Top News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hit The Road Rallies To Win the Kilroe Mile

Hit the Road (More Than Ready) struck a blow for the locals, parlaying a perfect trip into a stirring short-neck victory in Saturday's GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. at Santa Anita.

Drawn in gate two with the visiting Florent Geroux in the irons, Hit the Road found the perfect spot in the box seat, as Flying Scotsman (English Channel) sped across from his outside barrier to supplant favored Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute). The pace was sensible through the middle stages, with positions largely unchanged, and Hit the Road appeared to be in some bother nearing the quarter pole, as Flavius (War Front) kept him in for a time.

Smooth Like Strait had first run and the race was there for the taking if good enough, but Hit the Road, off at odds of 4-1, sliced through at the rail and fought on bravely to post a narrow victory. Count Again (Awesome Again) came from a share of last to be third with a flying finish.

Hit the Road is the first Grade I in the career of 38-year-old trainer Dan Blacker.

“I was pretty anxious, but I thought if he can get through, he's got a good chance,” Blacker said. “Luckily, 'Flo' found a gap and he just proved that he's the best today. I gave myself 10 years to win a Grade I and luckily we got it done in year nine. I don't want to make this about me. It's all about the horse, he's such a professional animal–he is a true racehorse. He was born that way. He's just a true athlete and so mentally focused on racing. I just feel so fortunate to have him and with a great group of owners. Being with me for such a long time, they've been so patient, and I'm just really thrilled for them all to get a win like this.”

Hit the Road, an impressive last-to-first winner of the Zuma Beach S. over course and distance at two, entered the Kilroe Mile riding a three-race winning streak. Two-for-two in an abbreviated 3-year-old campaign, including Del Mar's Runhappy Oceanside S., Hit the Road fired fresh off the bench with a sharp tally in the local GIII Thunder Road S. Feb. 6.

Pedigree Notes:

Hit the Road is the 26th worldwide top-level winner for the sensational dual-hemisphere stallion More Than Ready and 12th Grade I winner in North America. Hit the Road is bred on the wildly successful cross over Danzig-line mares-predominantly through Danehill-that has been responsible for the likes of top-level scorers Sebring (Aus), Prized Icon (Aus), Perfectly Ready (Aus), More Than Sacred (Aus) in Australia, to name only a few, and Uni (GB) in the United States.

Hit the Road is the first foal out of unraced Highway Mary (U S Ranger). The 8-year-old mare subsequently produced a filly by Quality Road, that died the following season, during which she
was barren. She had an Arrogate filly in 2020 and has a foal filly by American Pharoah. The winner's second dam is Grade II winner Wandering Star, dam of G1 Dewhurst S. hero War Command (War Front), Group 3 scorer Naval Officer (Tale of the Cat) and Wonder Woman (Storm Cat), responsible for a pair of black-type winners and four black-type performers.

Highway Mary brought €100,000 from agent Justin Casse at the 2015 ARQDEC sale.

Saturday, Santa Anita
FRANK E. KILROE MILE S.-GI, $402,500, Santa Anita, 3-6, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.48, fm.
1–HIT THE ROAD, 122, c, 4, by More Than Ready
                1st Dam: Highway Mary, by U S Ranger
                2nd Dam: Wandering Star, by Red Ransom
                3rd Dam: Beautiful Bedouin, by His Majesty
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($200,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-D K
Racing, LLC, Radley Equine, Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Gold,
Rick, Maslowski, Tony E. and Odmark, Dave; B-Fred Hertrich
(KY); T-Dan Blacker; J-Florent Geroux. $240,000. Lifetime
Record: 9-6-0-0, $494,751. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Smooth Like Strait, 122, c, 4, Midnight Lute–Smooth as
Usual, by Flower Alley. O/B-Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Michael W. McCarthy. $80,000.
3–Count Again, 122, g, 6, Awesome Again–Count to Three, by
Red Ransom. O-Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm;
B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-Philip D'Amato. $48,000.
Margins: NK, NK, HF. Odds: 4.20, 2.80, 16.30.
Also Ran: Flavius, Royal Ship (Brz), Casa Creed, Ride a Comet, Spirit Animal, Flying Scotsman, Social Paranoia. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Hit The Road Rallies To Win the Kilroe Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

OBS to Take Phone Bids for Horse Fever Statue

The OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, which will feature a Horse Fever statue called “Clockwork Fury” as the last hip to sell on Tuesday, Mar. 16, will now accept phone bids on the unusual offering. It had previously been announced that bidding must take place only in person or via agent/proxy. Potential bidders can now register for phone bidding and will be called just before Clockwork Fury enters the ring. Unlike with live hips, no pre-qualification is necessary.

Clockwork Fury has greeted visitors at Journeyman Stud in Ocala for the past decade and is being donated to raise funds for Florida Thoroughbred Charities (FTC) and Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA). The statue is expected to sell between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., with coverage starting at 4:00 p.m. on the Horse Fever event page.

The post OBS to Take Phone Bids for Horse Fever Statue appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Will Take Charge’s Will’s Secret Creates More ‘Buzz’ In Honeybee

Will's Secret added her third consecutive victory, while adding 50 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Oaks, in Saturday's GIII Honeybee S. at Oaklawn Park. Sent off the 2-1 choice, the dark bay rushed up to contend with the Ken McPeek-trained duo of Tabor Hall (Candy Ride {Arg}), breaking from the inside, and Oliviaofthedesert (Bernardini), who settled in the three path around the first turn, while 'TDN Rising Star' Sun Path drafted behind the leading trio. Eagerly taking the advantage following a half in :24.25, Will's Secret was again headed by Tabor Hall following a half in :49.70. Her rival's lead didn't last long, however, and Will's Secret returned to the front exiting the far turn as Sun Path loomed large on her outside flank. In front turning for home, Will's Secret dispensed of the tiring Tabor Hall, and while Sun Path took her best shot to her outside, it was Will's Secret who held the edge late, winning by 3/4 of a length over the rail-skimming Pauline's Pearl, who was up in time to best Sun Path by 3/4 of a length.

“She broke really well today and we weren't pressured early on,” winning jockey Jon Court said. “She was comfortable on the front end and able to dictate a moderate, easy pace. I was able to have plenty of horse to finish with and when I called on her, she was full of run down the stretch.”

“It was a great ride,” said winning trainer Dallas Stewart. “She loves that track. She showed a little more versatility, that she can be on the lead and finish it off and that's really good to have in a racehorse. I just told [jockey Jon Court] to stay out of her mouth, let her break away from there and get around that first turn. I think that's important at Oaklawn. You've got to get around that first turn and be in good shape. Looks like we've got that down. She just coasted home from there.”

Will's Secret hit the board in two of her first three trips to post, including the most recent a third-place finish behind Clairiere (Curlin) at Churchill Downs Oct. 25. The Willis Horton homebred returned with a 2 3/4-length score in an off-turf test at Fair Grounds Dec. 20 before airing by 5 1/4 lengths in a muddy renewal of the one-mile Martha Washington S. at the Hot Springs oval Jan. 30.

Pedigree Notes:
Will's Secret is the second graded winner for the D. Wayne Lukas-trained 2013 Champion 3-year-old colt Will Take Charge, who was also campaigned by Willis Horton. The winner's dam, Girls Secret, was purchased by Horton for $375,000 at Keeneland November in 2016 after winning once in seven tries for trainer Anthony Dutrow. The first foal out the Giant's Causeway mare, Will's Secret has a juvenile full-brother as well as a yearling half-brother by Hard Spun. Girls Secret was bred back to Hard Spun.

Saturday, Oaklawn
HONEYBEE S.-GIII, $300,000, Oaklawn, 3-6, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.61, ft.
1–WILL'S SECRET, 122, f, 3, by Will Take Charge
1st Dam: Girls Secret, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Well Monied, by Maria's Mon
3rd Dam: Queen of America, by Quiet American
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Willis Horton Racing LLC (KY);
T-Dallas Stewart; J-Jon Kenton Court. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-3-0-2, $343,300. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pauline's Pearl, 117, f, 3, Tapit–Hot Dixie Chick, by Dixie
Union. O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $60,000.
3–Sun Path, 117, f, 3, Munnings–Touch the Star, by Tapit.
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $30,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 2.10, 18.90, 2.90.
Also Ran: Oliviaofthedesert, Coach, Tabor Hall, Willful Woman. Scratched: Absolute Anna.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Will Take Charge’s Will’s Secret Creates More ‘Buzz’ In Honeybee appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Life Is Good Justifies the Hype in San Felipe

Representing part of the group that campaigned 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), and sharing a sire and some quirks with last year's Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief), Life Is Good further asserted his position as the best of Bob Baffert's current crop of 3-year-olds Saturday, demolishing his competition in the GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita. WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s 'TDN Rising Star' was a 9 1/2-length sprint winner on debut at Del Mar Nov. 22, and had been off since defeating stablemate Medina Spirit (Protonico) by 3/4 of a length in the Jan. 2 GIII Sham S., good for a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Right to the lead from the rail as expected, the overwhelming 1-2 favorite was able to get several lengths of separation down the backside as a hard-held Medina Spirit took the first turn wide, floating The Great One (Nyquist) wider. Still traveling well within himself after a :48.83 half, the bay entered the stretch some five lengths to the good, but again displayed his previously seen antics of drifting out in the stretch. He had the extra ground to give up, however, and cruised under the line a jaw-dropping eight lengths clear. Medina Spirit held second, while 'Rising Stars' Dream Shake (Twirling Candy) and Roman Centurian (Empire Maker) completed the trifecta and super, respectively.

“He's learning to settle. He's maturing and getting smarter,” said winning rider Mike Smith, who also rode Justify. “Early on, he was so used to exploding from the pole or the gate. He's learning how to run now which is the big key, and he's learning how to get into a rhythm. The rhythm is going to be a bit fast because he is that good and he has an extremely high cruising speed. We are going to have to work on some little quirks. He starts looking at things because he is out there by himself, but I can't take so much of a hold of him to give him company either, so it's a catch-22.

The Hall of Famer continued, “He's just so talented. I had a strong hold on him down to the wire, just holding onto him making sure that he stayed straight… This horse is like that Muhammad Ali song. He floats like a butterfly, and stings like a bee.”

As for Life Is Good's potential to stretch out further, Smith said, “I think he showed that he could get the distance, when a horse can get a mile and sixteenth the way he did today, it gives you every indication they could go an eighth of a mile further.”

Baffert added, “”I like the way he got away from the gate, both of my horses got away cleanly, they were in a good spot. Down the backside that's where this horse can get a little tough and I was hoping we'd get a little 47 and change. But Mike he just sat on him, he was doing it so easily, I saw 46 and four I said, 'well, I think I could live with that. I always thought he could be a super horse, we'll find out today', but at the quarter pole I could tell he was just still cruising, just doing it easy. I just feel fortunate that I have this horse in my barn. My horse that ran second (Medina Spirit), he's a really nice horse and I felt bad I had to run him against him, but they need these races and I didn't want to ship yet so I'm just happy for the China Horse Club. It's nice to come out here, it feels a little festive today watching these good horses run.”

Life Is Good was made the 7-1 favorite among individual betting choices in the GI Kentucky Derby future wager pool that closed Feb. 14. As of Saturday evening he was the 4-1 public pick in the pool set to close Sunday evening. He is now tied with last Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner Greatest Honour (Tapit) atop the GI Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 60 points.

Saturday, Santa Anita
SAN FELIPE S.-GII, $301,000, Santa Anita, 3-6, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.18, ft.
1–LIFE IS GOOD, 122, c, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Beach Walk, by Distorted Humor
                2nd Dam: Bonnie Blue Flag, by Mineshaft
                3rd Dam: Tap Your Feet, by Dixieland Band
($525,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-WinStar Farm LLC and CHC INC.;
B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E.
Smith. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $274,200.
'TDN Rising Star'. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Medina Spirit, 122, c, 3, Protonico–Mongolian Changa, by
Brilliant Speed. ($1,000 Ylg '19 OBSWIN; $35,000 2yo '20
OBSOPN). O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-Gail Rice (FL); T-Bob
Baffert. $60,000.
3–Dream Shake, 120, c, 3, Twirling Candy–Even Song, by Street
Cry (Ire). ($32,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR).
O-Exline-Border Racing LLC, SAF Racing and Hausman,
Richard; B-Dunwoody Farm (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $36,000.
'TDN Rising Star'
Margins: 8, 2 1/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 0.50, 3.30, 8.70.
Also Ran: Roman Centurian, The Great One, None Above the Law, Govenor's Party. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:

After being perched on various stages of the Derby trail the past few years with luminaries like champions Maximum Security (New Year's Day), Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), and West Coast (Flatter), breeders Gary and Mary West are back this year in a big way with last month's GII San Vicente S. winner Concert Tour (Street Sense)–who they still own–and Life Is Good, both undefeated, and both 'TDN Rising Stars'.

Life Is Good also has the nation's hottest sire going for him in Into Mischief, whose 90 black-type winners and 37 graded winners include last year's Horse of the Year Authentic. The Spendthrift sire currently leads the 2021 North American rankings by earnings, black-type horses, and graded winners. Life Is Good's broodmare sire, Distorted Humor, is also one of the best in the business with 108 stakes winners out of his daughters. Five stakes winners (and 12 stakes performers) are specifically by Into Mischief out of a Distorted Humor mare, including MGISW Practical Joke.

Life Is Good's dam, Beach Walk, who sold as a $435,000 Keeneland September yearling, has a 2020 filly by Blame and was bred back to Candy Ride (Arg). Beach Walk's dam, SW & MGISP Bonnie Blue Flag (Mineshaft), sold for $1.5 million at Fasig-Tipton in 2011, but had dropped to just $15,000 at Keeneland in 2019. Bonnie Blue Flag's fourth dam, Court Circuit (Royal Vale), produced MGSWs Honorable Miss (Damascus), whose name is still honored with a graded race at Saratoga, and Bailjumper (Damascus), who still appears in pedigrees as the broodmare sire of super stallion Medaglia d'Oro.

The post Life Is Good Justifies the Hype in San Felipe appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post