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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Trainer Brendan Walsh highlights his contenders in Parx Racing's $1 million races Sept. 20: Gosger and David of Athens in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and Clicquot in the Cotillion Stakes (G1).View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Stone Farm and Upland Flats Racing's Swore battles back along the inside to prevail in the $150,000 Lonesome Glory Handicap (NSA-G1), a 2 1/2-mile steeplechase for older horses during the Belmont at the Big A meet. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
2023 GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) will target the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. confirmed Thursday. The now 6-year-old, who started the year with a win in the GI Pegasus World Cup, has returned to Gulfstream Park from Saratoga, where he is scheduled to breeze next week for the first time since finishing fourth in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup Aug. 31. “Obviously, things didn't go the way we wanted in the Jockey Club. We're going to regroup in the Mile,” Joseph told Gulfstream media. “The Mile is probably going to come up the lesser spot. He's already won the Classic. If we can add the Mile to his resume, that would be a good addition. Right now, I think he'll train up to the Mile” The Jockey Club Gold Cup, which wound up a disastrous trip for several contenders after 'TDN Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution) unseated jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. shortly after the break, was White Abarrio's third consecutive fourth place finish. He was also off the board in both the GI Whitney Stakes and the GI Metropolitan Handicap both at Saratoga. The post White Abarrio To Train Up To The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Michael Guerin One of the men closest to pacing excitement machine Merlin finds himself going head to head with harness racing’s biggest modern trend in the IRT Spring Cup at Alexandra Park tonight (9.16pm). Because co-trainer Scott Phelan says the millionaire stallion is the horse to beat in the 2200m dash even though he is off a 20m handicap, the sort of disadvantage that has become a curse for punters in recent years. As the pacing breed has gotten quicker it has been increasingly rare for horses to win top class races off handicaps, which is a double edged sword. First a handicap means a horse is likely to settle back and few major races have leaders dawdling around these days so if the backmarkers want to move they burn enormous energy, usually three wide. But, as may be the case with Merlin tonight, if they sit back and try and divebomb their rivals they often run amazing sectionals but still get beaten because any horse in Merlin race tonight could pace their last 800m in 55 seconds against the marker pegs. All that doesn’t mean winning off handicaps is impossible these days and backmarkers can be aided by smaller fields and staggered handicaps, meaning they aren’t giving every horse a big start. And of course the longer the race the more time backmarkers have to make up their disadvantage or be towed into the race. Merlin gets none of those advantages tonight though as he is off 20m by himself over just 2200m with nine highly talented rivals in front of him. Yet he is the hot TAB favourite and the top pick for Phelan of the six he and training partner Barry Purdon have in the race. “I still think he is the one to beat,” says Phelan. “I know the handicap isn’t easy but that could change quickly at the start. “There are a few inexperienced standing start horses in here and if he [Merlin] begins quickly and there are two or three gallopers or horses who are slow then he could be sixth or something like that after 400m. “Then he would deserve to be favourite but either way we know he is the best horse in the race.” That race configuration will be crucial as put Merlin three back on the outer starting the last 800m and he may well justify his favouritism, especially as few of those in front of him have actually won a major open class race. “He is ready to go and has had two trials. He looks quite tight and while, being first-up, he will probably be driven to outsprint them I think he can.” The stable also has Spring Cup defending champion Sooner The Bettor in tonight and he tends to step and run and looks the thorn in Merlin’s side even though the score card between the pair is very lopsided. “We also have Cold Chisel coming back which is great but you’d think he would improve with a few more starts and while Jeremiah and Better Knuckle Up are both going great they don’t have as much standing start experience as the big two. “Duchess Megxit has come up well but is heading down south for a mares race next week so I think she will be driven for speed as well.” Cambridge trainer Arna Donnelly has three really promising horses in the race and it wouldn’t surprise to see one of Little Spike, The Surfer or Jolimont get into the top three but the question for most punters will be: should I back Merlin? And if not, who else? Sooner The Bettor makes the most sense as he has been there and done that and Phelan says he can go much better than he did winning last start when he got a touch too relaxed in front. Tonight’s meeting also sees the $110,000 Caduceus Club Fillies Final in which impressive Canterbury juvenile Lizzie Borden comes north to take on rivals like Shezsofast and Alecto who have been sharing the honours in the lead up races. Lizzie Borden’s stablemate Fugitive (R7, No.3) looks the one to beat on the boy’s Woodlands Sires’ Stakes. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Michael Guerin Ben Hope admits he knows a lot more about one of his three-year-old trotters than the other one heading to Addington tonight. But he still thinks they can both win. Hope and father Greg train Habibti Pat (R6, No.7) who resumes in the $60,000 Macca Lodge NZ Sires’ Stakes Classique for the trotting girls tonight while a few races later former northerner Ya Eejit Ya (R9, No.1) makes its stable debut against the older horses. “He has come down from Sean McCaffrey’s and feels like a really nice young horse,” says Hope of Ya Eejit Ya. “He seems to have a good record from a mobile and I think he would have to go close as he might have too much speed for many of these if he gets a nice sit.” Habibti Pat was our best juvenile trotting filly last season but had little luck on a northern campaign in the autumn, albeit she finished third to Meant To Be in the Northern Trotting Derby. Hope says she has prepped well for her return tonight and he still has total confidence in her. “But much went right for her up north but she still went some brave races. “She has trialled well this time in. Blair [Orange, driver] was happy with her last trial so we think she is ready to go.” While the Hopes don’t give Orange too many instructions, Ben says he thinks Habibti Pat is ready to be driven with some confidence tonight. “I still think she is the best filly in the country. “Ya Rite Darl has a better draw than us and will be fitter after her last start so we might have to sit parked outside her if she leads. “But I still think our filly is the one to beat.” While the Hope trotters will carry plenty of support tonight the highlight of the meeting is a red hot juvenile race which sees Jumal (R8, No.8) try to remain unbeaten against the likes of Special Occasion and Zeus Lightning. They are anything but the only three winning chances in the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes heat but Jumal opened odds-on with the TAB even from the outside of the front line. With so much talent inside him it wouldn’t surprise to see him have to driven slighty more conservatively inside the first 800m than when he blasted to the lead last start. One thing is for sure: we will know a lot more abut the juvenile boys pacing rankings by 8.30pm tonight. Add in to strong handicap pacing feature that sees Rubira up against Rakero Rocket, Arthur Selby, Hadron Collider and American Me and tonight’s meeting will have some major effects on feature race futures markets for the months to come. View the full article
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