Tag: Tyler Gaffalione

Busy Saturday Beneath the Twin Spires

With just two weeks remaining to the running of the GI Kentucky Derby, the Saturday worktab at Churchill Downs was dotted with the names of top sophomores headed towards the first jewel of racing's Triple Crown.

Godolphin's reigning Eclipse Award-winning juvenile colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit) took to the Churchill main track at 5:15 a.m. with big-race rider Luis Saez in from Keeneland to put the colt through his paces. The homebred went five furlongs in :59.60 after breaking off about a length behind 4-year-old stablemate Spa City (Street Sense) and was timed in fractions of :12.80, :24.60 and :47.40 before galloping out three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.20 and seven furlongs in 1:28.60. Essential Quality never passed his workmate around the turn and into the backstretch.

It was the first serious piece of work for Essential Quality since his tough defeat of Highly Motivated (Into Mischief) in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland Apr. 3. Trainer Brad Cox was duly pleased with what he saw Saturday morning.

“I'm not taking a deep breath yet, but we're very pleased with where we are at today,” the conditioner said. “He really had to work for that win in the Blue Grass and we were very pleased how well he ended up bouncing out of it.”


Highly Motivated, whose official status for the Derby remains 'possible,' is scheduled to breeze Sunday morning at Keeneland for trainer Chad Brown and is expected on the Churchill backside Monday.

Following the champ's workout, Cox sent out GII Risen Star S. hero and fellow 'Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) to breeze six furlongs in a crisp 1:11.40. The Juddmonte homebred tugged hard against jockey Florent Geroux and was difficult to settle through early sectional times of :12.40, :24.20 and :35.60. He was noticeably more relaxed once given his head at the quarter pole and worked strongly through the line before clocking seven furlongs in 1:25.20 and a mile in 1:41.60.

Mandaloun exits a disappointing sixth behind Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20, but Cox is more and more inclined to draw a line through the effort.

“[Mandaloun] worked great,” he said. “We were all puzzled after the Louisiana Derby, but he's been doing great since that race–maybe that was just a head-scratcher. He's a really good-looking son of Into Mischief, and we know he's better than what we saw in his last start.”

Live Oak Plantation's Soup and Sandwich (Into Mischief), who earned his way into the Run for the Roses via his runner-up effort to Known Agenda (Curlin) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Mar. 27, went five-eighths of a mile in :59.80 Saturday morning. With Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle, the homebred skipped along in :12.40, :24.20 and :35.20, then readily drew clear of his company Epic Dreamer (Orb) and was out six furlongs in a strong 1:12.40 and seven panels in 1:25.20.

“This horse is just starting to figure things around the racetrack,” trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll said. “Tyler was in cruise control around there and that gallop out was great.”

Also Saturday morning, 'TDN Rising Star' Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) looked sharp going five furlongs in a bullet :59 (:12.40, :24, :35.40, :47, out 1:12.40) for trainer Ken McPeek; and GIII Fantasy S. runner-up Ava's Grace (Laoban) went a half-mile in :48.60 for Robertino Diodoro for the Apr. 30 GI Kentucky Oaks.

The post Busy Saturday Beneath the Twin Spires appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Milestone Keeneland Win For Juddmonte As Juliet Foxtrot Takes Jenny Wiley Field Wire To Wire

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Juliet Foxtrot (GB) took the lead out of the gate and cruised to a two-length victory over Tamahere (FR) to win the 33rd running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes for fillies and mares on a soggy Saturday afternoon at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The performance marked the 16th graded stakes victory at Keeneland for Juddmonte. In honor of the historic milestone, Juddmonte received a Keeneland Pitcher as part of Keeneland's signature Milestone Trophy Program. Juddmonte becomes the fourth owner to win a Keeneland Pitcher.

It is the fourth victory in the race for Juddmonte, whose previous triumphs came with Tates Creek in 2002 and Intercontinental (GB) in 2004 and 2005.

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Juliet Foxtrot covered the 1 1/16 miles on a yielding turf course in 1:44.51. It is the first victory in the race for Cox and Gaffalione and was the third winner of the afternoon for Cox.

Gaffalione put Juliet Foxtrot right on the lead and led the field of six through fractions of :24.35, :49.45 and 1:13.72 with Tamahere tracking in second.

Juliet Foxtrot maintained a daylight margin into the stretch and never was threatened in the run down the lane.

The victory, the first Grade 1 for Juliet Foxtrot, was worth $180,000. A 6-year-old daughter of Dansili (GB) out of the King's Best mare Kilo Alpha (GB), Juliet Foxtrot increased her earnings to $701,831 with a record of 20-6-2-3.

Sent off as the favorite, Juliet Foxtrot returned $5.40, $3.40 and $2.80. Tamahere, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $4 and $3.20 and finished a neck in front of La Signare (FR), who paid $3.80 to show under John Velazquez.

It was another three-quarters of a length back to Etoile (FR), who was followed in order by Maxim Rate and Micheline.

Post-race quotes:

Tyler Gaffalione (winning rider of Juliet Foxtrot [GB])
“She really relished the ground. They said that they worked her a couple weeks back over a turf course similar to this and they said she just ate it up. As soon as she broke, I could feel that I had a ton of horse and she was loving every bit of it. I just put my hands down when she broke and she came right back to me. It was an easy ride today.”

Garrett O'Rourke (of winning owner Juddmonte Farms)
“I think there was a confidence that she would be able to handle the soft turf because she had been here a couple years ago and we had a filly that we knew, Gaining (GB), that had won here, and we knew Gaining liked the soft turf and they had worked together on soft turf.

“Tessa (Bisha, trainer Brad Cox's assistant) and Brad both said she loves this. That's a while ago. She's run some great races since. She has been Grade 1-placed and placed in this race last year. It was brave on behalf of everybody at Juddmonte to make the move to keep her (in training) for one more year to try to win that elusive Grade 1. This is huge for the mare. She looked absolutely magnificent today, and for as consistent of a performer as she's been, I just think she thoroughly deserves it, which makes it all the more sweet for us.”

On Juddmonte earning its 16th graded stakes win here to receive a Keeneland Pitcher – part of the track's signature Milestone Trophy Program. Only three other owners have earned the Keeneland Pitcher: Claiborne Farm [Fall 1968], Bwamazon Farm [Spring 1983] and William S. Farish [Spring 2003].

“It's taken a lot of effort over the years and a tremendous amount of commitment from (the late) Prince Khalid and now his family and sons. It's a great tribute for the effort and planning and perseverance of the whole operation. And it's been a fun ride.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. (rider of runner-up Tamahere [FR])
“She was sitting in a good spot and when the horse in front opened up entering the far turn, we ended up being second best.”

The post Milestone Keeneland Win For Juddmonte As Juliet Foxtrot Takes Jenny Wiley Field Wire To Wire appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Prevalence Has Final Wood Memorial Prep For Walsh: ‘This Will Answer Our Questions’

Godolphin's Prevalence registered his final work before shipping to New York for Saturday's Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, posting a half-mile breeze in 47.60 seconds Sunday at his home base at the Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Trainer Brendan Walsh said he's been pleased with the Medaglia d'Oro colt's training and will see him ship to New York on Wednesday, when the draw for the 100-40-20-10-point Kentucky Derby qualifier at Aqueduct racetrack will occur.

Prevalence, unraced as a juvenile, is 2-for-2, recording a 8 1/2-length debut victory on January 23 at Gulfstream Park and following with a three-length score stretched out to a mile on March 11 at the same track.

“He worked here this morning at Palm Meadows and it went very well and he's flying up there on Wednesday. It looks like he's going into the race in good shape,” Walsh said. “It's another step now, so we'll find out if he can go the two turns as well. This will answer our questions and be a good test for him.”

Walsh said he's optimistic Prevalence can handle the challenge of shipping in for a race for the first time, citing his demeanor and temperament.

“He's a very nice, quiet, easy-going horse and I don't think the travel will affect him at all,” Walsh said. “We'll see how he handles the track. He hits me as a horse who can handle any kind of surface.”

Walsh, who has registered 364 wins and earnings of more than $20 million, said the chance to compete in a prestigious race such as the Wood Memorial is a special one, especially with the 2020 edition not being able to run because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It's fantastic. This is why we're in the game; to be part of these races, and to bring a horse up there who should be a live one, it's very exciting,” Walsh said.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, aboard for Prevalence's first two starts, will have the return call in the Wood Memorial.

“It's always good when you can have continuity,” Walsh said. “It all helps. Tyler's a great rider, so we look forward to having him on board.”

The post Prevalence Has Final Wood Memorial Prep For Walsh: ‘This Will Answer Our Questions’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

‘The Race Will Do The Deciding’: Undefeated, Untested Prevalence Headed To Wood Memorial

Godolphin's promising sophomore colt Prevalence will make his first start in a Kentucky Derby prep race next weekend, reports the Daily Racing Form. Untested in two career starts, which he won by a combined 11 1/2 lengths, the son of Medaglia d'Oro will show up in the entries for the Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

The Wood offers the winner 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Tyler Gaffalione will head north to ride Prevalence, who is conditioned by Brendan Walsh.

“The way we're approaching it is the race will do the deciding not us hoping and thinking and hypothesizing,” Jimmy Bell, president of Godolphin U.S., told DRF. “Hopefully, the result will point you in one direction or another.”

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

The post ‘The Race Will Do The Deciding’: Undefeated, Untested Prevalence Headed To Wood Memorial appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights