|
|
Results
NORTH AMERICAN GRADED STAKES RESULTS
Obviously runs away with American Handicap
"With him going (:46 for the half) today, I almost made the sign of the cross. That's like :47 4/5 for any other horse. The main hope is to try to get him back to the Breeders' Cup. "At the three-eighths pole I just kind of gave him his head and hopefully tried to steal the race from there. He's a jockey's dream. You just sit on him and he does the rest. He's just a tremendous horse." The American was truly a land of opportunity for immigrants. Lucayan, last year's French Two Thousand Guineas winner, uncorked a strong late run to deprive Barocci of second by a neck. The French-bred Lucayan was making a fine U.S. debut for Neil Drysdale, while the Japanese-bred Barocci was rounding out the all-import trifecta. Lucayan's connections were delighted with his effort.
The smart prospect then sold for $217,635 at the 2011 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and arrived in Southern California for 2012. After just missing in his American debut in a downhill sprint at Santa Anita, he scored narrowly over the same about 6 1/2-furlong course. Obviously placed in his ensuing three sprint attempts at Hollywood Park, most notably in the Cool Frenchy over the Cushion Track and in the Robert K. Kerlan Memorial on turf. Mitchell subsequently stretched him out to a mile for an optional claimer at Del Mar, and Obviously was a revelation, romping by five lengths in near course-record time. That was the beginning of a three-race winning streak. Back over the same course and distance in the August 26 Del Mar Mile, he just held from Mr. Commons, and broke the course record by blitzing in 1:32. Obviously completed the hat trick in the October 6 Arroyo Seco Mile at Santa Anita in his start prior to the Breeders' Cup. Reverting to a turf sprint for his comeback in the April 20 San Simeon at Santa Anita, Obviously set scorching fractions, and was still clear in midstretch, only to be collared by Chips All In in the final strides. He was back in his element at a mile, and second off the layoff, here. "He's a good horse, he really is," Mitchell said. "He does things like this so easy. He had a nice tune-up under his belt and he went into this really good. "The thing is when we first got him, my son-in-law (bloodstock agent Craig Rounsefell) picked him out and bought him. We were going to buy a different horse, but he kept saying there's this horse tomorrow. So I said, 'Let's go for that horse tomorrow.' "When they picked him out, he was totally a sprinter. We thought we had a sprinter on our hands. But when we routed him, now all of a sudden, 'Wow!' "We're going to keep him at a mile, take our time with him and go for the (Breeders' Cup Mile November 2 at Santa Anita) again. He'll have another race here (the Shoemaker Mile, on June 29)." The son of sprint supremo Choisir gets some stamina from his dam, Leala, an unraced daughter of Montjeu. His second dam, the unraced Silver Hawk mare Silver Bubble, is a full sister to multiple Grade 1 star Hawkster, who set a new world record of 2:22 4/5 for 1 1/2 miles on turf; U.A.E. highweight older stayer Lightning Arrow; Group 1-placed French stakes victor Silver Kite; and French Group 3 queen Silver Lane, whose progeny include Japanese Grade 1 scorers Black Hawk and Pink Cameo. Bred by Deidre Cogan in Ireland, Obviously was a bargain $2,578 yearling purchase at Goffs February.
Tannery rides the rail in Sheepshead Bay Irish Group 3 heroine Tannery broke through with her first U.S. victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay, which was transferred from the Widener to the inner turf course at a soggy Belmont Park. Owned by Richard Santulli and trained by Alan Goldberg, the 10-1 chance benefited from a rail-skimming ride by Luis Saez and prevailed in a race dominated by longshots. The 15-1 Minakshi went to the early lead, and after a wind-aided opening quarter in :24 1/5, slowed down to post fractions of :50 1/5, 1:16 2/5 and 1:41 2/5 on the soft inner turf. Starformer, the 5-2 second choice, took up a prominent tracking position, while 9-5 favorite Hessonite raced about midpack on the outside. Tannery was content to settle near the rear along the rail, trailed only by the slow-starting Anjaz. As Minakshi continued to show the way, there was a shuffling among her nearest pursuers. Hessonite made an early move into contention at the six-furlong mark. Soon after, Starformer came up empty and began to backpedal. Julie's Love then seized the opportunity to sneak up along the inside on the far turn. Tannery was also making progress without ever having to come off the fence. At the top of the stretch, Minakshi still held the advantage as Hessonite and Julie's Love both flattened out, but Tannery was emerging as a threat. The daughter of Dylan Thomas had plenty of room to maneuver inside of Minakshi, and she powered past the pacesetter to take command. Although the 21-1 Anjaz arrived on the premises with a late challenge, Tannery held her safely at bay by one length. The winner negotiated 1 3/8 miles in 2:20 and rewarded her loyalists with $22.60, $9 and $6.70. Minakshi crossed the wire another 1 1/4 lengths astern in third. The rest of the field was well string out. There was a five-length gap back to Julie's Love, followed by Mystical Star, Hessonite, Strathnaver and a tailed-off Starformer. Tannery boosted her earnings to $312,020 from her 15-5-3-1 line. Originally based with David Wachman in Ireland, the bay filly improved significantly over the course of her sophomore campaign in 2012. After breaking her maiden in her sixth attempt, in an ordinary handicap at Dundalk, she made it two in a row when tackling stakes company in the Victor McCalmont Memorial at Gowran. Tannery's progress hit a brief roadblock when she was fifth in the Nijinsky versus males at Leopardstown, but she came right back to win her final two Irish starts. Tannery had the satisfaction of beating Nijinsky winner Backbench Blues in the Martin Molony at Limerick, and defeated the classy distaffers Caponata and Up in the Kilboy Estate at the Curragh. That marked her final start in the silks of Mrs. D.P. Magnier, for she was subsequently purchased by Santulli and imported to the United States. Off to a slow start in her American debut in last September's Garden City at Belmont, Tannery closed belatedly for third. She regressed in her second U.S. outing, winding up last of eight in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, but concluded the year with a close fourth to Starformer and Mystical Star in the November 10 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct. Tannery returned in the May 1 Owsley at Belmont and finished a useful fourth to Julie's Love and Minakshi. Connections believed that she'd improve for that tightener, and so she did, to overturn the form. "Last time when I rode her, I knew she needed the race," Saez said. "I felt today that I could win. My filly was coming out on the first turn because the wind was so strong. I saved ground and I found the hole on the inside, and I rode her strong. Thank God, she won." "We have a turf course at (Colts Neck Farm)," Goldberg said, "but we've had such a wet spring and we weren't able to train her over it and had to work her on the dirt. "We try to have our horses fit, but with her first start of the year being a mile and a quarter, I didn't expect her to be completely ready. She came out of the race great, and I thought she'd handle the conditions today." Bred by Grange Stud in Ireland, Tannery is out of the unraced Sadler's Wells mare Danse Grecque, who is a half-sister to Group 1 star Gamut, Group 2 winner Multicoloured and stakes scorer Athens Belle. Danse Grecque is a three-quarter sister to Irish highweight stayer Saddler's Rock. Tannery comes from the productive family of 2004 Derby hero North Light and a pair of Derby runners-up -- Group 2 winner Tartan Bearer and Golan, victor of the 2001 Two Thousand Guineas and 2002 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.
Dark Cove makes it two straight graded wins in Louisville
He carried his momentum forward in the Louisville. With jockey Rosie Napravnik up, the bay broke well and raced within striking position as Al Qasr and Mack's Blackhawk contested an opening quarter-mile in :24 1/5. Al Qasr advanced to set the next fractions in :49, 1:14 and 1:38 4/5 on a short lead and continued to show the way into the far turn as Dark Cove began to edge forward. Dark Cove rallied three wide to the front before conclusion of the final bend and widened his advantage as he accelerated into the stretch, reaching the eighth pole with a 1 1/2-length cushion. However, Atigun and Najjaar were both closing fast to his outside and momentarily loomed a serious threat in deep stretch. The winner kept finding more all the way to the wire, prevailing by a half-length. "The horse gives you 110 percent every time," Maker said. "He's all heart and class." "I was in a dream spot," Napravnik said of her trip. "I couldn't have picked a better spot. I was happy with where I was the whole way...I knew they were coming, but (Dark Cove) was the class of the race." Dark Cove, who was spotting Atigun six pounds and Najjaar eight pounds as the 122-pound highweight, completed the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:27 1/5 on the firm turf. Atigun, the slight 2-1 favorite, won the bob for second by a nose over the 11-1 Najjaar. "He had a terrible trip," trainer Kenny McPeek said of the runner-up. "I think he was several lengths the best horse." It was another 6 1/2-length gap back to fourth-placer Prime Cut, who was followed by Ioya Bigtime, Heathcote, Al Qasr, Harrods Creek and Mack's Blackhawk under the finish line. Dark Cove's resume now reads 23-8-2-1, $399,054. Originally claimed from owner Robert LaPenta and trainer Nick Zito for just $16,000 in his third start, he promptly won three in a row for a partnership organized by trainer Ken McPeek. Dark Cove was unplaced in his first two stakes attempts in the 2010 Commonwealth Turf and 2011 Ft. Lauderdale, but subsequently got up for third in the Colonial Turf Cup. After a trio of sixths in the aforementioned John's Call, Hollywood Gold Cup and Washington Park Handicap, he was spelled for six months. Upon his return in 2012, Dark Cove was given class relief in starter allowances, but ultimately slid down for the tag and was claimed by his current connections. Dark Cove was bred by Stonewall Farm Stallions in Kentucky and sold twice at Keeneland -- for $120,000 as a November weanling and $155,000 as a September yearling. Out of the Kris S. mare Crystal Cove, he comes from the family of Grade 3 winners Better Now, River Squall and Heavenly Landing, and further back, Australian Group 2 victor Churchill Downs.
General Election called in Arlington Classic
Admiral Kitten, the 9-5 favorite, avoided the stretch controversy with a late bid down the middle of the course. He was up to claim place honors by a head, with Dorsett and Gefest separated by a nose. Second choice Procurement was a neck farther back in fifth. The order of finish was rounded out by Whiskey Bravo, Bells Big Bernie, who set early fractions of :23 4/5, :49 and 1:14 1/5, Yorkshire Icon, Brown Almighty, Bambazonki, Bobo and Fordubai. A debut winner by three lengths over the main track at Churchill Downs last November, the Kellyn Gorder-trained General Election was a distant second to Mylute, who later placed in the Louisiana Derby and Preakness, in a Fair Grounds allowance next out. Donning blinkers for the first time in a February 1 allowance at the same track, the son of Harlan's Holiday fared worse when a well-beaten sixth behind eventual Illinois Derby hero Departing. General Election ran on Polytrack in his next three starts with some success. A come-from-behind winner of the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway by a half-length, the bay raced near the back of the field throughout the March 23 renewal of the Spiral over the same track. However, the colt rebounded with a strong runner-up showing in the Lexington at Keeneland when last seen April 20. His record now stands at 7-3-2-0, $211,110. Bred in Kentucky by Meg Buckley and Mike Buckley, General Election was a $150,000 OBS March two-year-old in training purchase. He was reared by the Kingmambo mare Menekineko, making him a half-brother to Ready's Echo, a non-stakes winner who placed in such prestigious Grade 1 events as the Belmont, Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the Forego. Ready's Echo also placed in the Jamaica Handicap on turf. General Election's fourth dam was French champion Madelia, who captured both the French One Thousand Guineas and French Oaks.
Hogy makes the grade in Hanshin Cup
Hammers Terror was another 5 3/4 lengths adrift of Mister Marti Gras. "My horse ran good, but he needed two turns," said jockey Eduardo Perez, who rode the runner-up. "He was running good (at the top of the stretch), he never stops." Seruni, the 5-2 favorite, just held fourth by a three parts of a length over Patrioticandproud on the wire. Hattaash came next while Night Party, All Stormy and Nates Mineshaft completed the order of finish. Scatman was withdrawn. "I was in the one-hole and he prefers to be on the outside," noted Mike Smith, who was aboard the beaten favorite. "We were trying to work our way out the whole time. I finally got out, but by then they got into a really good pace and they flew home ahead of us. They must have been close to the track record." Hogy earned his first graded victory in the Hanshin Cup, and previously scored in a couple of stakes events at Canterbury and Turf Paradise the past couple of years. He placed in a trio of listed races in 2012, including the Straight Line over track and distance, and rallied to be just 2 1/4 lengths back in sixth in the Shakertown on Keeneland's turf prior to the Hanshin Cup. The dark bay four-year-old, who came to Becker's barn after being claimed last November at Hawthorne, has proven to be a smart purchase by his connections. Supplemented to the Hanshin Cup, he added the winner's share of $86,400 to his earnings and now boasts $332,802 to go along with a 16-9-2-2 career mark. Bred in Kentucky by Dr. John E. Little, Hogy is the first registered foal out of the Petionville mare Floy. His female family has also produced dual Grade 2 victor Charitable Man and this year's Risen Star nose second Code West, who is headed to the Belmont Stakes on June 8. Hogy's fifth dam is Broodmare of the Year Too Bald, making him a relative to multiple Grade 1-winning sires Broad Brush, Capote and Exceller.
Imposing Grace wins stretch duel in Arlington Matron
Imposing Grace ran against graded company for the first time earlier this month in the La Troienne, finishing sixth. In her two previous starts before the La Troienne she was runner-up in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes and Tiffany Lass Stakes. The dark bay broke her maiden over the Polytrack at Arlington in only her second career start back in July of last year. Imposing Grace banked $87,300 for her first stakes win to boost her bankroll to $241,320 from an 11-4-4-0 career line. The daughter of Empire Maker was bred in Kentucky by Briland Farm and Mr. & Mrs. Robert O. Mitchell, and is out of the unraced Gold Legend mare Chao Praya, who produced Grade 3 winner and multiple Grade 2-placed Level Playingfield. Her third dam is Private Will, who produced stakes scorer Luramore. Imposing Grace sold as a yearling for $75,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected sale in 2010.
Graded Recaps
Obviously runs away with American Handicap
"With him going (:46 for the half) today, I almost made the sign of the cross. That's like :47 4/5 for any other horse. The main hope is to try to get him back to the Breeders' Cup. "At the three-eighths pole I just kind of gave him his head and hopefully tried to steal the race from there. He's a jockey's dream. You just sit on him and he does the rest. He's just a tremendous horse." The American was truly a land of opportunity for immigrants. Lucayan, last year's French Two Thousand Guineas winner, uncorked a strong late run to deprive Barocci of second by a neck. The French-bred Lucayan was making a fine U.S. debut for Neil Drysdale, while the Japanese-bred Barocci was rounding out the all-import trifecta. Lucayan's connections were delighted with his effort.
The smart prospect then sold for $217,635 at the 2011 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and arrived in Southern California for 2012. After just missing in his American debut in a downhill sprint at Santa Anita, he scored narrowly over the same about 6 1/2-furlong course. Obviously placed in his ensuing three sprint attempts at Hollywood Park, most notably in the Cool Frenchy over the Cushion Track and in the Robert K. Kerlan Memorial on turf. Mitchell subsequently stretched him out to a mile for an optional claimer at Del Mar, and Obviously was a revelation, romping by five lengths in near course-record time. That was the beginning of a three-race winning streak. Back over the same course and distance in the August 26 Del Mar Mile, he just held from Mr. Commons, and broke the course record by blitzing in 1:32. Obviously completed the hat trick in the October 6 Arroyo Seco Mile at Santa Anita in his start prior to the Breeders' Cup. Reverting to a turf sprint for his comeback in the April 20 San Simeon at Santa Anita, Obviously set scorching fractions, and was still clear in midstretch, only to be collared by Chips All In in the final strides. He was back in his element at a mile, and second off the layoff, here. "He's a good horse, he really is," Mitchell said. "He does things like this so easy. He had a nice tune-up under his belt and he went into this really good. "The thing is when we first got him, my son-in-law (bloodstock agent Craig Rounsefell) picked him out and bought him. We were going to buy a different horse, but he kept saying there's this horse tomorrow. So I said, 'Let's go for that horse tomorrow.' "When they picked him out, he was totally a sprinter. We thought we had a sprinter on our hands. But when we routed him, now all of a sudden, 'Wow!' "We're going to keep him at a mile, take our time with him and go for the (Breeders' Cup Mile November 2 at Santa Anita) again. He'll have another race here (the Shoemaker Mile, on June 29)." The son of sprint supremo Choisir gets some stamina from his dam, Leala, an unraced daughter of Montjeu. His second dam, the unraced Silver Hawk mare Silver Bubble, is a full sister to multiple Grade 1 star Hawkster, who set a new world record of 2:22 4/5 for 1 1/2 miles on turf; U.A.E. highweight older stayer Lightning Arrow; Group 1-placed French stakes victor Silver Kite; and French Group 3 queen Silver Lane, whose progeny include Japanese Grade 1 scorers Black Hawk and Pink Cameo. Bred by Deidre Cogan in Ireland, Obviously was a bargain $2,578 yearling purchase at Goffs February. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Tannery rides the rail in Sheepshead Bay Irish Group 3 heroine Tannery broke through with her first U.S. victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay, which was transferred from the Widener to the inner turf course at a soggy Belmont Park. Owned by Richard Santulli and trained by Alan Goldberg, the 10-1 chance benefited from a rail-skimming ride by Luis Saez and prevailed in a race dominated by longshots. The 15-1 Minakshi went to the early lead, and after a wind-aided opening quarter in :24 1/5, slowed down to post fractions of :50 1/5, 1:16 2/5 and 1:41 2/5 on the soft inner turf. Starformer, the 5-2 second choice, took up a prominent tracking position, while 9-5 favorite Hessonite raced about midpack on the outside. Tannery was content to settle near the rear along the rail, trailed only by the slow-starting Anjaz. As Minakshi continued to show the way, there was a shuffling among her nearest pursuers. Hessonite made an early move into contention at the six-furlong mark. Soon after, Starformer came up empty and began to backpedal. Julie's Love then seized the opportunity to sneak up along the inside on the far turn. Tannery was also making progress without ever having to come off the fence. At the top of the stretch, Minakshi still held the advantage as Hessonite and Julie's Love both flattened out, but Tannery was emerging as a threat. The daughter of Dylan Thomas had plenty of room to maneuver inside of Minakshi, and she powered past the pacesetter to take command. Although the 21-1 Anjaz arrived on the premises with a late challenge, Tannery held her safely at bay by one length. The winner negotiated 1 3/8 miles in 2:20 and rewarded her loyalists with $22.60, $9 and $6.70. Minakshi crossed the wire another 1 1/4 lengths astern in third. The rest of the field was well string out. There was a five-length gap back to Julie's Love, followed by Mystical Star, Hessonite, Strathnaver and a tailed-off Starformer. Tannery boosted her earnings to $312,020 from her 15-5-3-1 line. Originally based with David Wachman in Ireland, the bay filly improved significantly over the course of her sophomore campaign in 2012. After breaking her maiden in her sixth attempt, in an ordinary handicap at Dundalk, she made it two in a row when tackling stakes company in the Victor McCalmont Memorial at Gowran. Tannery's progress hit a brief roadblock when she was fifth in the Nijinsky versus males at Leopardstown, but she came right back to win her final two Irish starts. Tannery had the satisfaction of beating Nijinsky winner Backbench Blues in the Martin Molony at Limerick, and defeated the classy distaffers Caponata and Up in the Kilboy Estate at the Curragh. That marked her final start in the silks of Mrs. D.P. Magnier, for she was subsequently purchased by Santulli and imported to the United States. Off to a slow start in her American debut in last September's Garden City at Belmont, Tannery closed belatedly for third. She regressed in her second U.S. outing, winding up last of eight in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, but concluded the year with a close fourth to Starformer and Mystical Star in the November 10 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct. Tannery returned in the May 1 Owsley at Belmont and finished a useful fourth to Julie's Love and Minakshi. Connections believed that she'd improve for that tightener, and so she did, to overturn the form. "Last time when I rode her, I knew she needed the race," Saez said. "I felt today that I could win. My filly was coming out on the first turn because the wind was so strong. I saved ground and I found the hole on the inside, and I rode her strong. Thank God, she won." "We have a turf course at (Colts Neck Farm)," Goldberg said, "but we've had such a wet spring and we weren't able to train her over it and had to work her on the dirt. "We try to have our horses fit, but with her first start of the year being a mile and a quarter, I didn't expect her to be completely ready. She came out of the race great, and I thought she'd handle the conditions today." Bred by Grange Stud in Ireland, Tannery is out of the unraced Sadler's Wells mare Danse Grecque, who is a half-sister to Group 1 star Gamut, Group 2 winner Multicoloured and stakes scorer Athens Belle. Danse Grecque is a three-quarter sister to Irish highweight stayer Saddler's Rock. Tannery comes from the productive family of 2004 Derby hero North Light and a pair of Derby runners-up -- Group 2 winner Tartan Bearer and Golan, victor of the 2001 Two Thousand Guineas and 2002 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Triple Crown News & Notes
Stewart postpones Golden Soul's work for a few days Golden Soul, runner-up to Orb in the Kentucky Derby, was scheduled to breeze at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning, but trainer Dallas Stewart called an audible and delayed serious training for another few days. "He had a really good day galloping, but I passed on working him this morning," Stewart said. "He ran a great race in the Derby, but it was a hard race on him and his appetite is still coming back." Charles Fipke's homebred son of Perfect Soul is still on track for the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 8. "I was going to give him two works, but now I'm looking at just one," Stewart said. "I'll likely breeze him the middle of this week on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. That will give him about eight or nine days between the work and the race." Golden Soul has a record of 1-3-0 from six starts with earnings of $517,400. His lone victory came when he broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths at Fair Grounds in December. The chestnut colt made his sophomore debut a runner-up effort behind Preakness Stakes victor Oxbow on January 19 at that same track in the Lecomte. He followed that up with a sixth-placing, beaten just three lengths, in the Risen Star prior to a rallying fourth in the Louisiana Derby. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Graded Recaps
Dark Cove makes it two straight graded wins in Louisville
He carried his momentum forward in the Louisville. With jockey Rosie Napravnik up, the bay broke well and raced within striking position as Al Qasr and Mack's Blackhawk contested an opening quarter-mile in :24 1/5. Al Qasr advanced to set the next fractions in :49, 1:14 and 1:38 4/5 on a short lead and continued to show the way into the far turn as Dark Cove began to edge forward. Dark Cove rallied three wide to the front before conclusion of the final bend and widened his advantage as he accelerated into the stretch, reaching the eighth pole with a 1 1/2-length cushion. However, Atigun and Najjaar were both closing fast to his outside and momentarily loomed a serious threat in deep stretch. The winner kept finding more all the way to the wire, prevailing by a half-length. "The horse gives you 110 percent every time," Maker said. "He's all heart and class." "I was in a dream spot," Napravnik said of her trip. "I couldn't have picked a better spot. I was happy with where I was the whole way...I knew they were coming, but (Dark Cove) was the class of the race." Dark Cove, who was spotting Atigun six pounds and Najjaar eight pounds as the 122-pound highweight, completed the 1 1/2-mile distance in 2:27 1/5 on the firm turf. Atigun, the slight 2-1 favorite, won the bob for second by a nose over the 11-1 Najjaar. "He had a terrible trip," trainer Kenny McPeek said of the runner-up. "I think he was several lengths the best horse." It was another 6 1/2-length gap back to fourth-placer Prime Cut, who was followed by Ioya Bigtime, Heathcote, Al Qasr, Harrods Creek and Mack's Blackhawk under the finish line. Dark Cove's resume now reads 23-8-2-1, $399,054. Originally claimed from owner Robert LaPenta and trainer Nick Zito for just $16,000 in his third start, he promptly won three in a row for a partnership organized by trainer Ken McPeek. Dark Cove was unplaced in his first two stakes attempts in the 2010 Commonwealth Turf and 2011 Ft. Lauderdale, but subsequently got up for third in the Colonial Turf Cup. After a trio of sixths in the aforementioned John's Call, Hollywood Gold Cup and Washington Park Handicap, he was spelled for six months. Upon his return in 2012, Dark Cove was given class relief in starter allowances, but ultimately slid down for the tag and was claimed by his current connections. Dark Cove was bred by Stonewall Farm Stallions in Kentucky and sold twice at Keeneland -- for $120,000 as a November weanling and $155,000 as a September yearling. Out of the Kris S. mare Crystal Cove, he comes from the family of Grade 3 winners Better Now, River Squall and Heavenly Landing, and further back, Australian Group 2 victor Churchill Downs. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Racing Headlines
Magician flaunts his power in Irish Two Thousand Guineas The Aidan O'Brien-trained Magician, who had shown a devastating burst of speed in the about 1 5/16-mile Dee Stakes at Chester last out, deployed that same weapon when shortening up to a mile in Saturday's Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas at the Curragh. Although the Galileo colt was somewhat surprisingly left in this classic after capturing that May 10 trial for the Derby, the drop back in trip was not as stark as it appeared on paper. Chester's famously tight circuit doesn't make the Dee a stamina test, while the Curragh's mile is staged over a more demanding course. Magician also figured to inherit quality speed from the maternal half of his pedigree, and Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier's runner proved that he has it in spades. Jockey Joseph O'Brien, who chose Magician in preference to his father's three other entrants, positioned him in a stalking spot in the early going. Up front, Trading Leather was winging it. The Jim Bolger pupil was another cutting back in trip, having finished second to Derby-bound Libertarian in the May 16 Dante at York, and he intended to make use of his stamina here. Magician traveled conspicuously well just off the strong pace, and cruised up to challenge the longtime leader down the straight. Picking up impressively, he surged clear about a furlong from home and had 3 1/2 lengths to spare at the line. The clock reinforced the visual evidence, with a sprightly final time of 1:36 4/5 on the good-to-firm turf. Stablemate Gale Force Ten overtook Trading Leather for runner-up honors by 1 1/2 lengths, handing Ballydoyle the exacta. Aidan O'Brien was extending his record grip on the Irish Two Thousand Guineas with this ninth victory, and third straight, following Roderic O'Connor (2011) and Power (2012). The last trio of winners were all ridden by Joseph. Havana Gold reported home fourth. Next came First Cornerstone; the remaining O'Brien pair of Flying the Flag and George Vancouver; 5-2 favorite Van Der Neer, the third-placer in Newmarket's Two Thousand Guineas who failed to flatter Dawn Approach's form; and the two trained by jockey Johnny Murtagh, Fort Knox and Ask Dad. Magician advanced his record to 6-3-1-0. The bay took three tries to break his maiden, but accomplished that in style when romping by six lengths at this course and distance last October. Magician wheeled back 13 days later for the Killavullan at Leopardstown, only to find trouble in running and retreat to last. He is different proposition now, and is a good-looking two-for-two this season. Magician's opportunity in the Irish Guineas came at least partly as the result of stablemate Cristoforo Colombo missing the race. "Aidan had to rethink his plans for this race after Cristoforo Colombo had a setback," the trainer's wife, Anne Marie, told irishracing.com. The trainer credited the Coolmore ownership team with making the final call. "Cristoforo Colombo wasn't 100 percent, but the owners made the right decision to come here with this horse," the trainer added. "He's a beautiful horse and has a lot of options now. I imagine next week (the June 1 Derby at Epsom) might come too quick for him. We'll look forward to Ascot. He could go for the (June 18) St James' Palace Stakes." Coolmore supremo John Magnier wasn't quite ready to rule out Epsom. "He was impressive," Magnier told racingpost.com. "This is an improving horse and being by Galileo he should stay further. We've done crazy things before so we could run him at Epsom. "I'm saying it tongue-in-cheek, but we could. We'll savor the moment and not get carried away." The Irish-bred Magician is out of Group 3-placed stakes heroine Absolutelyfabulous, a daughter of European champion sprinter Mozart. This is the black-type-rich family of Irish highweight and dual classic winner Henrythenavigator, who won this race in 2008, and Saffron Walden, the 1999 Irish Guineas hero. Also at the Curragh on Saturday, Chigun continued her upward progression for Sir Henry Cecil with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Group 3 Ridgewood Pearl. Racing keenly toward the rear early, she was niggled at by Tom Queally inside the final three furlongs and responded with a flourish to roll by La Collina passing the furlong pole and on to a convincing win. "That ground was lively enough, but this opens up some doors for Royal Ascot," her jockey said. "I had a moment's worry at halfway, but I was reluctant to throw the kitchen sink at her on this quicker ground in case she got unbalanced. She had the class to deal with it and is progressive." Chigun was off the mark by 10 lengths on her fourth start at Salisbury last June and was back in the winner's spot two starts later following a handicap at Ascot in early September before trying black-type company in Newmarket's Rosemary Stakes later that month. Making it count at the first attempt there, the bay returned to run second to Dank in that track's Dahlia over nine furlongs last out on May 5. The Group 3 Greenlands had a wide-open feel to it after the withdrawal of Maarek, and it was left to Hitchens to edge out his rivals and claim a second renewal to his record. Following his first pattern-race success in this in 2011 with a game fourth 12 months ago, the bay returned on the back of a fruitless spell in Dubai and in his native Britain. Close up behind the stand's-side pace traveling strongly throughout the early stages, he found a gap to enter contention approaching the furlong pole and after joining Reply with 150 yards remaining gradually asserted by a neck in the run to the line. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Camelot meets Al Kazeem in Tattersalls Gold Cup Now a vital part of the Irish racing calendar, Sunday's Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh has become the race that relaunches luminaries thanks mainly to the importance that Coolmore has placed on it in recent times. Following the success of Montjeu at the turn of the millennium, the likes of Hurricane Run, Duke of Marmalade and So You Think have bolstered their already impressive resumes here and there will be some disappointed people among that mighty operation if Camelot does not follow suit. For so much of last season the poster boy of the classic generation, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier's beau ideal came unstuck in the St Leger at Doncaster in September and bowed out with a no-show in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp the following month. Now fully recovered from a life-threatening bout of colic, the Two Thousand Guineas and Epsom and Irish Derby hero looked to have kept all his zip when staging a winning return in easy style in the Mooresbridge S. over this track and 10-furlong trip May 6. "He had a nice comeback run and did exactly what was hoped," Joseph O'Brien told PA Sport. "The small field won't matter to him, it doesn't make a difference if they go quick or slow. If they go quick he can sit handy and if they go slow he's got that turn of foot. He stays the trip well enough and it will be decent ground, so I'm looking forward to it as he's a real good-ground horse." While this race has not been kind to British raiders recently, the presence of Al Kazeem makes this race more interesting than it otherwise would have been. Impressive when annexing the Jockey Club at Newmarket a year ago, John Deer's bay returned from a spell on the sidelines to pick up where he left off in Sandown's Gordon Richards over 10 furlongs last time April 27. The third on that occasion, Ektihaam, has since boosted the form at Ascot and trainer Roger Charlton is expecting a bold show. "I've been hugely impressed by Camelot from the moment I saw him at Tattersalls Sales as a young horse and he's very talented," he told PA Sport. "It would have been disappointing for racing if we hadn't turned up. "Realistically, Camelot has won five Group 1s and we are running in one for the first time, so we have a bit to prove but I think it's fair to say Al Kazeem has improved. It could be a muddle of a race with a small field and obviously Camelot has a good turn of foot, so it's a tough situation." Sunday's Group 3 Gallinule was a favorite race of the late Dr. Vincent O'Brien, and although it seems incredible that the maestro's record of 15 wins is under threat, that is the case as the latest composer of the orchestra at Ballydoyle seeks his 12th today. Namesake Aidan has unleashed few of the stable's stars in this Irish Derby prep, but Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor's Leading Light could yet live up to his name if his latest performance is a guide. Making all to score by seven lengths from the stakes performer Dibayani in a 10-furlong conditions event at Navan on his sophomore debut May 7, he had the re-opposing Fighter Squadron a further 2 1/4 lengths back in third in a striking display. Two colts already proven in black-type company are Neil Jones's Little White Cloud and Robert Ng's Sruthan. The former held his own against the big guns when third in Leopardstown's Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial a fortnight ago, while Sruthan impressed when annexing the Tetrarch Stakes over seven furlongs at this circuit May 6. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Graded Recaps
General Election called in Arlington Classic
Admiral Kitten, the 9-5 favorite, avoided the stretch controversy with a late bid down the middle of the course. He was up to claim place honors by a head, with Dorsett and Gefest separated by a nose. Second choice Procurement was a neck farther back in fifth. The order of finish was rounded out by Whiskey Bravo, Bells Big Bernie, who set early fractions of :23 4/5, :49 and 1:14 1/5, Yorkshire Icon, Brown Almighty, Bambazonki, Bobo and Fordubai. A debut winner by three lengths over the main track at Churchill Downs last November, the Kellyn Gorder-trained General Election was a distant second to Mylute, who later placed in the Louisiana Derby and Preakness, in a Fair Grounds allowance next out. Donning blinkers for the first time in a February 1 allowance at the same track, the son of Harlan's Holiday fared worse when a well-beaten sixth behind eventual Illinois Derby hero Departing. General Election ran on Polytrack in his next three starts with some success. A come-from-behind winner of the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway by a half-length, the bay raced near the back of the field throughout the March 23 renewal of the Spiral over the same track. However, the colt rebounded with a strong runner-up showing in the Lexington at Keeneland when last seen April 20. His record now stands at 7-3-2-0, $211,110. Bred in Kentucky by Meg Buckley and Mike Buckley, General Election was a $150,000 OBS March two-year-old in training purchase. He was reared by the Kingmambo mare Menekineko, making him a half-brother to Ready's Echo, a non-stakes winner who placed in such prestigious Grade 1 events as the Belmont, Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and the Forego. Ready's Echo also placed in the Jamaica Handicap on turf. General Election's fourth dam was French champion Madelia, who captured both the French One Thousand Guineas and French Oaks. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Racing Headlines
Irish One Thousand Guineas attracts 16 fillies Just the Judge will face 15 rivals in Sunday's Irish One Thousand Guineas at The Curragh as she bids to regain the winning thread. Beaten a half-length by Sky Lantern when runner-up at Newmarket May 5 in the One Thousand Guineas, the Charlie Hills trainee carries stable confidence as she looks to provide her conditioner with a first classic success. "We'd have to be pretty optimistic, as she's come out of the race well and she ran her heart out there doing it the hard way," commented the son of the famed Barry Hills, who carried off this prize in 1993 and 1999. "She has the advantage of having had that run and this is more of a galloping track which will suit her. That is what attracted us to this race. "She's fit and well, it's a classic and there is no point in bypassing it. We're drawn two, so we're on the rail. We'll just jump her out, we don't want to be trapped two deep on that rail so I imagine we'd go slightly forward." Sixth in that Newmarket classic was Fred Darling winner Maureen, and the stable companion of Sky Lantern was proving that she stays this trip with a strong finishing effort there. "We weren't sure going into Newmarket whether she would stay the mile, but she finished the race off better than anything," Richard Hannon Jr. said. "We can be a little bit handier and, though she has a few lengths to find with Just the Judge, we think that she has a good each-way chance." There were no surprises at Friday's declaration stage, with One Thousand Guineas fifth Snow Queen set to sport a visor for the first time as she heads a trio from Ballydoyle. Of Aidan O'Brien's trio, Just Pretending could be one with the most to offer having made rapid progress in a hood, and she showed when winning the Derrinstown Stud One Thousand Guineas Trial at Leopardstown last time May 12 that she possesses the fight for this type of race. Trainer Dermot Weld knows what it takes to win the Irish One Thousand Guineas, and the master of Rosewell House has been making some encouraging noises about Big Break ahead of the latest edition of the Curragh classic. Successful four times since 1982, the veteran of the Irish training scene has been patient with Khalid Abdullah's full sister to the voracious pattern-race scorer Famous Name and kept her away from the earlier demands of the Newmarket or Longchamp equivalents. While she would prefer a better draw than the outside post she has received and the testing ground on which she emerged center stage in Leopardstown's Killavullan over seven furlongs in October, the homebred has the class to adapt. "It's probably too firm for her, but I'd be more concerned with the draw," Weld commented. "She's a good filly and is very well, so we just hope she gives a good account of herself." Another who would prefer the soft ground so often prevalent in this country is the May 6 Athasi scorer Viztoria, who had Ballydoyle's Snow Queen 7 1/2 lengths in arrears in the Blenheim over six furlongs here in September. Trainer Eddie Lynam told PA Sport, "She's unbeaten here in Ireland and the only time she has been beaten was in France (in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte). She's in very good form and everything has gone according to plan. Obviously it will be a very tough race and we've got that very good filly from England, Charlie Hills' Just the Judge. She has got a very good chance and looks the one we all have to beat." Trainer John Oxx relies on a pair of smart fillies in Harasiya and What Style, but the former who sports the silks of the Aga Khan needs easier ground than she is likely to get here. It was soft when she won the Silver Flash over seven furlongs at Leopardstown in July, while What Style will prefer these conditions to the testing ones she encountered when second in the April 14 Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial on only her second start. "Harasiya is a good filly, but may have a preference for softer ground," Oxx told PA Sport. "She has been a little slow to come to hand, but is pretty ready and we'll have to see how she goes on what we hope will be good ground. "What Style ran very well in second in the Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, when I didn't think she'd like the soft ground. This is a big step up again for her and she has a bit to find, but fast ground should suit her. Both her and Harasiya should enjoy a step up to a longer distance in due course." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Graded Recaps
Hogy makes the grade in Hanshin Cup
Hammers Terror was another 5 3/4 lengths adrift of Mister Marti Gras. "My horse ran good, but he needed two turns," said jockey Eduardo Perez, who rode the runner-up. "He was running good (at the top of the stretch), he never stops." Seruni, the 5-2 favorite, just held fourth by a three parts of a length over Patrioticandproud on the wire. Hattaash came next while Night Party, All Stormy and Nates Mineshaft completed the order of finish. Scatman was withdrawn. "I was in the one-hole and he prefers to be on the outside," noted Mike Smith, who was aboard the beaten favorite. "We were trying to work our way out the whole time. I finally got out, but by then they got into a really good pace and they flew home ahead of us. They must have been close to the track record." Hogy earned his first graded victory in the Hanshin Cup, and previously scored in a couple of stakes events at Canterbury and Turf Paradise the past couple of years. He placed in a trio of listed races in 2012, including the Straight Line over track and distance, and rallied to be just 2 1/4 lengths back in sixth in the Shakertown on Keeneland's turf prior to the Hanshin Cup. The dark bay four-year-old, who came to Becker's barn after being claimed last November at Hawthorne, has proven to be a smart purchase by his connections. Supplemented to the Hanshin Cup, he added the winner's share of $86,400 to his earnings and now boasts $332,802 to go along with a 16-9-2-2 career mark. Bred in Kentucky by Dr. John E. Little, Hogy is the first registered foal out of the Petionville mare Floy. His female family has also produced dual Grade 2 victor Charitable Man and this year's Risen Star nose second Code West, who is headed to the Belmont Stakes on June 8. Hogy's fifth dam is Broodmare of the Year Too Bald, making him a relative to multiple Grade 1-winning sires Broad Brush, Capote and Exceller. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Racing Headlines
Twelve set for Oaks at Epsom Roz is all set to be a first Oaks runner for trainer Harry Dunlop who hopes that Johnny Murtagh will ride the three-year-old in the fillies' classic on Friday, the first day of the Derby Festival at Epsom. Twelve fillies go for the Group 1, Ł426,250 Oaks, run over 1 1/2 miles, following Saturday's six-day confirmation and supplementary entry stage. As expected, Banoffee has been supplemented at a cost of Ł30,000 by trainer Hughie Morrison following her impressive success in the Cheshire Oaks on May 8, when she had the John Gosden-trained Gertrude Versed in second. Heading the market at 5-2 with Coral, official betting partner of the 2013 Derby Festival, is Secret Gesture, one of two entries going forward for trainer Ralph Beckett. The three-year-old daughter of Galileo was a facile 10-length winner of the Oaks Trial at Lingfield Park on May 11. Beckett's other entry is Talent, who also made a winning start to the season when taking the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 5. Beckett won the 2008 Oaks with Look Here. Liber Nauticus, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, became very prominent in the Oaks betting after winning the Musidora Stakes at York on May 15 and is unbeaten in two starts. Roz, sired by Teofilo, put up her best performance of 2012 when second in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in late September. She reappeared this year in the first British fillies' classic, the One Thousand Guineas, over a mile at Newmarket on May 5 when she finished 10th of 15 to Sky Lantern. The Dunlop family has a strong connection with the Oaks, with Harry's father John saddling Circus Plume (1984) and Salsabil (1990) to victory, while the 2004 scorer Ouija Board and the 2010 winner Snow Fairy were trained by his brother Ed. "The plan is to run Roz in the Oaks," Harry Dunlop revealed. "She has been fine since the Guineas and has come on a lot for the run. "They went a bit too quick for her at Newmarket and I'm hoping the longer distance in the Oaks will suit her. It was still an encouraging run at Newmarket but going that half a stride slower will give us a chance to get involved. "I don't think the course will hold any fears for her. I have been doing some work with her here on undulating gallops and she has obviously run at the Rowley Mile with that dip in there. I know that's nothing like Epsom and, although we are trying to do everything possible, we won't know until she tries it. "I think the Oaks is very open. Obviously, there are the top four or five but the likes of ourselves have every chance to be there. "Ralph Beckett's filly (Secret Gesture) looks the best on what we have seen but ultimately Sir Michael Stoute's filly (Liber Nauticus) could improve and then you have Moth for Aidan O'Brien. "Hopefully, Johnny Murtagh will ride Roz. It's a possibility and we have spoken to his agent and fingers crossed that's who we have got. "I wouldn't count on it until we have declared her but hopefully that is the plan. Johnny has won the Oaks before and the Derby three times so there is no better man than him around Epsom." O'Brien, seeking a fifth Oaks victory, has retained three entries, headed by One Thousand Guineas third Moth. She is likely to be joined by stablemate Say, runaway winner of a 12-furlong maiden at Cork on May 10, while Snow Queen goes for Sunday's Irish One Thousand Guineas at the Curragh. Michael Bell, successful with Sariska in 2009, is likely to be doubly represented by The Lark, who is out of a half-sister to Sariska, and Madame Defarge, who was third behind Talent at Newmarket. Completing the possible line-up for the 2013 Oaks is Miss You Too, a David Simcock trainee who was second to Secret Gesture at Lingfield. Dubaya, Masarah and Planete Bleue were all taken out of the field on Saturday. Day Two of the Derby Festival at Epsom Downs takes place next Saturday and features Britain's richest race and premier classic, the Derby, and the Coronation Cup. The going description at Epsom Downs changed Saturday morning to good, good to soft in places from good after 9 millimeters of rain Friday. Andrew Cooper, head of racing and clerk of the course at Epsom, gave an update on the ground. "It is generally on the slower side of good, and I am pleased with the condition of the course," Cooper said Saturday. "Today, tomorrow and Monday are meant to be dry and at the moment we are forecast an unsettled spell on Tuesday and Wednesday." For more information, visit the Road to the Derby microsite, www.theroadtothederby.co.uk. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Graded Recaps
Imposing Grace wins stretch duel in Arlington Matron
Imposing Grace ran against graded company for the first time earlier this month in the La Troienne, finishing sixth. In her two previous starts before the La Troienne she was runner-up in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes and Tiffany Lass Stakes. The dark bay broke her maiden over the Polytrack at Arlington in only her second career start back in July of last year. Imposing Grace banked $87,300 for her first stakes win to boost her bankroll to $241,320 from an 11-4-4-0 career line. The daughter of Empire Maker was bred in Kentucky by Briland Farm and Mr. & Mrs. Robert O. Mitchell, and is out of the unraced Gold Legend mare Chao Praya, who produced Grade 3 winner and multiple Grade 2-placed Level Playingfield. Her third dam is Private Will, who produced stakes scorer Luramore. Imposing Grace sold as a yearling for $75,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected sale in 2010. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Triple Crown News & Notes
Stewart postpones Golden Soul's work for a few days Golden Soul, runner-up to Orb in the Kentucky Derby, was scheduled to breeze at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning, but trainer Dallas Stewart called an audible and delayed serious training for another few days. "He had a really good day galloping, but I passed on working him this morning," Stewart said. "He ran a great race in the Derby, but it was a hard race on him and his appetite is still coming back." Charles Fipke's homebred son of Perfect Soul is still on track for the $1 million Belmont Stakes on June 8. "I was going to give him two works, but now I'm looking at just one," Stewart said. "I'll likely breeze him the middle of this week on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. That will give him about eight or nine days between the work and the race." Golden Soul has a record of 1-3-0 from six starts with earnings of $517,400. His lone victory came when he broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths at Fair Grounds in December. The chestnut colt made his sophomore debut a runner-up effort behind Preakness Stakes victor Oxbow on January 19 at that same track in the Lecomte. He followed that up with a sixth-placing, beaten just three lengths, in the Risen Star prior to a rallying fourth in the Louisiana Derby. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Racing Headlines
On Fire Baby, Pool Play among workers readying for upcoming Churchill stakes Anita Cauley's homebred On Fire Baby continued her preparations for the Grade 2, $175,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap on June 15 with a seven-furlong breeze in 1:26 1/5 over the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning. Working under regular rider Joe Johnson, the gray daughter of Smoke Glacken recorded fractions of :13, :25 1/5, :37 1/5 and 1:01 4/5 before galloping out a mile in 1:40 3/5. "She worked great and now she's back in her stall munching on hay," Cauley said following the work. "She seems really happy. Knock on wood, everything is good." On Fire Baby began her 2013 campaign with a half-length victory in the Apple Blossom Handicap and then finished a head behind Authenticity in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. "I was so proud of her," Cauley said. "Both of those fillies wanted to win so badly and that's what horse racing is all about." The four-year-old miss completed the Pocahontas-Golden Rod double at Churchill Downs as a juvenile, and has won half of her 10 while accumulating $720,308 in lifetime earnings. Trainer Mark Casse had a pair of his stable stars working at Churchill on Saturday as well. Pool Play, winner of the 2011 Stephen Foster, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 following a pair of sixth-place runs against graded rivals in his last two. "We were looking for an easy work and that's what he got," assistant trainer Norman Casse said of the five-year-old. "I thought he worked great." Pool Play opened his 2013 campaign with a close second in the Hal's Hope but proceeded to be sixth in his next two against graded rivals. The dark bay son of Silver Deputy is under consideration for this year's edition of the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster, which will also take place on June 15 under the Twin Spires. Stablemate Uncaptured, who completed the Iroquois-Kentucky Jockey Club double last year at Churchill, breezed five furlongs in 1:02 on Saturday for Casse. The Lion Heart sophomore was voted Canada's Horse of the Year and champion two-year-old male of 2012 after scoring in all but one of his seven starts last season. Most recently second in the Wando at Woodbine, Uncaptured is being pointed toward the Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn on the Stephen Foster undercard. Kenny McPeek sent out his candidate for the Stephen Foster, Golden Ticket, along with Frac Daddy to record moves on Saturday. Golden Ticket, who finished in a dead-heat for the win with Alpha in last year's Travers, breezed four furlongs in :51 3/5. The four-year-old son of Speightstown has finished third and fourth in two Grade 3 contests that were sandwiched between a pair of easy optional claiming victories thus far this season. Frac Daddy, runner-up in the Arkansas Derby and most recently 16th in the Kentucky Derby, breezed a half-mile in :47 1/5. It was the fastest half-mile work of 59 at the distance. McPeek said the Scat Daddy colt is being pointed toward an allowance race. Frac Daddy's lone win in seven career starts came when he broke his maiden by 9 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs last November. Silver Max, winner of last year's Virginia Derby and American Turf, and most recently fourth in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 for trainer Dale Romans. The Badge of Silver four-year-old recorded the fourth fastest work of 27 at the distance. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com YouTube sensation Spicer Cub returns without incident
The duo then raced between the parked starting gate and the outside rail in midstretch and closed determinedly under strong urging to just miss winning, losing by a nose to Turbin. The race replay has been viewed more than 116,000 times on YouTube, more than any other race on the Maryland Racing page. "It was a solid effort," Perez said. "I was very happy there was a horse outside of me around the far turn because he did look around at the same spot. I can take a big exhale and get on with the rest of the afternoon." The starting gate crew took extra precaution this time around by moving the gate all the way up the stretch past the finish line after the horses broke from the gate. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Magician flaunts his power in Irish Two Thousand Guineas The Aidan O'Brien-trained Magician, who had shown a devastating burst of speed in the about 1 5/16-mile Dee Stakes at Chester last out, deployed that same weapon when shortening up to a mile in Saturday's Group 1 Irish Two Thousand Guineas at the Curragh. Although the Galileo colt was somewhat surprisingly left in this classic after capturing that May 10 trial for the Derby, the drop back in trip was not as stark as it appeared on paper. Chester's famously tight circuit doesn't make the Dee a stamina test, while the Curragh's mile is staged over a more demanding course. Magician also figured to inherit quality speed from the maternal half of his pedigree, and Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier's runner proved that he has it in spades. Jockey Joseph O'Brien, who chose Magician in preference to his father's three other entrants, positioned him in a stalking spot in the early going. Up front, Trading Leather was winging it. The Jim Bolger pupil was another cutting back in trip, having finished second to Derby-bound Libertarian in the May 16 Dante at York, and he intended to make use of his stamina here. Magician traveled conspicuously well just off the strong pace, and cruised up to challenge the longtime leader down the straight. Picking up impressively, he surged clear about a furlong from home and had 3 1/2 lengths to spare at the line. The clock reinforced the visual evidence, with a sprightly final time of 1:36 4/5 on the good-to-firm turf. Stablemate Gale Force Ten overtook Trading Leather for runner-up honors by 1 1/2 lengths, handing Ballydoyle the exacta. Aidan O'Brien was extending his record grip on the Irish Two Thousand Guineas with this ninth victory, and third straight, following Roderic O'Connor (2011) and Power (2012). The last trio of winners were all ridden by Joseph. Havana Gold reported home fourth. Next came First Cornerstone; the remaining O'Brien pair of Flying the Flag and George Vancouver; 5-2 favorite Van Der Neer, the third-placer in Newmarket's Two Thousand Guineas who failed to flatter Dawn Approach's form; and the two trained by jockey Johnny Murtagh, Fort Knox and Ask Dad. Magician advanced his record to 6-3-1-0. The bay took three tries to break his maiden, but accomplished that in style when romping by six lengths at this course and distance last October. Magician wheeled back 13 days later for the Killavullan at Leopardstown, only to find trouble in running and retreat to last. He is different proposition now, and is a good-looking two-for-two this season. Magician's opportunity in the Irish Guineas came at least partly as the result of stablemate Cristoforo Colombo missing the race. "Aidan had to rethink his plans for this race after Cristoforo Colombo had a setback," the trainer's wife, Anne Marie, told irishracing.com. The trainer credited the Coolmore ownership team with making the final call. "Cristoforo Colombo wasn't 100 percent, but the owners made the right decision to come here with this horse," the trainer added. "He's a beautiful horse and has a lot of options now. I imagine next week (the June 1 Derby at Epsom) might come too quick for him. We'll look forward to Ascot. He could go for the (June 18) St James' Palace Stakes." Coolmore supremo John Magnier wasn't quite ready to rule out Epsom. "He was impressive," Magnier told racingpost.com. "This is an improving horse and being by Galileo he should stay further. We've done crazy things before so we could run him at Epsom. "I'm saying it tongue-in-cheek, but we could. We'll savor the moment and not get carried away." The Irish-bred Magician is out of Group 3-placed stakes heroine Absolutelyfabulous, a daughter of European champion sprinter Mozart. This is the black-type-rich family of Irish highweight and dual classic winner Henrythenavigator, who won this race in 2008, and Saffron Walden, the 1999 Irish Guineas hero. Also at the Curragh on Saturday, Chigun continued her upward progression for Sir Henry Cecil with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Group 3 Ridgewood Pearl. Racing keenly toward the rear early, she was niggled at by Tom Queally inside the final three furlongs and responded with a flourish to roll by La Collina passing the furlong pole and on to a convincing win. "That ground was lively enough, but this opens up some doors for Royal Ascot," her jockey said. "I had a moment's worry at halfway, but I was reluctant to throw the kitchen sink at her on this quicker ground in case she got unbalanced. She had the class to deal with it and is progressive." Chigun was off the mark by 10 lengths on her fourth start at Salisbury last June and was back in the winner's spot two starts later following a handicap at Ascot in early September before trying black-type company in Newmarket's Rosemary Stakes later that month. Making it count at the first attempt there, the bay returned to run second to Dank in that track's Dahlia over nine furlongs last out on May 5. The Group 3 Greenlands had a wide-open feel to it after the withdrawal of Maarek, and it was left to Hitchens to edge out his rivals and claim a second renewal to his record. Following his first pattern-race success in this in 2011 with a game fourth 12 months ago, the bay returned on the back of a fruitless spell in Dubai and in his native Britain. Close up behind the stand's-side pace traveling strongly throughout the early stages, he found a gap to enter contention approaching the furlong pole and after joining Reply with 150 yards remaining gradually asserted by a neck in the run to the line. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Flat Out puts flawless Belmont record on line in Met Mile
The bay's versatility was on display for the latter victory, on April 27. After making a wide rally on the far turn, Flat Out eventually wore down a loose-on-the lead Cross Traffic in the final strides to win by a head. The final time for a mile, 1:32 4/5, was only three-fifths of a second off the track record. Cross Traffic, who was making only his third career start in the Westchester, is back to re-oppose. The Todd Pletcher trained son of Unbridled's Song captured his first two starts at Gulfstream over the winter and was an even-money favorite in the Westchester, but simply tired late after setting demanding splits of :22 3/5, :45 1/5 and 1:08 4/5. The gray will have to be on his toes as he drew post 1 in the Metropolitan, and with plenty of other speed to his outside. "It's pretty rare that you see a horse who has come that far in such a short time," Pletcher said. "He was an unraced four-year-old at the start of the year. He ran a huge race in the Westchester. He just lost to a tough, seasoned veteran who seems to love Belmont. We were very pleased with his race, and he's doing just as well or even better than he came into (the Westchester)."
Mark Valeski returns to the site of one of his biggest wins, the 2012 Peter Pan 12 over 1 1/8 miles. Unfortunately sidelined the for the remainder of the year, the Proud Citizen colt won the Mineshaft Handicap and placed in the Louisiana and New Orleans handicaps during a busy winter campaign at Fair Grounds. The Larry Jones trainee could be sitting on a big race following two recent bullet works at Churchill Downs. "He handled the track real well (in the Peter Pan), and even though the race was a mile and an eighth he showed he liked the one turn," trainer Larry Jones said. "He broke his maiden in a sprint, and he has more speed to burn than we normally let him use. They'll be churning and burning out there, so he'll have more pace to run at, but he blew out well the other day and showed he's sharp." Fed Biz, who represents Bob Baffert, has early foot but can also rate if the pace gets too heated. The Giant's Causeway colt registered his biggest win to date in January when taking the 1 1/16-mile San Fernando in wire-to-wire fashion. The Met Mile field is completed by Handsome Mike, whose form has been generally lackadaisical since his upset of the Pennsylvania Derby last September. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Camelot meets Al Kazeem in Tattersalls Gold Cup Now a vital part of the Irish racing calendar, Sunday's Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh has become the race that relaunches luminaries thanks mainly to the importance that Coolmore has placed on it in recent times. Following the success of Montjeu at the turn of the millennium, the likes of Hurricane Run, Duke of Marmalade and So You Think have bolstered their already impressive resumes here and there will be some disappointed people among that mighty operation if Camelot does not follow suit. For so much of last season the poster boy of the classic generation, Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier's beau ideal came unstuck in the St Leger at Doncaster in September and bowed out with a no-show in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp the following month. Now fully recovered from a life-threatening bout of colic, the Two Thousand Guineas and Epsom and Irish Derby hero looked to have kept all his zip when staging a winning return in easy style in the Mooresbridge S. over this track and 10-furlong trip May 6. "He had a nice comeback run and did exactly what was hoped," Joseph O'Brien told PA Sport. "The small field won't matter to him, it doesn't make a difference if they go quick or slow. If they go quick he can sit handy and if they go slow he's got that turn of foot. He stays the trip well enough and it will be decent ground, so I'm looking forward to it as he's a real good-ground horse." While this race has not been kind to British raiders recently, the presence of Al Kazeem makes this race more interesting than it otherwise would have been. Impressive when annexing the Jockey Club at Newmarket a year ago, John Deer's bay returned from a spell on the sidelines to pick up where he left off in Sandown's Gordon Richards over 10 furlongs last time April 27. The third on that occasion, Ektihaam, has since boosted the form at Ascot and trainer Roger Charlton is expecting a bold show. "I've been hugely impressed by Camelot from the moment I saw him at Tattersalls Sales as a young horse and he's very talented," he told PA Sport. "It would have been disappointing for racing if we hadn't turned up. "Realistically, Camelot has won five Group 1s and we are running in one for the first time, so we have a bit to prove but I think it's fair to say Al Kazeem has improved. It could be a muddle of a race with a small field and obviously Camelot has a good turn of foot, so it's a tough situation." Sunday's Group 3 Gallinule was a favorite race of the late Dr. Vincent O'Brien, and although it seems incredible that the maestro's record of 15 wins is under threat, that is the case as the latest composer of the orchestra at Ballydoyle seeks his 12th today. Namesake Aidan has unleashed few of the stable's stars in this Irish Derby prep, but Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor's Leading Light could yet live up to his name if his latest performance is a guide. Making all to score by seven lengths from the stakes performer Dibayani in a 10-furlong conditions event at Navan on his sophomore debut May 7, he had the re-opposing Fighter Squadron a further 2 1/4 lengths back in third in a striking display. Two colts already proven in black-type company are Neil Jones's Little White Cloud and Robert Ng's Sruthan. The former held his own against the big guns when third in Leopardstown's Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial a fortnight ago, while Sruthan impressed when annexing the Tetrarch Stakes over seven furlongs at this circuit May 6. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Irish One Thousand Guineas attracts 16 fillies Just the Judge will face 15 rivals in Sunday's Irish One Thousand Guineas at The Curragh as she bids to regain the winning thread. Beaten a half-length by Sky Lantern when runner-up at Newmarket May 5 in the One Thousand Guineas, the Charlie Hills trainee carries stable confidence as she looks to provide her conditioner with a first classic success. "We'd have to be pretty optimistic, as she's come out of the race well and she ran her heart out there doing it the hard way," commented the son of the famed Barry Hills, who carried off this prize in 1993 and 1999. "She has the advantage of having had that run and this is more of a galloping track which will suit her. That is what attracted us to this race. "She's fit and well, it's a classic and there is no point in bypassing it. We're drawn two, so we're on the rail. We'll just jump her out, we don't want to be trapped two deep on that rail so I imagine we'd go slightly forward." Sixth in that Newmarket classic was Fred Darling winner Maureen, and the stable companion of Sky Lantern was proving that she stays this trip with a strong finishing effort there. "We weren't sure going into Newmarket whether she would stay the mile, but she finished the race off better than anything," Richard Hannon Jr. said. "We can be a little bit handier and, though she has a few lengths to find with Just the Judge, we think that she has a good each-way chance." There were no surprises at Friday's declaration stage, with One Thousand Guineas fifth Snow Queen set to sport a visor for the first time as she heads a trio from Ballydoyle. Of Aidan O'Brien's trio, Just Pretending could be one with the most to offer having made rapid progress in a hood, and she showed when winning the Derrinstown Stud One Thousand Guineas Trial at Leopardstown last time May 12 that she possesses the fight for this type of race. Trainer Dermot Weld knows what it takes to win the Irish One Thousand Guineas, and the master of Rosewell House has been making some encouraging noises about Big Break ahead of the latest edition of the Curragh classic. Successful four times since 1982, the veteran of the Irish training scene has been patient with Khalid Abdullah's full sister to the voracious pattern-race scorer Famous Name and kept her away from the earlier demands of the Newmarket or Longchamp equivalents. While she would prefer a better draw than the outside post she has received and the testing ground on which she emerged center stage in Leopardstown's Killavullan over seven furlongs in October, the homebred has the class to adapt. "It's probably too firm for her, but I'd be more concerned with the draw," Weld commented. "She's a good filly and is very well, so we just hope she gives a good account of herself." Another who would prefer the soft ground so often prevalent in this country is the May 6 Athasi scorer Viztoria, who had Ballydoyle's Snow Queen 7 1/2 lengths in arrears in the Blenheim over six furlongs here in September. Trainer Eddie Lynam told PA Sport, "She's unbeaten here in Ireland and the only time she has been beaten was in France (in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte). She's in very good form and everything has gone according to plan. Obviously it will be a very tough race and we've got that very good filly from England, Charlie Hills' Just the Judge. She has got a very good chance and looks the one we all have to beat." Trainer John Oxx relies on a pair of smart fillies in Harasiya and What Style, but the former who sports the silks of the Aga Khan needs easier ground than she is likely to get here. It was soft when she won the Silver Flash over seven furlongs at Leopardstown in July, while What Style will prefer these conditions to the testing ones she encountered when second in the April 14 Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial on only her second start. "Harasiya is a good filly, but may have a preference for softer ground," Oxx told PA Sport. "She has been a little slow to come to hand, but is pretty ready and we'll have to see how she goes on what we hope will be good ground. "What Style ran very well in second in the Guineas Trial at Leopardstown, when I didn't think she'd like the soft ground. This is a big step up again for her and she has a bit to find, but fast ground should suit her. Both her and Harasiya should enjoy a step up to a longer distance in due course." Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Joyful Victory, Disposablepleasure meet in Phipps; Kauai Katie highlights Acorn
The gray mare netted BRIS Speed ratings of 112 (Santa Margarita) and 107 for those impressive performances. Rosie Napravnik will retain the mount for trainer Larry Jones and Joyful Victory promises to show speed from her innermost post position in the 1 1/16-mile Phipps. Disposablepleasure posted her first stakes win in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in 2011, but her sophomore campaign got off to a slow start and she appeared to tail off at the end of the year following a pair of runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and Grade 1 Mother Goose. The gray Giacomo filly has come back with a vengeance so far in 2013, opening with a good-looking score over optional claiming at Gulfstream Park before posting a 3 1/2-length romp in the Grade 3 Sixty Sails at Hawthorne, running the 1 1/8-mile distance faster than Illinois Derby winner Departing later on the same program. The Todd Pletcher-trained filly registered a career-best 103 BRIS Speed rating in the Sixty Sails and should appreciate the return to Belmont Park, where Disposablepleasure has produced a win and a close second from two previous attempts. Javier Castellano will be back in the saddle. Jones will also saddle 2012 Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can, who exits a third in the Grade 2 La Troienne on May 4, and Pletcher has a second starter in La Troienne winner Authenticity. Multiple Grade 3 queen Tiz Miz Sue, runner-up in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom most recently, and longshot Centring round out the Phipps field.
Midnight Lucky and Close Hatches will both look to reverse fortunes after recording unplaced finishes in the Kentucky Oaks. Midnight Lucky sustained her first defeat after setting the pace, weakening to fifth in the stretch, and trainer Bob Baffert hopes the cutback in trip will benefit her. The gray daughter of Midnight Lute opened her racing career in mid-February with a 7 1/4-length win over maiden special weight rivals at Santa Anita and then produced an eye-catching eight-length victory in the March 24 Sunland Oaks. She drew well in post 5 with new rider Napravnik. Close Hatches, who is by First Defence, captured her first three starts before a disappointing seventh in the Oaks in which she never fired. Winner of the Grade 2 Gazelle at Aqueduct two back, defeating subsequent Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar in the process, the Bill Mott-trained filly will keep Joel Rosario in the saddle Saturday. The rest of the field is comprised of Cue the Moon, Let Me Entertain U and Momentary Magic. In the $200,000 Sands Point, Watsdachances figures to go postward as a solid favorite in the 1 1/16-mile event on inner turf. Winner of the Grade 3 Miss Grillo and P.G. Johnson, she completed her two-year-old season with an excellent second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Chad Brown trainee made a belated three-year-old bow, rallying for fourth as the odds-on choice in the Grade 3 Appalachian on April 18, and is eligible to show much more following the tightener. Appalachian winner Unbelievable Dream is also part of the seven-horse field that includes a main-track only runner. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Marketing to Mix it up with Lady of Shamrock in Gamely
Marketing Mix was scheduled to reappear in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day, but the rain-softened ground prompted connections to scratch her. Sure to get the firm turf she relishes in sunny Southern California, she also picks up the services of Hall of Famer Gary Stevens. Lady of Shamrock was among last year's leading sophomore turf fillies. A dynamic winner of the American Oaks over the Hollywood turf, the Scat Daddy filly went last to first in the Del Mar Oaks, notching her fifth career stakes score. Although she has been convincing against members of her own generation, Lady of Shamrock has yet to cross the wire first since tackling distaffers of all ages. In her return in the March 24 Santa Ana, she got off to a slow start, rallied off a tepid pace, and settled for second. Lady of Shamrock next met with interference in the April 20 Santa Barbara, where she was awarded the victory via disqualification. Following the Santa Barbara, which was another paceless affair, Sadler commented that he would likely employ a pacemaker to set up Lady of Shamrock's closing kick. Miss Ellany, in the same ownership as Lady of Shamrock, has the look of one in the Gamely. Although she's shown no speed in two U.S. starts, the daughter of sprinter Kodiac had raced on or near the lead in Great Britain. The rider switch to Martin Pedroza tips the hand, and Miss Ellany promises to carve out honest fractions from the rail. The Gamely is not merely a match race. Tiz Flirtatious upset Lady of Shamrock when getting the jump on the favorite in the Santa Ana last out. Never out of the exacta in five turf starts, the Marty Jones mare also finished second in last fall's Matriarch and Robert J. Frankel. Fellow California-bred Halo Dolly captured the local prep, the April 28 Wilshire, and boasts 15 wins from 29 career starts. Owned in partnership by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Halo Dolly rates as the 123-pound co-highweight along with Marketing Mix and Lady of Shamrock. My Gi Gi barely held on from Lady of Shamrock in the Honeymoon Handicap over this course and 1 1/8-mile trip last June, but was no match for her in their subsequent meetings. She has not raced since checking in fifth to Marketing Mix in the September 29 Rodeo Drive and appears up against it here. Former Peruvian champion Private Affair likewise must improve considerably to factor.
Camp Victory, promoted to first in the 2011 Los Angeles on the disqualification of Amazombie, was only third in 2012 and now seeks to regain his title. The Mike Mitchell trainee has won just once in the interim, in last summer's Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood, and made no impact when fifth in his return in the Potrero Grande. Camp Victory has been training forwardly, however, and could be on the verge of a rebound. The Cody Autrey-trained Tiz Tee Time takes a class hike off a wire job at Oaklawn Park on April 13, but keeps Stevens in the saddle. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Twelve set for Oaks at Epsom Roz is all set to be a first Oaks runner for trainer Harry Dunlop who hopes that Johnny Murtagh will ride the three-year-old in the fillies' classic on Friday, the first day of the Derby Festival at Epsom. Twelve fillies go for the Group 1, Ł426,250 Oaks, run over 1 1/2 miles, following Saturday's six-day confirmation and supplementary entry stage. As expected, Banoffee has been supplemented at a cost of Ł30,000 by trainer Hughie Morrison following her impressive success in the Cheshire Oaks on May 8, when she had the John Gosden-trained Gertrude Versed in second. Heading the market at 5-2 with Coral, official betting partner of the 2013 Derby Festival, is Secret Gesture, one of two entries going forward for trainer Ralph Beckett. The three-year-old daughter of Galileo was a facile 10-length winner of the Oaks Trial at Lingfield Park on May 11. Beckett's other entry is Talent, who also made a winning start to the season when taking the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket on May 5. Beckett won the 2008 Oaks with Look Here. Liber Nauticus, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, became very prominent in the Oaks betting after winning the Musidora Stakes at York on May 15 and is unbeaten in two starts. Roz, sired by Teofilo, put up her best performance of 2012 when second in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket in late September. She reappeared this year in the first British fillies' classic, the One Thousand Guineas, over a mile at Newmarket on May 5 when she finished 10th of 15 to Sky Lantern. The Dunlop family has a strong connection with the Oaks, with Harry's father John saddling Circus Plume (1984) and Salsabil (1990) to victory, while the 2004 scorer Ouija Board and the 2010 winner Snow Fairy were trained by his brother Ed. "The plan is to run Roz in the Oaks," Harry Dunlop revealed. "She has been fine since the Guineas and has come on a lot for the run. "They went a bit too quick for her at Newmarket and I'm hoping the longer distance in the Oaks will suit her. It was still an encouraging run at Newmarket but going that half a stride slower will give us a chance to get involved. "I don't think the course will hold any fears for her. I have been doing some work with her here on undulating gallops and she has obviously run at the Rowley Mile with that dip in there. I know that's nothing like Epsom and, although we are trying to do everything possible, we won't know until she tries it. "I think the Oaks is very open. Obviously, there are the top four or five but the likes of ourselves have every chance to be there. "Ralph Beckett's filly (Secret Gesture) looks the best on what we have seen but ultimately Sir Michael Stoute's filly (Liber Nauticus) could improve and then you have Moth for Aidan O'Brien. "Hopefully, Johnny Murtagh will ride Roz. It's a possibility and we have spoken to his agent and fingers crossed that's who we have got. "I wouldn't count on it until we have declared her but hopefully that is the plan. Johnny has won the Oaks before and the Derby three times so there is no better man than him around Epsom." O'Brien, seeking a fifth Oaks victory, has retained three entries, headed by One Thousand Guineas third Moth. She is likely to be joined by stablemate Say, runaway winner of a 12-furlong maiden at Cork on May 10, while Snow Queen goes for Sunday's Irish One Thousand Guineas at the Curragh. Michael Bell, successful with Sariska in 2009, is likely to be doubly represented by The Lark, who is out of a half-sister to Sariska, and Madame Defarge, who was third behind Talent at Newmarket. Completing the possible line-up for the 2013 Oaks is Miss You Too, a David Simcock trainee who was second to Secret Gesture at Lingfield. Dubaya, Masarah and Planete Bleue were all taken out of the field on Saturday. Day Two of the Derby Festival at Epsom Downs takes place next Saturday and features Britain's richest race and premier classic, the Derby, and the Coronation Cup. The going description at Epsom Downs changed Saturday morning to good, good to soft in places from good after 9 millimeters of rain Friday. Andrew Cooper, head of racing and clerk of the course at Epsom, gave an update on the ground. "It is generally on the slower side of good, and I am pleased with the condition of the course," Cooper said Saturday. "Today, tomorrow and Monday are meant to be dry and at the moment we are forecast an unsettled spell on Tuesday and Wednesday." For more information, visit the Road to the Derby microsite, www.theroadtothederby.co.uk. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Winning Cause bids to stay perfect on Polytrack in Marine
Ghost Hunter, runner-up to Winning Cause in that Keeneland allowance two back, was most recently a close third in a Churchill Downs allowance on Derby Day. The Ghostzapper colt was edged by the well-regarded Bellarmine and Code West, who has since come back to win impressively at Pimlico and is on course for the June 8 Belmont Stakes. Ghost Hunter was subsequently transferred from Kim Chapman to David Cotey, and he will make his debut for the barn here. Five Iron has twice finished second in local stakes. Best of the rest behind eventual Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured in last September's Swynford, the Brian Lynch colt was a closing runner-up in the April 21 Woodstock last time out. The form was boosted when Woodstock winner Dan the Tin Man came back to score in the Tom Ridge at Presque Isle, but Five Iron has a bit to prove at this longer trip. Completing the short field are recent allowance winner Drenched and Ontario-bred maiden scorer Silent Admirer.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com On Fire Baby, Pool Play among workers readying for upcoming Churchill stakes Anita Cauley's homebred On Fire Baby continued her preparations for the Grade 2, $175,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap on June 15 with a seven-furlong breeze in 1:26 1/5 over the fast main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning. Working under regular rider Joe Johnson, the gray daughter of Smoke Glacken recorded fractions of :13, :25 1/5, :37 1/5 and 1:01 4/5 before galloping out a mile in 1:40 3/5. "She worked great and now she's back in her stall munching on hay," Cauley said following the work. "She seems really happy. Knock on wood, everything is good." On Fire Baby began her 2013 campaign with a half-length victory in the Apple Blossom Handicap and then finished a head behind Authenticity in the La Troienne at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day. "I was so proud of her," Cauley said. "Both of those fillies wanted to win so badly and that's what horse racing is all about." The four-year-old miss completed the Pocahontas-Golden Rod double at Churchill Downs as a juvenile, and has won half of her 10 while accumulating $720,308 in lifetime earnings. Trainer Mark Casse had a pair of his stable stars working at Churchill on Saturday as well. Pool Play, winner of the 2011 Stephen Foster, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 following a pair of sixth-place runs against graded rivals in his last two. "We were looking for an easy work and that's what he got," assistant trainer Norman Casse said of the five-year-old. "I thought he worked great." Pool Play opened his 2013 campaign with a close second in the Hal's Hope but proceeded to be sixth in his next two against graded rivals. The dark bay son of Silver Deputy is under consideration for this year's edition of the Grade 1, $500,000 Stephen Foster, which will also take place on June 15 under the Twin Spires. Stablemate Uncaptured, who completed the Iroquois-Kentucky Jockey Club double last year at Churchill, breezed five furlongs in 1:02 on Saturday for Casse. The Lion Heart sophomore was voted Canada's Horse of the Year and champion two-year-old male of 2012 after scoring in all but one of his seven starts last season. Most recently second in the Wando at Woodbine, Uncaptured is being pointed toward the Grade 3, $100,000 Matt Winn on the Stephen Foster undercard. Kenny McPeek sent out his candidate for the Stephen Foster, Golden Ticket, along with Frac Daddy to record moves on Saturday. Golden Ticket, who finished in a dead-heat for the win with Alpha in last year's Travers, breezed four furlongs in :51 3/5. The four-year-old son of Speightstown has finished third and fourth in two Grade 3 contests that were sandwiched between a pair of easy optional claiming victories thus far this season. Frac Daddy, runner-up in the Arkansas Derby and most recently 16th in the Kentucky Derby, breezed a half-mile in :47 1/5. It was the fastest half-mile work of 59 at the distance. McPeek said the Scat Daddy colt is being pointed toward an allowance race. Frac Daddy's lone win in seven career starts came when he broke his maiden by 9 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs last November. Silver Max, winner of last year's Virginia Derby and American Turf, and most recently fourth in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 for trainer Dale Romans. The Badge of Silver four-year-old recorded the fourth fastest work of 27 at the distance. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com YouTube sensation Spicer Cub returns without incident
The duo then raced between the parked starting gate and the outside rail in midstretch and closed determinedly under strong urging to just miss winning, losing by a nose to Turbin. The race replay has been viewed more than 116,000 times on YouTube, more than any other race on the Maryland Racing page. "It was a solid effort," Perez said. "I was very happy there was a horse outside of me around the far turn because he did look around at the same spot. I can take a big exhale and get on with the rest of the afternoon." The starting gate crew took extra precaution this time around by moving the gate all the way up the stretch past the finish line after the horses broke from the gate. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com In brief Ordak Dan (Hidden Truth) made his Group 1 debut a winning one in Saturday's Gran Premio 25 de Mayo (Arg-G1) at San Isidro, and earned an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) in this Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event. Traveling confidently early, the dark bay took the lead at the top of the stretch and fended off Soy Carambolo (Val Royal) for the upset victory. Ordak Dan's 95-year-old owner Saturnino Erro described the victory as "the greatest of my life", and when asked about the possibility of traveling to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup, he said, "of course I will go." Jockey Pablo Carrizo added: "The horse did great in the mornings, and he ran his best race. I won with him in the maiden last January, but he has improved a lot from that time. To go to the United States and run in the Breeders' Cup would be a dream come true, but first we will wait on his owner and trainer's decision."...
All eyes were on Reckless Abandon (Exchange Rate) in Saturday's Temple (Eng-G2) at Haydock, but it was an old-timer in Kingsgate Native (Mujadil) and not the younger runner who prevailed in this dash. Formerly an exciting stallion prospect for Cheveley Park Stud as a result of his successes in the 2007 Nunthorpe S. (Eng-G1) and following year's Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1), the bay proved an underachiever in that sphere and was duly sent to Sir Michael Stoute for his return to racing. Victorious in this race three years ago, he was runner-up to Sole Power (Kyllachy) the following year, and it was that rival that he surrendered to again on his latest start in Newmarket's Palace House S. (Eng-G3) over this five-furlong trip three weeks ago. Traveling with all his old verve among the stand's-side group early, he took over from Sole Power passing the furlong pole and was on top of the far-side leader Reckless Abandon with 100 yards remaining as Swiss Spirit (Invincible Spirit) found top gear too late. "He's been an amazing horse, and (trainer) Robert Cowell has done the most fantastic job with him, as have the vets in Newmarket," the Stud's Managing Director Chris Richardson said. "He comes back every time, and the King's Stand S. ([Eng-G1] at Royal Ascot June 18) would be very possible if he comes out of this OK." Trainer Clive Cox was pleased with the effort of the previously unbeaten Reckless Abandon, who was racing under a penalty here and is looking to Royal Ascot now. "That will put him on his game completely," he told PA Sport. "He had a Group 1 penalty, and that probably just made the difference. We are over the moon with him. The (firm) ground was no problem and we are pretty versatile on any ground, which is great news. We came here before Ascot because they need that race to put them on their game, and I'm hoping that's done it."... Australia's three-year-olds have displayed a strong showing in weight-for-age prizes this autumn and, with the recent retirement of star sophomores Pierro and All Too Hard, Darley homebred Epaulette (Commands) may have jumped to the top of his generation when recording his second Group 1 victory in the Doomben 10,000 Saturday. Winner of the Golden Rose (Aus-G1) and Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Aus-G3) last term, the regally-bred Epaulette failed to emulate his elder brother Helmet in the Caulfield Guineas (Aus-G1), finishing third. He returned from an extended layoff to finish second to Black Caviar in the T.J. Smith S. (Aus-G1) April 13, and was most recently sixth in the wake of that star mare's talented younger half-brother All Too Hard in the All Aged S. (Aus-G1) April 27. Chasing a swift pace from the back of the pack here, Epaulette weaved his way through field in the lane and got to the lead at the 200-meter mark to score a comfortable victory. The result was marred by the fatal breakdown of veteran performer and multiple Group 1 winner Rangirangdoo, who broke both front sesamoids at the 600-meter mark. Epaulette's trainer Peter Snowden revealed after the race that the colt, who added a visor to his equipment for this race on advice of jockey Kerrin McEvoy, would be pointed to the Stradbroke H. (Aus-G1) at Eagle Farm June 8... Having found What a Winter (Western Winter) too strong in both the Cape Flying Championship (SAf-G1) at Kenilworth January 26 and Computaform Sprint (SAf-G1) at Turffontein April 27, Via Africa (Var) emerged out of the shadow of that contemporary to shine in her own right in the South African Fillies Sprint (SAf-G1) at Scottsville Saturday. Previously successful in the Southern Cross S. (SAf-G2) at Kenilworth December 8, the bay moved up a league trying six furlongs for the first time. Quickly up to lead, she was shaken up by Alec Forbes with a quarter-mile to race and stamped her authority on a competitive renewal to win geared down. At the same venue, Contador (Var) scored a new career high in the Golden Horse Sprint (SAf-G1). Successful in two events at Clairwood in November and December, Contador ran second back there January 31 and had been gelded following a disappointing effort when unplaced as the 6-5 favorite in the Man O'War Sprint (SAf-G3) at Turffontein March 30. Settled behind the leading trio early by Piere Strydom here, the chestnut showed the kind of zip his cycling namesake is famed for to lead inside the final quarter and was beyond recall by the time Wild Type (Strike Smartly) emerged late on... Scottsville also played host to a pair of major races for the juvenile set Saturday. Captain of All (Captain Al), who broke his maiden by five lengths at Clairwood May 19, showed dazzling speed to make all the running in the Sun Medallion (SAf-G1). Only Willow Magic (Dubawi) came with any sort of serious threat at the business end of the contest, but Sean Cormack was always holding the aces on the trailblazer. Happy Valentine (Silvano) opened her account by 5 1/2 lengths over five furlongs at Clairwood April 30 and built on that debut promise by upstaging some promising rivals in the Allan Robertson Championship (SAf-G1) for fillies. In front soon after the start, the chestnut kicked decisively passing the quarter-pole and was in no danger thereafter en route to providing jockey Sean Veale with a first success at this level... Beauty Parlour (Deep Impact) returns to her native France for Sunday's Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-G1) at Longchamp, where she wowed the crowds last May when extending her unbeaten record in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1). Subsequently runner-up in the Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) at Chantilly the following month, Ecurie Wildenstein's homebred flopped on her first start for the Sir Henry Cecil stable when seventh in the Sun Chariot S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in September. Females have won the last three renewals of this prize, with the double exploits of Goldikova followed by the surprise defeat of the subsequently disqualified Cirrus des Aigles (Even Top) by Golden Lilac 12 months ago. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani's Planteur (Danehill Dancer) took the Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) here in 2011 and that remains his sole score at this level despite some solid efforts in the sphere. Third last time in the March 30 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), he may not need to improve on his 1 1/4-length third -- before being promoted to second -- in this event last year. Another promising prospect who is now finding his feet after a spell in the wilderness is the Niarchos Family's Maxios (Monsun), and he comes here on the back of a career-best when second in the Prix Ganay over 10 furlongs here April 28, while one who is still unexposed is Princess Zahra Aga Khan's Mandour (Smart Strike). The son of the multiple Group 1 winner Mandesha beat last year's Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) third and St James's Palace (Eng-G1) runner-up Hermival (Dubawi) in a conditions event over 1 1/16 miles here on his seasonal bow April 25 and he has the pedigree to go far... Also at Longchamp Sunday, Siyenica (Azamour) steps into the fray for the Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre in the Prix Saint-Alary (Fr-G1), bidding to provide her esteemed owner-breeder with a seventh renewal and her trainer a sixth. With a smooth winning debut over a mile in a conditions event April 22, the bay has a similar profile to the same combination's 2010 heroine Sarafina. It almost goes without saying that Andre Fabre holds the record of wins in this race, with eight stretched over a period of 29 years, and he is double-handed this time. Kirsten Rausing's unbeaten Alumna (Mr. Greeley) limbered up for this test with a conditions score over the extended nine-furlong Prix d'Ispahan trip here last time April 25, while her barnmate Artiste Divine (Peintre Celebre) earned her spot by taking a 10-furlong race at Chantilly four days later. The latter is a Wildenstein homebred daughter of their high-class Aquarelliste, and is open to much improvement. Carlos Laffon-Parias also saddles a duo headed by the Wertheimers' Prix Marcel Boussac (Fr-G1) winner Silasol (Monsun), who had the re-opposing Parle Moi (Montjeu) two short heads behind in fourth when runner-up to the subsequent Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) runner-up Esoterique (Danehill Dancer) in the Prix Vanteaux (Fr-G3) over those extended nine furlongs here April 28... France's staying program offers the chance for those who fell just below the top standard over middle distances to shine in a new sphere, and one who fits that bill is Last Train (Rail Link), who lines up in Sunday's Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (Fr-G2) at Longchamp. Juddmonte's son of their Arc winner was initially sent down that path by Andre Fabre and, despite a second in the Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1) over 12 furlongs here in July, he lacked the extra measure of pace required for the country's championship race. He signposted his claims in the marathon league when besting the Aga Khan's Verema (Barathea) in the Prix de Barbeville (Fr-G3) over this track and trip last time April 28 and could be bound for the Gold Cup (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot if he comes through this test. Penalized for his success in the Prix Royal-Oak (Fr-G1) here in October, Les Beaufs (Apsis) will have to up his game again following a disappointing fifth in the Barbeville last time... Despite his admirable tally of big-race wins, Bruno Grizzetti is yet to garner glory in the Oaks d'Italia (Ity-G2), and it would be fitting if he could end the drought with one that carries the colors of his longstanding patrons in Scuderia Blueberry in Sunday's renewal. Already successful in the Premio Regina Elena (Ity-G3) at the Capannelle April 28, the homebred Dancer Destination (Dubai Destination) tries to stretch her stamina a further three furlongs here for the notable classic double achieved just 12 months ago by Cherry Collect (Oratorio). Stefano Botti, who enjoyed a one-two-three in last Sunday's Derby Italiano (Ity-G2), puts forward Scuderia Effevi's unbeaten Charity Line (Manduro), and she offered no evidence of stamina deficiency when taking this track's Premio Baggio over 10 furlongs last time May 5. Interestingly, last week's Derby-winning rider Andrea Atzeni rides another Botti runner in Licia (Singspiel), who is one of the unexposed types and enters the equation off a convincing conditions score over 1 5/16 miles at the Capannelle last time May 5... Darley has announced that Gerry Duffy, a native of County Kildare in Ireland and a graduate of Darley Flying Start, has been appointed general manager of its Kildangan Stud in Ireland. After graduating Darley Flying Start in 2007, Duffy, who also holds a masters in Business Administration, spent almost five years working for the Darley America nominations team before taking up his current position of Stallion Seasons Director at WinStar Farm. As part of his role at Kildangan, Duffy will assist with the management of Darley's seven Irish farms, and will work will newly appointed Nominations Manager Eamon Moloney to oversee the management of Darley's Irish stallion roster. "We are very pleased that Gerry will be joining us," said Joe Osborne, managing director of Kildangan Stud. "He brings with him a great deal of experience given his nearly five years in our nominations team in Kentucky and current position at WinStar. Gerry's roots and time with us on Flying Start means he is familiar with Darley, our stallions, the Irish market and many of our clients. His experience combined with his business knowledge mean that he will make significant contribution to our management team." Duffy added: "I am very thankful to the many people I have gotten to know here in Kentucky for their support in my roles at both Darley and WinStar. I am especially grateful to Elliott Walden for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the WinStar team and wish them the very best going forward. With that said, I am thrilled to be coming home to join the team at Darley in Ireland."... Beat the Blues (Great Pyramid) has finished second in the last two runnings of the Winning Colors (G3) and trainer Bret Calhoun is hoping the third time will be a charm for the six-year-old mare. "She's knocked on the door in this race before," Calhoun said. "It's obviously a race we'd like to win and she's never won a graded stakes before. She's coming into this race very well and likes the Churchill surface. So, I'm looking for a very big effort from her." Beat the Blues will be making her third start of the year in the Winning Colors after beginning the season with a second in the Mardi Gras H. at Fair Grounds and then just missing by a nose to Vuitton (Smart Strike) in the Carousel at Oaklawn Park. "In her first race off the layoff, she missed the break and I thought she was the best horse that day," Calhoun said. "She had to play catch up the whole way. In her last race, everything went absolutely perfect and I still don't know how she got beat. She looked like a winner the whole trip and then Steve (Asmussen)'s horse nailed her late." Beat the Blues has not won since taking the 2012 Carousel, but also has been no worse than third in five starts since that triumph. "She's been very consistent," Calhoun said. "She's trained extremely well since coming off the layoff. She hasn't won a lot lately, but her races have been pretty good." Beat the Blues will be ridden in Monday's Winning Colors by Miguel Mena, who was aboard for both of her runner-up efforts in this race... Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper), runner-up in last year's Prioress and an easy winner this spring at Keeneland, tops a competitive field of seven fillies and mares entered for the 10th running of the $100,000 Winning Colors (G3) on Memorial Day Monday at Churchill Downs. Following her second-place finish in the Prioress (G1), Judy the Beauty filled that same spot in the Gallant Bloom H. (G2) at Belmont Park in September, her final race of 2012. In her four-year-old debut, she cruised to a two-length victory in an allowance on Keeneland's Polytrack as the 3-10 favorite. "She ran really well and I was really happy," said Ward, who owns and trains the filly. "We looked at this race because it gives us about five weeks till (the Princess Rooney [G1] at Calder on July 6). I also think dirt is her preferred surface. She trains and runs well on the synthetic, but when you see her breeze on the dirt she really looks great." Joao Moreira, a native of Brazil and three-time champion jockey in Singapore, is scheduled to ride Judy the Beauty on Monday. Moreira, who also has ridden in Australia, Sweden, Germany, South Africa, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, France and Dubai, will be making his U.S. debut in the Winning Colors. "He's a phenomenal rider and he is on a plane (from Singapore on Friday night)," Ward said. "He is going to ride at Arlington on Saturday and he'll be here (at Churchill Downs) to ride on Sunday and Monday. He wants to be in the United States and hopefully this weekend will open the eyes of other owners and trainers." The main rivals for Judy the Beauty include Funnys Approval (Outrageouslyfunny), winner of the Barbara Fritchie H. (G2) at Laurel Park in February; Blueeyesintherein (Magna Graduate), winner of last year's Debutante (G3) at Churchill Downs and most recently fifth in the Eight Belles (G3); and Burban (Speightstown), runner-up in the Humana Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard... Trainer Steve Asmussen's duo of Master Rick (Master Command) and Prayer for Relief (Jump Start), the respective one-two in the April 27 Texas Mile (G3), renew rivalry over an extra sixteenth in Monday's $300,000 Lone Star Park H. (G3). Although Master Rick rallied to defeat his stablemate by 1 1/4 lengths last time, Prayer for Relief is eligible to move forward in this second start off a layoff, and has plenty of back class as a multiple Grade 2 winner. Only three horses will attempt to break up the Asmussen domination. Battle Hardened (Giant's Causeway), winner of the 2012 Sam F. Davis (G3), returns to stakes company for the first time since disappointing in that spring's Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Transferred to Justin Evans after selling for $80,000 at Keeneland in January, the well-bred chestnut has romped versus allowance rivals in his last two and wheels back off a nine-day break here. Another face from the 2012 Derby trail, Isn't He Clever (Smarty Jones), most recently scored his fourth career stakes victory in the March 24 Bill Thomas Memorial at Sunland. It would be an interesting wrinkle if this Henry Dominguez charge defeats the Asmussen runners, since Isn't He Clever made a couple of unsuccessful starts during a brief sojourn with Asmussen last summer. Rounding out the quintet is Formaggio (Dynaformer), who makes his second start since being claimed for $30,000 by Danny Pish... Hudson Landing (Maria's Mon) and Control Seeker (Sought After) were separated by just a nose in last year's $100,000 All American (G3) at Golden Gate Fields after the latter's rider lost the whip at the eighth-pole, and will line up against each one another yet again in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta contest on Memorial Day Monday. The All American has switched places on the calendar with the Berkeley H. (G3), which will now take place during the fall. Hudson Landing proved best after getting the bobbing win in last year's All American, but has failed to reach the winner's circle in four starts since. The six-year-old gelding ran third in the Berkeley, placed second via disqualification, and took the Mt. Rainier H. at Emerald Downs earlier in 2012, and was last seen finishing sixth in the San Francisco Mile (G3). Control Seeker also contested the San Fran Mile last out, running a one-paced seventh behind the re-opposing Summer Hit (Bertrando), who missed by only a neck after leading throughout that eight-furlong affair in his first attempt against open stakes company. Also lining up Monday will be Positive Response, fourth by just a length in last year's edition of the All American, and dual Grade 2 winner Tres Borrachos (Ecton Park). Positive Response captured the Berkeley last May before being disqualified to fourth and just made his seasonal bow a runner-up effort against optional claiming company on April 6. Tres Borrachos was third at Santa Anita in the Santana Mile in his most recent start on March 31, and returns to Golden Gate Fields for the first time since finishing fourth in the 2008 California Derby. In addition to featuring the All American, Golden Gate will be giving away a free lawn chair on Memorial Day, one per paid admission while supplies last... Holiday Soiree (Harlan's Holiday) will be dropping in class on Memorial Day Monday as the four-year-old miss takes on six rivals in Monmouth Park's $60,000 Red Cross going six furlongs. The Tevis McCauley trainee was last seen running a close third in the Humana Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard and finished second in the Sugar Maple at Charles Town prior to that in late April. That was her first start for McCauley after being saddled by Daniel Smithwick Jr. last season to runner-up placings in the Charles Town Oaks and Safely Kept at Laurel Park. Her main rivals appear to be Silverette (Street Sense), runner-up while making her stakes bow in the Gold Princess last out, and dual stakes winner Srumdiddlyumptious (Roman Ruler), third most recently in the Primonetta at Pimlico. Monmouth will also feature the $60,000 Little Silver sending sophomore fillies a mile on the turf one race later. Bella Castani (Big Brown) captured the Tweedside in her first start for trainer Christophe Clement and will try to make it two in a row on Monday... Schiaparelli (Ghostzapper), runner-up to Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint heroine and stablemate Mizdirection in the Las Cienegas (G3) last month, will try for her second win over the Hollywood Park grass in the $70,000 Great Lady M. on Sunday. The six-furlong event for older fillies and mares drew a field of six, including the Mike Puype-trained Schiaparelli. The gray mare was collared by her stablemate near the Las Cienegas wire at Santa Anita after having a two length lead with an eighth of a mile to run and wound up a half-length behind Mizdirection at the finish. Schiaparelli returns to Hollywood Park, over which she broke her maiden by 2 1/2 lengths in her June 19, 2011, debut and was third in the Cool Air last November 23. Both races were at the Great Lady M. distance. Trainer Tom Proctor will send out the duo of Customer Base (Lemon Drop Kid), who is cutting back in distance for her first start of 2013, and Purim's Dancer (Purim), also trying a shorter trip after finishing fifth in the one-mile Wilshire H. (G3) on April 28. Customer Base was last seen missing by just a neck in the one-mile Autumn Miss (G3) at Santa Anita on October 27. Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, fresh off his upset victory aboard Oxbow in the Preakness Stakes, has the call on Purim's Dancer while Garrett Gomez rides Customer Base. Curvy Cat (Ministers Wild Cat) returns to grass for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer after winning the B. Thoughtful over the Cushion Track on April 27, California Gold Rush Day. Givine (Blackdoun), who will be trying to end a 15-race losing streak, and stakes debuter Greatest Escape (Game Plan), who will be making her first start outside Northern California, completed the Great Lady M. field... Monmouth Park will play host to a pair of $75,000 stakes for distaffers on Sunday when six line up in the Monmouth Beach going a mile and 70 yards followed by a field of 11 in the Miss Liberty at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The Monmouth Beach features Daydreamin Gracie (Domestic Dispute), who is exiting a fourth-place run in the Allaire duPont Distaff (G3) on the Preakness Stakes undercard. Prior to that, the gray mare romped by eight lengths in the Shine Again at Pimlico despite a stumbling start. The race will also see the return to action of Cash for Clunkers (Tiznow), last seen finishing last of five in the September 29 Beldame Invitational (G1). The bay five-year-old captured the Heatherten at Belmont last May followed by a runner-up effort in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1). One race later, Grade 3 heroine Ruthenia (Pulpit) returns to the site of her Violet (G3) victory a year ago in the Miss Liberty. The bay mare followed that score by with fourth-placings in the Eatontown H. (G3), Ballston Spa (G2) and Athenia (G3) to close out 2012. Ruthenia returned on May 4 at Belmont, running last of six, beaten just 3 3/4 lengths, in the Beaugay (G3)... Churchill Downs will host Family Fun Day every Sunday on the Plaza Balcony from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT) throughout the 38-day spring meet. Kiddos age 12 and younger are invited to enjoy games, crafts and visits from Churchill Downs' popular mascot Churchill Charlie. This week's special activity includes a Memorial Day military display, including an interactive High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, Humvee or Hummer). Children also can write letters to members of the armed forces and craft paper U.S. flags. The adults can have fun, too. There'll be a rock climbing wall for folks age 18 and up. The first of 10 races on Sunday is 12:45 p.m. Admission gates open at 11:30 a.m. Churchill Downs' Junior Jockey Club, located inside the Gate 10 entrance, also entertains children age 12 and under on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed when Downs After Dark occurs on June 15, June 22 and June 29). The "Kids Zone" is dedicated to providing fun for the youngsters at Churchill Downs, but all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times... Churchill Downs will stage a special 11-race Memorial Day program on Monday. The first of 11 races on the holiday program is 12:45 p.m. (EDT), and the featured event is the $100,000-added Winning Colors (G3), a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. All active and retired members of the United States armed forces will be admitted free of charge with proof of identification. Churchill Downs popular track bugler Steve Buttleman is sure to decorate the Kentucky Derby Winner's Circle with an abundance of U.S. flags and will perform patriotic melodies following the "Call to the Post" for each race. Admission gates will open at 11:30 a.m. and the final race is expected to run at 6 p.m.
Results
NORTH AMERICAN NON-GRADED STAKES RESULTS
Racing Headlines
Flat Out puts flawless Belmont record on line in Met Mile
The bay's versatility was on display for the latter victory, on April 27. After making a wide rally on the far turn, Flat Out eventually wore down a loose-on-the lead Cross Traffic in the final strides to win by a head. The final time for a mile, 1:32 4/5, was only three-fifths of a second off the track record. Cross Traffic, who was making only his third career start in the Westchester, is back to re-oppose. The Todd Pletcher trained son of Unbridled's Song captured his first two starts at Gulfstream over the winter and was an even-money favorite in the Westchester, but simply tired late after setting demanding splits of :22 3/5, :45 1/5 and 1:08 4/5. The gray will have to be on his toes as he drew post 1 in the Metropolitan, and with plenty of other speed to his outside. "It's pretty rare that you see a horse who has come that far in such a short time," Pletcher said. "He was an unraced four-year-old at the start of the year. He ran a huge race in the Westchester. He just lost to a tough, seasoned veteran who seems to love Belmont. We were very pleased with his race, and he's doing just as well or even better than he came into (the Westchester)."
Mark Valeski returns to the site of one of his biggest wins, the 2012 Peter Pan 12 over 1 1/8 miles. Unfortunately sidelined the for the remainder of the year, the Proud Citizen colt won the Mineshaft Handicap and placed in the Louisiana and New Orleans handicaps during a busy winter campaign at Fair Grounds. The Larry Jones trainee could be sitting on a big race following two recent bullet works at Churchill Downs. "He handled the track real well (in the Peter Pan), and even though the race was a mile and an eighth he showed he liked the one turn," trainer Larry Jones said. "He broke his maiden in a sprint, and he has more speed to burn than we normally let him use. They'll be churning and burning out there, so he'll have more pace to run at, but he blew out well the other day and showed he's sharp." Fed Biz, who represents Bob Baffert, has early foot but can also rate if the pace gets too heated. The Giant's Causeway colt registered his biggest win to date in January when taking the 1 1/16-mile San Fernando in wire-to-wire fashion. The Met Mile field is completed by Handsome Mike, whose form has been generally lackadaisical since his upset of the Pennsylvania Derby last September. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com Joyful Victory, Disposablepleasure meet in Phipps; Kauai Katie highlights Acorn
The gray mare netted BRIS Speed ratings of 112 (Santa Margarita) and 107 for those impressive performances. Rosie Napravnik will retain the mount for trainer Larry Jones and Joyful Victory promises to show speed from her innermost post position in the 1 1/16-mile Phipps. Disposablepleasure posted her first stakes win in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in 2011, but her sophomore campaign got off to a slow start and she appeared to tail off at the end of the year following a pair of runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and Grade 1 Mother Goose. The gray Giacomo filly has come back with a vengeance so far in 2013, opening with a good-looking score over optional claiming at Gulfstream Park before posting a 3 1/2-length romp in the Grade 3 Sixty Sails at Hawthorne, running the 1 1/8-mile distance faster than Illinois Derby winner Departing later on the same program. The Todd Pletcher-trained filly registered a career-best 103 BRIS Speed rating in the Sixty Sails and should appreciate the return to Belmont Park, where Disposablepleasure has produced a win and a close second from two previous attempts. Javier Castellano will be back in the saddle. Jones will also saddle 2012 Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can, who exits a third in the Grade 2 La Troienne on May 4, and Pletcher has a second starter in La Troienne winner Authenticity. Multiple Grade 3 queen Tiz Miz Sue, runner-up in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom most recently, and longshot Centring round out the Phipps field.
Midnight Lucky and Close Hatches will both look to reverse fortunes after recording unplaced finishes in the Kentucky Oaks. Midnight Lucky sustained her first defeat after setting the pace, weakening to fifth in the stretch, and trainer Bob Baffert hopes the cutback in trip will benefit her. The gray daughter of Midnight Lute opened her racing career in mid-February with a 7 1/4-length win over maiden special weight rivals at Santa Anita and then produced an eye-catching eight-length victory in the March 24 Sunland Oaks. She drew well in post 5 with new rider Napravnik. Close Hatches, who is by First Defence, captured her first three starts before a disappointing seventh in the Oaks in which she never fired. Winner of the Grade 2 Gazelle at Aqueduct two back, defeating subsequent Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar in the process, the Bill Mott-trained filly will keep Joel Rosario in the saddle Saturday. The rest of the field is comprised of Cue the Moon, Let Me Entertain U and Momentary Magic. In the $200,000 Sands Point, Watsdachances figures to go postward as a solid favorite in the 1 1/16-mile event on inner turf. Winner of the Grade 3 Miss Grillo and P.G. Johnson, she completed her two-year-old season with an excellent second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Chad Brown trainee made a belated three-year-old bow, rallying for fourth as the odds-on choice in the Grade 3 Appalachian on April 18, and is eligible to show much more following the tightener. Appalachian winner Unbelievable Dream is also part of the seven-horse field that includes a main-track only runner. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Results
NORTH AMERICAN ALLOWANCE RESULTS
Racing Headlines
Marketing to Mix it up with Lady of Shamrock in Gamely
Marketing Mix was scheduled to reappear in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on Kentucky Derby Day, but the rain-softened ground prompted connections to scratch her. Sure to get the firm turf she relishes in sunny Southern California, she also picks up the services of Hall of Famer Gary Stevens. Lady of Shamrock was among last year's leading sophomore turf fillies. A dynamic winner of the American Oaks over the Hollywood turf, the Scat Daddy filly went last to first in the Del Mar Oaks, notching her fifth career stakes score. Although she has been convincing against members of her own generation, Lady of Shamrock has yet to cross the wire first since tackling distaffers of all ages. In her return in the March 24 Santa Ana, she got off to a slow start, rallied off a tepid pace, and settled for second. Lady of Shamrock next met with interference in the April 20 Santa Barbara, where she was awarded the victory via disqualification. Following the Santa Barbara, which was another paceless affair, Sadler commented that he would likely employ a pacemaker to set up Lady of Shamrock's closing kick. Miss Ellany, in the same ownership as Lady of Shamrock, has the look of one in the Gamely. Although she's shown no speed in two U.S. starts, the daughter of sprinter Kodiac had raced on or near the lead in Great Britain. The rider switch to Martin Pedroza tips the hand, and Miss Ellany promises to carve out honest fractions from the rail. The Gamely is not merely a match race. Tiz Flirtatious upset Lady of Shamrock when getting the jump on the favorite in the Santa Ana last out. Never out of the exacta in five turf starts, the Marty Jones mare also finished second in last fall's Matriarch and Robert J. Frankel. Fellow California-bred Halo Dolly captured the local prep, the April 28 Wilshire, and boasts 15 wins from 29 career starts. Owned in partnership by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Halo Dolly rates as the 123-pound co-highweight along with Marketing Mix and Lady of Shamrock. My Gi Gi barely held on from Lady of Shamrock in the Honeymoon Handicap over this course and 1 1/8-mile trip last June, but was no match for her in their subsequent meetings. She has not raced since checking in fifth to Marketing Mix in the September 29 Rodeo Drive and appears up against it here. Former Peruvian champion Private Affair likewise must improve considerably to factor.
Camp Victory, promoted to first in the 2011 Los Angeles on the disqualification of Amazombie, was only third in 2012 and now seeks to regain his title. The Mike Mitchell trainee has won just once in the interim, in last summer's Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood, and made no impact when fifth in his return in the Potrero Grande. Camp Victory has been training forwardly, however, and could be on the verge of a rebound. The Cody Autrey-trained Tiz Tee Time takes a class hike off a wire job at Oaklawn Park on April 13, but keeps Stevens in the saddle. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
North American Maiden Winners
Racing Headlines
Winning Cause bids to stay perfect on Polytrack in Marine
Ghost Hunter, runner-up to Winning Cause in that Keeneland allowance two back, was most recently a close third in a Churchill Downs allowance on Derby Day. The Ghostzapper colt was edged by the well-regarded Bellarmine and Code West, who has since come back to win impressively at Pimlico and is on course for the June 8 Belmont Stakes. Ghost Hunter was subsequently transferred from Kim Chapman to David Cotey, and he will make his debut for the barn here. Five Iron has twice finished second in local stakes. Best of the rest behind eventual Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured in last September's Swynford, the Brian Lynch colt was a closing runner-up in the April 21 Woodstock last time out. The form was boosted when Woodstock winner Dan the Tin Man came back to score in the Tom Ridge at Presque Isle, but Five Iron has a bit to prove at this longer trip. Completing the short field are recent allowance winner Drenched and Ontario-bred maiden scorer Silent Admirer.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Racing Highlights
For Sunday
*all times Eastern HANDICAPPER'S EDGE is compiled by Bloodstock Research Information Services. This newsletter may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Copyright 2011, Bloodstock Research Information Services. Information as to the races, race results and earnings was obtained from Equibase Company LLC and is utilized herein with the permission of the copyright owner, Equibase Company LLC.
Announcements
Help Wanted A horse racing website is currently hiring for part-time positions as a Customer Service Representative in Lexington, Kentucky. Must be available nights and weekends. Some weekdays may also be available. Computer literacy required, horse racing knowledge and customer service experience a plus. To schedule an interview, email or send your résumé to the following: Nancy.Kanaval@brisnet.com, P.O. Box 4097, Lexington, KY 40544.
Racing Headlines
In brief Ordak Dan (Hidden Truth) made his Group 1 debut a winning one in Saturday's Gran Premio 25 de Mayo (Arg-G1) at San Isidro, and earned an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) in this Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event. Traveling confidently early, the dark bay took the lead at the top of the stretch and fended off Soy Carambolo (Val Royal) for the upset victory. Ordak Dan's 95-year-old owner Saturnino Erro described the victory as "the greatest of my life", and when asked about the possibility of traveling to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup, he said, "of course I will go." Jockey Pablo Carrizo added: "The horse did great in the mornings, and he ran his best race. I won with him in the maiden last January, but he has improved a lot from that time. To go to the United States and run in the Breeders' Cup would be a dream come true, but first we will wait on his owner and trainer's decision."...
All eyes were on Reckless Abandon (Exchange Rate) in Saturday's Temple (Eng-G2) at Haydock, but it was an old-timer in Kingsgate Native (Mujadil) and not the younger runner who prevailed in this dash. Formerly an exciting stallion prospect for Cheveley Park Stud as a result of his successes in the 2007 Nunthorpe S. (Eng-G1) and following year's Golden Jubilee S. (Eng-G1), the bay proved an underachiever in that sphere and was duly sent to Sir Michael Stoute for his return to racing. Victorious in this race three years ago, he was runner-up to Sole Power (Kyllachy) the following year, and it was that rival that he surrendered to again on his latest start in Newmarket's Palace House S. (Eng-G3) over this five-furlong trip three weeks ago. Traveling with all his old verve among the stand's-side group early, he took over from Sole Power passing the furlong pole and was on top of the far-side leader Reckless Abandon with 100 yards remaining as Swiss Spirit (Invincible Spirit) found top gear too late. "He's been an amazing horse, and (trainer) Robert Cowell has done the most fantastic job with him, as have the vets in Newmarket," the Stud's Managing Director Chris Richardson said. "He comes back every time, and the King's Stand S. ([Eng-G1] at Royal Ascot June 18) would be very possible if he comes out of this OK." Trainer Clive Cox was pleased with the effort of the previously unbeaten Reckless Abandon, who was racing under a penalty here and is looking to Royal Ascot now. "That will put him on his game completely," he told PA Sport. "He had a Group 1 penalty, and that probably just made the difference. We are over the moon with him. The (firm) ground was no problem and we are pretty versatile on any ground, which is great news. We came here before Ascot because they need that race to put them on their game, and I'm hoping that's done it."... Australia's three-year-olds have displayed a strong showing in weight-for-age prizes this autumn and, with the recent retirement of star sophomores Pierro and All Too Hard, Darley homebred Epaulette (Commands) may have jumped to the top of his generation when recording his second Group 1 victory in the Doomben 10,000 Saturday. Winner of the Golden Rose (Aus-G1) and Caulfield Guineas Prelude (Aus-G3) last term, the regally-bred Epaulette failed to emulate his elder brother Helmet in the Caulfield Guineas (Aus-G1), finishing third. He returned from an extended layoff to finish second to Black Caviar in the T.J. Smith S. (Aus-G1) April 13, and was most recently sixth in the wake of that star mare's talented younger half-brother All Too Hard in the All Aged S. (Aus-G1) April 27. Chasing a swift pace from the back of the pack here, Epaulette weaved his way through field in the lane and got to the lead at the 200-meter mark to score a comfortable victory. The result was marred by the fatal breakdown of veteran performer and multiple Group 1 winner Rangirangdoo, who broke both front sesamoids at the 600-meter mark. Epaulette's trainer Peter Snowden revealed after the race that the colt, who added a visor to his equipment for this race on advice of jockey Kerrin McEvoy, would be pointed to the Stradbroke H. (Aus-G1) at Eagle Farm June 8... Having found What a Winter (Western Winter) too strong in both the Cape Flying Championship (SAf-G1) at Kenilworth January 26 and Computaform Sprint (SAf-G1) at Turffontein April 27, Via Africa (Var) emerged out of the shadow of that contemporary to shine in her own right in the South African Fillies Sprint (SAf-G1) at Scottsville Saturday. Previously successful in the Southern Cross S. (SAf-G2) at Kenilworth December 8, the bay moved up a league trying six furlongs for the first time. Quickly up to lead, she was shaken up by Alec Forbes with a quarter-mile to race and stamped her authority on a competitive renewal to win geared down. At the same venue, Contador (Var) scored a new career high in the Golden Horse Sprint (SAf-G1). Successful in two events at Clairwood in November and December, Contador ran second back there January 31 and had been gelded following a disappointing effort when unplaced as the 6-5 favorite in the Man O'War Sprint (SAf-G3) at Turffontein March 30. Settled behind the leading trio early by Piere Strydom here, the chestnut showed the kind of zip his cycling namesake is famed for to lead inside the final quarter and was beyond recall by the time Wild Type (Strike Smartly) emerged late on... Scottsville also played host to a pair of major races for the juvenile set Saturday. Captain of All (Captain Al), who broke his maiden by five lengths at Clairwood May 19, showed dazzling speed to make all the running in the Sun Medallion (SAf-G1). Only Willow Magic (Dubawi) came with any sort of serious threat at the business end of the contest, but Sean Cormack was always holding the aces on the trailblazer. Happy Valentine (Silvano) opened her account by 5 1/2 lengths over five furlongs at Clairwood April 30 and built on that debut promise by upstaging some promising rivals in the Allan Robertson Championship (SAf-G1) for fillies. In front soon after the start, the chestnut kicked decisively passing the quarter-pole and was in no danger thereafter en route to providing jockey Sean Veale with a first success at this level... Beauty Parlour (Deep Impact) returns to her native France for Sunday's Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-G1) at Longchamp, where she wowed the crowds last May when extending her unbeaten record in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1). Subsequently runner-up in the Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) at Chantilly the following month, Ecurie Wildenstein's homebred flopped on her first start for the Sir Henry Cecil stable when seventh in the Sun Chariot S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in September. Females have won the last three renewals of this prize, with the double exploits of Goldikova followed by the surprise defeat of the subsequently disqualified Cirrus des Aigles (Even Top) by Golden Lilac 12 months ago. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani's Planteur (Danehill Dancer) took the Prix Ganay (Fr-G1) here in 2011 and that remains his sole score at this level despite some solid efforts in the sphere. Third last time in the March 30 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), he may not need to improve on his 1 1/4-length third -- before being promoted to second -- in this event last year. Another promising prospect who is now finding his feet after a spell in the wilderness is the Niarchos Family's Maxios (Monsun), and he comes here on the back of a career-best when second in the Prix Ganay over 10 furlongs here April 28, while one who is still unexposed is Princess Zahra Aga Khan's Mandour (Smart Strike). The son of the multiple Group 1 winner Mandesha beat last year's Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) third and St James's Palace (Eng-G1) runner-up Hermival (Dubawi) in a conditions event over 1 1/16 miles here on his seasonal bow April 25 and he has the pedigree to go far... Also at Longchamp Sunday, Siyenica (Azamour) steps into the fray for the Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre in the Prix Saint-Alary (Fr-G1), bidding to provide her esteemed owner-breeder with a seventh renewal and her trainer a sixth. With a smooth winning debut over a mile in a conditions event April 22, the bay has a similar profile to the same combination's 2010 heroine Sarafina. It almost goes without saying that Andre Fabre holds the record of wins in this race, with eight stretched over a period of 29 years, and he is double-handed this time. Kirsten Rausing's unbeaten Alumna (Mr. Greeley) limbered up for this test with a conditions score over the extended nine-furlong Prix d'Ispahan trip here last time April 25, while her barnmate Artiste Divine (Peintre Celebre) earned her spot by taking a 10-furlong race at Chantilly four days later. The latter is a Wildenstein homebred daughter of their high-class Aquarelliste, and is open to much improvement. Carlos Laffon-Parias also saddles a duo headed by the Wertheimers' Prix Marcel Boussac (Fr-G1) winner Silasol (Monsun), who had the re-opposing Parle Moi (Montjeu) two short heads behind in fourth when runner-up to the subsequent Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-G1) runner-up Esoterique (Danehill Dancer) in the Prix Vanteaux (Fr-G3) over those extended nine furlongs here April 28... France's staying program offers the chance for those who fell just below the top standard over middle distances to shine in a new sphere, and one who fits that bill is Last Train (Rail Link), who lines up in Sunday's Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (Fr-G2) at Longchamp. Juddmonte's son of their Arc winner was initially sent down that path by Andre Fabre and, despite a second in the Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1) over 12 furlongs here in July, he lacked the extra measure of pace required for the country's championship race. He signposted his claims in the marathon league when besting the Aga Khan's Verema (Barathea) in the Prix de Barbeville (Fr-G3) over this track and trip last time April 28 and could be bound for the Gold Cup (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot if he comes through this test. Penalized for his success in the Prix Royal-Oak (Fr-G1) here in October, Les Beaufs (Apsis) will have to up his game again following a disappointing fifth in the Barbeville last time... Despite his admirable tally of big-race wins, Bruno Grizzetti is yet to garner glory in the Oaks d'Italia (Ity-G2), and it would be fitting if he could end the drought with one that carries the colors of his longstanding patrons in Scuderia Blueberry in Sunday's renewal. Already successful in the Premio Regina Elena (Ity-G3) at the Capannelle April 28, the homebred Dancer Destination (Dubai Destination) tries to stretch her stamina a further three furlongs here for the notable classic double achieved just 12 months ago by Cherry Collect (Oratorio). Stefano Botti, who enjoyed a one-two-three in last Sunday's Derby Italiano (Ity-G2), puts forward Scuderia Effevi's unbeaten Charity Line (Manduro), and she offered no evidence of stamina deficiency when taking this track's Premio Baggio over 10 furlongs last time May 5. Interestingly, last week's Derby-winning rider Andrea Atzeni rides another Botti runner in Licia (Singspiel), who is one of the unexposed types and enters the equation off a convincing conditions score over 1 5/16 miles at the Capannelle last time May 5... Darley has announced that Gerry Duffy, a native of County Kildare in Ireland and a graduate of Darley Flying Start, has been appointed general manager of its Kildangan Stud in Ireland. After graduating Darley Flying Start in 2007, Duffy, who also holds a masters in Business Administration, spent almost five years working for the Darley America nominations team before taking up his current position of Stallion Seasons Director at WinStar Farm. As part of his role at Kildangan, Duffy will assist with the management of Darley's seven Irish farms, and will work will newly appointed Nominations Manager Eamon Moloney to oversee the management of Darley's Irish stallion roster. "We are very pleased that Gerry will be joining us," said Joe Osborne, managing director of Kildangan Stud. "He brings with him a great deal of experience given his nearly five years in our nominations team in Kentucky and current position at WinStar. Gerry's roots and time with us on Flying Start means he is familiar with Darley, our stallions, the Irish market and many of our clients. His experience combined with his business knowledge mean that he will make significant contribution to our management team." Duffy added: "I am very thankful to the many people I have gotten to know here in Kentucky for their support in my roles at both Darley and WinStar. I am especially grateful to Elliott Walden for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the WinStar team and wish them the very best going forward. With that said, I am thrilled to be coming home to join the team at Darley in Ireland."... Beat the Blues (Great Pyramid) has finished second in the last two runnings of the Winning Colors (G3) and trainer Bret Calhoun is hoping the third time will be a charm for the six-year-old mare. "She's knocked on the door in this race before," Calhoun said. "It's obviously a race we'd like to win and she's never won a graded stakes before. She's coming into this race very well and likes the Churchill surface. So, I'm looking for a very big effort from her." Beat the Blues will be making her third start of the year in the Winning Colors after beginning the season with a second in the Mardi Gras H. at Fair Grounds and then just missing by a nose to Vuitton (Smart Strike) in the Carousel at Oaklawn Park. "In her first race off the layoff, she missed the break and I thought she was the best horse that day," Calhoun said. "She had to play catch up the whole way. In her last race, everything went absolutely perfect and I still don't know how she got beat. She looked like a winner the whole trip and then Steve (Asmussen)'s horse nailed her late." Beat the Blues has not won since taking the 2012 Carousel, but also has been no worse than third in five starts since that triumph. "She's been very consistent," Calhoun said. "She's trained extremely well since coming off the layoff. She hasn't won a lot lately, but her races have been pretty good." Beat the Blues will be ridden in Monday's Winning Colors by Miguel Mena, who was aboard for both of her runner-up efforts in this race... Judy the Beauty (Ghostzapper), runner-up in last year's Prioress and an easy winner this spring at Keeneland, tops a competitive field of seven fillies and mares entered for the 10th running of the $100,000 Winning Colors (G3) on Memorial Day Monday at Churchill Downs. Following her second-place finish in the Prioress (G1), Judy the Beauty filled that same spot in the Gallant Bloom H. (G2) at Belmont Park in September, her final race of 2012. In her four-year-old debut, she cruised to a two-length victory in an allowance on Keeneland's Polytrack as the 3-10 favorite. "She ran really well and I was really happy," said Ward, who owns and trains the filly. "We looked at this race because it gives us about five weeks till (the Princess Rooney [G1] at Calder on July 6). I also think dirt is her preferred surface. She trains and runs well on the synthetic, but when you see her breeze on the dirt she really looks great." Joao Moreira, a native of Brazil and three-time champion jockey in Singapore, is scheduled to ride Judy the Beauty on Monday. Moreira, who also has ridden in Australia, Sweden, Germany, South Africa, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, France and Dubai, will be making his U.S. debut in the Winning Colors. "He's a phenomenal rider and he is on a plane (from Singapore on Friday night)," Ward said. "He is going to ride at Arlington on Saturday and he'll be here (at Churchill Downs) to ride on Sunday and Monday. He wants to be in the United States and hopefully this weekend will open the eyes of other owners and trainers." The main rivals for Judy the Beauty include Funnys Approval (Outrageouslyfunny), winner of the Barbara Fritchie H. (G2) at Laurel Park in February; Blueeyesintherein (Magna Graduate), winner of last year's Debutante (G3) at Churchill Downs and most recently fifth in the Eight Belles (G3); and Burban (Speightstown), runner-up in the Humana Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard... Trainer Steve Asmussen's duo of Master Rick (Master Command) and Prayer for Relief (Jump Start), the respective one-two in the April 27 Texas Mile (G3), renew rivalry over an extra sixteenth in Monday's $300,000 Lone Star Park H. (G3). Although Master Rick rallied to defeat his stablemate by 1 1/4 lengths last time, Prayer for Relief is eligible to move forward in this second start off a layoff, and has plenty of back class as a multiple Grade 2 winner. Only three horses will attempt to break up the Asmussen domination. Battle Hardened (Giant's Causeway), winner of the 2012 Sam F. Davis (G3), returns to stakes company for the first time since disappointing in that spring's Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Transferred to Justin Evans after selling for $80,000 at Keeneland in January, the well-bred chestnut has romped versus allowance rivals in his last two and wheels back off a nine-day break here. Another face from the 2012 Derby trail, Isn't He Clever (Smarty Jones), most recently scored his fourth career stakes victory in the March 24 Bill Thomas Memorial at Sunland. It would be an interesting wrinkle if this Henry Dominguez charge defeats the Asmussen runners, since Isn't He Clever made a couple of unsuccessful starts during a brief sojourn with Asmussen last summer. Rounding out the quintet is Formaggio (Dynaformer), who makes his second start since being claimed for $30,000 by Danny Pish... Hudson Landing (Maria's Mon) and Control Seeker (Sought After) were separated by just a nose in last year's $100,000 All American (G3) at Golden Gate Fields after the latter's rider lost the whip at the eighth-pole, and will line up against each one another yet again in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta contest on Memorial Day Monday. The All American has switched places on the calendar with the Berkeley H. (G3), which will now take place during the fall. Hudson Landing proved best after getting the bobbing win in last year's All American, but has failed to reach the winner's circle in four starts since. The six-year-old gelding ran third in the Berkeley, placed second via disqualification, and took the Mt. Rainier H. at Emerald Downs earlier in 2012, and was last seen finishing sixth in the San Francisco Mile (G3). Control Seeker also contested the San Fran Mile last out, running a one-paced seventh behind the re-opposing Summer Hit (Bertrando), who missed by only a neck after leading throughout that eight-furlong affair in his first attempt against open stakes company. Also lining up Monday will be Positive Response, fourth by just a length in last year's edition of the All American, and dual Grade 2 winner Tres Borrachos (Ecton Park). Positive Response captured the Berkeley last May before being disqualified to fourth and just made his seasonal bow a runner-up effort against optional claiming company on April 6. Tres Borrachos was third at Santa Anita in the Santana Mile in his most recent start on March 31, and returns to Golden Gate Fields for the first time since finishing fourth in the 2008 California Derby. In addition to featuring the All American, Golden Gate will be giving away a free lawn chair on Memorial Day, one per paid admission while supplies last... Holiday Soiree (Harlan's Holiday) will be dropping in class on Memorial Day Monday as the four-year-old miss takes on six rivals in Monmouth Park's $60,000 Red Cross going six furlongs. The Tevis McCauley trainee was last seen running a close third in the Humana Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard and finished second in the Sugar Maple at Charles Town prior to that in late April. That was her first start for McCauley after being saddled by Daniel Smithwick Jr. last season to runner-up placings in the Charles Town Oaks and Safely Kept at Laurel Park. Her main rivals appear to be Silverette (Street Sense), runner-up while making her stakes bow in the Gold Princess last out, and dual stakes winner Srumdiddlyumptious (Roman Ruler), third most recently in the Primonetta at Pimlico. Monmouth will also feature the $60,000 Little Silver sending sophomore fillies a mile on the turf one race later. Bella Castani (Big Brown) captured the Tweedside in her first start for trainer Christophe Clement and will try to make it two in a row on Monday... Schiaparelli (Ghostzapper), runner-up to Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint heroine and stablemate Mizdirection in the Las Cienegas (G3) last month, will try for her second win over the Hollywood Park grass in the $70,000 Great Lady M. on Sunday. The six-furlong event for older fillies and mares drew a field of six, including the Mike Puype-trained Schiaparelli. The gray mare was collared by her stablemate near the Las Cienegas wire at Santa Anita after having a two length lead with an eighth of a mile to run and wound up a half-length behind Mizdirection at the finish. Schiaparelli returns to Hollywood Park, over which she broke her maiden by 2 1/2 lengths in her June 19, 2011, debut and was third in the Cool Air last November 23. Both races were at the Great Lady M. distance. Trainer Tom Proctor will send out the duo of Customer Base (Lemon Drop Kid), who is cutting back in distance for her first start of 2013, and Purim's Dancer (Purim), also trying a shorter trip after finishing fifth in the one-mile Wilshire H. (G3) on April 28. Customer Base was last seen missing by just a neck in the one-mile Autumn Miss (G3) at Santa Anita on October 27. Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, fresh off his upset victory aboard Oxbow in the Preakness Stakes, has the call on Purim's Dancer while Garrett Gomez rides Customer Base. Curvy Cat (Ministers Wild Cat) returns to grass for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer after winning the B. Thoughtful over the Cushion Track on April 27, California Gold Rush Day. Givine (Blackdoun), who will be trying to end a 15-race losing streak, and stakes debuter Greatest Escape (Game Plan), who will be making her first start outside Northern California, completed the Great Lady M. field... Monmouth Park will play host to a pair of $75,000 stakes for distaffers on Sunday when six line up in the Monmouth Beach going a mile and 70 yards followed by a field of 11 in the Miss Liberty at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The Monmouth Beach features Daydreamin Gracie (Domestic Dispute), who is exiting a fourth-place run in the Allaire duPont Distaff (G3) on the Preakness Stakes undercard. Prior to that, the gray mare romped by eight lengths in the Shine Again at Pimlico despite a stumbling start. The race will also see the return to action of Cash for Clunkers (Tiznow), last seen finishing last of five in the September 29 Beldame Invitational (G1). The bay five-year-old captured the Heatherten at Belmont last May followed by a runner-up effort in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1). One race later, Grade 3 heroine Ruthenia (Pulpit) returns to the site of her Violet (G3) victory a year ago in the Miss Liberty. The bay mare followed that score by with fourth-placings in the Eatontown H. (G3), Ballston Spa (G2) and Athenia (G3) to close out 2012. Ruthenia returned on May 4 at Belmont, running last of six, beaten just 3 3/4 lengths, in the Beaugay (G3)... Churchill Downs will host Family Fun Day every Sunday on the Plaza Balcony from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EDT) throughout the 38-day spring meet. Kiddos age 12 and younger are invited to enjoy games, crafts and visits from Churchill Downs' popular mascot Churchill Charlie. This week's special activity includes a Memorial Day military display, including an interactive High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, Humvee or Hummer). Children also can write letters to members of the armed forces and craft paper U.S. flags. The adults can have fun, too. There'll be a rock climbing wall for folks age 18 and up. The first of 10 races on Sunday is 12:45 p.m. Admission gates open at 11:30 a.m. Churchill Downs' Junior Jockey Club, located inside the Gate 10 entrance, also entertains children age 12 and under on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed when Downs After Dark occurs on June 15, June 22 and June 29). The "Kids Zone" is dedicated to providing fun for the youngsters at Churchill Downs, but all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times... Churchill Downs will stage a special 11-race Memorial Day program on Monday. The first of 11 races on the holiday program is 12:45 p.m. (EDT), and the featured event is the $100,000-added Winning Colors (G3), a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. All active and retired members of the United States armed forces will be admitted free of charge with proof of identification. Churchill Downs popular track bugler Steve Buttleman is sure to decorate the Kentucky Derby Winner's Circle with an abundance of U.S. flags and will perform patriotic melodies following the "Call to the Post" for each race. Admission gates will open at 11:30 a.m. and the final race is expected to run at 6 p.m.
Carryover Watch
For Sunday or Next Raceday
Spot Plays/Highlights/Weather
SPOT PLAYS For Sunday
HIGHLIGHTS For Sunday
*all times Eastern HANDICAPPER'S EDGE is compiled by Bloodstock Research Information Services. This newsletter may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Copyright 2011, Bloodstock Research Information Services. Information as to the races, race results and earnings was obtained from Equibase Company LLC and is utilized herein with the permission of the copyright owner, Equibase Company LLC.
Announcements
Help Wanted A horse racing website is currently hiring for part-time positions as a Customer Service Representative in Lexington, Kentucky. Must be available nights and weekends. Some weekdays may also be available. Computer literacy required, horse racing knowledge and customer service experience a plus. To schedule an interview, email or send your résumé to the following: Nancy.Kanaval@brisnet.com, P.O. Box 4097, Lexington, KY 40544.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
