thoroughbred | Horse Racing Free Tips

Charlatan ‘Healthy’ For Highly-Anticipated Matchup With Nashville In Saturday’s Malibu

Charlatan, one in a battalion of bluebloods based in Bob Baffert's barn, faces off against Nashville in the Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes on opening day, Saturday, Dec. 26, the marquee event as historic Santa Anita ushers in its 84th season of world-class racing.

This year's Malibu is arguably one of the most anticipated in the event's 70 runnings, pitting two immensely talented sons of 2004 Eclipse Award champion male sprinter Speightstown against one another.

The Malibu has been won in the past by a Who's Who of Thoroughbreds, among them Runhappy (2015), Ferdinand (1986), Precisionist (1984), Spectacular Bid (1980), Ancient Title (1974), Damascus (1968), Buckpasser (1966) Native Diver (1962), Olden Times (1961), Hillsdale (1958), Round Table (1957) Determine (1955) and Calumet Farm's star filly A Gleam (1953).

Last year it was won by star-crossed Omaha Beach, whose potential for further greatness on the track ended when he was retired to stud after a filling in his right hind leg prevented him from running in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 25 of this year.

Santa Anita's traditional opening day is saturated with stakes, six in all, three of them Grade 1's: the $300,000 Malibu for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs; the $300,000 La Brea for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs; and the $300,000 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

The Malibu, La Brea and American Oaks are the final three Grade 1 stakes to be run in the United States this year.

First post time on opening day will be 11 a.m.

Charlatan, a $700,000 chestnut colt, finished first in each of his three starts by a combined margin of 22 lengths but was disqualified from his six-length triumph in a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby May 2 on a medication violation. He has not raced since but is firing bullets for his return, a display as synonymous with Baffert as his signature white hair.

Through Dec. 6, Baffert led all trainers in Grade 1 wins this year with 15, four more than Chad Brown.

”Charlatan is doing really well,” said Baffert, who will be seeking his fourth Malibu victory, having won in 2018 with McKinzie, 2013 with Shakin It Up and 2011 with The Factor. “You can only do so much coming off a layoff going seven eighths…

“He's healthy and that's the main thing; he should run well.”

Baffert had to stop on Charlatan after May 2 due to a minor filling in a front ankle that he described at the time as “not even a flake.”

Saturday at Santa Anita, Charlatan worked five furlongs in :59.80, a tad off the time of Malibu contender Independence Hall, who went the same distance in a bullet :59 flat for Michael McCarthy.

Baffert also plans to run multiple graded stakes winner Thousand Words in the Malibu with John Velazquez aboard. Thousand Words last raced Oct. 3 in the Preakness, finishing eighth after pressing the pace. The son of Pioneerof the Nile has been working lights out for the Malibu, as two bullet breezes on Nov. 12 and Nov. 28 would attest, in addition to his five-furlong drill Friday in 59.80.

Nashville, a bay colt trained by Steve Asmussen, also has had three starts, winning by a combined margin of nearly 25 lengths, including the restricted Perryville at Keeneland by 3 ½ lengths on Nov. 7, in which he set a track record for six furlongs of 1:07.89. He has been working brilliantly since, including a bullet five furlongs in a minute flat, breezing, at Fair Grounds on Dec. 1.

Nashville is owned by China Horse Club and WinStar Farm and was bought for $460,000 by CHC and Maverick Racing, the purchasing arm of WinStar, from the Lane's End consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

He will be ridden by 28-year-old Ricardo Santana Jr. from the Panamanian town of El Chorrillo. Santana, a 2008 graduate of the Laffit Pincay Jr. school for jockeys in Panama, also will do honors for Asmussen on Finite in the La Brea.

Strongly supporting the Malibu, La Brea and American Oaks are the Grade 2, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles, a major steppingstone to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6; the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds on turf; and the grassy $75,000 Lady of Shamrock Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile. Overall, $1,375,000 in stakes money will be up for grabs.

Baffert has four horses nominated to the La Brea and plans to run all four: Merneith, who worked five furlongs Saturday in :59.80; Golden Principal, Himiko and Provocation. Himiko breezed four furlongs in :48 flat and Provocation in :47.40, both on Sunday, while Golden Principal went six furlongs Friday in 1:13.20.

Santa Anita's stakes spectacular continues on Sunday with the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes for fillies and mares, three and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf and the $75,000 Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on the grass.

The post Charlatan ‘Healthy’ For Highly-Anticipated Matchup With Nashville In Saturday’s Malibu appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘She’ll Run All Day’: Whoa Nellie Ready To Step Up In Broussard Stakes

Saturday's $75,000 Joseph E. Spanky Broussard, run at one mile and 70 yards at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., drew a compact yet stellar field of three and 4-year-old fillies. To hear trainer Larry Jones tell it, Fox Hill Farms Inc's Whoa Nellie will only be getting started when they hit the finish line.

“As we say, her name is Whoa Nellie, so getting her pulled up after her gallops and races is like 'Woah Nellie,'” Jones said. “She'll run all day and her forte is to go two turns.”

Whoa Nellie (post 1 at 8-5 with Florent Geroux) has blossomed since being stretched out over a route of ground and Jones is hoping to use the Broussard as a stepping-stone to what he hopes will be a big 2021 campaign. The 4-year-old daughter of Orb was a solid one-turn allowance performer to start her career but she took her game to a new level last winter when sent two turns. She won the Pippin at Oaklawn Park in January and then was second, beaten just a neck, in a Bayakoa (G3) in February.

“She showed in the Pippin and coming back in the Bayakoa this is what she is and we think her 5-year-old year could be a very big year for her,” Jones said. “She has learned to settle early and sits well now until we're ready to go. Needless to say, being by Orb and (out of a Medaglia d'Oro mare), distance is not an issue for her.”

Whoa Nellie, who is 5-for-11 lifetime, missed nine months after the Bayakoa and came back to run third in Churchill Downs' one-turn Chilukki (G3) Nov. 21, where she spotted recency to local Rachel Alexandra (G2) heroine and multiple graded stakes winner Finite. She made a bold middle-move before flattening out a bit late. The effort left Jones feeling very confident moving forward.

“She's better now than she was then,” Jones said. “Coming into that Chilukki off a nine-month layoff, that was not an easy task, and for her to run that well and against those horses, and to finish as well as she did, that race should tighten her up really well.”

Hoffman Family Racing LLC and Steve Landry's Beautiful Trauma (post 3 at 9-5 with James Graham) looms the one to catch, as she enters off a gate-to-wire win in an optional-claimer November 12 at Churchill for trainer Tom Amoss. The 3-year-old daughter of Tapiture is 3-for-7 lifetime but will make her stakes debut in the Broussard. She is familiar with the local main track, having won an off-the-turf optional-claimer here 370 days ago by 16 lengths.

Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd's Lady Apple (post 5 at 3-1 with Adam Beschizza) is looking to find the form that has earlier netted her a quartet of grade 3 wins for trainer Steve Asmussen. The 4-year-old daughter of Curlin was 5-for-7 in 2019, and won the Houston Ladies Classic (G3) at Sam Houston to kick off her season in January, but she is winless in five starts since. Lady Apple is 6-for-17 lifetime, with $1.038 million in earnings, and she gets back to the main track after running fourth in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf (G3) Sept. 12.

Completing the Joseph E. Spanky Broussard Memorial from the rail out: Four Lawn Chairs LLC's Longpants Required (post 2 at 20-1 with Shaun Bridgmohan), who broke her maiden two-back at Churchill for trainer Brendan Walsh; La Nora LLC's Joy Epifora (post 4 at 8-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.), a G1 winner in her native Argentina but winless in four U.S. starts for trainer Ignacio Correas; and Rigney Racing LLC's Singita Dreams (post 6 at 12-1 with Miguel Mena), who won an off-the-turf optional-claimer two-back at Churchill for trainer Phil Bauer.

The post ‘She’ll Run All Day’: Whoa Nellie Ready To Step Up In Broussard Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘Ultra-Consistent’ Pixelate Headlines Saturday’s Woodchopper At Fair Grounds

Even though Godolphin LLC's homebred Pixelate is be the class of the field in Saturday's $75,000 Woodchopper, he's going to have to earn the victory as he leads the way over a strong field of 3-year-olds. The Woodchopper, run at about one bodemile on the Stall-Wilson Turf Course at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., drew a baker's dozen, including a quintet of stakes winners.

Pixelate (post 5 at 4-1 with Angel Suarez) has been a top-level performer from the start for trainer Mike Stidham. He won the Central Park at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old to conclude a 2-for-4 freshman campaign, and the son of City Zip has only progressed from there. It took him a bit to get over a class hump this year, but Pixelate picked the right time to break through, winning the Del Mar Derby (G2) in September. He followed up with a close fifth in the Belmont Derby (G1) in October, and enters off a closing fourth in Keeneland's Nov. 6 Bryan Station, a race in which he was hung 10-wide on the turn for home. Pixelate is 3-for-13 lifetime and has answered the bell every time, which has been no surprise to Stidham.

“He's been ultra-consistent over the last two years and we've always thought he was very talented,” Stidham said. “In several of his races he was coming up just a little bit short and wasn't quite getting there. He's been running against some really solid, tough horses. Even in the Grade 1 he only got beat a couple lengths, and he's on the cusp of being in the top group of his category.”

Pixelate has run 1 1/8 miles or farther in his last five starts, though he shows a good second at a mile in the War Chant at Churchill Downs in May. While the Woodchopper won't be at his ideal distance, Stidham is hoping Pixelate won't be compromised at a shorter trip.

“I don't think the cutback will be a problem,” Stidham said. “He can lay in a forward position. I would prefer it being 1 1/16 miles but from a class standpoint he's been hooking some tough horses and I think he's in a good spot.”

Contention runs deep in the Woodchopper and Repole Stable's Bodecream (post 2 as Mike Diliberto's lukewarm 7-2 morning line favorite with James Graham) enters in career-best form for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Bodemeister started his career 2-for-8 for trainer Danny Pish, and following a private purchase, he was turned over to Maker this summer. He has really blossomed, though he's still looking for his first win for his new connections. Bodecream, 2-for-11 lifetime, was third in Saratoga's Saranac (G3) in August in his first start for Maker, third in Belmont's Hill Prince (G2) in October, and he enters off a nose second in Aqueduct's Nov. 27 Gio Ponti.

Calumet Farm's homebred Blackberry Wine (post 9 at 9-2 with Gabriel Saez) is the wildcard for trainer Joe Sharp. He is winless in three turf starts but enters off an extremely fast optional-claiming win on Dec. 13 here on the main track. The son of Oxbow has been third, however, in all three grass starts, and he hasn't been over the surface since running in an optional-claimer here last December. Blackberry Wine is 2-for-11 lifetime and could prove the one to catch.

Completing the Woodchopper field from the rail out: Kueber Racing LLC, Ten Strike Racing, and Mark Blieden's Pit Boss (20-1 with Mitchell Murrill); P. Dale Ladner's Jack the Umpire (post 3 at 20-1 with Jack Gilligan); Wayne R. Sanders and Larry Hirsch's Spanish Kingdom (post 4 at 8-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.); Paradise Farms Corp's Dynadrive (post 6 at 12-1 with Shaun Bridgmohan); Brian L. Gunder's Top Draw (post 7 at 20-1 with Francisco Arrieta); Stallionaire Enterprises LLC's Doc Boy (post 8 at 12-1 with Florent Geroux); Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Telephone Talker (post 10 at 12-1 with Adam Beschizza); Susan Moulton's Stanford (Ire) (post 11 at 20-1 with Marcelino Pedroza); Rick Rinn and Richard and Karen Boyer's Victory Boulevard (post 12 at 20-1 wit Miguel Mena); and Dixiana Farms LCC's Oak Hill (post 13 at 6-1 with Colby Hernandez).

The post ‘Ultra-Consistent’ Pixelate Headlines Saturday’s Woodchopper At Fair Grounds appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sleepy Eyes Todd Pointed Toward Pegasus After Win In Mr. Prospector

Thumbs Up Racing LLC's Sleepy Eyes Todd pulled ahead in the final furlong to win the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. in front of 5-2 favorite, Firenze Fire.

Fourth-place finisher Wind of Change took the early lead setting the pace through fractions of :22.07, :44.35, and 1:09.05 on a fast track. Sent off at odds of 5-1, Sleepy Eyes Todd charged to the lead in the stretch followed closely by Firenze Fire, but held him off to win the seven-furlong race by a half-length with a final time of 1:21.67. Mind Control took third followed by Wind of Change. Sleepy Eyes Todd returned $12.20 on a $2 win bet.

This is the second graded stakes win for the 4-year-old son of Paddy O'Prado out of the Wild Rush mare, Pledge Mom. He is trained by Miguel Silva and was ridden to victory by Tyler Gaffalione. Prior to today, Sleepy Eyes Todd had won 7 of 14 starts for Silva including the G2 Charles Town Classic Stakes. Sleepy Eyes Todd was bred in Kentucky by Two Hearts Farm LLC and Kristen Goncharoff and sold as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $9,000.

“This is the best horse we've ever had,” Silva said. “We've always been high on him. We wanted to take him to the Kentucky Derby [last year] but he had a little issue and we had to stop with him. He's always been a nice horse. We've always believed in him,”

Silva confirmed in a post-race interview that he plans to run Sleepy Eyes Todd in the G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.

“Everything set up perfectly,” said Gaffalione. “He broke well and put himself in the race. I was able to get a nice tracking spot inside. He gave me all the confidence going into the stretch and once he found a spot he accelerated and finished the job. All the credit goes to the trainer. He did a fabulous job getting him ready for today.”

“To be honest, if you look at his form he's run in all the big races across the country and he's run at every track and he takes his form with him everywhere he goes, so you know he's consistent and he shows up every time,” he added. “We just had to work out a trip. I thought I'd be tracking Firenze Fire but I wound up a little bit in front of him which I didn't mind, and got the jump on him.”

The post Sleepy Eyes Todd Pointed Toward Pegasus After Win In Mr. Prospector appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post