Travel Column | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kentucky Oaks Will See Another Round In Travel Column, Clairiere Rivalry

The dust has settled after a thrilling 14-race card Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, with the TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and Oaks (G2) in the rearview mirror. Both the local Derby and Oaks offered 100-40-20-10 qualifying points for the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, and the April 30 Longines Kentucky Oaks, and several of the top finishers emerged with both races firmly on their calendar.

The connections for several of the major players had a chance to sleep on the results, evaluate how their respective horses came out of their races, and plot a path to Churchill Downs. Fair Grounds media caught up with several trainers Sunday morning to get their thoughts moving forward.

(For comments on the Louisiana Derby, click here).

Fair Grounds Oaks:
Brad Cox, trainer, Travel Column (1^st): She'll go to Churchill later this week (with Mandaloun). She came out of it good, scoped good, looked good. I was super happy with her. She's a good work horse and she should be fit. She's had two races and that was our plan all along, to come down here and run twice and have a horse who is the third race off the layoff (in the Kentucky Oaks). It's similar with what we're doing with Essential Quality (for the Derby). It's a really good rivalry (with Clairiere). I was confident with the race unfolded and I think she'll be able to get another 1/16^th of a mile. She's by a son of Tapit (Frosted) and she showed in the Golden Rod she can come from off of it as well.

Scott Blasi, assistant trainer to Steve Asmussen, Clairiere (2^nd): I love Clairiere stretching out to a mile and an eighth. The pace yesterday was very moderate and it really didn't benefit her running style. I thought it was an A-effort considering everything and she should move forward a lot off of it. With her breeding and her running style, the distance at Churchill should really benefit her.

David Carroll, assistant trainer to Mark Casse, Souper Sensational (3^rd): She came out of the race good, cleaned up her feed, all is well. Talking to Mark, and he'll be in contact with Mrs. (Charlotte) Weber (owner), we'll get her up north and prepare her for the Oaks, and if everything looks good, we'll take a shot. She'll leave Tuesday night for Churchill and we'll train her there and see how she's doing and make a decision closer to the race. Based on yesterday she deserves the chance. We'll let her get settled in up there and go from there.

The post Kentucky Oaks Will See Another Round In Travel Column, Clairiere Rivalry appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Travel Column Avenges Loss To Clairiere With Dominating Performance In Fair Grounds Oaks

OXO Equine's Travel Column avenged her loss to Clairiere in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandria with a dominating performance in Saturday's Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds racetrack in New Orleans, La.

Ridden by Florent Geroux, the Brad Cox-trained 3-year-old daughter of Frosted was always prominent, tracking pacesetter Souper Sensation until cruising to the lead at the top of the stretch and drawing off impressively for the victory. She was timed in 1:42.75 for the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track and paid $6.20 as the favorite in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies. Moon Swag scratched.

Clairiere, bottled up early near the back of the field in the early going, was up late to finish second ahead of Souper Sensational, with Obligatory fourth.

The top four finishers earned 100-40-20-10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks, to be run at Churchill Downs on April 30.

The victory was the third in five starts for Travel Column, who broke her maiden at Churchill Downs last Sept. 4 and then finished third in the G1 Alcibiades at Keeneland before winning the G2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in her 2-year-old finale, edging Clairiere by a length. She lost the Rachel Alexandra to that rival last out but proved superior in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

The post Travel Column Avenges Loss To Clairiere With Dominating Performance In Fair Grounds Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Frosted’s Travel Column Turns The Tables on Clairiere in FG Oaks

'TDN Rising Star' Travel Column (Frosted) and the regally bred Clairiere (Curlin) have developed a competitive rivalry as they proceed down the GI Kentucky Oaks trail, with one apiece from their two prior meetings. Saturday's GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks was billed as another match race between the two and it was Travel Column who broke the tie with a decisive score over Clairiere.

Awarded 2-1 favoritism over her familiar foe, Travel Column came away running from her outside post in this eight-horse affair, but was out-footed to the lead by fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Souper Sensational (Curlin). The gray was content with pressing the pace from second through opening splits of :24.35 and :48.64 with Clairiere still yet to be heard from in her preferred position near the back of the pack. Turning up the heat a bit on the backstretch run, Travel Column seized command with five-sixteenths left to travel and stormed clear of her competition in the lane for a decisive victory. Clairiere tried to reel in the winner with a three-wide bid in the stretch, but failed to switch leads until the final strides and was never a serious threat, finishing 2 3/4 lengths back in second before galloping out in front.

A decisive debut winner at Churchill Downs Sept. 4, Travel Column checked in third in the GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland next out Oct. 2. Besting Clairiere for the first time when rallying from well back in the GII Golden Rod S. back at Churchill Nov. 28, the $850,000 FTSAUG buy changed tactics, attending the pace in the Feb. 13 GII Rachel Alexandra S., but was run down by Clairiere in the final strides to be second by a neck.

Pedigree Notes:

Travel Column is the only graded winner and one of two black-type victors from the first crop of MGISW Frosted with the other being Australian MSW & G1SP Ingratiating (Aus), who starts in the postponed G1 Golden Slipper S. next Saturday. She is also one 19 graded scorers and 34 black-type winners out of a daughter of Victory Gallop. Bayne and Christina Welker acquired Travel Column's dam Swingit for just $50,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale carrying a foal by Bodemeister and she has proven to be the bargain of a lifetime. That Bodemeister foal was a colt, who brought $310,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, and Travel Column summoned $850,000 at the same auction a year later. The Saratoga Sale was delayed to September, combined with the July Sale and New York-Bred Sale and moved to Kentucky, but the result for Swingit's latest foal was still a home run, in fact, her biggest to date. Her 2019 colt by American Pharoah–a May 5 foal now named Corton Charlemagne–summoned $1.25 million from bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, who was acting on behalf of Speedway Stables. The 17-year-old mare produced a City of Light colt May 13 of last year and was bred back to Audible.

Saturday, Fair Grounds
TWINSPIRES.COM FAIR GROUNDS OAKS-GII, $400,000, Fair Grounds, 3-20, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:42.75, ft.
1–TRAVEL COLUMN, 122, f, 3, by Frosted
1st Dam: Swingit (MSW, $345,353), by Victory Gallop
2nd Dam: Free Ransom, by Our Native
3rd Dam: Pay the Ransom, by J. O. Tobin
'TDN Rising Star' ($850,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-OXO Equine
LLC; B-Mr. & Mrs. Bayne Welker Jr. & Denali Stud (KY); T-Brad
Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $248,000. Lifetime Record: GISP,
5-3-1-1, $517,184. *1/2 to Neolithic (Harlan's Holiday),
G1SP-UAE, MGISP-USA, $2,278,028. Werk Nick Rating:
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Clairiere, 122, f, 3, Curlin–Cavorting, by Bernardini.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet
Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$80,000.
3–Souper Sensational, 122, f, 3, Curlin–Kateri, by Indian
Charlie. 'TDN Rising Star' ($725,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Live
Oak Plantation; B-Newtownanner Stud (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$40,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2, 2 3/4. Odds: 2.10, 3.40, 13.60.
Also Ran: Obligatory, Li'l Tootsie, Zaajel, Il Malocchio. Scratched: Moon Swag. 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 Frosted’s Travel Column Turns The Tables on Clairiere in FG Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Weekend Lineup Presented By Sky Racing World: First 100-Point Prep Kicks Derby Fever Into High Gear

The $1 million, Grade 2 Louisiana Derby headlines a loaded card at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots on Saturday and represents the first Kentucky Derby prep race this year offering 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top four finishers. Saturday's card at Fair Grounds will also feature a prep race for the Kentucky Oaks with the $400,000, Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks drawing a field of eight sophomore fillies.

NBC Sports will broadcast the Louisiana Derby life to kick off its “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series for 2021. The show begins at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Post time for the Louisiana Derby is set for 6:44 p.m. ET. NBCSN will also present the Fair Grounds Oaks.

TVG will be broadcasting live from Louisiana with expanded coverage of the 14-race card. In addition to racing from Fair Grounds, Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park, TVG will feature racing from Oaklawn Park, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America's Day at the Races,” presented by Claiborne Farm and America's Best Racing, will air on FS1 and FS2 March 21, showing races from Aqueduct, Oaklawn Park and other tracks.

Saturday, March 20

4:48 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

If e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Sound Machine can notch her first graded-stakes success in Saturday's Hurricane Bertie, it will be music to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.'s ears. Sound Machine is winless in seven starts since capturing the 6 ½-furlong Glitter Woman by 6 ½ lengths in January 2020, but she produced a graded-stakes finish in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness at Pimlico, where she rallied to third, beaten 1 ½ lengths, after getting bumped at the start.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP032021USA10-EQB.html

5:12 p.m.—$400,000 Grade 2 New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds on TVG

Multiple graded stakes winner Owendale headlines a competitive field of eight older horses for Saturday's 96th running of the New Orleans Classic. Trained by Brad Cox, Owendale began his 5-year-old campaign with a third-place effort in the Grade 3 Razorback at Oaklawn Park on February 27 behind top Dubai World Cup contender Mystic Guide. The Into Mischief colt will break from post 2 with Florent Geroux aboard as he eyes his first graded stakes score since his 3-year-old campaign.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG032021USA11-EQB.html

5:43 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes at Fair Grounds on TVG

Since switching Colonel Liam to the grass, trainer Todd Pletcher has found himself with a new stable star on his hands, one who can further enhance his budding reputation when he starts in Saturday's Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes contested at 1 1/8 miles over the Stall-Wilson Turf Course. The expectations Colonel Liam has carried since being purchased for $1.2 million at the 2019 OBS April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale were met in his last start when he prevailed in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational on January 23. Since making his first two starts on dirt, Colonel Liam has won three of his four tries on the turf.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG032021USA12-EQB.html

6:14 p.m.—$400,000 Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds on NBCSN and TVG

Something will have to give when Clairiere and Travel Column meet for the third time in a row, this time with a lot more than the $400,000 that's on the line in the Fair Grounds Oaks. The talented 3-year-old fillies meet again, with a berth into the Kentucky Oaks waiting in the balance, along with 170 qualifying points for the race, on a 100-40-20-10 scale. Clairiere pulled off a slight upset when she beat Travel Column in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes on February 13, winning a stretch duel by a neck. Clairiere was making her seasonal debut and first start since running second to Travel Column in Churchill's Grade 2 Golden Road Stakes in November.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG032021USA13-EQB.html

6:44 p.m.—$1,000,000 Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on NBCSN and TVG

Trainer Brad Cox is looking forward to showing the rest of the racing world what he's thought all along—that Mandaloun is one serious 3-year-old—when he starts as a strong favorite in the 108th running of the Louisiana Derby. Cox decided to make what would be a key equipment change after Mandaloun ran third in the Grade 3 Lecomte, as he put blinkers on for the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes and saw a much more polished colt turned the tables on both Proxy and Midnight Bourbon with an authoritative 1 ¼-length win. Godolphin's homebred Proxy was a game second in the Risen Star and will try to emulate Mandaloun's path to victory, as he'll add blinkers for the meet's signature race.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/FG032021USA14-EQB.html

7:25 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Richard Mandella's classy multiple stakes winning United, idle since early November, will square off with Richard Baltas' sharp recent winner Masteroffoxhounds, as they head a field of five older horses in the San Luis Rey Stakes. A winner of four out of nine Santa Anita turf starts, United has been idle since running a disappointing eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf last November at Keeneland – a race in which he finished second, beaten a head at Santa Anita in 2019. United enjoyed a terrific year in 2020, winning four out of his six starts, all in graded stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA032021USA7-EQB.html

The post Weekend Lineup Presented By Sky Racing World: First 100-Point Prep Kicks Derby Fever Into High Gear appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post