Tag: Triple Crown

In what appears to be a David vs. Goliath scenario at Santa Anita, trainer Mark Glatt's Spun Intended will take on no less than four Bob Baffert Derby hopefuls among a field of six sophomores in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Sham Stakes over one mile at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

Named for the winner of the 1973 Santa Anita Derby and subsequent runner-up to Secretariat in that year's Triple Crown, the Sham provides Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 10-4-3-2-1 basis.

A troubled second in his 6 ½ furlong debut Oct. 30, Spun Intended was very impressive at the same distance Nov. 26 at Del Mar, galloping by 6 ½ lengths at odds of 4-5. Owned by Edge Racing and Muir Hut Stables, LLC, Spun Intended, a chestnut colt by Hard Spun out of the First Dude mare Flora Dora, sold for $125,000 out of the Ocala Breeders' March 2022 2-year-old in Training Sale.

A near gate to wire maiden winner, Spun Intended will show plenty of speed in his first try around two turns and figures to have plenty of front-running company in the Baffert brigade. Spun Intended will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Mike Smith.

A first-out maiden winner going 6 ½ furlongs at Del Mar Sept. 3, National Treasure was then second, beaten 5 ¼ lengths by highly regarded stablemate Cave Rock going a mile and one sixteenth in the G1 American Pharoah Stakes here on Oct. 8. Subsequently third, beaten 3 ¾ lengths at 8-1 in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Nov. 4, National Treasure figures to get a stalking trip in his third try around two turns with regular rider John Velazquez up.

Purchased for $500,000 as a yearling, National Treasure is owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC et al. A bay colt by Quality Road, he's out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Treasure.

Baffert's Reincarnate, who was second going a flat mile on grass in his first two maiden starts, transitioned to dirt in his third start going a mile and one sixteenth here Nov. 4 and ran a much improved race, finishing second by three quarters of a length. Off at even money going a flat mile Nov. 25 at Del Mar, Reincarnate, who was pressed throughout, won by three quarters of a length under Velazquez.

With “Johnny V.” apparently opting for National Treasure, Juan Hernandez will ride Reincarnate for the second time, as he also rode him three starts back here on Oct. 10. A $775,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Reincarnate is also owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, LLC, et al.

Most recently second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by stablemate Havameltdown going seven furlongs in the G3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 20, Baffert's Newgate, a first-out maiden five furlong winner four starts back on July 30, will try two turns for the second time.

Also owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, LLC, et al, Newgate, who had been ridden by Velazquez in all of his previous four starts, will get the first-time services of Frankie Dettori. A well beaten fifth in his only try around two turns, the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland two starts back on Oct. 8, it'll be up to Dettori to work out a stalking trip.

A bay colt by Into Mischief out of the Majestic Warrior mare Majestic Presence, Newgate, who will be making his fifth start, was purchased for $850,000 as a Keeneland September Yearling.

The biggest question mark among Baffert's foursome would appear to be Speed Boat Beach, who although he earned a lofty 104 Beyer Speed Figure in his main track debut, has been on the grass in his last three starts—winning two stakes. In his most recent out and in what was his first try around two turns, he took the G3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at one mile over the Del Mar lawn Dec. 4.

A well beaten ninth two starts back in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint going 5 ½ furlongs at Keeneland on Nov. 4, Speed Boat Beach, in his first grass try, was an impressive winner of Santa Anita's five furlong Speakeasy Stakes as the 2-5 favorite on Oct. 2.

Owned by longtime Baffert clients Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Speed Boat Beach blasted off to a 1 ¼ length score in his 5 ½ furlong debut Sept. 10 at Del Mar and should thus relish a return to dirt in the Sham. Purchased for $200,000 out of the Ocala Breeders' March 2022 2-year-old in Training Sale, Speed Boat Beach is by Bayern and is out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Sophia Mia. He'll be ridden back by Flavien Prat.

Like Speed Boat Beach, the Jeff Mullins-trained Packs a Wahlop will be transitioning from turf to dirt and thus looms a major question mark in the Sham. Following a dazzling five furlong maiden turf win in his second start on Aug. 5 at Del Mar, Packs a Wahlop won a pair of one mile turf stakes, the G3 Del Mar Juvenile Sept. 11 and the G3 Zuma Beach here on Oct. 9.

Subsequently eighth, beaten 3 ¾ lengths in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at 5-1 on Nov. 4, Packs a Wahlop will be ridden for the first time by Ramon Vazquez as Mike Smith has opted for Spun Intended. Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Packs a Wahlop, who sold for $270,000 at the Ocala Breeders' April 2-year-old in Training Sale, is by Creative Cause out of the City Zip mare City by the Bay.

THE GRADE 3 SHAM STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Newgate—Lanfranco Dettori—120
2. National Treasure—John Velazquez—120
3. Speed Boat Beach—Flavien Prat—124
4. Reincarnate—Juan Hernandez—120
5. Packs a Wahlop—Ramon Vazquez–124
6. Spun Intended—Mike Smith—120

First post time for nine-race card on Sunday is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.

The post David Vs. Goliath? Spun Intended Faces Four From Baffert’s Barn In Sunday’s Sham appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds' Circling the Drain will step up in class from an impressive maiden waiver-claiming score when he makes his stakes debut in Saturday's $150,000 Jerome, a one-turn mile for sophomores at Aqueduct. The Jerome, a Kentucky Derby qualifier, offers 10-4-3-2-1 points to the top-five finishers.

Trained by Brittany Russell, the Maryland homebred son of West Coast graduated at second asking, while protected, in his two-turn debut on Dec. 9 traveling 1 1/16-miles over a Laurel Park main track rated good.

With Feargal Lynch in the irons, the bay gelding made every pole a winning one en route to a seven-length score that garnered a 70 Beyer Speed Figure. The victory came on the heels of a runner-up effort sprinting seven furlongs in a maiden special weight on November 20 at Laurel.

“We ran him seven-eighths first time basically because that's how it came up and he was ready,” said Russell, who led all trainers with 29 wins at the recently concluded Laurel Park fall meet. “He ran fine that day but we always thought a mile or more would be what he would like. He's a horse everyone has liked along the way and has always done things right.”

Russell said she was hoping to bring Circling the Drain back in an allowance tilt which failed to fill, but feels confident her charge will perform well in his stakes debut.

“The horse has been training well and he's sitting on 'go,' so we thought why not take a swing,” Russell said.

Circling the Drain breezed back on December 29 at Laurel under jockey Jevian Toledo, blitzing a bullet half-mile in company in 48 flat as the fastest of 26 works at the distance on the day.

“He worked really nicely. He galloped out well and came out of the work bouncing,” Russell said.

Circling the Drain, a half-sibling to stakes-winner Who's in Town, is out of the graded-stakes placed Cozzene mare Who's Cozy. He will exit post 2 under Toledo with a 12-1 morning-line assessment.

Russell said she is hopeful Toledo can work out a stalking trip in a field that features the stretch-out speed of Andiamo a Firenze.

“There's sprinters in there coming out of sprints, so I'd like to see him sit a comfortable trip and not be too far out of it,” Russell said. “Hopefully, he comes running when it counts.”

Russell has another talented Maryland-bred sophomore on her hands in Hillwood Stable's Post Time, who is undefeated in three starts all at Laurel Park.

The Frosted colt, an $85,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale, graduated in an off-the-turf 5 1/2-furlong sprint on October 7 and followed up on October 27 with a 6 3/4-length romp in a seven-furlong optional-claimer that garnered a career-best 84 Beyer. Last out, the impressive grey rallied from last-of-7 and made a wide move to win the Maryland Juvenile by 3 3/4-lengths on December 3 over a muddy and sealed main track.

Although initially under consideration for the Jerome, Russell said Post Time will target the seven-furlong Spectacular Bid on January 21 at Laurel.

“He's doing fantastic,” Russell said. “We'll run him here at home in January and if that goes well, we'll think about taking a shot somewhere.”

Bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, Dr. Brooke Bowman and Milton P. Higgins III, Post Time is out of the graded-stakes placed Fairbanks mare Vielsalm.

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Owner Ron Lombardi of Mr. Amore Stable expressed a sense of confidence that graded-stakes placed New York homebred Andiamo a Firenze can carry on a family tradition by winning Saturday's $150,000 Jerome for newly turned 3-year-olds going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Jerome, which will see its 152nd renewal, is a qualifying race for the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs, awarding 10-4-3-2-1 points to the top-five finishers.

Andiamo a Firenze, a Kelly Breen-trained Speightstown colt out of the Langfuhr mare My Every Wish, is a three-quarter sibling to multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Firenze Fire, who won the 2018 Jerome. Firenze Fire, a son of Poseidon's Warrior [by Speightstown], went on to finish 11th in that year's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby behind subsequent Triple Crown winner Justify.

“This race kicked off Firenze Fire's run for the Derby, so I'm hoping to have the same luck. Hopefully, he can follow in his brother's footsteps,” Lombardi said. “It would be really awesome to get back on the Derby trail, especially with a three-quarter sibling to Firenze Fire. That would be an almost unheard of type of thing for someone like me. Kelly is very excited about him and doesn't think the distance will be a problem for him at all. Firenze Fire turned out to be really more of a sprinter to a mile type, but Kelly has been stretching this one out and likes what he's doing.”

Andiamo a Firenze enters the Jerome off a narrow runner-up finish in the six-furlong New York Breeders' Futurity on October 17 at Finger Lakes. He battled on the front end to the outside of Acoustic Ave through swift fractions before being joined to the far outside by Stonewall Star. The trio of juveniles battled down the stretch with Andiamo a Firenze gaining a slight advantage in mid-stretch, but lost the head bob to Acoustic Ave.

“He ran great. We were stuck between horses and we couldn't even ask him or get going,” Lombardi recalled. “It was that tight. In my mind, I think we would have won with a little bit more space, but it was a great race and a good way to finish off his 2-year-old campaign. I'm excited about Saturday. It won't be an easy race, but none of them are at this level.”

Andiamo a Firenze gave his connections plenty to be excited about during his juvenile season, including a 5 1/2-length triumph in the Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on August 26 at Saratoga Race Course.

A four-length winner on debut against fellow state-breds in June at Belmont Park, he made his stakes debut with a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Sanford on July 16 at the Spa, finishing two lengths ahead of subsequent Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Forte. In his lone off-the-board effort, he was a distant fourth in the Grade 1 Champagne on October 1 at Belmont at the Big A.

Lombardi said they decided Andiamo a Firenze would train up to the Jerome following his effort in the New York Breeders' Futurity.

“We really just wanted to gear up for this. From early on, everyone was very impressed with him. We were aware that we may have something special, so we decided to rest up for the Jerome and try to get him on the Derby trail from there. It was pre-meditated that we would run,” Lombardi said. “I skipped the Breeders' Cup, which I don't know if it was a good decision or not. In the Sanford, we came in third and Forte came in fourth, so you scratch your head sometimes, but you have to make the decision and live with it. We'll take it one race at a time and get this one under our belt.”

Lombardi said he has two more New York-breds from My Every Wish, including a 2-year-old full-brother to Firenze Fire named Fuji Fire and an Honest Mischief filly produced last year named Blakely's Wish.

Lombardi lamented the loss of My Every Wish, who he said died one week after giving birth to Blakely's Wish.

“She's no longer with us, which is a loss. She produced some nice runners,” Lombardi said. “But I just retired [stakes-placed mare] Firenze Freedom [by Istan] and she'll be breeding and hopefully Blakely's Wish can show some promise. She's a big, beautiful looking horse.”

Andiamo a Firenze will break from post 5 under Kenrick Carmouche and has been tabbed at 6-1 morning line odds by NYRA oddsmaker David Aragona.

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Chester and Mary Broman's New York homebred Arctic Arrogance will vie for his first open company stakes score in Saturday's $150,000 Jerome, a one-turn mile for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Jerome, a prep race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby that will award 10-4-3-2-1 qualifying points to the top-five finishers, is slated as Race 8 on Saturday's 10-race card, which co-features the re-scheduled $150,000 Queens County in Race 9. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

Arctic Arrogance arrives from a close runner-up finish behind Dubyuhnell in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen over a sloppy and sealed Big A main track on December 3 for trainer Linda Rice. The son of Frosted raced on the inside and held a short advantage over a pressing Dubyuhnell until the stretch call, but could not fend off his foe down the lane and was defeated a half-length in a final time of 1:50.88. It was a further 11 1/4-lengths back to graded-stakes placed Tuskegee Airmen in third. The effort awarded Arctic Arrogance a field-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I thought he was at a bit of a disadvantage because he was pinned on the rail in a pool of water, but it was a great effort,” said Rice, who was the leading trainer and owner at the recently concluded Aqueduct fall meet. “He didn't get beat far and it was a long way back to third.”

Arctic Arrogance made his open company debut on the heels of a dominant victory in the Sleepy Hollow on October 30 at Belmont at the Big A, leading at evert point of call before easily drawing away under returning pilot Jose Lezcano to post a 4 1/2-length victory. His other two starts were a debut maiden score in September at Saratoga Race Course and a runner-up effort in the Bertram F. Bongard later that month at the Big A.

Arctic Arrogance, who has been assigned post 6, is out of the unraced Uncle Mo mare Modest Maven, a $1 million purchase by Chester Broman at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Modest Maven is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Dream Street, a half-sister to dual champion and Hall of Famer Housebuster.

Rice will also send out Valenzan Day [post 3, Jose Gomez] for his first start since he was claimed for $50,000 out of a strong optional claiming victory on December 4 for previous conditioner Rudy Rodriguez. The Florida-bred son of Khozan made eight starts as a juvenile, earning two wins and a stakes placing when third in the Tremont in June at Belmont.

Klaravich Stables' Neural Network will make his first start against winners after an impressive debut state-bred maiden score on November 13 sprinting seven furlongs over a muddy Big A main track. Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, the New York-bred son of Cloud Computing pounced from 2 1/2 lengths off the pace to take charge at the top of the lane and cruise home to a five-length victory.

Brown said it is special to train a son of Cloud Computing, who he conditioned to on-the-board efforts in the Grade 3 Gotham and Grade 2 Wood Memorial at the Big A en route to a victory in the 2017 Grade 1 Preakness.

“This horse is training quite well and he's a horse we really thought a lot of,” said Brown, who recently earned his eighth consecutive year-end training title at NYRA and was also the nation's leading trainer by earnings in 2022. “He's a New York-bred, but he trains like he can handle open company and it looks like the longer the better. He's got some extra sentimental value being by Cloud Computing, who was a really special horse for us. We're hoping he can do his dad proud and try and develop onto the Triple Crown trail through New York like his dad did.”

Neural Network's final preparations for the Jerome included a five-furlong breeze in 1:02.90 over the Belmont Park dirt training track Friday. Bred in the Empire State by Milfer Farm, the dark bay colt was a $120,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale from the Legacy Bloodstock consignment. Out of the winning Street Cry mare Lapinski, Neural Network's third dam is Grade 1-winner Cara Rafaela, who produced 2006 Preakness winner and influential sire Bernardini.

Manny Franco will ride from the inside post.

Trainer Jimmy Ferraro will saddle New York-bred General Banker as he looks to double up on stakes scores after graduating in style last out in the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way sprinting seven furlongs over a muddy and sealed Big A main track on December 17. Owned and bred by John Forma's Seacoast Thoroughbreds of New England, the son of leading New York sire Central Banker was a dominant winner of the Great White Way under Eric Cancel, closing from fourth-of-11 to post an 8 1/2-length victory that garnered an 83 Beyer.

“It was shocking,” said Ferraro. “I thought we had a good chance, but until you do it, you don't really know.”

The dark bay colt, who will make his open-company debut, was previously on-the-board in three of his first seven outings and showed improvement when adding blinkers for the first time three starts back. His latest work was a half-mile breeze in 50.20 seconds on New Year's Eve, and Ferraro said he is hopeful for a swift tempo for General Banker to close into on Saturday.

“He's training good and we just did a leisurely half-mile,” said Ferraro. “There's a lot of speed in this race, so it might set up good for him. He seems like he's got some ability. He's more focused mentally because of maturity and the blinkers. He's been having massages, too, and everybody likes a massage.”

Cancel has the call again from post 7.

Mr. Amore Stable's graded stakes-placed New York homebred Andiamo a Firenze will make his first outing since a narrow defeat to Acoustic Ave in the New York Breeders' Futurity on October 16 at Finger Lakes Racetrack. Trained by Kelly Breen, the son of Speightstown battled furiously with his foe throughout the six-furlong sprint and engaged in a thrilling stretch battle, but came up a nose short of victory and finished one length ahead of filly Stonewall Star, who exited that race to win the Key Cents in November at the Big A.

Andiamo a Firenze earned his lone graded placing when finishing a game third in the Grade 3 Sanford in July at Saratoga Race Course. He notched his first stakes victory in his next start with a pacesetting 5 1/2-length victory in the state-bred Funny Cide presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on August 26 at the Spa. He is a three-quarter sibling to the Breen-trained Firenze Fire, who won nine graded stakes and over $2.7 million in earnings, highlighted by a Grade 1 triumph in the Champagne as a juvenile at Belmont.

Kendrick Carmouche will look to engineer a winning ride from post 5.

Completing the field are Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds' Maryland homebred Circling the Drain [post 2, Jevian Toledo], who graduated at second asking on December 9 at Laurel Park for trainer Brittany Russell; BG Stables' Kentucky homebred Lugan Knight [post 4, Dylan Davis], a two-time winner for trainer Michael McCarthy that hails from the family of dual Canadian Champion and multiple graded stakes-winner Roxy Gap; and owner/trainer Amira Chichakly's Narciso Dali [post 8, Katie Davis], an open-lengths winner last out in a December 1 maiden claimer at the Big A.

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