saratoga derby invitational | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sisterson Prepares Channel Cat, Lexitonian For Saratoga Starts

Trainer Jack Sisterson will see a trio of Calumet Farm-owned stakes contenders look to make an impact at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in the next two weeks, with Tango Tango Tango, Channel Cat, and Lexitonian each slated for respective graded stakes contests through August 7.

This coming Saturday will see Channel Cat look to win the $250,000 Grade 2 Bowling Green for the second time in three editions after his 2019 victory in the 1 3/8-mile turf contest for 4-year-olds and up.

The now 6-year-old son of English Channel ran second in the 1 1/2-mile Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 17 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., before returning three weeks later to edge Gufo by a nose in a thrilling finish to win the Grade 1 Man o' War on May 8 at Belmont Park going 1 1/8 miles. That marked Channel Cat's first win since Sisterson took over the training duties – and his first victory in 10 starts overall – with his first winner's circle trip since the 2019 Bowling Green.

Buoyed by the Man o' War effort in which he earned a 98 Beyer, Sisterson ran Channel Cat back on Belmont Stakes Day June 5 in the 1 1/4-mile Grade 1 Manhattan, where he tired and finished seventh. The Chad Brown-trained duo of Domestic Spending and Tribhuvan comprised the Manhattan exacta, with Tribhuvan going on to win the Grade 1 United Nations next out at Monmouth Park.

Sisterson said the extra rest for Channel Cat could put him in a good position to succeed on Saturday.

“I ran him back in three weeks after the Elkhorn because he was doing so well. I probably should have skipped the Manhattan because he had a tough race in the Man o' War, but we gave him a little break now prior to the Bowling Green,” Sisterson said. “It was good to see Chad Brown's horse come back and win the United Nations so the form held up well. Channel Cat should run a good race next week.”

Lexitonian ran second in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day May 1, finishing a head back to Flagstaff, before encountering a troubled trip in a sixth-place Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap effort on Belmont Stakes Day the next month going one turn on Big Sandy. Lexitonian will cut back to six furlongs this Saturday in the $350,000 Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap for 3-year-olds and up.

“He's 110 percent ready to go. It's all about which Lexitonian shows up,” Sisterson said with a laugh. “He's run races that can compete with anyone and then he throws in a clunker now and then. I think a mile is his best distance, so we're cutting him back a little, but if he runs his best race, he'll be right there at the wire. He's shown us training-wise that he's going into next week's race in great shape.”

Lexitonian's previous race at Saratoga was a fifth-place finish in last year's Grade 1 Forego at seven furlongs over a sloppy track. The 5-year-old son of Speightstown will have jockey Jose Lezcano back in the irons.

[Story Continues Below]

Tango Tango Tango, who won his stakes debut last out in the 1 1/16-mile American Derby on July 17 at Arlington Park, could now target the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 7, which marks the second leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series for 3-year-olds.

Sisterson said the Tourist colt could also return to Arlington to run in the $600,000 Grade 1 Bruce D – a race formerly knowns as the Secretariat – on August 14.

Tango Tango Tango, unraced as a juvenile, started his career running third in a race moved off the turf in April at Keeneland. After running sixth on the Churchill Downs main track on May 23, Sisterson put him on the turf for the first time on June 27 at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., where he ran second in the 1 1/16-mile contest. For his stakes debut last out, Sisterson added blinkers, and the equipment change netted a personal-best 86 Beyer as he won by two lengths.

“The addition of blinkers really helped him out, as well as putting him on the grass. We thought he'd break his maiden the first time on the grass at Ellis but we ran into a good horse of [trainer] Michael McCarthy [There Goes Harvard]. We thought the blinkers would put him over the edge. It was a 3-year-old stakes, so we figured 'why not take a shot?' He was doing well, and it worked out in his favor.

“He's moved forward in the right direction and we'll obviously keep the blinkers on him. It seemed to be the missing link for him,” he added.

The post Sisterson Prepares Channel Cat, Lexitonian For Saratoga Starts appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Swiss Skydiver To Try Open Company Again In Whitney

Trainer Kenny McPeek said he will look to give his superstar filly Swiss Skydiver a second triumph against males in the $1 million Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The historic nine-furlong event offers a “Win And You're In” berth to the $6 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic on November 6 at Del Mar.

Owned by Peter Callahan, the 4-year-old daughter of Daredevil bested the boys in last year's Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, where she became only the sixth filly to win the American Classic.

Swiss Skydiver has registered two starts this year, shipping to the West Coast to capture the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 13 at Santa Anita ahead of a distant third to Letruska in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 17 at Oaklawn Park.

Initially entered in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park, Swiss Skydiver scratched from the race when spiking a temperature. With sights set on the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25, McPeek had to alter course when NYRA and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) placed Barn 86 at Saratoga under a precautionary quarantine on July 15 due to a positive case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in that barn.

McPeek said Swiss Skydiver is ready for a second triumph against males.

“She had some hiccups in the spring,” McPeek said. “She had a hind leg infection which contributed to her uncharacteristic run at Oaklawn, and she had a fever when we shipped to Belmont. We're hoping to get into a little rhythm with her and I'm looking forward to running her.”

Swiss Skydiver has notched six graded stakes victories, dating back to last March when taking the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in gate-to-wire fashion. From there, she added miles to the tank with triumphs in the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park last May and the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks last June.

After making her first start against males with a game second in the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland Race Course last July, she recorded her first triple-digit Beyer with a 3 ½-length win in the Grade 1 Alabama in August in her lone start at the Spa, where she posted a 102 Beyer.

“Throughout the time I've had her, she's gone from a girl to a woman. She's as attractive as ever and maybe more so now,” McPeek said. “From two to three to four, you never know how they're going to evolve but she's doing everything right. She's bigger in her shoulder and her hip at this stage. She's always been an extremely intelligent filly. She's a happy horse and still loves her job.”

A Whitney triumph would make Swiss Skydiver the seventh female to strike gold in the prestigious event for older horses. The most recent Whitney victress was Ogden Phipps' undefeated Hall of Famer Personal Ensign in 1988.

McPeek selected Swiss Skydiver for $35,000 from Select Sales consignment barn at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Through a career of 14-7-3-2, she has amassed $2,125,480.

“We'll see if she can pull it off. I think she should have a real good second half of the year,” McPeek said. “She's already got a Grade 1 this year which is good. Good horses ship well. Trainers like Todd [Pletcher] do it a lot, but good horses can and will ship well. We're blessed to have some quality stock in the barn.”

McPeek said Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful is likely to bypass the $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8 in favor of the $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama on August 21 at the Spa.

The gray or roan daughter of third-crop sire Liam's Map worked five furlongs in 1:01.87 Saturday over the Oklahoma training track.

“I'm leaning against it today, but I have a couple weeks,” McPeek said of the Saratoga Oaks. “They are inviting her, but we need to make sure she's on tilt before committing to anything. I thought she'd work better than she did yesterday. I want to give her a few days. She will be nominated to the Alabama, but I just need to make sure she's 110 percent.”

Crazy Beautiful has already taken down three graded stakes events this season, capturing the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 27 before running tenth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She returned to action with style when taking the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks on May 30 at Santa Anita Park before a six-length romp over a good and sealed track at Delaware Park in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 3.

While Crazy Beautiful appears unlikely for the Saratoga Oaks, McPeek plans on running King Fury in its male counterpart race – the $1 million Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 6.

Owned by Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm, King Fury was a last out second beaten a half-length in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown after an 18-1 upset win in the Grade 3 Lexington on April 10 at Keeneland.

King Fury blitzed through five furlongs Saturday over the Oklahoma training track in :59.86 seconds, the fastest of 19 recorded works at the distance.

King Fury has yet to race on turf, but McPeek said he should handle it well.

“His work was awesome yesterday. He was really impressive,” McPeek said. “He definitely will run in the Saratoga Derby. I think he can handle the turf. We'll give him a work over the grass next week and that ought to have him ready.”

King Fury boasts a royal pedigree being by multiple champion-producing sire Curlin out of Grade 1-winner Taris.

McPeek selected Curlin as a yearling for $57,000 and the talented chestnut went on to be named two-time Horse of the Year.

“They're a little different bodied horses, but he certainly his father's son,” McPeek said. “Curlin was a little heavier; this one is a little more finesse which is why I think he'll handle the grass.”

McPeek said graded stakes winner and dual Grade 1-placed Envoutante, a last-out third to Letruska in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on June 26 at Churchill Downs has been given a break with sights set on the $500,000 Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster on October 10 at Keeneland.

The post Swiss Skydiver To Try Open Company Again In Whitney appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Terranova: $1-Million Saratoga Derby On Radar After ‘Gutsy’ Manila Win By Original

Eric Fein's Original earned a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure with a gate-to-wire score in Sunday's $100,000 Manila, holding off a furious late rally from Public Sector in the one-mile Widener turf test for sophomores at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Kentucky-bred son of Quality Road, with Luis Saez up for trainer John Terranova, set a moderate pace over good going, kicking two lengths clear of the field at the stretch call en route to a head score.

“It was a gutsy race. He's a real consistent horse. He always gives an honest effort,” said Terranova. “Fortunately, he handled the soft going and did that well yesterday. He used his speed to his advantage. Everyone backed off on him and Luis was able to get the jump on them and kick away.”

Original finished third in the one-mile Grade 3 Kitten's Joy in January at Gulfstream and completed the trifecta in the 1 1/16-mile Woodhaven in April at Aqueduct.

Terranova said that the one-mile Grade 2, $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 6 at Saratoga is a possibility, but he would also like to see if Original can carry his speed for a bigger purse in the 1 3/16-miile Grade 1, $ 1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational, second leg of the Turf Triple series on August 7.

“I'm not so sure the mile is his game. We'll see how he's doing coming into Saratoga but it's [the Hall of Fame] certainly a possibility,” said Terranova. “We've toyed with the idea of stretching him out further because he has speed that can carry. He's very handy and can control the race at times. He's got a turn of foot and he digs in and tries.

“The Saratoga Derby is a race we might think about if things are going well,” Terranova continued. “Speed can be a key weapon on the grass if your horse can carry it. He's got the pedigree for it and the mind. He's pretty smooth and chill.”

Terranova said Hidden Brook Farm and Joseph G. McMahon's Bank Sting is on target for the Grade 3, $250,000 Molly Pitcher, a 1 1/16-mile test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on July 17 at Monmouth Park.

The 4-year-old daughter of Central Banker, out of the Precise End mare Bee in a Bonnet, was a gate-to-wire winner of the one-mile Critical Eye last out over a muddy Belmont main track on May 31. Mrs. Orb, third-place finisher in the Critical Eye, came back to win the Caesar's Wish on Sunday at Pimlico.

Bred in the Empire State by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Bank Sting worked six furlongs in 1:14.78 Monday in company with maiden-winner Life Change on a Belmont main track rated fast.

“She's doing great. She had a big work this morning. She's done nothing wrong and deserve a shot at that next level,” said Terranova. “We're looking at the Molly Pitcher at Monmouth. We got some black type on her, so let's see if we can get some graded type.”

The post Terranova: $1-Million Saratoga Derby On Radar After ‘Gutsy’ Manila Win By Original appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

TOBA Announces ’21 U.S. Graded/Listed Stakes

The American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association released its listing of U.S. graded and listed stakes races for 2021, the results of its annual grading session conducted Dec. 15-16. A single race, the Saratoga Derby Invitational S. at Saratoga, was upgraded to Grade I status for 2021. No races were downgraded from Grade I to Grade II for 2021.

The committee evaluated races conducted following the 2019 Breeders’ Cup through Mar. 15 as normal, and races conducted after March 15 were evaluated as normal, as well, but took care to consider any pandemic-related circumstances that may have affected, positively or negatively, the 2020 renewal.

The Committee reviewed 849 U.S. stakes races with a purse of at least $75,000, assigning graded status to 445 of them, three fewer than were graded in 2020, and listed status to 193 races.

Three races were upgraded to Grade II status for 2021: the Red Smith S. at Aqueduct and Franklin-Simpson S. and Kentucky Turf Cup S. at Kentucky Downs.

Three races were downgraded from Grade II to Grade III in 2021: the Knickerbocker S. at Belmont Park and Palos Verdes S. and Las Virgenes S. at Santa Anita Park.

Four races were upgraded to Grade III status for 2021: the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park; Tourist Mile S. at Kentucky Downs; Caress S. and Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. at Saratoga.

Five races were downgraded from Grade III to listed status for 2021: the Discovery S. at Aqueduct; Palm Beach S. and Rampart S. at Gulfstream Park; Red Bank S. at Monmouth Park; and Senator Ken Maddy S. at Santa Anita Park.

A total of 12 races were upgraded to listed status for 2021: the CTT and TOC S. at Del Mar; Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf S. and Kentucky Downs Preview Tourist Mile S. at Ellis Park; Pago Hop S. and Tom Benson Memorial S. at Fair Grounds; Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs; Oaklawn Mile S. and Oaklawn S. at Oaklawn Park; Desert Code S. at Santa Anita Park; Mahony S. at Saratoga; Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs; and Kentucky Cup Classic S. at Turfway Park.

Five races were downgraded from listed to non-listed black-type status for 2021: Correction S. at Aqueduct; Delta Mile S. at Delta Downs; Azalea S. at Gulfstream Park; Dixie Belle S. at Oaklawn Park; and John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway Park.

The Arlington Classic S., Arlington Matron S. and Stars and Stripes S. at Arlington Park; the C.E.R.F. S., Daisycutter H., Osunitas S. and Wickerr S. at Del Mar; Skip Away S. at Gulfstream Park; Maxxam Gold Cup S. at Sam Houston Race Park; Lone Star Park H. at Lone Star Park; Iowa Distaff S. and Saylorville S. at Prairie Meadows; and Adoration S., Black Pearl S. and Midnight Lute S. at Santa Anita Park were not eligible for grading in 2021.

The post TOBA Announces ’21 U.S. Graded/Listed Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post