Tag: Triple Crown

Last month, trainer Brittany Russell had the good fortune to sweep the first two sophomore stakes of the year at Laurel Park. On Saturday she brings back both horses – Prince of Jericho and filly L Street Lady – with a chance to do it all over again.

Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey's Prince of Jericho goes after his second straight stakes victory in the $100,000 Miracle Wood following a commanding four-length triumph in the Spectacular Bid Jan. 21. Madaket Stables' L Street Lady captured the Xtra Heat in her stakes debut earlier on the card and chases a third straight victory in the $100,000 Wide Country.

The 28th running of the one-mile Miracle Wood and 30th edition of the Wide Country for 3-year-old fillies sprinting seven furlongs are among six stakes worth $900,000 on a Winter Carnival program headlined by the $250,000 General George (G3) and $250,000 Barbara Fritchie (G3).

Post time for the first of 10 races is 12:25 p.m.

The Miracle Wood is the second of Laurel's series of stakes for 3-year-olds leading up to the 148th Preakness (G1), Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course. It is followed by the $100,000 Private Terms March 18 and $125,000 Federico Tesio April 15, the latter a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Preakness.

The connections made Prince of Jericho, a Kentucky-bred son of Munnings that fetched $85,000 as a fall 2021 yearling, among the 369 3-year-olds eligible for the Triple Crown by the early Jan. 28 deadline.

“It's awesome. They are clients, Michael Dubb and Sol [Kumin] with Madaket, that have supported me from the beginning,” Russell said. “They sent us these two young horses and we've been able to develop them. They've just allowed us to do what we need to do, and for them to be stakes winners now it's just satisfying. It's what we hope to do. You hope to get the good young horses in the barn and win good races with them.”

Prince of Jericho enters the Miracle Wood having been third or better in all five of his starts, including three wins. After running third to his undefeated stablemate Post Time in their debut last October, he graduated by 11 ¾ lengths next out and followed up with a 5 ¼-length optional claiming score before running second as the favorite to Coffeewithchris in the Dec. 26 Heft.

Russell won the Miracle Wood in 2021 with Maythehorsebwithu.

“He's great. He's the same horse every day. He runs and he comes out of there bouncing,” Russell said. “He never seems to act like he's done a whole lot in the afternoon when he's come out of his races. He's easy to kind of get right back to it. He's been on the tab, he's done what we've asked him. We're happy with him. We expect him to run another big race.”

Also coming out of the Spectacular Bid are runner-up Coffeewithchris, the most experienced runner with nine starts including a third to Post Time in the Maryland Juvenile; B West, who was third in his first start after being claimed for $62,500; and sixth-place finisher We Don't Need Roads. Coffeewithchris is trained and co-owned by John Salzman Jr., who won last year's Miracle Wood with Local Motive.

Lucky 7 Stables' B West was claimed out of his 12-length graduation in a one-mile maiden event last November at Laurel, his third start, and then taken again by trainer Jerry Robb out of a two-length victory the following start in December. The Mineshaft colt raced far back early in the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid before making a run.

“He's improving in each race that he's had. Even before we got him, each race was getting better and better,” Robb said. “He had a big excuse in his last race, so I look for him to bounce back here good.”

Like Prince of Jericho, B West was nominated to the Triple Crown as was The Cottonwood Stable's Maryland homebred Seven's Eleven, who is entered to make his stakes debut in the Miracle Wood out of a 4 ¼-length maiden special weight triumph Jan. 27 at Laurel, his fourth start.

“He's doing good, so we'll see what happens,” trainer Carlos Mancilla said. “He won easy the last time, and my owner always think the horse is going to like the longer distances. I think the one mile is going to be perfect for him. He's a lot different horse now. I worked him the other day and he worked in 47 [seconds] and we never asked him. I told the jockey to just sit there and relax and that's what he did. He did it all by himself. He's a horse that we like a lot. He's getting better and better.”

Completing the field are Hamilton Smith-owned and trained Feeling Woozy, second to Prince of Jericho as maidens and fifth behind Post Time in the Maryland Juvenile; and Sheffield Stable's Ricco, three times stakes-placed including a third in the Heft.

At ages 2 and 3, Maryland-bred Miracle Wood won or placed in 13 stakes including seconds in the Jim Beam (G3) and Woodlawn (G3) prior to a fifth behind Snow Chief as the longest shot on the board (20-1) in the 1986 Preakness Stakes (G1). He was retired in 1992 after winning 14 of 117 starts and nearly a half-million dollars in purse earnings.

In the Wide Country, Russell is hoping that L Street Lady can continue her forward progression in just her fourth start, giving up seasoning to all but one of her rivals most notably Maryland Million Lassie winner Chickieness, who has run nine prior times, and two-time New York-bred stakes winner Stonewall Star.

L Street Lady comes in with momentum, having beaten Chickieness by 2 ¼ lengths in the six-furlong Xtra Heat following a front-running 7 ¼-length maiden special weight romp second time out in December.

“I was really, really pleased for her to step up. We all run a maiden that wins impressively, and you get high on them and then you ask them to step up next time and they don't. She did,” Russell said. “I thought she was game. Jamie Ness' filly [Chickieness] is seasoned. She's done plenty of running and she's done plenty of good running, so for [L Street Lady] to get past her I was very happy with her.”

Both L Street Lady's wins have come on dirt, after she ran third sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the Laurel turf late last October in her unveiling. The Wide Country will be the longest start to date for the bay daughter of Munnings, who shares her sire with Prince of Jericho.

The Wide Country is the next step in Laurel's 3-year-old filly stakes series that began with the Xtra Heat and continues with the $100,000 Beyond the Wire going one mile March 18 and $125,000 Weber City Miss April 15, a 1 1/16-mile 'Win and In' qualifier for the 99th Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 19 at Pimlico.

“I think she can handle seven-eighths, but she'll definitely have to answer the question past that. She might just be a sprinter type, but sometimes you have to try it in the afternoon to find out,” Russell said. “I will say she's different now. She's figured it out. She's doing better than I've seen her do. I genuinely believe she has changed a lot. I hope that means it's a step in the right direction for her.”

In addition to her Lassie victory, Morris Kernan and Jagger Inc.'s Chickieness has run second three times in stakes including twice to then-undefeated Bound by Destiny last summer at Delaware Park. Her worst finish was a fourth behind multiple stakes winner Malibu Moonshine in the Maryland Juvenile Fillies.

Barry Schwartz's homebred Stonewall Star will be trying open company for the third time, having run third in her two previous attempts, the most recent behind Malibu Moonshine in Laurel's Dec. 30 Gin Talking. The won the six-furlong Key Cents in November and 6 ½-furlong Franklin Square Jan. 22, both at Aqueduct, for trainer Horacio DePaz.

Built Wright Stable's Gormley's Gabriela will be racing first time for owner-trainer Norman 'Lynn' Cash since being claimed for $62,500 out of a neck loss going one mile Jan. 28 at Laurel. The Gormley filly ran fourth in the Gin Talking and third in the Maryland Juvenile Fillies, and was also third in the six-furlong Smart Halo last November in her stakes debut. She will be fitted with blinkers for the Wide Country.

“She's coming along and getting better. As I look back through her lines it seems like she's improving. Even though she's running third and third and even the fourth, she wasn't beaten far. I think she's got talent,” Cash said.

“That Malibu Moonshine is a nice horse. There's no shame running behind her. She was competitive and fighting the whole way,” he added. “She closes, so the distance helps her. When you get a horse like that that's up and coming, one of these days she's going to get through and make a nice move and she gets up. The race sets up just right.”

Sally's Sassy was entered to make her first start on dirt and on the East Coast for Northern California's perennial leading trainer Jonathan Wong. Sally's Sassy began her career on turf and has won two straight by a nose over the all-weather surface at Golden Gate, including the Golden Gate Debutante last fall.

We'll See, third in the Xtra Heat in her stakes debut, rounds out the field.

Wide Country was Maryland's Horse of the Year in 1991 when she won eight of 13 starts as a 3-year-old, each of her victories coming in stakes, led by the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and Pimlico Oaks (G3). She placed in four other graded-stakes including the Barbara Fritchie (G2) and Go for Wand (G1) in 1992 and was retired with 12 wins and $819,728 in purses earned from 26 starts.

The post ‘We Expect Him To Run Another Big Race’: Triple Crown-Nominated Prince Of Jericho Headlines Miracle Wood appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Spendthrift Farms and Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Smarty Jones winner Victory Formation, currently eleventh on the Road to the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve with 10 points, headlines a full field of 14 3-year-olds for the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2). The finale of 13 races carded on Saturday's “Louisiana Derby Preview Day” at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, the Derby prep race is run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. It was extended from 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 miles three years ago and is followed in the sequence of Fair Grounds Kentucky Derby preps by the 1 3/16 miles $1 million Louisiana Derby (March 25).

The Risen Star is the first in the next stage of prep races which offer 50 Kentucky Derby points to the winner, with the rest of the top five earning 20-15-10-5 respectively . Five other Risen Star runners besides Victory Formation have already banked points: Curly Jack (17), Two Phil's (8), Angel of Empire (4), Sun Thunder (4), and Determinedly (3).

Post time for the Risen Star is 6:14 p.m. CT and it will be the last leg in an all-stakes 15% takeout, 50-cent Pick 5 with a guaranteed pool of $500,000. With a first post of noon CT, Saturday's program also features the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra (G2) for sophomore fillies. Along with the duo of 3-year-old stakes events, the program includes the $250,000 Mineshaft (G3), the $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes (G3), the $100,000 Albert M. Stall Memorial Stakes, and the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes.

Two of the sport's top trainers, Brad Cox and Steve Asmussen, are on the verge of career milestones. Both have entered a trio of Triple Crown nominated colts in the Risen Star. As of Tuesday morning, Cox is knocking on career win 2,000 with 1,994, and North America's all-time winningest trainer Steve Asmussen is just three wins shy of being the first ever to reach 10,000.

With a pair of local preps for both the Derby and Oaks already in the books, Brad Cox barn has eclipsed all others, winning the Lecomte (G2) with Instant Coffee, the Silverbulletday with The Alys Look, and the Gun Runner with Jace's Road. Entering Chop Chop in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) and three colts in the Risen Star, there's a strong possibility that storyline will remain the same once the dust settles on Saturday. Morning line oddsmaker Mike Diliberto justifiably put targets on the Cox runners' backs as Victory Formation was made the 3-1 favorite, Tapit's Conquest the 6-1 second-favorite, and Angel of Empire the third-favorite, one of five runners made 8-1 in the ultra-competitive 51st running of a race that has heavily influenced the “Run for the Roses” starting gate. Since the Road to the Kentucky Derby points system began in 2013, only the $1 million Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) has produced as many Kentucky Derby contenders (33) as the Risen Star.

After winning his first two races at sprint distances, Victory Formation was tasked with a two-turn mile in the Smarty Jones on New Year's Day at Oaklawn Park. Breaking from the outside post he took over at the front and cruised away from the field to win by three lengths. If he employs similar front-running tactics, the son of Tapwrit will have company, as four other runners in the field are proven to be sharp from the gates and keen to the lead.

“I think he should be able to break well and get a good position,” Cox said. “I'm not too worried about the outside post (No. 13). He's very quick from the gate and broke really sharp in all three of his starts. Obviously Flavien (Prat) is a great rider; we're not going to give him too many instructions, and he rode him last time so he does know the horse. Ultimately, it will be up to him where he wants him placed. I think (Victory Formation) will like the mile and an eighth based on pedigree.”

Cross-entered in the Lecomte and a 3-year-old allowance on the Road to the Derby Day undercard, Robert LaPenta, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Madaket Stables' Tapit's Conquest went in the softer spot, but he could not bid past the winner Determinedly who slowed the pace down out front and had plenty left in the tank through the final stages to stay ahead of Tapit's Conquest's rail rally.

“I think he got a lot out of the Lecomte and he hadn't run since October,” Cox said. “He needed the last race, he's still learning. He didn't really get involved as much as we'd like last time, but ultimately came running, and I think he got a lot out of it from an educational standpoint. He should love a mile and an eighth even more.”

The Tapit colt's lone win in three starts came in early October at Churchill Downs. Cox gave him time off in October before bringing him to Fair Grounds where he has posted all his morning drills. Geroux stays on and will guide Tapit's Conquest from post No. 8.

Albaugh Family Stables' Angel of Empire finished second to his stablemate in the Smarty Jones on January 1. His two wins came at Horseshoe Indianapolis, both the first starts in his form cycle. The Classic Empire closer drew post No. 6 and will have a new pilot in Luis Saez.

“He breezed very, very well on Sunday,” Cox said “Five-eighths in 1:01. I think he's going to like the mile and an eighth based on his physicality, being a big, tall horse with a lot of leg. Hopefully he'll take another step forward. He's had plenty of time to recover from the Smarty Jones. The work pattern at Oaklawn has been solid, so we'll see how it goes.”

Cox won the 2021 Risen Star with Mandaloun, the adjudicated winner of that year's Kentucky Derby and the 2020 edition with Mr. Monomoy.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has won the Risen Star three times, including last year with Epicenter, who would go on to win the Louisiana Derby (G2) en route to a second place finish in Kentucky Derby 148. Asmussen also won in 2016 with Gun Runner, one of the top earning Thoroughbreds of all-time. Of the three colts entered by Steve Asmussen, it's the newcomer to the barn, Harlocap, who gets tabbed at 8-1, ahead of Private Creed and Silver Heist both at 12-1.

The owner of Harlocap, Harlo Stables and Villa Rosa Farm, is the first to transfer their Derby-contender out of Bob Baffert's barn. Baffert is suspended from entering any race at Churchill Downs, therefore any horse in his care is disallowed from earning Derby points. Making his third start on Jan. 22, the Justify colt out of the Bodemeister dam Mezinka broke his maiden in front running fashion. Harlocap has breezed twice since and will retain the services of John Velazquez.

“Somebody will point out what number he is, and I hope I put the saddle on the right one,” Asmussen said jokingly “He had a huge work the other day (Feb. 11 at SA, 6 furlongs in 1:11 4/5). He arrived (at Fair Grounds) Monday night.”

Though drawing poorly on the far outside, Mike McCarty's multiple stakes winner Private Creed has overcome a similar post when winning the Indian Summer in October at Keeneland. That was on the turf, as all the Jimmy Creed colt's prior starts have been.

“I didn't want to try the 14-hole, but I wanted to try this (route on dirt),” Asmussen said. “Last year when he won the race at Kentucky Downs, it was a coin flip on whether I'd run him back in the two-turn race at Keeneland (G2 Bourbon) or the one-turn race (Indian Summer) as a prep for the Breeders' Cup. It's ironic that Catalano's horse (Andthewinneris) who just beat him (Private Creed) at Lone Star is also the horse that won the Bourbon. I backed him up to 5 1/2 furlongs (in the Indian Summer), he won that, and then ran solidly in the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Turf Sprint, 3rd). That was always too short for him, but it was a great financial opportunity and it was fun.”

Private Creed was a head shy of getting the best of Andthewinneris at the end of January in the Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston.

“He got a little aggressive (in the Texas Turf Mile) down the backside but still finished up solid with a nice horse (Andthewinneris) and stayed on well for his first two-turn try,” Asmussen said. “We breezed him back. I didn't think there would be much speed in the Risen Star, but when there are 14 of them, somebody will go. At 1 1/8 miles, with considerably more run into the first turn, you get a fairer shot than if it was 1 1/16 miles. Another concern with the far outside post, horses miss the break at the highest percentage there. A quarter of a step in the wrong direction is not what you want. He's such a cool horse. He deserves a chance.”

Tyler Gaffalione will climb aboard Private Creed for the first time. Gaffalione teamed up with trainer Mark Casse to win the 2019 Lecomte and Risen Star with War of Will, who would later win the Preakness (G1). He is the perennial leading rider at Churchill Downs. Casse starts Determinedly, who won the two-turn allowance on the Lecomte undercard.

With just two starts under his belt, Whisper Hill Farm's Silver Heist could be poised for another step forward. Having won his sprint debut, the son of Tapit stretched out and finished a game third going 1 1/16 miles in a 3-year-old allowance on the Road to the Derby Day undercard. Risen Star foes Determinedly and Tapit's Conquest finished ahead of him.

“He had the six furlong maiden win, and maybe he will benefit greatly from his first two-turn race,” Asmussen said. “We're not scared of the horses who finished in front of him. If he can stay on, I want him in the 3-year-old (Road to the Derby) mix, and this is the opportunity.”

Corey Lanerie, present on debut, gets the call and will guide Silver Heist from post No. 11.

Here's the complete field for the Risen Star Stakes from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line):

1. Quiet as Midnight (Emanuel Nieves, Bernard Chatters, 50-1);
2. Single Ruler (Jose Riquelme, Keith Desormeaux, 30-1);
3. Shaq Diesel (Adam Beschizza, Renaldo Richards, 30-1);
4. Determinedly (Rey Gutierrez, Mark Casse, 8-1);
5. Harlocap (John Velazquez, Steve Asmussen, 8-1);
6. Angel of Empire (Luis Saez, Brad Cox, 8-1);
7. Sun Thunder (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ken McPeek, 15-1);
8. Tapit's Conquest (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox, 6-1);
9. Curly Jack (Edgar Morales, Tom Amoss, 8-1);
10. Two Phil's (Jareth Loveberry, Larry Rivelli, 8-1);
11. Silver Heist (Corey Lanerie, Steve Asmussen, 12-1);
12. Crupi (James Graham, Todd Pletcher, 15-1);
13. Victory Formation (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox, 3-1);
14. Private Creed (Tyler Gaffalione, Steve Asmussen, 12-1).

Additional Quotes:

Curly Jack (trainer Tom Amoss)

“He's prepared very well and I'm excited about running him this weekend,” Amoss said. “It's his 3-year-old debut, and big fields usually translate into traffic issues for horses off the pace and he's one of those. I don't want to make it sound like we would not love to win this race because we would. A big effort and taking into account what may or may not occur in the race is what we're looking for from Curly Jack (in the Risen Star).”

Sun Thunder (trainer Ken McPeek)

“It will be a good test,” McPeek said. “Baffert's horse (Arabian Prince) freaked on us at Oaklawn and that race wasn't coming back to us. I think Sun Thunder will benefit from his experience and he should be sitting on his best race. Nine furlongs, the long stretch. Don't chase. He just needs to get sit and get into a rhythm. We'll get some clarity as to whether or not he belongs with the top 3-year-olds. It will be fun”

The post Road To The Kentucky Derby: Undefeated Victory Formation Headlines Full Field Of 14 For Saturday’s Risen Star appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Each week, members of the media around the country vote on the nation's top contenders on the Triple Crown trail in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll. Find out the 2023 top 3-year-old rankings below in latest poll of the Triple Crown season, current through all horses' racing performances through Feb. 12. This poll will continue through the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets in June.

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