Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Rombauer in Good Order, Ships to Belmont Monday

After a few hours of sleep, trainer Michael McCarthy was back at Pimlico Race Course Sunday morning, quietly talking about Rombauer (Twirling Candy)'s emphatic victory in the 146th GI Preakness S. Saturday and looking ahead to the June 5GI Belmont Stakes. Bred and raced by John and Diane Fradkin, Rombauer rallied to a convincing 3 1/2-length score Saturday and stopped the clock in 1:53.62, the eighth-fastest time since the race distance was changed to 1 3/16 miles in 1925.

While McCarthy, 50, acquired plenty of experience in Triple Crown races during his long tour as an assistant to Hall of Fame-elect trainer Todd Pletcher, Rombauer was his first starter in the series since he opened his own stable in 2014. The well-respected, low-key, California-based horseman started receiving congratulatory calls and texts as soon as the race was over.

“It's been great,” McCarthy said. “It's nice to see this all kind of come together. The horse justified what I thought of him all along.”

The Fradkins and McCarthy have decided to ship Rombauer to Belmont Park Monday and are seriously considering running him in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont.

“We will go ahead and go to Belmont,” McCarthy said. “We will get there and see how he is and where he is at and go from there.”

Elsewhere in the Preakness aftermath, Steve Asmussen, the Hall of Fame trainer of Winchell Thoroughbreds' runner-up Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow), said Sunday that the Belmont is under consideration for his trainee.

“Proud of his effort,” Asmussen said. “He had every chance yesterday and he ran second. He's a good horse who needs to continuously get better, but we have a lot of confidence that he will, pedigree-wise, and who he is physically and the fact that he has continuously improved to this point.”

Midnight Bourbon left Pimlico to van back to Churchill Downs right before dawn Sunday morning. Asked if the Belmont might be in his plans, Asmussen said, “Of course it is. All major 3-year-old races are under consideration for the rest of the year. Let's get him back to normal circumstances just to see where we're at with him. That also gives us time to see everything that's out there and knock out a plan for him for the second half of the year.”

The highly-scrutinized pair of Bob Baffert trainees, GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) and Concert Tour (Street Sense), exited their respective third and ninth-place efforts in good order according to assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. Both boarded a van bound for Churchill at 10 a.m. Sunday morning.

“We will evaluate everything and Bob will see what direction he wants to go with them,” Barnes said.

Added Barnes of Medina Spirit's run, “He ran his race. The second quarter is what got us. Once they threw up that 46 [:46.93 seconds], it was a bit much. We just need to give him a little bit more time between races. Bob knows what to do and I will feed him the information and he will tell us what to do.”

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Preakness Notes: Belmont Stakes Under Consideration For Runner-Up Midnight Bourbon

Steve Asmussen, the Hall of Fame trainer of Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, said Sunday that the June 5 Belmont Stakes (G1) is under consideration for the runner-up in Saturday's Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

With Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle, Midnight Bourbon prompted a solid pace set by Medina Spirit, who led throughout in the May 1 Kentucky Derby (G1), before drawing clear in upper stretch. The son of Tiznow looked home free until Rombauer swept by in the final sixteenth of a mile for a 3 1/2-length victory.

“Proud of his effort,” said Asmussen, who was seeking a third victory in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown following two-time Horse of the Year Curlin (2007) and filly Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year. “Irad gave him a great chance, and the horse ran hard and ended up second. But I don't think everybody is that far off. He's a quality horse, continuously running better.

“He had every chance yesterday and he ran second. He's a good horse who needs to continuously get better,” he added, “but, we have a lot of confidence that he will, pedigree-wise, and who he is physically and the fact that he has continuously improved to this point.”

Midnight Bourbon left Pimlico to van back to Churchill Downs right before dawn Sunday morning. Asked if the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes might be in the plans, Asmussen said, “Of course it is … all major 3-year-old races are under consideration for the rest of the year. Let's get him back to normal circumstances just to see where we're at with him. That also gives us time to see everything that's out there and knock out a plan for him for the second half of the year.”

Midnight Bourbon went off as the 3-1 second choice behind 2-1 favorite Medina Spirit. The massive colt came into the 1 3/16-mile classic with a 2-2-3 record in eight starts, his only out-of-the-money finish coming when he broke awkwardly before finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby. Midnight Bourbon won the Lecomte (G3), was third in the Risen Star (G2) and checked in second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds. He had beaten and held his own against Mandaloun, who was second by a half-length in the Kentucky Derby.

Midnight Bourbon's pedigree and his up-close running style would seem to lend itself to the Belmont Stakes. Tiznow, who was pensioned as a stallion last fall, is the sire of 2005 Belmont winner Da' Tara.

“Absolutely,” Asmussen said of the Belmont suiting Midnight Bourbon. “I think he has proven he is more than worthy of consideration for the best 3-year-olds in the country.”

Medina Spirit, Concert Tour Exit Preakness in Good Order
Jimmy Barnes, the longtime assistant of trainer Bob Baffert, was packing up shop Sunday morning at Pimlico Race Course. Medina Spirit, who tired to third in the Saturday's Preakness (G1), and Concert Tour, who checked in ninth, got on a van bound for Churchill Downs at 10 a.m.

Once they get to Kentucky, it will be up to Baffert to decide what is next for the two colts.

“We will evaluate everything and Bob will see what direction he wants to go with them,” Barnes said.

Both Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit and Gary and Mary West's Concert Tour came out of the Preakness in good shape, he said. Medina Spirit, who led throughout the Kentucky Derby (G1) two weeks earlier, set the pace before being overtaken in the stretch by Midnight Bourbon, who was then passed by the late-charging Rombauer.

“He ran his race,” Barnes said. “The second quarter is what got us. Once they threw up that 46 (46.93 seconds), it was a bit much,” Barnes said. “We just need to give him a little bit more time between races. Bob knows what to do and I will feed him the information and he will tell us what to do.”

Concert Tour was never a factor in the Preakness. He was bumped at the start by Risk Taking and the colt that was expected to vie for the lead never got there.

It was his second straight loss after starting his career with three wins.

“That's horse racing,” Barnes said. “You can't go out there and win every race. You try to. There were nine other horses out there and if you don't get your trip, you don't get your trip.”

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‘Mighty’ Performance in Chick Lang

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Mighty Mischief came into the GIII Chick Lang S. riding a two-race win streak and added win number three while annexing his first at the graded level Saturday. Favored Jaxon Traveler broke fastest but it was Mighty Mischief who quickly hit the front, carving out a :23.16. Prompted by Willy Boi (Uncaptured) as Jaxon Traveler ranged up three-wide through a :45.97 half, the 9-5 second choice cornered in front and opened up a little cushion through early stretch. Given some right-handed encouragement by Ricardo Santana Jr. late, he strode clear a 1 1/4-length winner over Jaxon Traveler, recording the Steve Asmussen exacta. Hemp rounded out the trifecta.

Mighty Mischief gave Asmussen his fifth victory in the Chick Lang, including Lantana Mob (2008), Mitole (2018)–named champion male sprinter of 2019–and Yaupon last year.

“This is a nice horse,” said Santana Jr. “We have a lot of confidence in him. We've always loved this horse from Day 1. He's improved a lot. They let me walk the first quarter. I was really happy. He was really comfortable. The first quarter, when they let me walk in :23, I knew I was going slow. I knew he was going to accelerate for home, and I just waited for company to come back to me. And when they came close to me, I had a lot left.”

Added Asmussen, “The only thing that could have been better is a dead heat. I think they're both very quality horses. The race might have been a little quick back for Jaxon Traveler [winner of the Apr. 24 Bachelor S.]. He didn't have as much speed as he normally does, and the race got away from him a little bit from the half-mile to the three-eighths.”

Mighty Mischief kicked off with a runner-up finish going six panels in the Oaklawn mud Feb. 7 before going wire-to-wire next time over that track and trip Mar. 19. Favored for his latest while facing optional claiming company, he once again wired the field with ease.

Pedigree Notes:
Mighty Mischief gives his sire his 41st group/graded stakes winner and 96th black-type winner overall. The winner's dam was acquired for $230,000 with this colt in utero at Keeneland November 2017 and descends from a female family near and dear to the Heiligbrodts. Wealth Creation is a half-sister to GSP Random Walk (Super Saver) and is a daughter of Heiligbrodt homebred stakes winner Lunargal (Yes It's True), herself a half-sister to GSW & GISP Astrology (A.P. Indy), the couple's graded-stakes winning juvenile Lunarpal (Successful Appeal) and a full-sister to SW Lunarlady. Her latest live foal was produced this spring, a filly by Mitole, who won the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint en route to his Eclipse Award.

Saturday, Pimlico
CHICK LANG S.-GIII, $200,000, Pimlico, 5-15, 3yo, 6f, 1:09.74, ft.
1–MIGHTY MISCHIEF, 122, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Wealth Creation, by Super Saver
2nd Dam: Lunargal, by Yes It's True
3rd Dam: Quiet Eclipse, by Quiet American
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
($290,000 RNA Ylg '19 FTKJUL). O-L. William & Corinne Heiligbrodt;
B-Heiligbrodt Racing Stable (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen;
J-Ricardo Santana, Jr. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0,
$255,200. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Jaxon Traveler, 124, c, 3, Munnings–Listen Boy, by After
Market. 'TDN Rising Star' ($80,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $140,000
2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-West Point Thoroughbreds & Marvin
Delfiner; B-A. Leonard Pineau (MD); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$40,000.
3–Hemp, 120, g, 3, Super Ninety Nine–Tejano Sea, by Sea of
Secrets. O-Narrow Leaf Farm; B-David Baxter (MD); T-Anthony
Farrior. $20,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.80, 1.00, 13.30.
Also Ran: Willy Boi, Palatial Times, Shackled Love.

Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Mighty Mischief Takes Rail Path To Chick Lang Stakes Victory

The shortest distance from the gate to the wire is the rail path, and Mighty Mischief took it to his first graded stakes victory on Saturday in the Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

The 3-year-old Into Mischief colt was hustled out of the gate by jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., and quickly separated from a group of second-flight contenders that included Jaxon Traveler, Willy Boi, and Hemp. Mighty Mischief ran easy through an opening quarter in :23.16 seconds, while Willy Boi moved up to challenge on the outside, and Jaxon Traveler was three-wide as they headed into the turn.

Mighty Mischief held his position on the rail through the turn, and he entered the home stretch with a two-length advantage after a half-mile in :45.97 seconds. The colt remained under hand urging by Santana until the final furlong, when the jockey provided the occasional reminder with a right-handed whip.

Nobody emerged to directly challenge the leader, but slight post time favorite Jaxon Traveler was the only one to even be within striking distance when the wire approached, finishing 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to third-place Hemp, who was three-quarters of a length better than Willy Boi.

Mighty Mischief stopped the clock in the six-furlong sprint in 1:09.74 over a fast main track. He paid $5.60 to win as the field's second choice.

The Chick Lang was the first graded stakes test for Mighty Mischief, who made his first career start on Feb. 7 in a narrow second-place effort at Oaklawn Park. He then embarked on a two-race winning streak at the same track; most recently taking an April 10 allowance optional claiming race by a front-running 4 1/2 lengths.

Saturday's victory improved Mighty Mischief's career earnings to $255,200.

Mighty Mischief races as a homebred for Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, out of the Super Saver mare Wealth Creation. He is trained by Steve Asmussen, who also saddled the other part of the exacta.

To view the race chart, click here.

$200,000 Chick Lang (G3) Quotes

Winning Trainer Steve Asmussen (Mighty Mischief) and (Jaxson Traveler, 2^nd): “The only thing that could have been better is a dead heat. I think they're both very quality horses. The race might have been a little quick back for Jaxon Traveler. He didn't have as much speed as he normally does, and the race got away from him a little bit from the half-mile to the three-eighths.”

(Pre-race instructions?) “I think that's covered when you've got Ricardo [Santana Jr.] and Irad [Ortiz Jr.]. At this level, this is as good as it gets. I think where they drew made the difference in the outcome of the race.”

“The significance of this is that it's Corinne Heiligbrodt's mare and they're the breeder of this one as well. Not only for them to breed another Chick Lang winner, and I'm sure this is their third Chick Lang winner.”

“Jaxon Traveler has been a very versatile horse. He's traveled, and being a Maryland-bred, [there are] Mid-Atlantic opportunities for him. Mighty Mischief, this being his first stakes try, we'll see how he comes out of it and what we need to do with him next.”

Winning Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. (Mighty Mischief): “This is a nice horse. We have a lot of confidence in him. We've always loved this horse from Day 1. He's improved a lot. They let me walk the first quarter. I was really happy. He was really comfortable. The first quarter, when they let me walk in 23 [seconds], I knew I was going slow. I knew he was going to accelerate for home, and I just waited for company to come back to me. And when they came close to me, I had a lot left.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Jaxon Traveler; 2^nd): “No excuse. He was running at the end, but the other horse [Mighty Mischief] was hard to catch. The other horse went 23 [seconds], went a little easy the first quarter.”

Trainer Anthony Farrior (Hemp; 3^rd): “He ran good. There were a couple of good ones in here. [Jockey Jevian]Toledo rode a great race, sitting behind the speed and made one run. Glad to hit the board. He finished well, and we're happy with him. He's a Maryland-bred, so we'll have a little fun with him in the state. Everyone wants to run on these days. It's everyone's dream to run on Preakness Day. I'm just glad the owners gave me a horse that can run. The plan worked good. I knew Steve [Asmussen] would be tough. When he comes, he brings good horses. I am very pleased. I thought we could run third, I really did. The three horses that were favored were all going to go out there and, hopefully, one would falter and we could come running. At the top of the lane, I thought we were going to get a little more of it, but they kept running, too.”

Jockey Jevian Toledo (Hemp): “I was hoping they would stop and I could catch them. They kept running. But my horse, he ran, not 100 percent, he tried 200 percent. So he ran his race, he ran good. The other horses are really nice horses and kept going. I think with the competition here, he should be really nice next time.”

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