Stanley Hough | Horse Racing Free Tips

TDN Rising Stars Headline Pocahontas

Louis Wright’s Inject (Frosted), who turned in an eye-opening performance in her career debut at Ellis to earn TDN Rising Star status, will try and punch her ticket to the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with a victory in Thursday’s GIII Pocahontas S. at Churchill Downs. Let go at 7-1 for that five-furlong unveiling Aug. 15, the daughter of first-season son of Tapit came from just off the pace to win by a widening six-length margin at the wire. The $390,000 KEESEP yearling purchase is a half-sister to GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (Tapit).

Also a winner at first asking, Phoenix Thoroughbred’s Crazy Beautiful (Liam’s Map) got the job done going a mile over the Ellis turf July 5 before overcoming a whole mess of trouble in the Aug. 9 Debutante S. and still managing to come home a 3 3/4-length winner in a TDN Rising Star-earning performance.

Rounding out the TDN Rising Star triumvirate is Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo), who made short work of her rivals while going six panels at Ellis July 24. In the irons that day was Joe Talamo, who led the jockey standings at the recently concluded Ellis summer meeting, gets the call in the Pocahontas.

Russell Welch’s American Grace (American Pharoah) was favored for her career bow going seven furlongs at Ellis Aug. 7 and did not disappoint, coming home a 2 1/2 length winner. Sharpened with a four-furlong move in :48 flat at Churchill Aug, 28, the Larry Jones trainee reunites with Gabe Saez in this stakes debut.

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‘Here’s To Longshots!’ Mott-Trained Derby Entrant South Bend ‘Tries Hard Every Time’

With his Kentucky Derby gear still being constructed, South Bend took to the track with his usual Bill Mott saddle towel as he galloped during the special 7:30 a.m. training session for Oaks and Derby horses at Churchill Downs.

A late entrant to the Derby fray, South Bend heads into Saturday's test off a fourth-place finish in the Travers Stakes (GI) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. Though he is winless in eight starts this year, the bay colt has flashed potential, most notably running second in the Ohio Derby (GIII) June 27 while still in the barn of his prior trainer Stanley Hough.

“He's a very consistent horse, if you look at all his races and he tries hard every time,” said Kenny McCarthy, Mott's assistant. “His Travers race was certainly not a bad race. He obviously needs to move forward off of that race but he seems to like this track here. We've seen over the years that some horses look like a cinch coming in but they couldn't get it done.”

Campaigned by Sagamore Farm through his first 11 starts, including a victory in the Street Sense last fall at Churchill Downs, South Bend was acquired prior to the Travers by a partnership group that includes Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer of Pantofel Stable.

“He was previously with Stanley so he's trained over this track (Churchill Downs) many times,” McCarthy added. “This horse, it was a bit of a last-minute decision to go into the race but having said that, I think initially when the horse was purchased, that might have been in the back of their minds to try and get themselves a Derby horse. Obviously with the defection of Art Collector, they figured let's take a shot. Here's to longshots!”

South Bend is listed at 50-1 on the Kentucky Derby morning line, and will break from post position eight.

Thanks to the National Turfwriters and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), which has assembled a group of pool reporters providing independent reporting to members unable to be on the Churchill Downs grounds this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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South Bend Joins Derby Cast Just Before Post Position Draw

Trainer Bill Mott will have a chance to win back-to-back Kentucky Derbies after all. Shortly before Tuesday's post position draw at Churchill Downs, the Daily Racing Form's Marty McGee announced on Twitter that South Bend would be the 18th horse in the starting gate this Saturday, Sept. 5. Tyler Gaffalione will have the mount.

The 3-year-old son of Algorithms won the listed Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs last fall when campaigned by Sagamore Farm and Stanley Hough, and earned several stakes placings on the turf before returning to the main track for the June 27 Ohio Derby (G3), in which South Bend finished second.

After that start, the colt was purchased privately by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Pantofel Stable, and transferred to Mott's barn to be prepared for the Grade 1 Travers.

Mott saddled South Bend to a fourth-place finish in the Travers, improving his record to 3-2-2 for earnings of $390,114.

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New Owners Consider Runhappy Travers for South Bend

South Bend (Algorithms), purchased privately by a partnership group that includes Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer of Pantofel Stable following a runner-up effort in the June 27 GIII Ohio Derby, could make his first start for the new connections in the Aug. 8 GI Runhappy Travers S.

“We’re leaning toward the Travers,” confirmed the colt’s new trainer Bill Mott. “The partnership group wants to have a good look at that. He’ll work probably the first part of the week.”

Previously campaigned by Sagamore Farm and trainer Stanley Hough, South Bend won last year’s Street Sense S. over the main track at Churchill Downs and his three stakes placings over the turf include a third-place finish in the Feb. 29 GIII Palm Beach S.

Of the colt’s versatility, Mott said, “I think that’s one of the reasons they bought him. He looks good on both surfaces.”

In his first work for Mott, South Bend went four furlongs in :49.12 (5/31) at Saratoga July 27.

“We breezed him the one time. We like the horse, he’s doing well,” Mott said. “He’s a nice horse to train. He moves well and he worked well for us. I’m happy with him.”

Trainer Mike Stidham confirmed that Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), most recently a closing third in the July 16 GIII Peter Pan S., is also under consideration for the Travers.

“The Travers is a possibility. He’ll work [Saturday] and we’ll know more after he works,” said Stidham. “Ultimately, he has to put himself in a better position early. You can’t win those types of races with that much to do late in the race. Our goal was to try blinkers on him and see what type of response he gives, so we can try to be a little bit closer.”

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