Tag: Triple Crown

C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable's White Abarrio breezed an easy five furlongs Sunday at Gulfstream Park, giving trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. confidence that the son of Race Day will be at his best for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) in two weeks.

“Two weeks out, so far, so good. Two weeks is a long time with horses, but as far as everything has gone preparation-wise, I'm very happy with how things have gone,” Joseph said.

White Abarrio, who breezed in company for his fourth workout since capturing the Feb. 5 Holy Bull (G3), was timed in 1:00.42, the fourth fastest clocking of 17 recorded at the distance.

“Today was more of an easier breeze with a good finish and a good gallop-out,” Joseph said. “Everything went to plan. He sat off a workmate; he relaxed well. I had his last quarter in :23, so it was a good finish.”

Tyler Gaffalione was aboard for the breeze.

White Abarrio is coming off a 4 ½-length romp in the Holy Bull, in which Simplification finished second before coming back to capture the March 5 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) impressively.

White Abarrio debuted with an impressive 6 ¾-length victory at Gulfstream Sept. 24 before being purchased privately by his current connections, for whom he scored a four-length optional claiming allowance victory Oct. 29. He concluded his juvenile campaign with a third-place finish behind Smile Happy and Classic Causeway in the Nov. 27 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Joseph reported that Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Nentwig's Drain the Clock has settled in well at Meydan ahead of his scheduled start in the $2 million Golden Shaheen on Saturday's Dubai World Cup Day card.

“He had a little blow-out over there this morning and went nice and cooled out well,” said Joseph, who has opted not to travel to Dubai. “He's showing a lot of energy. We're happy where he's at. Hopefully, he has a good week. I think he's going to run a very big race.”

The 4-year-old son of MacLean's Music captured the Swale (G3) at Gulfstream, the Bay Shore (G3) at Aqueduct and the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont Park during his 3-year-old campaign that was closed out with a six-furlong optional claiming allowance victory in 1:08.62 Dec. 10. Drain the Clock was upset by Miles Ahead in a swiftly run Gulfstream Park Sprint Feb. 19.

The post White Abarrio Relaxed In Easy Breeze Ahead Of Florida Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Undefeated in three career starts. 3-year-old New York-bred Barese returned to the worktab Friday and breezed six furlongs in 1:16.42 on the dirt training track at Belmont Park in preparation for the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2), a 100-40-20-10 qualifier for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Trained by Mike Maker, the son of Laoban has put together a perfect resume, including two stakes wins this year at Aqueduct. Barese posted a debut win sprinting five furlongs at Belmont Park in May, defeating next-out winner Bali's Shea and eventual Grade 3 With Anticipation winner Coinage.

“He has really been a nice horse. We're pointing for the Wood and are excited for the opportunity,” said David Staudacher, who owns the colt with Peter Proscia's Paradise Farms Corp., the same connections that campaign Lady Scarlet, winner Saturday of the Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct.

Barese was away from the races for eight months and made his return in Aqueduct's 6 1/2-furlong Rego Park to square off against winners for the first time. Ridden by regular rider Dylan Davis, Barese stalked the pace and rallied down the lane to pick up the first of two consecutive stakes wins.

Barese had no issue stretching out to a one-turn mile in his next outing, capturing the restricted Gander by 1 1/4 lengths to earn a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure and convince his connections to journey down the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Staudacher said Barese should relish going two turns in the nine-furlong Wood Memorial.

“The long work was to keep him fit for the Wood. We think with the way he finished his last race, he should be able to get the nine furlongs,” Staudacher said. “I don't think he should have a problem facing open company either. He ran a big figure last time.”

Staudacher, who co-owned graded stakes winners Aquaphobia, Ajourneytofreedom, and Special Reserve, said he is grateful for the opportunity to start a horse in the Wood Memorial.

“It's phenomenal,” said Staudacher. “It's a dream come true.”

Out of the Successful Appeal mare Right Prevails, Barese was a $150,000 2-year-old purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and is a full brother to stakes-placed filly Breakfastatbonnies.

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J R Sanchez Racing Stable's Shake Em Loose, a 59-1 upset stakes winner in his first race off the claim three starts back, proved the effort was no fluke by turning back even-money favorite Joe through the stretch to capture the $100,000 Private Terms by 1 ¾ lengths Saturday at Laurel Park.

The 33rd running of the Private Terms anchored five stakes worth $450,000 in purses on the St. Patrick's Day weekend program, co-headlined by the $100,000 Beyond the Wire for 3-year-old fillies, won by Luna Belle.

Contested around two turns at about 1 1/16 miles, the Private Terms is the penultimate race in Laurel's series of stakes for 3-year-olds, followed by the $125,000 Federico Tesio going 1 1/8 miles April 16, a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 21 at historic Pimlico Race Course.

Ridden by Charlie Marquez for owner-trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon, Shake Em Loose completed the distance in 1:46.80 over a fast main track and returned $12.

Joe, recently named as Maryland's champion 2-year-old male of 2021, had his three-race win streak snapped but was a decisive second.

“You never really expect much of a horse until you get them in your hands. Then you have to go day by day and look at the horses,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “At the beginning, I thought he was just going to be a regular horse. I never thought he was going to be something like this. Day by day he's improving. He's showed me a lot.”

Joe's Michael Trombetta-trained stablemate Conclusive, sixth behind Local Motive in the one-mile Miracle Wood Feb. 19, broke running from his inside post and went the first quarter-mile in :23.73 and the half in 47.59 tracked closest by Local Motive. Shake Em Loose, breaking from the far outside, raced in the clear around the first turn as Joe dropped down to the rail in fourth.

Marquez, Maryland's teenage sensation and a finalist for the 2021 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice that won his first career stakes in last year's Private Terms with Shackled Love, launched his bid leaving the backstretch. Shake Em Loose swept into second midway around the far turn and moved to even terms with Conclusive after six furlongs in 1:12.80.

Shake Em Loose straightened for home with the lead and was set down for a drive as Joe, who had been tipped outside on the turn by jockey Victor Carrasco, greenly gave chase through the lane and had to settle for second, six lengths ahead of Local Motive, followed by Majestic Frontier, Conclusive, Micro Star and Eagle in Love. Maximum Impact was scratched.

“He's such a straightforward horse. I knew (Joe) was the horse to beat, so getting the jump on him was probably the most important part of the race,” Marquez said. “Once I asked him to run he really kicked on, and I just didn't want to get in his way from there.”

Sanchez-Salomon claimed Shake Em Loose for $16,000 out of a 3 ¾-length win last November at Laurel. In his subsequent start, he came from way back to win the seven-furlong Heft and began 2022 finishing a troubled seventh in the Spectacular Bid, where he broke in the air. He came into the Private Terms off a 3 ¾-length optional claiming allowance win Feb. 27 at Laurel, and the trainer said he would be pointed to the Tesio.

“That's our next step, if God permits us to get there and have a sound horse by then,” he said. “It's fun to have a horse like this, especially when you own him and train him.”

Private Terms raced in the colors of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Janney's Locust Hill Farm, winning 12 races, nine stakes and more than $1.2 million from 1987-89 including the 1988 Federico Tesio (G3) and Wood Memorial (G1) and 1989 Mass Cap (G2). His track record of 1:47 1/5 in winning the 1989 Never Bend Handicap at Pimlico still stands. He sired Grade 1-winning millionaires Soul of the Matter and Afternoon Deelites.

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