Month: January 2021

‘This Horse Has Gears’: The Great One Makes Statement With 14-Length Maiden Triumph

Still a maiden following a nose defeat in a Grade 2 stakes on Dec. 19, trainer Doug O'Neill's The Great One exploded off the turn for home en route to a 14-length score in Saturday's second race at Santa Anita, a $61,000 maiden special weight, and thus further enhanced his stature as a serious Derby hopeful.  Ridden by Abel Cedillo, the bay son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist got a mile in 1:37.28.

With Bob Baffert's first-time starter Fenway, who dominated the wagering as the even money favorite, gunning for the early lead from his rail post, The Great One pressed him every step of the way and was three quarters of a length back at the three furlong pole.  Well within himself, The Great One quickly opened up at two length advantage at the quarter pole and widened from there in a tremendous effort.

“When we made the lead at the top of the stretch, that was pretty amazing,” said Cedillo, who although he showed The Great One the stick several times to maintain focus, never hit him.  “This horse has gears.  Anytime you want one, you got it.  The way he won today, he's a top horse, no doubt about it.”

Second, beaten a nose at 33-1 in the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity in his most recent start, The Great One, in his fifth career start, was off at 8-5 in a field of four sophomores and paid $5.20 and $2.60 with no show wagering.

“I always loved Nyquist and this colt caught my eye when he first came in,” said O'Neill assistant Leandro Mora.  “He was very, very green, but we told the owners, please let us take our time with him and we have.  We knew the ability was there.  We have two horses for the Robert Lewis (G3, 1 1/16 miles) next Saturday, but I know Doug wants to try and keep these horses separated as long as we can.  This colt is Louisiana-bred, so we have some options.  We'll just see how he comes out of this race and then plan ahead.”

Owned by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson's ERJ Racing, LLC, Train Wreck Al Racing Stables, Niall J. Brennan, Tom Fritz and William Strauss, The Great One is out of the El Corredor mare Little Ms Protocol.  A $185,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales July 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale purchase, The Great One picked up $36,600 for the win, increasing his earnings to $83,940.

Although trainer Mark Glatt's Affable loomed a contender a quarter mile out, he never got on terms with the winner and finished second, some 11 ½ lengths in front of longshot There Goes Harvard.  Off at 2-1 with Juan Hernandez up, Affable returned $2.80 to place.

Fenway, who was ridden by Victor Espinoza, checked in last, beaten 29 ½ lengths.

Fractions on the race were 22.91, 45.76, 1:10.67 and 1:23.69.

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Getridofwhatailesu, Silver State Victorious In Oaklawn Stakes

The Elkstone Group LLC's Getridofwhatailesu, making her first start since a winning effort at Oaklawn last March, took advantage of her favored stablemate's bad break and came flying late from 10th place to win her first career stakes by 1 ½ lengths in the $150,000 Pippin Stakes on Saturday's opening weekend at the Hot Springs, Ark., track.

Several horses vied for the lead throughout the one-mile race with Wicked Whisper leading for the first quarter in :23 2/5 and Graysonsmacho Girl leading to the half mile mark in :47, but in the end they were no match for the winner, who won the race in 1:38 2/5 over a fast track under jockey Joe Rocco Jr. Our Super Freak, who stalked the pace throughout, took second, and Istan Council was third.

Getridofwhatailesu was the second Oaklawn stakes winner in two days for trainer Brad Cox, who also won the opening day Smarty Jones with Caddo River. Shortly before the Pippin he won the $3-million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park with 2020 Oaklawn allowance winner Knicks Go.

Getridofwhatailesu, a 5-year-old Ghostzapper mare, improved her record to four wins from seven starts and has now earned $259,197. She returned $19.20, $8.60 and $5.60 at odds of 8-1.

Silver State Noses Out Hunka Burning Love In Fifth Season Stakes
Two races earlier, Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton Racing LLC's Silver State became a stakes winner in his 4-year-old debut when he edged pacesetter Hunka Burning Love by a nose in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes.

Silver State, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., was the last out of the gate and was unhurried early as Hunka Burning Love led through early fractions of :23 3/5 and :47 2/5. The winner caught up to the front runner entering the stretch and wore him down late for the victory in 1:37 3/5 for one mile over a fast track. Night Ops was third.

Silver State is trained by Steve Asmussen, who one race later won his 700th race at Oaklawn. The Hard Spun colt has now won four of eight career starts and has earned $330,094. The 4-5 favorite returned $3.80, $2.60 and $2.10.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 1 p.m. first post. The meet continues through Saturday, May 1.

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Wildman Jack Returns To Dirt, Captures Palos Verdes Stakes At Santa Anita

Trainer Doug O'Neill's Wildman Jack relished a return to the main track on Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he drew off to an emphatic 4 ¼-length win in the Grade 3, $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes.  Ridden by Abel Cedillo, he got six furlongs in a scintillating 1:08.98.

Breaking from post position two, Cedillo was content to let last year's Palos Verdes winner, Captain Scotty, clear him early and then Wildman Jack tracked the pacesetter into the far turn.  Leaving the quarter pole, Wildman Jack put a head in front and although he was a bit green late, won in-hand at the wire, providing Cedillo his third win on the day and O'Neill with a training double.

“Last time (Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on Jan. 1) I was sitting perfect, but he lost his shoes,” said Cedillo, who had a four-win day yesterday.  “He lost his shoes, that's why he stopped…(The way) he ran today, I think he's better on the dirt.”

A disappointing sixth as the 2-1 favorite in the Hernandez at 6 ½ furlongs on turf, Wildman Jack, a 5-year-old gelding by O'Neill's 2013 Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents, was off at 5-1 in a field of eight older horses and paid $13.20, $6.40 and $4.20.

“He's been on the grass, but we loved his dirt race at Del Mar (a close fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes four starts back on Aug. 1),” said O'Neill's assistant Leandro Mora.  “We've been thinking about getting him back on the dirt since then and Doug and the owners decided this race would be good.  This is a huge win for him. … It's been awhile since we had back to back days like this, it's great to win.”

O'Neill had three wins Friday and his win earlier Saturday came with promising Derby prospect The Great One).

Bred in Kentucky by W C Racing, Wildman Jack, who is out of the Orientate mare Orientatious, is also owned by Glenn Sorgenstein WC Racing, Inc.  A Group 3 sprint turf stakes winner on March 7, 2020, in Dubai, and a winner of the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on May 23, Wildman Jack now has three graded victories and is 14-5-3-1 overall.  With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $559,505.

Unhurried early, Shashashakemeup was a close third after the first half mile and was second best on the day, finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of late running Pyron.  Off at 5-1 with Juan Hernandez, Shashashakemeup paid $6.80 and $4.20.

Breaking from the rail with Umberto Rispoli, Pyron was last early and was up to touch 3-1 favorite Ax Man by a neck for third.  Off at 7-2, Pyron paid $3.20 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.01, 44.52 and 56.34.

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