The Oasis Dream (GB) three-year-old racked up an impressive string of six wins from April 27 to July 13 before finishing third in the Shergar Cup Sprint. Last weekend he returned to Ascot, and to the winner's enclosure, in the hands of Williams's apprentice Luke Catton, who has forged a successful partnership with his mount at home and on the racecourse. From his opening handicap mark of 59, Quinault is now rated 102.

His trainer has long proved himself adept at conditioning his horses to win with frequency, and a former stable stalwart, Sendintank (GB) (Halling), is a joint-record holder, having notched 10 handicap wins in one season back in 2004.

“Sendintank was a phenomenal horse but you can't do what he did now,” Williams says. “He won four races in a week twice in the same season, and he won two other handicaps on top of that.

“Obviously with Quinault, he's on seven now, and he's gone up to a mark of 102, so he's not going to get to that number in handicaps but I am hopeful that he will be able to make his mark in stakes company. I think his run style would suit. I don't think he has to be in a big-field handicap. I think the way he goes about winning his races would quite suit the smaller fields.”

Bred by Gestut Fahrhof, Quinault's dam Queimada (Ger) (Dansili {GB}) was unraced but there was plenty of cause for optimism when her first foal was presented at the BBAG September Yearling Sale of 2021 as the mare is a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Querari (Ger), who also happens to be by Oasis Dream. Furthermore, her young colt was a strong and good-looking individual. 

The €58,000 yearling turned into a 310,000gns Craven breeze-up purchase by Godolphin in the year after another of their breeze-up buys by Oasis Dream, Native Trail (GB), had been crowned champion two-year-old. However, Quinault's one run in the royal blue, at Doncaster last June, saw him take a keen hold before fading to last of the seven runners. Tattersalls beckoned once more.

“He was difficult when we first got him going, just trying to run away,” says Williams, whose longstanding owner Tom Morley bought the gelding for 25,000gns at the Horses-in-Training Sale last autumn, 

“Luke used to take him out on his own on the farm [canter], just trying to get him to drop his head and go steady and to teach him that that was the place where he could relax. He's a lovely quiet rider, Luke, and he just gelled with him straight away. He's the only one who's ridden him all the time he's been here.”

He continues, “After he ran at Ascot the last time he was at the stage where he needed a jab, as we have to give them flu jabs every six months now, so I said to Luke, 'He's going to have ten days off so you'd better have some holiday as well', so they both had time off together.”

Catton, a five-pound claimer, has been on board for four of Quinault's wins, including on Saturday when he made all to win by a neck down Ascot's straight seven furlongs. Williams admits that he has been surprised by how the horse has thrived this season.

“Definitely,” he says. “Tom doesn't usually buy this type of horse. Tom loves going through the numbers and the form, even pedigrees, but he doesn't really buy horses when he can't see the form. But we were struggling to buy the ones we wanted at last year's sale. So many of them are going abroad and the prices were so strong, and you can't really justify those prices to keep them here.”

He adds of the tall, strong bay, who appears unfazed by his latest effort on a very hot Saturday at Ascot, “He's been on the go for quite a while now. He actually ran quite well the first time we ran him. My idea was, to get the freshness out of him and to teach him to race properly, that we'd hold onto him over five furlongs and that they would go quick enough for him to settle. But it didn't really work. He was quite keen and he didn't really settle but he finished third. The he was drawn wide, and he was keen and awkward round the bend on his second start for us, but that was actually a race that threw up quite a few winners.”

From those first two starts for the Morley family back in February, Quinault then had another two months off.

The trainer continues, “We gave him a little bit of a break again. He still wasn't really fully settling so we decided that he was better settled in front instead of trying to fight him to stay in behind. On the gallops if you have one in front of him, no matter how fast it's going it's never fast enough for him to drop his head, but if he's in front he's more relaxed.”

Of Quinault's latest step up from six furlongs, he adds, “I was quite confident he'd get seven [furlongs]. We'd won over seven on a fast track at Brighton, but that was a lower grade. But Saturday was a good race against proven seven-furlong horses and he got the trip really well. I think at some stage we'll definitely go a mile with him, though whether he'd get any further than that I don't know. And I'd quite like to see him go round a bend with his running style. He's very quick out of the stalls, gets into his stride sharply and goes a nice pace. It's probably easier to do that rather than on the straight tracks as he's been doing.”

Future options for Quinault include a step into Pattern company and the G2 Challenge S. on Newmarket's Future Champions weekend or a return to Ascot, either for a valuable handicap on October 7, or for a bigger prize two weeks later, the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint.

Of the latter, Williams says, “I talked to Tom after he'd won the heritage handicap here [at Newmarket] and the entry was closing so we put him in [on Champions Day]. He's only 14/1 for the race but there's another discussion to be had before his next race as to which way we go. I'd be slightly surprised if he's a Group 1 horse over six furlongs. I think if he ends up being a Group 1 horse it will be over seven furlongs or a mile. But you never know, and Tom will have a big say in what we do. He takes a keen interest in all the race planning.”

He adds, “We have had a couple of big offers for him but Tom has got very excited by this horse. He has really rekindled his enthusiasm for racing. And it's great for us, as so often when those huge offers come in and you're a smaller stable you have to sell them.”

With earnings bordering on £200,000, Quinault is more than earning his keep, as well as serving an important reminder of the skills of one of the shrewdest trainers in the business. 

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Nicely into stride from gate three, the dark bay filly had early company to her inside in the form of Anna's Arabesque (Munnings), as odds-on L Street Lady (Munnings)–the lone main-track-only entrant–chased that pair from third. Unified Alliance cut the corner into the stretch and kept finding up front en route to an ultimately comfortable first black-type success.

Unified Alliance made the first six starts of her career for John Servis, winning her maiden at first asking at Parx last December before adding a romping 10 1/4-length allowance score in Bensalem Apr. 3. A distant last of four in the rained-off Memories of Silver S. at Aqueduct Apr. 29, she led into the final furlong of the June 11 Jersey Girl S. at Belmont, but was outfinished by L Street Lady and settled for second.

“We were sitting at the table with claps of thunder and bolts of lightning [last night], and I said, 'I could really do with this going on for four more hours just to really knock it on the head,'” the winning trainer said. “It didn't last four hours, but we got enough [rain]. She actually worked really, really well on the grass at Belmont, so we were definitely going to roll the dice and see if she could [run on] turf today, but obviously it cut up into an easier race when it came off.”

The fourth stakes winner for her Lane's End-based sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}), Unified Alliance is the only of her dam's foals to race and hails from the female family of GISW A. P. Adventure (A.P. Indy). Star Power did not produce a foal in any of the last three years and was bred to McKinzie this season. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

CORONATION CUP S., $139,500, Saratoga, 7-14, 3yo, f, 5 1/2f (off turf), 1:03.80, ft.
1–UNIFIED ALLIANCE, 120, f, 3, by Unified
1st Dam: Star Power, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Sequel, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Nataliano, by Fappiano
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($170,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $60,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Reagan Jack Racing; B-Calvin & Shane Crain (KY); T-Thomas Morley; J-Javier Castellano. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-1, $193,500.
2–Anna's Arabesque, 118, f, 3, Munnings–Classy Music, by Maclean's Music. ($220,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Patrick Waresk (KY); T-Philip A Bauer. $30,000.
3–L Street Lady, 122, f, 3, Munnings–Lady Gayle, by Scat Daddy. ($125,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL). O-Madaket Stables LLC; B-T & G Farm of Kentucky LLC (KY); T-Brittany T Russell. $18,000.
Margins: 1HF, 6 3/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 2.75, 2.25, 0.95.
Also Ran: Wildhawk. Scratched: Bosserati, Love Appeals, Love Reigns (Ire), My Sweet Affair, Violet Gibson (Ire).

UNIFIED ALLIANCE wins the Coronation Cup Stakes with @jjcjockey aboard for trainer @morley_racing! Congratulations to the connections! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/8DuWYHeBZs

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) July 14, 2023

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Therefore, when New York-based trainer Tom Morley dreamed up the idea of purchasing a filly with the idea of returning home to England to try and win the G2 Queen Mary S. at Royal Ascot, he knew the plan was a daring one. 

But credit to Cynane (Omaha Beach), bought for $250,000 through Oracle Bloodstock at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, she delivered a suckerpunch of her own when winning impressively on debut at Belmont Park last week. 

That performance put Cynane firmly in the Queen Mary picture, and Morley ever closer to a dream first winner back home in Britain at the royal meeting. 

“You don't often get emotional when you train horses that win maidens, but for the people involved in her ownership, it means an awful lot,” Morley told TDN Europe.

“I have trained for Gregg and Cathy Palesky [VinLaur Racing Stables LLC] for a long time and they haven't had a huge amount of luck. They did claim an Into Mischief filly called Xantique and she won a stakes race for them but they have had some bad horses in the meantime. It is huge for them. 

“West Paces have been wonderful supporters of our yard–are made up by a group of guys from Atlanta who I would describe as great mates–and they go to Royal Ascot every year. To be able to go with a runner is huge for them as well.”

He added, “Rainbow's End are also great supporters, and only have horses in training with me, so it's a really cool group of owners. 

“And then you realise what the horse herself has managed to do. She has put herself in the thick of things for the Queen Mary by being an impeccable student.”

That Belmont Park victory, where Cynane pulled clear of the short-priced Wesley Ward-trained favourite Sam's Treasure (Munnings), was the culmination of the excellent homework the filly had been showing ever since she was broken by Raul Reyes. 

Cynane was identified, like a lot of Morley's stock, by the Oracle Bloodstock team, who signed for the Hinkle Farms-bred and -drafted half-sister to classy middle-distance performer Cat's Claw (Dynaformer). 

Cynane | Chelsea Durand

Recalling what he liked most about Cynane as a yearling, Morley said, “The first time I saw her, I wrote, 'what a walk' and gave her two ticks. I went back through my Keeneland Sale catalogue and she was one of four fillies that I gave two ticks to. I absolutely adored her.

“Conor Foley, Jim Hatchett and Scotty Everett at Oracle Bloodstock do a lot of my short-listing at the yearling and 2-year-old sales. This filly was on their list. 

“Conor and I put her ownership group together and, I was so high on her, I probably would have gone strong on her if I had to. I'm delighted we didn't have to. She's obviously got a very strong female family and looks to have given herself a real shot at competing on a huge stage.”

Morley added, “She was the only one who we bought last year with Ascot in mind. We wanted to give her every opportunity to do this if she could. I said to Raul Reyes when she went down to Florida, train her like a very, very precocious two-year-old until she tells you that she can't do it, and then we'll just build her back to what we normally do. 

“On March 2, he rang me and said, 'Tommy, that filly is leaving tomorrow,' and I said, 'Raul, well done.' That's how it went.”

“She has never missed a day of training and eats like a pig, so it's all credit to her. You can't miss a day if you are going to do this. Then you have to be enough to deal with Wesley [Ward] on debut. It's then, and only then, when you can start to think about trips like this.”

The seeds of this Royal Ascot plan were not set back in September when Morley first set eyes on Cynane but much further back than that. The son of a successful breeder and owner, he is also the nephew of multiple Group 1-winning trainer David Morley, whose Royal Ascot victory in the Gold Cup with Celeric (GB) (Mtoto {GB}) sticks out in the memory for the young handler. 

A graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start programme, Morley could have set up training anywhere in the world, but on the advice of his former boss in Newmarket Jeremy Noseda, took out his licence in America. Fast-forward 13 years and he is still there, building his stable bigger and better, season after season. 

“I started off with Eddie Kenneally in Palm Meadows and Brendan Walsh was an assistant there at the time. We then went to Keeneland, followed by Churchill, and by the time I got to Saratoga, I thought 'this is a wonderful life'. 

“Then I began to think about what it would take to get started up in England compared to America. You don't need an enormous amount of capital over here. I literally started training with one horse, one bridle, one saddle, two water buckets and a feed tub. That's it. 

“I groomed the horse every morning and my girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife [Maggie], rode him out and he won his second race for us. That was it, we were up and running at that point.”

He added, “I just felt that young people get afforded a little bit more of an opportunity out here. It's very hard to break into the upper echelons as a trainer anywhere in the world but we have been lucky this year in that I came back very strong about the bunch of yearlings we purchased and am very strong on our 2-year-olds for this year. You've got to feel good about the horses you are going to war with on a circuit like New York. For me, it's the toughest place in America to be competitive.”

Morley's confidence behind Cynane's ability to handle the demands of the royal meeting stems from his insight into the tried-and-trusted criteria that Noseda followed so successfully during a golden period in the early noughties. 

Tom and Maggie Morley | Walter Wlodarczyk

He explained, “Jeremy used to come to America to buy fillies just like Cynane and we would have runners and winners every year in the Queen Mary. This filly reminds me enormously, physically, of the fillies that Jeremy used to be so successful at buying in America and bringing back to Europe to have a crack at these races. 

“This is the model that Jeremy used to buy so I will have to credit my ex-boss for giving me the idea on what to look for physically on a Queen Mary type. I was very fortunate to be there for Laddies Poker Two (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}), Fleeting Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Sixties Icon (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Strike The Deal (Van Nistlerooy), Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill), the list goes on and on. They were wonderful, wonderful years and Jeremy was an unbelievably talented trainer. He was the reason I came to America. He told me to go for a year or two to get some experience and I never came back.”

Of course, you can't mention Noseda without bringing up Laddies Poker Two in detail. Morley is all too aware that he bore witness to one of the greatest Royal Ascot training performances of the modern era. Oh, and he also pocketed himself a few quid in the process!

He recalled, “Laddies broke her pelvis and then she got a tendon. She would have won the Wokingham as a 4-year-old but got a tendon getting ready for that race off the back of fracturing her pelvis the previous year. It was an extraordinary training feat to win the Wokingham after 610 days off the track. And it was like dealing with a priceless vase because we knew how good she was but we needed to keep her in one piece. 

“She did one piece of work with Fleeting Spirit who had been the European champion sprinter the year before. They did a piece of work in the spring and they worked very nicely together so we knew that, if you were going into the Wokingham off 8st 3lbs and had been working with the European champion sprinter, you knew you were going to have a decent shot to say the least. She was incredibly talented and has obviously gone on to be a very good broodmare being the dam of Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).”

And that famous gamble?

“I might have had a few quid on in the weeks leading up to the race,” comes the reply. “I certainly wasn't one of those people who got involved on the day–there was too much to do at that point. But it was rather remarkable watching a horse open up at 10-1 for the Wokingham, which is normally the starting price of the favourite in that race, and then get absolutely hammered in the betting before the race. It was great to be a part of that.”

As Morley acknowledges, rare is the day where a plan is executed to a nicety in this game. Rarer still when that plan just so happens to involve purchasing a yearling with the distinct aim of travelling halfway around the world to compete on one of the greatest stages on turf. 

Morley has avoided the many and obvious pitfalls that come with negotiating something so daring and, with the royal meeting inching ever closer, is starting to believe that this bold piece of planning could be about to come off. 

“We've got a Queen Mary to go and try to win,” he says. “It's very exciting and it will mean the world to me if we can do it. The day Celeric won the Gold Cup at Ascot sealed my faith in becoming a trainer. He was a horse who meant so much to me and my family. Ascot is a very special place.”

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“That's the plan at the moment,” said Morley. “She came out of the race really well and she's got a great mind and really good appetite–she was screaming for her feed tub last night. She jogged sound this morning, so we'll start putting plans in place to go to the Queen Mary.”

A $250,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Cynane (pronounced KEE-NAH-NAY) did her early-season prep at Raul Reyes's King's Equine in Ocala, and Morley said the filly has been forward ever since joining his barn in New York in March.

“She has never missed a beat–not only with us, but with Raul Reyes in Ocala,” said Morley. “You only get one shot to go to Ascot with these horses and to get there, you have to never miss a day and be good enough to win on debut. Full credit to her, because she has a wonderful temperament and is good as gold.”

Though she debuted over a minimum trip, Cynane could stretch out in time, as she is out of a half-sister to Cat's Claw (Dynaformer), winner of the Fasig-Tipton Waya S. at a mile and a half on the grass. Third dam Matlacha Pass (Seeking the Gold) produced five-time turf Grade I winner Point of Entry (Dynaformer) and dual Grade I victress Pine Island (Arch).

“She's got a really, really good female family and is from a really good American turf line from the Phipps family,” said Morley. “She has every right to be a good horse and hopefully she can be.”

The filly is named after the Macedonian princess Cynane, a half-sister to Alexander the Great who was a fierce warrior trained in martial arts.

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Tom Morley won his first race at Aqueduct in the spring of 2013 and has been a fixture on the New York circuit since.

Hailing from Yorkshire, the conditioner was born into a racing family. Not only was his father an owner and breeder, but his uncle David Morley was a Group I-winning trainer and his other uncle Christopher Spence was a senior steward at the Jockey Club in England. Among his cousins still involved in the sport, Henry Daly is a multiple Grade-I winning jump trainer.

Growing up, Morley spent his summer with David in Newmarket. Before graduating from Newcastle, he spent time as an assistant to Ed Dunlop at Gainsborough Stable and at the Lloyd Webber family's Watership Down Stud.

After graduating from the Godolphin Flying Start program, he worked as assistant to Jeremy Noseda for over four years. It was a busy time to be involved with Noseda's stable, with 14 Group I winners going through the barn while Morley was there including European champion sprinter Fleeting Spirit (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Breeders' Cup champion Wilko (Awesome Again).

From there, Morley made the move to the States to work for Eddie Kenneally, where he eventually helped open and develop Kenneally's New York operation.

As his stable celebrates its 10^th anniversary this year, Morley has surpassed $13.5 million in career earnings. Graduates of his operation include Grade I victors Haveyougoneaway (Congrats) and Carrick (Giant's Causeway). Morley and his wife, NYRA racing analyst and Team Morley assistant/exercise rider Maggie Wolfendale Morley, have two daughters.

Morley celebrated his first career Grade I win with Haveyougoneaway in the 2016 GI Ballerina S. | Brittlan Wall

When you came to America, was the plan always to stay in the States and eventually train here?

Steve Hillen and Jeremy Noseda both suggested I come to America to get experience. A lot of trainers in the UK like John Gosden and Jeremy himself spent time here before going home.

That was the original game plan, but when I got here I felt like the American industry gave me the opportunity not only to travel, but also I felt like young people were given more of an opportunity to get going here. It's quite hard to get going in the UK. You have to have a lot of capital behind you. You need to be able to rent property and then you need to be able to fill the stalls immediately. Whereas here, you can literally start with one horse, a saddle and a bridle.

So after 18 months of being here, I pretty much made my mind up that I was going to stay. Now I have a business, a house, a wife and two children, so I'm not going anywhere.

Q: How has your stable evolved since it first opened?

We started with the one horse, Treblemaker (Read The Footnotes). Anthony Grey was very kind to send us a homebred of his. He won his second start on the 13^th of April in 2013. I groomed and hotwalked the horse, and my girlfriend at the time who is now my wife rode him every morning.

It's grown from there over the years. Now in the middle of the summer we get up to about 50 horses. We'd love more and we're always looking for better-quality horses. That's part of growing into the training ranks. It's tough to attract the top-quality horses. I've always said that as a trainer starting out, the model should be to survive the first 10 years, grow the second 10 years and hopefully by the time you're getting into the third part of it, you're getting some top-quality horses.

When I started training in New York in 2013, seven people took their license out that year. I'm the only one that is still in business. That shows how tough it is as a young trainer to survive on a circuit like New York.

What is the biggest thing you have learned since going out on your own?

I think the biggest thing I've learned–and I'm still learning it–is to be patient with these horses. In this industry in America, we ask an awful lot of our young horses. I see a lot of talented horses not fulfill their potential because of an over-eagerness to get them to the races at a young age. I think if you can train for people who are willing to give them the time to mature, the horses will reward you in the long run. There is nothing better than having a really good 2-year-old, but just because a horse shows that he has an above-average level of ability, it doesn't mean that the right thing to do is try to win a maiden at Saratoga with him.

What do you think makes your stable and your training style unique?

It's very individual. Every horse does something different than what they did the day before.

We've certainly shown over the last few years that we can win races on both surfaces at every level. We've done very well getting older horses from other outfits and improving their careers. There are many facets to training horses and I think we're always trying to improve in every department as much as possible.

Tom and Maggie celebrate Dynadrive's win in the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Lure S. | Coglianese

Q: Do you think a trainer's success is defined more by their ability or by the quality of horses that they receive?

Without a doubt, it's about the quality of horses that they're receiving. There are plenty of very talented, capable horsemen out there. It's something that the American industry is really struggling with at the moment with super trainers. I take nothing away from these guys. It's not their fault that they train a vast number of horses. The reason they do is because they win the big races and they get the results. But I genuinely believe that there are plenty of trainers out there that could do just as good of a job with the number and quality of stock that those other trainers get. The industry needs to do more things, like this kind of series, to promote younger trainers.

If you aren't at the racetrack, what can you be found doing?

I have two daughters, Grace and Willow, who take up plenty of time. With Maggie doing her work for NYRA and Fox Sports, we're also both full-time parents as well. Between the children, our dogs and the retired racehorses, that seems to take up most of our free time but when we have the opportunity, we're a traveling family. The girls have plenty of stamps in their passports already.

With your hectic trainer's schedule and Maggie busy as one of the faces of America's Day at the Races, what is the juggling act like for you between your family and your stable?

It can be tough, especially in Saratoga when Maggie works enormously long hours. It can be tough on the girls as well because I have to be at the barn in the morning and the races in the afternoon. They go to Faith's House, which is an amazing Belmont Child Care Association school and playgroup. There's nothing I enjoy more than when I'm finished at the barn in the morning, to go pick them up and take them racing. They love going racing in Saratoga. I think it's mainly due to the popcorn and lemonade.

We try not to push horses on the girls at all because it would be very easy for them to be totally swamped with a father who trains and a mother who is incredibly active in the media. They do have a little pony called Snickers who they enjoy going to see, but it's nothing that we actively push upon them.

Obviously I'm enormously proud of my wife. She has become one of the very best around the world at what she does and she deserves all the applause that she gets because her results speak for themselves.

What is your favorite racetrack? I'm guessing Saratoga, but maybe not?

It's York, actually. I was born and raised in Yorkshire and the May and August meeting at York are two extremely special meetings for me. I really look forward to maybe one day having a horse run at York. It would be a homecoming for me.

I have a number of favorite tracks around the world. During the Flying Start program, I thought that Randwick was just the most spectacular place to go racing in Australia. There were always huge crowds of young, enthusiastic people.

I'm a huge jumps racing fan too. Maggie and I try to go to Cheltenham during the March festival whenever we can. There's no better racing atmosphere in my opinion anywhere on earth.

I do love going to Saratoga, but it's hard to call it my favorite because it is when we are under the most pressure. I don't think I can really enjoy it for what it is because it is such an important part of our year.

Who is your favorite horse that you've trained?

You never forget your first winner. I'll never forget the feeling of standing on the outside rail at Aqueduct as a field of maiden claiming $25,000 New York-breds were coming down the lane and Treblemaker cleared from the rest. He was in my barn for a while and then went on to Finger Lakes, but eventually came back to us as a pony for a while. He will always be special for us.

The first really good horse that I was lucky enough to train was Haveyougoneaway (Congrats). She seemed to really thrive in our program. She was my first stakes winner, my first graded stakes winner, my first Grade I winner and my first Breeders' Cup horse. At our house I have a photograph of her taken by Barbara Livingston from the day after the Ballerina. She was an extremely talented, very sweet filly. She will always hold a very special place in my heart.

Do you have any up-and-coming horses in your barn that we should know about?

I'm really looking forward to our group of 2-year-olds this year. We have an Arrogate colt that we bought at the Keeneland Sale for a lot of money coming to us. Steven Roco has bought an Upstart filly and an Into Mischief that are both training very well in Florida.

With the turf season coming up soon, it's going to be exciting to get some horses back like Dynadrive (Temple City), who won the Lure S. in Saratoga last year. His half-brother Tell Your Daddy (Scat Daddy), who won the GII Bernard Baruch H. in Saratoga the year before for us, is back breezing now in Florida. It's going to be fun having the brothers back here for turf season. I'm kind of dreading the idea that they might have to run against each other at some point. It would make an unbelievably cool story, but I'd like to try and keep them separate.

Click here for more from our 'Earning Their Stripes' series.

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The hard-knocking gelding was a family favorite for Morley, his wife Maggie Wolfendale and their two daughters, Grace and Willow. So, when it came time for him to retire, there was no question that he would remain in the family, becoming Wolfendale's personal riding horse and top toddler babysitter.

“He was very special to both Tom and I because we owned most of him,” Wolfendale said while standing beside the now-9-year-old gelding just after a ride. “When he won his first Louisiana Champions Day Turf S., we were in England. Obviously, it was late there. We all stayed up and watched it, sitting around his dad, who struggled with Parkinson's disease. It was this big eruption of joy when he got up and won. He has truly been our family horse. He is a very special horse to us, so we always knew when it was time to call it quits on his racing career, that he would come home with us.”

The Morleys privately purchased Ninety One Assault in partnership with Paul Braverman after he broke his maiden in his 13th start at Belmont in March of 2017.

“We bought him because he was a Louisiana-bred and we were going down there,” Wolfendale said. “He became this horse that we all loved. He won several stakes at Fair Grounds and most of his other races, except his maiden score, which was at Belmont.”

Ninety One Assault, or Boo as he is affectionately referred to by Wolfendale, quickly became a barn favorite for the Morley team.

When asked if she galloped him in the mornings, Wolfendale said, “If I won the fight to gallop him! He was literally the horse that when you went in and looked at your set list and had him, everyone else went, 'Oh man, you got Ninety today!' Everybody wanted to ride him because he was such a lovely gallop. He was very easy. Everybody got along with him.”

Ninety One Assault thrived on his annual trips home to Louisiana. He won seven times during his five seasons in NOLA, including two editions of the Louisiana Champions Day Turf S. and the 2020 renewal of the Dixie Poker Ace S. The bay made his final start at Pimlico in April of 2021.

“He developed a little bit of a suspensory issue when he was coming back in 2021,” Wolfendale said. “He had already had ankle surgery at that point too. Tom decided that he wasn't going to push on him to get him back as a 9-year-old [in 2022], so that is when we decided to retire him.”

The lifelong horsewoman continued, “It is very expensive to keep horses in Long Island and we didn't live where we do now, which is 10 minutes from the farm. So at first, we sent him to Kentucky with Jamie Hernandez. She turned him out for six months to recover from the suspensory issue. She started him back in early March of this year and did a lot with him. She took him to shows and took him to lessons every week, so he got a nice, well-rounded start and education. I figured I could afford to keep him in Saratoga and, weirdly, have the time there because we had a split schedule with the [NYRA] T.V. [show]. Then we moved to the North Shore and Boo got to come with us.”

Ninety One Assault has been as much of a pleasure to handle in his new career as he was on the racetrack and has transitioned beautifully, according to Wolfendale.

“I've mainly had the war horses throughout my career,” she said. “It is so individual and depends on their personality as to whether the transition will be easy or not. He was an easy racehorse to handle and ride, so the transition was pretty easy for him. The things it sometimes takes a while for racehorses to get used to, like cross ties and mounting blocks, he took to with no problem.”

She continued, “As far as riding him, he is so smart and wants to please. He loves when you tell him he's a good boy. If you show him something once and he messes it up, he is not likely to mess it up again. He's just that kind of horse. Tom and I always joke that he may not come from much pedigree wise, but he is the star athlete, straight A student, prom king-type. Boo has a lot of class to him and he makes all of us happy. The girls can go out and graze him and stuff like that and he is very respectful to them too.”

As for what's next, Wolfendale hopes to take her trusty mount to the show ring, if she can find the time between assisting her husband with his racing stable and working as one of NYRA's on-air analysts.

“I've been taking lessons,” Wolfendale said. “He has been responding so well to that. I think we could get to the point where maybe next spring we could go to shows and be competitive in jumpers or eventing.”

The post Where Are They Now: Ninety One Assault appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.

With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week.

California
Track: Santa Anita
Date: 10/07/2022
Licensee: Leonard Rivero, owner
Penalty: Suspended license
Violation: Failure to appear for hearing
Explainer: Owner Leonard Rivero (DBA; WINNER CIRCLE STABLES), having failed to respond to written notice to appear before the Board of Stewards at Santa Anita Park on October 6, 2022, is suspended for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1547 (Failure to Appear) pending an appearance at a hearing before the Board of Stewards to answer to charges alleging violation of CHRB rule #1876 (Financial Responsibility- $2594.52 to K C Horse Transport, Inc.). Suspension to commence on October 13, 2022.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 10/07/2022
Licensee: Luis Aguilar, owner
Penalty: $200 fine
Violation: Shoeing without license
Explainer: Owner Luis Aguilar is fined $200.00 for violation of California Horse Racing Board rule #1481 (Occupational Licenses and Fees–shoeing without a proper license)

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 10/07/2022
Licensee: Lloyd Wicker, trainer
Penalty: $500 fine
Violation: Out of competition medication violation
Explainer: Trainer Lloyd Wicker, who worked out the horse HOLLYWOOD RUMOR at San Luis Rey Downs on July 20, 2022, is fined $500.00 and assessed one half (1/2) point in accordance with California Horse Racing Rule #1843.4 (Multiple Medication Violations–Expires 10/08/23) for violation of California Horse Racing Board Rule #1868 (Authorization Medication During Workouts) and Rule #1843.1  (Prohibited Drug Substances – Phenylbutazone [(Class 4]).

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 10/09/2022
Licensee: Juan Hernandez, jockey
Penalty: One-day suspension, $250 fine
Violation: Excessive use of the whip

Explainer: Having violated the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2280 (Use of Riding Crop) and pursuant to Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2282 (Riding Crop Violations and Penalties–Class 3), Jockey JUAN HERNANDEZ, who rode TURN ON THE JETS in the ninth race at Santa Anita Park on October 8, 2022, is suspended for one (1) day (October 16, 2022), and fined $250.00 for one (1) strike over the limit. Furthermore, Jockey JUAN HERNANDEZ is assigned three (3) violation points that will be expunged on April 9, 2023, six (6) months from the date of final adjudication pursuant to Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rule #2282 (Riding Crop Violations and Penalties. Jockey JUAN HERNANDEZ has accrued a total of nine (9) points. Pursuant to California Horse Racing Board rule #1766 (Designated Races), the term of suspension shall not prohibit participation in designated races.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 10/09/2022
Licensee: Ian Kruljac, trainer
Penalty: Reimbursement by owner of claim and stabling costs
Violation: Voided claim
Explainer: In the matter of the claim submitted for the horse GYPSY LYNN; Having received first notice of a Prohibited Substance (methocarbamol) in the post-race test sample, pursuant to Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Rule 2262 (c)(5) (Void Claim), the claim submitted for the horse GYPSY LYNN, in the first race on August 21, 2022, at Del Mar Racetrack is hereby deemed void.

The horse, GYPSY LYNN trained by IAN KRULJAC, shall be returned to owner CLARKE M. COOPER (DBA: CLARKE M. COOPER FAMILY TRUST) and CLARKE M. COOPER (DBA: CLARKE M. COOPER FAMILY TRUST) shall return the amount of the claim of TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($20,000) to owner TODD CADY by October 16, 2022. Furthermore, owner CLARKE M. COOPER (DBA: CLARKE M. COOPER FAMILY TRUST) shall reimburse owner TODD CADY in the amount of $1,679.54 for the care and training of the horse during the time the horse was in the claimant's barn.

Track: Santa Anita
Date: 10/10/2022
Licensee: Drayden Van Dyke, jockey
Penalty: Reimbursement by owner and jockey of purse money
Violation: Excessive use of the whip
Explainer: Pursuant to a formal hearing held on October 8, 2022, it is hereby ordered that BOLT'S BROAD, who finished first in the sixth race at Del Mar Race Track on September 9, 2022, be disqualified and deemed unplaced pursuant to HISA Rule 2282 (Riding Crop Violations and Penalties [Class 2 Violation]) for violation of HISA Rule 2280 (Use of Riding Crop).

It is further ordered that the purse money awarded to Owner WENDY RUIS (RUIS RACING LLC), $60,000 and Jockey DRAYDEN VAN DYKE, 4,800 be distributed in accordance with the revised order of finish by the Paymaster of Purses at Del Mar Race Track

Revised order of finish is as follows:
1st  Classymademoiselle; 2nd La Peer; 3rd Anacaro; 4th Balenciaga Betty; 5th  Free and Humble; 6th  Shirley's Bane

All records are ordered to reflect this ruling. In accordance with California Horse Racing Board rule #1956 (Race Declared Official) neither pari-mutuel payoffs nor the distribution of any pari-mutuel pool shall be affected.

New York
Track: Aqueduct
Date: 10/06/2022
Licensee: Tom Morley, trainer
Penalty: Ten-day suspension, $1,000 fine
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: Having received a report from the NYS Gaming Commission Equine Drug Testing Laboratory of the finding of Phenylbutazone in the post-race sample taken from Horse “Built to Last” (#4) which raced in the 3rd race and finished 1st on August 24th 2022. Trainer of record Mr. Thomas Morley having been notified of the post-race positive and having waived his right to appeal is hereby fined the sum of $1,000 and suspended ten Calendar days effective Thursday October 13th 2022, through Saturday October 22nd 2022, inclusive.

Furthermore, the Stewards order horse “Built to Last” disqualified from any part of the purse and the purse redistributed as follows:

1. (#11) Kingstown
2. (#12) Tommy Gun
3. (#13) Full Complement
4. (#10) Magic Truck

Ordered that during your period of suspension, you shall not directly or indirectly participate in New York State pari-mutuel horse racing. You are denied the privileges and use of the grounds of all racetracks, you are forbidden to participate in any share of purses or other payment. Every horse is denied the privileges of the grounds and shall not participate in pari-mutuel racing in New York State, that (a) is owned or trained by you, or by any individuals who serves as your agent or employee during your suspension: or (b) for which you during your suspension are directly or indirectly with training, including any arrangements to care for, train, enter, race, invoice, collect fees or other payments, manage funds, employ or insure workers, provide advise or other information or assist with any aspect of the training of such horses.

Track: Aqueduct
Date: 10/07/2022
Licensee: Edmund Davis, trainer
Penalty: Fifteen-day suspension, $1,500 fine
Violation: Medication violation
Explainer: Having received a report from the NYS Gaming Commission Equine Drug Testing Laboratory of the finding of Phenylbutazone in the post-race sample taken from Horse “Cap't Remington” #6 which raced in the 3rd race and finished 2nd on August 5th 2022. Trainer of record Mr. Edmund Davis having been notified of the post-race positive and having waived his right to appeal is hereby fined the sum of $1,500 and suspended fifteen Calendar days effective October 16th 2022 through October 30th 2022, inclusive.

Furthermore, the Stewards order horse ” Cap't Remmington” disqualified from any part of the purse and the purse redistributed as follows:

1. (#5) Jay'stalker
2. (#3) Barone Marchis
3. (#4) Makart
4. (#2) Devil Or Angel
5. (#7) My Slick Nick

Ordered that during your period of suspension, you shall not directly or indirectly participate in New York State pari-mutuel horse racing. You are denied the privileges and use of the grounds of all racetracks, you are forbidden to participate in any share of purses or other payment. Every horse is denied the privilages of the grounds and shall not participate in pari-mutuel racing in New York State, that (a) is owned or trained by you, or by any  individuals who serves as your agent or employee during your suspension: or (b) for which you during your suspension are directly or indirectly with training, including any arrangements to care for, train, enter, race, invoice, collect fees or other payments, manage funds, employ or insure workers, provide advise or other information or assist with any aspect of the training of such horses.

Kentucky
Track: Keeneland
Date: 10/08/2022
Licensee: Carlos Villasana, jockey
Penalty: Suspended license
Violation: Failed drug test
Explainer: Carlos Villasana is hereby immediately suspended by the Board of Stewards for his failed drug test (reported on October 7, 2022 as positive for cocaine) and is ordered to undergo an evaluation by a professional in the field of addictive or substance abuse disorders approved by the KHRC. Consideration for reinstatement is contingent upon the adherence to the recommendation of the approved counsellor. Mr. Villasana must also provide a negative drug test prior to reinstatement. During his suspension Carlos Villasana is denied the privileges of all facilities under the jurisdiction of the KHRC.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 10/09/2022
Licensee: Jose Ortiz, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: After a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Jose Ortiz who rode Raging Sea in the ninth race at Keeneland on October 7, 2022, is hereby suspended three days, October 19 through October 21, 2022 (inclusive) for careless riding in the stretch that resulted in the disqualification of his mount.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 10/09/2022
Licensee: Irad Ortiz, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: After a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Irad Ortiz who rode Longpants Required in the tenth race at Keeneland on October 7, 2022, is hereby suspended three days, October 19 through October 21, 2022 (inclusive) for careless riding near the 3/8 pole.

Track: Keeneland
Date: 10/09/2022
Licensee: Joel Rosario, jockey
Penalty: Three-day suspension
Violation: Careless riding
Explainer: After a hearing before the Board of Stewards, Joel Rosario who rode Olga Isabel in the fifth race at Keeneland on October 7, 2022, is hereby suspended three days, October 19 through October 21, 2022 (inclusive) for careless riding near the 1/4 pole that resulted in the disqualification of his mount.

NEW HISA STEWARDS RULINGS
Note: While HISA has shared these rulings over the past week, some of them originate from prior weeks.

Violations of Crop Rule
Churchill Downs
Francisco Arrieta – ruling date October 4, 2022
Francisco Arrieta – ruling date October 8, 2022

Hawthorne
Eduardo Gallardo – ruling date October 6, 2022

Horseshoe Indianapolis
Adam Beschizza – ruling date October 6, 2022
Javier Padron-Barcenas – ruling date October 6, 2022
Kendal Deann Sterritt – ruling date October 6, 2022
Eduardo Perez – ruling date October 7, 2022

Mountaineer Park
Juan Gabriel Lagunes – ruling date September 27, 2022
Luciano Barron Hernandez – ruling date September 27, 2022
Eder Luis Martinez – ruling date October 3, 2022
Luciano Barron Hernandez – ruling date October 5, 2022
I'm Praying for That – ruling date October 5, 2022
Marco Ccamaque – ruling date October 7, 2022 (violation date Sept. 28)
Marco Ccamaque – ruling date October 7, 2022 (violation date Oct. 3)

Penn National
Pedro Requena – ruling date October 6, 2022

Pimlico
Xavier Perez – ruling date September 10, 2022

Presque Isle Downs
Alexis Valdes – ruling date October 10, 2022
Wilfredo Martinez – ruling date October 10, 2022

Remington Park
Obed Sanchez – ruling date October 6, 2022

Zia Park
J.C. Villanueva – ruling date October 8, 2022

Voided Claims
Churchill Downs
Thatch – ruling date October 1, 2022

Hawthorne
Gotta Chase It – ruling date October 2, 2022

Belterra Park
Monolito – ruling date October 5, 2022

Violations Involving Forfeiture of Purse
Mountaineer Park
Marco Ccamaque – $500 fine; 3-day suspension; 5 points; redistribution of purse; 7-day additional suspension due to accumulation of HISA points; ruling date October 7, 2022 (violation date Sept. 28)

Mountaineer Park
Marco Ccamaque – $500 fine; 3-day suspension; 5 points; redistribution of purse; 15-day additional suspension due to accumulation of HISA points; ruling date October 7, 2022 (violation date Oct. 3)

Appeal Request Updates
Mountaineer Park
Marco Ccamaque
Crop rule violation
Ruling date October 7, 2022 (violation date Sept. 28)
Appeal filed October 8, 2022
Stay granted

Mountaineer Park
Marco Ccamaque
Crop rule violation
Ruling date October 7, 2022 (violation date Oct. 3)
Appeal filed October 8, 2022
Stay granted

Horseshoe Indianapolis
Eduardo Perez
Crop rule violation
Ruling date October 7, 2022
Appeal filed October 11, 2022
Stay granted

The post Weekly Rulings and Commissions Rulings: Oct. 4-10 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The Gio Ponti is one of three stakes on a packed Friday card, including the $200,000 Grade 3 Comely at nine furlongs for sophomore fillies and the $150,000 Forever Together in a 1 1/16-mile turf test for fillies and mares.

Trained by Cherie DeVaux, Monition hasn't put a foot wrong through two career starts under jockey Brian Hernandez. The English Channel gelding rallied to a professional three-quarters of a length debut win, advancing inside rivals on the turn and splitting the leaders in the final furlong to capture a one-mile maiden special weight over firm turf at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky., in September.

“He broke mid-pack and had a nice turn-of-foot at the end,” DeVaux said. “He ran really well. You never know going long first time if they're going to need a race or not, so I was really pleased with him. He had always trained well, so it wasn't a huge surprise.”

Monition followed by demonstrating a new dimension, posting a gate-to-wire score when stretched out to nine furlongs over good going against older allowance company on October 9 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

DeVaux credited Hernandez for the prominent trip.

“Brian made the decision. He saw there wasn't a lot of speed on paper and knew the horse could break sharp,” DeVaux said. “When he made the lead, he made the right decision and let the horse stay comfortable there. It was quite impressive.”

Monition has breezed back five times at Keeneland, including a half-mile in :48.60 on November 16. He will make his Big A debut under jockey Luis Saez from the outermost post 8.

DeVaux said Saez will have plenty of options with the versatile Monition.

“It's going to be up to Luis to play the break and see. If no one is going to go, it's definitely in his wheelhouse to do so,” DeVaux said.

WellSpring Stables' Queen's Plate-winner Safe Conduct, who competed in two-thirds of the Canadian Triple Crown, will make his racing return to New York for trainer Phil Serpe.

The Bodemeister colt enters from starts in the first and third legs of the prestigious Canadian series at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, having won the 162nd running of the $1 million Queen's Plate at 10 furlongs on Tapeta in August ahead of an eighth-place effort in the 12-furlong Breeders' Stakes over yielding turf in October.

Safe Conduct, who sports a ledger of 8-3-1-0 with field-high purse earnings of $606,364, won a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer over firm Belmont turf in May by 2 1/2-lengths in besting Public Sector, who has since developed into a multiple graded stakes winner.

Safe Conduct exited that effort to finish fourth in the off-the-turf G3 Pennine Ridge in May and faded to eighth in the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational in July over good going ahead of his Queen's Plate run.

The talented bay, bred in Ontario by Mitchell Kursner, breezed five-eighths in 1:02.25 November 7 over the Belmont inner turf and followed with an easy five-eighths over Big Sandy in 1:03.86 on November 18.

Jose Lezcano, aboard for the win at Belmont in May, has the call from post 7.

Repole Stable's multiple graded-stakes placed Never Surprised, by Constitution, boasts an all-turf record of 5-2-3-0 for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The Kentucky-bred bay made his first two career starts last November at the Big A, winning a six-furlong maiden special weight ahead of a gate-to-wire score in the 1 1/16-mile Central Park.

Never Surprised has made his three sophomore starts in graded company, finishing second in each of the one-mile G3 Kitten's Joy in January at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., the 1 1/16-mile G3 Saranac in September at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and the nine-furlong G2 Hill Prince in October at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The latter two efforts were both won by Public Sector.

He worked a half-mile in :50.35 on November 19 over the Belmont dirt training track.

“He's training forwardly like he always does. He's a very eager horse in the mornings and he's a little bit that way in his races,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully, he can repeat his form here – he's 2-for-2 at Aqueduct and seems to like the course. Kendrick [Carmouche] has certainly had some success with him.”

Kendrick Carmouche, aboard for both wins and the last-out Hill Prince, retains the mount from post 6.

Thomas Albrecht, Vincent Fusaro, and James Klein's New York-bred Ocala Dream arrives from a close fifth, defeated just two lengths, in the seven-furlong Carle Place contested over firm footing on October 22 at Belmont.

Trained by Tom Morley, the Effinex chestnut captured the New York Stallion Stakes Series Spectacular Bid for eligible state-sired 3-year-olds going seven furlongs over the Widener turf at Belmont in June.

He exited that effort to finish off-the-board in the NYSSS Cab Calloway in July at Saratoga but made amends with a rallying nose score in an open 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming test ahead of the Carle Place.

Dylan Davis, who has piloted the colt in his last two starts, retains the mount from post 5.

Rounding out the field are Kygo [post 1, Manny Franco], a formerly French-based son of Adlerflug making his North American debut for trainer Mike Maker; the graded-stakes placed Original [post 3, Javier Castellano], who captured the one-mile Manila in July at Belmont for trainer John Terranova; and the Irish-bred Gussy Mac [post 2, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], who removes blinkers in search of his first win in North America for trainer Niall Saville. Boldish was entered for the main track only.

The Gio Ponti is slated as Race 8 on Friday's 10-race card. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall 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 fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Monition Puts Perfect Record On Line In Friday’s Gio Ponti At Aqueduct appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trained by Tom Morley, Tell Your Daddy posted triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in each of his last three starts, including a runner-up effort in the Lure [100BSF] in August at Saratoga Race Couse; a gate-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch [101] in September at the Spa; and a troubled second last out in the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile [101].

The 5-year-old Scat Daddy gelding, who was claimed for $40,000 in January at the Fair Grounds, has made a steady progression with a record of 6-1-2-1 for his new connections.

Jay Provenzano [Flying P Stable] said a better trip in the Keeneland Turf Mile, a “Win and You're In” event could have sent the upwardly-mobile gelding to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile.

With Julien Leparoux up in the Keeneland Turf Mile, Tell Your Daddy tracked from fourth position but was impeded at the eighth pole and settled for second, 1 1/2-lengths back of In Love. The third-place finisher – Somelikeithotbrown – exited that event to win last Saturday's Mohawk at Belmont Park while Ivar, the fourth-place finisher, ran a credible third in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

“I think we could have won the race if we had got a clean trip like the winner did down the lane. We got a little bumped here and there,” Provenzano said. “We thought we stood a chance to get into the Breeders' Cup but we ended up third on the list.

“Tom and I have always stuck to our plan with this horse and it's usually paid off,” Provenzano added. “We decided if we were first or second on the AE list we'd ship and if not we would stay for this spot and that's the plan.”

Provenzano said Tell Your Daddy's rallying sixth – defeated less than two lengths – in the 2020 Grade 2 Shakertown at 5 1/2-furlongs at Keeneland, caught his eye and prompted the eventual claim.

“We didn't think he was running the right distance,” Provenzano said. “He had just come up short in the Shakertown and when we started watching more replays he was always just coming up short but with a good run. We felt if we could get him to stretch to seven-eighths it would be very good for him.”

Tell Your Daddy ran a game fourth at odds of 60-1 at first asking for new connections in the Elusive Quality in April, missing by a half-length to the victorious Casa Creed when stretched out to seven furlongs over the Belmont turf off a three-month layoff.

Casa Creed exited the Elusive Quality to win the Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur at Belmont while third-place finisher Value Proposition has since won 3-of-5 starts including a pair of stakes scores.

Tell Your Daddy made his next two starts at one mile over the Belmont turf, finishing third in the Seek Again and seventh in the Grade 3 Poker. He then teamed up with Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez for a pair of starts at 1 1/16-miles at Saratoga, finishing second in the restricted Lure ahead of his Bernard Baruch coup.

Provenzano said the Poker effort was an anomaly.

“We just dismissed that race. We didn't like how the race unfolded for us in the Poker,” Provenzano said. “After his next race [in the Lure], Johnny came back and said the horse might like to go a little farther and get on the lead. We took a chance in the Bernard Baruch and Johnny put him on the engine and he ran spectacular that day.”

Provenzano said that while he is disappointed to have missed out on this year's Breeders' Cup with Tell Your Daddy, he'll look forward to blazing a trail to next year's event.

“I think we made the right choice staying here,” Provenzano said. “It's a good distance and next year we know that we have to campaign him a little differently and treat him like a real good horse now.”

Velazquez returns to the irons from post 6.

Multiple graded-stakes placed Bodecream will also look to go from claim to fame. The 4-year-old son of Bodemeister, trained by Jeffrey Englehart for Darryl Abramowitz, was claimed for $80,000 out of a winning effort in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming tilt last out on October 21 at Belmont Park, registering a career-best 94 Beyer.

“I thought he was in for the right price and that he'd be a good horse for us to have for next season,” Englehart said. “He ran a nice number last time so we nominated him to this race. He's been training good since, so we're going to take a shot. This spot makes sense for him.”

Bodecream launched a productive sophomore season with a rallying win in the Texas Turf Mile last January at Sam Houston. Purchased for $50,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale, Bodecream was transferred to trainer Mike Maker for a summer campaign and finished a close third in the one-mile Grade 3 Saranac over soft turf last August at Saratoga Race Course.

After completing the trifecta in the one-mile Grade 2 Hill Prince over yielding Belmont turf last October, Bodecream ran a close second in his Big A debut when missing by a nose to City Man in the 1 1/16-mile Gio Ponti last November which was contested over good going.

The consistent Bodecream boasts a record of 7-2-2-0 this season, including a prominent score last out as the mutuel favorite.

“It looked like he liked to be in the open, on the lead and in the clear early,” Englehart said. “We learned that about him and it's something to keep in the back of our mind going forward.”

Jose Lezcano will have the call from post 5.

Three Diamonds Farm's multiple graded-stakes winner Field Pass, a 4-year-old Lemon Drop Kid colt, enters from a close second in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Knickerbocker where he finished a head in arrears of Sacred Life.

The versatile Maryland-bred won 5-of-10 starts last season for trainer Mike Maker, including graded wins in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks over the Turfway Park synthetic; the Grade 3 Transylvania over the Keeneland turf; and the Grade 3 Ontario Derby on Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack.

Field Pass notched his lone win in six starts this season with a neck score in the one-mile Grade 3 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup in July at Pimlico Race Course.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will ride from post 11.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will send out a pair of contenders who could benefit from the significant pace signed on for Saturday's test with multiple graded-stakes winner March to the Arch and Olympic Runner, who made the grade in the Grade 2 King Edward in August at Woodbine.

Live Oak Plantation homebred March to the Arch, a 6-year-old Arch gelding, closed to finish fourth last out after being steadied in the stretch run of the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on September 18.

March to the Arch, a multiple graded-stakes winner, has made all four starts this season at Woodbine led by a dominant win in the nine-furlong Niagara in July ahead of a rallying third in the one-mile King Edward – both contested on the E. P. Taylor Turf Course.

March to the Arch will exit post 4 under Dylan Davis.

Gary Barber's Olympic Runner, a 5-year-old Gio Ponti gelding, finished a distant eighth in the Woodbine Mile but followed with a closing third in the six-furlong Grade 2 Nearctic on September 18 over yielding Woodbine turf.

Kendrick Carmouche will pilot Olympic Runner from post 2.

Bond Racing Stable's Rinaldi, bred in New York by Barry Ostrager, captured the one-mile Grade 3 Forbidden Apple in gate-to-wire fashion in July over firm Saratoga turf but faded to fifth in his follow-up effort last out in the restricted West Point on August 27.

The H. James Bond trainee, who boasts a record of 12-5-2-1, was scratched by his conditioner from last Saturday's 1 1/16-mile Mohawk against fellow state-breds at Belmont Park. He will look to get back to his winning ways from post 3 under Luis Saez.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Flavius, a graded-stakes placed son of War Front, registered a 103 Beyer two starts back in winning the restricted 1 1/16-mile Lure gate-to-wire on August 7 at the Spa.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, the 6-year-old ridgling finished fifth last out in the one-mile Grade 3 Mint Million on September 6 at Kentucky Downs.

The consistent Flavius, who sports a ledger of 13-4-3-1 with purse earnings of $719,651, earned a career-best 105 Beyer last September with a rallying win in the Tourist Mile at Kentucky Downs.

Jose Ortiz has the call from the inside post.

Rounding out the field are En Wye Cee [post 7, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Mandate [post 12, Andrew Wolfsont], and Breaking the Rules [post 8, Manny Franco]. Bal Harbour and Our Last Buck were entered for the main-track only.

The Artie Schiller is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race card. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

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

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With Lone Rock going into the gate as the 1-9 favorite, all eyes were on the last-out winner of the Birdstone at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. After a clean break, Mo Gotcha took the lead, with Lone Rock stalking him, Davis sitting chilly on Locally Owned in last. Lone Rock stayed close to Mo Gotcha throughout the first mile, poised to bid for the lead coming out of the final turn as Davis moved Locally Owned on the rail.

Into the stretch, they were three across briefly with Locally Owned finding his closing kick as Mo Gotcha tired. Lone Rock made his bid on the outside, but could not find enough to catch the winner, who crossed the wire a length in front. Mo Gotcha, Chris and Dave, and Empty Tomb rounded out the field.

The final time for the 1 5/8 miles was 2:44.60. Find this race's chart here.

Locally Owned paid $39.00 and $4.10. Lone Rock paid $2.10.

Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings in Kentucky, Locally Owned is out of the Pulpit mare Fiftyshadesofhay. Owned by Flying P Stable, the gelding has two wins in seven starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 24 starts and career earnings of $461,431.

The post Locally Owned Upsets Lone Rock In Grand Prix American Jockey Club Invitational Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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