the same venue at odds of 46-1.

Tripoli captured one more turf victory in nine subsequent grass starts, this one going a mile at Santa Anita on May 1. After that, trainer John Sadler and owners Hronis Racing LLC sought greener pastures in the form of three straight runs on the main track, capping them with a victory in the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic at a mile and a quarter on Aug. 21.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, so next up is Saturday's Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes on Santa Anita's main track, one of five graded events that day, three of them Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Races giving the winner a fees-paid berth to their respective Breeders' Cup races on Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar.

“Tripoli won a nice race (on dirt) at Santa Anita in the spring,” Sadler said, referring to an overnight route on June 19. “We took him to Del Mar and he continued his improvement with a second (by a half-length) in the Grade II San Diego Handicap (July 17).

“Then he came back and won the Pacific Classic. He's a horse that just loves the dirt right now. He's honest and consistently runs well. He was unlucky a few times on the turf but he should run well on Saturday.

“It looks like a good spot.”

A son of the Irish-bred stallion El Prado, Kitten's Joy stands for $60,000 at Hill 'n' Dale farms in Paris, Ky.

Sadler reports that Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World, who was nominated to the Awesome Again, will instead be pointed to the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at a mile and one eighth on turf closing day, Oct. 31.

The Awesome Again, race 10 of 11 with an early 12:30 p.m. first post time: Tizamagician, Flavien Prat, 4-1; Midcourt, Edwin Maldonado, 12-1; Express Train, Juan Hernandez, 4-1; Stilleto Boy, Kent Desormeaux, 20-1; Medina Spirit, John Velazquez, 5-2; Azul Coast, Abel Cedillo, 12-1; Tripoli, Tiago Pereira, 3-1; and Idol, Joe Bravo, 5-1.

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TVG Broadcasting Six ‘Win And You’re In’ Races Live From Santa Anita This Weekend

The road to the Breeders' Cup will run through Santa Anita on Friday and Saturday as the track begins its Autumn Meet with six Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series races over the course of two days. TVG, America's horse racing network, will be broadcasting live from Arcadia, Calif. with full coverage of opening weekend.

TVG's Todd Schrupp, Christina Blacker, Britney Eurton, Mike Joyce, Scott Hazelton and Joaquin Jaime will be trackside with exclusive interviews, analysis and handicapping selections throughout the weekend. There will also be a drone utilized throughout the races. The popular drone technology was introduced during Del Mar's record breaking meet and will be continued to be used throughout the Santa Anita season.

Friday's Opening Day card puts juveniles in the spotlight with the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes (Juvenile Turf), $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (Juvenile Fillies) and the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (TVG Juvenile).

The winner of the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) will earn an automatic spot in the starting gate in the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and has attracted a field of seven colts. Trainer Bob Baffert has won this race nine times and will saddle three contenders including 6-5 morning line favorite Corniche. Purchased for $1.5 million in April, the bay son of Quality Road was an impressive maiden winner at Del Mar and will have Mike Smith in the irons.

On Saturday, the major stakes racing will continue with three more Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge races – the $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint (Sprint), $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (Filly and Mare Turf) and the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (Classic).

The $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (G1) has drawn a contentious field of eight including TVG Pacific Classic (G1) winner Tripoli. Trained by John Sadler and owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, the chestnut son of Kitten's Joy will square off against Medina Spirit, recent winner of the Shared Belief Stakes for Bob Baffert.

The Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar.

TVG will also be covering the full card from Longchamp on Sunday morning featuring five Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Series races – Prix de L'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Turf Sprint), Qatar Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe (Turf), Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (Juvenile Turf), Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Prix de L'Opera Longines (Juvenile Fillies Turf). The broadcast will feature insights from international experts Scott Hazelton and Jess Stafford as well as a Money Back Special on the Arc.

In addition to racing from the Santa Anita, will also be featuring Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

The post TVG Broadcasting Six ‘Win And You’re In’ Races Live From Santa Anita This Weekend appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mo Forza, Smooth Like Strait Face Off In City Of Hope Mile

A winner of his last three starts, all Grade 2 turf stakes, Peter Miller's Mo Forza, along with Michael McCarthy's ultra consistent Smooth Like Strait, headline Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile as a field of five 3-year-olds and up compete over the Santa Anita turf.

Bred in Kentucky by the late trainer Barry Abrams' Bardy Farm, Mo Forza, who won last year's City of Hope Mile two starts back, emerged from a 10 month layoff on Aug. 21 to rally and win the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, his third consecutive Grade 2 win at a mile on grass. With Flavien Prat bidding for his fourth consecutive win aboard the 5-year-old full horse by Uncle Mo, out of the Unusual Heat mare Inflamed, Mo Forza seeks his sixth one mile turf win from eight tries.

Owned by Bardy Farm and OG Boss, Grade 1 winner Mo Forza has four wins from six starts over the Santa Anita turf. With lofty Beyer Speed Figures of 104, 106 and most recently 103 to his credit, he rates tops billing.

Trained by Michael McCarthy and owned and bred by Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC, Smooth Like Strait has four wins from eight tries at a mile on turf, with all four wins coming at Santa Anita. A solid second, beaten a head in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Aug. 21, he was second, beaten a neck two starts back in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes and in his career-best performance, he sped to 1 ½ length win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile here three starts back on May 31.

A 4-year-old colt by Midnight Lute, Smooth Like Strait, who along with Mo Forza will tote co-high weight of 126 pounds, is three necks and a head away from being unbeaten in five starts this year. With an overall mark of 17-7-5-2, he has earnings of $1,043,823 and will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the ninth consecutive time.

A gutty neck winner of the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile on turf here March 6, trainer Dan Blacker's Hit the Road was subsequently fifth as the 5-2 favorite in the Grade 1 Makers Mile (turf) at Keeneland on April 9. Subsequent to that, he was freshened up and returned to the races on Aug. 21 at Del Mar, finishing a big third, beaten one length by Mo Forza.

With a recent race to his credit, Hit the Road will again get the services of eastern-based Florent Geroux as he bids for his fifth win from six starts over the course. A 4-year-old colt owned by D K Racing, LLC, Radley Equine Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski and Dave Odmark, Hit the Road has six wins from 11 overall starts and earnings of $539,751.

THE GRADE 2 CITY OF HOPE MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 11 Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

Red Storm Risen—Joe Bravo—122
Mo Forza—Flavien Prat—126
Hit the Road—Florent Geroux—124
Order and Law—Abel Cedillo—122
Smooth Like Strait—Umberto Rispoli—126

The City of Hope Mile is one of five stakes on an 11-card Saturday with first post time at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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United Returns For Title Defense In John Henry Turf Championship

One of the top turf horses in the nation over the past three years, Richard Mandella's United is back to defend his title in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship as he heads a strong field of 13 three-year-olds and up going a mile and one quarter.

Dating back to his win in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes in July of 2020, United has settled into an eight-race pattern in which he's won every other start. With a close fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 21 coming on the heels of a neck victory in the Eddie Read on July 24, Mandella is hoping the win-lose-win pattern holds on Saturday.

Ridden by Flavien Prat in all but two of his 18 starts with Mandella, United will again be partnered with French-born superstar in the John Henry as he readies for a third try in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6.

In an old school move, Mandella had United blow out three furlongs this morning in a bullet 36.40. Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, United is a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway. With five wins from 11 starts over the Santa Anita lawn, including a head defeat in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf, United is 21-9-4-1 overall with earnings of $1,693,549.

In what will be his fourth start for Peter Miller, Neptune's Storm comes off a close fourth place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile and although he's in good form, he'll be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time. Second, beaten a half length as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade III American Stakes at one mile on turf three races back on June 20, this 5-year-old Stormy Atlantic gelding took the one mile turf restricted Wickerr in gate to wire fashion two starts back on July 18.

Owned by CYBT, Saul Gervertz, Lynn Goetz, Michael Nentwig and David Weiner, Neptune's Storm is a two-time graded stakes winner with earnings of $936,485 from an overall mark of 22-7-4-6.

In his first start for trainer Michael McCarthy, Chilean-bred Master Piece rallied from far off the pace to finish second, beaten a half length in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf and would benefit greatly from some fast early fractions on Saturday.

Front-running California-bred Acclimate tired late to finish a close third in the Del Mar Handicap, his lone start since winning the marathon Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at a mile and three quarters on turf here June 19. Trained by Phil D'Amato, this 7-year-old gelding by Acclamation, who was a close second in the 2019 John Henry, appears at the top of his game and could pose an elusive target with Ricky Gonzalez back aboard.

THE GRADE 2 JOHN HENRY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 5:30 p.m. PT

Award Winner—Kyle Frey—126
Camino Del Paraiso—Abel Cedillo—124
Neptune's Storm—Florent Geroux—124
United—Flavien Prat—126
Ready Soul—John Velazquez–122
Acclimate—Ricky Gonzalez—124
Master Piece—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Count of Amazonia—Victor Espinoza—122
Media Blitz—Juan Hernandez—122
Red King—Joe Bravo—122
Cupid's Claws—Mike Smith—122
Friar's Road—Umberto Rispoli—122
K P All Systems Go—Tyler Baze–122

The John Henry is one of five stakes on Saturday's 11-race card with post time at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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