second of july | Horse Racing Free Tips

Golden Pal To Make 2021 Debut In Quick Call At Saratoga

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg's Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint-winner Golden Pal will make his seasonal debut in Thursday's $120,000 Grade 3 Quick Call, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for sophomores on Opening Day of the 40-day summer meet at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The Quick Call is named for the multiple graded stakes-winning gelding who won more than half of his 16 career victories at the Spa. Trained by Sid Watters, Jr. and Warren Croll, Quick Call finished fifth in the Saratoga Special in 1986 and went on to win nine races there from 1987-1990, including the Forego in 1988 and 1989. Quick Call, who died in October 2019 at the age of 35, enjoyed a remarkable second career as an equine teacher in the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's Second Chances Program.

Golden Pal, trained by Wesley Ward, enjoyed a memorable juvenile campaign, finishing second in the Group 2 Norfolk at Ascot last June ahead of a stylish gate-to-wire maiden win in the 5 1/2-furlong Skidmore in August on the Saratoga turf, garnering a career-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

Sent to post as the odds-on favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, contested at 5 ½-furlongs over good going at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., Golden Pal set splits of :21.62, :44.63, and :56.42 seconds, holding off a late rally from Cowan to secure a three-quarter length score in a final time of 1:02.82.

Out of the 11-time stakes-winning Midshipman mare Lady Shipman, Golden Pal has posted five breezes dating back to June 6 in preparation for his sophomore debut, including an easy half-mile in :51.80 on the Belmont inner turf on Thursday.

“He's doing really well. We're excited about him,” said Ward. “I think he'll be the best horse I ever had, but we'll see if it comes out that way. He does things in the mornings that are just so impressive. He's just an immensely talented horse and we're looking forward to getting his season started here at Saratoga on Opening Day. Hopefully, that leads into the Breeders' Cup at the end of the year.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount from post 3.

Ward entered Silverton Hill's Fire Sword, who has won 3-of-5 career starts, for the main track only.

Bryan Hilliard's Second of July will look to get back to winning ways for trainer Phil Gleaves after off-the-board finishes in his last two starts.

The Jack Milton chestnut graduated on debut in September at odds of 68-1 in a six-furlong inner turf sprint at Belmont and proved the result was no fluke, capturing the Grade 3 Futurity over the Widener turf course a month later.

Second of July finished 12th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint to close out his 2-year-old season and was seventh after being bumped at the start last out in a six-furlong turf sprint in June at Belmont in his seasonal debut.

Gleaves said Second of July has excuses for his last two starts.

“In the Breeders' Cup, he got hit with a clod of turf, so much so that when I got back to the barn his right eye was fully closed. That told the tale of that race and then I gave him the winter off,” said Gleaves. “I ran him back at Belmont and our plan was to sit second or third that day and he got hit by the horse outside him leaving the gate and that put him back to last. The jock tried to put him in the race and the horse ran off, so to speak, going from last to second into a 44 and change pace.

“Since then, he's been doing good and training well,” Gleaves added. “I would hope he'll get back to his best form on Thursday.”

Gleaves said Second of July, a longshot in both winning efforts, continues to be a good-moving horse.

“I wouldn't say he's grown that much from two-to-three, but he's still a very sound and fluid-moving horse,” said Gleaves. “At some point, I want to stretch him out. He's a Jack Milton, so you would think he would have no problems going two turns. For now though, coming off the bad race at Belmont, I'd like to have one more sprint under our belts.”

Dylan Davis, aboard for both winning efforts, will guide Second of July from post 2.

“He's got very good speed if he needs to use it, but in his two winning races he came from off the pace,” said Gleaves. “So, I'm sure we'll try something like that again.”

Although cross-entered in Sunday's $75,000 My Frenchman at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., Gleaves confirmed the Saratoga-based Second of July will contest the Quick Call.

West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's Jaxon Traveler, a $140,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, has posted a consistent record of four wins and three seconds in seven starts for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The dark bay Munnings colt, bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. A. Leonard Pineau, completed his 2020 campaign with a score in the seven-furlong Maryland Juvenile Futurity in December at Laurel Park.

Jaxon Traveler opened his sophomore season with a pair of starts at Oaklawn Park, finishing second in the Gazebo in March ahead of a 2 3/4-length score in the Bachelor in April.

He has finished second in both of his recent efforts in the Grade 3 Chick Lang in May at Pimlico and in the Woodstock last out on June 20 on the Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack.

Jaxon Traveler will make his turf debut from post 9 under Jose Ortiz.

Lindy Farms and Ice Wine Stable's Fauci, runner-up to Golden Pal in the Skidmore last summer, completed his four-race juvenile campaign with a close second in the Juvenile Turf Sprint over soft going at Kentucky Downs.

Also cross-entered in the My Frenchman, trainer Phil Antonacci said Fauci will race at his Monmouth Park base on Sunday unless weather intervenes.

“The plan right now is Monmouth and, depending on weather, the race at Saratoga will be a backup,” said Antonacci. “The weather has been a little weird lately and they're off the turf here today, so I want to be prepared in case it does come off the turf tomorrow.”

Initially trained by Ward, Fauci was transferred to Antonacci following a second-place finish in the Palisades Turf Sprint in April at Keeneland.

In two starts for Antonacci, Fauci finished fourth in the off-the-turf Paradise Creek in May at Belmont ahead of a rallying allowance win over older horses in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint on June 20 at Monmouth Park.

“Wesley put a great base into him,” said Antonacci. “He's very easy to train and a gentleman and a pleasure to be around so far. We're lucky to have him. He makes my job easy.”

Should he race at Saratoga, Fauci will emerge from post 6 under Nik Juarez.

Rounding out the field are Omaha City [post 4, Manny Franco], winner of the Hollywood Beach in September at Gulfstream; Kentucky Pharoah [post 1, Tyler Gaffalione], who captured the Dania Beach in January at Gulfstream; and allowance winner Rebel Posse [post 8, Reylu Gutierrez]. Maiden winner Mr. Sippi is entered for the main track only.

The Quick Call is slated as Race 8 on Thursday's 10-race Opening Day 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.

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‘I’ve Waited A While For This Moment’: Dylan Davis Ready For First Breeders’ Cup Mount

New York-based jockey Dylan Davis has already guided Bryan Hilliard's Second of July to consecutive upset wins and he will look to complete the hat trick in Friday's Grade 2, $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland Race Course.

Davis, a native of Manhasset, New York, will turn 26-years-old on November 15 and he is hoping to celebrate early following his first ever Breeders' Cup mount.

“I want to do the best I can do and hopefully win,” said Davis. “A win would be great, but if we could get in the top four, I'd still be ecstatic. But we've come to win and we're riding to win. I want to get the best placing I can for him and the team.”

Trained by the Saratoga-based Phil Gleaves, who seeks his first Breeders' Cup win in his fourth attempt, Second of July posted a 68-1 upset score in his Sept. 20 debut in a six-furlong maiden allowance sprint on the Belmont Park turf.

Davis said he felt no pressure entering Second of July's debut effort.

“As a first timer, Phil just wanted me to teach him the ways of racing and race dynamics and just let him learn,” said Davis. “We got into a position where I thought we could make a good run, got out in the clear, and he responded. There was a horse that came up on his outside, but he was pretty game about it and we were lucky enough to win first time out. It's nice when a horse will do everything you want him to do and still respond willingly to the wire.

“In general, when I'm riding a longshot, I just want to make sure I get a good trip,” added Davis. “I don't feel like there's not as much pressure, you still want to ride your best race. I try to ride every horse to give them an opportunity to win or get their best placing.”

Second of July, a Kentucky homebred named for the owner's son Reed's date of birth, followed with a second consecutive victory at long odds, besting a seven-horse field at 15-1 in the 130th Grade 3, $100,000 Futurity, earning an automatic entry to the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

“He was a lot calmer and he knew what was going on second time out,” said Davis. “He broke OK, not too aggressive, and then we just got involved within the race into the turn and being between horses and letting him settle before making a run like he did first time out. With those two races, being involved with the pack and being able to run through, I think he's ready for tomorrow.”

The Jack Milton chestnut's Futurity score came at the expense of returning-rivals After Five, Momos and County Final, who completed the superfecta last out.

Over the past 13 months, Davis has picked up marquee wins in the 2019 Grade 2 Kelso with Pat On the Back and the Grade 3 Withers with Max Player in February at the Big A.

The up-and-coming rider enters his Breeders' Cup debut off a solid run of form with an impressive rail-skimming effort in the Awad aboard Step Dancer to score a 7-1 upset for trainer Barclay Tagg on Saturday at Belmont.

Davis had guided Step Dancer to a 24-1 maiden win in September on the Saratoga turf and has earned the respect of Tagg's partner and assistant trainer Robin Smullen, who will saddle Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Tiz the Law on Saturday.

“He rode him beautifully,” said Smullen. “He's learned so much riding in this colony and he certainly looks like he belongs and he's riding like he's right at the top.”

In 2018, Davis guided Tale of Silence to a memorable rail-riding win for Tagg in the Grade 3 Westchester, prevailing by a nose at odds of 12-1 as the distant fourth choice in a five-horse field.

“We've won some good races with Dylan,” said Smullen. “He's had some real good finishes for us. He rode Tale of Silence to his only stakes win and it was a four-horse photo that he won by a nostril.”

Davis said he's been able to grow his skillset exponentially by riding in New York.

“To be able to compete on the NYRA circuit and be involved daily with top riders and Hall of Famers is great,” said Davis. “It's difficult, but you're always learning and striving to be the better you and ride good races. To be on the same track with those guys, you can learn something daily.”

Davis is the son of veteran rider Robbie Davis, who competed in 10 Breeders' Cup events, with a pair of fourth-place finishes his best efforts, including aboard Not Surprising in the 1995 Sprint at Belmont won by Desert Stormer.

He said he talked to his dad on the phone earlier this week and received good advice.

“My dad told me to ride my race, ride smart and know that there's nothing different about this race except the money, so just ride your race and don't put too much pressure on yourself,” said Davis, who also credits retired champion jockey and current America's Day at the Races analyst Richard Migliore, Hall of Fame rider Chris McCarron and Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey turned trainer Wesley Ward among his confidantes.

On Friday, Davis will be tasked with negotiating a winning trip from post 13 at a morning-line assessment of 8-1 in a 14-horse field led by the 8-5 Golden Pal.

Gleaves said he is confident in Davis' ability to find a result in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint.

“I imagine he'll be in the second flight. He's a pretty tractable horse,” said Gleaves, whose previous Breeders' Cup starters include Happy Jazz Band [fourth, 1990 Juvenile], Devil on Ice [10th, 1991 Juvenile], and Mambo Meister [fifth, 2009 Dirt Mile]. “Dylan will have to work out a trip from there. The biggest obstacle will be the 14 horses going 5 ½ [furlongs]. It'll be a cavalry charge.”

Davis said he would have preferred a more inside draw, but is already strategizing options.

“I didn't like it at first, but as I've looked through it, I have Golden Pal on my outside and he has a lot of speed,” said Davis. “The 10-horse [Bodenheimer] has a lot of speed and has ran over the course before. Those horses will put a lot of pressure into the early speed, so we might run out with them a little bit and try to get some early position. I don't have the same speed they do, but it should spread the field out a little bit with those horses on the outside. From that post, I might lose some ground, but when the time is right to get some run, I'll be ready to have a clear trip.

“We're battle ready and being in the mix is no problem for him,” added Davis. “Whether he's inside or outside, he does fight to the wire with horses around him. He hasn't won by big margins, but he puts up a fight when horses come up next to him.”

Davis has posted nine wins at Keeneland over the course of his career, the most recent coming in April 2014 aboard Tell All You Know with a prominent performance in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance turf sprint.

“I was here at Keeneland with the bug,” said Davis. “I haven't been here in a while, but I remember the course well and I've been watching the races to see how the course has been playing.”

With no other mounts lined up for Friday's Keeneland card, Davis said he will prepare himself just as he does for his mounts in New York.

“I'll go through my normal routine with a lot of stretching and replay watching,” said Davis. “I only have the one race so I don't have a lot of handicapping to do. I'll get to the jock's room early and watch the races before ours and get a feel of how the turf is playing.

“Before the race, I'll have a bit of a workout to get my body ready,” he added. “It's just one race so I have to make sure that I'm all stretched out and ready to go when the gates open.”

And Davis said he is looking forward to the biggest moment of his career thus far, having put in the hard work day in and day out against the toughest jockey colony on the continent.

“I've learned fast,” said Davis. “A lot of good horses come through New York and I was hoping to find one of my own and now here he is – Second of July – I've waited a while for this moment and I know I'm ready for it.”

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After Futurity Upset, Second Of July Likely Heading To Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

After springing a 68-1 upset in his career debut, Bryan Hilliard's homebred Second of July again outran his odds displaying off-the-pace tactics to score a 15-1 victory in Sunday's 130th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Futurity going six furlongs over the Widener turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

In taking the Futurity, Second of July earned an all-fees paid entry into the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on November 6 at Keeneland.

Trained by Phillip Gleaves, Second of July was further off the pace in the Futurity than he was in his September 20 maiden special weight victory over Belmont's inner turf, where he was 1 1/2 lengths off the lead before surging to win by three-quarters of a length. On Sunday, the chestnut son of Jack Milton settled in sixth under jockey Dylan Davis while Momos and Gypsy King wrestled for control of the pace through opening fractions of 22.10 and 45.45 over the firm turf.

The field was tightly packed as they made their way around the far turn, where Second of July was trying to find real estate. Just past the quarter pole, Davis tipped one path to the outside and in the clear and began asking more from his charge. On the front end, Momos and Gypsy King were still duking it out with County Final to their outside with a chance as Second of July bid five-wide in the stretch.

After Five unleashed a late bid to the far outside, but Second of July made his way to the front just inside the sixteenth pole and came home a half-length winner in a time of 1:09.33. After Five, who was last at the top of the stretch in search of racing room, took second as the beaten favorite over Momos, who ran third against graded stakes company for a second straight time.

Davis, who piloted Second of July to both of his victories, said he felt a difference in the horse's maturity level from his first start.

“The first time out, he was pretty green about everything,” Davis said. “Today, he was very professional and I hope he will be third time out. He was a lot better with the gate and the pony and the whole race scenario. He was a lot better for me. First time out, there were some heavy hitters and that's why he was a longshot. He ran great that day and he ran well again today. He was moving up in class and we were asking a lot of him. Phil did a great job getting him here.”

Second of July rewarded his backers with $2 win payouts of $33 as the highest price in the seven-horse field. Banking $55,000 in victory, he increased his earnings to $89,650 being unbeaten in two starts.

Gleaves said he was cautiously optimistic in his horse's chances.

“I knew he was very fit and sharp and doing good, so I knew he would run his race, but I just wasn't sure if it was going to be good enough, but it turned out to be,” Gleaves said. “I was happy to see he had so much horse coming around the turn and at that point I knew we were going to run well. He just wore them down. Dylan does such a great job. There would be no reason to change things at the Breeders' Cup.”

Gleaves said a trip to the Breeders' Cup is likely in play.

“All being well and if the horse is OK, we will head to the Breeders' Cup,” Gleaves said.

Completing the order of finish were County Final, Gypsy King, Trade Deal and Bright Devil. Sky's Not Falling, Newbomb, Kentucky Knight and Nutsie were scratched.

A Kentucky homebred, Second of July is named after owner Bryan Hilliard's son Reed's date of birth and is the third offspring out of the Curlin mare Wichita.

Live racing resumes on Monday with a nine-race program. First post is 12:50 p.m.

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Son of Jack Milton Pulls Off Another Upset in Futurity

Bryan Hilliard’s homebred Second of July (Jack Milton), who was a 68-1 outsider when he captured his debut at Belmont Park last month, came back to score another upset victory in the GIII Futurity S. in Elmont Sunday. The win earned the gelding an automatic berth in the GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 6.

“I knew he was very fit and sharp and doing good, so I knew he would run his race, but I just wasn’t sure if it was going to be good enough, but it turned out to be,” said winning trainer Phil Gleaves.

Sent off at 15-1, Second of July was second to last through an opening quarter in :22.10 and was mired in traffic in a compact field after a half in :45.45. He found clear sailing in midstretch and strode to the lead before holding off the late-rushing After Five (The Factor) to win by a half-length. ‘TDN Rising Star’ Momos (Distorted Humor) held third after setting the pace.

“He broke well for me, but I just could not get any early foot on him,” said winning rider Dylan Davis. “Once we got to the turn, he wanted to get a little aggressive and I allowed him to move up a little bit. From then on, I was just trying to find a clear spot to get going on him and once I did, he excelled.”

After Five was last at the top of the lane and behind a wall of horses. Irad Ortiz tipped the colt to the center of the course and he closed furiously late to just miss.

“The horse ran a great race,” trainer Wesley Ward said of the runner-up. “It’s just unfortunate he had traffic trouble and that’s what happens in racing. He lost, but he’s a very nice horse.”

Second of July was always up close in his six-furlong debut, graduating by 3/4 lengths against a well-connected group of runners at Belmont Sept. 20.

“The first time out, he was pretty green about everything,” said Davis. “Today, he was very professional and I hope he will be third time out. He was a lot better with the gate and the pony and the whole race scenario. He was a lot better for me.”

Gleaves said he expects Second of July, a reference to Hilliard’s son Reed’s birthday, will head to Keeneland for championship weekend.

“All being well and if the horse is OK, we will head to the Breeders’ Cup,” Gleaves confirmed.

Pedigree Notes:

The unraced Wichita, purchased as a 4-year-old for $32,000 at the 2015 OBS January sale, produced a colt by Temple City this year and was bred back to Jack Milton. Second of July’s third dam, Northern Dynasty, produced stakes winner and graded placed Dynasty (Time for a Change), who is dam of the graded winner Harissa (Afleet Alex).

Second of July is the second stakes winner, and first graded winner, for 2015 GI Maker’s 46 Mile S. winner Jack Milton. The stallion is also represented by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Tobys Heart, who is now two-for-two after winning the Bolton’s Landing S. at Saratoga this past summer.

Sunday, Belmont Park
FUTURITY S.-GIII, $100,000, Belmont, 10-11, 2yo, 6fT, 1:09.33, fm.
1–SECOND OF JULY, 120, g, 2, by Jack Milton
1st Dam: Wichita, by Curlin
2nd Dam: Lady Dynasty, by Richter Scale
3rd Dam: Northern Dynasty, by Northern Jove
1ST-BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Bryan
Reed Hilliard (KY); T-Philip A. Gleaves; J-Dylan Davis. $55,000.
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $89,650. *Second SW for sophomore sire (by War Front). Werk Nick Rating: B.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–After Five, 118, c, 2, The Factor–Idle Talk, by Olmodavor.
($22,000 RNA Wlg ’18 KEENOV; $17,000 Ylg ’19 OBSOCT;
$165,000 2yo ’20 OBSMAR). O-Breeze Easy, LLC; B-Mary E.
Eppler Racing Stable, Inc. & A. Leonard Pineau (MD); T-Wesley
A. Ward. $20,000.
3–Momos, 120, c, 2, Distorted Humor–Inspeight of Us, by
Speightstown. ‘TDN Rising Star’ ($75,000 Ylg ’19 OBSWIN;
$180,000 2yo ’20 OBSMAR). O-Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and
Secure Investments; B-Tami D. Bobo & Distorted Humor
Syndicate (KY); T-Christophe Clement. $12,000.
Margins: HF, HF, HF. Odds: 15.50, 2.20, 3.25.
Also Ran: County Final, Gypsy King, Trade Deal, Bright Devil (Ire). Scratched: Kentucky Knight, Newbomb, Nutsie, Sky’s Not Falling. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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