T1B

Manhattan Twist Race Overview

Manhattan Twist will try turf for the first time when he runs in the Central Park S.this Saturday at Aqueduct. Post time for the race is 3:40 p.m. ET. Trainer Todd Pletcher has tabbed champion jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. to pilot your son of Liam’s Map.

Following his disappointing effort last time out, Todd worked your colt on the turf and was happy with the way he took to the surface. If his pedigree is any indication, he should enjoy the added ground along with the grass. Should he be able to improve off of his debut effort, there is no reason why Manhattan Twist can’t contend for the win in this spot. Best of luck to all owners!

Click here to enter paddock lottery.

More on the competition (click here for past performances):

#1 McDiesel: Nearly led all the way last time out in the Awad S. against open company. This son of Twirling Candy cuts back to a flat mile in this spot. His figure will have to improve, but this one can play a factor in here.

#2 Sounds Like a Plan: Earned a 72 Beyer Speed Figure in his maiden-breaking victory in his last start. In that race he got loose on the lead and took the field gate to wire. Faces both winners and stakes company here for the first time.

#3 Fire Pit: Ships in from the Mid-Atlantic circuit off of a first-level allowance win. Was fifth in his only prior start against stakes company. Figures will need to improve for him to compete in here.

#4 Jack and Jim: Won on debut for Graham Motion, earning a 71 Beyer Speed Figure for his closing effort. Will get the speed to close into in this race, but it is a question if he will be good enough first time against stakes company.

#5 Davy Crockett: Has been on the board in all three lifetime starts. Will get a favorable pace scenario and should work out a nice stalking trip.

#6 Not For Hire: Was an impressive debut winner when he won by open lengths, earning a 70 Beyer Speed Figure. Pedigree suggests he should appreciate the stretch out to two turns. Should be a major threat to take the win in this race.

#8 Smooth Breeze: Was a fading fourth in Grade 2 company last time out on yielding turf. He gets a touch of class relief dropping into this overnight stake and will look to repeat his winning effort should he get firm ground.

#9 Early Adopter (GB): Had a problematic trip last out in the G2 Pilgrim S., where he checked hard at the 1/8th pole, which arguably cost him the win. Have to respect the Chad Brown/Flavien Prat combination, which has a 30% win rate at Aqueduct since 2023.

#10 Super Swift: Stretches out to two turns following a runner-up finish in the Atlantic Beach S. just two weeks ago. Has a tough post, but his 75 Beyer Speed Figure earned in his last start would best this field.

Reputation Race Overview

Reputation will make her highly anticipated debut this Friday at Gulfstream Park. She is set to run in the sixth race, a maiden special weight event for 2-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the dirt. Martin Vasquez has been tabbed for the ride by trainer Gustavo Delgado. Post time in 3:03 p.m. ET.

Your daughter of Bolt d’Oro has continued to impress the whole team with the way she trains in the mornings. She comes in sporting a superb work tab, and has gotten much better with her gate issues. The team expects her to run well in this spot at first asking and we are extremely excited to finally be debuting her. Good luck to all owners!

Click here to enter paddock lottery.

More on the competition (click here for past performances):

#1 Luna Louska: Reputation’s stablemate, this daughter of Complexity sports several fast workouts coming in to this start. Progeny of her sire have been very precocious and it would not be a shock should she win on debut.

#3 Henry Gondoroff: Mark Casse sends out this six-figure yearling by Liam’s Map. This filly has a steady work tab, but the distance may be a tad short for her.

#4 Rojo Rita: The dominant duo of Saffie Joseph, Jr. and Edgard Zayas team up here with this daughter of Volatile. The aformentioned team has a win rate of 26% from 704 starters since 2023. Also to be noted is the barn’s 25% win rate with juveniles. Could be a debut winner.

#5 Young and Pretty: A homebred by sensational freshman sire McKinzie, this filly doesn’t have the flashiest work tab, and may need a start in here.

#6 Cloe: By top freshman sire Tiz The Law, this filly makes her debut for a barn that strikes at 12% with first-time starters.

#7 Aranciata: This daughter of Good Magic cuts back in distance and switches back to the dirt for trainer Jorge Delgado. She has not shown too much, but third time could always be the charm.

#8 Snitch Dorada: A $45,000 West Virginia-bred, this Jose D’Angelo trainee has a decent work tab. However, the barn strikes at only 10% with first time starters.

#9 Preciseness: Comes in here having not run since May, a race where she was beaten soundly. Have to respect the owner-trainer combination, who gives Joe Bravo the nod here.

Improbable Luck Update

Due to wet weather in Louisville, Improbable Luck’s work for this week—which otherwise would have been today—was pushed back. Subsequently, he came up with a leg infection (common in muddy conditions) and fever. The barn does not seem overly concerned about it at this time, and he’s being treated now for the infection. We will follow up as warranted, but hopefully this should just be a minor blip.

Reputation Race Recap

Reputation was an encouraging third after what was an educational debut this afternoon at Gulfstream Park. Click for the replay. Your filly handled herself with class during the entire process, particularly when her stablemate, the #1 Luna Louska, was a late scratch.

That scratch of course meant that Reputation had to break from the rail, which is never optimal for a firster, particularly one who has had some well-documented issues with the gate.

Reputation spotted the field a couple of lengths at the break, but did well from there to rush up into third as the well-backed eventual dominant winner seized command. The bay continued to respond willingly to encouragement to maintain her place behind splits of :22.19 and :46.40. She tipped wide for the stretch drive and looked like she might collar #8 Snitch Dorada for second, but Reputation would not switch over to her correct lead and had to settle for third. She galloped out well past the wire.

The romping winner was obviously very well meant and extremely speedy, and conversely Reputation wants to go longer than this and mostly likely try turf at some point.

Jockey Miguel Vasquez noted that Reputation has a long stride that will be better suited to farther distances.

All in all, while we always hope to win first out, we still believe Reputation did plenty to feel good about today and are excited to see her continue to step forward with more ground to work with and that experience under her belt.

We’ll let the Delgado barn get her back home, monitor how she bounces out of this one and pick out the right next spot.

Roux wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2024 7:55 pm

Improbable Luck Update

Due to wet weather in Louisville, Improbable Luck’s work for this week—which otherwise would have been today—was pushed back. Subsequently, he came up with a leg infection (common in muddy conditions) and fever. The barn does not seem overly concerned about it at this time, and he’s being treated now for the infection. We will follow up as warranted, but hopefully this should just be a minor blip.

Alas, the horse that started this off, Improbable Luck, now has an infection. Hopefully won't be in the sick bay for long. Here he is recently in front of the twin spires of Churchill Downs:

Roux wrote: ↑Fri Nov 15, 2024 8:44 pm Well Reputation made the board, came in 3rd.

Aside from the rough start, she ran well. Can't complain about a 3rd place finish in her first race.

88BuckeyeGrad wrote: ↑Sat Nov 16, 2024 2:14 am Fuck all horses.

Improbable Luck Update

Improbable Luck hasn’t been able to fully fend off the leg infection he has been battling. The Lukas barn reported he was improving a week ago and thought he was only going to need a few more days before getting back into the swing of things, but that has not happened as quickly as we hoped or expected. After conferring with Wayne, we opted to send him to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington as a precaution.

Dr. Liz Elzer and Dr. Larry Bramlage are overseeing Improbable Luck. Their evaluation confirmed cellulitis in his left hind leg. They were able to pull a culture fairly quickly in order to pinpoint which antibiotic will be most effective.

For now, everything is under control. He is minimally off at a trot, but we will keep him at the clinic at least overnight to get to the bottom of this infection and hopefully get it knocked out as quickly as possible.

We will remain in contact with the veterinarian’s and pass along any information as it comes to us.

Improbable Luck Update

Improbable Luck continues to trend in the right direction. He still has some swelling in his leg, but his blood tests are improving. For now he will remain at the clinic so that he can continue to be monitored. He'll have a couple more days of antibiotics with the goal to take him off of those by Wednesday. Then they'll watch him for a few more days after that to be sure there's no recurrence of the infection.

Improbable Luck Update

Improbable Luck continues to improve at Rood & Riddle. They stopped antibiotics yesterday and, so far, so good. He’ll stay at the clinic for a couple more days to make sure nothing changes, and after that he’ll be discharged. We will be sending him to a farm for some down time once he leaves the clinic. An illness like this will certainly have taken something out of him, so it’s much better to allow him to recuperate and strengthen back up a bit before returning to the track. This is a move that should also benefit him just given how he was training before the setback—a little time to mature and reset should do him good.

Roux wrote: ↑Wed Dec 04, 2024 11:50 pm I submitted Now's The Time.

Saratoga Warrior Race Recap

Saratoga Warrior was off the board today at Aqueduct.

Out-footed early—as expected—and squeezed out of a spot somewhat, he seemed to be uncorking a wide move heading for home. Saratoga Warrior began to lug in while struggling with his lead changes in upper stretch, however, and never got going from there.

We knew the competition was going to be a bit tough, and the distance a bit sharp, and both of those things proved to be the case. We’ll plan to look for some class relief and/or added distance for Saratoga Warrior next time. Trainer Danny Gargan has always felt he wanted more ground, and jockey Luis Rivera, Jr. concurred after today’s race. More options should continue to become available heading into the new year as more horses break their maidens and begin looking for conditions for winners.

Roux wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2024 8:29 pm 5th place.

Saratoga Warrior Race Recap

Saratoga Warrior was off the board today at Aqueduct.

Out-footed early—as expected—and squeezed out of a spot somewhat, he seemed to be uncorking a wide move heading for home. Saratoga Warrior began to lug in while struggling with his lead changes in upper stretch, however, and never got going from there.

We knew the competition was going to be a bit tough, and the distance a bit sharp, and both of those things proved to be the case. We’ll plan to look for some class relief and/or added distance for Saratoga Warrior next time. Trainer Danny Gargan has always felt he wanted more ground, and jockey Luis Rivera, Jr. concurred after today’s race. More options should continue to become available heading into the new year as more horses break their maidens and begin looking for conditions for winners.

Reputation Entry Update

Reputation is officially in for next Sunday at Gulfstream Park. She'll be the #11 in a field of 12 carded as the day's fifth race (they actually got 24 entries for the condition and split it into two races--the other division is Race 10). Post time is 2:19 p.m. ET. Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who of course piloted MyRacehorse's Straight No Chaser to a Breeders' Cup Sprint win last month, will be in the irons.

Roux wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2024 5:07 pm Think of it like watching Auburn football.

Reputation
Owner Update

Good Luck Reputation!

Reputation is set to have her turf and two-turn test in today's fifth race at Gulfstream Park. She has been quoted as the 3-1 morning-line favorite. Post time is 2:19 p.m. ET. There are no scratches.

Roux wrote: ↑Wed Jun 12, 2024 5:55 pm
He two years old and is being trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.

Miss American Pie Race Recap

Miss American Pie was a promising third on debut this afternoon at Aqueduct.

She carried herself very professionally before the race, and broke decently well, but was allowed by jockey Joel Rosario to find her stride rather than rushing up in contention. She showed some good cruising speed to advance into a midpack spot down the backside behind strong splits, moved up willingly on the turn and strode out nicely down the center of the track in the lane to prove clearly third best on the day.

While the top two went quick, they were both well-meant runners and likely benefitted from the conditions—it would’ve been tough to make up much more ground over that sloppy surface than Miss American Pie did in the stretch.

We’re certainly pleased with that effort for a first showing, and considering that Miss American Pie didn’t have a ton of works before this unveiling, would only expect her to step forward from here.

Improbable Luck Update

Improbable Luck returned to the work tab for the first time in 58 days following his leg infection. He covered four furlongs in :50.40 on Sunday at Oaklawn Park in an easy fashion due to it being his first work back. As long as everything continues in good order, we imagine he'll pick things up pretty quick in the Lukas barn.

Manhattan Twist Update

Manhattan Twist was evaluated earlier this week by Dr. Phillip Hammock in Ocala.

Radiographs of both front ankles revealed stress remodeling (I.e. bone bruising), which was more significant in the left—exactly in line with what Team Pletcher observed.

X-rays were also taken of both knees, and a small bone chip/fragment was found in his left knee. While this chip is not clinical at this time, since Manhattan Twist is already going to have time off for the bone bruising, Dr. Hammock recommends going ahead and cleaning up the knee now so as to get that taken care of and avoid an issue down the road.

This is undoubtedly the proper course of action, so we will go ahead and schedule Manhattan Twist for surgery.

Manhattan Twist will likely get 60-90 days of stall rest and turnout before he can resume training. Our aim would be to have him back for a summer campaign, and hopefully he returns at his best as a fresh and more mature horse.