Top News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Practical Joke Colt Romps in Sanford

Wit romped home an eight-length winner of the GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga Saturday, becoming the first stakes winner for his highly touted freshman sire (by Into Mischief). The dark bay colt, who broke last before romping home to a six-length 'TDN Rising Star' victory in his 5 1/2-furlong debut at Belmont June 5, was again away from the gate slowly and settled off the pace as longshot Trust Our Journey (American Pharoah) set the early tempo. The pacesetter was some three lengths in front through a quarter in :22.68 as Wit rated in midpack along the rail. Wit made rapid progress on the bend, rolled up three wide at the top of the lane and surged powerfully to the lead before gliding home an effortless winner.

“He's not a great horse breaking out of there,” admitted winning rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. “I gave him the time to find his stride, and he did. By the half-mile, he started getting into a rhythm and he wanted to improve his position, so I started letting him do it by his own. By the three-eighths pole, I had to call his attention and he responded right away. For a 2-year-old that was very impressive. He's a nice horse.”

Tristan Barry, assistant to winning trainer Todd Pletcher, saw improvement in the colt's start Saturday.

“He broke a little better from the gate today, then Irad hustled him away from there, gathered him up and the horse took him there,” Barry said. “He probably had to move a little earlier than he wanted just to get to that outside position, and then he flew on by from there. He's a very nice horse. I loved what he did.”

Pedigree Notes:

Wit is one of four first-crop winners to date for freshman sire Practical Joke, who won the 2016 GI Hopeful S. and 2017 GI H. Allen Jerkens S. over the Saratoga strip.

The unraced Numero d'Oro, not bred in 2019, produced a colt by City of Light this year. The mare, a daughter of stakes winner and multiple graded placed Numero Uno, is a half-sister to the dam of graded winner and multiple Grade I placed Ivy Bell (Archarcharch). She was purchased by breeder Rosilyn Polan for $175,000 while in foal to Frosted at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. The resulting Frosted colt sold to Gatewood Bell's Cromwell Bloodstock for $105,000 at last year's OBS July sale.

Saturday, Saratoga
SANFORD S.-GIII, $150,000, Saratoga, 7-17, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.20, gd.
1–WIT, 120, c, 2, by Practical Joke
                1st Dam: Numero d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Numero Uno, by Afleet
                3rd Dam: Une Pavane (Fr), by Caro (Ire)
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($575,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable &
Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck); B-Rosilyn Polan (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $82,500. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $132,000. *1/2 to Barkley (Munnings),
GSW, $368,425. 'TDN Rising Star'. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Headline Report, 120, r, 2, Gormley–Green Eyed Cat, by
Tale of the Cat. ($160,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $550,000 2yo '21
OBSMAR). O-Breeze Easy, LLC; B-Ledgelands LLC & Andrew
Ritter (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $30,000.
3–Dance Code, 120, c, 2, Honor Code–Dancinginthestreet, by
Street Boss. ($13,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $50,000 2yo '21
OBSMAR). O-Richie's World Stables LLC; B-Blackstone Farm
LLC (PA); T-Juan C. Vazquez. $18,000.
Margins: 8, 5HF, NK. Odds: 1.10, 3.60, 29.75.
Also Ran: Ottoman Empire, Kavod, Candy Landing, Trust Our Journey, Seize the Night, Due Vini, Maryland Brando, Lucago. Scratched: Catch the Smoke.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Practical Joke Colt Romps in Sanford appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Tribhuvan Wires the U.N.

Tribhuvan channeled his inner Presious Passion–a winner of this event in both 2008 and 2009–to effectively employ catch-me-if-you-can tactics and reach the highest level. Opening up as many as five lengths while appearing well within himself through splits of :24.01, :49.32, 1:15.47 and 1:40.16. Foes stacked up behind him leaving the final turn, but Flavien Prat was still sitting chilly and as son as he gave Tribhuvan his cue in upper stretch it was clear he couldn't be caught.

“We had a good trip,” said California-based Prat, who is increasingly becoming a go-to rider for East Coast-based Chad Brown. “He broke well and got me in the race. Then I was surprised I was alone because I didn't feel like I was going that fast, and he really came back to me nice along the backside, and I took a nice breather. It was a good breather. The race went really well when I asked him to make his move. I kind of sent him out there because I didn't be too wide so I ended up on the lead. My only concern from that point was getting him back into a nice rhythm and without losing too much energy so that's what I did. It worked out well. I had a lot of horse under me and he was really traveling well.”

Tribhuban broke his maiden at 12th asking at Compiegne for Henri-Alex Pantall in September of 2019, and doubled up in a Chantilly handicap a month later before being acquired privately. He'd take three starts to break his Stateside maiden, in a Belmont optional claimer last July, and reemerged an improved horse when first employing his new running style to victory in Belmont's GII Fort Marcy S. May 1. He settled for second best last time to stablemate Domestic Spending (GB) {Kingman {GB})–who was ridden by Prat–in the 10-panel GI Manhattan S. on the GI Belmont S. undercard.

“The way he ran was the strategy,” said Luis Cabrerra, assistant to now four-time U.N. winner Brown. “That's the way he ran in the Manhattan in his last start. He was just second-best to Domestic Spending. So we wanted to do the same thing this race. This horse has been training well. We've had him for a week at Monmouth Park and he has really taken to this place. I wasn't worried about them catching him because these fractions weren't all that fast. In the Manhattan he went [:23.81 and :46.95] to the half. That was much faster and he still held strong for second. When I saw the fractions today I knew we were okay.”

Saturday, Monmouth
UNITED NATIONS S.-GI, $515,000, Monmouth, 7-17, 3yo/up,
1 3/8mT, 2:15.48, fm.
1–TRIBHUVAN (FR), 124, g, 5, by Toronado (Ire)
1st Dam: Mahendra (Ger), by Next Desert (Ire)
2nd Dam: Minaccia (Ger), by Platini (Ger)
3rd Dam: Maji (GB), by Shareef Dancer
1ST GRADE I WIN. (€30,000 Wlg '16 ARQDEC; €58,000 RNA
Ylg '17 AROYRG). O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC,
Wonder Stables and Michael J. Caruso; B-Jean Charles Haimet,
Elza Petit & Hannah Petit (FR); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat.
$300,000. Lifetime Record: 19-5-3-3, $661,154. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Imperador (Arg), 118, h, 5, Treasure Beach (GB)–Duchess
Royale (Ire), by Danehill. O-Bonne Chance Farm, LLC & Stud R
D I, LLC.; B-Haras Rio Dois Irmaos S.R.L. (ARG); T-Paulo H. Lobo.
$100,000.
3–Epic Bromance, 118, g, 5, Kitten's Joy–Anura (Ire), by Giant's
Causeway. ($50,000 Ylg '17 FTKTUR; $100,000 2yo '18
OBSAPR). O-Epic Racing; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY);
T-J. Kent Sweezey. $50,000.
Margins: 2, 1, NK. Odds: 1.70, 23.20, 61.10.
Also Ran: Serve the King (GB), Glynn County, Arklow, Winters Back, Fantasioso (Arg), Master Piece (Chi), Oceans Map.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Tribhuvan becomes the second highest-level winner (and first in the Northern Hemisphere) for MG1SW champion Toronado (Ire) (High Chapparal {Ire}), who was eighth as the favorite in Karakontie (Jpn)'s 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Mile win. He is the penultimate registered foal, and certainly the standout, of his dam's seven sons or daughters. He hails from the family of this year's G1 Prix Ganay heroine Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) as well as MGSWs Montclair (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Macleya (Ger) (Winged Love {Ire}).

The post Tribhuvan Wires the U.N. appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Beau Liam All Heart In Salty Saratoga Allowance

8th-Saratoga, $103,000, Alw, 7-17, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 7f, 1:22.90, gd, nose.
BEAU LIAM (c, 3, Liam's Map–Belle of Perintown {GSW, $265,465}, by Dehere), sent off the even-money selection in a field that would not look out of place for a graded stakes, was made to work for every yard of the seven-furlong distance, but called on his considerable class to just hold off the late lunge of the comebacking Witsel (Nyquist) Saturday at Saratoga. Hustled away from gate one by Ricardo Santana, Jr., the Stonestreet homebred sped through at the fence to make the lead, but had pace pressure to his outside in the form of longshot Wudda U Think Now (Fast Anna), as Witsel settled just to the inside of 'Rising Star' Mahaamel (Into Mischief) a few lengths back. Narrowly in front turning for home, Beau Liam still had plenty to give, was roused sharply a furlong down and fought his way home first. Witsel split rivals and looked all over a winner, only to be rebuffed by a nose in the run to the line. Mahaamel ran with credit to be third, albeit soundly defeated. The winner's dam, herself a Grade III winner going long at three, is also the responsible for MSW & MGSP Tomlin (Distorted Humor, $251,895); and GSW Strike It Rich (Unbridled's Song, $193,966), the dam of MSW Sea Foam (Medaglia d'Oro) and SP Straw Into Gold (Hard Spun). Another daughter of Belle of Perintown, the MSP Sumptuous (Hennessy), is responsible for GSW & GISP Great Stuff (Quality Road) and SP Decant (Tapit). Beau Liam had a 2-year-old half-sister named Ari Oakley (Gun Runner) and a yearling half-sister by Good Magic. Belle of Perintown was most recently covered by Uncle Mo. Sales history: $385,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $114,138. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen.

The post Beau Liam All Heart In Salty Saratoga Allowance appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kitten’s Joy Firster Gets Brown Off The Schneid at the Spa

6th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 7-17, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.57, gd, 3/4 length.
PORTFOLIO COMPANY (c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Iteration, by Wild Again) snapped a 10-starter, 2 1/2-day 'skid' for the Chad Brown barn to get the job done at first asking. The $125,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase graduate jumped alertly and wanted to overrace passing under the line for the first time, but ultimately settled not far from a walking early pace which saw the half go up in :50.86. Always traveling with the front-runner well within his sights, Portfolio Company was roused to the front by Irad Ortiz, Jr. three-sixteenths of a mile from home and held firm late to score as the 6-5 chalk. The well-backed James Aloysius (More Than Ready) sat a midfield trip at a tactical disadvantage vis-a-vis the eventual winner, came with a wide sweep into the stretch and kept on nicely while trying to get in a time or two to miss by about three-parts of a length. Portfolio Kitten is a full-brother to Queen'splatekitten, SW-Can, MGSP-US, $387,313; and Charming Kitten, GSW & GISP-US, SP-Ire, $1,018,701. Iteration, bought back on a bid of $90,000 with this colt in utero at Keeneland November in 2018, was sold for $30,000 at KEENOV in 2019 and produced a colt last year. The mare foaled a filly from the first crop of Volatile this year and was bred back to Good Magic. Sales history: $125,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Klaravich Stables Inc; B-Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey (KY); T-Chad C Brown.

The post Kitten’s Joy Firster Gets Brown Off The Schneid at the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post