Defending champ Riding the River dug in when he needed to and managed to overcome a strong challenge by rail-running Valentino Beauty and a late-rallying Hotep to claim the $200,000 […]
Defending champ Riding the River dug in when he needed to and managed to overcome a strong challenge by rail-running Valentino Beauty and a late-rallying Hotep to claim the $200,000 Grade II TVG King Edward Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday, June 23, 2013. Riding the River stopped the clock at 1:33.2 for the head victory over one mile on a fast EP Taylor Turf course. The race was almost a mirror image of the six-year-old gelding's by-a-neck victory in the 2012 event. The son of Wiseman’s Ferry was coming off a second-place finish in the Grade II Connaught Cup.
\n
\n
Sent off as the even-money favorite (after being a 13-1 longshot last year) Riding the River received a masterful ride from veteran jockey Todd Kabel. With an EP Taylor course that had most recently been favoring front-runners, Kabel hustled Riding the River out of the 2-post to race down the backstretch two lengths off the leaders, before angling into the three-path for the stretch drive. Afterward Kabel said his horse “hung a bit” after making the lead, but dug in when he caught sight of Valentino Beauty sneaking up the rail and would not be passed.
\n
\n
With the win, the Dave Coty-trained Riding the River ups his record to nine wins from 22 starts, including three graded-stakes victories, and has now banked more than $800,000 in purse money. The race was also a positive step forward for the runner up, Valentino Beauty, under jockey Edgar Prado, as the lightly raced four-year-old improved on his fourth-place finish in the Connaught. He could be one to watch in the future, particularly in the July 21, 2013 Grade II Nijinsky Stakes, when he’ll get a chance to stretch out a bit to 1 1/8 miles.
\n
Saturday, January 29 at Gulfstream Park is one of the biggest races of the year: the Pegasus World Cup (G1)! This $3 million race, covering a mile and an eighth on the Gulfstream dirt track, drew a field of nine handicap horses. The eyes of the racing world will be on Gulfstream on Saturday, and you can bet it from the comfort of your own home here in Canada!
The Kentucky Derby trail makes its way to Oklahoma on Friday, December 17 for the Remington Springboard Mile! The race drew a field of nine up-and-coming two-year-olds to go a mile on the main track. The prizes are rich: a $400,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) for the first four horses across the wire.
The Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), California’s most important Kentucky Derby Prep in December, is coming up on Saturday, December 11! The race features the most promising two-year-olds in California, set to go a mile and a sixteenth over the dirt at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The race offers a purse of $300,000, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points, apportioned 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.
Let's have a look at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf betting picks and predictions.
Join The Conversation