umberto rispoli | Horse Racing Free Tips

After ‘Messy’ Kentucky Derby Run, Brooklyn Strong Will Try To Make Amends In Belmont Stakes

New York-bred Brooklyn Strong, trained by Danny Velazquez for owner Mark Schwartz, will look to make amends after a difficult 15th-place effort in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby when he returns in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 5.

The Wicked Strong gelding captured the Grade 2 Remsen at the Big A in December ahead of an even fifth in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April at Aqueduct.

Last out, Brooklyn Strong endured a troubled trip from post 3 under Umberto Rispoli in the Kentucky Derby.

“We got smashed coming out of the gate. It was a bad post and he had 18 horses in front of him,” said Velazquez. “It was messy but he made up some ground at the top of the stretch. The gallop out was real strong. The jockey said he had horse but there was a lot of kickback. The first five horses that broke on top, that's how the race ended. It was tough to make up ground.”

Last year, Tiz the Law became the first New York-bred horse to win the Belmont Stakes since Forester in 1882. Velazquez said Brooklyn Strong, also bred in the Empire State, will breeze Saturday at Parx in preparation for the 1 1/2-mile “Test of the Champion.”

“He came out of the Derby good and is doing real well. We have him pointed towards the Belmont. I think he'll like the added distance,” said Velazquez. “We have two big works scheduled for him here. He'll work this Saturday and next Saturday.”

Out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Riviera Chic, Brooklyn Strong was bred in the Empire State by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan.

No jockey assignment has been confirmed for Brooklyn Strong, who has partnered with a different jockey in each of his six career starts.

Velazquez said New York-bred Laobanonaprayer will work Saturday at Parx towards a start in the $125,000 Bouwerie, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, part of New York Breeders' Showcase Day on Memorial Day featuring six stakes for horses bred in the Empire State.

“That's the target. She'll work Saturday,” said Velazquez. “If she works the way I want her too, then we'll come to New York on the 31st.”

Owned and conditioned by Velazquez, Laobanonaprayer graduated at third asking in the Maid of the Mist in October at Belmont providing Velazquez his first stakes win.

She followed with an eight-length score in the seven-furlong NYSSS Fifth Avenue in December at Aqueduct ahead of a good second in the Franklin Square in January on a muddy Big A main track.

After two off-the-board efforts, including a head-scratching sixth in the NYSSS Park Avenue last out on April 18 at Aqueduct, Velazquez said he expects a return to form from the Laoban bay.

“I'm just drawing a line through it,” said Velazquez. “She worked great last week and I'd like to see her do that again on Saturday and hopefully come back fresh.”

Out of the Raffie's Majesty mare Raffie's Chance, Laobanonaprayer was bred in New York by Christina Deronda.

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The Chosen Vron Benefits From Pace Duel In Lazaro Barrera

With Laurel River and I'll Stand Taller duking it out on the front-end, trainer Eric Kruljac's The Chosen Vron flew off the turn for home and marched to an emphatic 3 ½-length win in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli, the California-bred gelding by Vronsky got 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.28.

In a field of four sophomores, it was readily apparent from the outset that I'll Stand Taller and Juan Hernandez were not going to allow impressive recent maiden winner Laurel River and Abel Cedillo to have their way on the front end as they blazed an opening quarter mile in 21.32.

With I'll Stand Taller shrinking noticeably a quarter mile out, The Chosen Vron was making an eye-catching move at the rail blew by Laurel River with a furlong to run.

“I could see they were going really fast, those two horses up front, and by the quarter pole my horse was right on top of them, he really kicked well in the stretch,” said Rispoli. “When I first came here, (J. Eric Kruljac) gave me so many winners, I'm happy to finally give him a stakes win.”

The Chosen Vron, fresh off a sparkling 6 ½-furlong win versus Cal-Breds in the Echo Eddie Stakes on April 3, was off as the 3-5 favorite and paid $3.20 and $2.10 with no show wagering.

“Short fields sometimes end up being like match races,” said breeder and part owner Kruljac. “I knew my horse could rate. … Doug (O'Neill) had a horse in there that looked like he would use as the rabbit, so that kind of eliminates the match race. He softened them up early and I don't know if it mattered, with the way the horse fired today. He's a pretty exciting horse, when you breed them yourself there's this extra pride that goes into it. I'm as excited as I can be.”

Owned J. Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh. The Chosen Vron, who is out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly, picked up his first graded stakes win and has three wins from four starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $210,600.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Laurel River dominated the early wagering but went off as the second choice at 6-5 and paid $2.20 to place while finishing 10-lengths in front of Wipe The Slate.

Trained by Doug O'Neill and ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Wipe The Slate finished 14 ½ lengths in front of his stablemate I'll Stand Taller.

Complete fractions on the race were 21.32, 44.29 and 1:09.61.

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‘These Are Agonizing Decisions’: Sadler Explains Switch From Rispoli To Rosario On Rock Your World

In a development that had been rumored earlier in the week, Steve Andersen of Daily Racing Form reported early Saturday evening that John Sadler had confirmed Joel Rosario would replace Umberto Rispoli aboard Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World in the G1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

In an interview on “Thoroughbred Los Angeles” radio Sunday morning, Sadler acknowledged the difficult decision to make a rider change was his.

“Let's be very clear here, I was rooting for (Bob Baffert's) Concert Tour to win the Arkansas Derby (G1 on April 10) and (then) this is all a non-conversation,” said Sadler. “We decided to wait until after the Concert Tour race to see what was gonna happen and nobody could've predicted that (a disappointing third-place finish), really. I mean, he was one to five or whatever and then he didn't run on.

“So, when Joel came available. … You know, these are agonizing decisions and not easy. I want to be very clear, I think the world of Rispoli and I think the world of his riding. He's a terrific rider on our circuit and he's been a great addition to California and will continue to be. But, I had to make a call and this is the call I made. … History will tell whether I'm right or wrong. Things could go bad, you know, overnight in this game, but this is the decision we made for this race, so you know, we have to live with it and go forward.

“We think with (Joel's) experience over the track. … And just my relationship with him and these owners (Hronis Racing, LLC and Talla Racing, LLC) … this gives us our strongest position. So, this is what we're going to do. … I would love for somebody to look this up. Am I the trainer that Joel Rosario has won the most races for in his career? I think so. … We were winning titles together at Del Mar and if you say, 'Okay, Rosario with Chad Brown or Rosario with Todd Pletcher. Which trainer has the most wins with this jock?' I think it's me.

“I'll be shocked if it isn't. … One of the great stats in racing history is Russell Baze and Jerry Hollendorfer. It's like, there's nobody even close. You know, the runs they had together. … So, there's definitely some good chemistry there and we just gotta hope things go our way in Kentucky.”

Sadler said that Rock Your World would leave for Louisville next Sunday. By Candy Ride and bred in Kentucky by Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally and his wife Debbie, Rock Your World won his first start, a six-furlong maiden special weight at six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Jan. 1 under Rosario. Rispoli took over for a one mile turf win in the Pasadena Stakes Feb. 27 and orchestrated a brilliant gate to wire triumph in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3, the colt's first start on dirt.

The post ‘These Are Agonizing Decisions’: Sadler Explains Switch From Rispoli To Rosario On Rock Your World appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Rosario to Ride Rock Your World in Derby

Jockey Joel Rosario will replace Umberto Rispoli on unbeaten GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby hero Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI Kentucky Derby. The decision came after it was announced that Bob Baffert trainee Concert Tour (Street Sense), who Rosario had ridden in each of his four starts, would skip the Derby and opt for the GI Preakness S.

Rosario rode Rock Your World in his turf sprint debut win at Santa Anita Jan. 1, but Rispoli was up for both the Pasadena S. and Santa Anita Derby. Rosario has had significant success riding for Rock Your World's trainer John Sadler and co-owner Hronis Racing, including with 2018 Horse of the Year Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky).

“Let's be very clear here, I was rooting for [Bob Baffert's] Concert Tour to win the [Apr. 10 GI] Arkansas Derby and [then] this is all a non-conversation,” Sadler said on the “Thoroughbred Los Angeles” radio show Sunday morning. “We decided to wait until after the Concert Tour race to see what was going to happen and nobody could've predicted that (a third-place finish), really. I mean, he was 1-5 or whatever and then he didn't run on.

“So, when Joel came available…You know, these are agonizing decisions and not easy. I want to be very clear, I think the world of Rispoli and I think the world of his riding. He's a terrific rider on our circuit and he's been a great addition to California and will continue to be. But, I had to make a call and this is the call I made… History will tell whether I'm right or wrong. Things could go bad, you know, overnight in this game, but this is the decision we made for this race, so you know, we have to live with it and go forward.

“We think with [Joel's] experience over the track… And just my relationship with him and these owners (Hronis Racing LLC and Talla Racing LLC)… this gives us our strongest position. So, this is what we're going to do.”

Sadler said that Rock Your World would ship to Louisville on Sunday, Apr. 26.

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