Mon, 06/29/2020 - 14:50

Creed gets his chance on a fast track

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Creed wins a maiden race in the mud at Belmont Park on June 11.

Creed, an impressive 7 3/4-length maiden winner in the mud here June 11, meets winners for the first time in a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on Thursday’s card.

Creed a son of Honor Code owned by Edward and Lynne Hudson and trained by Shug McGaughey, took advantage of a four-ply speed duel, made a wide rally around the turn, and cruised to an easy victory over a sealed, muddy surface.

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Mon, 06/29/2020 - 14:46

Grade 1 winner Complexity returns off layoff in allowance

Debra A. Roma
Complexity won the Grade 1 Champagne in 2018, but has gone 1 for 4 since that race.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The $100,000 Mount Vernon Stakes is technically the feature on Thursday’s nine-race card at Belmont Park, but a multi-conditioned allowance race for older males on dirt, featuring of bevy of stakes winners, may be the more interesting race on the program.

Mon, 06/29/2020 - 14:40

Tonalist's Shape smokes a half-mile in work

Barbara D. Livingston
Tonalist's Shape will be trying to rebound off a seventh-place finish in the Gulfstream Park Oaks.

The last thing trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. wanted or expected was to see his multiple stakes-winning filly Tonalist’s Shape work four furlongs in 45.35 seconds as she did Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park. But the manner in which the once-beaten 3-year-old did so had Joseph using superlatives like “phenomenal” and “breathtaking” to describe the move when looking back on it the following morning.

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Mon, 06/29/2020 - 14:36

With 2 of the 5 in the field, Joseph is in the catbird seat for Wednesday's feature

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Outshine wins his career debut May 17 at Belmont Park.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. appears to have the upper hand in Wednesday’s $48,000 main event, carded at a mile under allowance and optional-claiming conditions, having entered two of the five starters in the race, Overdeliver and Outshine.

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Mon, 06/29/2020 - 14:16

Letruska runs 'em off their feet in Added Elegance Stakes

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
Letruska earns a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Added Elegance Stakes on Saturday.

Letruska set a lightning-fast pace and still had plenty left in the tank to register an impressive 2 1/2-length decision over 6-5 Nonna Madeline in Saturday’s $60,000 Added Elegance Stakes.

Mon, 06/29/2020 - 14:10

Amoss won't push Dean Martini into Kentucky Derby

JJ Zamaiko Photography
Dean Martini, a $50,000 claim May 17 at Churchill Downs, shipped to Thistledown to win the Grade 3 Ohio Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tom Amoss had a lot on his plate last weekend. Staying put in Louisville, the veteran trainer won the Ohio Derby at Thistledown with Dean Martini; sent Lone Sailor into retirement; started thinking about one-turn races again with Serengeti Empress after the filly faded to fourth in the Fleur de Lis; and was encouraged by a runner-up comeback effort by Risky Mandate.

Mon, 06/29/2020 - 13:46

Code of Honor all set for showdown with McKinzie in Met Mile

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Code of Honor (left) wins the Westchester Stakes over Endorsed at Belmont Park on June 6.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Code of Honor completed preparations for a scheduled start in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap by working a half-mile in 49.66 seconds on Monday morning over the Belmont Park main track.

Under exercise rider Lexi Peaden, Code of Honor went his opening quarter in 26.28 and got his final quarter in 23.38 while galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.78 and six furlongs in 1:15.63. The main track was back-raked early in the morning, owing to rains that hit the area Sunday night.

Mon, 06/29/2020 - 13:30

Midnight Bisou, Tom's d'Etat could be headed for confrontation

Coady Photography
Tom’s d’Etat, with Miguel Mena riding, makes it four wins in a row on Saturday in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Midnight Bisou and Tom’s d’Etat didn’t just pick up automatic Breeders’ Cup berths in their respective Grade 2 victories Saturday at Churchill Downs. Both horses put in dazzling performances, leaving no doubt that they are candidates for 2020 Horse of the Year.

Midnight Bisou won the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis with ridiculous ease, earning a 93 Beyer Speed Figure in her first start in nearly four months. Mike Smith was aboard for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Mon, 06/29/2020 - 13:30

Turning back could help Imma Bling turn the tables

Coady Photography
Oil Money just nips Imma Bling in the Highland Ice at Will Rogers. They face off once again in the eighth race Thursday at Evangeline.

Imma Bling will attempt to turn the tables on Oil Money when the multiple stakes winners meet in Thursday night’s eighth race at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La.

The pair will clash at five furlongs on the main track in a conditioned allowance race with a $25,000 claiming option for 3-year-olds and up. A field of seven is set to start, including stakes winner Win Lion Win.

Sun, 06/28/2020 - 18:28

Tiz the Law closes as 2-1 favorite in Pool 5 of Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Manny Franco gives a fist pump after winning the 152nd Belmont Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tiz the Law, winner of the Belmont Stakes, closed as a solid favorite when Pool 5 of the 2020 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday.

Tiz the Law closed at 2-1, followed by Honor A. P. at 6-1, and the mutuel field, the 24th or “all others” option, at 8-1. Then came Authentic (11-1), Uncle Chuck (13-1), Cafe Pharoah (14-1), Cezanne (19-1), Art Collector (20-1), and Dr Post (20-1).