Well-regarded maiden Civil Liberty points to G2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino

• Well-regarded maiden Civil Liberty points to G2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino
• Point Dume likely candidate for G2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets
• Klein to run half-marathon in support of Backstretch Employee Service Team

Grade 1-placed four-start maiden Civil Liberty will look to graduate in style in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino, slated for April 4, at Aqueduct Racetrack. The nine-furlong route for sophomores offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, respectively, to the top-five finishers.

Trained by Doug O’Neill for Great Friends Stables and Mark Davis, Civil Liberty will stretch out in distance from a recent neck second sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs on March 7 at Santa Anita Park. His sire, Independence Hall [14-5-2-1, $881,500], won the 2019 Grade 3 Nashua and Listed Jerome in 2020 at the Big A.

“That's definitely our goal,” O’Neill said regarding the Wood Memorial. “He acts like the distance won't be a problem for him at all. It wasn't a problem for his pops - his dad could run the distance. We're excited about him.”

An early list of horses under consideration for the Wood Memorial includes Bravaro [Saffie Joseph, Jr.], Civil Liberty [Doug O'Neill], Express Kid [Justin Evans], Iron Honor [Chad Brown], Napoleon Solo [Chad Summers], Ottinho [Chad Brown], Red Zone Runner [Hugo Padilla], and Talk to Me Jimmy [Rudy Rodriguez]. Nominations for the 101st running of the Wood Memorial close on Saturday, March 21 with entries to be taken on Sunday, March 29.

Civil Liberty was defeated by the well-regarded Brant in his first two career starts, landing second on debut sprinting 5 1/2-furlongs in July at Del Mar while 3 1/2-lengths clear of third-place Balboa with Intrepido – eventual winner of the Grade 1 American Pharoah – in fourth.

He exited that effort to finish a 4 1/4-length third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity in September, nosing out eventual Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity-winner Litmus Test for show honors.

Civil Liberty completed his juvenile campaign with a 6 1/2-length fourth in the aforementioned American Pharoah going 1 1/16-miles at Santa Anita where he picked up two Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

He returned to action on March 7 at Santa Anita in a strong 6 1/2-furlong maiden sprint where he disputed the early pace of Decisive Win and missed by a neck when second to Crude Velocity, a $250,000 sales purchase trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. The field of nine included several expensive sales purchases and seven Triple Crown-nominated horses.

“It was a great effort,” O’Neill said. “It was a strong field of maidens, and he ran a winning race. I'm very proud of him. He came out of it in great shape.”

The Independence Hall dark bay brought $160,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale where he worked in 10.3 seconds.

O’Neill said there was lots to like about Civil Liberty at the sale.

“He was athletic. An average-sized colt with a real long reach,” O’Neill said. “He's by Independence Hall and just looked like a real athlete. It's an inexact science as we know at these sales, but he looked the part and thank God he's turned out to be the part.

“He's been pretty brilliant,” O’Neill added. “From the time we've gone a half-mile or farther, we've seen a lot of upside with him. We're pretty excited about him.”

Civil Liberty is out of the Tiznow mare Love and Respect, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Miss Behaviour. He has banked $84,000 via a 4-0-2-1 ledger.

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Point Dume likely candidate for G2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets

Bush Racing Stable’s Point Dume won the Listed General George last out on February 14 at Laurel Park and is now a likely candidate for the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses, on April 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Timothy Kreiser, the 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding set the pace in the seven-furlong General George and scored by 3 3/4 lengths under Angel Cruz in a final time of 1:23.14. The performance earned a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure and the bay eyes his graded debut in the Carter.

“I’d say we are about 75 percent sure we are going there, yes,” Kreiser said.

Point Dume completed his first breeze since the victory when covering a half-mile in 47.50 seconds on Wednesday at Penn National. Kreiser said Point Dume is typically headstrong in his training and makes his exercise riders work. 

“Everything was good,” said Kreiser. “He worked good. He galloped out good. That was his first work since he ran, and he was wanting to do more. The riders are always pretty numb when they get back, he is tough on their shoulders and hands [laughs].”

Point Dume was haltered for $40,000 out of a second in July at Penn National and has since posted an 8-4-2-0 record for new connections including an additional stakes win in the M.P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile in October at Parx Racing. His first six efforts for Kreiser were at one mile or beyond, cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs two back to win a $100,000 handicap in January at Laurel ahead of the General George.

“It looks like his numbers have increased sprinting, but that’s what he was doing earlier in his career also,” Kreiser said. “Would we be afraid to go a mile? No.”

Point Dume holds a 30-10-7-3 record with $551,900 in earnings. He is out of the dual Grade 1-placed Malibu Moon mare Maya Malibu and was originally a $450,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and was initially trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. Point Dume has also been conditioned by Brittany Russell, Kieron Magee, Horacio De Paz and Jamie Ness.

Kreiser said multiple spots may be considered in addition to the Carter, including the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley at Laurel and the Grade 3, $350,000 Commonwealth at Keeneland, both run on April 4.

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Klein to run half-marathon in support of Backstretch Employee Service Team

Davis Klein, an Equine Biometric Specialist at The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), is fundraising for the Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST) as he prepares to run the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon on April 26.

Founded in 1989, BEST is a nonprofit organization devoted to supporting the health and well-being of the backstretch community living and working at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. BEST provides on-site counseling, primary healthcare services, access to health insurance, case management assistance, and educational programming.​ All BEST services and resources are provided to backstretch workers free of charge.

Much of this work is accomplished by the dedicated BEST staff located at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, with primary healthcare services provided by Saratoga Hospital and Northwell Health.

Klein, a 28-year-old native of Louisville, K.Y., was recently elected to the BEST Board of Directors. To advance the BEST mission, every dollar raised by Klein will support the vital services provided by BEST. To donate today, please visit https://bestbackstretch.networkforgood.com/projects/295427-davis-13-1-for-the-backstretch.

“Under Nancy Underwood’s leadership, the team at BEST is doing incredible work every day to improve healthcare outcomes for the community of people who make racing possible,” said Klein. “I’d like to thank those who have generously contributed to this effort and would encourage racing fans to learn more about the nonprofits and service providers who do so much for the sport here in New York.”

NYRA has long provided sustaining financial contributions to deepen the impact of BEST, the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy of America and Belmont Child Care Association, the primary non-profits working in support of New York’s backstretch community.

For more information about BEST, please visit https://www.bestbackstretch.org/.