saratoga | Horse Racing Free Tips

Wesley Ward-Trained Headline Report Tops Field Of 12 Juveniles In Saturday’s Sanford

Trainer Wesley Ward will continue the tradition of using the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course to help springboard careers of talented juveniles, with the conditioner sending out Headline Report as part of a 12-horse field in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track.

The 106th edition of the Sanford, on the first Saturday of the 40-day meet at the Spa, will go off in Race 9 on the 11-race card that will be highlighted by the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana for older fillies and mares in Race 10. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Headline Report captured his debut by 2 1/4 lengths on April 23 at Keeneland, besting a five-horse field by completing the 4 1/2 furlongs in a final time of 51.75 seconds as the heavy favorite over a fast track. Ward, who will be seeking his first Sanford win, kept Headline Report training at Keeneland since, and the Gormley ridgling worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 from the gate on Independence Day.

Owned by Breeze Easy and bred in Kentucky by Ledgelands and Andrew C. Ritter, Headline Report started his career with lofty expectations after being purchased for $550,000 at the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

“We're excited about that guy,” Ward said. “He's been coming along pretty well. He had a nice work from the gate at Keeneland. We're excited to get him in the Sanford.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez piloted Headline Report in his first start and will have the return call on Saturday, breaking from post 9.

Greg Tramontin's Ottoman Empire rallied from seventh-of-11 in his debut to post a one-length victory in a five-furlong maiden special weight on June 20 at Churchill Downs. Trainer Tom Amoss said the Classic Empire colt had been training well at Churchill leading into his first race but then showed an ability to take dirt and adapt to racing circumstances under pressure.

“What I really liked was how he handled the shock that a lot of young horses get when breaking from the gate for the first time,” Amoss said. “When they all break at the same time and get that experience, they get dirt kicked in their face, which is a lot for a young horse to take in. He broke fine, but it was just a lot for him to take in at once and he handled it well.”

A $120,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Ottoman Empire showed a strong closing kick, rallying from third in the stretch to overtake Chileno and Conagher before holding off Texas Red Hot's late charge.

“I really liked how he finished,” Amoss said. “He had a bit of a wide trip but he still finished up nice and strong.”

Bred in Kentucky by Pedro Gonzalez and Lenny Cohen, Ottoman Empire will be ridden by Jose Ortiz from post 7.

Bell Gable Stable's Maryland Brando trounced an eight-horse field by 11 1/2 lengths in a five-furlong maiden sprint on June 2 at Delaware Park. The first-out effort for trainer Gary Contessa netted a 59 Beyer Speed Figure and showed the form that made the Flatter colt a $250,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale.

“I knew what I had; he won and he was being pulled up the last eighth of a mile,” Contessa said. “He drew away but there's a lot more left in the tank with that horse. He just has everything in the right place. His mind is good – not great – but he's very business-minded. He's got a big, strong shoulder on him. As soon as I started training him, I pretty much knew what I had. He dots all the i's and crosses all the t's.”

Bred in Maryland by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds, Maryland Brando has found a comfort zone training at Delaware Park but will now ship in for a race for the first time, drawing post 6 with Carol Cedeno aboard.

“I'm coming far enough in advance where he'll get over it if he doesn't ship well,” Contessa said. “I'll school him a couple of times in the paddock, which you need in Saratoga. I've been at Saratoga for the last 35 years, so it's an opportunity for me to be there and I think I'm bringing the right horse.”

Mueller Thoroughbred Stable's Candy Landing also made an impact in his first start, cruising to a 4 1/2-length score that netted the Brendan Walsh trainee a 70 Beyer for his victory going 5 1/2 furlongs on June 11 at Churchill.

A son of Twirling Candy, Candy Landing will be shipping to Saratoga from his base at Churchill, drawing post 2 with James Graham in the irons.

Wit, owned by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable, showed the form that made the Practical Joke colt a $575,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, drawing away to a six-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint over a good Belmont main track on June 5. Wit will enjoy a formidable trainer-jockey combination, as Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher will saddle the horse with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard from the inside post.

Willis Horton Racing's Seize the Night won on debut for conditioner Dallas Stewart on May 14 going five furlongs at Churchill and will take the step up in class, drawing post 11 in tandem with Jon Kenton Court.

Due Vini was a half-length winner in his first start on June 20 at Monmouth Park. Trained by Kelly Breen, the Florida homebred owned by Mr. Amore Stable will exit from post 8 as Luis Saez rides.

Kavod, who ran second in the Tremont for co-owner and trainer James Chapman, will be making his fourth career start. After running fourth on debut in April at Keeneland, the Lea colt earned a winner's circle trip in April at Belmont before his stakes bow in early June. He is also co-owned by Tritain Biddinger. Manny Franco rides from post 10.

Palm Beach Racing's Trust Our Journey, an American Pharoah chestnut trained by Carlos David, enters from a prominent third in the Tremont.
A maiden winner at first asking in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on May 1 at Gulfstream, Trust Our Journey will exit post 4 under Eric Cancel.

Cammarota Racing's Lucago, third in his first start on June 3 at Gulfstream, won over the same track in his second start, besting Fishing for Fun by three-quarters of a length on July 1. Junior Alvarado will have the call from the outermost post.

Richie's World Stables' Dance Code edged For the Dreamers by a neck to win his debut going 4 1/2 furlongs on June 28 at Parx. Trained by Juan Vazquez, Dance Code will depart post 5 with Jose Lezcano aboard.

Frank Catapano and Nicholas Primpas' Catch the Smoke, a half-length first-out maiden-claiming winner on June 20 at Monmouth Park, will look to go 2-for-2 for trainer Wayne Potts, drawing post 3 with Dylan Davis on the bridle.

Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

The post Wesley Ward-Trained Headline Report Tops Field Of 12 Juveniles In Saturday’s Sanford appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Brown Chasing Sixth Straight Diana Victory With Lemista, Pocket Square

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will send out Lemista and Pocket Square in Saturday's 83rd renewal of the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana as he looks to secure his sixth consecutive win in the nine-furlong inner-turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course.

Brown captured the first of his record six Diana wins in 2011 with Zagora and has enjoyed success in the last five editions with Dacita [2016], Lady Eli [2017], Sistercharlie [2018-19] and Rushing Fall [2020].

A former assistant to the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, himself a two-time Diana winner, Brown spoke about his affinity for the prestigious race on a recent episode of the Across the Board with Andy Serling podcast.

“We've had enormous success with it; I'm lucky. We've had the right horses,” said Brown. “It's a real honor to have that level of success looking back at five Dianas in a row. These are the [types of] races Frankel would point towards.”

Brown will saddle Lemista, a 4-year-old daughter of Raven's Pass, for three-time Diana winning owner Peter Brant, who campaigned Sistercharlie [2018-19] and Just a Game [1980] to Diana scores.

Lemista earned a 100 Beyer in her North American debut in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Beaugay on May 8 at Belmont, finishing a late-closing second to Diana-rival Harvey's Lil Goil.

The Irish-bred dark bay, previously trained by Ger Lyons, captured the Group 2 Kilboy Estate three starts back at the Curragh over yielding going.

Lemista has trained extensively on the Belmont inner turf following the Beaugay, posting eight works dating back to May 22, including a five-furlong effort in 1:01.80 on Sunday in company with Pocket Square [1:01.89].

“She's a top class filly. I have high hopes for her,” Brown said. “We've been pointing for this race for a while and I'm excited to get to it. I think that the time has done her well. She's been working consistently well.”

Juddmonte Farms' Pocket Square, a Group 3 winner at Deauville in October 2019 for former trainer Roger Charlton, rallied to an impressive allowance win in her North American debut on April 7 at Keeneland.

Brown said Pocket Square, by Night of Thunder, missed a breeze heading into her even fifth last out as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game, a one-mile jaunt over good turf on June 5 at Belmont.

“She missed her last work with the storms that came through and maybe the soft-ish turf didn't help,” said Brown. “I really thought she was lined up really well going into the Just a Game and I was hopeful she could overcome, but things just didn't work out. She's come back and worked really super, so I'm drawing a line through it and going right back at another Grade 1 with her.”

Despite good form over soft going in Europe, Brown said he would prefer firmer footing for Pocket Square.

“I know she ran well in Europe that way [on good-firm ground], but I think she's more effective on a firm turf course from what I've seen in her training,” said Brown.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will also look to extend his Diana win record to seven, piloting Pocket Square from post 2, while Irad Ortiz, Jr. will guide Lemista from post 7.

Trainer Charlie Appleby enjoyed a one-two finish with 4-year-old Godolphin fillies Althiqa and Summer Romance in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game.

The Godolphin greys have squared off in their last three starts, dating back to the one-mile Group 2 Cape Verdi in January at Meydan won by Althiqa, a British homebred by Dark Angel. Summer Romance turned the tables on Althiqa in the nine-furlong Group 2 Balanchine in February at Meydan.

In their North American debuts, Summer Romance, an Irish-bred daughter of Kingman, set a sharp pace under Luis Saez, but could not stay off the late run of Althiqa under Hall of Famer Mike Smith.

Both fillies remained at Belmont following the Just a Game, breezing extensively on the Belmont inner turf before shipping upstate to Saratoga on Monday.

Summer Romance, who won the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth at Epsom last July, will exit post 6 under Saez, while Althiqa, who boasts a perfect in-the-money record of 10-5-2-3, will be piloted by Manny Franco from post 8.

The Estate of Harvey A. Clarke and Paul Braverman Harvey's Lil Goil will look to give Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his fifth Diana win.

Mott, who last won the Diana in 2010 with Proviso, captured three straight editions with Sand Springs, Angara and My Typhoon from 2005-07.

A 4-year-old American Pharoah grey, Harvey's Lil Goil enjoyed a remarkable sophomore campaign, winning the Grade 3 Regret at nine furlongs over firm Churchill Downs turf last June ahead of a game third in the 10-furlong Alabama on the Saratoga main track.

The versatile filly completed her 3-year-old year with a pair of Grade 1 turf starts at Keeneland, including a win in the nine-furlong Queen Elizabeth II Cup in October over good going and a closing third in the 1 3/16-mile Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf over firm footing in November.

A prominent winner of the Beaugay in her seasonal debut on May 8 on good Belmont turf, Harvey's Lil Goil was an even fifth last out in the 10-furlong Grade 2 New York contested on yielding Belmont turf on June 4.

“It was very soft ground,” said Mott of the New York effort. “Some of our stakes have been run on really soft ground and it could have worked against her a little bit.”

Mott said a turnback in distance as well as the tighter turns of the Saratoga inner turf should benefit Harvey's Lil Goil.

“That [cutting back] won't hurt her I don't think,” said Mott. “She's run well on that type of oval previously. She won the Queen Elizabeth at Keeneland and she ran good in the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland and that's a tight turf course, so I don't think that will hurt her.”

Harvey's Lil Goil has recorded four works since the New York, including a five-furlong effort in 1:00.12 on the Oklahoma dirt training track on July 9.

“She couldn't be doing any better,” said Mott.

Junior Alvarado retains the mount from post 5.

Lael Stables' Magic Attitude, a 4-year-old daughter of the late Galileo, will look to improve off a flat seventh last out in the New York.

The British-bred bay was a Group 3 winner in France last May for trainer Fabrice Chappet before being transferred to conditioner Arnaud Delacour for a fall campaign.

In October, Magic Attitude captured the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, part of NYRA's Turf Triple series, in her first start for Delacour and followed with a third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

The talented bay has made three starts this year, including a win in the 11-furlong Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay on firm Belmont turf in May. She will exit post 3 under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in her Saratoga debut.

Madaket Stables, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron and Bradley Thoroughbreds' La Signare made the grade with a front-running score in the 2018 Grade 3 Wonder Again traveling nine furlongs on the Belmont turf.

The 6-year-old French-bred daughter of Siyouni, trained by Brendan Walsh, has made four of her last six starts in Grade 1 company, including a third in the 1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley on yielding Keeneland turf in April and a closing second in the nine-furlong Gamely last out on firm footing on May 31 at Santa Anita.

La Signare will emerge from the inside post under Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Phipps Stable homebred Vigilantes Way enters from a 2 1/4-length score in the Eatontown, a 1 1/16-mile test over firm Monmouth Park turf on June 20.

The 4-year-old Medaglia d'Oro bay, out of the Unbridled mare Salute, is a half-sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Mr Speaker and Grade 1-winning steeplechaser Snap Decision.

Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, Vigilantes Way boasts a record of 12-5-2-3 and will be piloted from post 4 by Jose Ortiz.

The Diana is slated as Race 10 on Saturday's 11-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

The post Brown Chasing Sixth Straight Diana Victory With Lemista, Pocket Square appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘It Would Mean The World To Me’: Trainer Matt Hebert Ships From Texas To Saratoga For Quick Call

It's a long journey from Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas to Saratoga Race Course – 1,444 miles to be exact – but trainer Matt Hebert said he has enough confidence in Rebel Posse to send the two-time winner for Thursday's Opening Day's Grade 3, $120,000 Quick Call at Saratoga.

“I like him a lot. It's a lot to ask a horse to ship that far, but I think we fit in there,” Hebert said.

When stepping up to graded stakes company for the first time in the 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint for sophomores, Rebel Posse faces a salty group which includes highly-regarded Golden Pal who runs for the first time since capturing last year's Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland. He also will take on stakes-winner Jaxon Traveler, who has never finished worse than second in seven lifetime starts.

Rebel Posse, owned by C J Thoroughbreds, Mike Renfro and Francis Hartman, is unbeaten when sprinting on the grass. He broke his maiden at third asking when making his turf debut at Sam Houston on March 4. After a close second in an off-the-turf allowance event at Lone Star, Rebel Posse returned to the green with vigor when defeating winners traveling five furlongs on June 6 at the Texas oval.

Hebert said the extra half-furlong should suit Rebel Posse.

“I think the extra distance compared to the five eighths is going to be good,” Hebert said. “With that extra sixteenth of a mile, he should have something to run at. The way he runs and can relax a bit, it should be beneficial.”

Before going out on his own, Hebert worked as an assistant to recently retired Kentucky horseman Buff Bradley, for whom he helped oversee the campaign of dual Breeders' Cup-winner Groupie Doll.

Hebert, who sends out his first starter at a NYRA track in Rebel Posse, said it would be a thrill to win a race at Saratoga.

“It would mean absolutely everything. It would mean the world to me and everyone who helped me get to this point. This will be my first trip up here, so it's super cool,” Hebert said. “I worked for Buff for about six or seven years at Churchill, Keeneland and Gulfstream in the winter. After he sold Groupie Doll, he gave me a couple of his homebreds and said, 'Good luck.'”

Since going out on his own, Hebert has been primarily based on the southwest circuit. He recently completed the Lone Star Park meet, which finished on July 11, with a 33-5-5-5 record.

“It was kind of circumstantial,” Hebert said of how he got plugged into the Texas circuit. “We wintered at old Evangeline in Louisiana and would ship to Houston and did pretty well. When they tore the old Evangeline down, we had to stable at Houston and we just fell into the circuit. I've done Lone Star the past two years, and we did Remington this year. We did well in each spot and we picked up some clients along the way.”

The post ‘It Would Mean The World To Me’: Trainer Matt Hebert Ships From Texas To Saratoga For Quick Call appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Norm Casse ‘Hoping For A Little Bit Of Luck’ With Pretty Birdie In Opening Day Schuylerville

Trainer Norm Casse said he is hoping to start the Saratoga Race Course summer meet on a high note when he sends out Pretty Birdie on Saratoga's Opening Day this Thursday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Schuylerville.

Owned by Marylou Whitney Stables, the homebred juvenile daughter of Bird Song won at first asking on June 18 at Churchill Downs, leading at every point of call and extended her advantage throughout the five-furlong journey to win by 3 3/4 lengths.

Casse said he noticed something special in Pretty Birdie since she arrived at his barn from Ocala, where she was broken by Randy Bradshaw.

“We've always been high on her,” Casse said. “She came up from Randy Bradshaw with other Whitney babies. It was pretty obvious from day one that she was the most precocious. She's professional, fast, loves to run and just has all the kind of qualities you look for in a racehorse. So, she's earned her spot in this race. We're just hoping for a little bit of luck.”

Despite displaying frontrunning tactics on debut, Casse said Pretty Birdie would likely track the pace under Luis Saez, given the amount of speed in the field of nine juvenile fillies.

“It seems like there's a ton of speed in there,” Casse said. “I just hope we break sharply from the rail and forwardly placed in the pace. At some point hopefully Luis can find a way out and we can make our run.”

Casse learned his craft as an assistant from his father, Hall of Famer Mark Casse. He now seeks his first graded stakes triumph at the Spa since going out on his own in 2018, and his second graded stakes victory overall of his career. In 2019, he saddled Hard Legacy – also owned by Marylou Whitney Stables – to a score in the Grade 3 Regret at Churchill Downs.

“To win the Schuylerville on opening day at Saratoga, with everything going back to normal after the pandemic, would be amazing,” Casse said. “Obviously, it's a privilege to be associated with the Whitneys and John [Hendrickson], knowing what they mean to the town of Saratoga.”

Casse, who has 16 stalls at the Spa for the meet, expressed excitement in running some of his talented juveniles at Saratoga this summer.

“We're really lucky to have a bunch of nice 2-year-olds, so we thought it would be the right time to come back up here,” Casse said.

Some juveniles for Casse that are possible for stakes action later this meet include Ontheonesandtwos who was a last out second in the Debutante on June 26 at Churchill Downs and could race in the Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on August 8.

Glacial, third in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor on June 26 at Churchill Downs, is possible for the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite.

The post Norm Casse ‘Hoping For A Little Bit Of Luck’ With Pretty Birdie In Opening Day Schuylerville appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post