Tag: Triple Crown

A disappointing second in his most recent stakes engagement, Bob Baffert's heavily favored Muth regrouped and demolished seven rivals in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita.  Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc. and a $2 million purchase at the OBS March sale of 2-year-olds in training, Muth got 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.45 under Juan Hernandez.

A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race Qualifier, the American Pharoah thus provides Muth with a fees-paid berth into the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.

With Baffert stablemate Wine Me Up sent hard for the lead, Muth, in his first start around two turns, settled nicely at the rail while a close fourth, about two lengths off the lead as the field headed up the backstretch.

With Wine Me Up showing the way around the far turn, Muth angled into the two-path turning for home and powered his way home, finding his best stride inside the sixteenth pole while galloping out far in front.

Although a well beaten second by stablemate Prince of Monaco at 1-2 odds going six furlongs in the G3 Best Pal Stakes Aug. 13 at Del Mar, Muth was nonetheless off at 2-5 today and paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10.

Named for Baffert's 2015 Triple Crown winner, the American Pharoah has now gone to Baffert a record 12 times, including five out of the past six runnings.

By Good Magic out of the Uncle Mo mare Hoppa, Muth, a runaway first-out maiden winner here on June 18, now has two wins from three starts and with the winner's cut of $180,000, he has earnings of $256,600.

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, Wine Me Up was second best, finishing 5 ¼ lengths in front of Todd Pletcher's Be You.  Off at 9-1, Wine Me Up paid $5.20 and $3.20.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, New York-based Be You was the second choice at 5-1 and paid $2.80 while finishing 3 ¼ lengths better than Raging Torrent.

Fractions on the race were 23.30, 46.49, 1:10.22 and 1:35.87.

In addition to being a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race, the American Pharoah is an official points race on the road to the Kentucky Derby. Although 10-5-3-2-1 points were to be awarded to the top five finishers, neither of the two Baffert runners are eligible to receive points because of the trainer's ongoing ban by Churchill Downs Inc. officials.

Racing resumes on Sunday with first post time for a 10-race card at 1 p.m.  Admission gates will open at 11 a.m.

JOCKEY QUOTES
JUAN HERNANDEZ, MUTH, WINNER: “He surprised me the way he relaxed today because he is normally a really aggressive horse. Out of the gate he's fast. Bob and his team have been working with him trying to get him to relax. I saw him during morning workouts, and they put him behind a horse and he relaxed really well, down the stretch he would come and catch the other horses. Today I think it paid off because he relaxed really well and was travelling really well. Around the turn I swung out to get him in the clear and as soon as I did that, he passed his company in the stretch like in the morning.

“I think this is the best horse I've ever ridden so far, I mean Cave Rock was one of the best but this one is pretty close, hopefully we can stay healthy and we can get him in the Breeders' Cup.

TRAINER QUOTES
BOB BAFFERT, MUTH, WINNER: “Wine Me Up looked like he was really worked up behind the gate, he was a handful. He broke like a shot so (Ramon Vazquez) let him go, he did the right thing, he didn't take anything away from him. I love the way Muth settled, when I saw that I thought well we'll see how good he is and I think Juan just helped him a lot today. It is nice when you have two nice colts. (Wine Me Up) definitely earned his way into the Breeders' Cup. We still have Prince of Monaco too. We just have to keep them healthy.”

 

The post Muth Beats Baffert Stablemate Wine Me Up In American Pharoah appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Locked made a successful jump to graded stakes competition and established himself as one of the horses to beat in next month's Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Saturday with a hard-fought triumph in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.

The son of Gun Runner was kept wide through the first trip past the wire, and into the first turn after breaking from the outside post, while longshot Baytown Chatterbox led the field through an opening quarter-mile in :24.47 seconds, chased by West Saratoga.

Baytown Chatterbox was overtaken at the top of the backstretch by Just Steel on the outside, while jockey Jose Ortiz kept Locked out of the fray in second-to-last. Just Steel, several paths wide, maintained the lead at the half-mile point, clocking in at :48.23 seconds, with Baytown Chatterbox and West Saratoga giving chase.

Baytown Chatterbox regained the lead from his inside spot as he and Just Steel entered the final turn, but the leader quickly faltered and shuffled back into a tightly-bunched pack as Just Steel re-assumed the lead.

Meanwhile, Ortiz took Locked widest of all, and began looping around the field as they approached the final straightaway.

He met new leader The Wine Steward at the top of the stretch, and they locked horns at the quarter pole. Locked and The Wine Steward, under jockey Luis Saez, traded advantages as the final poles passed, and after conceding a slight lead to The Wine Steward, Locked found more in the final sixteenth of Keeneland's short stretch, and outkicked The Wine Steward to win by a half-length. Generous Tipper was 3 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up in third.

“You like to think it moves them forward,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He was hung out very wide on both turns. He didn't have a real easy trip, but he's talented enough to overcome it.”

Locked completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:45.06 over a fast main track. He paid $3.52 to win as the overwhelming favorite. Pletcher trained Locked for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm.

The Breeders' Futurity bookended a massive weekend at Keeneland for Pletcher and Eclipse, who teamed up to send Candied to the winner's circle in the G1 Alcibiades Stakes, securing a “Win and You're In” spot for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“To be able to execute those gameplans over the course of 24 hours is just a testament to our program, our partners who support us,” said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “Gary Broad (of Walmac Farm) gave us an incredible opportunity last fall to buy some yearlings, and we partnered with him on Locked. Todd and his program, what can you say? Of course, Luis yesterday (aboard Candied) and Jose today just put up top-notch rides.”

Saturday's victory improved Locked's record to two wins in three career starts for earnings of $428,400.

He entered the Breeders' Futurity off a 7 1/4-length triumph in a Saratoga maiden special weight on Sept. 1, making up for a troubled debut at the same track a month earlier, where he finished third after being knocked to the back of the pack early on.

“He has been a stud from the day we broke him at Ocala Stud and turned him over to Todd,” Wellman said. “He quickly asserted himself as probably the best colt that was at Ocala Stud. They were very high on him down there, and he trained very forwardly all winter and spring, then as soon as we got him to Todd, we knew this was a horse that would be excelling when we got him around two turns.”

Locked was bred in Kentucky by Rosa Colasanti, out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Luna Rosa. He sold to the Eclipse/Walmac partnership for $425,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

With an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in his back pocket, Locked will attempt to replicate the success of Forte, who turned the Breeders' Futurity/Juvenile double last year en route to the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male. Essential Quality took the same route to an Eclipse Award in 2020.

Locked also picked up 10 qualifying points for next year's Kentucky Derby, making him an early leader in the race to make the gate in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

The post Locked Secures Breeders’ Cup Berth In Breeders’ Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Timberlake rallied from off the pace, engaged pacesetter General Partner on the outside in early stretch, then easily shook off that rival to score a convincing victory in the $500,000 Champagne (G1) for 2-year-olds Saturday at Belmont at the Big A.

Rebounding from a runner-up finish in the Hopeful (G1) Sept. 4 at Saratoga, Timberlake earned his first win at the top level and second overall from four career starts when covering the Champagne's one-turn mile in 1: 35.90 on a sloppy (sealed) track.

Ridden by Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox, the Into Mischief colt returned $11.80.

General Partner hung on for second, and Dancing Groom was third. Favorite Fierceness finished seventh in the eight-horse field after he lunged at the start, then was bumped and jostled.

Timberlake relaxed in fifth along the inside in the early running, then was deftly angled to the outside entering the lane. He was ready to roll when Geroux gave the cue and proved best with a sustained rally, scoring by 4 1/4 lengths.

Owned by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, Timberlake scored a 9 1/4-length win going seven furlongs on July 21 at Ellis Park to break his maiden in his second start. In his subsequent outing and sporting blinkers, the Hopeful, he appeared en route to victory but could not repel 54-1 longshot Nutella Fella, who won by 1 1/2 lengths. The blinkers came off for Saturday's race and the equipment change helped him settle.

The Champagne is a “Win And You're In” qualifying event for the $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and Timberlake received an automatic, fees-paid berth while stamping himself a horse to watch for the 1 1/16-mile event Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

The fixture is also a points race for the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 4 at Churchill Downs, and Timberlake earned 10 points toward a potential start in the first jewel of the Triple Crown.

Timberlake improved his lifetime earnings to $375,600 with the Champagne's $275,000 winner's share of the purse. He was bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables. Produced by the Lookin At Lucky mare Pin Up (IRE), he was purchased by Maverick Racing and Siena Farm for $350,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale, where Gainesway consigned him.

Champagne Quotes

Brad Cox, winning trainer of Timberlake (No. 3, $11.80): “He ran good. I was very proud of him. He got a good, clean trip today. Florent [Geroux] did a great job. He got away well. We had a bit of a rough trip in the Hopeful. I thought with a little bit of a cleaner run he maybe would have got to the wire first, but that's the way it goes. I'm very proud of the effort today. It was a huge win.”

On if removing blinkers was to help the horse relax on the stretch out: “Totally. He's a young horse. We used blinkers early on just to keep him focused and we felt like he needed them early. He trained very well leading up to the Hopeful and looking back it would have been great to take them off, but he was also coming off a victory, too. He's a young horse continuing to learn and I think he put it all together today. I want to congratulate WinStar for the opportunity — it's a big win for them as well.”

On garnering a “Win and You're In” and Kentucky Derby points: “You obviously turn your attention to the Breeders' Cup as it comes up first. We'll get him back to Kentucky and see how he comes out of it and let him tell us if we take a march towards Santa Anita. We'll enjoy this victory and go from there.”

Dustin Dugas, assistant to winning trainer Brad Cox of Timberlake (No. 3): “They went pretty quick up front and Florent [Geroux] did a very good job just sitting chilly and it unfolded the way it did. He just broke OK – he wasn't the fastest to get in stride, but he handled it really well. Florent rode a great race and was very patient with him.

“He's excellent [in the barn]. He's really, really cool and trains great. The guys down in Kentucky have always loved him.”

Elliott Walden, CEO of winning co-owner WinStar Farm of Timberlake (No. 3): “We talked about it and thought this was a good spot. The Champagne is a great race, a stallion-making race. We're excited to win it, it's the first time we've ever won it.

“Brad [Cox] did a great job taking the blinkers off. I think that helped settle him a little bit. We saw what happened last time and you learn from each race. He learns from each race and he was just great-minded today. He was very rank last time when he didn't break well and was up behind heels. Brad worked him twice without blinkers and made the decision not to have them today and it all worked out well.

“He's accomplished a lot in a short period of time. I think [two turns] will be good, but we'll see. He's a big strong horse with a beautiful pedigree, a two-turn type pf pedigree.”

Florent Geroux, winning jockey aboard Timberlake (No. 3): “They did [pick the right race]. I thought I was going to California at first, then Keeneland I was named on there and I had to take off my horses to come here but it was just the best spot today with the one-turn mile and a good setup in front of him. I think it set him up perfect for the Breeders' Cup and hopefully the horse comes back healthy and we can move forward. He's not the quickest horse out of the gate, but he always puts himself in a good position. We knew what we had. Last time he was the favorite in the Hopeful and had a little bit of trouble and was very rank. Today, we took the blinkers off and he was way more relaxed and [I'm] hoping he is going to improve again.”

Manny Franco, jockey of runner-up General Partner (No. 4): “He ran great. He did what he knows to do and went to the lead and was second best today and ran a really good race. He's going to keep improving, which I like.”

Trevor McCarthy, jockey of third-place Dancing Groom (No. 2): “We really liked him coming into the race and he had been training really good. He was the only horse that had gone a mile and won at a mile. We knew that the distance would be really good and there were a lot of sprinters today, so we thought there's going to be a pretty hot pace and just break well and get into a good rhythm and let him come home running. He ran an awesome race today, he's still two, he's going to mature over time and there's a bright future for the horse.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., jockey of seventh-place finisher and beaten favorite Fierceness (No. 6): “He hopped at the start. He moved right when they opened the gate. After that, I just tried to give him a good trip. I sat in the clear from third or fourth trying to bide my time. I made a little run and that was it. After the break, it was hard to catch up.”

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