Latest news with #HorseshoeIndianapolis
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Clicquot Draws Off In Indiana Oaks To Win Stakes Bow
Clicquot Draws Off In Indiana Oaks To Win Stakes Bow originally appeared on Paulick Report. X-Men Racing IV, Madaket , and SF Racing's Clicquot tallied a third consecutive victory when landing the Indiana Oaks (G3) in her stakes debut Saturday at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Advertisement Sent off the even-money favorite in the six-horse field, Clicquot stalked from third then fourth early as Heavenly Sunset ticked off fractions of :23.18 and 45.15 for the opening quarter. She drove between horses at the top of stretch and drew off the score by four lengths from Top, who led briefly at the three-eighths pole bold but was no match for the winner. Sturgeon Moon was third, another two lengths back. Ridden by Edgar Morales for trainer Brendan Walsh, Clicquot finished the 1 1/16-mile trip in 1:42.42 and returned $4.20 for the win. Saturday's triumph followed victories in a maiden special weight April 17 at Keeneland in her second career start and an optional claimer May 31 at Churchill Downs when trying two turns for the first time. A gray or roan filly by Quality Road, Clicquot was produced by the Tapit mare Royal Obsession. She was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corp. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Coppola Sizzles To Turf Course Record At Horseshoe Indianapolis
Coppola Sizzles To Turf Course Record At Horseshoe Indianapolis originally appeared on Paulick Report. There was one mission for Coppola, and he completed his assignment precisely, scoring his second straight win in the fifth running of the $100,000 William Garrett Handicap on Friday at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Advertisement The time of the five-furlong sprint over the turf was :54.39, eclipsing the previous mark of :54.57 set by Oxford Comma in 2018. Coppola and Vincent Cheminaud came out of the gate with speed, but so did his rivals. It took midway through the backstretch before he shook loose and had the advantage before the only turn arrived. Bear River and James Graham sat right off Coppola in the early stages with local favorite Charcoal and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. sitting inside behind the leader. In the stretch, Coppola picked up the tempo and moved out a lane, giving Charcoal an opportunity to move through. However, the leader was too strong, rallying home to a two length advantage for the win. Charcoal finished second over Bear River for third. 'The track was perfect for him today,' said Cheminaud. 'I had only one goal and that was to take him to the lead. He was very easy on the bit, and I was confident coming into the race. The track was very fast today but this horse deserves it (track record).' Advertisement Coppola earned his 11th career win from 33 starts and is moving closer to the $1 million mark in earnings. The 6-year-old horse, owned by Hammer Time Stable and Sport of Kings Racing Partners, is trained by Dale Romans. Last year's win in the Garrett was taken off the turf due to rain, so he has now won the race on both surfaces in Indiana. Coppola was the favorite of the field, paying $4. The son of Into Mischief out of the Distorted Humor mare Blind Copy is now a back to back winner of the Garrett Handicap, named in honor of Shelbyville's standout basketball player William Garrett who led the local team to their only state championship in the late 1940s. Garrett went on to play at Indiana University as the first African American in the Big 10 and later served many years as a school administrator. This past winter, a three-story mural of Garrett was added to the downtown area to celebrate the local hero. Jennie Rees, who is assisting with media during Indiana Derby Weekend, talked with trainer Dale Romans, who is currently at Saratoga. ''He likes it there and defended his title,' said Romans. 'Being off the turf last year shows he can do either or. On a nice firm turf course like that, he runs big. That was a fast race, he ran fast, he ran big. We take him one race at a time, but he keeps grinding it out. Five-eighths is his best. But the last three races he ran on soft ground, and I don't think he likes that. But if he gets firm turf, he runs big. He's been a good horse for us. He didn't open up two, like usual. But then when they threw up :21-flat, I said they're going awful fast, and :42. I don't know how much faster he could have gone. I figured the ones behind him had to get as tired as he did.' Advertisement Local Trainer Tracey Wisner has found success with her 9-year-old gray gelding, Charcoal. He has competed in all five runnings of the race, winning the first in 2021. His second place finish was the third runner-up in the Garrett Handicap. 'That's called horse racing,' said Wisner on the fast turf course where the horse in front keeps going. 'I love a horse that shows. And Charcoal is showing up at age 9, giving it his all, keeping him mentally and physically well. So, I give him a '10.'' This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red-Hot Joe Sharp Brings Three For Indiana Derby Undercard
Red-Hot Joe Sharp Brings Three For Indiana Derby Undercard originally appeared on Paulick Report. If Kentucky-based Joe Sharp didn't have the absolute hottest stable in the country for the first half of 2025, he's certainly on a very short list. Fresh off his first Churchill Downs training title — which came on the heels of his first Fair Grounds training title — Sharp will try to keep the momentum going when he runs three horses in undercard stakes on Saturday's Indiana Derby program at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville, Ind. Money Supply won last year's $100,000 Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial on turf, with Sharp cross-entering this year in the Schuster and the Michael G. Schaefer on dirt. Money Supply, a $400,000 yearling purchase, has won eight races for owner Jordan Wycoff since being claimed for $35,000 almost two years ago. Now 6, the horse has won on turf and dirt, both fast tracks in the slop. 'I lean toward trying to repeat in the grass race, unless on paper it looks like the dirt is a better choice,' Sharp said. 'But he's doing really well. We just need a little more racing luck. Because the horse is trying to fire big races, and he's just had some tough trips.' Advertisement Sharp brings back Highlander Training Center's $359,700-earner Strikingly Spun for the Indiana General Assembly Distaff, in which she was a close seventh last year, and also is running $336,723-earner Fantastical, fourth in stakes in her last two starts. 'Fantastical seems to be the filly that likes to be closer (to the pace),' he said. 'So maybe we'll have bookends as far as early on in the trip: Have one out close to the pace and one coming from off the pace.' Strikingly Spun was uncharacteristically close to the pace in her last start, Churchill Downs' Keertana Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf before weakening to eighth. 'We're taking the blinkers off this time and just hoping we get the right setup,' Sharp said. "She's a filly that comes running and needs a pace to develop to be her most effective. But she's training really well, and we're looking forward to trying to get more 'black type' (stakes placings) for her. I do think the farther the better. But last time she was really sharp, she broke (near the front) and took pressure the whole way. There was some early pressure like the half-mile pole. She had to start her run a little farther out than I would have liked.' Sharp also entered Kavod in Friday's $100,000 William Garrett Handicap at five furlongs on grass. Kavod won the Fair Grounds' off-the-turf Duncan F. Kenner and was second by a head in the Colonel Power. After several seconds and thirds in the Fair Grounds' final meet standings in his decade of training, Sharp had a breakthrough winter in New Orleans, winning that title 40-31 over multiple titlist Brad Cox. He came right back and won the Churchill Downs training crown 20 wins to 19 over Cox's powerful barn. 'What I've learned is that you have to have fresh horses to win races, period,' Sharp said. 'Obviously, you never want the roll to stop, but I'm very grateful and very appreciative of it. Because I have ridden the highs and lows throughout my career. There are a lot of top guys who have been a model of consistency and maintain consistent high, solid (win) percentages, such as Brad, such as Steve (Asmussen), Todd (Pletcher), Chad (Brown), those guys. I'm trying to stay focused and work to evolve into a barn like that. Hopefully we can continue to maintain.' Including at Horseshoe Indy. 'We love going up to Indiana,' Sharp said. 'It's close, and they're very accommodating. And their surfaces are very good.' The 31st running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby is set for a first post time of 12 p.m. Saturday, July 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The race is joined by the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks along with six other premier racing events with purses topping $1.1 million. The afternoon program is complemented by numerous activities including a $3,000 Derby Megabet, $2,500 Derby Legends Handicapping Contest, courtesy of the Indiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, $1,000 Derby Hat Contest, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, cigar rolling station, strolling entertainment food trucks and more. Free parking and general admission to the Indiana Derby, which is open to guests of all ages on the racing side. This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
