“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.

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

The post National Treasure, Red Route One Work for Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Trained by Steve Asmussen, who conditioned Creator (Tapit) to victory in the 2016 renewal, the chestnut worked on his own and NYRA clockers caught him galloping out five furlongs in 1:04.

“It was good, he seems like he got something out of it,” said Toby Sheets, Asmussen's Belmont-based assistant.

Third to 'TDN Rising Star' and future champion Forte (Violence) in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at two, Red Route One was runner-up in the GIII Southwest S. and GII Rebel S., but was only sixth in the GI Arkansas Derby. He was victorious in the Bath House Row S. Apr. 22 and went for an early move at Old Hilltop while racing handier than is his custom and finished evenly.

RED ROUTE ONE posted a half-mile breeze over the Belmont Park main track this morning in preparation for the Belmont Stakes!

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the chestnut son of Gun Runner worked solo under sunny skies on this beautiful Memorial Day. pic.twitter.com/GhfY2eZu5U

— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) May 29, 2023

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The Jimmy Winkfield was initially slated for last Sunday's card which was cancelled due to the impact of a powerful winter storm in the New York City metropolitan area.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and piloted by Jose Lezcano, Morello broke sharp from the outermost post 5, settling in third position as Hagler punched his way to the front through an opening quarter-mile in 22.60 seconds over the good main track.

Hagler led the field to the turn with Life Is Great stalking in second and Beast Or Famine advancing along the rail. Morello made an early wide move prompting Life Is Great to pop outside of Hagler mid-way through the turn to take command after a half-mile in 45.55.

Morello continued to make up ground outside of Life Is Great and surged clear down the lane en route to a five-length win in a final time of 1:23.30. Life Is Great completed the exacta by 4 1/2-lengths over Beast Or Famine with Dance Code and Hagler rounding out the order of finish.

A $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale purchase, the Classic Empire chestnut entered from an impressive 4 1/4-length debut score over next-out winner Inevtabl Conection in a six-furlong maiden special weight on November 27 at the Big A.

“He broke very good today. Last time, he broke a little slow but today it was good, Lezcano said. “He was in the bridle the whole way and was really going like a good horse. I didn't have to touch him with the whip or anything. I just let him go. He had the same kick as last time.”

Dave Lyon, founder and managing partner of Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, said he was impressed with the effort by the colt he named after Tom Morello, guitarist for the rock band Rage Against the Machine.

“This was the plan all along. Sprint him, then take him to seven,” Lyon said. “The allowance race we were looking at didn't go, but we thought this would be the right race to move forward. It looked like by the way he galloped out he could go longer. He handled this field pretty well and we're excited for the future.”

Lyon said he will speak to Asmussen and his Belmont-based assistant Toby Sheets about a potential start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a one-turn mile for sophomores on March 5 at the Big A offering 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

“I'm going to let Steve and Toby make that decision, but I think it's a realistic spot. I don't think he needs too much time,” Lyon said. “That race is on March 5, so we'll talk to the guys who lead the charge in the training barn and make a decision on that. We're excited, we think we have a good quality horse.”

Bred in Kentucky by Robert B. Tillyer and Dr. Chet Blackey, Morello banked $55,000 in victory while remaining perfect through two starts. Sent to post as the 7-5 mutuel favorite, Morello returned $4.80 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Thursday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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A 10-1 longshot, Captain Bombastic's victory was his first under the shedrow of Hall of Famer Asmussen. The colt was previously trained by Chad Brown and Jeremiah Englehart. Captain Bombastic covered the mile in 1:36.11, winning by a length over Cordmaker, who was disqualified from second and placed sixth for interference down the stretch. Phat Man, who finished third, was placed second.

The Polynesian victory capped a big day for Asmussen and Lynch. Just 30 minutes earlier, Jalen Journey, trained by Asmussen and ridden by Lynch, was placed first in the $200,000 Grade 3 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash after winning favorite Wondrwherecraigis was disqualified from first for interfering with Jalen Journey down the stretch.

“It was a great day,” Lynch said. “Getting put up is never ideal. You don't want to win that way. But sometimes you're the windscreen and sometimes you're the bug.”

Toby Sheets, assistant trainer to Asmussen, said of Captain Bombastic: “He had been training well. We gave him a bit of a break and lightened up on him and he came right back around. [Lynch] saw a hole and probably thought he should go for it after the last race.”

Captain Bombastic, whose last victory came in August of 2020 in the New York Stallion Stakes, was fourth in last year's Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and sixth in the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico. On Saturday, in his second start for Asmussen, the 4-year-old raced third down the backstretch behind a :23.68 opening quarter set by Roadster and Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, riding at Laurel for the first time since 2007. Approaching the turn, Lynch saw an opening along the rail and guided Captain Bombastic to the front. Roadster stayed outside Captain Bombastic past a :47.05 half mile and poked his nose in front again around the turn. But Lynch took the lead back entering the stretch and Roadster couldn't keep up.

“With Steve's horses, you don't get in their way and you just get good position,” Lynch said. “When Mike left the rail open, it was either go in there or take back. But Steve's horses…they're warriors. It's so hard to describe. You look at their ears, they're flat back and they want to win more than anybody.”

Roadster, a $525,000 yearling in 2017, was a highly regarded juvenile and later a Kentucky Derby contender after winning the 2019 Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby for trainer Bob Baffert. But that victory has remained his last trip to the winner's circle. He came into the Polynesian off a fourth-place finish in April in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill Downs.

The post Captain Bombastic Best In Polynesian Stakes At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing, Bankit registered his first win in 14 starts – in a span that encompassed five runner-up finishes – outkicking two-time defending Alex M. Robb winner Mr. Buff for his first score since the New York Derby in July 2019 at Finger Lakes.

Bankit, a last-out third-place finisher in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble on November 22 at the Big A, tracked in fourth position as Sea Foam led the six-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.16 seconds and the half in 48.47 on the fast main track amid foggy conditions.

Jockey Jose Lezcano tipped Bankit out approaching the far turn, moving up to third. When straightened for home, Bankit found an extra gear from the outside, easily overtaking Sea Foam before running eye-to-eye and then passing 6-5 favorite Mr. Buff, completing the 1 1/8-mile course in a final time of 1:51.59.

“I watched a couple replays and it looked like sometimes he hangs a little bit,” Lezcano said. “Today, he broke well and I had him behind the two horses I thought we had to beat. When I asked him, he gave me everything he got.”

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Bankit turned the tables on Mr. Buff, reversing the order of the 1-2 finish in the Empire Classic on October 24 at Belmont going the same distance.

Off at 5-2, Bankit, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, returned $7.70 on a $2 win bet. He improved his career bankroll to $816,675.

“He had a nice pace set up and Jose [Lezcano] put him in a good spot. He got good position and ran a good race,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to Asmussen.

Chester and Mary Broman's Mr. Buff, wheeled back exactly one week after running fifth in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile, came up short in his bid for three straight Alex M. Robb victories for trainer John Kimmel but ran three lengths clear of Yankee Division for second.

Sea Foam, Danny California and City Man, who broke through the gate before being reloaded, completed the order of finish.

“My horse broke bad because the horse inside [City Man] acted up a little and broke through the gate,” said jockey Kendrick Carmouche, aboard Mr. Buff. “He got a little fussy in there and broke a step slow, but I got him to where I wanted to have him in the race. He ran hard. He tried his best. I think if he hadn't ran seven days ago, it would be a different outcome, but congratulations to the winner.”

Live racing will resume on Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Bay Ridge, a nine-furlong test for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. First-race post time is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Piloted by Joel Rosario, the juvenile son of Maclean's Music parlayed his winning effort in the Grade 1 Hopeful into another Grade 1-victory, when displaying his usual frontrunning style early on and extending his advantage throughout the stretch run, sailing home a 5 1/2-length winner.

“We're just celebrating our win,” said Asmussen's Belmont Park-based assistant trainer Toby Sheets. “The horse came out of the race in good shape and we'll go from there. He's a spectacular individual.”

Sheets said Midnight Bourbon, who ran third in the Champagne, also emerged from the race in good shape. The son of Tiznow picked up his second placing in a graded stakes event. He was previously second in the Grade 3 Iroquois on September 5 at Churchill Downs.

“I was very happy with him. He ran his race,” Sheets said.

Jackie's Warrior, now unbeaten in four lifetime starts, earned an automatic entry into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile after winning the Champagne, which is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” event. He will likely arrive as one of the favorites for the 1 1/16-mile event on November 6 at Keeneland, in attempt to give Asmussen his eighth triumph in a Breeders' Cup race.

Bred in Kentucky by J & J Stables, Jackie's Warrior was purchased for $95,000 from the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

The post ‘Spectacular Individual’ Jackie’s Warrior Exits Champagne In Good Shape appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“It was a nice easy half in :50 and change,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen. “He galloped out in a minute. Not a big gallop out, but we’re very happy with it. He’s doing well.”

Jungle Runner will provide 23-year-old Reylu Gutierrez, a native of Rochester, New York, with his first Belmont S. mount. A finalist for the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice in 2018, Gutierrez earned his first graded stakes win in 2019 and has become a regular on the NYRA circuit.

Asmussen will also saddle Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) in the Belmont. The ‘TDN Rising Star’ is coming off a third-place effort in the May 23 GIII Matt Winn S. He worked four furlongs in :51.60 (20/23) at Churchill Downs Monday.

“He has good form and I think he has a good shot in there,” Sheets said of the colt who was scheduled to arrive at Belmont Tuesday night.

The post Jungle Runner on Track for Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, this morning's blowout was the third local breeze for Jungle Runner, who worked five-eighths in 1:01.44 last Tuesday on Big Sandy.

“It was a nice easy half in 50 and change,” said assistant trainer Toby Sheets. “He galloped out in a minute. Not a big gallop out but we're very happy with it. He's doing well.”

“He's excited and we're excited for him,” said Sheets. “He worked our horses here over the winter and he's a good rider and very enthusiastic. Hopefully, we get a little piece of the action.”

Jungle Runner, a 3-year-old Candy Ride colt, captured the seven-furlong Clever Trevor at Remington Park in November while making his stakes debut. He followed that effort with a distant fourth in the Springboard Mile in December also at Remington Park.

Following a trio of off-the-board efforts in stakes company, including a last-out eighth in the first division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in May at Oaklawn Park, Jungle Runner will look to make his New York debut a winning one.

Sheets said Jungle Runner is training well into the Belmont Stakes, which this year will be contested around one turn at 1 1/8-miles as the first leg of the Triple Crown for the first time in history.

“He's had some decent works on the main track and then just a nice, easy blowout here this morning” said Sheets. “He's done everything the way we wanted. It's a big step up, but we'll give it a try.”

Asmussen, who saddled Creator to a 16-1 upset victory in the 2016 Belmont Stakes, will also be represented in this year's edition by Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pneumatic.

The dark bay Uncle Mo colt has won two-of-three starts including an April 11 score in an optional-claiming mile at Oaklawn Park when 2 ½-lengths the better of Captain Bombastic, who exited that effort to win Sunday's Mike Lee at Belmont.

Last out, Pneumatic was a prominent third in the Grade 3 Matt Winn on May 23 at Churchill Downs. Pneumatic is scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park on Tuesday night and will be piloted on Saturday by Ricardo Santana, Jr.

“He has good form and I think he has a good shot in there,” said Sheets.

The probable field for the Belmont Stakes currently stands at eight horses, including Dr Post (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz, Jr.), Farmington Road (Pletcher, Javier Castellano), Jungle Runner (Steve Asmussen, Reylu Gutierrez), Max Player (Linda Rice, Joel Rosario), Pneumatic (Asmussen, Ricardo Santana, Jr.), Sole Volante (Patrick Biancone, Luca Panici), Tap It to Win (Mark Casse, John Velazquez) and Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg, Manny Franco).

Modernist, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, is also expected to enter with Junior Alvarado to ride.

The post position draw for the Belmont Stakes is slated for Wednesday at 12 p.m. Eastern at Belmont Park and will be streamed live on NYRA's YouTube channel. Click this link to watch live.

As the exclusive broadcast partner of the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown, NBC Sports will present live coverage from Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 2:45 p.m. Eastern.

Belmont Stakes Day June 20 will feature six graded races including four Grade 1 events led by the historic Belmont Stakes, which will offer 150-60-30-15 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Rounding out the Grade 1 entertainment on Belmont Stakes Day are the $300,000 Longines Acorn for 3-year-old fillies going one mile; the $250,000 Woody Stephens presented by Claiborne Farm, a seven-furlong sprint over Big Sandy for 3-year-olds; and the $250,000 Jaipur presented by America's Best Racing, for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on turf, which offers a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

A pair of one-mile turf races for sophomores, previously contested at nine furlongs, completes a stakes-laden card with the Grade 2, $150,000 Pennine Ridge and the Grade 3, $150,000 Wonder Again for fillies.

NYRA Bets is the official online wagering site for the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes, and the best way to bet the 2020 Belmont Park spring/summer meet. Available to customers across the United States, NYRA Bets allows horseplayers to watch and wager on racing from tracks around the world at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download for iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

For more information, please visit www.BelmontStakes.com.

The post Jungle Runner Taking ‘A Big Step Up’ In Saturday’s Belmont Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality earned a “Win and You're In” berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 7 at Keeneland through the Breeders' Cup  Challenge Series.

She's a Julie made amends after a poor result in the last out Shawnee at Churchill Downs, where she hopped in the air at the start, got out of position and was beaten 13 ¼ lengths.

Guided by jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. from post 3 in the six-horse field, She's a Julie laid fourth, one length off of pacesetter Blamed, who recorded an opening quarter mile in 22.84 seconds with Ollie's Candy and stablemate Golden Award to her outside second and third, respectively.

With the half-mile in 45.98 seconds, Blamed extended her advantage to a length but began tailing off as the field came around the far turn as She's a Julie, under a hard drive by Santana, Jr., made a three-wide move.

As Blamed dropped out of contention, Ollie's Candy found herself 2 ½ lengths in front with She's a Julie gaining ground in tandem with Point of Honor. The duo battled to a head-bobbing finish, with She's a Julie stopping the clock in 1:40.27.

Point of Honor was a neck to the better of Ollie's Candy and it was another 8 ¼-lengths to Blamed, followed by Pink Sands and Golden Award.

The victory was a second Grade 1 triumph for She's a Julie, who won the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs in May 2019. The victory was a fifth graded stakes win for She's a Julie, all of which took place at different racetracks.

“Everybody put a lot of effort into this filly. Steve [Asmussen] said he wanted me to go to New York,” said Santana, Jr., who has piloted She's a Julie in her last 14 starts. “She's doing well. I worked her and we were really happy with her. Steve knows what he's doing and I always listen to him. Today, she was feeling good. We got a great break. I sat in the spot I wanted. I knew she was going to give it to me, and she kicked it in. She gave me a nice kick.”

The win marked a ninth Grade 1 triumph for the jockey-trainer combo of Santana, Jr. and Asmussen.

Asmussen also won last year's edition of the Ogden Phipps with subsequent 2019 Champion Older Filly Midnight Bisou.

She's a Julie was saddled by Asmussen's assistant Toby Sheets, who oversees his New York division, and he admitted that he wasn't sure his mare won the photo finish.

“I had to watch it one more time to be sure [she had won.] It was very close,” Sheets said. “I said to Ricardo before the race that there was a lot of pace in there, and that's how the race unfolded. It was a very patient ride and the pace upfront helped. She ran super.”

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, aboard runner-up Point of Honor, admitted that the defeat was tough, but nevertheless was proud of his filly's effort.

“It was a tough beat. I'm not disappointed at all,” Castellano said. “She ran her race. I expected a hot pace and she did everything she could. It was a 'bob' and these are all competitive horses.

“I let the speed go and sat behind the horses,” he continued. “I popped her out and I thought I was going to go by. At the quarter pole, I was a little concerned. I was asking her and she didn't take off and I thought I was going to be third, but she kept running and ran a good race. You can't ask for anything more than that.”

She's a Julie returned $31.40 on a $2 win bet and banked $165,000 in victory while enhancing her lifetime earnings to $1,187,880. Her record now stands at 19-7-2-4 and includes wins in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows and Grade 3 Remington Park Oaks during her 3-year-old campaign as well as a triumph in the following year's Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park.

She is owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables.

Bred in Kentucky by Godolphin, She's a Julie is out of the Dubai Millennium broodmare Kydd Gloves and comes from the same family as Grade 1-winner Bodemeister. She was purchased for $160,000 from the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Blandford Stud.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race card highlighted by the $100,000 Mike Lee for New York-bred 3-year-olds going one mile on the main track in Race 9 at 5:36 p.m. Eastern. First post is 1:15 p.m.

The post She’s A Julie Holds Off Point Of Honor To Win Ogden Phipps, Earn Breeders’ Cup Distaff Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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