Last year, Pletcher sent out Colonel Liam for a 3 ½-length victory in last year's Tropical Park Derby prior to the son of Liam's Map's triumph in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream four weeks later.

The Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, co-headlined Sunday's day-after-Christmas program with the Tropical Park Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile turf event for 3-year-old fillies.

While touring the Gulfstream turf course in a solid 1:40.39, Never Surprised also provided jockey Luis Saez with his fifth victory on the 11-race program.

Bet down to 1-2 favoritism on the strength of his 9 ½-length triumph in the Nov. 26 Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct, Never Surprised never gave Saez an anxious moment, breaking alertly to gain the lead into the first turn. After setting half-mile fractions of 23.22 and 46.66 seconds, the son of Constitution opened up on the turn into the homestretch and drew away for a comfortable victory.

“He's a pretty nice horse. I rode him one time before and he was a little bit green, but today he was good. Todd has done an amazing job,” Saez said. “He broke from the gate really fast. I was excited about the way he ran today. I had a lot of horse. I didn't have to overdo it. It was an easy race for him.”

Among his four other winning rides, Saez rode Pletcher-trained first-time starter American Icon for an 8 ½-length front-running victory in Sunday's Race 8, a seven-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds.

“It's an amazing day. My family was here – that's my happiness,” Saez said. “It was a great job by my agent (Kiaran McLaughlin) and everybody who is supporting me, giving me those type of horses to ride.”

In seven career starts, Never Surprised has four victories, as well as three second-place finishes in graded-stakes – Kitten's Joy (G3) at Gulfstream, Saranac (G3) at Saratoga, and Hill Prince (G2) at Belmont.

Yes This Time finished second in the Tropical Park Derby, a nose ahead of Safe Conduct.

The post Never Surprised Dominates Tropical Park Derby Rivals; Saez Bags Five Wins appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Exiting a big-figure victory in the Gio Ponti S. at Aqueduct last month, Never Surprised wasted no time getting to the front, but was made to work for it by longshot Lamplighter Jack (Fed Biz) through enervating fractions of :23.22 and :46.66. Going very well despite the demanding pace, Never Surprised began to sneak away from his beaten rival on the turn, was hand-ridden into the stretch and was merely shown the whip through the final sixteenth of a mile, scoring in strong time.

Perfect in two juvenile appearances, including the Central Park S. last November, Never Surprised was beaten into second as the odds-on pop in this track's GIII Kitten's Joy S. last January before getting some time off. Runner-up to Public Sector (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the GIII Saranac S. in September, he was beaten a neck by that rival in the GII Hill Prince S. Oct. 23 before taking Gio Ponti by the same margin of victory as Sunday, earning a 98 Beyer.

Golden Pedigree acquired Never Surprises dam for $5,500 at Keeneland January 2017 and the colt is her first produce. She is also the dam of the 2-year-old filly Ace Girl (Connect), a yearling Munnings colt that cost BSW/Crow Colts Group $275,000 at KEESEP this fall and a weanling colt by the same sire. Never Surprised is bred on the same cross responsible for MGISW Tiz the Law. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

TROPICAL PARK DERBY, $100,000, Gulfstream, 12-26, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.39, fm.
1–NEVER SURPRISED, 124, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Tiz Dixie, by Tiznow
                2nd Dam: Comeon Dixie, by Mr. Greeley
                3rd Dam: Dixieland Blues, by Dixieland Band
($30,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Repole
Stable; B-Golden Pedigree LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Luis
Saez. $57,660. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 7-4-3-0, $378,960.
2–Yes This Time, 124, c, 3, Not This Time–Smart Jilly, by Smart
Strike. O-Edge Racing; B-Barry S. Golden (KY); T-Kelly J. Breen.
$18,600.
3–Safe Conduct, 124, c, 3, Bodemeister–Duchess Dancer, by
Congrats. ($45,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-WellSpring Stables;
B-Mitchell H. Kursner (ON); T-Philip M. Serpe. $9,300.
Margins: 6 1/4, NO, HF. Odds: 0.50, 4.80, 14.00.
Also Ran: Hot Blooded, Scarlett Sky, Sigiloso, Fighting Force, Grey Streak, In Effect, King of Dreams, Mohs, Lamplighter Jack. Scratched: American Prince, Kygo (Ger), Shady McGee (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Never Surprised Stays Hot in Tropical Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

The popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for 10 racing days in a row since a jackpot of $407,067.66 was taken down by one lucky bettor Dec. 10.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Sunday's Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 6-11, including the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby in Race 10. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is scheduled 8-5 morning-line favorite saddle Never Surprised for the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds.

Never Surprised, a son of 2014 Florida Derby (G1) winner Constitution, who has never finished worse than second in six career starts, is coming off a front-running 6 ½-length victory in the Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct. In his previous start, he came up a head short of winning the Hill Prince (G2) at Belmont Park.

Kelly Breen-trained Yes This Time, a winner of four races in a row, including the English Channel, last season at Gulfstream; Patrick McBurney-trained Mohs, winner of the Hawthorne Derby; and Phil Serpe-trained Safe Conduct, the Gio Ponti runner-up; are among the leading contenders.

Earlier on Sunday's program, Charles Fipke's Lady Speightspeare will seek to extend her career undefeated streak to five races in the mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Trained by Roger Attfield, Lady Speightspeare has tasted graded-stakes success in the Natalma (G1) and the Bessarabian (G2) at Woodbine.

The post Gulfstream Park: Sunday’s Rainbow 6 To Have $750,000 Jackpot Guarantee appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, will co-headline Sunday's day-after-Christmas program with the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Mike Repole's Never Surprised enters Sunday's co-feature off a dominating 6 ¼-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Gio Ponti over the turf at Aqueduct Nov. 26. In his three prior starts, the son of Constitution was graded stakes-placed, finishing second in the Kitten's Joy (G3) at Gulfstream before settling for runner-up honors behind Public Sector in the Saranac (G3) at Saratoga and Hill Prince (G2) at Belmont.

“I was very pleased with his last race and he's trained enthusiastically for this race,” Pletcher said.

Luis Saez has the call aboard Never Surprised, who tops a full field of 12 3-year-olds (plus three also-eligible entries).

WellSpring Stables' Safe Conduct, who finished second in the Gio Ponti, is scheduled to take on Never Surprised again in the Tropical Park Derby. The Phil Serpe-trained son of Bodemeister captured the $1 million Queen's Plate over Woodbine's Tapeta surface three starts back before finishing off the board in the Breeders' Stakes, the second leg of Canada's Triple Crown run over a yielding turf at Woodbine, and rebounding with a solid Gio Ponti effort.

Paco Lopez is slated to ride Safe Conduct for the first time Sunday.

Stuart Janney III's Scarlett Sky brings graded-stakes credentials into the Tropical Park Derby, having captured the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland in the spring. The son of Sky Mesa, who lost the Palm Beach by a head last season at Gulfstream, finished off the board in a Keeneland stakes over a soft turf last time while coming off a five-month layoff.

Trainer Shug McGaughey has awarded the mount to fellow Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

Edge Racing's Yes This Time is also a Grade 3 stakes winner in Sunday's field. The Kelly Breen-trained son of Not This Time captured the Kent (G3) at Delaware Park last July, capping a five-race winning streak, including four straight wins at Gulfstream.

Tyler Gaffalione has the mount aboard Yes This time, who is coming off in-the-money finishes in Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs and Bryan Station at Keeneland.

Victoria's Ranch's King of Dreams and Lea Farms LLC's Fighting Force will enter the Tropical Park Derby, off a 1-2 finish, respectively, in the Showing Up over Gulfstream's Tapeta course.

ABL Stable, Dominic Bossone, Peter Donnelly and William Oberdorff's Mohs and Calumet Farm's Grey Streak, who finished 1-2, respectively, in the Hawthorne Derby, will clash again Sunday. Calumet will also be represented by Jack Sisterson-trained In Effect in Sunday's field.

Gelfenstein Farm LLC's Siglioso and Melvin Simonovich's Lamplighter Jack and Palm Beach Racing Partnership's Hot Blooded round out the main body of the field.

Michael Dubb and Madaket Stables LLC's Kygo, Deuce Greathouse's Shady McGee, and Irving Cowan's American Prince are also-eligible entrants.

The post Never Surprised The One To Beat In Oversubscribed Tropical Park Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, highlighted Saturday's 11-race program along with the $75,000 Tropical Park Oaks, a 1 1/16 turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, and the $75,000 H. Allen Jerkens, a two-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up.

Colonel Liam, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., was making his first start since Aug. 20 but showed no rust at all while pulling away to a 3 ¼- length victory.

“He'd been training exceptionally well leading to this. We're happy to get him back,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Hopefully, that earns him a spot in the Pegasus Turf.”

The son of Liam's Map rated several lengths behind the early pace while clear on the outside. Don Juan Kitten cut fractions of 24.30 and 48.51 seconds for the first half mile under Edgard Zayas and continued to show the way heading into the turn for the homestretch, as Colonel Liam launched a breathtaking outside sweep that would carry him to the lead at the top of the stretch. The Kentucky-bred colt powered away from the field without much urging from Ortiz.

“I had a good trip, I broke out of there and tried to get a good position,” Ortiz Jr. said. “After the three eighths pole, I tried to move on because I have probably the best horse and let him pick it up and he responded very well. He's a very nice horse.”

Don Juan Kitten held second, a neck ahead of Summer to Remember.

Colonel Liam ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.05 to record his third victory in five career starts. The $1.2 million purchase at the 2019 OBS April sale graduated via the disqualification of the first-place finisher in his April 11 debut over Gulfstream's main track before finishing third in an optional claiming allowance at the Hallandale Beach track May 20. Two months later, Colonel Liam scored an impressive 2 ¾-length allowance victory in his turf debut at Saratoga, before enduring a nightmare trip in a fourth-place finish in the Saratoga Derby, in which he was beaten by less than a length by victorious Domestic Spending.

“He's really taken to the turf. We saw that in his allowance at Saratoga. He got in a little trouble in the Saratoga Derby,” Pletcher said. “He came back great. I thought it was an impressive race. He kind of made a little bit of an early move and kept on going.”

Colonel Liam gives Pletcher three prime candidates for the Pegasus Turf, joining Largent, who captured the Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream Dec. 12, and Social Paranoia, a multiple graded-stakes winner and recent optional claiming allowance winner at Gulfstream.

“Obviously, anytime you can get your name thrown into the hat of any of those Pegasus races, you've got to get excited,” stable manager Jacob West said. “Todd had kind of hatched that plan weeks ago. He said if he runs well we might point to that. Obviously after today's performance we'll point to that.”

The post Colonel Liam Looking For Pegasus World Cup Turf Invite Following Tropical Park Derby Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, will be accompanied on Saturday's 11-race program by the $75,000 Tropical Park Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, and the $75,000 H. Allen Jerkens, a two-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up.

Patrick Biancone-trained Sole Volante will return from an 11-week freshening since finishing sixth in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and an 11th-place finish following a troubled start in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs. Turf will hardly be foreign territory for the 3-year-old gelded son of Karakontie, who launched his career with back-to-back victories over the Gulfstream Park turf course last year.

“Even at the Kentucky Derby we were debating [about running Sole Volante on turf] because they have that race [Grade 2 American Turf} the same day. We were contemplating it,” said Andie Biancone, assistant trainer to her father, Patrick. “We know he's a turf horse. It's just because he has such a big heart that he takes to the dirt. We're really happy to get him back on turf.”

Sole Volante debuted with a three-length romp in his debut at Gulfstream Park West before coming right back to register a two-length score at Gulfstream in the Pulpit Stakes, in which King Guillermo finished third. Having shown himself to be extremely gifted and bred to run long, Sole Volante was given a chance to show what he could do on dirt with an eye toward the Triple Crown.

“When they're that good that time of year, you have to try them on the dirt,” said Andie Biancone, who was given Sole Volante by her father on her 22nd birthday. “He did really well because he has so much heart, but turf is really his preferred surface.”

Following a solid third in the one-turn mile Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream, Sole Volante stamped himself as a Triple Crown candidate with a 2 ½-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs. He earned his way into the Kentucky Derby field with a second-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2), won by King Guillermo. Unfortunately, the Kentucky Derby was postponed from the first Saturday in May to Sept. 5 and the Preakness (G1) was postponed from the second Saturday in May to Oct. 3, making the Belmont Stakes the first leg of the 2020 Triple Crown. Sole Volante prepped for the Belmont with a triumph in a June 20 stakes-quality allowance at Gulfstream, defeating Jesus' Team, who would go on to finish second in the Preakness, and Florida Derby runner-up Shivaree.

Although he wasn't at his best in the Belmont and Kentucky Derby, he provided Andie Biancone memories that will last a lifetime. Unable to travel due to an illness, Patrick Biancone entrusted his daughter to oversee Sole Volante's training at Belmont Park and Churchill Downs.

“It was really cool that my dad put that trust in me,” she said. “It was really cool. I still haven't processed it.”

Sole Volante breezed six furlongs on turf in 1:11.40 at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach Count, Sunday for his return to turf.

“I think he's training better than ever,” Andie Biancone said.

Luca Panici has the return mount aboard Sole Volante.

Calumet Farm's Dack Janiel's will also make the switch from dirt to turf Saturday to run in the Tropical Park Derby.

“It's not so much as trying the turf as it is taking advantage of the last race for just 3-year-olds,” trainer Jack Sisterson said.

Dack Janiel's is coming off a third-place finish behind a victorious Jesus' Team in the Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Dec. 5. In his prior start, the son of Tonalist showed the way to mid-stretch before finishing third in the Thoroughbred AfterCare Alliance (G2) on the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup program at Keeneland.

Dack Janiel's has run twice on turf, finishing third at Fair Grounds in January before graduating in an off-the-turf maiden special weight race in his next start. The homebred colt didn't run on turf again until June, when he showed the way before weakening to third late at Churchill Downs.

Julien Leparoux has the call.

Trainer Todd Pletcher is scheduled to saddle a pair of Tropical Park Derby starters, Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, who was beaten by less than a length while finishing fourth in the Aug. 15 Saratoga Derby Invitational; and Waterford Stable LLC's Summer to Remember, who is twice stakes-placed over Gulfstream's turf course. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call on Colonel Liam, while Luis Saez has been named to ride Summer to Remember.

Trainer Michael Maker is scheduled to send out four starters in the Tropical Park Derby, which drew 10 entries Sunday. Skychai Racing LLC and Sand Dollar Stable LLC's Fancy Liquor has the highest profile of the Maker quartet, having captured the American Turf on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs. In his most recent start, the son of Lookin At Lucky finished second in the Bryan Station on the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup undercard at Keeneland. Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Don Juan Kitten and Gelfenstein Farm and Andy Blanco's Angelus Warrior, Maker-trained stablemates of Fancy Liquor, finished eighth and 10th, respectively, in the Bryan Station. Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's Me and Mr. C., who finished fourth in the Gio Ponti at Aqueduct last time out, rounds out the Maker contingent.

Tyler Gaffalione has the mount aboard Fancy Liquor; Edgard Zayas has the call on Don Juan Kitten; Miguel Vasquez will ride Angelus Warrior; Joe Bravo has the mount aboard Me and Mr. C.

Anderson Stables LLC's By Your Side, a graded-stakes winner at Saratoga on dirt in 2019, and Walking L Thoroughbreds LLC's Fighting Seabee, who captured the With Anticipation (G3) at Saratoga in 2019; round out the field.

The post Sole Volante Back On Turf In Saturday’s Tropical Park Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post