Hi All,
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and your families. A quick update before another busy weekend of racing with entries on both Friday and Sunday. We will be rolling out the ARC25 claiming program with an online presentation set for 7pm on Thursday December 12th. For those who are interested and have not responded yet please let us know so that you will be added to the list to receive the invite. We will be claiming horses beginning in the New Year at Gulfstream Park through the end of the 2025 Monmouth Race Meet. This is a limited opportunity since there will be no more than 15 slots available. If you want to be in the game for 2025 let us know ASAP!
Alot to be thankful for on this day as we are coming off of back-to-back wins last weekend by Cali Heat and Red Head Italian (see result charts attached above). Also, I have attached a picture above of our old friend Seven Seven who has sufficiently recovered from severe injuries to transition into a second career in dressage. Many thanks to Peter Sanfillipo who put in a tremendous amount of time and care to give him a new happy life.
Vino Limone is entered tomorrow in the 4th race at Gulfstream Park going 5 ½ furlongs on the dirt (see details and latest bullet work below). Paco Lopez will ride leaving from post 3 in this seven horse field of two-year-olds. They are currently second pick at 3-1 (see pp’s attached above). Scott’s pre-race analysis is below and good luck to all Group 96 Members and Trainer Kelly Breen.
VINO LIMONE has settled in nicely down at Palm Meadows, and after getting shutout on entries for the past couple of weeks, we finally landed in a short field for a Starter Allowance Optional Claiming sprint for 2YO fillies on Friday, November 29th! Breaking from the #3 Post Position in a field of just seven runners, top jockey Paco Lopez takes the mount as we try to get her back into the Winner’s Circle after a couple tough races against Stakes and Allowance company. There appears to be enough early speed to her outside to help ensure a fast pace on the front end, which should give Vino Limone the target she wants to run at when turning for home. Vino Limone will need to run for the claiming tag in this spot, as the Allowance condition is “started for $25,000, or less”, which she has not run; she broke her maiden at the Mdn35000 level. On speed figures, this is the race for Vino Limone, and hopefully she can take a step forward out of her last two races, where she may have been overmatched, but she still ran hard the whole way and never gave in: finishing 4th in both races.
Vino Limone (2-Year-Old Filly)
Date: November 17, 2024
Track: PALM MEADOWS TRAINING CENTER
Distance: Three Furlongs
Time: 36:35 Breezing
Track Condition: Fast
Surface: Dirt
Rank: 1/15
Calming Sea will be up next as she is entered in Race 4 on Saturday at Gulfstream Park going one mile and seventy yards on the Tapeta track. Emisael Jaramillo will be in the irons in the full field of ten (see pp’s attached above and details below). Scott’s pre-race comments are below and good luck to our Group 95 ARC24 Members and Trainer - Partner Kelly Breen.
CALMING SEA will be running Saturday, November 30th, at Gulfstream Park! After she came out of her race two weeks ago in good order, where Paco Lopez fought her for the first half mile instead of letting her just run, we have been looking to get her right back in the entries. Top South Florida jockey Emisael Jaramillo takes the reins for this spot, in a full field of 10 runners with one AE. There is not a lot of early speed signed on for this one, but #4-Sweet Judy Blue just to her outside did win gate-to-wire last out at the Mdn12500 level back in June; facing winners for the first time is a big jump up, off the five month layoff. #10-Taking It All has also flashed early speed in her previous races, but it doesn’t look like she has enough speed on paper to keep up with Calming Sea and Sweet Judy Blue early; we shall see! The horse to beat on paper in this spot is #1-Bubbly Champagne, who is taking a slight drop in class after back-to-back 2nd place finishes at the Clm16000 NW2L condition, and she likes to come from off-the-pace on the far turn and down the stretch. Calming Sea will need to run back to her races from January/February down at Gulfstream Park to win this, but she has been training great and her last race is a toss-out after the ride she received. Jaramillo will be instructed to let Calming Sea run, and hopefully her natural speed and improved conditioning off the layoff allows her take this field gate-to-wire to break through with that win for ARC24! We’ll follow up Saturday morning with final thoughts and news on scratches/changes.
Cali Heat won an exciting race on Friday November 15th at Penn National (see Scott’s post-race comments below) and is slated to be right back in the entries for next Friday December 6th as he has come back from the race feeling great. The draw will take place tomorrow afternoon. We will provide updates if race is a go.
What a thrilling race Friday night November 15th at Penn National, as CALI HEAT returned the Winner’s Circle in just his second race back after his lengthy layoff! Breaking from the outside post in a short field of five horses, He broke alertly and found himself in a speed duel on the front end, setting quick fractions in the 5.5F sprint through the first half mile. Rounding the Quarter Pole, jockey Jomar Torres gave him a nudge to start making his move, and like a professional, Cali Heat slowly started to break away from the other early speed. With the heavy 1-5 favorite not able to keep up, he still had pressure the entire stretch run from #1-Double Nickel, but Torres kept him to task the entire way and had enough energy late to stay on the winning side! It was an excellent ride from Jomar Torres, who sat patient on Cali Heat and really didn’t “ask” until they were into the stretch; ensuring he didn’t use up too much energy early. It was a professional win in just his 8th career start, and he received a nice jump in his Equibase speed figure; going from the mid 50’s/low 60’s, up to a 75 Equibase Speed figure last night! As a 3yo, turning 4 in January, hopefully he can continue to improve out of this race. Congratulations to all group 93 members and Kenwood Racing partners – our patience with Cali Heat and his injury earlier this year has already been rewarded, and hopefully there is more to come!
Red Head Italian made it two in a row for the Kenwood Stable winning by over 9 lengths at Laurel Park on Sunday Nov 17th. She broke her maiden in style and we are looking to get her back to the races with some possible entries on December 14th at either Laurel or Parx. Scott’s post-race analysis is below.
RED HEAD ITALIAN seized full advantage of the drop-in class today, as she took the full field gate-to-wire for a blowout maiden breaking victory at Laurel Park! There was NO claim out of the race, and she came back to the barn in the good order. Breaking from the outside, she was able to clear the field easily to get the rail, only seeing mild pressure from #3-Sweet Honey Bee who just couldn’t keep pace but managed to finish second; beaten 9.5 lengths in the end! Red Head Italian set respectable fractions on the front end in what seemed like cruise control, and jockey Jevian Toledo just sat patient on her and let her set the rhythm and pace. At the top of the stretch, she handled the turn like a pro and had plenty left. When Jevian started to ask for more, she responded by separating herself from the group and finishing just as strong to win by nearly 10 lengths at the wire. The Equibase Race Chart is attached for your review. We are thrilled to get RHI into the Winner’s Circle with our partner RJR Racing, but also because of the injury she came back from earlier this year, and the patience everyone on this email showed to get her back to the races! It’s not easy having your horse on the sidelines and unable to train/race (especially when the NJ bred racing season is so short!), but wins like this make it all worth it! As the saying goes, and something we firmly believe at Kenwood Racing – if we do right by the horse, the horse will do right by us. Let’s enjoy this one – a true team effort; from Rory Huston and his team at Overbrook, to Kelly and his team that got her back to the races, and finally Brittany Russell and her team for getting RHI into the winner’s circle!
Lisa’s Palace has been training well for Mark Salvaggio at Penn National and will be entered tomorrow for a race on Friday December 6th at Penn National. Updates to follow if the race goes.
Outlaw Country is enjoying his time at Sunset Meadow Farm getting plenty of time outside in the paddock. We will be scheduling a visit to see him in the near future.
Our Connect / Lisa Limon filly has arrived at Whispering Meadows Equestrian in Delaware and will start the breaking process in a week or so.