Remsen Stakes Racing Roundup

©2019 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby features two marquee races this Saturday with the Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Los Alamitos Futurity Stakes (G2) at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Let’s look at the 104^th running of the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) where FORZA DI ORO will go to the starting gate as the 3-1 morning line favorite. Post time is 3:43 p.m. ET.

Forza Di Oro comes into this race with a 1-1-0 record in two starts for trainer Bill Mott including a nice maiden win last out at Belmont Park. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

FORZA DI ORO inside early on, settled under rating just off the inside just off the early duel, remained patiently handled as a trio vied directly in front through the turn, came under light coaxing near the quarter pole, swung four wide into upper stretch in behind rivals, tipped out to the six path straightened away placed to a light drive and rallied to issue a challenge through the final furlong taking command inside the sixteenth marker and inched away lightly ridden out to the finish.

Although he only won by three quarters of a length, Forza Di Oro was never shown the whip, racing in hand the entire race, and looked good swinging to the outside in the stretch to get up for the win in the final yards. The final time of 1:42.72 is what I like to see young colts run on the Derby Trail.

Speightstown, the sire of Forza Di Oro, was a champion sprinter that compiled a 10-2-2 record in 16 starts with $1,258,256 in career earnings.

Speightstown made only one off-the-board start as a two-year-old. But at the age of three, he made seven starts and compiled a 4-1-1 record with a second-place finish in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2).

At four, he was unraced. As a five-year-old, he compiled a 1-1-0 record in two starts with a second-place finish in the Jaipur Handicap.

As a six-year-old, Speightstown was 5-0-1 in six starts with wins in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), Churchill Downs Handicap (G2), True North Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2), Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G2) and Artax Handicap. He finished third in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1).

As a stallion, Speightstown has sired several graded stakes winners and his top ten leading lifetime performers include: Reynaldothewizard, Tamarkuz, Golden Ticket, Force the Pass, Haynesfield, Dance to Bristol, Seek Again, Lord Shanakill, Jersey Town, and Rock Fall.

Classic Champion Thoroughbreds, LLC did not attend the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August Sale of Selected Yearlings but Forza Di Oro (Hip 215) was one of 31 yearlings (29 colts, 2 fillies) we profiled from the catalog and he has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®.

Forza Di Oro has room to improve in his third start of the season and a recent bullet work out could have him primed to take another step forward.

CLEON JONES (6-1) comes into this race with a 2-2-0 record in five starts for trainer Jeremiah Englehart including a second-place finish in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Belmont Park. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

CLEON JONES along the outside throughout, was in path two in pursuit of the front runners on the turn, commenced the stretch one path farther off the rail, gained ground steadily, but fell short.

Cleon Jones tracked the leaders to the far turn and showed a lot of grit in the stretch drive with Captain Bombastic but fell short of victory by a head

Tale of the Cat, the sire of Cleon Jones, was a graded stakes winner that compiled a 5-1-2 record in nine starts with $360,900 in career earnings.

As a three-year-old, Tale of the Cat won the seven-furlong Kings Bishop Stakes (G2) and finished third in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1). At the age of four, Tale of Silence finished second in the nine-furlong Whitney Handicap (G1) and he was third in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1).

As a stallion, Tale of the Cat’s top performers include: Stopcharingmaria, She’s a Tiger, Lion Heart, Gio Ponti, Cat Moves, My Trusty Cat, Tale of Ekati, Appealing Tale and Favorite Tale to name a few.

Cleon Jones has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and that makes him competitive in this race.

A long shot I like is PRINCE JAMES (15-1) who comes into this race with a 1-1-0 record in two starts for trainer Kelsey Danner including a second-place last out at Churchill Downs. Here’s the chart call:

PRINCE JAMES chased the pace early, shifted into the four path in the far turn, rallied for place stretch, was no match for the winner but second best.

Tiznow, the sire of Prince James, was a multiple graded-stakes winner and an outstanding router who compiled an 8-4-2 record in 15 starts with $6,427,830 in career earnings.

Tiznow did not race until he was three years old, making nine starts and compiling 5-3-0 record with $3,445,950 in earnings. His stakes wins include the Affirmed Handicap (G3), Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2), the Super Derby (G1) by six lengths and he finished the season with a win in the most 2000 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) where he defeated the European champion Giant’s Causeway by a neck.

As a four-year-old, Tiznow was 3-1-2 in six starts and $2,981,880 in earnings with stakes wins in the San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2), the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and he successfully defended his title of champion in Breeders’ Cup Classic when he defeated the European invader and formidable winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Sakhee, by a nose.

As a stallion, his leading lifetime runners include: Well Armed, Tourist, Colonel John, Tizway, Morning Line, Tiz Miz Sue, Folklore, Bullsbay, Tough Tiz’s Sis, Gemologist, Da’ Tara and Strong Mandate.

Prince James has an E Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race.

AJAAWEED (9-2) comes into this race with a 1-0-0 record in three starts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin including a fourth-place finish in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Racecourse. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

AJAAWEED was unhurried early on, fanned into the five path in the far turn and moved up in the stretch drive.

Ajaaweed raced toward the back of the herd to the far turn when he made his move and got up to finish fourth.

Curlin, the sire of Ajaaweed, was an outstanding racehorse that compiled an 11-2-2 record in 16 career starts with $10,501,800 in career earnings.

Curlin did not start as a two-year-old. But, at the age of three, Curlin was 6-1-2 in nine starts with $5,102,800 in earnings including wins in the Rebel Stakes (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G2) en route to a third-place finish in the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1). He went on to win the Preakness Stakes (G1) and he finished second in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Other important stakes wins include the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), twice, Dubai World Cup (G1), Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), Woodward Stakes (G1), and the UAE Jaguar Trophy Handicap.

In eight crops as a stallion (2010-2017), Curlin has sired the 2013 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Palace Malice and the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator. In addition, Curlin produced the classic-placed runners Good Magic (second, 2018 Kentucky Derby), Tenfold (third, 2018 Preakness), Ride On Curlin (second, 2014 Preakness), Keen Ice (third, 2015 Belmont) and Irish War Cry (second, 2017 Belmont).

Ajaaweed has a B Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and that makes him competitive in this race. His last work out was the best yet and if jockey Joel Rosario has him positioned closer early on he has the breeding to be competitive.

*****

          Only four horses have been entered in the Los Alamitos Futurity Stakes (G2) and the one I’m most interested in is ANNEAU D’OR (9-5).

          He was my long shot pick in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1) and with an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he has the breeding to win this race.

*****

A total of 35 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road to the Kentucky Derby and there three races on the Japan road to Derby glory.

2019/2020 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Storm the Court, 22, Peter Eurton, $1,136,351

2. Tiz the Law, 12, Barclay Tagg, $304,100

3. Maxfield, 10, Brendan Walsh, $300,000

4. Eight Rings, 10, Bob Baffert, $200,351

5. Silver Prospector, 10, Steve Asmussen, $197,351

6. Dennis’ Moment, 10, Dale Romans, $137,800

7. Anneau d’Or, 8, Blaine Wright, $340,000

8. +Scabbard, 6, Eddie Kenneally, $178,000

9. Wrecking Crew, 4, Peter Miller, $280,000

10. Green Light Go, 4, Jimmy Jerkens, $210,000

11. Gouverneur Morris, 4, Todd Pletcher, $100,000

12. American Theorem, 4, George Papaprodromou, $60,000

13. Finnick the Fierce, 4, Rey Hernandez, $58,200

14. +Enforceable, 3, Mark Casse, $64,500

15. Big City Bob, 2, Jorge Duarte, Jr., $120,000

16. Lebda, 2, Claudio Gonzalez, $19,000

17. Gozilla, 1, Steve Asmussen, $72,000

18. Letmeno, 1, Ian Wilkes, $29,200

19. Ajaaweed, 1, Kiaran McLaughlin, $25,000

20. +Express Train, 1, John Shirreffs, $18,000

          + = Scabbard (Hip 802), Enforceable (Hip 76) and Express Train (Hip 1016) were colts we profiled at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Kameko, 14, Andrew Balding, $192,894

2. Innisfree (IRE), 14, Aidan O’Brien, $127,856

3. Victor Ludorum, 10, Andre Fabre, $250,958

4. Royal Donarch (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $115,813

5. Alson (GER), 4, J.P. Carvalho, $135,572

6. Shekhem (IRE), 4, Dermot Weld, $24,068

7. Year of the Tiger (IRE), 3, Aidan O’Brien $36,086

8. Armory (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $258,793

9. Iberia (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $25,389

10. Gold Maze (GB), 2, Jessica Harrington, $12,034

11. Mogul (GB), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $111,879

12. Ecrivain (FR), 1, Carlos Laffon-Parias, $69.202

13. Camorra (IRE), 1, Ger Lyons, $3,610

JAPAN ROAD LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1. Dieu du Vin (JPN), 10, Yukihiro Kato, $159,609

2. Shonan Mario (JPN), 4, Shizuya Kato, $96,526

3. Daimei Corrida (JPN), 2, Naoyuki Morita, $107,736

4. Aurora Tesoro, 1, Yoshihiro Hatakeyama, $99,395