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In This Issue:
Florida Sire Stakes Has Proven To Be Gateway to Breeders’ Cup
Whitmore Faces Firenze Fire in Alfred G. Vanderbilt
Florida-breds C Z Rocket, Collusion Illusion Head Fast Field in Bing Crosby
Harpers First Ride Targets Repeat in Deputed Testamony
Channel Cat Primed to Pounce in Bowling Green Gulfstream Park Charts
Track Results & Entries
Florida Stallion Progeny List
Florida-bred Hope In Him/RYAN THOMPSON PHOTO Florida Breeders’ List Connections Have Faith in Wire to Wire Business Place Hope in Him in Dr. Fager Featured Advertisers BY GULFSTREAM PARK Hope in Him rewarded their confidence PRESS OFFICE______in his stakes potential with a sensational debut victory that instantly established him Big Lick LLC HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Breeze Easy as a leading prospect for the 2021 Florida Florida Department of Agriculture LLC’s Mike Hall and Sam Ross made a Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ As- considerable leap of faith when they bought sociation Florida Sire Stakes. The annual FTBOA the son of Bridlewood Farm stallion Chitu series for juveniles sired by accredited stal- out of Satan’s Mistress, by Songandaprayer lions standing in Florida gets underway Ocala Breeders’ Feed & Supply for $190,000 at this year’s Ocala Breeders’ Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where a Sales March Sale for 2-year-olds in training. See HOPE IN HIM on page 3 Seminole Feed Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 3 Hope In Him
Continued from COVER mandatory payout of the Rain- bow 6 carryover pool will also be held. The Joe Orseno-trained Hope in Him, the 8-5 favorite, is scheduled to meet eight other juveniles in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, a six-furlong sprint that will co-headline Saturday’s pro- gram with the $100,000 Desert Vixen, a six-furlong dash for 2- year-old fillies. “The owner, Mike Hall, and the fellow who picks out our horses, Tom McGreevy, did all the work [in Ocala]. When I got there, they said, ‘Meet us at the Joe Orseno/BILL DENVER EQUIPHOTO barn. We want you to take a look at this colt. We like him and want to know what you think,’” Orseno said. “I went over there, and I just fell in love with him.” Bred in Florida by Michael Frank, Hope in Him made an aus- picious debut in a four-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream June 4, breaking sharply from the gate to set the pace before drawing away to a five-length triumph. “He lived up to our expectations. He really did. I thought he was a nice horse when we bought him,” Orseno said. “We took him down here and he trained forwardly with everything he did. He’s a natural out of the gate.” Samy Camacho has been named to ride Hope in Him from post seven, replacing the recuperating Edwin Gonzalez. Hope in Him’s victory became even more impressive when run- ner-up Lightening Larry came back to score a solid maiden special weight win June 18. Lea Farms LLC’s Lightening Larry is also slated to take on Hope in Him again in the Dr. Fager. The son of Uncaptured chased Hope in Him in his debut, fin- ishing two-and-a-quarter lengths clear of the third-place finisher. Two weeks later, the Jeff Engler-trained Florida-bred graduated by two lengths, drawing clear after pressing the early pace in the five-furlong sprint. “We knew we had a nice horse. I was pleased with his first start. Obviously, the other first-time starter left there running and never stopped,” Engler said. “I thought Larry ran on well and got a lot of education from that race. It showed in his second race, because he ran much better and finished better.” Engler said he expects Lightening Larry, 6-1, to appreciate the six furlongs of the Dr. Fager. “I think the added-distance in the stake will help us against Hope in Him. We’ll just have to see, but I know he’s doing really well,” Engler said. Lightening Larry is out of Moon and Sun, by Malibu Moon and was bred by Michelle Redding. Romero Maragh has the return mount aboard Lightening Larry, who will break from post six. Stonehedge LLC’s Gil and Marilyn Campbell, who have won 15 Florida Sire Stakes races, will be represented by homebreds Dean Delivers and Cajun’s Magic Saturday. Dean Delivers won his debut by seven-and-a-half-lengths June 26, kicking away to an impressive score after pressing the early pace in a five-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream.
See HOPE IN HIM on page 5
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 5 Hope In Him
Continued from page 3 “I expected if he ran back to his breezes, he’d run well,” Yates said. “He kind of showed himself, with a couple others, early on in their training. We were prob- ably pretty conservative bringing them up to their races. They didn’t have a lot of fast works.” Cajun’s Magic, who finished a close second in his May 29 debut, graduated by four-and-three-quarters lengths July 3 at Gulfstream. Dean Delivers and Cajun Magic are both by Cajun Breeze, who stands at Stonehenge Farm South. Dean Delivers is out of Slick and True, by Yes It’s True, while Cajun Magic is out of Mollie’s Magic, by Factum. Both were bred in Florida by Yates. Miguel Vasquez has the call on Dean Delivers, who is 4-1 in the morning line; while Jesus Rios has the return mount on 5-1 program choice Cajun’s Magic. Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Big and Classy is also coming off a dominating victory, breaking his maiden in his second career start by nearly six length at the seven-furlong distance June 18. The David Fawkes- trained son of Ocala Stud stallion The Big Beast out of I’mclassyandsassy, by Master Command had finished Florida-bred Laki Lio/LAUREN KING PHOTO an even fourth in his five-furlong debut a month earlier. claimer in his second start; and Joseph Imbesi’s Palimonium (15-1), Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount on the 4-1 choice and who finished fourth in his recent debut; round out the field. they will depart from post eight. The Florida Sire Stakes series will continue Aug. 28 with the Bella Inizio Farm’s Laki Lio (10-1), a debut winner at Gulfstream $200,000 Affirmed and the $200,000 Susan’s Girl for fillies, both April 16 by three-and-a-half lengths; Arindel’s Merlin (15-1), who slated for seven furlongs, and Sept. 25 with the $400,000 In Reality has finished second in all three career starts; Amalio Ruiz-Lozano’s and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies, both to be run around Gold Special (20-1), a six-length winner in a maiden $35,000 two turns at a mile-and-one-sixteenth.
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 7 Florida Sire Stakes Has Proven To Be Gateway to Breeders’ Cup
BY BROCK SHERIDAN ______Juvenile but stumbled badly leaving the chute and was eased. He would, however, go on to a successful career that including winning the 1988 Jaipur (G3) at Belmont Park while trained by Flint “Scotty” Schulhofer. A year later, owner Dolly Green and trainer Melvin Stute won the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 18 and the Grade 2 Del Mar Futurity on Aug. 31, both at Del Mar, with Florida-bred Brave Raj. In search of more riches, they shipped the son of Rajab east to Calder for the $75,000 FSS Susan’s Girl on Sept. 21 which she won by four-and-a-half lengths with jockey Patrick Valenzuela aboard. The same team won $400,000 FSS My Dear Girl Stakes on Oct. 12 before returning to Southern California to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 and be honored with an Eclipse Award as the 1985 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly that year. A race earlier, Florida-bred Smile, who swept the FSS Dr. Fager, FSS Affirmed and FSS In Reality in 1984 for owner-breeder Frances A. Genter, became the third Florida-bred to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) following Eillo in 1984 and Precisionist in 1985. In 1987, FSS My Dear Girl-winner Balquiria would be unplaced in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies as were FSS grads Into Bucks and Seaquay in the 1988 Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies respectively. Four FSS contenders took a home field advantage across town from Florida-bred Brave Raj/FOUR FOOTED FOTOS Calder to Gulfstream for the 1989 Breeders’ with Shot Gun Scott The Florida Sire Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup are nearly the finishing fourth in the Juvenile and Voodoo Lily also finishing same age with the first running of the former coming in 1982 at fourth in the Juvenile Fillies. Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Fla. That same year, a Three years would go by before more FSS grads ventured to the group of prominent thoroughbred breeders’ in Kentucky led by Breeders’ Cup but both Boots ‘n Jackie and Supah Gem had good John Gaines, announced a plan to create the Breeders’ Cup and in showings in the 1992 Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream Park, finishing November of 1984, thoroughbred racing had a year-end champi- third and fourth respectively behind winner Eliza. onship event that attracted the best horses, trainers and jockeys from See FLORIDA SIRE STAKES on page 9 around the globe. While the two events began on opposite coasts with the first Breeders’ Cup being run at Hollywood Park near Los Angeles in Florida-breds 1984, there has been a strong link between the two annual affairs which were both created to promote thoroughbred breeding. Make Florida Racing The Florida Sire Stakes was known as the Florida Stallion Stakes Did you know Florida-bred thoroughbreds from its inception until 2014 when the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association assumed management of the lu- won 36.8% of races run at the recent Tampa crative program and moved the series to Gulfstream Park. Bay Downs season? Although no Florida Stallion Stakes grads made it to Hollywood Park in 1984, a pair of Florida-breds ventured to Aqueduct for the 1985 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade 1) after competing in the FSS This demonstrates earlier that year and several have followed since. In the 37 runnings how vital Florida-breds of the Breeders’ Cup, 28 starters in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and are to the success of Juvenile Fillies have been alumni of the Florida Sire Stakes. Bred by Thoromark Ltd., and owned by Felix Castro, Scat Tampa Bay Downs. Dancer finished fourth behind winner Tough Talk in the first divi- Additional good news for sion of the 1985 Florida Stallion Stakes Affirmed in September be- Florida breeders—72% of those fore winning the FSS In Reality in October by nearly four lengths. Florida-bred winners during the At the time, the $400,000 In Reality was the richest race ever run in Florida, eclipsing the $365,000 purse offered in the 1984 Tampa Bay Meeting were sired Flamingo Stakes (G1) at Hialeah. by Florida stallions. Trainer Domingo Vasconcelos sent the son of Sovereign Dancer to Aqueduct for the Juvenile and Scat Dancer responded with a Florida-breds: third-place finish as fellow Florida-bred Tasso nosed out Storm Cat for the victory. Race ‘Em or Florida-bred Real Courage, who was 13th in the FSS In Reality Chase ‘Em! that year for owner-breeder Frances A. Genter, also started in the
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 8
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 9 Florida Sire Stakes Continued from page 7 the FSS in 2016 for breeder Shade Tree Thoroughbreds, who also co-owned the Gone Astray colt with Geoff Roy and Tom Fitzgerald. Scandalous Act finished sixth to winner Ria Antonia in the 2013 Juvenile Fillies and Three Rules duplicated that placing in the 2016 Sentient Jet Juvenile won by Classic Empire, both run at Santa Anita. Campbell sent another FSS grad to the Breeders’ Cup in 2018 when his Well Defined, winner of the FSS In Reality, finished out of the money in the Sentient Jet Juvenile. Two Sixty was the most recent Florida-bred to use the FSS as a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2019, but she finished out of the money at Santa Anita. Like Smile in 1986, there are other FSS graduates who went on to compete in the Breeders’ Cup after their juvenile year. Unbridled, winner of the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), fin- ished second in the 1989 Florida Stallion Stakes In Reality. Hol- lywood Wildcat won the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Distaff as a 3-year-old after finishing sixth in the FSS Susan’s Girl the year be- fore and Little Mike was eighth in the 2009 FSS Dr. Fager before winning the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2012. This is not to say that one should run off to bet the futures in Eddie Plesa Jr., John Velazquez, Florida-bred Three Ring/GULFSTREAM PARK PHOTO Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after this year’s FTBOA Florida Sire Five more FSS runners would go the Breeders’ Cup between Stakes Dr. Fager, but don’t rule out one of the contenders for a 1994 through 1997 but none finished in the money until a year later victorious effort at Del Mar for this year’s Breeders’ Cup in early when Three Ring took her wins in the 1998 FSS Susan’s Girl and November either. FSS My Dear Girl to Churchill Downs for the Juvenile Fillies. Al- though she was sent to the post at 24-1, the Ocala Stud-bred daughter of Notebook had a good showing, finishing third behind the Bob Baffert-trained stars Silverbulletday and Excellent Meeting. Undeterred, Three Ring would achieve her stardom the following year for owner Barry Schwartz and trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. while winning the Grade 2 Davona Dale and Grade 2 Bonnie Miss at Gulfstream Park before winning the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park in the final race of her career. Kiss A Native, winner of the 1999 FSS In Reality, would be un- placed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile won by Anees and 2006 FSS Susan’s Girl and FSS My Dear Girl-winner Adhrhythm finished out of the money after being checked in the first turn of the Juvenile Fillies won by Dreaming of Anna. Fred Brei went to the 2010 Breeders’ Cup with his undefeated filly Awesome Feather, who won that year’s J J’s Dream Stakes, FSS Desert Vixen, FSS Susan’s Girl and FSS My Dear Girl in the name of his Jacks or Better Farms. By Brei’s Florida-based sire Awesome of Course, the homebred Awesome Feather did not disappoint as the 4-1 favorite in the Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies, winning by two-and-a-quarter lengths and later taking home the Eclipse Award as the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly. She would retire as a Grade 1 winner of the Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct with earnings of more than $1.9 million. Brei would return to Churchill Downs the following year for the Breeders’ Cup with two FSS stars in Fort Loudon and Awesome Belle. Fort Loudon had swept the three male divisions of the FSS in 2011 before finishing seventh in the Grey Goose Juvenile won by Hansen; and FSS My Dear Girl-winner Awesome Belle was un- placed in the Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies won by My Miss Aurelia. Between 2012 and 2019 five more Florida-breds would take on Breeders’ Cup company after success in the Florida Stallion Stakes including Scandalous Act, a homebred filly by Act of Duty for Gilbert Campbell who had won all three divisions of the FSS against fillies in 2013; and Three Rules, who swept the male divisions of Florida-bred Awesome Feather/BREEDERS’ CUP JACK MOOK PHOTOS
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 10 Whitmore Faces Firenze Fire in Alfred G. Vanderbilt BY RYAN MARTIN, NYRA PRESS OFFICE ______SARATOGA, NY—Defending champion sprinter Whitmore has shown no signs of slowing down in his 8-year-old campaign. He will again look to put his ability on display, facing some of the top sprinters in the country in Saturday’s 37th running of the $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Grade 1) at Saratoga Race Course. The prestigious six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and older pays homage to the influential owner, breeder and racetrack operator who made a major impact on the North American thoroughbred industry in the 20th century. Whitmore, co-owned by trainer Ron Moquett with Robert V. LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners, arrives at the Vanderbilt with $4,434,350 in the bank, and a career record of 15 wins, 13 seconds and four thirds from 41, including seven graded stakes victories at four dif- ferent racetracks. The gelded son of Pleasantly Perfect capped his award-winning 2020 campaign with a three-and-a-quarter-length vic- tory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland in November. Whitmore has not found the winner’s circle in 2021 but has come close in all three starts. After a game second by a neck to Florida- bred C Z Rocket in the Hot Springs on March 13 at Oaklawn Park, Florida-bred Firenze Fire/JOE LABOZZETTA PHOTO he returned to run second to his rival once more in the Grade 3 Count George in March 2020 at Laurel Park and the Grade 3 Gallant Bob Fleet Sprint on April 10 at the Arkansas oval. Whitmore was last in September 2018 at Parx Racing. His lone graded win at the Spa seen finishing a close third in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs won by came during his juvenile campaign when taking the Grade 3 San- Flagstaff on May 1, where he was seven-wide in upper stretch and ford in July 2017. Third to Whitmore in last year’s Breeders’ Cup crossed the finish line in tandem with Flagstaff and Lexitonian. Sprint, Firenze Fire notched his only Grade 1 triumph in the 2017 “His record says he’s [zero]-for-three this year, but he’s three-for- Champagne at Belmont Park. three in effort,” Moquett said. “All we can ask is for him to try. Are Firenze Fire was a game second last out in the Grade 2 John A. there some things that may have resulted in a better outcome? Proba- Nerud on July 4 at Belmont Park, where he battled gamely down the bly. But at the same time, he brought his A game. You’re going to win stretch to the inside of Mind Control, finishing a head shy of victory. some and you’re going to lose some. It’s all about bringing the effort.” “He’s on his game and doing well,” owner Ron Lombardi said. A winner of the 2018 Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga, Whitmore was “After that last race he came back to the barn that night and felt like second in last year’s Vanderbilt to Volatile. he didn’t even run. He went for a jog the next morning. At this level Whitmore captured last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint at 18-1 odds, they’re all tough races, but he’s doing great.” after running a respective eighth [2017], second [2018] and third Lombardi said the results might have been reversed had it been [2019] in the previous three runnings. Firenze Fire dueling to the outside in his most recent engagement. Despite arriving at last year’s Breeders’ Cup as a longshot, Mo- “If he’s on the outside he probably runs that race but it’s all a quett said he felt a strong sense of confidence in Whitmore, who part of the game. It was a duel with Mind Control last time, and we was fourth in the Grade 3 Phoenix at Keeneland, a race he won in just missed,” Lombardi said. “That was the first time we went gate 2017, in his previous effort. to wire which is something I’ve always wanted to try. Jose [Ortiz] “When I ran against [2019 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner] Mitole did that with him, and it worked out.” the previous year, I thought we were going to need someone to hook Ortiz will return aboard Firenze Fire from post three. him or get him out of position, but I didn’t feel like that against any Cash is King and LC Racing’s Mischevious Alex proved a force of the ones we were up against last year,” Moquett said. “I figured to be reckoned with following decisive graded stakes victories ear- we could run our best race and they could run theirs, but we could lier this year, and cuts back to six furlongs after running third in still be in front.” the Grade 1 Met Mile last out on June 5 at Belmont Park. Fresh off a Grade 1 triumph aboard Maracuja in last Saturday’s The Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained 4-year-old son of Into Mischief CCA Oaks, jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. seeks an eighth triumph displayed excellence in his first three starts this season, defeating aboard Whitmore, whom he will ride for the 18th time from post 6. optional claiming company on Jan. 10 at Gulfstream Park en route Mr. Amore Stable’s Florida-bred Firenze Fire also is an accom- to a victory in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint on Feb. 13. A plished veteran with nine graded stakes triumphs over four different winner of the Grade 3 Gotham in March 2020 at Aqueduct, he re- tracks, including victories in the Grade 3 Runhappy and Grade 2 turned to the Big A with vigor in capturing the Grade 1 Carter in True North at Belmont Park to commence his 6-year-old season. April by five-and-a-half lengths under a hand ride by Irad Ortiz Jr., He has finished fourth in the last two editions of the Vanderbilt. garnering a 109 Beyer Speed Figure. Trained by Kelly Breen, the son of Poseidon’s Warrior boasts a Ortiz, Jr. will return to irons from post two. record of 14 wins, five seconds and three thirds in 34 starts with The remainder of the field includes Lexitonian, Strike Power, earnings of $2,534,350, including victories in the Grade 3 General Three Technique, Miles Ahead, Montauk Traffic and Special Reserve.
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 11 Florida-breds C Z Rocket, Collusion Illusion Head Fast Field in Bing Crosby
BY DEL MAR $800,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ PRESS OFFICE ______Sales June Sale in 2016 where he was purchased by Frank Fletcher DEL MAR, CA—Nine of the fastest Racing Operations from Stephens racehorses on the grounds will step Thoroughbreds consignment. on the accelerators at Del Mar Satur- Dr. Schivel’s main claim to fame day for a six-furlong battle royale in so far is winning the Del Mar Futurity the 76th edition of the Grade 1 Bing last September, after which he was Crosby Stakes. sold to his current outfit and sent to The race offers a $300,000 purse the barn of trainer Mark Glatt, who and as part of the Breeders’ Cup then put him on the shelf for nine Challenge Series, an all-expenses months. The 3-year-old son of Vio- paid ticket into the $2-million Breed- lence made a comeback start in June ers’ Cup Sprint (G1), which will be at Santa Anita in an allowance race contested at Del Mar on Nov. 6. and won it in a photo. The race is deep in talent, deep in Brickyard Ride is a seriously fast contention and crack full of speed. horse whose style is to go to the front Picking a favorite is tough, but Del Florida-bred C Z Rocket/COADY PHOTO and dare his rivals to come catch Mar’s morning line man, Jon White, had made a call for the Florida- him. Trainer Craig Lewis has campaigned the 4-year-old by Club- bred C Z Rocket and hung him at 5-2 in the program. house Ride both in California-bred races and against open company To underline the extent of the friction that rises with a dash like and has come away a winner in both circumstances. He’s captured this, White has put 7-2 listings on both Dr. Schivel and Brickyard eight of 16 starts and banked $464,477. Rice, as well as a 4-1 tab on another Florida-bred star in Collusion Bred by Donald Dizney LLC, Collusion Illusion won the Crosby Illusion, the race’s defending champion. as a 3-year-old, getting up in the very last jump to score by the C Z Rocket has proven to be one of the great claims of recent times proverbial whisker. The Twirling Candy out of Natalie Grace, by since he was haltered for his current connections by trainer Peter Double Diamond Farm’s First Dude, has proved a winner in five of Miller at Oaklawn Park in April, 2020. The now 7-year-old gelding his nine trips to the post and will be making his first start since last by City Zip has since run nine times—the last six in stakes—and won December at Santa Anita. He, too, is trained by Glatt, while the con- seven of them, along with a pair of seconds. In the process he’s banked ditioner also calls the shots for Crosby entrant Law Abidin Citizen. more than $1 million and improved his career marks to 11 wins, three The remainder of the field includes Shooters Shoot, Vertical seconds and two thirds with total earnings of $1,391,641. Threat, Quick Tempo and Eight Rings. Bred by Farm III Enterprises, C Z Rocket sold for a then record First post time at Del Mar is 2 p.m. PDT. (5 p.m. EDT).
Gulfstream Park Spring/Summer Florida-bred and Florida Sire Stakes Races and Bonuses Date Race Conditions Distance Purse July 31 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Dr. Fager 2yo colts and geldings 6 fur. $100,000 Closed July 31 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Desert Vixen 2yo fillies 6 fur. $100,000 Closed Aug. 14 Benny the Bull (Fla.) 3yo and older 7 fur. $75,000* Aug. 1 Aug. 21 Proud Man 2yo 7 ½ fur. turf $75,000** Aug. 8 Aug. 21 Sharp Susan 2yo fillies 7 ½ fur. turf $75,000** Aug. 8 Aug. 28 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Affirmed 2yo colt and geldings 7 fur. $200,000 Closed Aug. 28 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Susan's Girl 2yo fillies 7 fur. $200,000 Closed Sept. 11 Sheer Drama (Fla.) 3yo and older, fillies and mares 7 fur. $75,000* Aug. 29 Sept. 18 Armed Forces 2yo 1 mi. turf $100,000** Sept. 5 Sept. 18 Our Dear Peggy 2yo fillies 1 mi. turf $100,000** Sept. 5 Sept. 25 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes In Reality 2yo colts and gelding 1 1/16 mi. $400,000 Closed Sept. 25 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl 2yo fillies 1 1/16 mi. $400,000 Closed Sept. 25 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Wildcat Heir 3yo and older 1 mi. $125,000 Closed Sept. 25 Hollywood Beach 2yo 5 fur. turf $100,000** Sept. 12 (Fla.) = Restricted to Florida-breds * Plus $25,000 Florida Sire Stakes Win Bonus ** Plus $25,000 Florida-bred Win Bonus
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top
Page 12 Harpers First Ride Targets Repeat in Deputed Testamony
BY PIMLICO PRESS OFFICE ______won seven of 11 races and nearly $500,000 in purse earnings. Hillwood Stables’ multiple stakes-winner Cordmaker is a fa- miliar foe, having run second or third to Harpers First Ride in the Deputed Testamony, Pimlico Special, Richard Small and Native Dancer last year. They most recently hooked up again in the May 14 Pimlico Special, with Cordmaker running fourth and Harpers First Ride 10th. Cordmaker, a gelded 6-year-old son of Curlin, was in the Pim- lico Special for the third straight year after having run third behind winner Tenfold in 2019 and 2020. It was his first race since a front- running, one-length triumph in the March 13 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial at Laurel. Cordmaker owns nine wins, five in stakes, and more than $600,000 in purse earnings from 29 career starts. Regular rider Vic- tor Carrasco has the call from post four. Morris Kernan Jr., Yo Berbs and Jagger Inc.’s Magic Michael will be making his second straight stakes start for trainer Jamie Ness after finishing second, two lengths behind Grade 3-winner Phat Man, in the mile-and-one-sixteenth Battery Park July 10 at Delaware Park. Magic Michael has finished first or second in eight of nine
Harper’s First Ride/JIM MCCUE PHOTO starts, six of them wins, at Parx since being claimed by Ness for $30,000 last fall at Churchill Downs. The exception came in an BALTIMORE – GMP Stables, Arnold Bennewith and Cypress open, mile-and-an-eighth allowance won by Mystic Night March Creek Equine’s Grade 3-winner Harpers First Ride and Maryland’s 14 in New York, where he ran last of six following a troubled start. leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez, who celebrated a successful re- Parx’s leading rider, Ruben Silvera, gets the assignment on Magic union last month, will look to keep their mojo going Saturday in Michael from the rail. Ness and Silvera teamed up to win the defense of last year’s victory in the $100,000 Deputed Testamony $100,000 Bald Eagle Derby with Indian Lake July 24 at Pimlico. at historic Pimlico Race Course. In post order, Two Thirty Five, Forewarned, Mischief Afoot and The Deputed Testamony is among three $100,000 stakes on a Bourbon Calling make up the remainder of the field. nine-race program, joined by the Challedon for 3-year-olds and older and Alma North for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older, both sprinting six furlongs. All three races are part of the Mid-At- lantic Thoroughbred Championship Series. Florida-breds First race post time is 12:40 p.m. EDT. Harpers First Ride and Gonzalez, a 44-year-old who has topped Make Florida Racing the state’s overall trainer standings since 2017, have proven to be an ideal partnership. Claimed on behalf of Robert D. Bone for Did you know $30,000 out of a maiden claiming win Sept. 14, 2019 at Churchill Florida-bred Downs, they have teamed up for 10 wins, four in stakes, with two thoroughbreds won seconds and a third in 16 subsequent starts. 31.5% of races run at the The most recent came in an third condition, $50,000 optional recent Gulfstream Park Championship claiming allowance going a mile-and-one-sixteenth June 27 at Pim- Meet? lico, where the Paynter gelding circled the field and drew off to a length-and-a-quarter triumph under Angel Cruz, who has been This demonstrates how vital Florida-breds aboard for six wins including all four stakes. Harpers First Ride are to the success of Gulfstream Park had gone winless in three starts for trainer Robertino Diodoro after throughout the year—not just during the being sold privately prior to his 12th-place in the $3 million Pegasus Spring/Summer season. World Cup (G1) won by Knicks Go Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park. “The owners called me and we talked about it and they asked if Additional good news for I would take him back, and I said, ‘Yes, sure,’” Gonzalez said. “It’s Florida breeders—66% of tough when you’re a trainer and you don’t know the horse. They those Florida-bred winners during have to figure it out. He tried his best and when he came back the the Gulfstream Park Championship horse was in really good condition.” Meet were sired by Florida Harpers First Ride hit his best form last fall, kicked off by a pop- stallions. ular three-and-a-quarter-length win in the Deputed Testamony at Lau- Florida-breds: rel Park, his stakes debut. Wins followed in the Pimlico Special (G3), Richard W. Small and Native Dancer to cap a 2020 season where he Race ‘Em or Chase ‘Em!
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 13 Channel Cat Primed to Pounce in Bowling Green
BY KEITH MCCALMONT, for most Bowling Green victories NYRA PRESS OFFICE ______with four, will saddle a trio of con- tenders, including the reigning SARATOGA, NY—Calumet Farm Champion Turf Male Channel homebred Channel Cat and his Maker, graded-stakes winner Red trainer, Jack Sisterson, are no Knight and multiple graded-stakes strangers to springing upsets in placed Moon Over Miami. graded stakes. The duo will look to Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, R. add another exclamation mark to A. Hill Stable and Reeves Thor- their collective ledgers in Saturday’s oughbred Racing’s Channel Maker, $250,000 Bowling Green (Grade 2), a 7-year-old Ontario-bred son of an 11-furlong inner-turf test for older English Channel, boasts a record of horses, at Saratoga Race Course. seven wins, six seconds and five Channel Cat, who is one of three thirds with purse earnings in excess sons of English Channel entered for of $3.2 million. Saturday’s 63rd renewal, captured The prominent chestnut, last the 2019 Bowling Green at odds of seen finishing eighth in the Group 13-1 for former conditioner Todd 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Mey- Pletcher. The 6-year-old chestnut, dan in March, will make his who was transferred to Sisterson’s fourth-consecutive Bowling Green care last year, won a dramatic re- appearance, including a dead-heat newal of the Grade 1 Man o’ War in win in 2018, a fourth in 2019 and May at Belmont Park at 8-1 by a a third a year ago. nose over Gufo, who was a neck Channel Maker captured the 12- better than Bowling Green-rival furlong Grade 1 Sword Dancer here Moon Over Miami. last summer over soft going ahead The Man o’ War score completed of a similar front-running score in a personal trifecta of Grade 1-wins the Grade 1 Turf Classic Invita- at all three NYRA tracks for Sister- tional in October over firm Bel- son following Vexatious’ [9-1] score mont turf. Manny Franco, aboard in the Personal Ensign last year at for both of those victories, returns Saratoga and True Timber’s [7-1] to the irons from post five.
Cigar Mile victory in December at John Velazquez & Channel Cat/JOE LABOZZETTA PHOTO Trinity Farm homebred Red Aqueduct Racetrack. Knight, a 7-year-old son of Pure John Velazquez, who has also enjoyed surprise success in the Prize, made the grade in October in the Grade 3 Sycamore at Bowling Green, is tied with fellow Hall of Fame riders Javier Keeneland. The consistent chestnut will look for his first win of the Castellano, Jerry Bailey, and Jorge Velasquez for most Bowling season, adding blinkers from post six under Tyler Gaffalione. Green wins with three. He will look to secure the standalone record Summer Wind Equine’s Moon Over Miami, a 4-year-old Malibu victory from the inside post after scores with Turk Passer [1994, Moon colt, captured the mile-and-five-sixteenths Dueling Grounds 31-1], Cetewayo [1998, 9-1], and Air Support [2012, 7-5]. Derby in September at Kentucky Downs to secure his only stakes “He couldn’t be doing any better,” Sisterson said. “He’s done all win. He has made all three starts this year in graded company, fin- his works within himself. On Saturday, John Velazquez worked him ishing third in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida won by Phantom Cur- and was very happy with him. The key to Channel Cat is keeping rency in February and second to Churn and Burn in the Grade 2 him happy and he seems to be going into the race in great shape Pan American, both at Gulfstream, ahead of his last-out third in the and happy form. We look forward to a fun summer with him.” Grade 1 Man o’ War. Channel Cat, who has competed over good turf in his last three Junior Alvarado retains the mount from post seven. outings, ran second to Say the Word in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Pletcher will saddle Donegal Racing’s Shamrocket, a Florida- Elkhorn at Keeneland in April ahead of his Man o’ War score. bred son of Tonalist in search of his first graded win. The normally Last out, in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Man- late-running colt, who finished fourth in Channel Cat’s Man o’ War hattan on June 5 at Belmont, Channel Cat pressed the pace and in May, utilized a more prominent approach last out when third in faded to seventh in a race won by Domestic Spending. The second the Grand Couturier. and third-place finishers exited that event to win stakes, including Irad Ortiz, Jr. has the call from post eight on the Rustlewood a Grade 1 United Nations coup for the Chad Brown-trained Trib- Farm Inc.-bred. huvan and a Grand Couturier-score for the Christophe Clement- The other contenders include Cross Border, Breakpoint (Chi) conditioned Gufo. and Rockemperor (Ire). Bill Mott, who is tied with fellow Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher
Wire to Wire July 31 & August 1, 2021 Back to Top Page 14
Friday Charts Track Entries
Click Here to View Entries for Gulfstream Park & Results
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