Top News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Be Your Best Reigns Supreme In Saratoga’s P.G. Johnson S.

Be Your Best made the most of a picture-perfect trip when debuted over this same track and distance July 31, sitting off the pace and powering home late to score by 3 1/4 lengths en route to a 'TDN Rising Star' nod. Bumped up to stakes company in just her second start, Be Your Best broke as the 6-5 choice and sat closer to the frontrunners this time, racing wide into the first turn in pursuit from third. Settled into a good stride against the hedge up the backstretch, she saved ground around the far turn before angling out two wide to challenge Recognize for the front. As room there closed, she tipped back to the rail in mid stretch and rallied through a tight spot inside to take command with a furlong to run. Whichwaze was closing behind but Be Your Best was already well clear for the 3 3/4-length win.

“The filly was so easy to ride,” said winning jockey Jose Ortiz. “She did whatever I asked her to do. She relaxed well and had a beautiful turn of foot turning for home. The rail opened up and she gave it to me. I feel like she didn't give me 100 percent – she was playing with her ears passing the wire. She's happy and Horacio [De Paz] has done an amazing job with her.”

Out of a full-sister to GSP Bay of Plenty and a half-sister to GISP Fortify (Distorted Humor), Be Your Best hails from the extended family of MG1SW Flagbird (Nureyev) as well as GISW & GI Longines Kentucky Oaks runner-up Little Belle (A.P. Indy). She is her dam's last reported foal. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

P. G. JOHNSON S., $150,000, Saratoga, 9-1, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.67, gd.
1–BE YOUR BEST (Ire), 122, f, 2, by Muhaarar (GB)
                1st Dam: Kamakura, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Kotuku (GB), by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Flagbird, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Michael J. Ryan; B-St. Croix
Bloodstock (IRE); T-Horacio De Paz; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $82,500.
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $140,250.
2–Whichwaze, 120, f, 2, Cross Traffic–Deherewego, by Dehere.
($4,500 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $15,000 Ylg '21 OBSOCT).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Tina Casse; B-Old Chapel Farm LLC (VA);
T-Mark E. Casse. $30,000.
3–Recognize, 122, f, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Avendesora, by
Majesticperfection. ($270,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $190,000 RNA
2yo '22 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sequel Racing & Cypress
Creek Equine; B-Sequel Stallions NY & Lakland Farms (NY);
T-William I. Mott. $18,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, HF, NO. Odds: 1.35, 19.20, 10.90.
Also Ran: Idea Generation (Ire), Pachuca, Damaso, Lady Jasmine, Indian Spideroo. Scratched: Leave No Trace.

The post Be Your Best Reigns Supreme In Saratoga’s P.G. Johnson S. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Canter for a Cause Returns to Pimlico

Pimlico Race Course will host Canter for a Cause Sunday, Oct. 30, giving the public an opportunity to walk, trot, canter, or gallop their own horse or pony. Sponsored by the Maryland Jockey Club, Canter for a Cause is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is $60 per trip, with proceeds going to benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). Registration closes Monday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. Entries will be taken in four groups–Seabiscuit (walk, trot, canter, and gallop), Secretariat (walk, trot, and slow canter), War Admiral (walk and trot) and Ben's Cat (lead line).

Each registrant will be assigned a ride time, requests to ride with friends should be made in advance. Participants will also have their picture taken by the official track photographer in the winner's circle.

All horses must have proof of a negative Coggins test within 12 months. All riders must sign a waiver and wear approved helmets, and riders under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. No colts, stallions, or ridglings are allowed.

For full rules and event description visit www.usponyracing.com

The post Canter for a Cause Returns to Pimlico appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

New First-Turn Spa Seating, Belmont Infield Horse Tunnel Proposed

A first-turn seating expansion at Saratoga Race Course and the addition of a 400-foot long infield horse tunnel at Belmont Park were among the improvement projects floated by New York Racing Association (NYRA) executives on Thursday.

Three new backstretch dormitories at Saratoga are also on NYRA's to-do list, according to a preview of possible 2023 projects discussed at the Sep. 1 Franchise Oversight Board (FOB) meeting.

The FOB represents the interests of NYRA's state-owned properties, and that board still must formally approve the projects if and when NYRA submits a capital expense plan that includes them, most likely when the FOB meets again in early 2023.

The first-turn expansion at Saratoga was billed by NYRA as a natural extension of this year's build-out of the one-mile Wilson Chute near where the home stretch merges with the first turn.

The new amenities on the first turn will likely look similar to the existing Spa Verandas at the other end of the home straight, although NYRA has not formally begun designing them.

The Tailgate at the Turn drive-up picnic section that is there right now might have to go to make way for more permanent structures.

“Get rid of the tents, get rid of that restroom trailer that's over there, and work with [the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation] on what we can build over there [to] take out the temporary facilities and build something that will work,” is how Glen Kozak, NYRA's senior vice president of operations and capital projects, described the vision.

“And I think the same concept of what works up at the Spa Verandas can work over there,” Kozak added. “We're looking at multiple things over there to come back to [the FOB] for the capital plan for 2023, but it could be something even with a second floor, similar to what we had out there for the Outback Suites, where you have a deck to be able to view the track..We could make that area really nice.”

Downstate, the Belmont project is predicated on NYRA's desire to add a synthetic racing surface, an idea that is not etched in stone but has been under discussion for the better part of the 21st Century and appears edging closer to reality.

“For 2023, we'll look at if we are going to install a synthetic track, to be able to be prepared for it,” Kozak said, noting the now-common delays for big-ticket projects that have become the norm in the construction industry.

“So even just some of the bidding that would have to take place, even without the [formal] approval of [a synthetic track], just to be able to be keyed up for the time frame,” Kozak explained.

“With bringing in product from England, with the wax and the fibers, it's such a long lead time, and some of the other components for that project as well [including] the safety rail,” Kozak said.

Belmont is already undergoing an initial phase in its multi-year redevelopment. The ongoing construction of vehicular and pedestrian tunnels to provide access underneath all three existing racing surfaces to the 45-acre Belmont infield have necessitated that the traditional 2022 Belmont fall meet be held at Aqueduct Racetrack.

“The other redevelopment is already taking place this year,” Kozak said. “But we'd also look at a horse tunnel to gain access to that synthetic track.”

The horse tunnel didn't come up back in January when the FOB greenlighted the start of NYRA's infield project. The 400-foot length of the proposed horse tunnel was not discussed during Thursday's FOB meeting, but an internet search reveals that the project's specifics have already been listed on several online construction bidding sites.

Kozak also said it's NYRA's desire to get going on a multi-year-plan to get build three new 68-room backstretch worker dorms at Saratoga, two on the Oklahoma training track side of the property and one on main track side across Union Avenue.

Kozak said the first will be located adjacent to soccer field by backstretch recreation center. The other Oklahoma-side dorm is envisioned for “over near where Nick Zito's barn is.” The main-track dorm is proposed for the portion of the property “near barn No. 8, adjacent to Greentree.”

The post New First-Turn Spa Seating, Belmont Infield Horse Tunnel Proposed appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

American Pharoah’s Carnaby Street Rolls In Kentucky Downs Opener

1st-Kentucky Downs, $156,000, Msw, 9-1, 2yo, f, 6 1/2fT, 1:16.89, fm, 4 1/2 lengths.
CARNABY STREET (f, 2, American Pharoah–Sloane Square {GSP}, by Giant's Causeway), favored at 7-5 in the opening event of the meet, settled patiently and stalked from good position in third behind the leading pair of Master Som (Mastery) and Fabulosity (Exaggerator). With a ton of run but little room, she waited for a break to open between rivals down the stretch, split them into the final furlong, and easily cleared late to score by 4 1/2 lengths. 42-1 longshot Miss Peabody (Anchor Down) surged late to fill out the exacta as the early leaders faded in the final sixteenth. Sloane Square produced back-to-back foals by Munnings–a colt in 2021 and a filly in 2022, and was bred back to the Coolmore stallion for 2023. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $90,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. O-Michael B. Tabor; B-Chelston (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward.

The post American Pharoah’s Carnaby Street Rolls In Kentucky Downs Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post