Turf News

Running for Riz rocketed out of the gate with Cristian Torres in the sixth race at Gulfstream West yesterday, and the closest anyone ever came to him was when favorite Lusitano closed to within one-half length at the wire.

The 4-year-old Handsome Mike colt was in front by two lengths much of the way in the six-furlong race, speeding past the poles in :22.02, :44.47 and :56.91 en route to a final clocking of 1:10.19. Despite the margin at the finish, the outcome was never in doubt. Oddly enough, Running for Riz’s five rivals were all sent off at odds of between 8/5 and 5-1, but he was 15-1 and paid $32.60.

Running for Riz raised his record to 4-2-2 in 24 starts for owner Linda Riznick, who is also his co-breeder. The $19,100 check increased his total to $173,772, second best among all Handsome Mike runners behind Here Comes Jackie.

Racing has returned to San Isidro in Argentina, and Treasure Beach is off to an excellent start. During opening week, the 4-year-old Milione finished second in the Gr. III Progreso under Eduardo Ortega Pavon. The race was for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles on the grass.

In addition, the 2-year-old filly Dona Taja broke her maiden in her first start.

Cutie Pie didn’t make the entries for her first race for owner/breeder Just For Fun Stable until Sept. 2, then proceeded to make four starts in the span of five weeks. The 3-year-old daughter of Handsome Mike finished second in start No. 2 at Indiana Grand, and broke her maiden with style yesterday in her fourth try.

With veteran DeShawn Parker aboard, the Indiana-bred filly broke on top in the six-furlong race contested over a sloppy track. She eased back to second, then stalked the pace-setting favorite, Brookville Storm, until the turn. When Parker put her in overdrive, Cutie Pie blew by the 7/5 shot and widened her lead all the way to the wire, winning by 6 1/4 lengths.

Cutie Pie paid $12, earned a check for $8,400 and became Handsome Mike’s 34th winner of 2020.

Handsome Mike moved up one place on Florida’s leading sire list – from 10th to ninth – with the victories yesterday of Tiz Handsome at Monmouth Park and Big Cyn at Finger Lakes. With the $28,500 earned by Tiz Handsome and the $12,660 by Big Cyn, Handsome Mike’s progeny earnings for 2020 jumped to $1,066,108.

Tiz Handsome was making just his second start in the six-furlong maiden special with a purse of $49,125. The 2-year-old colt was off second under Chris DeCarlo, took over the lead after half a mile, and continued on to win by nearly two lengths. He paid $18.80 after getting the distance in 1:12.04 and becoming Handsome Mike’s 33rd winner this year.

In a $21,100 allowance test, Big Cyn vied for the lead along the rail before taking over by herself on the final turn. Kevin Navarro guided her to a six-length lead in the stretch, and she coasted home to score by two in 1:45.65 for the mile and 70 yards, paying $13. In her last six starts, the 3-year-old New York-bred filly has recorded three victories and two thirds for owner/breeder Patricia Generazio.

Two days after Roc’s Princess became Ride On Curlin’s second winner in his first crop with an impressive score at Keeneland, Uncle Boogie made it three winners with an even more impressive victory yesterday at Santa Anita.

Making his career debut, Uncle Boogie was sent off at 4-1 in the 5 1/2-furlong race after the colt recorded a bullet work of :47.60 for four furlongs at Del Mar. Uncle Boogie broke fifth, but Abel Cedillo quickly moved him up to second as they reached the first quarter in :22.16, and they caught even-money Superduty Justice on the turn. Uncle Boogie put the favorite away in early stretch and drew off easily to prevail by 6 1/4 lengths, with Superduty Justice finishing last, 15 lengths behind.

Uncle Boogie, bred by Pinky Mendoza and a $38,000 OBS July 2-year-old, was clocked in 1:04.39, earning an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 79 and a check for $12,650. With just eight starters, Ride On Curlin has amassed progeny earnings of $104,620 and is ranked 30th in that department among all Florida stallions.

A 2-year-old filly by freshman sire Ride On Curlin rocked the tote board at Keeneland in her career debut yesterday when Roc’s Princess went wire-to-wire in a $70,000 maiden special at 6 1/2 furlongs.

With Jon Court riding, Roc’s Princess shot out of the gate and was in front by a head after a quarter in :22.64 and a half in :46.96. She opened up on the turn and was 3 1/2 in front in mid-stretch, then coasted home by one length.

The filly bred by Kris Del Guidice paid $41.40, somewhat surprising considering her recent morning trials. Roc’s Princess posted three bullet works among five in the span of one month over the Churchill Downs training track. Ride On Curlin’s second winner earned $33,420 for her maiden score.

Advance Cash scored an eye-catching victory at Gulfstream West yesterday and advanced Handsome Mike’s cash total for 2020 to $1,021,808.

It was only the third start for the 2-year-old colt and he turned the six-furlong race into a rout on the final turn. With Cristian Torres in the saddle, Advance Cash battled for the lead in the two path down the backstretch, and on the turn he separated himself from the field and went on to win by 7 1/2 lengths in a solid 1:11.37.

Advance Cash became the 32nd winner for Handsome Mike this year while earning $21,600 and a breeder’s award for Just For Fun Stable. The son of Scat Daddy went over the $1 million mark for the second straight year and should pass last season’s total of $1,096,071 in short order.

Handsome Mike’s leading money-winner, Here Comes Jackie, added $22,800 to her resume last evening at Presque Isle Downs, winning a $38,000 allowance race at a mile and 70 yards under Walber Alencar. The 4-year-old filly bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon raised her record to 4-6-2 in 30 starts, and her career earnings to $212,765, with $69,305 of it coming this year.

Alencar had Here Comes Jackie tracking the pace-setters in fifth place down the backstretch, moved her on the turn and took her five wide into the stretch. The filly owned and trained by Mike Dini then ran down the leader, getting up at the wire by a neck and paying $5.60.

Here Comes Jackie has now won at Gulfstream Park, Saratoga, Tampa Bay Downs and Presque Isle, and Handsome Mike is now just $292 away from reaching $1 million in 2020 progeny earnings.

Treasure Beach also added a winner yesterday, Ella’s Island scoring her second victory in her last three starts for owner/breeder Debora Morgan. The 3-year-old filly, who didn’t race at two, is 3-0-1 in seven tries this year after her victory by three quarters of a length in a mile and one-sixteenth turf race at Monmouth Park.

Hector Diaz Jr. piloted Ella’s Island, as he did on Aug. 15 when she won by 6 1/4 lengths. In this one, she rushed to the lead, then fought off several challenges along the way while opening up a four-length lead in the stretch. She earned $13,800, boosting her total to $35,440.

Temple Treasure, a 4-year-old mare, added to Treasure Beach’s South American numbers by winning at La Plata on Tuesday.

More Than Striking was the only runner for Pleasant Acres stallions across the country yesterday, and the son of Handsome Mike made his 11th career start a winning one. The 4-year-old gelding has now captured three of his last four at Finger Lakes, at the same time giving his sire 100 winning races.

Luis Perez was aboard More Than Striking in the race at six furlongs, and he carried highweight of 124 pounds. Favored Schwarbertown went to the lead and More Than Striking, after beginning quickly, was eased back to fifth. After a quarter in :22.94, Perez sent the gelding after the pace-setter and More Than Striking caught Schwarbertown in the stretch and continued on to score by three-quarters of a length.

More Than Striking began his career at Gulfstream Park and scored in his debut racing in the colors of Kathleen Amaya and Alexandro and Raffaele Centofanti, also his breeders. They sold him before his second start, and More Then Striking has gone on to post a record of 4-2-0 in his 11 tries. His $6,000 check yesterday boosted Handsome Mike’s progeny earnings for the year to $974,038.

Handsome Mike picked up his 31st winner of 2020 yesterday at Parx Racing, and it came from a surprising source. Babbo Babbo Babbo, a 4-year-old gelding bred by Christine Jones, won a $22,000 waiver maiden claiming race after being sidelined for more than 14 months.

Babbo Babbo Babbo was a $10,000 OBS March 2-year-old, and he raced just once at two, finishing second at Monmouth Park. Then he was off for a year, returning at Parx on July 30 of 2019, finishing fifth, and getting claimed for $20,000. He hadn’t been seen since until yesterday when he showed up in a 5 1/2- furlong race with Jeremy Laprida aboard.

The layoff led to a price of 12-1 but the gelding didn’t look anything like a long shot when Laprida rushed him out of the gate to tackle pace-setter Dynamic Dynasty through quick fractions of :22.27 and :45.91. On the turn, Babbo Babbo Babbo came alongside the leader, and put him away as they straightened out in the stretch. He drew off by two lengths, then held off just one rival late to win by three-quarters and earn a check of $12,600.

Handsome Mike is less than $33,000 away from reaching $1 million in progeny earnings for 2020.