Tag: Triple Crown

Overcoming the disadvantageous No. 11 post and racing wide most of the way, Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte, the 2-year-old male champion of 2022 and early Kentucky Derby favorite, rallied late under Irad Ortiz Jr. to catch Mage in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the 72nd running of the $1-million, Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The son of Violence out of Queen Caroline, by Blame, drew off to a winning margin of one length after covering 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.51. He paid $2.60 to win as the heavy favorite in a field of 12 3-year-olds.

Mage, the 9-2 second betting choice trained by Gustavo Delgado, held second after opening a clear lead in mid-stretch. Cyclone Mischief finished third, with Mr. Ripple fourth, and pace-setting Fort Bragg fifth.

The top five finishers earned 100-40-30-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Forte is trained by Todd Pletcher, who was winning his seventh Florida Derby since 2007. The Florida Derby was his fourth win on the 14-race Florida Derby day program. Ortiz won six races on the day. This was the multiple Eclipse Award-winning jockey's second Florida Derby victory, his previous win coming in 2021 with Pletcher-trained Known Agenda.

Joel Rosario sent Fort Bragg to the early lead after a tardy break, outrunning Mr. Peeks and going the opening quarter mile in :23.57 and the half mile in :46.71. The Tapit colt shook clear, holding a two-length advantage entering the far turn after six furlongs in 1:10.63, but by the time the field reached the top of the stretch, Mage and Luis Saez ranged up alongside and were poised to take the lead.

Mage got the jump on Forte, who managed to save some ground around the far turn, after racing wide into the first turn and down the backstretch while near the back of the field. Irad swung Forte to Mage's outside turning into the stretch, but had a lot of work to do when Mage hit the furlong grounds after a mile in 1:36.35. Under left-handed encouragement from Ortiz, Forte caught and passed Mage in the final sixteenth of a mile.

The win was the sixth in seven career starts for Forte, who has now won four G1 rqces: the Hopeful, Breeders' Futurity, Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Florida Derby. He was bred in Kentucky by South Gate Farm and purchased by Repole and Elias Stable for $110,000 from consignor Eaton Sales at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Inaugurated in 1952, the Florida Derby has had numerous runners move on to win the Kentucky Derby. Since 2001, six horses have completed the Florida Derby-Kentucky Derby double: Monarchos in 2001, Barbaro in 2006, Big Brown in 2008, Orb in 2013, Nyquist in 2016, and Always Dreaming in 2017. Gen. Duke, the 1957 winner, holds the stakes record of 1:46 4/5.

The post Forte’s Late Rally In Florida Derby Solidifies Status As Kentucky Derby Favorite appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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After arriving at Santa Anita on Friday, Japanese import Mandarin Hero got his first feel of the main track Saturday morning with a light gallop.

Mandarin Hero is slated to be the first horse from Japan to run in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) next Saturday.

At around 8 a.m. (PT), Mandarin Hero was backtracked to the six-furlong marker where he then turned and galloped once around the oval. Following the low-impact tour, members of Mandarin Hero's traveling party indicated all was well.

“Everything seems to be good,” said Sean Toriumi of U.S. Equine, who helped transport the colt from Japan and is also serving as an interpreter.

Mandarin Hero is trained by Terunobu Fujita, who is scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita on Thursday. The Japanese-bred colt by U.S. champion 2-year-old male of 2012 Shanghai Bobby won all four starts last year and in his lone outing this year was a fast-closing second by a neck on Feb. 23. All five of his starts have been at Oi Racecourse outside of Tokyo, which is part of Japan's National Association of Racing.

Mandarin Hero is scheduled to work on Monday. Aboard for the drill will be Santa Anita-based jockey Kazushi Kimura, a native of Japan who also has the call in the Santa Anita Derby.

The Santa Anita Derby is one of six stakes scheduled for next Saturday's blockbuster card. Also to be run are the Santa Anita Oaks (G2), Charles Whittingham (G2), Monrovia (G2) and both the Echo Eddie and Evening Jewel for state-breds.

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Japanese import Mandarin Hero arrived at Barn 121 at Santa Anita Friday morning after spending the previous two days at a quarantine facility near LAX.

Mandarin Hero is set to become the first horse from Japan's National Association of Racing to compete in the U.S. when he goes postward in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 8. Trained by Terunobu Fujita, Mandarin Hero was a perfect 4-for-4 last year at Oi Racecourse near Tokyo and was a fast-closing second by a neck in his lone start this year on Feb. 2, also at Oi.

Mandarin Hero will be ridden in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby by Japanese native Kazushi Kimura, which was first reported by Daily Racing Form's Steve Andersen on Thursday.

“I'm really proud of this opportunity,” Kimura said Friday morning.

Kimura's agent, Brandon O'Bryan, said he was contacted by Mandarin Hero's connections shortly after the GII San Felipe on March 4 inquiring about riding the Santa Anita Derby. Kimura and O'Bryan agreed to the ride on Tuesday.

“What I like about this horse is his consistency. He likes to win,” O'Bryan said Friday. “And the Japanese have obviously been winning races everywhere they go the last few years. We don't know exactly where this horse will fit here, but the Derby is likely to be a short field and you can't win from the jock's room.”

A dark brown colt by Shanghai Bobby, Mandarin Hero will remain under quarantine conditions at Santa Anita with restricted access. Joining him on the trip from Japan were both his groom and exercise rider. Mandarin Hero will also need to be accompanied by a veterinarian each morning when he visits the track. Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary Jason Egan said Mandarin Hero is scheduled to train between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. each morning.

Kimura, North America's Eclipse Award Apprentice Jockey in 2019, has ridden full time at Santa Anita during the Classic Meet after being the leading rider at Woodbine the last two years. In 99 mounts here entering Saturday, Kimura had 10 wins including three stakes. He is scheduled to ride at Santa Anita through April 9 before returning to Toronto to prepare for Woodbine's meet opener on April 22.

O'Bryan said the plan is for Kimura to occasionally return to Santa Anita this spring for specific stakes assignments. First up will be the weekend of April 29-30. Kimura is slated to ride both Duvet Day for trainer Michael McCarthy, likely in the G3 Santa Barbara, and Kirstenbosch in the G2 Santa Maria for trainer John Sadler. Kimura won the Astra Stakes aboard Duvet Day here on Jan. 21 and the G3 La Canada with Kirstenbosch on Jan. 15.

“I'm so satisfied with my time at Santa Anita,” Kimura said Friday. “To ride with guys like Frankie Dettori and John Velazquez has been like a dream. With some nice stakes horses also, it's just been great.”

Entries for the Santa Anita Derby, as well as the remainder of the April 8 card, will be taken on Wednesday. Other stakes on tap that day are the G2 Santa Anita Oaks, G2 Charles Whittingham, G2 Monrovia and both the Echo Eddie and Evening Jewel for statebreds.

The post Japan’s Mandarin Hero Arrives In Southern California For Santa Anita Derby; Kazushi Kimura To Ride appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With a week to go until the opening of the 15-day Keeneland Spring Meet in Lexington, Ky., fields are taking shape for the 99th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) to be run Saturday, April 8, and the 86th running of the $600,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) on opening day, April 7.

Heading the list of probable entrants for the Toyota Blue Grass, as compiled by stakes coordinator Baley Hare, are the 1-2 finishers from the Tampa Bay Derby (G3): Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable's Tapit Trice, trained by Todd Pletcher, and Gary Barber's Classic Car Wash, trained by Mark Casse.

Other runners considered likely to be in the entry box Wednesday are Blazing Sevens (trainer Chad Brown), Hayes Strike (Kenny McPeek), Major Blue (D. Wayne Lukas), Mendelssohns March (McPeek) and Verifying (Brad Cox). Considered as possible entrants are Raise Cain and Scoobie Quando, both trained by Ben Colebrook, and Sun Thunder (McPeek).

The Toyota Blue Grass, run at 1 1/8 miles on the main track, offers 200 points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale to the first- through fifth-place finishers on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

D.J. Stable's champion Wonder Wheel, winner of last fall's Darley Alcibiades (G1) and NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland for trainer Mark Casse, heads the list of probable starters for the Central Bank Ashland. Run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the Central Bank Ashland offers 200 points on the same scale as the Toyota Blue Grass for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run May 5.

Other names expected to hit the entry box Tuesday are Defining Purpose (Kenny McPeek), Guns n' Graces (Chad Brown), Julia Shining (Todd Pletcher), Pride of the Nile (Doug O'Neill) and Punchbowl (Brad Cox). Considered possible for the race is Effortlesslyelgant (Norm Casse).

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