Steve Asmussen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Disarm Splashes Home First in Matt Winn

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Disarm (c, 3, Gun Runner–Easy Tap, by Tapit) stormed past Verifying (Justify) in the final strides to win the relocated GIII Matt Winn S. at Ellis Park Sunday. Last seen finishing fourth in the GI Kentucky Derby, Disarm was sent off the even-money favorite in the race originally scheduled to be run at Churchill Downs. He was always within striking distance settled in third as Bo Cruz (Creative Cause) took the field through fractions of :24.46 and :48.73 over the sloppy going while tracked all the way by Verifying. Disarm lost ground on the far turn and was tipped out three wide at the top of the lane as Verifying forged to the lead with a furlong to run. Disarm found his best stride late, gliding past Verifying to win by a half-length. The final time for the nine furlongs was 1:49.59.

Disarm was second in the GII Louisiana Derby in March and earned his spot in the Kentucky Derby with a third-place effort in the Apr. 15 GIII Lexington S.

Sunday, Ellis Park
MATT WINN S.-GIII, $400,000, Ellis, 6-11, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.59, sy.
1–DISARM, 118, c, 3, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Easy Tap, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Easily, by Vicar
3rd Dam: White Jasmine, by Whitesburg
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario. $242,850. Lifetime Record: 7-2-2-2, $720,700. *1/2 to Tap Daddy (Scat Daddy), Ch. Stayer-Ven, SW & GSP-USA, MSW-Ven, $252,384; 1/2 to Total Tap (Candy Ride {Arg}), MSP, $221,112. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Verifying, 118, c, 3, Justify–Diva Delite, by Repent. ($775,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor; B-Hunter Valley & Mountmellick Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $78,500.
3–Bo Cruz, 118, c, 3, Creative Cause–Quick Breeze, by Ghostzapper. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($45,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Skyscraper Racing, LLC, Racingwithbruno, Brian Pagano, and Patrick Grippo; B-Douglas Scharbauer (KY); T-Albert M. Stall, Jr.. $39,250.
Margins: HF, 4 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.12, 2.26, 4.06.
Also Ran: Raise Cain, Denington, Go Soldier Go, King Russell.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs.

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Steve Asmussen ‘Sweeps’ 2-Year-Old Stakes With Tremont Win

Steve Asmussen made it a 'sweep' for the 2-year-old stakes wins at Belmont Sunday with a dominating performance by Gold Sweep to not only break his maiden but stamp himself a contender for upcoming summer races. Despite missing by a just a neck when unveiled at Churchill Downs May 18, the son of Speightstown was running late and still earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure for his losing effort. Bet down to 4-5 breaking from an outside gate, Gold Sweep came away in good order and raced widest of the three top contenders into the far turn with Vitement (Mizzen Mast) and Ship Cadet to his inside. Up onto even terms with that pair as they swung off the bend, the chestnut surged forward to take command into the final eighth and drew off impressively to the wire to win by nearly double digits.

“At the quarter-pole he was beautiful, and at the three-sixteenths, he switched leads and exploded,” described winning jockey Jose Ortiz. “I showed him the whip a little just to ask him to get away and from that point on I just told him to finish the race. I didn't encourage him a whole lot and he did it pretty easy. For a 2-year-old in his second race and a maiden, I think he's going to be pretty nice.”

A $285,000 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling, Gold Sweep is his dam's fourth winner from as many to make the races. Second dam Ginger Brew, Canada's champion 3-year-old filly from 2008, also produced GII Demoiselle S. runner up Jamyson 'n Ginger (Bernardini) and is herself a half-sister to MGSW/MGISP Bourbon Bay (Sligo Bay {Ire}). Wonder Brew foaled a Twirling Candy filly this spring. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

TREMONT S., $150,000, Belmont, 6-11, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:03.47, ft.
1–GOLD SWEEP, 120, c, 2, by Speightstown
                1st Dam: Wonder Brew, by Giant's Causeway
                2nd Dam: Ginger Brew, by Milwaukee Brew
                3rd Dam: Coral Necklace, by Conquistador Cielo
($285,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Mike
McCarty; B-Joe Anzalone (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Jose L.
Ortiz. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $106,500.
2–Ship Cadet, 122, c, 2, Midshipman–Bella Mia, by Harbor the
Gold. ($79,000 Ylg '22 WASSEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Paradise
Farms Corp., David Staudacher, Kevin Haynes and John Huber;
B-Willam T Griffin (CA); T-Michael J. Maker. $30,000.
3–Yo Yo Candy, 122, c, 2, Danzing Candy–Yolanda B. Too, by
Two Punch. ($6,000 Ylg '22 NCAAU; $35,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Happy Tenth Stable; B-Checkmate
Thoroughbreds LLC (CA); T-Daniel Velazquez. $18,000.
Margins: 9, 1 1/4, 6 3/4. Odds: 0.80, 3.70, 26.75.
Also Ran: Frosty the Giant, Jumpingjaggerflash, Vitement. Scratched: Jive.

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Munnings Filly Sprints To Astoria Victory

Closing Act (Munnings) put it all together here to secure the first black-type victory of her young career in the Astoria S. as the 3-5 favorite.

A step slow on debut May 11 beneath the Twin Spires, she showed a good turn of foot in the lane to run down rivals for a neck win over an experienced rival. Brushing with Living Magic after leaving the blocks, she was urged along to keep pace from the outside of rivals and went as far as four wide into the final bend. Gaining ground steadily to launch her bid coming up on the quarter pole, Closing Act took the lead in upper stretch and shook away under a right-hand stick into the final furlong. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to pacesetter Union Suit and Living Magic came on from the back to round out the trifecta.

“She made a few mistakes first time out and we told Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] that we thought she'd be more forwardly placed and more professional, and she was,” said Scott Blasi, Steve Asmussen's assistant. “She got a lot out of her first race. Super proud of her today. She's really gone through a growth spurt this month and she's filling out and looks beautiful.”

A Texas-bred daughter of Munnings, the victress is the most recent to the races thus far for Evening Show, who also counts a yearling filly by Competitive Edge to her tally. That dam hails from the female line of Tuesday Evening (Nodouble), who herself produced GISP Madame Pandit (Wild Again).

Said daughter would go on to tally GISW Mea Domina (Dance Brightly) and GSP Ivory Empress (Seeking the Gold), who would gain her fame via 'TDN Rising Star' MGSW McCraken (Ghostzapper); GISP & MGSW Four Graces (Majesticperfection); 'TDN Rising Star' GSP With Dignity (Declaration of War); and MGSP Bondurant (War Front). This is the extended family of GISP & MGSW Greek Sun. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

ASTORIA S., $145,500, Belmont, 6-11, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:06.59, ft.
1–CLOSING ACT, 122, f, 2, by Munnings
1st Dam: Evening Show (SP, $237,664), by Master Command
2nd Dam: Good Evening, by Dixieland Heat
3rd Dam: Tuesday Evening, by Nodouble
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Douglas Scharbauer (TX); T-Steven Asmussen; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $124,500.
2–Union Suit, 122, f, 2, Union Rags–Ojai, by Verrazano. ($9,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Madaket Stables LLC and Highlight Thoroughbreds; B-Farfellow Farms Ltd. & W. S. Farish (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $30,000.
3–Living Magic, 122, f, 2, Justify–Living The Life (Ire), by Footstepsinthesand (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC (KY); T-Phil Schoenthal. $18,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 1HF, 4HF. Odds: 0.70, 3.95, 10.90.
Also Ran: Golden Ghost (GB), Donate Life. Scratched: Low Mileage.

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National Treasure, Red Route One Work for Belmont

GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) worked five furlongs in :59.55 seconds over Belmont Park's main track on Monday in preparation for Saturday's $1.5 million GI Belmont S. With exercise rider Erick Garcia aboard, the colt galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.20 and seven furlongs in 1:25.20.

“He worked very well this morning,” trainer Bob Baffert's assistant, Jimmy Barnes, said. “It's a big track and you can find yourself lost out there. Erick did an excellent job working him and now we're just waiting for the race.”

National Treasure is owned by the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. Hall of Famer John Velazquez will be aboard for the 1 1/2-mile Classic.

Also working Monday was Winchell Thoroughbreds' Red Route One (Gun Runner), who posted a half-mile in :50.20 over Belmont Park's training track. The colt most recently finished fourth behind National Treasure in the Preakness.

“I thought he went beautiful,” Toby Sheets, trainer Steve Asmussen's Belmont-based assistant, said. “It was nice and fluid and he came back with good energy. I'm very happy with him. We wanted to be out on the track before it got really busy. He's doing everything right and I have no complaints.”

Raise Cain (Violence), winner of the GIII Gotham S. and most recently eighth in the GI Kentucky Derby will skip the Belmont, trainer Ben Colebrook confirmed Monday. The colt will instead go postward the following day in the GIII Matt Winn S., which was originally scheduled to be run at Churchill Downs, but will now be run at Ellis Park.

“It shifted to Ellis and the distance changed to a mile and an eighth…That kind of moved the needle,” Colebrook explained.

Post positions for the 155th Belmont will be drawn Tuesday morning at 11:05 a.m. ET.

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