June, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Shackleford Filly Swiftest at OBS Saturday

A filly by Shackleford (hip 573) worked the fastest quarter-mile of the week when covering the distance in :20 3/5 during Saturday's fourth session of the under-tack show ahead of next week's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds. Consigned by Jonathan Navas's Navas Equine, the bay filly is out of Moondancer (Cuvee) and from the family of Grade I winner Kitten's Dumplings.

“She was always training well and has a good mentality,” Navas said. “But last week when she prepped at OBS, she went :21 1/5. I usually prep at 70%, nothing crazy. So that was a very good solid preparation and she just kept improving from there. She was eating good and feeling better every single morning getting closer to the breeze show. Fortunately enough, this morning she just repeated or improved what she had been showing me.”

Navas purchased the youngster for $7,500 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“You just have to be in the right place at the right time,” Navas said of the bargain purchase. “I just happened to be lucky–maybe a few people had already purchased their horses and I was lucky to be there at the right time when the ring was a little lonely and there wasn't too much competition. I fell in love with her right away. I liked her body, her conformation and her size–she's got to be taller than 16 hands. It seemed like the right price, so I just went for it.”

From a racing family in Venezuela, Navas has been in the U.S. since 2005.

“I've always been around the racetrack,” he said. “I've been an assistant trainer for a few people and I exercise horses.”

Navas launched his consignment last year and his first group of graduates includes Windy City Red (Chitu), who sold for $54,000 at last year's OBS June sale and went on to finish third in last year's Speakeasy S. before competing in the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

“I like competition and I don't get comfortable doing just one thing,” Navas said of the decision to start Navas Equine. “I like challenging myself. And that's one of the things that led me to try to open my own consignment and go and do great things if it's possible. At least to try it out.”

Based in Ocala, Navas aims to pinhook between 10 and 15 yearlings a year.

“I have clients, but not a lot of clients, so most of them are my horses,” Navas said. “But I've been doing breaking and training and getting good feedback. I have Marc Tacher, which is Sonata Stables. I am the one who is doing all of his breaking and training and then we send them to another consignment for them to finish the preparation and go to sales and racing. I've been fortunate to have good people supporting me.”

Seven horses worked the furlong in a co-bullet :10 flat Saturday: hip 570, a filly by Neolithic consigned by Hidden Brook on behalf of Patricia Generazio (video); hip 603, a colt by Central Banker consigned by RiceHorse Stable (video); hip 648, a filly by Bal a Bali (Brz) consigned by Little Farm Equine (video); hip 660, a colt by Bal a Bali consigned by Harris Training Center (video); hip 661, a gelding by Neolithic consigned by Two Oaks Equine (video); hip 697, a filly by Klimt consigned by Sugar Hill (video); and hip 713, a filly by The Big Beast consigned by Envision Equine (video).

The under-tack show concludes with a final session beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. The June sale will be held next Wednesday through Friday with bidding beginning daily at 10:30 a.m.

The post Shackleford Filly Swiftest at OBS Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Godolphin Not Playing Around in Just a Game

A grey pair of Godolphin-owned, Charlie Appleby-trained fillies off at 7-1 and last seen competing in Meydan's G2 Balanchine S. in February dominated Saturday's GI Longines Just a Game S., with Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) running down fleet-footed stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) late. Longshot and fellow 'Rising Star' Daddy is a Legend (Scat Daddy) rounded out the trifecta. Trainer Chad Brown, who had three chances for his fifth-straight Just a Game title, could do no better than fourth with Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom).

Balanchine winner Summer Romance zipped out to the front as anticipated and cleared off comfortably as Althiqa was guided to the hedge in third last by Mike Smith. The leader still seemed to be in complete control after a half in :46.90 and six panels in 1:10.46, but Althiqa was loaded as she looked for running room at the top of the stretch. Smith tried briefly to tip wide, but then opted to go for an inside run and that proved the winning move–Althiqa squeezed inside of Summer Romance in the final sixteenth to prevail by 3/4 of a length.

“She's got a big heart and she's very, very honest, so she's going to run good,” said Smith. “You're just going to have to make a trip when it's time to move on. I was actually going to tip out, but she kind of leaned in like she wanted to drop to the fence, so I just let her. It was a small hole but [Appleby] told me she had a big heart, and she got on through there. She might suit American racing really well. We might want to keep her here.”

A stakes winner in France and group-placed both there and in Great Britain last year at three, Althiqa kicked off her campaign with a decisive tally in Meydan's G2 Cape Verdi S. going this distance Jan. 28 before running on for third in the Balanchine.

“We're obviously delighted with it and we knew we had two competitive fillies,” said Appleby, whose last Stateside victory came with Godolphin's Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. “It's one of those days when we prepped well, I was confident they would run a big race and they justified it. They are two fillies who ran well over the winter in Dubai in Group 2s–one won the Balanchine and the other won the Cape Verdi–and they came out there to America and put it to the sword again. It's a great effort by the team there and we might think about leaving them there for [July 17 GI Diana S. at] Saratoga. Althiqa hit the line strong enough and she wasn't stopping. It was an opportunity to get a [Grade I], and luckily we did.”

Appleby and Godolphin were also represented Saturday by smashing G1 Cazoo Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

As for the decision to enlist Smith, Appleby said, “Mike gave us our first Grade I in the [2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf] with Outstrip (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), so it's great to team up again. With Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}0 [having developed an infection and dropping out of consideration for the GI Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets] earlier this week and this, it's just the ups and downs of it all. We've seen it here in the UK and you just have to roll with the punches.”

Saturday, Belmont
LONGINES JUST A GAME S.-GI, $500,000, Belmont, 6-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:33.90, gd.
1–ALTHIQA (GB), 118, f, 4, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Mistrusting (Ire) (SW-Eng, $120,206), by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Misheer (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                3rd Dam: All For Laura (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby;
J-Mike E. Smith. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-2-3, $466,213.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++.
2–Summer Romance (Ire), 120, f, 4, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Serena's Storm (Ire), by Statue of Liberty
2nd Dam: Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: Serena's Sister, by Rahy
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT; €800,000 2yo '19 ARQMA).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Round Hill Stud (IRE); T-Charles Appleby.
$100,000.
3–Daddy Is a Legend, 118, m, 6, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Randie's Legend, by Benchmark
2nd Dam: Eternal Legend, by Gold Legend
3rd Dam: Eternal Search, by Northern Answer
($140,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Hill,
Jim and Susan; B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC (PA); T-George
Weaver. $60,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 7.40, 7.20, 12.30.
Also Ran: Regal Glory, Pocket Square (GB), Zofelle (Ire), Always Shopping, Abscond, Tamahere (Fr), New York Girl (Ire). Scratched: Blowout (GB), Sweet Bye and Bye. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Althiqa is the eighth highest-level winner and one of 37 group/graded winners for Dark Angel (Ire), who is also the sire of this April's impressive GI Maker's Mark Mile hero Raging Bull (Fr), and 2018's GI Shoemaker Mile S. upsetter Hunt (Ire). The late Shamardal has sired the dams of 30 graded/group winners, including six now at the top level.

Dam Mistrusting is herself a daughter of Group 2 winner and G1SP Misheer. Her 3-year-old son Magical Land (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has been second or third in all five outings for these connections, while Althiqa's 2-year-old full-sister Before Dawn (Ire) was second at Newmarket May 15 and a close fourth in the Kempton all-weather on Wednesday. Mistrusting produced a Dark Angel colt last term and a Kodiac (GB) filly this March.

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After Recent Personal Challenges, Desormeaux Resurgent At 51

Kahuna Magic appeared to be running for second in last Sunday's second race, a maiden allowance event for three-year-olds and up at six furlongs on the main track.

Brutto, the 1-2 favorite, had a clear lead passing the eighth pole and seemed on his way to victory.

But here came Kahuna Magic, fourth entering the stretch, with Kent Desormeaux riding like he was pursuing his fourth Kentucky Derby triumph, even though he was next to last in a field of five at the half-mile marker, and, at 13-1, aboard the second-longest shot in the race.

Desormeaux would have none of it, ultimately winning by a neck in a three-horse photo finish. As the Equibase chart notes, “Kahuna Magic drew alongside Brutto with a sixteenth remaining and overhauled that rival for the score.”

It was the 17^th of 18 victories this meet for Desormeaux, who has overcome life-changing familial issues and substance abuse challenges that required rehabilitation to resurrect a Hall of Fame career which had ebbed to near-nothingness.

“I'm very happy to work for him again,” said veteran agent Tony Matos, who represented the Louisiana native two decades ago when Desormeaux won the Kentucky Derby twice, with Real Quiet in 1998 and Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000.

Desormeaux would go on to win a third Run for the Roses on Big Brown in 2008, when Matos did not have his book.

“Kent's riding as good as ever, maybe better,” said Matos, who also handles business for Edwin Maldonado.

“It's definitely nice to have clarity and the support of horsemen on the backside,” Desormeaux said. “Tony has the respect of several clients who have given me their trust, so it's working out.

“It's nice to be the talk of the town again.”

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Letruska Goes Back-To-Back, Puts On Tour De Force In Ogden Phipps

Picking up the mount from his injured brother, jockey Jose Ortiz made it look easy this Saturday aboard 6-5 favorite Letruska in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park. Taking the lead from the start on the 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver, Ortiz controlled the race throughout for a facile 2 3/4-length victory. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez for owner/breeder St. George Stable, Letruska completed 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:41.25.

The victory earns Letruska an expenses-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Distaff, scheduled for early November in Del Mar.

It was the second Grade 1 win for both Letruska and Gutierrez; the mare defeated champion Monomoy Girl last out in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park.

“Today, she confirmed what we saw in the Apple Blossom,” Gutierrez said. “She's progressed with age and taking the blinkers off. She ran like a big horse. When she would run on the lead, she never saw the other horses. She has improved so much more. She has this class to her. She really likes to run.

“Now we need to focus on the Breeders' Cup with the form that we have. These races are really tough. We'll check how she does. She's a very sound filly and I hope she continues like this.”

The anticipated speed duel with Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil did not materialize as Letruska was able to clear away from that rival down the backstretch, setting measured fractions of :23.49 and :45.87. Ortiz held a 1 1/2 length advantage heading into the turn, and Letruska extended that lead to nearly three lengths without being asked to mark three-quarters in 1:10.26.

Shedaresthedevil was unable to match strides with the winner down the lane, and late-running Bonny South moved up from last to gain second. At the finish, however, Letruska was all alone and geared down to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Queen Nekia filled out the super, while Water White finished last of the five. Both Swiss Skydiver and Valiance were scratched.

“She was breaking a little bit slow, but she broke good today,” Ortia said. “I was able to put her on the lead and make the other horses chase me. Florent [Geroux, aboard Shedaresthedevil], if he wanted to beat me, he had to run with me. She couldn't keep up with me by the three-eighths pole. When I looked back and saw her three lengths behind me, I was very happy.”

Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Letruska is out of the graded stakes-placed Successful Appeal mare Magic Appeal, a half to Grade 1 winner J P's Gusto. Letruska is a half-sister to the Grade 1-placed Trigger Warning; St. George purchased the dam, Magic Appeal, with Letruska in utero for $100,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. She began her career in Mexico, winning a pair of G1 races, then came to the United States with her trainer in late 2019. Letruska has blossomed this year as a 5-year-old, winning three of her four starts including back-to-back Grade 1's. Overall, the mare's record stands at 14 wins from 19 starts for earnings of over $1.4 million.

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