Tag: Triple Crown

Multiple stakes winner Coffeewithchris and Triple Crown-eligible stakes winners Arctic Arrogance and Prince of Jericho top 24 3-year-olds nominated to the $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park.

Contested at about 1 1/16 miles, the Private Terms is among five stakes worth $450,000 in purses on a Saturday, March 18 program that includes the $100,000 Beyond The Wire for 3-year-old fillies, $100,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for 4-year-olds and up and a pair of $75,000 sprints for Maryland-bred/sired horses – the Not For Love and Conniver.

The Private Terms is the next step on Laurel's road to the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course, preceded by the Jan. 21 Spectacular Bid and Feb. 18 Miracle Wood and followed by the $125,000 Federico Tesio April 15, a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated horses to the Preakness.

John Salzman Jr., Fred Wasserloos and Anthony Geruso's Coffeewithchris, trained by Salzman, won the Heft to cap 2022 and exits a victory in the one-mile Miracle Wood, both over Prince of Jericho. The Ride On Curlin gelding was also second as the favorite to Prince of Jericho in the Spectacular Bid.

Michael Dubb and Morris Bailey's Prince of Jericho is one of seven Triple Crown-eligible nominees to the Private Terms and one of six horses from the barn of Brittany Russell, recently named Maryland's Trainer of the Year for a second straight year.

Other Russell nominees are Circling the Drain, a two-length allowance winner Feb. 20 at Laurel, and Fort Warren, third in the Jan. 29 San Vicente (G2) at Santa Anita for previous trainer Bob Baffert, both Triple Crown-nominated; claiming winners It's Viper and Johnnyfrenchfri and Roan Burgundy, a debut winner at Pimlico last fall.

Also prominent among Private Terms nominees are New York-bred stakes winner Arctic Arrogance, second in three straight stakes including the Remsen (G2) and Withers (G3); B West, third in the Spectacular Bid and fourth in the Miracle Wood; Hayes Strike, third in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and second in the Street Sense (G3) last year for trainer Ken McPeek; Joey Freshwater, third in the Jimmy Winkfield Feb. 11 – all Triple Crown-nominated.

Recruiter and Howgreatisnate are also nominated after suffering their first career losses in the March 4 Gotham. Howgreatisnate won both the First State Dash and Future Stars last year but stumbled at the start of the Gotham and lost rider J.D. Acosta. Recruiter won the James Lewis at Laurel and Parx Dash in 2022 but wound up 11th in the Gotham in his sophomore debut.

The one-mile Beyond The Wire is Laurel's next race for 3-year-old fillies leading up to the 99th Black-Eyed Susan (G2) May 19 at Pimlico, following the Jan. 21 Xtra Heat and Feb. 18 Wide Country and preceding the $125,000 Weber City Miss April 15, which offers the winner an automatic berth in the Black-Eyed Susan.

Among the nominees are 2022 Maryland Million Lassie winner Chickieness, runner-up in both the Xtra Heat and Wide Country; Cairo Sugar, winner of the one-mile Maddie May Feb. 19 at Aqueduct; Jan. 14 Gasparella winner Opus Forty Two; 2022 Maryland Juvenile Fillies runner-up Fast Tracked; Gormley's Gabriela, third in the Wide Country; and We'll See, third in the Xtra Heat.

Grade 2 winners Brooklyn Strong and Double Crown; Repo Rocks, riding a three-race win streak including the Jan. 28 Toboggan (G3); multiple graded-stakes placed Doppelganger, and multiple stakes winners Armando R, Nimitz Class, Ournationonparade and Shake Em Loose are among 26 older horses nominated to the one-mile Harrison Johnson.

Double Crown and Ournationonparade are also nominated to the six-furlong Not For Love along with such horses as Eastern Bay, winner of the Feb. 18 General George (G3) at Laurel; 2021 Maryland Million Sprint winner Air Token; 2022 Howard & Sondra Bender Memorial winner Alwaysinahurry; 2021 Jimmy Winkfield winner Hello Hot Rod; 2020 Maryland Million Sprint Karan's Notion; and multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion.

C J I Phoenix Group and No Guts No Glory Farm's Fille d'Esprit, recently named Maryland's champion older female, sprinter and Horse of the Year, tops 19 nominees to the seven-furlong Conniver. A 14-time career winner of more than $735,000 in purse earnings, the 7-year-old mare was most recently second by a half-length in the Feb. 18 Barbara Fritchie (G3).

Also among the nominees are Fillie d'Esprit's Jerry Robb-trained stablemates Award Wanted, winner of the Jan. 21 Geisha winner Award Wanted and second in the Feb. 18 Nellie Morse, and eight-time stakes winner Street Lute along with 2022 Maryland Million Distaff Starter Handicap winner Mavilus; multiple stakes-placed Paisley Singing and Response Time, a winner of two straight.

Live racing returns to Laurel Park Friday, March 10. Post time moves to 12:40 p.m. starting Sunday, March 12, with Laurel's calendar year-opening winter meet set to run through Friday, March 31.

Notes: Five-pound apprentice Jeiron Barbosa opened Sunday's card with a natural hat trick, winning aboard Backstreet Affair ($6.20) in Race 1, Dialing Dixie ($5.80) in Race 2 and Pit Stop Man ($5) in Race 3. An Eclipse Award finalist for champion apprentice of 2022, Barbosa added a fourth winner with Lady Jean ($10.40) in Race 6, and a fifth on Grass Cutter ($9.20) in the Race 8 finale … Barbosa broke a 34-34 tie atop the winter meet rider standings with Jaime Rodriguez, who had one winner Sunday … There will be a $10,481.69 carryover in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 when live racing returns Friday, March 10. Multiple tickets with all six winners Sunday each returned $1,164.32.

The post Laurel’s Next Step For Sophomores: Coffeewithchris, Prince Of Jericho Top Private Terms Nominees appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Forte, last year's 2-year-old champion male and the current Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite, will most likely make his next start in the $1-million Curlin Florida Derby (G1), trainer Todd Pletcher told Daily Racing Form.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte made an auspicious 3-year-old debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where he scored a dominating 4½-length victory under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Fountain of Youth.

“The Florida Derby is what we kind of talked about going into the Fountain of Youth and everything coming out of the race would indicate that's what we'll do,” Pletcher said told the Form on Sunday morning. “Two breezes before the race makes sense, and then that will give him five weeks until Churchill Downs.”

Forte, a Violence colt who is based at Palm Beach Downs training center, won four of five starts during his championship juvenile season that he launched with a 7¾-length victory at Belmont Park last May. After finishing fourth in the six-furlong Sanford (G2), he rallied from off the pace to win the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga. He polished off a stellar campaign with a pair of off-the-pace scores around two turns in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).

Forte currently sits atop the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 90 qualifying points. The Florida Derby, set for April 1 at Gulfstream Park, offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-40-30-20-10 scale to the top five finishers.

To read the complete story at drf.com, click here.

The post Pletcher: Forte Likely Bound For Florida Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

When he arrived at Tampa Bay Downs last fall, trainer Gregg Sacco thought his then-2-year-old colt Freedom Road might be a candidate for the $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3), the centerpiece of Saturday's Festival Day 43 card at Tampa Bay Downs.

And even though he has competed only once at the meet, winning a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming race on Jan. 21, Freedom Road has done nothing to change Sacco's opinion.

“He's come out of each of his workouts since then better and better, and as far as his fitness and energy levels go he is right on cue,” said Sacco, who trains the son of Malibu Moon out of Lovable Lady, by Not For Love, for partners Pinnacle Racing Team and Madaket Stables.

“The Tampa Bay Derby is a very prestigious race, and we'll be honored and privileged to be a part of it,” Sacco said. “I feel that if he displays the same strong kick he has sprinting, he will be competitive. He's got the home-court advantage and he'll be able to walk over from his own barn.

“It looks like there are going to be a lot of talented horses running, and a lot of unknowns. But you've got to take a swing in the batter's box to connect,” Sacco added. “If he runs to our expectations, it opens up a wide range of races for us, and if he doesn't, we know we have a talented sprinter.”

Now 2-for-5 from five starts, with a second and a third last October in the Laurel Futurity, Freedom Road is one of at least 10 3-year-olds expected for the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, a major “Road to the Kentucky Derby” prep race awarding 50 Run for the Roses qualifying points to the winner and 20, 15, 10 and 5 to the next four finishers.

The quest for Kentucky Derby points, combined with the fact that each of the likely starters will be facing the toughest tests of their young careers, guarantees the eyes of the Thoroughbred racing world will be trained on the Oldsmar oval late Saturday afternoon.

The Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby is one of five stakes races – four of them graded – worth a combined $1-million in purse money.

The post ‘He’s Got The Home Court Advantage’: Freedom Road To Take Crack At Stakes Breakthrough In Tampa Bay Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Trainer Tim Yakteen reported on Sunday that Practical Move was in good order following his victory in the San Felipe (G2).

“He's doing great. Everything checked out,” said Yakteen, who also on Saturday won a state-bred allowance with the highly promising 3-year-old Kangaroo Court.

Practical Move, who earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday effort, was one of five horses entered by Yakteen in the San Felipe. National Treasure, the morning-line favorite, had to be scratched the morning of the race due to a bruised foot. Yakteen said the injury had been treated and “he's doing much better this morning. We're all good.” He did not indicate when and where National Treasure could resurface.

Yakteen's other San Felipe starters – fourth-place finisher Hejazi, fifth-place finisher Fort Bragg and sixth-place finisher Mr Fisk – all emerged no worse for wear, the trainer said.

As for Practical Move, he earned 50 more qualifying points towards this year's Kentucky Derby for his 2½-length win in the San Felipe under Ramon Vazquez. Combined with the 10 points he earned for winning Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. 17, he now ranks second on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 60 points total. Forte, a smashing winner of Saturday's Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park for trainer Todd Pletcher, earned a lofty 100 Beyer and leads all 3-year-olds with 90 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Practical Move likely already has enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby on May 6, but Yakteen said the plan is for him to have one more start prior to the 1 ¼-mile classic at Churchill Downs. It will likely be the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 8, which awards Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a scale of 100-40-30-20-10 to the top-five finishers.

Yakteen's other winner Saturday, Kangaroo Court, could not have been more impressive when sizzling six furlongs in 1:08.79 under Abel Cedillo. The Dads Caps gelding, who earned a 95 Beyer, was making his first start since a smashing 14¼-length maiden win at Del Mar on Aug. 20.

Yakteen said Kangaroo Court “will probably stay around one turn for now.” He mentioned the $150,000 Echo Eddie for 3-year-old state-breds going 6½ furlongs on April 8 as a potential next start.

“That seems like a logical step,” Yakteen said.

Yakteen, a former assistant to Bob Baffert, now has 278 wins in a career that dates back to 2004. He acknowledged Saturday's success was among the highlights of his time as a trainer.

“Those 3-year-old races are always highlights, that's what we're in the game for,” Yakteen said. “Everybody wants to win the Kentucky Derby.”

The post Yakteen Points San Felipe Winner Practical Move To Santa Anita Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post