Horse Racing: California Burrito wins Ky. Derby prep at Turfway; Forever Young edges Romantic Warrior in an old-fashioned throwdown to win the $20 million Saudi Cup

[GKJ]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Oaklawn (AR) canceled the remainder of the card today.

Fonner (NE) canceled its opening weekend cards due to weather.

Pocono harness (PA) canceled its card.

Saratoga harness (NY) canceled tomorrow (Sunday).

Aqueduct (NY) canceled Sunday's card.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, February 15, 2025

• Steve Asmussen sent out 21 horses across four tracks and though only three won he did record two important graded stakes victories.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Post Times: NYRA altered post times today due to wintry weather. Aqueduct remained "fast" despite what appeared to be changing track conditions from snow as the afternoon progressed.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Card: Nine races of which four were stakes.
• Young and Not-Old New England Connections: A jockey from Maine in her 20s won on the card. A trainer approaching 80 who assisted at Rockingham Park (NH) and first his own horses in 1970 at Lincoln Downs (RI) won a stake race. Allard worked for George Handy who is believed to be at or near 100 years of age.
• Race 8: Quint's Brew (Mychel Sanchez/Ned Allard) won the $200,000 General George Stakes. Allard got his introduction to racing at Rockingham Park (NH) in the 1950s when he was still a teenager.

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• Race 6: Irish Maxima (Frankie Pennington/John Servis) won the $200,000 Barbara Fritchie Stakes. It was the jockey's only ride of the day. He is based at Parx where the horse last raced for his Philadelphia-based trainer.

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• Race 4: Sea Dancer (Sheldon Russell/Brittany Russell) won the $100,000 Nellie Morse Stakes, the first stakes of the day. Sea Dancer had a spirited victory with Headline Numbers (Angel Cruz/Chad Brown), who entered from Aqueduct. a defeated second place in a reduced field of four.

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• Race 3: Frosty the Giant (Matilda Burnham/Ben Feliciano, Jr.) was bet down to 6-to-1 and wired the field. The jockey is from Maine, perhaps the lone rider in the US from that state. She began riding in 2023 in California.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Handle: $17 million
• Race 11: The $.20 Pick 6 was nailed for $164,000+. The $.50 Pick 5 returned a gigantic $89,000+.

Fair Grounds (Louisiana):

• Card: 14 races of which were six stakes and four graded. Additionally, six MSW races were held.
• Ortiz Brothers: Jose Ortiz rode four winners and his brother Irad added three wins. They combined to win half the card.
• Jose Ortiz, who finished 10 4-1-3, rode consecutive MSW winners for Cherie DeVaux.
• Ben Curtis rode winners in the opener and finale.
• Cherie DeVaux had arguably the best day of her young career with three training victories.
• Steve Asmussen sent out 11 horses and three were victorious including a pair of graded stakes.
• Race 13: Good Cheer (Luis Saez/Brad Cox) won the Rachel Alexandra which serves as a prep for the Kentucky Oaks. The field was reduced to four runners, however, and she was sent off at the insurmountable odds of 1-to-9. Good Cheer is a perfect 5 5-0-0 lifetime The multiple graded stakes winner is owned by the internationally successful and nearly flawless Godolphin Stables. Due to the shortened field, the points distributed were cut in half from the original application.

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• Race 14: Magnitude (Ben Curtis/Steve Asmussen) was sent to the lead from the far outside 12 (PP #13) post and never looked back to earn the shocking upset at 43-to-1 and garner a lofty 50 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby in this, the Grade 2 $500,000 Risen Star. Chalk of Gold (Jareth Loveberry/Ethan West) placed, also at 43-to-1 and the incredible $1 exacta payout returned over $1,300. The $.50 tri totaled $3,400+. The $1 superfecta returned a sensational $53,000+.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, February 16, 2025

• Gulfstream Tampa Bay, Santa Anita, Sunland, Oaklawn, Laurel and Fair Grounds were among the few tracks racing in North America today.
• Steve Asmussen has recorded more wins than any trainer in the history of North America horse racing. At last check, he has 10,799 wins. His stable is enormous and he covers much of the landscape especially the south-central part of the US. But so far in 2025, he has already won three graded stakes. He leads North America in wins this year and is second to Saffie Joseph in money earned. Among his feats:
  • Finished 1-2 in the Sunland Park Oaks (NM) at 5-to-1 and 13-to-1 (beating Bob Baffert's 1-to-9 shot)
  • Won the Risen Star at 43-to-1 at Fair Grounds (LA).
  • Won the Houston Ladies Classic at 42-to-1 at Sam Houston (TX).

Aqueduct (New York):

• Canceled: Wintry forecast.

Laurel (Maryland):

• Race 1: Sara Del Fabbro, straight from a village in Milan, Italy, won the opener at Laurel for her first North America victory. The jockey was 0-for-17 prior.

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Tampa Bay Downs (Florida):

• Power Outage: The balance of the card was canceled beginning with the sixth race following a power outage at the facility.

Sunland (New Mexico):

• Card: 10 races of which four were stakes.
• Race 7: Runnin N Gunnin (Alfredo Juarez, Jr./Steve Asmussen) topped his stablemate Enchanting (Ramon Vazquez/Steve Asmussen) in the $250,000 Sunland Park Oaks. Maysam (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert) was no factor at 1-to-9. Gun Runner sired the top two finishers.

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• Race 9: Getaway Car (Juan Hernandez/Bob Baffert) won the $200,000 Sunland Park Derby by a nose in a thriller reminiscent of Affrmed-Alydar -- aren't all such hookups? Caldera (Rafael Bejarano/Wayne Lukas) placed in a battle of Hall-of-Fame trainers. Touchy (Joel Rosario/Wesley Ward) finished a distant third, more than nine lengths back from the winner. Getaway Car, one of Baffert's top potential contenders for the Kentucky Derby earned 20 points towards entry to that race. He nearly wired the field and fought back for victory.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Aqueduct (NY) has canceled racing for Monday's holiday. Wind is oftentimes the determining factor in canceled racing on Long Island and today's reason was similar to yesterday.

Aqueduct will card 10 races Saturday.

Multiple tracks canceled today (Monday) and that hurts especially for holiday interests. Parx and Pocono (PA), Saratoga, Batavia and Aqueduct (NY) and Mahoning Valley (OH) among the cancellations.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Dale Romans lost 180 pounds in three years and that achievement has been documented. Maybe unrelated but he is at 29% this year nearly doubled his lifetime win rate. In 2022, he was 9%. He has had powerful and successful horses in his career but both and off the track he has been in a revival.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Magnitude, the upset winner of Saturday's Risen Star, is off the Ky. Derby trail due to a bone chip.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Parx (PA) and Mahoning Valley (OH) canceled racing leaving Turf Paradise (AZ) as the lone track racing in the USA today (Tuesday).

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

OAKLAWN (AR) -- FEBRUARY 23

• Originally slated for February 22, now postponed a day due to weather.
• Maybe the best race card to date this year in North America,
• The highlight is Rebel Stakes which is the lone Ky. Derby prep in the US on Sunday. There is also a Ky. Derby prep race in Japan.
• 144 horses entered.
• Sandman is of keen interest following his most recent performance.

RACE #	PURSE	RACE TYPE	DISTANCE	SURFACE	POST TIME
1	$110,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/16 M	Dirt	12:00 PM CT
2	$130,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	12:31 PM CT
3	$130,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	1:02 PM CT
4	$150,000	Carousel S.	6 F	Dirt	1:31 PM CT
5	$110,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	2:02 PM CT
6	$130,000	Allowance	1 1/16 M	Dirt	2:33 PM CT
7	$131,000	Allowance	6 F	Dirt	3:04 PM CT
8	$145,000	Trivista Overnight S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	3:35 PM CT
9	$500,000	Honeybee S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	4:07 PM CT
10	$500,000	Razorback H.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	4:45 PM CT
11	$1,250,000	Rebel S.	1 1/16 M	Dirt	5:23 PM CT
12	$110,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 F	Dirt	5:53 PM CT

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Oaklawn (AR) has moved Saturday's loaded card to Sunday as part of a series of adjustments. The obvious question is why touch Saturday rather than just move Friday's card to Monday. That question likely will be raised and hopefully answered.

From the host track: Due to the upcoming freezing weather, we are shifting this weekend’s race schedule as follows:

• Races scheduled for Friday, 2/21 will move to Saturday, 2/22⁃
• The entire Rebel Stakes race card planned for Saturday, 2/22 will move to Sunday 2/23⁃
• Races scheduled for Sunday, 2/23 will move to Monday, 2/24

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Turfway (KY) changes:



With the postponement of Saturday's card to Sunday at Oaklawn, Turfway will host the lone Kentucky Derby prep on Feb. 22. Race 7 is worth 20 points to the winner.

RACE #	PURSE	RACE TYPE	DISTANCE	SURFACE	POST TIME
1	$29,900	Maiden Claiming	6 F	All Weather	5:55 PM ET
2	$16,500	Claiming	1 M	All Weather	6:25 PM ET
3	$34,000	Claiming	1 1/16 M	All Weather	6:55 PM ET
4	$15,400	Claiming	6 1/2 F	All Weather	7:25 PM ET
5	$80,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 1/2 F	All Weather	7:55 PM ET
6	$82,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 1/4 M	All Weather	8:25 PM ET
7	$175,000	John Battaglia Memorial S.	1 1/16 M	All Weather	8:55 PM ET
8	$18,500	Maiden Claiming	5 1/2 F	All Weather	9:25 PM ET
9	$31,900	Claiming	1 M	All Weather	9:55 PM ET
10	$29,900	Maiden Claiming	6 1/2 F	All Weather	10:25 PM ET

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

SAUDI CUP -- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
February 22, 2025

• TV Channel: Fox Sports 2, FanDuel Sports Network
• Additional Info: 1/ST

$20 Million Saudi Cup | King Abdulaziz Racecourse | 1-1/8 miles on dirt

• 1-Al Musmak (PP 10) | Muhammad Aldaham
• 2-Defunded (PP 11) | Antonio Fresu
• 3-El Kodigo (PP 13) | Gustavo Calvente
• 4-Faceur Cheval (PP 12) | Mickael Barzalona
• 5-Forever Young (PP 14) | Ryusei Sakai
• 6-Intense For Me (PP 2) | Camilio Ospina
• 7-Ramjet (PP 9) | Kosei Miura
• 8-Rattle N Roll (PP 7) | Joel Rosario
• 9-Romantic Warrior (PP 3) | James McDonald
• 10-Ushba Tesoro (PP 1) | Akira Sugawara
• 11-Wait to Excel (PP 8) | Adel Alfouraidi
• 12-Walk of Stars (PP 6) | Tadhg O’Shea
• 13-Wilson Tesoro (PP 4) | Yuga Kawada
• 14-Wooton’sun (PP 5) | Ricardo Ferreira
• 15-Scotland Yard (alternate) | Luis Morales

Saudi Cup Day Racing Schedule

1. Race 1 | 7:00 am ET | $1.5M Jockey Club Local Handicap
2. Race 2 | 7:40 am ET | $2M Arabian Classic
3. Race 3 | 8:20 am ET | $1.5 Saudi Derby
4. Race 4 | 9:00 am ET | $2M Riyadh Dirt Sprint
5. Race 5 | 9:40 am ET | $500K Saudi International Handicap
6. Race 6 | 10:25 am ET | $2M Neom Turf Cup
7. Race 7 | 11:10 am ET | $2M 1351 Turf Sprint
8. Race 8 | 11:50 am ET | $2.5M Red Sea Turf Handicap
9. Race 9 | 12:40 pm ET | $20M Saudi Cup

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday and Sunday's TV schedule:

Feb. 22	Broadcast of the Saudi Cup and other races from King Abdulaziz Racecourse	8 a.m.-1 p.m.	FS2
Feb. 22	"America's Day at the Races"	3 p.m.-6:30 p.m.	FS2
Feb. 22	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Feb. 22	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
Feb. 23	"America's Day at the Races"	2 p.m.-7 p.m.	FS2
Feb. 23	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
Feb. 23	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network

​

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Oaklawn (AR) has canceled racing today (Saturday). The Rebel and the original card scheduled for today will be run tomorrow barring other changes.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Straight No Chaser (John Velazquez/Dan Blacker) has given US interests a win on the Saudi Cup undercard. Sent off the 4-to-5 favorite in race 5. So far a chalky day at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Japan is having much success on the latter half of the Saudi card.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Turfway (Kentucky):

• Race 7: California Burrito (Irving Moncada/Tom Drury) won the $175 John Battaglia Stakes and with it earned 20 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. The winner fought off a challenge and almost somewhat wired the field at 7-to-2.

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King Abdulaziz Racecourse (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia):

• Card: Nine races with two Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge Series races.
• Nations: Japanese foals won the final three races in a day that began as disappointing for much of the country's connections. Horses foaled in France won the prior two races. Locals won the first two races. US-foals also won twice but only one had seen US racing soil.
• US-Based Riders: Joel Rosario and John Velazquez both won.
• Race 4: Straight No Chaser (John Velazquez/Dan Blacker) won the $2,000,000 Riyadh Dirt Sprint which held a Breders' Cup tie-in. Straight No Chaser had raced exclusively in the US prior to today, mostly California.

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• Race 9: What a race as Forever Young and Romantic Warrior hooked up in the Saudi Cup, the $20 million purse being the largest in the world. Forever Young (Ryusei Sakai/Yoshito Yahagi) remained perfect outside the US (Kentucky Derby and Breeders Cup third place finishes) with a 10 8-0-2 lifetime mark. Romantic Warrior (James McDonald/Danny Shum), who tried dirt for the first time, entered off eight straight wins. He is 24 18-4-0 and has earned over $26 million lifetime.

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[GKJ]

Are they going to bring Forever Young back to the US for the Breeders Cup?

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Are they going to bring Forever Young back to the US for the Breeders Cup?

It was announced yesterday that two races on the Saudi card would serve as Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" races. This winner gets a prize ticket to San Diego. I sense that the connections will race him one more time before heading to Cali.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

A couple of notes for today:

• Irad Ortiz is riding for Bob Baffert today in two races at Oaklawn. The pair doesn't team often. Cornucopian is making his debut, a $1.1 million Into Mischief 3-year-old colt. Baffert finished 1-2 in a MSW at Santa Anita yesterday.

• Brittany Russell is on a Comforter streak with first-timers on dirt.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Now on a 16-for-34 (47%) test. Something spectacular.

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

A couple of notes for today:

• Irad Ortiz is riding for Bob Baffert today in two races at Oaklawn. The pair doesn't team often. Cornucopian is making his debut, a $1.1 million Into Mischief 3-year-old colt. Baffert finished 1-2 in a MSW at Santa Anita yesterday.
• Brittany Russell is on a Comforter streak with first-timers on dirt.

that debut by cornucopian was the most impressive i've seen in quite some time. last eighth less than 12 seconds - sick!!!!