Turf News

Coco Shell broke loose during the post parade prior to the third race at Delaware Park yesterday, but it turned out to have no ill effects on his race performance a few minutes later.

With Madeline Rowland aboard for the six-furlong test, the 2-year-old colt by Handsome Mike was away fifth while racing wide down the backstretch, then made a monster run on the turn and had the lead as they straightened out for home. Coco Shell went on to score by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:12.75 and paid $39.20, despite a sharp second-place finish in his previous start at Monmouth Park .

The colt owned and bred by Ballybrit Stable earned $13,200 for his maiden-breaker, becoming Handsome Mike’s 23rd winner of 2022.

At the 2017 OBS October sale, OBS financial officer Randell Edwards and his wife, Lucy, sold a Gone Astray yearling for a disappointing $3,500. Five years later, they have more than made up for it in the way of breeders’ awards via Septemberten’s outstanding performance at the track.

The now 6-year-old gelding has started 41 times, has never left South Florida, and after his heart-stopping victory at Gulfstream Park yesterday, has posted a record of six wins, seven seconds and 10 thirds. At award percentages of 10-3-2 (with a few subtractions for the season when the FTBOA stopped paying for second and third), the $3,500 sale is long forgotten.

Yesterday’s purse in the seven-furlong allowance optional claimer was $43,000, adding $4,300 to the breeders’ award account. Samuel Camacho Jr. took Septemberten away sixth from the rail and the gelding remained there until the final turn. Then Camacho swung him about five wide and Septemberten closed like a fire engine on the way to a blaze, getting up at the wire by a nose in 1:23.87 and adding $25,800 to his earnings, which now stand at $251,800.

When being interviewed by the media, trainers always stress that for their next start, all their horse has to do is “run back to their last race.” That’s exactly what Neon Summer did at Remington Park yesterday.

In her previous race at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Sept. 9, the 3-year-old filly by Neolithic missed winning her second race by a neck, with five furlongs on the grass in :58.32. Yesterday, at the same distance, the filly bred by Patricia Generazio engaged in a tough battle on the front end, and survived a three-horse photo in :58:58.

The $10,000 OBS June 2-year-old paid $4.40 and earned $20,196 in the $34,000 allowance test, boosting her total to $68,313 on a record of 2-3-1 in 10 starts, all as a 3-year-old.

Following his final race of 2021 on Dec. 8, Yeudiel didn’t make his return to the track for more than six months, until June 6. After his victory at Mountaineer Casino & Resort last night, the 5-year-old Gone Astray gelding has racked up a record of 3-1-2-1 in seven starts in 2022.

Luciano Hernandez was in the saddle for last night’s score, which came in the gelding’s 29th career start in which he’s 5-9-7 with earnings of $50,792.

Yeudiel broke alertly in the one-mile race, went three wide around the first turn and raced third down the backstretch. Hernandez sent him after the leaders coming to the turn and Yeudiel put away three challengers and out-gamed them to the wire, winning by three-quarters of a length in 1:41.98. He paid $5.60 and collected a check for $4,930.

Takecareofbusiness showed his $134.80 debut score at Gulfstream Park was no fluke when he returned in his second start to finish a fast-closing second in the $65,000 Hollywood Beach Stakes at five furlongs over the Tapeta surface.

The 2-year-old gelding bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon, Ed Seltzer and Bevely Anderson became the third stakes horse for freshman sire Bucchero, collecting $12,740 for his runner-up finish and increasing his two-race total to $43,740. The $40,000 OBS March 2-year-old’s late rush under Heriberto Figueroa missed by just half a length of getting him stakes victory No. 1. The race went in :56.67, less than one second off the track record of :55.90.

After recording a second and two thirds with Samuel Camacho Jr. in the saddle, all it took for My Billeeboy to become Long On Value’s first winner was a switch to Gulfstream Park’s leading rider, Miguel Vasquez.

In a $50,000 maiden special at 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta surface, Vasquez gave the colt bred by Lavender Hill Stud his patented ride – stalk the leaders in third down the backstretch, swing three wide on the turn, run them down in the lane. My Billeeboy drew off by 1 3/4 lengths clocked in 1:04.24, earning a check for $31,000.

My Billeeboy is Long On Value’s only runner in his freshman crop thus far, and has compiled earnings of $51,800. He paid $10.80 and received his best Equibase E’ speed figure, a 77.

As the fillies were entering the gate for the eighth race at Finger Lakes yesterday, Diamonds for Lily, a 3-year-old daughter of Handsome Mike, was sitting at 6/5 and Iova was the second choice at 8/5. When they headed to the first quarter a short time later, Iova had dropped to even money, and Diamonds for Lily edged up to 8/5. It turned out the bettors got it wrong.

The pair broke in tandem and Diamonds for Lily took the lead, with Iova right on her tail and the rest several lengths back. It remained that way into the stretch and it appeared as though Iova was going to nail Diamonds for Lily and go on for the score. But Diamonds for Lily found a second wind with rider Oscar Gomez and drew off from Iova in the final sixteenth, then held off 24-1 shot Coups De Party, who was trying to sneak through on the inside.

Diamonds for Lily didn’t race at two, and is now 2-2-0 in six starts in 2022, with both victories and both seconds while paired with Gomez. She raced a mile and 70 yards in 1:48.49, won by a length, and collected a check for $7,560.

There were several reasons why handicappers who pay attention could have bet on first-time starter Flawless Cat in the 5th race at Aqueduct Sunday.

First: The 2-year-old Neolithic gelding was making his debut after six excellent morning trials at Monmouth Park, including a bullet first work of 36 seconds flat for three furlongs on Aug.8

Second: He had the services of Madeline Rowland, the apprentice sensation who is enjoying a break-out season, gets a five-pound break in the weights, and is a prime candidate for an Eclipse Award.

Third: He was making his debut in a $50,000 maiden claimer, as opposed to the tough New York maiden specials.

Fourth: Bred at Pleasant Acres by Joe and Helen Barbazon, he’s a half or full brother to five winners.

Despite all the positive aspects, Flawless Cat was allowed to go off at 12-1 in the race at six furlongs over a sloppy track. Rowland took him out quickly from the No. 1 post and the gelding did the rest, never being threatened as he passed the furlong markers in :23.32 and :47.36 en route to a 5 1/2-length score in 1:12.40. He paid a generous $26.80 and earned a check of $27,500 for owner/trainer Mike Dini.

At the OBS June sale, Bell Racing paid $25,000 for Extendo, a 2-year-old colt by Handsome Mike bred by the stalwart partnership of Joe and Helen Barbazon, Ed Seltzer and Beverly Anderson. That purchase already looks like a major bargain based on the colt’s eye-catching debut at Gulfstream Park yesterday.

Extendo went off at 2-1 for his 5 1/2-furlong trip after posting a pair of bullet works at Palm Meadows and he more than ran back to his trials. With Emisael Jaramillo in the saddle, Extendo went wire-to-wire, putting up swift fractions of :22.75, :45.55 and :57.20 en route to scoring by nearly eight lengths. His clocking of 1:03.45 missed the track record by just 77/100ths of a second.

Extendo earned $19,600 for his maiden-breaker, plus a juicy award for his breeding partnership.

Gone Astray has been so red-hot lately that he accomplished a feat yesterday not likely to be duplicated in the near future – if ever.

The son of Dixie Union added Gulfstream winner Alluramore to his list to give him 42 in that category for the year, and he had one of last week’s winners – Gone Paradise – win again at Arapahoe in a $10,500 quarter horse race at 870 yards.

Leading rider Miguel Vasquez was aboard Alluramore, a 4-year-old filly bred by Dr. Thomas Brokken, in a $43,000 allowance optional claimer at six furlongs. She broke well and Vasquez eased her into second along the backstretch before launching a strong move on the turn to take the lead and put the field away. Alluramore tracked behind a quick pace – :22.61 and :45.89 – and crossed the finish line in 1:10.35, winning by 4 1/4 lengths. The victory was worth $25,800 to trainer/co-owner Steve Dwoskin and his partners in Remington Oaks Stable.

Against the quarter horse set, Gone Paradise vied for the early lead under Hugo HerreGone Astrayra, took over heading into the stretch and prevailed by two lengths. The 5-year-old gelding paid $12.80 and collected a check for $6,300.