Sir Winston | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sir Winston Looks To Repeat History In Pegasus World Cup

Tracy Farmer's Sir Winston is on course for a start in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park 2 1/2 years after achieving his career highlight with a 14-1 upset victory in the 2019 Belmont Stakes.

Among the son of Awesome Again's victims in the third leg of the 2019 Triple Crown was War of Will, his more celebrated stablemate in the barn of Hall of Famer Mark Casse who was coming off a victory in the Preakness Stakes (G1) three weeks prior.

“I told people before the Belmont, 'I think you're missing somebody.' I said, 'It wouldn't shock me if he won.' He was doing really well,” Casse said. “I kind of feel the same way now. I think he's really back to himself and doing really well.”

Since prevailing in the Belmont, Sir Winston, who is scheduled to take on likely 2021 Horse of the Year and defending champion Knicks Go and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good in a star-studded Pegasus World Cup field, has experienced some rough moments. None proved more costly than a futile trip to Dubai, where the 2020 Dubai World Cup was cancelled less than a week before the race due to the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic.

“We took him to Dubai. We were a few days from running and they cancelled the Dubai World Cup. We brought him back and it really knocked him on his rear,” Casse said. “He just didn't come back the same horse. We ran him a few times and he didn't run great. We just sent him home to Tracy's farm and gave him a long time off. He's come back and has gotten better and better.”

Sir Winston was out of action for just shy of a year but returned to the races a happier and healthier horse for a four-race campaign at Woodbine. The Kentucky homebred won an Aug. 19 allowance impressively, before finishing a close second in both the Grade 3 Durham Cup and the G2 Autumn. He capped off his very successful season with a victory in the 1 1/2-mile G3 Valedictory Dec. 5.

“He got a little unlucky in a couple spots. For him to win at a mile and sixteenth, he needs to have a pretty good pace. He needs things to go his way,” Casse said. “He could have easily won a couple more last year.”

Sir Winston, who has produced a solid series of five workouts at Palm Meadows Training Center in preparation of the Pegasus World Cup, has impressed Casse with his enthusiasm during his comeback.

“It's funny but I think he enjoys his job now more than before,” Casse said. “He's very professional. He always has been, but he trains better, acts better. This is going to be a heck of a race. Hopefully, we can get a piece of the pie.”

Sir Winston, who has always run his best races at distances longer than 1 1/16 miles, figures to race off the early pace in the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus, well behind Knicks Go and Life Is Good, the front-running winner of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

“It looks like there will be some serious pace. Obviously, he needs a lot of things to go his way,” Casse said. “He's feeling really well, and we believe he deserves a chance.”

Sir Winston broke his maiden Sept. 12, 2018 in his third career start following off-the-board finishes in a Churchill Downs dirt sprint and a two-turn turf race at Woodbine, scoring in a dead-heat in a mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight race over Woodbine's all-weather surface. He concluded his juvenile campaign with a victory in the Display Stakes at Woodbine, encouraging Casse to try him on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Following out-of-the-money finishes in the G3 Withers at Aqueduct, G2 Tampa Bay Derby and G2 Blue Grass at Keeneland, Sir Winston didn't merit a start in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, but he did earn a start in the Belmont Stakes with a second-place finish in the G3 Peter Pan at Belmont.

Although War of Will faltered in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont to finish ninth, Sir Winston stepped up to put Casse in the winner's circle, closing from off the pace to win by a length over favored Tacitus.

Casse is hopeful that Sir Winston will be able to pull off his second big upset 2 1/2 years later in the Pegasus World Cup.

The post Sir Winston Looks To Repeat History In Pegasus World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Classic Winner Sir Winston Works For Pegasus; Sisterson Has Channel Cat ‘Ready To Go’ For Pegasus Turf

Tracy Farmer's Sir Winston breezed an easy five furlongs Friday morning at Palm Meadows Training Center in preparation for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

The 2019 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner was timed in 1:02.30 for his fifth workout at Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County since concluding his resurgent 2021 campaign at Woodbine.

“He's been training well. His breeze this morning was very good,” said trainer Mark Casse, who reported that he has yet to decide who will ride the 6-year-old son of Awesome Again in the Pegasus World Cup, which will be featured on a blockbuster program that will also include the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational (G3).

Sir Winston returned from a layoff of nearly a year to enjoy a solid four-race 2021 campaign, starting with an impressive Aug. 19 allowance win at Woodbine, where the Kentucky homebred finished a close second in both the Durham Cup (G3) and Autumn (G2) before winning the 1 ½-mile Valedictory (G3).

Calumet Farm's Channel Cat, the durable Grade 1-winning millionaire homebred, continues to train forwardly as he prepares for his next and possibly final start in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.

Channel Cat, by late 2007 turf champion English Channel, has been working steadily since mid-December for trainer Jack Sisterson at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. The 7-year-old went an easy half-mile in 53 seconds Friday morning.

“You might think, 'What's going on here?' but this [was] the plan because he went a quick half last week,” trainer Jack Sisterson said. “We're just going to step back this week and then he'll have probably a half in company next week and be ready to go.”

In his previous three works, the Channel Cat went four furlongs in 47.05 seconds Jan. 9, the fastest of 37 horses; 48.95 Jan. 2; and 48.90 Dec. 24, ranking first of 46 horses.

“His [Jan. 9] work was his first one in company. I was debating whether to keep him at a half or go five-eighths. He's been doing enough at a half-mile; he's only going to do too much going five-eighths,” Sisterson said. “The work was not as planned.

“We worked another horse, [Grade 2-placed] In Effect, and he sort of got a little bit keen outside of [Channel Cat]. It was beautiful to see Channel Cat relax inside. He was always traveling well and had a ton of horse left. We don't want to run his race in the morning. He's had a lot of air left in the tank in his works.”

Channel Cat has run in the Pegasus Turf before, never getting in contention after being bumped at the start in 2019 and finishing 10th for his previous trainer, Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. Last winter, Channel Cat ran on the Pegasus undercard in the 1 ½-mile W.L. McKnight (G3), finishing fifth.

Since joining Sisterson in mid-2020, Channel Cat has run eight times with one win, the Man o'War (G1) at Belmont Park last May. Most recently he was second by a neck in the 1 3/8-mile Red Smith (G2) Nov. 20 at Aqueduct.

Overall, Channel Cat owns six wins, four seconds and five thirds with $1,456,022 in purse earnings from 30 lifetime starts. He is 2-1-2 in 10 career tries over the Gulfstream turf, running second in his July 1, 2017 debut. His other graded win came in the 2019 Bowling Green (G2) at Saratoga.

Channel Cat is listed on Calumet Farm's website as one of its 15 stallions for 2022, with an advertised fee of $7,500.

“He's a cool horse. He came in great shape off Todd, and I just didn't want to ruin what Todd had done with him, so I just didn't get in his way,” Sisterson said. “He's an older horse, he knows his job, and he loves to get out there and train. If he's not out there by 5:30, he shouts the barn down. If he's not the first walk in the afternoon, again he shouts. We just try to keep him happy and not get in his way.”

Pletcher sent out two of his Pegasus Day probables out for half-mile works Friday on the dirt at Palm Beach Downs. Repole Stable's multiple graded-stakes placed Never Surprised, last out winner of the Dec. 26 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream, went in 51.40 seconds while Robert and Lawana Low's Sweet Melania covered the distance in 50.43.

Sweet Melania, who earned her third career graded-stakes triumph in the Dec. 18 Suwannee River (G3) at Gulfstream, is being pointed to the inaugural $500,000 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf. Never Surprised could join his stablemate and defending champion Colonel Liam in the Pegasus Turf.

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Title Ready needs defections from original list of 19 invitees to get into the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) field, but trainer Dallas Stewart said the 7-year-old will run if granted the opportunity.

Title Ready most recently finished sixth in Oaklawn Park's $200,000 Tinsel Dec. 18, but Stewart says to throw that performance out because of the sloppy track.

“He's doing well, he just didn't have a good race in the mud,” Stewart said. “We'll see how it plays out.”

Since winning the Louisiana (G3) last January, Title Ready has raced only two other times, finishing off the board in the Dubai World Cup (G1) and then a close third in a tough Churchill Downs allowance off a 7 1/2-month layoff.

Title Ready's second dam is Hall of Famer Personal Ensign, an extraordinarily rare unbeaten champion whose produce record lived up to her racing career. Personal Ensign's unraced daughter Title Seeker was sold to Charles Fipke, owner-breeder of Title Ready, for $1.7 million in 2006 and has been a very good broodmare.

Title Seeker's daughter, Seeking the Title, won the Iowa Oaks (G3) and was Grade 1-placed. Then Seeking the Title subsequently produced $3.78 million-earner Seeking the Soul, second in the 2019 Pegasus World Cup and 2018 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and winner of the Clark Handicap (G1) and Stephen Foster (G2).

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Mark Casse, Kazushi Kimura Earn Titles At Woodbine; Patrick Husbands Contemplates Retirement

It was a fitting result for Woodbine's leading trainer Mark Casse on Sunday, as Sir Winston and Frosted Over went one-two, respectively, in the Grade 3 $155,700 Valedictory Stakes on the final card of the 2021 Thoroughbred season at the Toronto oval. The Woodbine meet also concluded with a record setting handle of $8,530,593.

Jockey Patrick Husbands guided 8-5 choice, Sir Winston, to a game score in the 1 ½-mile Tapeta test, edging stablemate Frosted Over by a hard-fought half-length to take all the spoils in the event for three-year-olds and upward.

The final time was 2:31.51.

Husbands, one of Woodbine's most successful and decorated riders, was emotional after the race, noting that he will contemplate retirement over the winter months.

“I want to say thanks to Mark…time out,” said Husbands, who teamed with Casse to net the most jockey-trainer stakes victories at the meet with 10. “I had a hard week. I texted Mark around 11:30 on Wednesday night and Mark returned my call Thursday morning and I would not answer the phone. I said, 'Mark, I'm done.' And he said, 'You can't do this, Patrick. You can't go out like this. You have to let Woodbine know that you are finished.' In my heart, I want to be here. I wanted to make today, right now, my last ride at Woodbine. Woodbine was great to me. But Mark told me I had the whole winter to think about it. I tip my hat off to Mark. He was there for me from day one. Everyone was there for me through my injuries. So, I will think about it through the winter.”

Whatever his decision, the Barbados-born champion rider, who has won some of Canada's biggest races, including the 2003 Canadian Triple Crown with Wando, will look back fondly on his Valedictory victory.

“From looking at the racing form, there's not really much speed in the race, and drawn so wide, I want to cut the first corner,” said Husbands, who now has a record five Valedictory crowns. “I never had ridden him in my life yet and all the years riding at Woodbine, Mark never gave me instructions. He hired me to do a job and we've been successful all these years. So, I made sure I can get him out of there, cut the first turn and then play it by ear, and he relaxed right off the bat.”

Bred and owned by Tracy Farmer, Sir Winston, a 5-year-old son of Awesome Again, paid $5.30 for the win.

Kazushi Kimura earned his first Woodbine jockey crown – the first Japanese-born rider to achieve the feat – with 138 wins at the meet, while his mounts earned $6,360,203 million.

“It's a special achievement, and it was one of my dreams,” said the 22-year-old Kimura. “Everybody wants to be a leading rider, but it's not easy. We just need great riding skills and good horses, good support from the trainers and owners for the whole season to be able to get the title. This year, I'd say I improved, and I got good support from trainers and owners. I appreciate that help for me to get the riding title.”

Born in Hokkaido, Kimura joined the Woodbine jockey colony as a 19-year-old apprentice in 2018 and made a strong first impression. He finished his first Woodbine campaign sixth in the standings with 89 wins and his mounts totaled more than $2.3 million in earnings. His first victory came aboard 70-1 longshot Tornado Cat, and his first stakes win came aboard Speedy Soul in the Muskoka. The Eclipse Award winner as North America's outstanding apprentice, Kimura also won the Sovereign Award equivalent in both 2018 and 2019.

His Woodbine successes include Gretzky the Great (Grade 1 Summer Stakes) and Lady Grace (Grade 2 Royal North). Another local highlight was his second-place finish aboard Magnetic Charm, owned by Queen Elizabeth II, in the 2019 Canadian Stakes.

This year, Kimura won eight stakes at the Toronto oval, including Corelli in the Grade 3 Singspiel, Our Secret Agent in the Grade 3 Hendrie, Frosted Over in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby and Swinging Mandy in the Victorian Queen.

Mark Casse topped the trainer leaderboard for the 13th time courtesy of 110 wins. Martin Drexler took second spot in the standings with 56 wins, while Kevin Attard was third with 55 victories. Casse led all conditioners in purse earnings with $8,189,186, followed by Attard and Josie Carroll.

Highlights were many for Casse, who recorded 27 Woodbine stakes victories, 19 more than his closest rival.

A lifetime winner of 3,226 races, the dual Hall of Fame horseman has plenty of reasons to be thrilled with his 2021 campaign, Woodbine and beyond.

“For us, not just in Toronto, and all over, it's been a really good year. I'm excited because we have a lot of nice young prospects too with God of Love winning the Grey and Cup and Saucer, Mrs. Barbara winning the Mazarine, Golden Glider – those kinds of horses. The horse I ran on Saturday at Woodbine, Sir for Sure, he's a maiden, but he's a really nice horse, and it will be fun to watch him going long next year.”

When did Casse know it was going to be a prosperous campaign?

“You never know. I'm kind of like the gambler playing poker. I never count my money when I'm sitting at the table.”

Casse has high praise for his team at Woodbine.

“We have wonderful people that have been with us for a long time. They are very dedicated and passionate in what they do, day in and day out. A lot of people might not know, but our entire staff are all Canadians. This was a trying year for everybody because of the late start, but we made sure the horses were ready.”

Casse is hopeful the 2022 Woodbine racing season brings with it a return to normalcy.

“Our season is geared towards Woodbine. Obviously, we run at different places, but over the years, we've built up a strong Canadian group, not just in horses, but owners. They want to see their horses and get out there and enjoy the racing, so hopefully, in 2022, we can all have the type of year everyone is used to.”

Before the start of the new season here, Casse, a 13-time Sovereign Award winner as Canada's outstanding trainer, will continue to speak highly of his attachment to Woodbine.

“Wherever I go, Woodbine and my name seem to go hand-in-hand. And that is something I am very proud of.”

Gary Barber was the leading money-winning owner of the meet for the third straight campaign, followed by Live Oak Plantation and Ivan Dalos.

Live Thoroughbred racing will return to Woodbine next spring, opening day tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 22, 2022, while Standardbred racing will continue to run four days a week at Woodbine Mohawk Park all-year-round.

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Sir Winston Wins Stretch Battle To Take Valedictory At Woodbine

Sir Winston won the 2019 Belmont Stakes at 1 1/2 miles and Sunday at Woodbine he had no trouble covering that distance again, taking the Grade 3 Valedictory Stakes. The G1 winner battled fellow Mark Casse trainee Frosted Over down the stretch at the Toronto, Ontario racetrack, taking back the lead in the last jumps before the wire.

In a crowded field of 14, Jelgo and Collective Force were the fastest out of the gate before Collective Force took over down the stretch the first time. War Bomber streaked to the lead on the far outside as they approached the first turn, getting out to a three-length advantage around the bend and onto the backstretch. Behind him were Collective Force and Frosted Over, who stalked the moderate pace with fractions of :24.78 for the first quarter, :50.36 for the half mile, and 1:16.23 for six furlongs. As the field approached the far turn, Frosted Over made his move for the lead, Patrick Husbands and Sir Winston following.

Around the far turn, the Casse trainees were on even terms, with Frosted Over on the rail and Sir Winston on his outside. They stayed even as they straightened into the Woodbine stretch, with Frosted Over showing a head in front as the two battled down the straight. Sir Winston was not done, digging in and pulling past the 3-year-old in the last sixteenth of a mile. At the wire, Sir Winston was three-quarters of a length in front of Frosted Over, with Collective Force holding on for third and Burning Man fourth.

The final time for the 1 1/2 miles was 2:31.51.

Sir Winston paid $5.30, $2.90, and $2.80. Frosted Over paid $4.70 and $4.40. Collective Force paid $10.60.

Bred in Kentucky by owner Tracy Farmer, Sir Winston is by Awesome Again out of the Afleet Alex mare La Gran Bailadora, a G3 stakes winner. The 5-year-old horse was a $50,000 RNA consigned by Denali Stud at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With his win in the G3 Valedictory, Sir Winston has two wins in four starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of six wins in 19 starts.

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