Hot Rod Charlie spent a good portion of the last 16 months out on the road. Based in California with trainer Doug O’Neill, he shipped to Keeneland in October 2020 to start in the Breeders’ Futurity. During his 3-year-old campaign of 2021, Hot Rod Charlie traveled to Fair Grounds in Louisiana, to Churchill Downs (where he was third in the Kentucky Derby), to Belmont Park, to Monmouth Park in New Jersey, and to Parx Racing in Pennsylvania.
Paul Lally:
R1: 1-3-7-12
R2: 1-4-10-11
R3: 1-4-11-13
R4: 2-7-6-5
R5: 9-1-4-5
R6: 9-6-12-4
R7: 10-3-5-9
R8: 3-4-9-11
R9: 14-12-6-10
R10: 4-5-9-6
R11: 13-4-1-3
Best Bet: R3 N1 Cordyceps Six
Longshot: R7 N10 Never Too Soon
Play: R7 QQP 3-5-10
Tom Wood:
R1: 1-11-13-7
R2: 1-11-9-12
R3: 13-1–11-6
R4: 2-4-9-8
R5: 1-5-9-4
R6: 4-12-6-9
R7: 1-3-5-4
R8: 3-4-7-9
A Class 1 handicap highlights Day 1 of the Year of the Tiger on a special Lunar New Year’s racing program Thursday at Sha Tin.
Happy Valley Racecourse usually hosts weekday racing in Hong Kong but the Chinese New Year celebration this week changes the schedule. First post for the 10-race card is 11:30 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, and you can catch all the action at DRFBets.com.
A potential speed duel could work in favor of The Chosen One in a one-mile handicap at Gosford Racecourse in Australia on Thursday.
The Chosen One, a 5-year-old gelding, can win his second consecutive race against a field of eight in which several of the contenders have a tendency to run near the front. The Chosen One stalked the pace in a handicap at 7 1/4 furlongs at Muswellbrook on Jan. 17 before taking the lead in the stretch to win by slightly less than a half-length as the 8-5 favorite.
Three races into his career, Mr Blackwood has already shown an affinity for distance races in Australia.
On Jan. 18, Mr Blackwood won a maiden race at 1 1/2 miles by a commanding 4 3/4 lengths at Moe Racecourse as the 6-5 favorite. The win has led to a start in an even more demanding race, a handicap at 1 7/8 miles at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Wednesday.
For a moderate handicap runner, Runaway Train is an important mount for top Australian jockey Jamie Kah. The 5-year-old mare is owned by her father, John.
Runaway Train has won 2 of 10 starts, with Kah aboard for both wins and nine of the races. The only one she missed was a loss in November at a time when Kah was suspended for attending a house party in late August in violation of Covid quarantine rules set forth by the government of the Australian state of Victoria and racing officials.
The Australian gelding Surf Sonic is slowly putting a disrupted career behind him.
A 5-year-old, Surf Sonic has won 2 of 11 starts in a career that began in September 2019. Monday at Dubbo Racecourse, Surf Sonic will have his fifth start since late October when he returned from a layoff of more than 14 months.
The recent span of races have been encouraging, notably a second in a one-mile handicap at Taree Racecourse on Jan. 3 when Surf Sonic led in the stretch and finished slightly more than a length behind Valley’s Sister.
Paul Lally:
Race1 3-2-10-8
Race2 3-1-5-2
Race3 4-1-3-2
Race4 2-7-4-8
Race5 9-4-5-11
Race6 7-4-10-6
Race7 2-10-8-4
Race8 1-5-4-8
Race9 9-4-7-5
Race10 3-12-1-2
Best Bet Race5 9 Leading Fortune
Longshot Race6 7 Sunset Watch
Play Race6 QQP 4-7-10
Mark McNamara:
R1 – 2.3.8.14
R2 – 5.3.2.4
R3 – 1.2.4.3
R4 – 6.4.13.4
R5 – 10.9.4.5
R6 – 10.3.4.2
R7 – 10.2.4.8
R8 – 1.9.5.6
Real World was the 1-2 favorite in the Group 2, $180,000 Zabeel Mile on Friday at Meydan Racecourse and he did not disappoint.
Coming home crisply under Daniel Tudhope, Real World won his fifth race in a row capturing the Zabeel Mile by 2 1/2 lengths over Alfareeq.
