Month: June 2021

Le Havre’s Wonderful Tonight Dismisses Hardwicke Opposition

There was one certainty in Saturday's G2 Hardwicke S. and that was that Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) would love the underfoot conditions and despite trainer David Menuisier's misgivings about her readiness, Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine was able to register an impressive win on her comeback. Keen initially for William Buick before being granted a lead, the 5-1 shot moved three-wide on the home bend and had plenty in reserve to seize the advantage two out en route to a 1 1/2-length defeat of the 9-4 favourite Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) as Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) finished the same margin back in third. “When I rode her on Champions Day, I rode her like a real stayer and made plenty of use of her but today she really took me by surprise when she quickened up,” Buick said. “She's top-class and handles this ground well, unlike others, and showed a turn of foot today which she hadn't before. It was her first start of the year, so I thought I'd take a lead and she dropped her head after a couple of furlongs. She's very versatile tactically, as long as she doesn't get chased along too early, and she has a big year ahead.”

Wonderful Tonight, who unusually broke her maiden at Saint-Cloud in a 10-furlong maiden at two, was fourth in Newbury's Listed Abingdon Fillies' S. over that trip on her 3-year-old bow last June before running second to the high-class Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the Listed Prix de Thiberville over this distance at ParisLongchamp July 23. Turning the tables on that rival when making all in the G3 Prix Minerve at Deauville in August, she was fifth in the G1 Prix Vermeille also over 12 furlongs on livelier ground back at ParisLongchamp in September prior to her victories in the 14-furlong Royallieu there and British Champions Fillies & Mares S. over this track and trip.

Free initially before Buick found cover behind Thunderous (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) as fellow Mark Johnston trainee Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}) took up pace-setting duties, Wonderful Tonight had everything covered behind with Broome tracking her but unable to begin to match her change of pace after straightening up. Just as Fanny Logan (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) had in this 12 months ago, she was quickly gone beyond recall with the colts beaten up in her wake. David Menuisier was leaving no one in any doubt as to the importance of the moment in his training career afterwards. “She keeps on amazing me–she is so game and tries hard, as she's only 85% fit today,” he said. “She runs her heart out and I'm so proud of her–no words can describe what it means. You carry it like a monkey on your back until it happens and I'm pleased that Her Majesty managed to come to see Wonderful Tonight! She will go where the ground is softest, whether that's in the [July 4 G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, or the [G1] King George [VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot July 24] or the [Aug. 19 G1] Yorkshire Oaks–anywhere over a mile four where there is a good downpour. The [Oct. 3] Arc is the target. Would we try her on good ground before that? I don't know.”

The success was also a first for Christopher Wright, who said, “I couldn't believe it. What a filly. She is amazing. I have been running horses here for 40 years, almost every year at least one, sometimes several. I've never ever had a winner at Royal Ascot–lots of seconds, lots of very good horses. Culture Vulture, who won a Classic, was second twice, but I've never had a winner here. I almost can't believe it–I thought I never ever would have a winner here, but I have. It means everything, actually. There are winners and winners, but a Royal Ascot winner. I've won a lot of very good races, but to win at Royal Ascot is like I've died and gone to heaven.”

“After last year, when we almost ran Wonderful Tonight in the Arc, we thought that we would target the Arc this year. I know that's like shooting for the moon and it's a pretty tough target to aspire to, but that has been the target and her programme has been based round it, so we didn't want her to start the season too early,” Wright added. “We don't think she's a filly who will like a mid-season break particularly, so we wanted to start the season and gradually bring her along so she could peak on the first weekend of October. This was step one of that plan.”

Wonderful Tonight, who was a €40,000 private purchase at the 2018 Arqana August Sale, is a daughter of Salvation (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) whose first progeny was the stakes winner Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}). They are out of the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial scorer Birdie (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), who produced the GIII Providencia S. scorer Hostess (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). Birdie is kin to the listed-winning Fickle (GB) (Danehill), whose G3 Dahlia S.-winning daughter Tarfah (Kingmambo) was responsible for the G1 2000 Guineas, Epsom and Irish Derby hero and leading sire Camelot (GB) by Salvation's sire Montjeu. Also connected to the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Polygamy (GB), Salvation's 2-year-old colt by Recorder (GB) was bought by Haras de Montfort and Preaux for €70,000 at the Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale. Her yearling filly is by the same sire.

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
HARDWICKE S.-G2, £160,000, Ascot, 6-19, 4yo/up, 11f 211yT, 2:35.31, sf.
1–WONDERFUL TONIGHT (FR), 124, f, 4, by Le Havre (Ire)
1st Dam: Salvation (GB), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Birdie (GB), by Alhaarth (Ire)
3rd Dam: Fade (GB), by Persepolis (Fr)
(€40,000 Ylg '18 ARAUG). O-Christopher Wright; B-Ecurie La Cauviniere (FR); T-David Menuisier; J-William Buick. £90,736. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 14f+, G1SW-Eng & Fr, 9-5-1-1, $595,662. *1/2 to Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}), SW-US & MSP-Fr, $376,306. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Broome (Ire), 127, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Sweepstake (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). (€120,000 RNA Ylg '17 GOFOR; 150,000gns Ylg '17 TATDEY). O-Masaaki Matsushima, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £34,400.
3–Hukum (Ire), 127, c, 4, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Aghareed, by Kingmambo. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Owen Burrows. £17,216.
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 5.00, 2.25, 8.00.
Also Ran: Thunderous (Ire), Albaflora (GB), Japan (GB), Sir Ron Priestley (GB), Ilaraab (Ire), Highest Ground (Ire), Deja (Fr). Scratched: Bangkok (Ire), Logician (GB), Mogul (GB), Pablo Escobarr (Ire), Tiger Moth (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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McGaughey Confident About Vigilantes Way In Sunday’s Eatontown Stakes

Even after 11 career starts, six of them wins or runner-up finishes, Shug McGaughey believes the best is yet to come for the 4-year-old filly Vigilantes Way.

Her last race underscored that belief for the Hall of Fame trainer.

The regally-bred Vigilantes Way was able to close into slow early fractions before just missing by a half-length in the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth on the grass on Pimilco's May 15 Preakness card. The horse that held on to beat her? Mean Mary, a five-time graded stakes winner and millionaire who is 7-for-11 lifetime, including a win in the Grade 2 New York Stakes in her next start.

Now Vigilantes Way, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro – Salute by Unbridled, will look to build off that effort in Sunday's Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park. The $150,000 feature, which drew a full field of 12 (plus four alternates), is also scheduled for a mile and a sixteenth on the turf.

“We didn't get the position out of the gate that we wanted to in (her last race),” said McGaughey. “She had a little trouble early and we were further back than we wanted to be. But I was pleased with the way she closed. She got beat a half-length by a very good filly.

“That gives us some more hope that the future is bright for her.”

After a solid 3-year-old campaign in which the Phipps Stable homebred won 4-of-7 starts, Vigilantes Way is 0-for-3 this year. But two of her losses have come in Grade 3 events.

“I think she has come back this year even better than I expected her to,” said McGaughey. “She has been a bit of a surprise. She was small as a yearling and she would not have been one that you picked out in the field for her pedigree. But everything she has done so far has been right.

“I think she still has a pretty good future in front of her.”

McGaughey said that adding a graded stakes win to her credentials would be significant for Vigilantes Way but that it's not something he is obsessed with.

“With her pedigree, it is something we're looking to get,” he said. “Basically, I'm just looking to win a race with her, whether it's graded or not. I thought this race was a good spot on the calendar. It gave her plenty of time from Pimlico to here. We'll see what happens.”

Paco Lopez has the mount.

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Dubawi’s Creative Force Leads A Godolphin One-Two In the Jersey

The betting suggested that there would be a Godolphin one-two in Saturday's G3 Jersey S. and that projection was right with Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and James Doyle upstaging Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and William Buick to win the battle of the 5-1 joint-favourites. Always travelling strongly restrained towards the rear of the group racing up the middle, the chestnut who captured the Listed Carnarvon S. over six furlongs at Newbury May 15 moved through to take control of that pack with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Drifting left as the opening race's winner Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) had, Creative Force was nevertheless resilient to register a 1 1/4-length verdict over his stand's rail-running stablemate Naval Crown. The filly Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) closed to be 3/4 of a length away in third. “He's a little star and a yard favourite,” Doyle said. “The race panned out pretty straightforward for me–they went a really nice pace and travelled strong throughout. I could have done with a target for a bit longer, but they were going well on the stand's side so I had to be brave and press on. We weren't 100% sure about his stamina, but the dam's side was pretty strong so we were hopeful it would carry him through and he's very tenacious and that helped. He was in front a long way out, which is not ideal at Ascot and he coped with the ground pretty well.”

At this point, Creative Force's sole defeat came when 10th in the G2 Coventry S. here last June, after which he was absent until his 3-year-old bow at Newmarket in a six-furlong handicap at the Craven meeting Apr. 15. Beating the subsequent Palace of Holyroodhouse S. winner Significantly (GB) (Garswood {GB}), the smart Jumby (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and the G2 Sandy Lane S., G3 Pavilion S. and Wokingham H. winner Rohaan (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) there, he went back over the same course and distance to deny Thursday's Britannia H. winner Perotto (GB) (New Bay {GB}) on the 2000 Guineas card May 1. In the Carnarvon, it was the first time he had encountered ground softer than good and he relished it to win by three lengths, but this was a new challenge.
Charlie Appleby was registering his 11th Royal winner and said, “Both horses turned up in great order and full credit to the team. I worked them together probably about 10 days ago and said to Marie [Murphy] and Alex [Merriam], the assistants, 'we don't want to be doing that again' as they are both very genuine horses and it was a stronger piece of work than I ideally wanted. From William's point of view, he said to me 'Charlie, it is such a hard choice'–full credit to the lads, they've given both of them a great ride and it's obviously nice to come here and have a 1-2.”

“We were hopeful on Creative Force's pedigree, and what he has shown us at home in his attitude and the way he is finishing out in his gallops and his races, that stepping up to seven furlongs would be within his realm and he's gone and duly obliged today. I think we'll probably look at something like the [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest [at Deauville Aug. 8] dropping back to six and a half. He's got bags of pace, travels well and picks up well, so I think that'll be a nice race there to suit his profile. Potentially, the likelihood is the same for Naval Crown–they might just have to take each other on again and see if we can reverse the form.”

Creative Force was no secret at the 2019 Goffs Orby Sale, selling for €400,000 as the son of the Listed Fairy Bridge S. winner and G2 Blandford S.-placed Choose Me (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) whose previous best was the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. heroine Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Also responsible for the Listed Distaff S. winner and G3 Prix de Lieurey runner-up Tisbutadream (Ire) (Dream Ahead), Choose Me is kin to the Listed Waterford Testimonial S. winner Shanghai Glory (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), while the third dam Ajuga (The Minstrel) was responsible for the G2 EuropaChampionat winner Bad Bertrich Again (Ire) (Dowsing) and the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Alumni (GB) (Selkirk). The latter is in turn the dam of the Czech champion Dux Scholar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who was runner-up in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein and G2 Oettingen-Rennen. The fourth dam is the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Champion S. heroine Cairn Rouge (Ire) (Pitcairn {Ire}), whose descendants include the prolific grade I-winning Ventura (Chester House). Next up from the dam is the unraced 2-year-old full-brother to Persuasive named Mr Zero (Ire). He was a 100,000gns purchase by SackvilleDonald at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
JERSEY S.-G3, £75,000, Ascot, 6-19, 3yo, 7fT, 1:29.06, sf.
1–CREATIVE FORCE (IRE), 127, g, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Choose Me (Ire) (SW & MGSP-Ire, $388,395), by Choisir (Aus)
2nd Dam: Hecuba (GB), by Hector Protector
3rd Dam: Ajuga, by The Minstrel
1ST GROUP WIN. (€400,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Godolphin; B-Owenstown Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-James Doyle. £44,400. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-0, $127,445. *1/2 to Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Hwt. Older Mare-Eur at 7-9.5f, G1SW-Eng & MG1SP-Ire, $1,161,785; and Tisbutadream (Ire) (Dream Ahead), SW & MGSP-Eng, GSP-Fr, $133,016. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Naval Crown (GB), 127, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Come Alive (GB), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £16,793.
3–Vadream (GB), 124, f, 3, Brazen Beau (Aus)–Her Honour (Ire), by Shamardal. O-D R J King; B-Crispin Estates Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Fellowes. £8,393.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, HD. Odds: 5.00, 5.00, 28.00.
Also Ran: Rhythm Master (Ire), Fundamental (GB), Legion of Honour (GB), Tactical (GB), Spycatcher (Ire), Storm Damage (GB), Khartoum, Light Refrain (GB), Great King (Fr), Mehmento (Ire), Bellosa (Ire), New Mandate (Ire), Mutasaabeq (GB), Fast Raaj (Fr), Nando Parrado (GB). Scratched: Ace Aussie (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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NHC Rundown: Past Champions Bavlish, Littlemore Qualify For NHC 2022

Each week, the NTRA will provide a rundown of those who have qualified for the National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) the previous weekend. Twenty- eight NHC Tour members earned 2022 NHC berths last weekend through contests on Horseplayers.com, Horsetourneys.com, and at Monmouth Park.

The NHC is the most important tournament of the year for horseplayers and is the culmination of a year-long series of NTRA-sanctioned local tournaments conducted by racetracks, casino race books, off-track betting facilities and horse racing and handicapping websites, each of which sends its top qualifiers to the national finals. The 2021 NHC is slated take place in the Bally's Events Center from Aug. 27-29 with the 2022 NHC set for Jan. 28-30 at Bally's.

Last weekend's qualifiers, and their respective contest sites, are as follows:

Horseplayers Friday, 6/11/2021
Chris Littlemore of Whitby, ON, was the 2018 NHC Champion, winning $800,000 and honored at the 2019 Eclipse Awards as Horseplayer of the Year. In 2019, he was a Final Table participant.
Shawn Turner of Middletown, MD, has qualified for his seventh NHC.
Horseplayers Saturday, 6/12/21
Sarah Wiener of Las Vegas, NV, has qualified for her eighth NHC. “I love traveling to the horse contests and meeting such great people that I now call friends,” say Wiener.
Michael Goodrich of Hopewell, NJ, has qualified for his fourth NHC.
Horsetourneys.com Sunday, 6/13/21
Bernard Reilly of Fair Haven, NJ, has qualified for his seventh NHC.
Dave Wang of Las Vegas, NV, put himself in a qualifying position when Hey Padre won last Sunday's 10th race at Gulfstream Park, paying $30.40. Wang is related to NHC royalty, as his aunt, Sally Goodall, was recently inducted into the NHC Hall of Fame. Wang has now qualified for his fourth NHC.
Monmouth Park Pick Your Prize Saturday, 6/12/21
Ken Seeman of Wantagh, NJ, has four top 20 finishes in the NHC, finishing 12th, 14th and 11th in three of his first five cracks in the Championship. In 2019, he finished 20th and cashed for $17,250. He has now qualified 14 times for the NHC.
Sean O'Malley of Atresia, CA, has qualified for his fifth NHC.
Anthony Mattera of Estell Manor, NJ, has qualified for his fifth NHC.
Matthew Bickey of Beckley, WV, has qualified for his third NHC.
Ed Deicke of Lido Beach, NY has double qualified for the 2022 NHC. He finished 20th in last year's Championship and cashed for $16,500. Ed volunteers his time to serve as an NHC Tour mentor.
John Kaiser of Krotz Springs, LA, has qualified for his seventh NHC.
Gary Minchiz of Cream Ridge, NJ, has qualified for his eighth NHC.
Thomas O'Connor of Rochester, MI, has qualified for his sixth NHC. He finished 45th in 2017 and cashed for $10,480.
Kevin Engelhard of Franklin Park, NJ, has qualified for his 14th NHC. He first participated in the 2005 Championship.
Sean Nolan of Alexandria, VA, has had an excellent NHC history with a second-place finish in 2001 for $30,000, a 10th-place spot in 2012, 20th in 2016, and 17th in 2020.
Stelios Kandias of Ridge, NY, has qualified for his second NHC.
Terrence Cook of Townson, MD, has qualified for his third NHC. He finished 23rd in 2018 and cashed for $16,800.
Terry Flanagan of South Orange, NJ, qualified for his second NHC.
Patrick Grippo of Poughquaq, NY, has qualified for this fourth NHC.
Rich Nilsen of Tarpon Springs, FL, an NHC Players' Committee member, has qualified for his 18th NHC. Starting back in 2001 with his first NHC, Nilsen had eighth-place finishes in 2002 and in 2011.
Greg Gass of Zionsville, IN, has qualified for his second NHC.
Jeff Bussan of New Canaan, CT, has qualified for his sixth NHC.
Stanley Bavlish of Fredrick, MD, was the 2007 NHC Champion. He is an NHC Hall of Fame Nominee, NHC Mentor, and an NHC Players' Committee member.
Monmouth Park Sunday, 6/13/21
Nick Fazzolari of Colt's Neck, NJ, an NHC Mentor, has qualified for his ninth NHC. He finished 33rd in 2020 and cashed for $13,500.
Greg Knepper of West Lawn, PA, has qualified for his 11th NHC.
Suresh Bommanaboina of East Windsor, NJ, has qualified for his first NHC.
Dave Conover of Manahawkin, NJ, has qualified for his 10th NHC.

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