Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Oxbow’s County Final Scores in Tyro

County Final topped last month’s Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age sale at $475,0000 last month, and began chipping away at that investment first time for the new connections here. A four-length debut winner turf sprinting for trainer John Ennis at Churchill June 5, the grey was second in the GIII Bashford Manor S. on the Louisville dirt 22 days later behind soon-to-be stablemate Cazadero (Street Sense). While Cazadero could only manage fifth in Friday’s GII Saratoga Special S., fellow Steve Asmussen pupil Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music) impressed in that event. With G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) and well-regarded Fauci (Malibu Moon) scratched when the race came off the grass, County Final’s main challenge appeared likely to come from those two’s stablemate Spicy Marg, an unraced Wesley Ward-trained filly. Spicy Marg blasted out of the gate, and quickly cleared as County Final was ridden along to keep up. The favorite came under the whip around the bend as the frontrunner floated him wide at the top of the stretch, but County Final was undeterred and leveled off nicely in the lane to cruise by his tiring foe in hand. The winner’s dam was a stakes winner going both long and short on the dirt while trained by Asmussen. She produced a Keen Ice filly in 2019 and a Will Take Charge colt this term before being bred back to Ransom the Moon.

TYRO S., $71,500, Monmouth, 8-8, 2yo, 5f (off turf), :58.16, gd.
1–COUNTY FINAL, 120, c, 2, Oxbow–Tapajo (MSW, $123,727),
by Tapit. ($9,500 Ylg ’19 KEESEP; $475,000 2yo ’20 FTKHRA).
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-West Point Thoroughbreds, William
Sandbrook & Anna Marie Shannon; B-Calumet Farm (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joe Bravo. $45,000. Lifetime Record:
GSP, 3-2-1-0, $110,000.
2–Spicy Marg, 118, f, 2, Into Mischief–Tizasong, by Tiznow.
O-Wayne G. Lyster III, Bryan & Gray Lyster; B-Ashview Farm &
Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $15,000.
3–Newyearsblockparty, 120, c, 2, New Year’s Day–
Shedrivesmeupatree, by Forestry. ($4,000 RNA Wlg ’18
KEENOV; $15,000 Ylg ’19 FTKOCT). O-Black Cloud Racing
Stable, LLC (Mark Esposito); B-Fernandez-Robles Family Trust
(KY); T-Anthony Pecoraro. $7,500.
Margins: 4 1/4, 2, 5. Odds: 0.40, 1.90, 13.60.
Also Ran: Beau Bridge. Scratched: Baytown Bear, Fauci, Golden Pal, Twirling Fire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Jackie’s Warrior Outlegs The Competition In Saratoga Special

Kirk Robison's Jackie's Warrior broke sharply from the gate and never looked back, making the grade in the 115th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The son of Maclean's Music joined the likes of champions Colin (1905), Regret (1914), Morvich (1921), Blue Larkspur (1928), Top Flight (1931), Whirlaway (1941), Native Dancer (1952), Nearctic (1956), Bold Forbes (1975), Conquistador Cielo (1981), and Favorite Trick (1997) as winners of the historic six-furlong event for 2-year-olds.

Piloted by Joel Rosario, Jackie's Warrior was swift in breaking from his outside post and was sent straight to the lead, recording fractions of 22.06 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and the half-mile in 44.85.

At the top of the stretch, Jackie's Warrior was still in command with Therideofalifetime unleashing a bid to his outside. But Jackie's Warrior prevailed and crossed the wire under a hand ride to win by three lengths in a final time of 1:09.62 on the fast main track.

Therideofalifetime finished another four lengths ahead of third-place finisher Momos.

Completing the order of finish were Garoppolo, Cazadero, Papetu, Market Alert, Pickin' Time and Hold the Salsa. Roderick and Caramel Chip were scratched.

Returning $8.20 for a $2 win ticket, Jackie's Warrior arrived off a 2 ½-length debut win at Churchill Downs over subsequent Saratoga Special runner-up Therideofalifetime. He boosted his earnings to $127,564.

The victory was a fifth triumph in the Saratoga Special for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, who is just one short of Hall of Famer James Rowe Sr.'s record six Saratoga Special wins.

“With babies, I just wanted a clean break as he did in his first race and let his talent take over,” Asmussen said. “Being Saratoga, there were a lot of nice forms coming into it but when you get to Saratoga, not everybody likes the circumstances. I'm glad to see that he does. Good final time. Watching today's races, I think the track played fair. I don't think it [the lead] was anywhere he had to be, it's just where he was.”

The victory marked the meet-leading seventh stakes score for Rosario, who said he felt confident throughout aboard Jackie's Warrior.

“He [trainer Steve Asmussen] wanted me to get him out of there where he put himself,” Rosario said. “He broke well and we were just hanging on the lead, so I just rode it from there. He was looking really nice and he was enjoying that. He had his going ears back and forth and he looked like he was going easy even though the fractions were fast. He was having no problem with that. When they came close to him he wanted to go, and I felt even more confident at that point. I knew he had something left.”

Bred in Kentucky by J & J Stables, Jackie's Warrior is out of the A.P. Five Hundred mare Unicorn Girl.

Live racing returns on Saturday with an action-packed 12-race program for Runhappy Travers Day. Spearheaded by the 151st running of the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers, the enticing undercard includes the Grade 1, $300,000 Longines Test for sophomore fillies; the Grade 1, $300,000 Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint; the Grade 3, $200,000 Troy for 4-year-olds and up on Mellon turf and the Grade 3, $150,000 Waya for older fillies and mares on the inner turf. First post is 12 p.m. Eastern.

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Maclean’s Music Colt Turns in ‘Special’ Performance at the Spa

J. Kirk Robison’s Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music), the “other” Steve Asmussen runner signed on for Friday’s GII Saratoga Special S., out-footed them all and never looked back en route to a powerful score at the Spa. The imposing bay took his Churchill debut by 2 1/2 lengths June 19, and was flattered when the runner-up that day, re-opposing Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}) returned to romp at Keeneland and earn ‘TDN Rising Star‘ status. He was less proven on paper than stablemate, GIII Bashford Manor S. winner and ‘Rising Star‘ Cazadero (Street Sense), but if their work together on July 26 (5f, 1:01.72, 16/31, XBTV Video) was any indication, 3-1 Jackie’s Warrior may have been coming into this class test better than 8-5 Cazadero. After a gate incident that prompted the scratch of a longshot and reload, the outside-drawn Jackie’s Warrior broke on top and quickly cleared with ‘Rising Star‘ Momos (Distorted Humor) and Therideofalifetime in hot pursuit through splits of :22.06 and :44.85. The leading trio were far in front of the rest of the field–including a hard-ridden Cazadero–at the top of the stretch, but Jackie’s Warrior was in a race of his own as he bounded away with impressive strides to prevail by a geared-down three lengths in 1:09.62. Momos held third, while Cazadero could only manage fifth.

Friday, Saratoga
SARATOGA SPECIAL S. PRESENTED BY MILLER LITE-GII, $150,000, Saratoga, 8-7, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.62, ft.
1–JACKIE’S WARRIOR, 120, c, 2, by Maclean’s Music
1st Dam: Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred
2nd Dam: Horah for Bailey, by Doneraile Court
3rd Dam: Horah for the Lady, by Rahy
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($95,000 Ylg
’19 KEESEP). O-J. Kirk Robison; B-J & J Stables (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$127,564. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Therideofalifetime, 120, c, 2, Candy Ride (Arg)–Cosmic
Evolution, by Proud Citizen. ‘TDN Rising Star’ O/B-Stephen
Lawrence Fidel (KY); T-Ignacio Correas, IV. $30,000.
3–Momos, 120, c, 2, Distorted Humor–Inspeight of Us, by
Speightstown. ($75,000 Ylg ’19 OBSWIN; $180,000 2yo ’20
OBSMAR). ‘TDN Rising Star’ O-Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC &
Secure Investments; B-Tami D. Bobo & Distorted Humor
Syndicate (KY); T-Christophe Clement. $18,000.
Margins: 3, 4, 1 3/4. Odds: 3.10, 3.75, 7.50.
Also Ran: Garoppolo, Cazadero, Papetu, Market Alert, Pickin’ Time, Hold the Salsa. Scratched: Caramel Chip, Roderick.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

“[Trainer Steve Asmussen] wanted me to get him out of there where he put himself,” said winning rider Joel Rosario. “He broke well and we were just hanging on the lead, so I just rode it from there. He was looking really nice and he was enjoying that. He had his going ears back and forth and he looked like he was going easy even though the fractions were fast. He was having no problem with that. When they came close to him he wanted to go, and I felt even more confident at that point. I knew he had something left.”

This was Asmussen’s fifth Saratoga Special win (Cuvee 2003, Kodiak Kowboy 2007, Kantharos 2010, Copper Bullet 2017).

“With babies, I just wanted a clean break as he did in his first race and let his talent take over,” he said. “Being Saratoga, there were a lot of nice forms coming into it but when you get to Saratoga, not everybody likes the circumstances. I’m glad to see that he does.”

The Hall of Famer added, “I think this was a new test for him. He won first time out at five-eighths of a mile and obviously was sharp. [Sire] Maclean’s Music is a horse that we had that was brilliantly quick but we always thought from training him that he would stretch out.”

Asmussen said the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. here over seven panels Sept. 7 would likely be next on the agenda for Jackie’s Warrior. As for the beaten favorite: “[Jockey] Ricardo [Santana, Jr.] didn’t think [Cazadero] handled the racetrack at all. Most likely, with him being two-for-two at Churchill Downs, we’ll get him back there.”

Pedigree Notes:

Jackie’s Warrior is the 18th black-type winner and fourth graded stakes winner for Hill ‘n’ Dale resident Maclean’s Music, whose half-brother Uncle Chuck (Uncle Mo) will look to play the role of spoiler in Saturday’s GI Runhappy Travers S. Trained by Asmussen for Cazadero’s owner/breeder Stonestreet, Maclean’s Music made just one start–a 7 1/4-length romp at Santa Anita as a March 3-year-old, good for a 114 Beyer Speed Figure, the fastest ever earned by a debuter. The horse Maclean’s Music beat that day was named Flightofalifetime–no relation to Therideofalifetime.

Maclean’s Music’s most accomplished performer, GI Preakness S. hero Cloud Computing, is out of a mare by Jackie’s Warrior’s maternal grandsire, A.P. Indy. Jackie’s Warrior is the first graded winner out of a mare by A.P. Five Hundred, who began his stud career in Florida before quickly being exported to Chile.

Jackie’s Warrior’s hard-knocking dam Unicorn Girl was far and away A. P. Five Hundred’s most productive U.S.-sired runner–she was a 19-time winner who racked up $483,508 before being claimed out of her last lifetime start for $16,000 at the age of eight. Jackie’s Warrior is her third foal.

Unicorn Girl was bought back for $110,000 at KEENOV ’18 carrying a Candy Ride (Arg) filly and produced an American Pharoah colt this Mar. 8 before being bred to Into Mischief for 2021. Unicorn Girl is out of SW Horah for Bailey, making her a half to MSW Bernie the Maestro (Bernstein), GSP Richard the Great (Distorted Humor) and MSP juvenile Awesome Mass (Brethren).

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Rising Stars Set to Lock Horns in Deep Saratoga Special

With the outposted Roderick (Into Mischief) scratching in favor of a start in Saturday’s GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar, a field of 10 is set to face the starter for Friday’s GII Saratoga Special S.,headed by a trio of promising ‘TDN Rising Stars.’

Trainer Steve Asmussen, already a four-time winner of the Special, sends out Stonestreet homebred Cazadero (Street Sense), who looks to take his record to a perfect three-for-three. The May foal, a son of MSW & GISP Wild Gams (Forest Wildcat), set a pressured early pace before romping clear by 8 3/4 lengths on Churchill debut May 29 and showed a bit of a new dimension last time, sitting off a faster tempo before kicking home to win the June 27 GIII Bashford Manor S. by 4 3/4 lengths. Cazadero will attempt to join former Asmussen trainees Cuvee (2003), Kodiak Kowboy (2007), Kantharos (2010) and fellow ‘Rising Star’ Copper Bullet (2017).

“It’s nice to have a couple of races under his belt heading into a race like this at Saratoga,” said Asmussen’s chief assistant Scott Blasi. “He came in very well-respected and hasn’t done anything wrong yet.”

First-call rider Ricardo Santana, Jr. retains the mount on Cazadero, while Joel Rosario takes the call on Jackie’s Warrior (Maclean’s Music), a 2 1/2-length maiden winner at first asking in Louisville June 19. Second on that occasion was Therideofalifetime (Candy Ride {Arg}), who franked the form of the winner when swooshing home to graduate by 8 1/4 lengths at Keeneland July 11, good for the ‘Rising Star’ nod. Jose Ortiz, aboard in Lexington, is at the controls again Friday.

Fresh off a 6 1/2-length defeat of hot favorite Mo Mischief (Into Mischief) in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden over this track July 18, ‘Rising Star’ Momos (Distorted Humor) will try to give Christophe Clement a seventh black-type win at the meet in the Special instead of just waiting for the meet-ending GI Runhappy Hopeful S. over seven furlongs Sept. 7.

“He’s coming back a little quick with three weeks in between races,” Clement said. “I could have trained for the Hopeful, but this is the best of the choices, so to speak. I just would like to keep him going short in a stakes on dirt and this was the logical one. He seems to be very fast, so why change something that is working?”

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