Ralph Nicks

Trainer Ralph Nicks will call it a career Sunday after saddling a horse for the final time at Gulfstream Park. "It's time," Nicks said. "I've been here a long time. It's just the way the business is going, with clients passing away. I've had a lot of years invested. I want to get away and do some things before I get too old and can't." The 57-year-old has saddled 722 winners, including Caledonia Road, the winner of the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar who was subsequently...

2nd-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:38 p.m. ET. Whisper Hill homebred TAP MY BELLE (Tapit) makes her first start for trainer Ralph Nicks. The gray is out GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), who was bred and raced by Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso. Initially, she was purchased by Brushwood Stable for $2.8 million as the fourth highest price at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. Five years later at the same auction, Whisper Hill made the mare the sales topper when Mandy Pope took her...

1st-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 12:20 p.m. ET. Charles Matses homebred GATE SONG (Arrogate) makes her first start for trainer Ned Allard. Out of SW Shannanies Song, she counts as half-siblings GII Summertime Oaks runner-up Bellamentary (Bellamy Road), GII Swale S. hero Favorable Outcome (Flatter), Dubai Group 3 stakes winner Mouheeb (Flatter) and GIII Fantasy S. runner-up Beguine (Gun Runner). Also making her first start is Robert Evans homebred Reconcile (War Front) for trainer Linda Rice. The gray filly's dam is a half-sister to GIII Comely S. heroine Raging...

By Stefanie Grimm Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, F, 1m, 3:09 p.m. Making her first career start Wednesday for owner Whisper Hill Farm is I'M BAFFLED (Medaglia d'Oro), a 3-year-old purchased by Mandy Pope for $1.1 million from Denali Stud at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The striking bay filly is out of the GSP Distorted Humor mare Baffled, making her a half-sister to GIW and current Winstar stallion Constitution (Tapit) along with respective graded-stakes winners Jacaranda (Congrats) and Boynton (More Than Ready). Baffled herself,...

4th-Gulfstream, $53,000, Msw, 1-30, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:25.34, ft, 1 length. DOLL BABY (f, 3, Tapit--Groupie Doll {Ch. Female Sprinter, Ch. Female Sprinter, MGISW, $2,648,850}, by Bowman's Band) faced a field of well-bred rivals on career debut here--but none as well-bred as her--going seven furlongs on the dirt with first-time Lasix as well as sporting a pair of blinkers. Breaking sharply, the 5-2 second choice immediately cleared her competition to claim the rail and rolled up the backstretch as the commanding speed. Coming through the turn and into the homestretch,...

Morris G. Nicks, who trained for parts of six decades, primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana and Kentucky, died Nov. 25 at his home in Waskom, Texas. He had been fighting cancer and was 74 years old. His passing was confirmed by his wife Ellen in a Daily Racing Form story that broke the news Sunday. His son, the trainer Ralph Nicks, told DRF that his father had requested no funeral services to be held. According to DRF, Nicks grew up on a farm in Texas and galloped horses and rode in...

6th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 2:37 p.m. ET PERFECT GRACE (Tapit), a 3-year-old daughter of 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), kicks off her career for trainer Ralph Nicks. The Whisper Hill Farm homebred, given a 6-1 chance on the morning line, is drawn widest of all in post seven with Emisael Jaramillo aboard. Mandy Pope's operation went to $10 million to acquire Havre de Grace at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. TJCIS PPs

Shivaree (Awesome of Course), who belied odds of 80-1 to complete the exacta behind future GI Belmont S. hero Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 28, worked five furlongs in 1:01.65 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park in advance of the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland July 11. A homebred for Fred Brei's Jacks Or Better Farm, Shivaree required five starts to break his maiden, but has since proved he belongs in the 3-year-old discussion with a pair of stakes scores prior to his...

7th-Gulfstream, $43,000, Msw, 5-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:37.69, ft. DANCE D'ORO (f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro--Dance Quietly {SW, $123,570}, by A.P. Indy) showed nothing in a local sprint Mar. 29, and was dismissed at 20-1 for a good second-out barn that won under markedly similar circumstances with 13-1 second timer Superfecto (Constitution) one day earlier. Briefly poking a head in front before dropping back to track from third, the bay moved up under busy ride to engage the loose pacesetter heading for home, and kicked away from there to score by...