Coach Christopher Davis will rest assured America’s Holy Land March 19 at Gulfstream Park in the hope that the son of American Freedom will eventually get a clear sum in the $100,000 Hutcheson Staking.
Dare To Dream Stable’s American mecca has made tough runs – sometimes made by himself – in his last four races, most recently in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Minor 6 November presented by the Alliance for Thoroughbred Care (G1) at Del Mar.
“Unfortunately, he had some trouble last year, in his series of races. Starting with his first Iowa bet all the way up to the Breeders’ Cup,” Davis said. “He’s had some trouble.”
Hutcheson, a three-year-old six-year sprint, was featured on Saturday’s program alongside $100,000 Any Limit, a six-year 3-year sprint and a 100,000 Silks run dollars, five stage long grass for older horses.
American Sanctuary graduated from its second start-up at Prairie grasslands last July after finishing 4th on his debut on the all-weather surface of Arlington International Racecourse. He hasn’t had a clear run since. Debuting with six stakes in the third start, American Sanctuary finished second after being hit in the head and forced to race three laps. In Sapling Miles Shares at Monmouth Park, he was cornered in the distance before finishing second. In 1 1/16 miles Claiborne Breeders ‘Futurity (G1) at Keenelandhe ended up finishing in a reliable fourth place after stumbling at the top and two races in traffic.
“He staggered out of the gate and for the last time in Breeders’ Futurity. He ran really fast up the track and got all the dirt,” Davis said. “He came running. It was hard to go home when you were 17 in first grade.”
A slow start led to a seventh-place finish in the 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
“He’s second in two games with tough rides and he’s fourth in 1st grade with an incredibly tough ride. I think he’s right there with any child,” Davis said. Which of these horses?” “Obviously, he’s going to have to step up. Hopefully he’s matured, as I think he did.”
American Sanctuary has been pleasing its trainer with his training and physical development since the juvenile finale.
“He’s back better than he was last year. He’s bigger, stronger. It looks like he’s on the right track,” Davis said. “Hutcheson could be a hit for him. He won the short game, but with mediocre kids 2 years old. The last game against him, I think the farther the better. We will run in this race to start the new year and then aim for bigger and better things.”
Jose Ortiz is expected to ride the American Sanctuary for the first time.
Cattin wins inaugural stake in Tampa Bay Downs
Spendthrift Farm and My Racehorse’s Provocative will start his first at Gulfstream in Hutcheson after some solid efforts at Tampa Bay Downswhere he broke his maidenhood and finished second in the Pasco Stakes on January 15.
Hall of Fame coach Todd Pletcher called his son Into Mischief to Irad Ortiz Jr.
William and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Spendthrift Farm’s Cattin entered Hutcheson and finished third in Pasco. The son of Ralph Nicks do New stone previously won a six-feather Inauguration at the Tampa Bay Downs.
The Nitrous Channel breaks his maidenhood at Gulfstream Park
Stable RA Hill, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Spedale Family Racing Nitrogen channel will make an anxiously awaited return after his eye-catching debut at Gulfstream on Feb. 5. George Weaver-trained son Nyquist won a quarter of the length at six feathers under the lead of Tyler Gaffalione, whose comeback is on Saturday.
Get Me Riding Red Three Races Win the Silks Run
Lael’s barn Catch me red who ended his 3-year campaign with three straight wins, will debut in 2022 in Saturday’s $100,000 Silks Run at Gulfstream Park.
“He’s been training great. We never really let him rest after his last win at Aqueduct race track“, said coach Wesley Ward. We took him back to Kentucky, where he didn’t have any fast work. We just kept him jogging and galloping. We took him to Payson and he is working every week. “
Arrest Me Red is on a winning streak in the November 27 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. His 4-year-old son Pioneer of the Nile previously won the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitation Share on October 2 (G3T). Both grass sprints ran at six distances. The hybrid foal won 5 Mahony Shares 1 1/2 feathers at Racecourse Saratoga in August.
Arrest Me Red has won five of his seven career starts, including four wins from five grass-court races, but has yet to run shorter than 5 1/2 distances.
“He should like it. I said he’d be better. He’s a very fast horse,” Ward said. “He looks like a precious horse. He’s also a beautiful horse.”
Arrest Me Red won quickly, but his last two wins were achieved in a run-in fashion.
“When you have speed, you go first, don’t you?” Ward said. “We’ll leave it to Irad.”
Ortiz Jr., who participated in Arrest Me Red’s victory in the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational, got the mount Saturday.
Golden Kernel Racing Stable’s Yes I am free is expected to seek his second consecutive ranked bet win in Silks Run after scoring 3 1/4 lengths in a Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) match on Feb. 12. 6 year old son of Not collected who also won an overnight handicap on Gulfstream’s Fall Encounter, losing seven to 15 in five grass games.
‘Peace sign barn’ Belgrano , who finished third after Yes I Am Free in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, will be looking to place his third consecutive bet in the Silks Run. The 8-year-old snowboarder coached by Frank Russo scrambled for the lead before waning to finish third in the Tropical Turf Stakes (G3T) mileage on January 8.
One Identity wins a allowance race at Gulfstream Park
Plesa Seeks Fourth Bet Win the Championship Meet with an Identity
A South Florida mainstay for nearly four decades, Eddie Plesa Jr has more than shared his ups and downs while riding a roller coaster training purebred dogs.
“You have a lot of difficulties — good streaks, bad streaks. You don’t take any of the issues seriously. At least I don’t. Right now, everything seems to be going pretty well. The right races are underway. Our horses All seem to be doing well,” Plesa said.
In the current Champion Encounter, Plesa is playing very well, beating 13 winners from 46 starts with a hit rate of 28%. Saturday, the veteran rider will find his fourth success in the Encounter Championship with An identity in $100,000 Any Limit, a six-child long bet for 3-year-olds.
One Identity, a hybrid owned by his wife Plesa, Laurie, David Melin, Leon Ellman, Cathi Glassman and Karl Glassman, is unbeaten in two starts, both at the current meeting. Daughter of Not collected made his debut on January 22 at 4 and a half before notching a dominant half-length victory in a five-time grant to the Florida-breds on February 11. One Identity broke through. 1st place in both wins.
“She was well prepared, whether she was off the rails or off the horse. She worked in the company before her race. I kept them together and tried to put them in every position. mind to get them used to different things,” Plesa said. “Some learn faster than others. She took her lessons very well.”
Plesa admits it takes a little more satisfaction from the successes of thoroughbred horses like One Identity.
“It adds another dimension. It’s like being a proud father. You have a mother. You choose who to breed. You send them to school — kindergarten, preschool and then after that. is your school,” he said. “A little more than satisfied, no doubt.”
Jose Ortiz is expected to ride One Identity for the first time in Any Limits.
Jacks or Better Farm’s filly, Spirit Wind was joined to debut her stake in Any Limit with an impressive maiden win at Gulfstream Feb. 18. Daughter of Bahamian Squall who finished second after an early duel on her debut last May, had to take an eight-month break to score a 15 1/2-length win.
“It was a good race. But I don’t know what she was up against and running next time is an important step forward. Perhaps, now is the right time to do it,” the coach said. Ralph Nicks said.
Gary Barber’s Strategy bird , who broke her first maiden requirement by 12 3/4 length at Gulfstream in November, entered Limit Any But One Bet appeared at the Tampa Bay Downs. Daughter trained by Mark Casse’s Noble Bird registered a front-runner victory at the Sandpiper Stakes on December 4 before surging ahead to finish in third place after taking the lead in the Gasparilla Stakes January 15 stretch last time out.
