Saffie Joseph Jr.

Joseph, Saez Earn Gulfstream Titles

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., who captured Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby with White Abarrio (Race Day), earned his first Championship Meet title at Gulfstream Park Sunday. Joseph closed out the meet with 58 winners, 12 victories ahead of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, the defending 18-time titlist. "Most definitely the Florida Derby was the icing on the cake. The Championship Meet title also means a lot. I grew up watching Todd my whole life. He's dominated for 18 years now. I'm 35 now. To take over from him after...

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On to Derby for White Abarrio

White Abarrio (Race Day) came out of his victory in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby in fine shape and will now be aimed at the GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. confirmed Sunday. "He was further back than we envisioned and to see him be able to sit back that far off the pace and make his move, it gives you a lot of confidence, because you know he can run close to the pace and now sit back and be as effective," Joseph said of his charge's Florida...

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White Abarrio Triumphs in Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL--With no heavy favorite, the GI Curlin Florida Derby looked like it would likely go one of four ways on paper. The three winners of the four Florida-based GI Kentucky Derby preps--Simplification (Not This Time), White Abarrio (Race Day) and Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway)--were 2-1, 5-2 and 7-2, respectively, and 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit), a flashy maiden winner hailing from the Todd Pletcher barn, was dispatched at 3-1. While all four of those runners were a factor in this event, it was C2 Racing Stable's White...

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Second Chances: Cape Trafalgar Looks to Carry Late Sire's Legacy

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. After bringing $325,000 from John Fort's Peachtree Stable at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, the expectations were always high for Cape Trafalgar (c, 3, Lord Nelson--Goldrush Girl, by Political Force), who kicked off his career with an encouraging second-place finish on debut at Gulfstream Mar. 12 (video). "He had trained extremely well, but we had a couple of setbacks," Fort said. "I honestly believe that if we...

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Saturday's Insights: American Pharoah Filly Arrives at Aqueduct

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:20 p.m. WITH BELLS ON (American Pharoah) starts her career for owners Bass Stables LLC and Cheyenne Stables after realizing $300,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The dam, a juvenile stakes winner on the turf by Giant's Causeway, has already produced two winners on the dirt including Princess Mo (Uncle Mo). Second dam Marylebone (Unbridled's Song) was also a stakes winning juvenile, taking the GI Matron S. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 11-36 over the last five...

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Race Day Colt All Alone in Holy Bull

C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable's White Abarrio (Race Day), a well-beaten third most recently in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 27, pressed, pounced and pulled away to dominate by 4 1/2 lengths in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream. Expected pacesetter Simplification (Not This Time), a last out, front-running winner of the Mucho Macho Man S., completely missed the break, made a big sweeping move and did very well to hold second over favored GII Remsen S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo). "It was a...

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Lopez, Joseph Jr. Crowd Claiming Crown Winner's Circle

Trainer Mike Maker racked up his series-leading 19th career Claiming Crown victory, conditioner Saffie Joseph Jr. won three of the stakes conducted under starter-allowance conditions, and jockey Paco Lopez won five races overall on the Saturday card to kick off the championship meet at Gulfstream Park. The Claiming Crown began in 1999 as a blue-collar version of the Breeders' Cup to reward primarily older horses who compete in the types of races that form the backbone of day-to-day American racing. But oddly enough, it was a lightly-raced 3-year-old homebred who...

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Racing Insights for Saturday, Nov. 6

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-GP, $55K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:02 p.m. ET Some two years after his half-brother Spun to Run (Hard Spun) dominated the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Sabana Farm homebred Practical Way (Practical Joke) makes his debut for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Also responsible for stakes winner Tap It All (Tapizar), SW dam Yawkey Way (Grand Slam) sold to Gainesway and Whisper Hill Farm for $600,000 last Keeneland November while carrying a full brother to Spun to Run. Joseph will also send out A. P.'s Secret...

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Mischevious Alex To Stand In Japan

Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief--White Pants Night, by Speightstown), the romping 5 1/2-length winner of this year's GI Carter H. at Aqueduct, will enter stud in 2022 at the Shizunai Stallion Station on the island of Hokkaido, according to a release from the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA). Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Mischevious Alex was a $75,000 Keeneland September yearling and was acquired privately by Charles Zacney's Cash Is King LLC after failing to meet his reserve at $140,000 at OBS April in 2019. A debut winner at Parx...

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MSW & GISP Chance It Retired to Journeyman

Florida champion Chance It (Currency Swap--Vagabon Diva, by Pleasantly Perfect) sustained a soft tissue injury in Saturday's GII Kelso H. and has been retired to stand at Journeyman Stud in Ocala. His fee has not been announced for 2022. "We're excited to stand Chance It here at Journeyman next year. He is a beloved Florida-bred racehorse that displayed tons of talent. Had he not got injured, I'm sure he would have annexed at least one Grade I stake before he was finished," Journeyman's Brent Fernung said. "Chance It won from...

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Zayas, Joseph Earn Gulfstream Titles

Edgard Zayas and Saffie Joseph, Jr. concluded the Spring/Summer Meet at Gulfstream Park Sunday as the leading jockey and trainer, respectively. Zayas, who was winning his third straight Spring/Summer riding title at the Florida oval, finished with 124 wins. "I have to thank all the owners, all the trainers for all their support all the time," said Zayas, whose meet was punctuated by his victory aboard Bill Mott-trained Outfoxed (Valiant Minister) in Saturday's $400,000 My Dear Girl S. "I also want to thank my agent [Tito Fuentes] and my family....

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Drain the Clock Up in Time in Woody Stephens

Drain the Clock (c, 3, Maclean's Music--Manki, by Arch) outslugged favored Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) by a neck to lead home a one-two finish for his sire in a thrilling renewal of the GI Woody Stephens S. at Belmont Park Saturday. It was 7 1/4 lengths back to Nova Rags (Union Rags) in third. With Jose Ortiz subbing for his sidelined brother Irad Ortiz, Jr., the last out GIII Bay Shore S. winner broke sharply and very briefly cleared the field of six. Jackie's Warrior, off a step slowly after...

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