CHROME WORKS, LUCKY SCHOOLS
Lucky Gulfstream Park fans who got up early were able to watch California Chrome have a workout at Gulfstream Park on Saturday morning.
One of the modern era’s greatest racehorses is getting ready for the $12 million Pegasus World Cup, the unique race at Gulfstream coming up on Jan. 28 in which $1 million starting berths were sold last year.
Pegasus World Cup contender Breaking Lucky became acquainted with the Gulfstream Park paddock Saturday afternoon, and at the same time some of the newest partners in the graded stakes winner had the opportunity to see him in the flesh for the first time.
Earlier this week it was announced that Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds partnered with Breaking Lucky’s owner, Tom Keithley of Gunpowder Farms LLC, to run the 5-year-old in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 28.
On hand Saturday to watch Breaking Lucky paddock school was Dean Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, one of the original Pegasus stakeholders, and Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds. Also joining Reeves to see Breaking Lucky was Randy Hill, Reeves’ partner as a stakeholder.
“Here we are and hooked up with a couple of other partners,” Reeves said as he waited for Breaking Lucky’s arrival in the paddock. “I had never met Tom, and I will get to meet him today. Terry I knew, and Randy and I have had horses together, so now the four of us are in on this horse and all of it is because of the Pegasus. I think part of the whole uniqueness of the Pegasus is bringing a lot of owners and trainers, and so forth, together, who may or may not have ever gotten together.”
Breaking Lucky’s trainer, Reade Baker, was pleased with the schooling session, even though the son of Lookin At Lucky got warm. Baker shipped Breaking Lucky to Gulfstream Park from his Palm Beach Downs base on Saturday morning.
“He gets hot the first time we school him,” Baker remarked. “We’ll school him again next week and he will be better. And then we’ll school him again right before the race, and he will be fine.”
Baker said Breaking Lucky, who finished second to Gun Runner in the Clark Handicap (G1) in his most recent start, will work at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 18.
The trainer remarked that the Ontario-bred, who has won three of 16 starts, including the Seagram Cup (G3) at Woodbine last year, has flourished as he has gotten older.
“The Clark was a huge effort,” Baker said. “There were some very, very good horses in there that he beat. He is getting better as he has gotten older. I’m definitely excited about this race. It’s big money . . . we’re in the big time here.”
Pegasus Contenders Keen Ice, Neolithic Breeze Saturday
Grade 1 winner Keen Ice and Todd Pletcher-trained stablemate Neolithic, an impressive allowance winner Dec. 14 at Gulfstream, each put in their penultimate Pegasus work Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs.
Keen Ice, with Javier Castellano aboard, went five furlongs in 1:00.80 in company with fellow Grade 1 winner Greenpointcrusader. Neolithic, breezing under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, was clocked in the same time working with multiple graded stakes winner Madefromlucky. Both jockeys will retain the mount for the Pegasus.
“Both of them worked very well. I was pleased with both of them. Everything seems in good order,” Pletcher said. “Everything’s gone according to plan. We’re satisfied with the way they’ve been training, so hopefully they have another good two weeks.”
Coming off a runner-up finish to stablemate Stanford in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) Dec. 17 at Gulfstream, Keen Ice was third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) behind 2016 Horse of the Year finalists Arrogate and California Chrome, who are poised for a rematch in the Pegasus.
Representing Pegasus stakeholder Ronald and Jerry Frankel in partnership with Donegal Racing, Keen Ice’s has not won since his upset of Triple Crown champion American Pharoah in the 2015 Travers (G1) at Saratoga.
Owned by Pegasus stakeholder Starlight Racing, Neolithic ran second in the Discovery (G3) in mid-November at Aqueduct before rolling to a front-running nine-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile allowance in 1:41.58.
“All you can really do is hope to have your horse prepared to run the best race that they’re capable of and see how they stack up against two of the best horses in the world,” Pletcher said.
Source: Gulfstream Park
BREAKING LUCKY schooled in the paddock at Gulfstream on Saturday – JANIS MAINE PHOTO
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Here is NEOLITHIC’S work yesterdday at Palm Beach Downs as he prepares for the Pegasus World Cup, KEEN ICE’S workout follows
QUEEN’S PLATE WINNER SIR DUDLEY DIGGES NOMINATED TO BARBADOS GOLD CUP IN MARCH
SIR DUDLEY DIGGES, upset winner of the 2016 Queen’s Plate over Ami’s Gizmo, has been nominated to the Sandy Lane Gold Cup at Garrison Savannah in early March. The son of Gio Ponti was 2nd in the Breeders’ Stakes to Camp Creek and has been 5th in 2 stakes races since then, including the $75,000 Woodchopper Stakes at Fair Grounds 2 weeks ago.
Ken and Sarah Ramsey have 6 horses nominated to the Gold Cup. Last year’s winner Dorsett has been nominated.
The following horses have been nominated at the 1st subscription stage for the XXXVI SANDY LANE BARBADOS GOLD CUP (GR.1. – INT. – BAR) scheduled to be held on Saturday 4th March, 2017.
CONQUEST BESPOKE (Mr. Shivam Maharaj) (T&T)
CHIEF KITTEN (Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah Ramsey) (USA)
COALPORT (Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah Ramsey) (USA)
DAUNTING DAVID (Sir David Seale)
DORSETT (Messrs. Steve & Allan Madoo)
HIGH NOON RIDER (Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah Ramsey) (USA)
INDIANO JONES (Mr. Lewin Godding)
INFRARED (Messrs. Dan & Martin Raizman)
INWON (Messrs. Dan & Martin Raizman)
JUST A FASHION (Aysha Syndicate)
KEYSTONEFORVICTORY (Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah Ramsey) (USA)
KNIGHT RIDER (Mrs. Gay Smith)
NEKITTA (Mr. Lewin Godding)
NINEPOINT SIX-NINE (Mr. D.D. Haynes)
NOBLE INTENT (Mr. J.D. Chandler)
PRINCESS TIANA (Mrs. Gay Smith)
SECRET AMERICAN (Steve Samaroo)
SIR DUDLEY DIGGES (Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah Ramsey) (USA)
TIGER PAW (Mr. Kenneth L. & Sarah Ramsey) (USA)
TRINI NAVIGATOR (Mr. Baskaran Bassawh) (T&T)
WINNERS…
1st-SA, $56,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($40,000), 1-14, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m (off turf), 1:52.41, gd.
MIDNIGHT TOAST (f, 4, Midnight Lute–Mahalo {SP}, by Gulch), 10th in her debut going down the hill last May, returned from
the shelf with an 18-1 upset going a mile at Los Alamitos Dec. 16. Looking for her second straight win in this off-the-turfer, the
5-1 shot was sent to the front from her outside draw and never looked back, finishing 4 1/4 lengthsto the good of favored Lady
Pamela (Tapit). Midnight Toast, produced by a half-sister to GII San Rafael S. winner Spanish Chestnut (Horse Chestnut {Saf}),
has a 2-year-old half-brother by Macho Uno. The winner is a half-sister to Man o= Bear (Corinthian), MSP, $162,839. Sales
history: $55,000 RNA Wlg ’13 KEENOV; $40,000 Ylg ’14 KEESEP.
Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $60,945.
O-D P Racing; B-William D. Graham (ON); T-James M. Cassidy.
At Mahoning Valley, Ontario bred SHE’S ALL THAT continues to thrive on the dirt for owner Elliott Sullivan. The Haynesfield – She Ain’t Much filly won for the 4th time in her last 5 races on Saturday, taking a $5,000 claiming race by more than 9 lengths with a career best 77 Beyer Figure. The 4yo was bred by Ericka Rusnak.
