It seems that Team Valor International has found themselves another good Kentucky Derby contender! Cerro, an Irish-bred colt trained by Graham Motion, showed a great deal of promise in winning a nine-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park by 2 1/2 lengths.
Ridden to victory by Javier Castellano, Cerro got off to an excellent start and quickly assumed command of the lead, setting fractions of :23.69 and :46.64 while being tracked by Wild Billum. El Gran Joyful, Sky Captain, and El Duro were next in line, while Craving Carats trailed the field.
Following three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.65 seconds, Sky Captain moved up to challenge Cerro for the lead, but the front-running colt had something left in the tank, turning back Sky Captain's challenge and opening up a 2 1/2 length lead, which he maintained to the wire. The final time was 1:50.29 seconds.
Sky Captain finished second by three lengths over El Duro, while Wild Billum, El Gran Joyful, and Craving Carats completed the order of finish.
The winner, a son of Mr. Greely out of the Giant's Causeway mare Ballette, has now compiled a record of 2-0-1 from five starts, with earnings of $46,125.
-Keelerman
Showing posts with label El Duro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label El Duro. Show all posts
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Monday, September 10, 2012
Juveniles at Saratoga -- September 1-3, 2012
September 1st
Race 7: Maiden Special Weight
7 furlongs for 2yos
Trainer Todd Pletcher had a pair of entrants, with the
more highly El Duro receiving more betting support. But in the end, that
colt could only manage an even fourth-place finish behind Pletcher's other colt
Micromanage, who stamped himself as a colt of very high quality with a
decisive victory. Ridden to victory by Javier Castellano, the son of Medaglia
d'Oro settled into fifth place early on before working his way into contention
about a half-mile from the finish. He then made a bold run around the turn to
take command of the lead at the top of the stretch before subsequently drawing
off in powerful fashion to win by five lengths in the exceptional time of
1:23.01 seconds. Apex tracked the pace for much of the race and finished
clearly second best, but was no match for the winner. Gulfport was
heavily favored, but tired to finish third after setting fractions of :23.23
and :46.62 seconds.
September 2nd
Race 2: Maiden Special Weight
7 furlongs for 2yo fillies
There were four first-time starters in the field of
eight, and in the end, they swept the trifecta. The winner was Cue the Moon,
who spent much of the race in fourth place before attempting a rally in between
horses and having the hole close. Then, after waiting for racing room, jockey
Ramon Dominguez shifted his mount to the outside, and Cue the Moon responded
with a good run that carried her to a half-length triumph in 1:24.30. Emollient
was last early on, rallied well on the far outside to take the lead, but
couldn't hold off the winner's run while turning in a good effort. Madgi
put in a mild rally from seventh place to finish third, 3 1/4 lengths behind
the winner. Liquid Lunch tracked the pace in third place, took over the
lead at the top of the stretch, but gave way late to finish fourth.
Race 10: Spinaway Stakes (gr. I)
7 furlongs for 2yo fillies
Teen Pauline was the odds-on favorite thanks to a track
record-setting debut earlier in the meet, but tired in the stretch to finish
third behind So Many Ways, who brought her record to a perfect 3-for-3 with a
decisive victory.
September 3rd
Race 1: Maiden Special Weight
8.5 furlongs on turf for 2yos
Noble Tune was favored for trainer Chad Brown, and the son of Unbridled's Song lived
up to expectations with a dominating victory. With Ramon Dominguez aboard, the
colt didn't get off to the best of starts, but soon settled into the sixth
position along the rail while Bye Bye Bernie set fractions of :24.66 and
:49.74. Noble Tune continued to save ground around the turn, then split horses
entering the homestretch to seize command of the lead and draw away powerfully
to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:43.08 seconds. Draw Too rallied from last
to finish second in a good effort. Metro raced wide throughout and just
missed securing the place. Bye Bye Bernie tired to finish seventh.
Race 3: Maiden Special Weight
8.5 furlongs on turf for New York-bred 2yos
West Hills Giant, with Jose Espinoza aboard, turned in a gritty effort to
win this race by a head. The son of Frost Giant spent much of the race in the
third position, saving ground on the first turn before switching to the outside
rounding the second bend. He then moved up to take over the lead from
pace-setting Holy Endeavor before subsequently finding himself in a
thrilling battle with that one for the length of the stretch. In the end, West
Hills Giant held tough to win by a head in 1:43.39 seconds. The runner-up set a
slow pace of :24.59 and :49.36 seconds before eventually losing the stretch
duel with the winner. Irish Jade rallied from ninth to secur third,
beaten just three-quarters of a length.
Race 6: Maiden Special Weight
5.5 furlongs for 2yos
Seven horses went to post, with Todd Pletcher's Revolutionary
sent off as the favorite. But the winner was Always in a Tiz, who
tracked the pace in the second position before taking over in the at the top of
the stretch and holding off a late run from Clawback to win the race by a
half-length in 1:04.13 seconds. The latter colt settled into the third position
early on, four lengths behind the eventual winner, then made a bold run to draw
within a head of Always in a Tiz at the eighth pole. However, he failed to
sustain his momentum to the wire, losing ground to the winner late while
holding on to finish second. Revolutionary was bumped hard at the start and
trailed the field by fourteen lengths with just five-sixteenths of a mile to
go, yet rallied furiously in the homestretch to finish third, missing the
victory by just 1 1/4 lengths.
Race 9: Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. I)
Fortify was the
favorite for owner Goldophin Racing and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, but Todd
Pletcher was able to put the finishing touches on a spectacular meet by winning
this race in impressive fashion with Shanghai Bobby.
http://triplecrowncountdown.blogspot.com/2012/09/shanghai-bobby-wins-hopeful-stakes.html-Keelerman
Monday, August 06, 2012
The Juveniles at Saratoga -- August 3-5, 2012
The last few days at Saratoga have yielded a number of promising performances from two-year-olds, including terrific victories by Jocosity, Palace Malice, and Fortify. Don't be surprised if two or three future stakes winners emerge from the following races!
August 3rd
Race 2: Maiden Special Weight
5-1/2 furlongs on turf for New York-bred 2yo fillies
Perhaps the final time wasn't all that spectacular, but trainer Chad Brown has unleashed a potential star in Neck of the Moon, a first-time starter that absolutely romped in her debut. Ridden to victory by Javier Castellano, Neck of the Moon settled into the fifth position early on while not too far off the rail, found a seam turning for home, and exploded under a hand ride to win the race by four easy lengths. The final time was 1:03.71 seconds. Hot Rendezvouz raced in seventh for much of the race before putting in a good run on the far outside to secure second. With Honorandgrace rallied mildly for third after escaping from traffic encountered on in the stretch.
Race 5: Maiden Special Weight
5-1/2 furlongs for 2yos
Trainer Todd Pletcher is having another good Saratoga meet. In this particular race, Pletcher had two entrants, and they wound up being much the best while finishing 1-2. Jocosity, with John Velazquez aboard, was the odds-on favorite, while Pletcher's other entrant, Midnight Taboo, was 7-1. At the start, it was Jocosity who broke on top, going straight to the lead and setting stiff fractions of :21.79 and :44.93. Despite this fast pace, the colt had plenty left for the homestretch, bursting clear of the field following a single tap from the whip. He led by 5 1/2 lengths passing the eighth pole, a lead that he extended to 7 1/2 by the time he hit the wire in the sharp time of 1:02.85, just 0.34 seconds off of the track record set by Fastus Cactus in 2010. He was awarded a Beyer speed figure of 95 for the effort. Midnight Taboo put in a good rally from fifth to get up for second, but was no match for the winner. Central Banker raced evenly to finish third, 4 3/4 lengths behind Midnight Taboo. Sky Commander finished a dull fourth for trainer Mark Casse, but struck me as a colt that could be a good runner further down the road.
August 4th
Race 3: Maiden Special Weight
6-1/2 furlongs for 2yos
The favorite was El Duro, a first-time starter from the barn of Todd Pletcher, but while the colt did put in a good rally from sixth to finish second in a decent debut effort, he proved no match for Fortify, a fellow first-time starter from the powerful Darley Stable. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Fortify showed speed from the start, settling into second place through an opening quarter mile in :21.73 seconds before accelerating sharply to seize command of the race just prior to running the half-mile in :44.43. From there, the race was his, and the colt coasted home under jockey Joe Bravo to win by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:16.34 seconds. Unlikely Scenario raced evenly throughout to finish third, four lengths behind El Duro and nearly ten behind the winner.
Race 5: Maiden Special Weight
1 1/16th miles on turf for 2yos
Jockey Joel Rosario rode Craving Carats perfectly in this spot, rationing the colt's speed brilliantly through fractions of :48.15 and 1:12.41 before holding off a terrific late run from the first-time starter Balance the Books to win by a half-length in 1:42.96. The winner is owned by Donegal Racing and trained by Dale Romans, the same duo that raced turf star Paddy O'Prado and -- more recently -- the talented three-year-old Dullahan. Time will tell if Craving Carats is able to enter the same illustrious class as his stablemates, but he does look like a nice one. Balance the Books trailed the field by fifteen lengths during the early stages of the race before turning in an eye-catching and brilliant late bid to just miss. Summer Shiner tracked Craving Carats' lead and held on well to finish third while never a serious threat to the winner.
Race 7: Maiden Special Weight
6-1/2 furlongs for 2yos
Palace Malice was the heavy favorite off of a strong runner-up effort in his debut, and got the job done in good fashion this time around for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Javier Castellano. After settling into third place through an opening quarter mile in :21.90 seconds, the son of Curlin took over the lead with five-sixteenths of a mile to go and finished up well to win by 3 1/2 lengths. The final time was 1:16.48, slightly slower than the 1:16.34 turned in by Fortify earlier on the card. Apex and Hightail both battled with Palace Malice for the early lead before tiring somewhat to finish second and third, respectively.
August 5th
Race 6: Maiden Special Weight
7 furlongs for 2yos (originally scheduled for 1 1/16th miles on turf)
Nine horses scratched following a switch to the main track, although seven horses still went to post in the sloppy/sealed conditions. Tap Twenty One was the favorite for trainer George Arnold II, but the winner was Pletcher's first-time starter Skyfall, who raced in fifth through fractions of :22.97 and :46.24 before rallying strongly in the homestretch to win by three-quarters of a length. The final time of 1:26.89 seconds was rather slow, but given the condition of the track, that's not surprising. Tap Twenty One also rallied well from off-the-pace to finish a strong second, while Anita Chica finished third after leading past the eighth pole.
Race 8: Maiden Claiming
5-1/2 furlongs for New York-bred 2yo fillies
Todd Pletcher did not have an entrant; thus, William Badgett Jr.'s Ascended Fever was favored off of a runner-up effort at Belmont on June 27th. But as it turned out, Ascended Fever was third at every call and wound up beaten 4 1/2 lengths by the first-timer starter Gee Linz, who showed speed from the start before coasting to a three-length victory under Ramon Dominguez. The final time, however, was a slow 1:06.48 seconds. John's Mariah put in a decent rally from off-the-pace to finish second, but was never a threat to the winner.
-Keelerman
August 3rd
Race 2: Maiden Special Weight
5-1/2 furlongs on turf for New York-bred 2yo fillies
Perhaps the final time wasn't all that spectacular, but trainer Chad Brown has unleashed a potential star in Neck of the Moon, a first-time starter that absolutely romped in her debut. Ridden to victory by Javier Castellano, Neck of the Moon settled into the fifth position early on while not too far off the rail, found a seam turning for home, and exploded under a hand ride to win the race by four easy lengths. The final time was 1:03.71 seconds. Hot Rendezvouz raced in seventh for much of the race before putting in a good run on the far outside to secure second. With Honorandgrace rallied mildly for third after escaping from traffic encountered on in the stretch.
Race 5: Maiden Special Weight
5-1/2 furlongs for 2yos
Trainer Todd Pletcher is having another good Saratoga meet. In this particular race, Pletcher had two entrants, and they wound up being much the best while finishing 1-2. Jocosity, with John Velazquez aboard, was the odds-on favorite, while Pletcher's other entrant, Midnight Taboo, was 7-1. At the start, it was Jocosity who broke on top, going straight to the lead and setting stiff fractions of :21.79 and :44.93. Despite this fast pace, the colt had plenty left for the homestretch, bursting clear of the field following a single tap from the whip. He led by 5 1/2 lengths passing the eighth pole, a lead that he extended to 7 1/2 by the time he hit the wire in the sharp time of 1:02.85, just 0.34 seconds off of the track record set by Fastus Cactus in 2010. He was awarded a Beyer speed figure of 95 for the effort. Midnight Taboo put in a good rally from fifth to get up for second, but was no match for the winner. Central Banker raced evenly to finish third, 4 3/4 lengths behind Midnight Taboo. Sky Commander finished a dull fourth for trainer Mark Casse, but struck me as a colt that could be a good runner further down the road.
August 4th
Race 3: Maiden Special Weight
6-1/2 furlongs for 2yos
The favorite was El Duro, a first-time starter from the barn of Todd Pletcher, but while the colt did put in a good rally from sixth to finish second in a decent debut effort, he proved no match for Fortify, a fellow first-time starter from the powerful Darley Stable. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Fortify showed speed from the start, settling into second place through an opening quarter mile in :21.73 seconds before accelerating sharply to seize command of the race just prior to running the half-mile in :44.43. From there, the race was his, and the colt coasted home under jockey Joe Bravo to win by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:16.34 seconds. Unlikely Scenario raced evenly throughout to finish third, four lengths behind El Duro and nearly ten behind the winner.
Race 5: Maiden Special Weight
1 1/16th miles on turf for 2yos
Jockey Joel Rosario rode Craving Carats perfectly in this spot, rationing the colt's speed brilliantly through fractions of :48.15 and 1:12.41 before holding off a terrific late run from the first-time starter Balance the Books to win by a half-length in 1:42.96. The winner is owned by Donegal Racing and trained by Dale Romans, the same duo that raced turf star Paddy O'Prado and -- more recently -- the talented three-year-old Dullahan. Time will tell if Craving Carats is able to enter the same illustrious class as his stablemates, but he does look like a nice one. Balance the Books trailed the field by fifteen lengths during the early stages of the race before turning in an eye-catching and brilliant late bid to just miss. Summer Shiner tracked Craving Carats' lead and held on well to finish third while never a serious threat to the winner.
Race 7: Maiden Special Weight
6-1/2 furlongs for 2yos
Palace Malice was the heavy favorite off of a strong runner-up effort in his debut, and got the job done in good fashion this time around for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Javier Castellano. After settling into third place through an opening quarter mile in :21.90 seconds, the son of Curlin took over the lead with five-sixteenths of a mile to go and finished up well to win by 3 1/2 lengths. The final time was 1:16.48, slightly slower than the 1:16.34 turned in by Fortify earlier on the card. Apex and Hightail both battled with Palace Malice for the early lead before tiring somewhat to finish second and third, respectively.
August 5th
Race 6: Maiden Special Weight
7 furlongs for 2yos (originally scheduled for 1 1/16th miles on turf)
Nine horses scratched following a switch to the main track, although seven horses still went to post in the sloppy/sealed conditions. Tap Twenty One was the favorite for trainer George Arnold II, but the winner was Pletcher's first-time starter Skyfall, who raced in fifth through fractions of :22.97 and :46.24 before rallying strongly in the homestretch to win by three-quarters of a length. The final time of 1:26.89 seconds was rather slow, but given the condition of the track, that's not surprising. Tap Twenty One also rallied well from off-the-pace to finish a strong second, while Anita Chica finished third after leading past the eighth pole.
Race 8: Maiden Claiming
5-1/2 furlongs for New York-bred 2yo fillies
Todd Pletcher did not have an entrant; thus, William Badgett Jr.'s Ascended Fever was favored off of a runner-up effort at Belmont on June 27th. But as it turned out, Ascended Fever was third at every call and wound up beaten 4 1/2 lengths by the first-timer starter Gee Linz, who showed speed from the start before coasting to a three-length victory under Ramon Dominguez. The final time, however, was a slow 1:06.48 seconds. John's Mariah put in a decent rally from off-the-pace to finish second, but was never a threat to the winner.
-Keelerman
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