CONCRETE ROSE looks ahead to the next leg of Turf Tiara

07/08/2019 |

Concrete Rose carries 'self confidence' into next leg of Turf Tiara

Courtesy of Horse Racing Nation

Photo: Joe Labozzetta/NYRA

Concrete Rose emerged from her victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational in good order according to trainer Rusty Arnold, who noted that Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing’s daughter of Twirling Candy would be headed to the $750,000 Saratoga Oaks on Aug. 2 as long as she remains healthy.

The Saratoga Oaks is the second leg of the newly-minted Turf Tiara which includes the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks and the $750,000 Jockey Club Oaks on Sept. 7 at Belmont Park.

“She came back great,” Arnold said. “She was on a van with (Hall of Fame trainer) Shug’s (McGaughey) horses up to Saratoga at about 5 this morning, but everything looks great. As long as there aren’t any setbacks that’s where we’ll be headed.”

Concrete Rose, a winner of five of six lifetime starts, was a three-time graded stakes winner before notching her first Grade 1 triumph in the Belmont Oaks.

At 2, she won the Jessamine (G2) over the turf at Keeneland before scoring victories in the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs in her sophomore debut and the Edgewood (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Concrete Rose earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in the Belmont Oaks, replicating the figure earned in the Edgewood.

Ashbrook Farm Racing Manager Bo Bromagen spoke high volumes of Concrete Rose’s physical and mental maturity at age 3.

“Physically, she’s developed but her attitude has been her biggest change. Her self confidence is very noticeable,” Bromagen said. “It’s something you can’t miss. In the paddock she’s not acting up, she was just ready to go.”

Bromagen said that it felt great to be able to compete among some of the most sought-after Thoroughbred operations on the globe, like that of Ballydoyle, who raced two fillies in the Belmont Oaks, Just Wonderful and Coral Beach, as well as the Japanese pacesetter Jodie.

“The international support that has come to work this series is fantastic. I was sitting next to a table with the Japanese contingent and obviously Ballydoyle is up here as well,” Bromagen said. “It means a lot to finish in front of guys like that. They’re (Ballydoyle) like the New York Yankees of horse racing and it means a lot to be able to compete with them on that level and be successful at it.”

HENLEY’S JOY Springs Upset in the Belmont Derby G1

07/07/2019 |

by Paulick Report Staff | 07.06.2019 | 6:07pm

Henley’s Joy in victory lane after the Belmont Derby

Bloom Racing Stable’s Henley’s Joy surprised bettors with a 20-1 upset in Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Derby, his first win of 2019. The 3-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy and jockey Jose Lezcano defeated 16-1 chance Social Paranoia by three-quarters of a length on the wire, completing 1 1/4 miles over Belmont’s firm turf course in 1:58.29. The first leg of the inaugural Turf Triple was the first graded stakes win for the Mike Maker-trained Henley’s Joy.

“It was great,” said Nolan Ramsey, Maker’s assistant and the grandson of breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey. “I was kind of expecting it. He’s a horse I hate to make excuses for, but it seems like every race he’s got some sort of excuse. Today, he got the perfect ride and a clean trip and he really relished the distance.

“He shows up. He’s very consistent. He’s never really run a bad race. We knew a mile and a quarter would fit him, so we were confident going in, but obviously it was a really tough field so we knew he needed a clean trip, and that’s what he got.”

Henley’s Joy was the quickest of 14 out of the gate, but settled willingly off the frontrunners Moon Colony and Blenheim Palace through fractions of :23.31 and :47.80. Racing in third alongside Social Paranoia, Henley’s Joy had the inside advantage through the first turn and down the backstretch.

Rounding the far turn, Social Paranoia had the first run on the leaders from the outside and burst into the lead. Lezcano shifted Henley’s Joy into the clear on the outside and easily ran down Social Paranoia, holding him at bay all the way to the finish to win by three-quarters of a length. Social Paranoia had to settle for second, while late-running Rockemperor finished third. Digital Age got up for fourth.

The remaining order of finish was as follows: Seismic Wave, Plus Que Parfait, Standard Deviation, Cape of Good Hope, Moon Colony, English Bee, Spinoff, and Demarchelier.

Demarchelier, previously undefeated, was vanned off the course. The Daily Racing Form‘s David Grening reported that he had lameness in his right front leg.

Bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Henley’s Joy was a $20,000 yearling at the Fasig-TiptonMidlantic sale, and commanded $50,000 when pinhooked through OBS April. The colt broke his maiden on debut, then captured the Kentucky Downs Juvenile before running second in the G2 Dixiana Bourbon. He did not take to the soft ground in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, finishing 13th, but won a listed stakes at Gulfstream to close out his juvenile season. In five starts this season, Henley’s Joy had twice finished second. Overall, the colt’s record stands at four wins and three seconds from 11 starts for earnings of $1 million.

“It’s such a big race to win and it’s so important, but for this particular horse, he’s had the worst racing luck and he’s just been so honest, so many rough trips, it was just so gratifying to see him be able to show everybody how talented he is,” said owner Jeff Bloom. “He’s had so many near misses in situations where things didn’t go right and he answered the call today in a big spot.”

EONS wins the Kent S G3

07/07/2019 |

MSW EONS (Giant Causeway) trained at Aiken by Legacy and selected as a yearling by Clancy Bloodstock, stepped up into graded stakes company in the Kent S G3 after winning his prior 3 starts in a row including the Stanton S. In the Kent S, he pressed the pace throughout  and withstood a long duel to the wire to win by a neck. He is owned by Mark B. Grier and trained by Arnaud Delacour.

CONCRETE ROSE Romps in Belmont Oaks G1

07/06/2019 |
Courtesy of the BloodHorse
Concrete Rose wins the Belmont Oaks Invitational Saturday, July 6, 2019 at Belmont Park. Photo: Coglianese Photos

Concrete Rose rolls to victory in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park (Coglianese Photos)

Victory marked first grade 1 score for daughter of Twirling Candy.

By Meredith Daugherty

For Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing’s Concrete Rose, 2019 is a year for the books.

Already a three-time graded stakes winner when she walked onto the Belmont Park turf for the first time July 6, the daughter of Twirling Candy picked up her first grade 1 score in the $750,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T).

Concrete Rose, dk b/br, 3/f
Twirling Candy — Solerina, by Powerscourt (GB)

Owner: Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing, LLC
Breeder: Ron Patterson (KY)
Trainer: George R. Arnold, II
Jockey: Julien R. Leparoux
Information provided by Equibase at time of entry.

Pedigree Notes
Twirling Candy stands at Lane’s End for $25,000 (2019).

Sale History
FTMMAY2018 • $61,000 • Consignor: White Pine Thoroughbreds, agent • Buyer: David Ingordo.
KEESEP2017 • $20,000 • Consignor: Lane’s End, agent • Buyer: J. W. Bloodstock.
KEENOV2016 • ($19,000 RNA) • Consignor: Lane’s End, agent.

“I feel like a champagne bottle that has been shaken up and not opened,” Bo Bromagen of Ashbrook told a representative of Fasig-Tipton, which sold the Twirling Candy  filly as a 2-year-old. “This is beyond my expectations, but you dream for it.”

It was Jodie, the Japanese invader making her first start stateside for owner Tadakazu Obama, who took the lead from the break in the 1 1/4-mile test. Opening a one-length advantage under jockey Miyabi Muto, the Daiwa Major filly set fractions of :24.29, :49.16, and 1:14.14 through six furlongs.

Concrete Rose and regular rider Julien Leparoux stalked in second just off the rail, followed by Chad Brown-trained Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) victress Newspaperofrecord, who broke rankly from the inside. The filly tipped out into the two path as Irad Ortiz Jr. worked to get a firm hold. The move forced Cafe Americano out eight wide, causing Coral Beach and Just Wonderful to check in the backstretch.

As the field of nine entered the far turn, Newspaperofrecord tucked back in toward the rail and was given a bit more rein. She moved up to three wide on the outside and tried to challenge the leaders briefly before dropping back, her energy depleted.

Settling down for a drive at the top of the stretch, Concrete Rose took command a furlong from the wire, kicked home, and crossed the finish 2 3/4 lengths in front in 1:59.97.

“I thought Chad’s horse (Newspaperofrecord) would be on the lead unless they came for her, but I guess today they tried something new and took her back a little bit,” said Leparoux. “The Japanese horse wanted to go, so I was happy to be second, and my filly relaxed beautiful for me the whole race. I knew at the quarter pole I had a lot left. She made a big run at the end. It was nice.

“She’s pretty easy to rate. She seemed nervous in the paddock, but when she’s on the track, she’s just very easy to ride. I knew she was going to relax, and I wasn’t really that concerned (about the distance).”

Just Wonderful, who lunged at the start and made contact with the gate, raced near the back of the pack through the first mile. Coaxed by jockey Wayne Lordan at the quarter pole, the filly was angled out six wide in upper stretch and rallied late to take place honors in a photo finish.

“She likes to drop in at the races at home, so we decided to do the exact same thing here,” said Lordan. “I thought she came home really well. It’s her first time going that trip as well, and for the future she’ll get that trip. Hopefully, she can come back out here and compete again. I’m delighted with the run.”

Cambier Parc was third, followed by Jodie in fourth. Dyna Passer, Cafe Americano, Coral Beach, and Olendon followed. Newspaperofrecord was eased through the stretch and finished last.

“(Newspaperofrecord) didn’t want to rate at all. She was all over the place,” said Brown. “It was no fault of Irad’s. The filly just wouldn’t cooperate. So we tried it, it didn’t work, and that’s that.”

“Sometimes your plan works, and sometimes it doesn’t work, but this one worked,” said trainer George “Rusty” Arnold, who admitted he was worried coming into the Belmont Oaks that he had rested the filly too much for her to maintain top form.

“Everyone had run, and we hadn’t run in two months and a couple of days, and I was a little worried. Her training went smooth, her works went smooth, and everything went well. I was impressed today. I was very, very happy with how she ran.”

It was the fourth graded stakes score for Concrete Rose, who took the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) at 2 before finishing off the board next out in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. Freshened for her sophomore campaign, she made her 2019 debut March 9 in the Florida Oaks (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs and followed that score with another impressive win in the May 3 Edgewood Stakes Presented by Forcht Bank (G3T) at Churchill Downs.

Arnold said the filly will likely continue with the New York Racing Association’s Turf Tiara series and make her next start in the inaugural $750,000 Saratoga Oaks Aug. 2 at Saratoga Race Course.

“Absolutely, unless there’s an issue,” said Arnold. “That’s why we rested her, and hopefully it worked.”

Sent through the ring as a 2-year-old at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Concrete Rose caught the eye of Bromagen when she was galloping out from her breeze during the under tack show.

“She was at the Fasig-Tipton Maryland sale, and they always have good horses that come out of there,” said Bromagen. “I was sitting up in an elevated position just past the wire, and she settled into this rhythm once she made her breeze, and I think I was one of the only ones that saw it.”

Bloodstock agent David Ingordo signed the ticket for the filly, purchasing her on a final bid of $61,000 from the consignment of White Pine Thoroughbreds.

Bred in Kentucky by Ron Patterson, Concrete Rose is the third and final foal out of the Powerscourt mare Solerina. She has won five of her six starts and earned $818,650.

Cary Frommer and the Aiken Training Track Dominate Belmont Today

07/06/2019 |

The Aiken Training Track was dominant at Belmont today with two of its graduates G1 winners: HENLEY’S JOY (Kitten’s Joy) in the G1 Belmont Derby and CONCRETE ROSE (Twirling Candy) in the Belmont Oaks. To add to the mix, KILLYBEG’S CAPTAIN (Mizzen Mast) ran 3rd in the John A. Nerud Stakes G2 on the same card. All three were  trained under the aegis of Cary Frommer.

Added together, they have won over 2 million dollars!

2 yo SHIELD OF FAITH wires the field in a MSW at Monmouth

07/06/2019 |

Congrats to Aiken Training Track fellow Board Member and trainer Glenn Thompson on his win today at Monmouth. Two-year-old SHIELD OF FAITH was reluctant to load initially but was just biding his time before launching a wire to wire victory sprinting 5 furlongs at Monmouth Park. With his first time out 2nd, he has already earned over $46,000 for his owner/trainer.

SIR ANTHONY Gives Aiken Trainer First Win Of 2019 In Cornhusker Upset

07/06/2019 |

by Paulick Report Staff

Brian Hernandez guides Sir Anthony back to the winner’s circle after last December’s Harlan’s Holiday Stakes win

Richard Otto’s homebred Sir Anthony was an 8-1 surprise in Friday’s G3 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows, closing from well off the early pace to score by a half-length on the wire. Ridden by Pedro Cotto, Jr., the 4-year-old Mineshaft ridgling covered nine furlongs over the fast main track in 1:48.98. The Cornhusker was the first win from 17 starts this season for trainer Anthony Mitchell.

Slow to get going out of the gate, Sir Anthony was at least a dozen lengths off the early leaders in the Cornhusker. There was a three-way battle for that front spot between Pinson, defending winner Remembering Rita, and Popularity, who set fractions of :23.00 and :46.72.

Sir Anthony made contact with the main body of the field in the backstretch, and Cotto gave him his cue at the half-mile pole. Winding up a four-wide bid, Sir Anthony was suddenly up into fourth with a quarter mile to run.

Meanwhile, Remember Rita had kicked away to a three-length advantage at the head of the lane. Cotto kept driving and Sir Anthony kept finding more, eventually running down the leader to hit the wire a half-length the best. Dark Vader closed with him to gain second over Remembering Rita, and Hence finished fourth.

Bred in Illinois by his owner, Sir Anthony is a second generation homebred out of the multiple stakes-placed Smart Strike mare Mourette. Otto purchased her dam, Amourette (El Gran Senor), for $30,000 at the 1997 Keeneland September sale, and she rewarded him with a trio of stakes wins and earnings of $248,786. Sir Anthony earned his first stakes win in August of his sophomore season, kicking off a four-race win streak that culminated in the G3 Harlan’s Holiday win over Audible last December. It took Sir Anthony several starts to really blossom in his 4-year-old campaign, but the Cornhusker brings his overall record to 6-3-2 from 18 starts for earnings of over $400,000.

CONCRETE ROSE Newspaperofrecord Renew Rivalry In G1 Belmont Oaks

07/04/2019 |

courtesy of the Paulick Report

Concrete Rose is a Aiken Training Track grad started by Cary Frommer

Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy) wins the Edgewood (G3) at Churchill Downs on 5.3.2019. Julien Leparoux up, Rusty Arnold trainer, Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing owners.

Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing’s Concrete Rose and Klaravich Stables’ Newspaperofrecord will renew their rivalry in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational, a 1 1/4-mile test on the inner turf featuring an international field of nine sophomore fillies at Belmont Park.

Saturday marks the inaugural $5.25 million Turf Triple Series, featuring the Turf Trinity and Turf Tiara for sophomores over three legs at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, headlining the Stars & Stripes Festival to be broadcast live nationwide on NBC.

Concrete Rose, a dark bay daughter of Twirling Candy trained by George ‘Rusty’ Arnold, has won 4-of-5 career starts. Her only loss came in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf when eighth in a race won by Newspaperofrecord.

A winner at first asking in a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint at Saratoga, Concrete Rose doubled up with a three-length win in the Grade 2 Jessamine in October at Keeneland ahead of her Breeder’s Cup run.

She opened her 2019 campaign with a half-length victory in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs and last out, in the Grade 3 Edgewood on May 3 at Churchill Downs, Concrete Rose provided Newspaperofrecord her first career defeat with a rallying 3 ¾-length score.

Arnold said Concrete Rose has progressed nicely in her sophomore season but believes Newspaperofrecord will again be a formidable foe.

“She’s improved from two to three but we had a little edge on Newspaperofrecord last time out,” said Arnold. “We got a race in at Tampa and Newspaperofrecord was coming off a longer layoff, so the edge went to us. Now, she [Newspaperofrecord] has two races into her and we have two races in us, so it’s a different ballgame now.”

Arnold said Julien Leparoux, who will pilot Concrete Rose from post 4, will have plenty of options to sort out a trip.

“She has won from five and a half furlongs to a mile and a sixteenth. She has speed of her own if there’s none in there. She’ll be comfortable,” said Arnold. “If there’s a lot of speed in there, she’s not rank and she can lay back. She’s done it both ways. She was very close in her race at Tampa, and very close in her race at Keeneland last year. She came from off the pace in her last race, so it’s really not a concern.”

Arnold said Concrete Rose has trained well as she prepares to race off a two-month layoff.

“We’re ready. It was a decision to make,” said Arnold. “We could have squeezed a race in the middle, but we wanted to have some horse left for the summer and the fall so we gave her a little break. Hopefully, we’ll be a little more active from here on out.”

Belmont’s leading trainer Chad Brown will saddle a trio of contenders including Newspaperofrecord, Cambier Parc and Cafe Americano.

Undefeated in her juvenile season, Newspaperofrecord boasted wins in both the Grade 2 Miss Grillo and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Following her runner-up effort to Concrete Rose in the Edgewood, the front-running filly again finished second in the Grade 3 Wonder Again at nine furlongs on June 6 on the Belmont turf. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will retain the mount from post 2.

OXO Equine’s Cambier Parc boasts a record of three wins from five starts including a score in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park. By Medaglia d’Oro, he is out of the graded stakes winning dam Sealy Hill, who was Canada’s 2007 Horse of the Year. Jose Ortiz has the call from post 9.

Peter Brant’s Cafe Americano is undefeated in two career starts, including a June 1 optional claiming score at Belmont that earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure for the nine-furlong trip. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano takes over from post 5 aboard the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and multiple Sovereign Award-winner Roxy Gap.

Legendary Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien will saddle a pair of top contenders, led by Just Wonderful and Coral Beach.

Just Wonderful, a bay daughter of Dansili out of the Montjeu mare Wading, captured the Group 3 Flame of Tara Irish E.B.F. at the Curragh in September and two starts later was victorious in the Group 2 Shadwell Rockfel at Newmarket.
She completed her 2-year-old campaign with a good fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Winless in three sophomore starts, including an eighth last out in the Group 1 Coronation at Ascot, Just Wonderful comes from the same family as last year’s Belmont Oaks-winner Athena.

O’Brien said the added distance on Saturday should help Just Wonderful.
“On pedigree, there’s a chance that she might get it but she seems to be in good form since her last run,” said O’Brien.

Coral Beach, a bay daughter of Zoffany, owns a record of 2-1-2 from 10 starts. She graduated in October at Cork when sprinting six furlongs and came back to beat the boys in October in the Group 3 Killavullan at Leopardstown.

Winless in three attempts this season, Coral Beach arrives at the Belmont Oaks from a good fourth in the Sandringham on June 21 at Ascot.

“I think she’s going to handle the stretch out in distance very well. She ran well the last day at Ascot and it looked like the step up in trip would help her massively,” said O’Brien assistant T.J. Comerford. “I think stepping up in distance really should help both our fillies.”

Wayne Lordan will ride Just Wonderful from post 6 and Michael Hussey has the call on Coral Beach from post 3.

Wonder Stables’ Olendon, trained by Pascal Bary, will make her North American debut in the Belmont Oaks.

Last out, the Le Havre filly finished second behind well-regarded Siyarafina in the Group 1 Prix Saint Alary, a 1 1/4-mile test for sophomore fillies over good to soft going at Longchamp in France.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will guide Olendon from the inside post.
Tadakazu Obama’s Jodie, a daughter of Daiwa Major bred by the famous Northern Farm, has contested all nine career starts on turf in her native Japan.

She graduated on debut last June in Tokyo and followed up with a good third in the Group 3 Niigata Nisai at Niigata at one mile on the turf. In November, Jodie captured the Akamatsu Sho over one mile of firm turf at Tokyo in November.
Trained by Hirofumi Toda, Jodie opened her sophomore campaign in February, finishing third in the Group 1 Daily Hai Queen Cup at Tokyo when racing at one-mile for the sixth time. She stretched out to 1 1/4 miles in April finishing third in the Group 2 Sankei Sports Sho Flora Stakes at Tokyo. Last out, in the 1 1/2-miles Group 1 Japanese Oaks, Jodie set the early pace before fading to finish 14th.

Miyabi Muto will pilot the front-running filly from post 7.

Rounding out an impressive field is Woodslane Farm’s maiden winner Dyna Passer. Trained by Tom Albertrani, the Lemon Drop Kid chestnut is a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Sadler’s Joy. Last out, on May 23 at Belmont, Dyna Passer graduated by a length in a 1 3/8-mile turf maiden.

Joel Rosario will ride Dyna Passer for the first time from post 8.

The Turf Tiara will continue August 2 at Saratoga with the inaugural $750,000 Saratoga Oaks, held at 1 3/16-miles (1,900 meters) on the Saratoga lawn and broadcast live nationally on FS2, kicking off Whitney weekend festivities.

The final jewel will be the first-ever $750,000 Jockey Club Oaks slated for September 7 at Belmont, will be contested at 1 3/8-miles (2,200 meters) on the turf, and aired live on NBC, as part of an action-packed weekend of racing to raise the curtain on the Belmont fall meet.