Tag: thoroughbred

Cut Back To Seven Furlongs, No Parole Takes Them All The Way In Woody Stephens

Maggi Moss' Louisiana-bred 3-year-old No Parole absolutely dominated state-bred competition in his first three starts, leading to Triple Crown hopes for the son of Violence. A failed experiment in the G2 Rebel quickly convinced trainer Tom Amoss that the colt preferred shorter distances, and No Parole rebounded with a six-furlong allowance score at Oaklawn in his next start.

That victory convinced Amoss to try sprinting the colt against Grade 1 company, and this time the experiment was successful. On Saturday, No Parole led the field from gate-to-wire to win the G1 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park, completing seven furlongs over the fast main track in 1:21.41. Ridden by Luis Saez, the 3-1 chance No Parole defeated runner-up Echo Town by about four lengths.

No Parole broke well from the rail and immediately took up a one-length lead over his four rivals, settling in for fractions of :22.31 and :45.01. Post-time favorite Meru (2-1) chased from second, while Mischevious Alex, Echo Town, and Shoplifted all maintained relatively close order up the backstretch.

Mischevious Alex moved up to second around the far turn, and Shoplifted made a three-wide move from the rear of the field to threaten as well. Meanwhile, Echo Town moved up the rail to put himself in contention heading into the lane.

Saez shook the reins at No Parole and despite never changing leads, the colt pulled away toward the wire for an easy victory. Echo Town kept grinding at the rail to get up for second, while Shoplifted held third over Mischevious Alex. Favorite Meru finished last.

Bred in Louisiana by Coteau Grove Farms, No Parole is out of the stakes-winning Bluegrass Cat mare Plus One. Moss paid $75,000 for the colt as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale, and in his first start in December of his juvenile season, No Parole won by 14 1/4 lengths. His second start was similar, winning a first-level allowance at the Fair Grounds by 13 1/4 lengths.

Amoss shipped the colt to Delta Downs to run in the Louisiana-bred Premier Night Prince Stakes over a mile, and he won by 6 1/2 lengths at the finish. After his eighth-place effort in the Rebel, No Parole won an allowance at Oaklawn by 2 3/4 lengths.

Overall, No Parole's record stands at five wins from six starts, with earnings of $300,000.

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Royal Ascot: Alpine Star Defeats Sharing In Coronation, Ward-Trained Campanelle Wins Queen Mary

On the final day of the 2020 Royal Ascot meeting, Alpine Star emulated her half-sister Alpha Centauri (the winner in 2018) when storming to victory in the G1 Coronation Stakes.

The 3-year-old Sea The Moon filly, homebred by the Niarchos Family, was making her first start of 2020 and was off the bridle from some way out. Responding gamely to Frankie Dettori, Alpine Star took up the running entering the final furlong and kept on strongly for a four and a quarter length victory over American challenger Sharing (Graham Motion/Oisin Murphy), who stayed on well from off the pace.

Speaking from her base in County Kildare, Alpine Star's trainer Jessica Harrington said: “It is absolutely amazing because I am sitting here, I can't go racing, and watching it on the telly is very hard. I could not believe it because she was the only horse in the field that hadn't had a run this year, but she is amazing. She is a half-sister to a complete superstar, Alpha Centauri, who gave me my first Royal Ascot winner. She was just amazing today, she did it so easy.”

The Coronation Stakes had been the only Group 1 race at Royal Ascot in which Frankie Dettori did not have a victory, meaning Newmarket's July Cup is now the only British G1 race he has not won.

“It has taken 30 years to win all the Group Ones, but I can say that I have really conquered Royal Ascot now – I am delighted for all the people concerned,” Dettori said. “This was missing, Royal Ascot means a lot to me, the Coronation, I have been riding here for 30 years, but for some reason I have never managed to get on the right horse. Jessica and the Niarchos family offered me this ride a while back.

“I was very excited about the ride, I had a good draw, a good split, the filly was beautifully prepared by Jessica, she showed a good turn of foot, and I am thrilled, thrilled.”

Oisin Murphy, who partnered the second-placed Sharing, commented: “Sharing is a champion on really fast turf and she didn't get her conditions. Everyone should be very proud and hopefully it persuades Graham Motion to have more horses here next year – it was a massive performance. She was the best juvenile filly on turf in America last year and is a huge, physical filly.”

American interests did find success earlier on the card when the Wesley Ward-trained Campanelle won the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes, giving the trainer his 11th victory at the Royal Ascot meeting. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, the 2-year-old daughter of Kodiac came out on top by three-quarters of a length from Sacred after a sustained duel in the closing stages.

It was a fourth Queen Mary Stakes for Ward following Jealous Again (2009), Acapulco (2015) and Lady Aurelia (2016). Like Lady Aurelia, Campanelle won in the colours of Stonestreet Stables. Earlier in the week, Ward had been responsible for two runners-up in Golden Pal (G2 Norfolk Stakes) and Kimari (G1 Commonwealth Cup).

“We are going crazy here,” said Ward, speaking from Keeneland, Kentucky. “She is something and in think that we are going to be heading to the Prix Morny now. I will talk it over with Barbara Banke and the team. We are all real excited – I had all the stables lads here at the barn and they are all jumping up and down.

“There is nothing like Royal Ascot. We didn't have a winner last year and we had a streak going. We've been trying our best, I can't thank everyone enough for giving me such a talented filly from where started at Stonestreet Stables. It is amazing and Frankie Dettori rode such a brilliant race as he always does. I have got my assistant Blake Heap there and we've got a wonderful team assembled in Florida – words just can't describe it right now.”

Saturday's Royal Ascot action began with the Silver Wokingham Handicap, a consolation race for those horses who missed the cut for the Wokingham itself later in the afternoon. It was 7-year-old Chiefofchiefs who came out on top, handing a second winner of the week to both trainer Charlie Fellowes and jockey William Buick.

“For me, Royal Ascot has always been the pinnacle,” Fellowes said. “When I set up training this was always the dream, and I am very lucky to be living the dream. Three winners in two years – a lot of trainers go a lot longer than that without having winners. I am very, very lucky, we have got a beautiful yard. I can't really complain much at the moment, to be honest!”

The third race of the day saw the longest-priced winner in Royal Ascot history when Nando Parrado captured the Group 2 Coventry Stakes at 150-to-1. The 2-year-old Kodiac colt had finished fifth on debut at Newmarket on June 4 and there was no hint of a fluke about his victory today. Always in a prominent position, Nando Parrado and jockey Adam Kirby took the lead just inside the final two furlongs and saw off all challengers to score by a length from Qaader.

“I did back him!” laughed trainer Clive Cox, recording his second winner of the week. “So we are very happy… I don't know what price I got yet. When I saw the price, it was a little bit of an insult to our thoughts on him, so I am delighted.

“Listen, it is all about having winners at Royal Ascot, and to have two like this is so, so special.”

There was no stopping Dettori on day five of Royal Ascot as the jockey brought up a treble when partnering Palace Pier to victory in the G1 St James's Palace Stakes. Trained by John Gosden for owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the 3-year-old Kingman colt is now unbeaten in four starts.

It looked a three way battle between Palace Pier, Pinatubo and Wichita inside the final furlong and it was Palace Pier who found most, lengthening well to score by a length from Pinatubo, with Wichita another head away in third.

Dettori is now on six winners for the week and has enjoyed 73 Royal Ascot winners in total, equaling the record of the late Pat Eddery. He said: “What a day! We always thought a lot of Palace Pier, but he got a bit sleepy on us in the mornings and we were scratching our heads. John [Gosden] did a great job, and he thought, let's start him off in a handicap at Newcastle to see whether he would wake up, and he did. We threw him in at the deep end today, but in the back of our minds we knew that there was a good horse in that big body, and we just were not sure how much of a good horse he was. Today was no fluke.”

Trainer Charlie Appleby said of runner-up Pinatubo, last year's 2-year-old champion: “I am disappointed to get beaten again, but we saw the Pinatubo we saw last year, for sure. From the three to the two there I thought, it's just a matter of pressing the button again. Will [Buick] just said that on that ground, in the last 100 yards the tank was emptying out, but he is so courageous, he has held on for second still.”

Hello Youmzain landed the second G1 sprint of his career when taking the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, handing jockey Kevin Stott a first Royal Ascot winner. The 4-year-old Kodiac colt, owned by Haras d'Etreham and Cambridge Stud and trained by Kevin Ryan, landed the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup in 2019 and was also third at the 2019 Royal Meeting in the G1 Commonwealth Cup.

Today, Hello Youmzain blasted from the stalls and took the 10-strong field along. He was headed by favorite Sceptical entering the final furlong but rallied to regain the lead and held off the late challenge of Dream Of Dreams by a head.

After the Diamond Jubilee, Stott said: “Unbelievable. Listen, fair play to the horse – he dug very deep when I needed him. All credit to him more than me. I am blessed to be put back on him with the change of ownership and I can't describe in words how thankful I am that they put me back on him. It means everything.”

Stott immediately scored his second Royal winner in taking the day's seventh race, the Wokingham Stakes, with Hey Jonesy, also trained by Kevin Ryan.

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Weekend Lineup: Belmont Stakes Kicks Off American Triple Crown

For the first time in history, the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes will serve as the first leg of the American Triple Crown when the classic takes place on June 20. The Belmont Stakes, which will be contested at 1 1/8-miles instead of its typical 12 furlongs, is one of six graded stakes and four Grade 1s on Belmont Park's Saturday card and will offer 150-60-30-15 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

NBC will broadcast the 152nd Belmont Stakes with coverage of it stakes-laden card beginning at 2:45 p.m. ET. NBC will also broadcast the Royal Ascot meet on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. ET.

For the first time since it began in 2016, America's Day at the Races will air Saturday's Belmont Stakes Day coverage, with several major races preceding the Belmont Stakes to be shown on the networks of FOX Sports starting at 11:30 a.m. ET. FOX Sports will offer 4 ½-hours of live coverage, which will sandwich NBC's live broadcast of Belmont Stakes Day from 2:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

HRRN's Belmont Stakes broadcast will air from 4:30-6 p.m. ET, and will be preceded by a 30-minute broadcast of the Acorn on the Belmont undercard beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

Saturday June 20

12:25 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Cash is King and LC Racing's Mischevious Alex, who captured the Grade 3 Gotham last out on March 7 for trainer John Servis, headlines the seven-furlong Woody Stephens. The Into Mischief bay, bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, arrives at Saturday's test for sophomores on a three-race streak that includes scores in the Parx Juvenile in November and the Grade 3 Swale in February at Gulfstream Park ahead of his Gotham glory. Undefeated since the addition of blinkers for his Parx Juvenile score, Mischevious Alex boasts a record of 7-4-1-1 with purse earnings of $344,230.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062020USA2-EQB.html

1:42 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Belmont Park on FS1

Grade 1-winner Decorated Invader headlines the Pennine Ridge over the Widener turf. Owned by Terry Finley's West Point Thoroughbreds in partnership with William T. Freeman, William Sandbrook and Cheryl Manning, Decorated Invader took Gulfstream Park's Cutler Bay on March 28 in his most recent start. The son of Declaration of War hit the gate at the break and was 15 lengths off the pace before making a five-wide move at the top of the stretch to garner a career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory for trainer Christophe Clement.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062020USA4-EQB.html

3:01 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont Park on NBC

Robert and Lawana Low's graded stakes winner Sweet Melania will attempt to keep her consistent record intact when she returns off a seven-and-a-half month layoff in Saturday's Wonder Again at Belmont Park. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Sweet Melania, a chestnut daughter of American Pharoah, graduated in July at third asking in a 1 1/16-mile turf tilt at Saratoga Race Course. She followed up a month later at the Spa with a strong effort in the P.G. Johnson when second, by a neck, to Crystalle ahead of a front-running 5 1/2-length score in the Grade 2 Jessamine on October 9 at Keeneland. She completed a lengthy 2-year-old campaign in November with a prominent third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062020USA6-EQB.html

4:02 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

A recent winner of two consecutive graded stakes, trainer Jonathan Wong's rapidly improving Keeper Ofthe Stars will square off with Neil Drysdale's classy comebacker Toinette as they head a field of seven fillies and mares in Saturday's Wilshire Stakes at one mile over the Santa Anita turf. A half length winner of the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at one mile on turf February 22, this 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute came back to score the biggest win of her career on May 25, taking the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA062020USA2-EQB.html

4:15 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park on NBC

Tracy Farmer's Grade 1-winner Perfect Alibi has been ready to debut her 3-year-old form for the better part of the last few months. On Saturday, Belmont Stakes Day, the daughter of Sky Mesa will finally get the chance to take some tangible steps forward in her progress when she headlines a field of seven sophomore fillies in the Acorn Stakes. When Perfect Alibi heads to post in the Acorn – which has produced such divisional champions as Abel Tasman (2017) and Monomoy Girl (2018) in recent seasons – it will mark the first competitive outing for the dark bay filly since her fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park on November 1.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062020USA8-EQB.html

4:53 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park on NBC

An eclectic field of eight turf sprinters has lined up for Jaipur Stakes, which features a pair from the barn of Christophe Clement, a quartet of West Coast invaders and the star-crossed Hidden Scroll. Chief among the motley crew assembled for the Jaipur is the elder statesman Pure Sensation, who goes out for Clement and owner Patricia Generazio as he makes his 9-year-old debut off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint to close out 2019. No stranger to this race, the gray Zensational gelding won the Jaipur in 2016, finished fourth in 2017 and third in 2018. Though he missed the Jaipur last year, he still put together a productive campaign which included wins in a pair of Grade 3 events at Parx Racing and an ungraded stake at Penn National.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062020USA9-EQB.html

5:01 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs on FS2

Gaining Ground Racing's three-time stakes winner Factor This will lead a field of 11 older horses that entered Saturday's 31st running of the Wise Dan Stakes on the turf. Factor This, a previous $62,500 claim in 2018, has won five races with trainer Brad Cox, including back-to-back stakes victories in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds and Grade 2 Muniz Memorial. The 5-year-old son of The Factor has been working consistently over the turf course at Churchill Downs with his pilot Shaun Bridgmohan aboard.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/CD062020USA9-EQB.html

5:42 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on NBC

A history-making Saturday will see the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park serve as the Triple Crown's first leg for the first time in history. Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law headlines the 10-horse field, and will look to become the first NY-bred in 138 years to win the American Classic. The Barclay Tagg trainee is the race's only multiple graded stakes winner and has already registered a pair of Grade 1 triumphs, starting with his only previous Belmont Park appearance when he followed a debut win by posting a four-length victory in the Champagne in October. Tiz the Law, the No. 1-ranked horse on the NTRA Top Three-Year-Old Poll, has continued to train forwardly at Belmont, including a half-mile breeze in :50.42 seconds over Big Sandy on Sunday in his last work before the start of Triple Crown season.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062020USA10-EQB.html

7:32 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita Park on NBCSN

Fresh off a huge allowance score going six furlongs, trainer Mark Glatt's talented Collusion Illusion will stretch out a half-furlong and make his second start off an extended vacation as he heads Saturday's Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita. The Barrera, named for the late Hall of Fame trainer, has attracted a field of five sophomores going 6 ½ furlongs. Bob Baffert's speedy Ragtime Blues, a winner of his last two starts, will get the first time services of Mike Smith and also figures prominently in what will be his fourth career start.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA062020USA9-EQB.html

Sunday June 21

4:09 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Sovereign Award-winning Summer Sunday, owned by Anne and William Scott, makes her five-year-old debut in the Whimsical Stakes. A seven-time winner from 11 starts, Summer Sunday takes on nine rivals, including graded stakes champion Jean Elizabeth, in the six-furlong Whimsical. Trained by Stuart Simon, Summer Sunday won three of six 2019 starts, including the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes, en route to Sovereign honors as Canada's champion female sprinter.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO062120CAN7-EQB.html

6 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at Santa Anita Park on NBCSN

A pair of long fused veterans, California-bred Ward 'n Jerry and Kentucky-bred Red King, third in last year's running, head a field of eight 3-year-olds and up on the turf in the San Juan Capistrano. The 81st renewal of the San Juan, Santa Anita's traditional closing day feature, will again include a hillside start at the top the Camino Real Turf Course. A homebred 7-year-old gelding by the late Lucky Pulpit, Ward 'n Jerry rates top billing in a wide open affair in which just one of the runners have ever run this far. Although he was most recently a non-threatening fifth in the Crystal Water Stakes at one mile on turf June 6, he took the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes by an impressive 1 ¼ lengths two starts back on March 21.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA062120USA6-EQB.html

8 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 American Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

In a field replete with classy veterans returning off extended vacations, Richard Mandella's fast-improving Border Town seeks his third consecutive win in Sunday's American Stakes. Trainer Mark Glatt will be well represented by multiple graded stakes winner Sharp Samurai, who has been idle since August 18, and Phil D'Amato will send out a pair of classy comebackers, multiple Grade 1-winner Bowies Hero, idle since November 2, and graded stakes winning Cleopatra's Strike, who's been idle 4 ½ months.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA062120USA10-EQB.html

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Indiana Grand Opens To Record Wagering Totals; Handle Over $9.8 Million On First Four Cards

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino recorded its best wagering week ever in handle to kick off the 18th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. Over the first four days of racing, a total of $9,867,445 was wagered on 35 Thoroughbred and 10 Quarter Horse races.

The previous best week of handle was recorded during Indiana Derby Week in 2019. A total of $8,673,496 was wagered over four days to establish a new record for most handle recorded in one week of racing.

“The reception of our racing program on a national level has been outstanding,” said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing at Indiana Grand. “The entire team has worked through some very difficult times to ensure operations are meeting all requirements set by the state due to Covid-19 protocols. It's really rewarding to all of us to have racing fans be so invested in our racing product. It sure sets the tone for our entire season and we are working hard to keep that momentum going.”

One of the new facets of the racing program that has been popular this season is a new lower takeout on the Pick 5. Held on the last five Thoroughbred races daily, the wager provides a reduced takeout of 11.99 percent, one of the lowest in the country. Pools for the wager are averaging over 71,000 and payouts for the 50-cent minimum wager are averaging more than $3,100.

“We are trying to find ways to cater to our racing fans and providing a lower takeout on the Pick 5 is a great way to engage horseplayers,” added Halstrom. “We will continue to find ways to captivate our racing audience in all sorts of ways, both on track and through simulcasting.”

Live racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with action held Monday through Thursday beginning at 2:20 p.m. Four Saturday programs are slated for all-Quarter Horse days set for July 4, Aug. 8, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.

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