There are many things that Aidan O'Brien has managed to do in his 25-year tenure at Ballydoyle, but winning a G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas with a once-raced maiden winner would be something else despite all the raging excitement surrounding 'TDN Rising Star Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Even the 2009 heroine Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway), whose son Mutasaabeq (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was such a key member of the 2000 cast on Saturday, came to Newmarket with two starts behind her so we are in to the realms of the unusual here. Allowing for all the promise of her debut win over this trip at The Curragh in September and the glowing reports from her normally reticent trainer, she will be operating at cramped odds even if Sunday's renewal looks short on strength in depth now that Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) is missing. Connections and supporters alike will be hoping that inherent ability will overcome lack of race-hardening, but such an outcome is a rarity in the English Classics with exceptions like Morston (Fr) in the 1973 Epsom Derby few and far between.
O'Brien is aware of the task at hand and it is significant that the team have resisted unveiling the half-sister to the Breeders' Cup-winning Order of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler of the World {Ire}) in public in 2021 until this moment. “It is only her second run and she'll be running down Newmarket on quickish ground. She will be green, so it will be interesting to see how she copes with it,” he said. “Either way you'd imagine she'll learn a lot from it and it will do her absolutely no harm.” Re-affirming the huge regard in which she is held, he added ominously for the opposition, “She always looked very special last year. Of all the two-year-old fillies, she was always at the top of the pecking order and on her home work she was always very impressive and very exceptional.”
“She's a very strong traveller and a big, powerful filly–through her work and through a race,” the master of Ballydoyle continued. “If she'd had another run, it might have been an advantage to her, but she's a quick learner at home and very intelligent. No matter what we work her with, she always looks to be dominating them. She doesn't know her odds, she only knows she's getting ready for a race. Everyone will be excited to see what happens when she does come off the bridle. This is a Guineas and it's going to happen at some point.”
Ryan Moore had a note of caution to sound as he pondered the prospect of partnering such a raw filly in a race of this stature. “I would say straight away that I don't think a mile on quick ground is going to see her at her very best on Sunday,” he said. “I expect her to improve through the season as she steps up in trip and her draw in one could make life interesting, but we clearly anticipate her running very well in what maybe isn't the strongest 1000 Guineas we have seen in recent years, especially with Pretty Gorgeous a late withdrawal.”
If Santa Barbara is not all that, this edition has been thrown wide-open with some notable defections of late and it could be that the major seven-furlong trial protagonists can benefit. In the Apr. 14 G3 Nell Gwyn S. here, Cheveley Park Stud's experienced Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) cut down the previously unbeaten Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) while Jeff Smith's G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) dealt with Statement (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) in Newbury's G3 Fred Darling S. Apr. 18. Both winners were up from sprint trips and that is an angle that has proven successful only rarely in this race down the years, bar the exceptions Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}), Natagora (Fr) (Divine Light {Jpn}) and Special Duty (GB) (Hennessy) in recent times.
Sacred's case of seeing out the trip may be more persuasive than Alcohol Free, with her dam being a half to Lady Eli (Divine Park) but there is no escaping that she is by a speed-influence sire. Jockey Tom Marquand, who did not ride her in the Nell Gwyn, was pleased with what he saw there. “It looked like she had done well for the winter under her belt and that she had grown and strengthened up plenty,” he said. “She relaxed beautifully the other day and that will give her more of a chance of staying the mile, but we won't truly know until the day. She was competitive in every assignment last year and finished second three times at Group 2 level, where she was unlucky one or two times but she has improved even more than we imagined. Most horses that go from two to three disappoint you, but Sacred appears to have done the opposite.” Trainer William Haggas added, “She seems to have made a step forward and if she relaxes and gets into a good rhythm and stays, she's got a chance. She's got quick ground, which is important to her but none of us know what Aidan's is like so we'll see.”
Oisin Murphy resumes his partnership with Alcohol Free and he said, “I rode her on Wednesday when she went four furlongs with Bounce the Blues and she feels very well in herself. She's finally come in her coat, we just need her to stay happy and healthy between now and Sunday. I was pleased with the way she did it at Newbury because I made her come back and wait and go through the gears, whereas over six we just let her roll on. The big question is will she stay and I'm pretty confident she will. She's a jockey's dream in a race, at home she can be a nightmare.”
Saffron Beach has no stamina concerns and this first try at a mile is almost certain to bring out improvement in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner despite her family featuring the sprinter Cotai Glory (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) while Ballydoyle's second-string Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) kept upgrading her profile last term. The opposite of her much-vaunted stablemate, she rounded off an industrious campaign with a third in the course-and-distance G1 Fillies' Mile and a runner-up finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and is no back-number on that evidence.
Dahlia Ready For Picking…
Newmarket's card also includes the G2 Betfair Dahlia S., in which last year's runner-up Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) is pitched against the Apr. 5 Listed Snowdrop Fillies' S. one-two Lavender's Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Fooraat (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' A'Shaari (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) tackles the Listed Betfair Pretty Polly S., a recognised Oaks trial which has played host to Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), Taghrooda (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}). The full-sister to Wuheida (GB) has contrasting ground to that she encountered when impressing on her sole start on the July Course here in August, but she has to prove her versatility with the Epsom Classic looming.
ParisLongchamp Hosts Ganay Card…
At ParisLongchamp, another major part of the Ballydoyle machine is in action in the G1 Prix Ganay in 'TDN Rising Star' Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who has had a trip to Dubai and run in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic to sharpen him for his European campaign. A lack of pace might be the sticking point for the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Hong Kong Vase hero, who meets Godolphin's still-unexposed 6-year-old Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro). He ran with such credit when third in the Mar. 27 G1 Dubai World Cup and represents the Andre Fabre stable which boasts a record six wins in this prestigious affair. Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “Magny Cours appears to have recovered very well from his trip to Dubai. He is a horse who we are hoping to have a bit of fun with this year and we are delighted to see him back running in Europe. He is in good form at the moment and we are hoping for another good performance at this level.”
In the G3 Prix Allez France Longines, Shadwell's Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}) embarks on her 4-year-old campaign having established herself among the elite last term. Fourth in a blanket finish to Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane and fifth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe here, the homebred was also second to Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Prix Vermeille over the Arc course and distance and successful in Deauville's G3 Prix de Psyche. All that background gives her a clear gap over her rivals here, with The Aga Khan's G2 Prix de Pomone winner Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) needing further than this 10-furlong trip.
At Cologne, the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin heroine Noble Heidi (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) is back in the G3 Karin Baronin von Ullmann over a mile where she encounters Jean-Pierre Dubois' exciting Sea Shepherd (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), an Andreas Wohler-trained half-sister to the G1 Preis der Diana heroine Serienholde (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) who looked to have a bright future when scoring over this trip at Hanover in October.
Click here for the group fields.
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Gamine continued to add to her impressive record on the Kentucky Derby undercard with an easy win in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff, holding off a late bid from Sconsin. John Velazquez took Gamine to the lead at the start of the seven furlong contest despite stumbling out of the gate. Hibiscus Punch settled to her outside for company and drew up to briefly challenge on the turn but was quickly outmatched. Sconsin had sat off the pace and made a closing bid in the stretch but was unable to catch the winner. The final time was 1:21.50 after early fractions of :23.15 and :46.08.
Sconsin was second, Estilo Talentoso third and Bell's The One was fourth after a slow start.
The win is the third Grade 1 victory for Gamine, who also has wins in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, the G1 Test, and the G1 Acorn to her credit. In her last outing, she won the Grade 3 Las Flores by five lengths. In eight starts, her only non-win came from the Kentucky Oaks, where she crossed the wire third but was later disqualified to ninth due to an overage of betamethasone.
Bob Baffert trains Gamine for owner Michael Lund Petersen. Gamine was bred in Kentucky by Grace Thoroughbred Holdings and is the 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief and Kafwain mare Peggy Jane. She was a $220,000 yearling at the Keenelad September sale, where she was consigned by Summerfield and purchased by Grand Oaks. Then, she sold at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale as a 2-year-old, where she was consigned by Bobby Dodd and bought by Petersen for $1.8 million.
Gamine was heavily favored at 1-5 and paid $2.40 to win.
The post Gamine Makes Easy Work Of Grade 1 Derby City Distaff appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Maybe it wasn't the electric performance that everyone was expecting, but nonetheless, 'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief) added her fourth career top-level win in game fashion in Saturday's GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs.
Hammered into 1-5 favoritism, last year's champion female sprinter bobbled slightly beneath Johnny Velazquez at the start. Undeterred, she recovered quickly to show the way through surprisingly easy opening fractions of :23.15 and :46.08 while traveling several paths off the inside down the backstretch.
Last year's GII Eight Belles S. heroine Sconsin (Include) made a menacing four-wide move approaching the quarter pole and it briefly appeared that Gamine could be in deep water as she cornered wide. The $1.8-million EASMAY topper showed her class down the lane, however, racing down the center of the course, to repel that foe by 1 1/2 lengths and provide Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert with a record 220th Grade I victory.
“I didn't know I was that close to the record until a month ago,” Baffert said. “To do it here on this big day is very special. I'm just happy for Gamine. She got the job done. I told Johnny that this was the first time she's run before a crowd. She was looking around. So many things can go wrong, but once I saw her down the backside, I knew we were in the clear.”
Velazquez added, “She didn't get the break I hoped for but she bounced back really quickly and ran really easy in the early going. She showed what a champion she was and I was very proud of my filly.”
Gamine's championship season in 2020 included jaw-dropping wins in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint versus older fillies and mares at Keeneland, the GI Longines Acorn S. at Belmont and GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga. She kicked off her 4-year-old season with a facile win over three rivals in Santa Anita's GIII Las Flores S. Apr. 4.
Third across the wire as the favorite after setting the pace in last year's GI Kentucky Oaks–the lone blemish on her record (now that an Oaklawn DQ was overturned last month)–she was subsequently disqualified from the purse money for a medication positive.
Pedigree Notes:
Gamine is one of nine Grade I/94 black-type/40 graded winners for superstar sire Into Mischief.
The flashy bay topped the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sale, bringing $1.8 million. Purchased by Brad Grady's Grand Oaks for $220,000 at Keeneland September as a yearling, she blossomed into a seven-figure juvenile after breezing in :10 flat for Bobby Dodd in Timonium.
Gamine is out of the stakes-placed mare Peggy Jane (Kafwain) and hails from the family of Canadian champion Dynamic Sky (Sky Mesa). Peggy Jane is also responsible for the unraced 3-year-old colt Splashtown (Speightstown) ($300,000 FTKOCT yearling purchase by Frankie Brothers), a 2-year-old filly by Ghostzapper; a yearling colt by Kantharos; and an Into Mischief colt of this year.
Peggy Jane, a two-time winner, was a $200,000 OBS April 2-year-old purchase by Barbara Banke's Grace Stables in 2011.
Broodmare sire Kafwain is responsible for nine stakes/four graded winners, including Grade I winner Paola Queen (Flatter).
Saturday, Churchill Downs
DERBY CITY DISTAFF S. PRESENTED BY KENDALL-JACKSON WINERY-GI, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 5-1, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:21.50, ft.
1–GAMINE, 123, f, 4, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Peggy Jane (SP, $102,050), by Kafwain
2nd Dam: Seattle Splash, by Chief Seattle
3rd Dam: Grand Splash, by Bucksplasher
($220,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $1,800,000 2yo '19 EASMAY).
O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-Grace Thoroughbred Holdings LLC
(KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R. Velazquez. $306,900. Lifetime
Record: Ch. Female Sprinter, 8-7-0-0, $1,286,500.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sconsin, 118, f, 4, by Include
1st Dam: Sconnie, by Tiznow
2nd Dam: In the Wild, by Forest Wildcat
3rd Dam: Askrania, by Afleet
O/B-Lloyd Madison Farms LLC (KY); T-Gregory D. Foley.
$99,000.
3–Estilo Talentoso, 118, f, 4, by Maclean's Music
1st Dam: Bazinga Baby, by Afleet Alex
2nd Dam: Elizaveta, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Carezza, by Caro (Ire)
($77,000 Ylg '18 FTKOCT; $95,000 RNA 2yo '19 OBSAPR;
$15,000 2yo '19 OBSOPN). O/T-Juan Arriagada; B-Mile High
Bloodstock LLC (KY).$49,500.
Margins: 1HF, 1, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.20, 11.00, 15.40.
Also Ran: Bell's the One, Hibiscus Punch, Unique Factor.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
The post Gamine All The Way in Derby City Distaff appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
