July, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Santa Barbara Digs Deep, Surges Late To Win Belmont Oaks

In a race that looked like Con Lima might win wire-to-wire, Santa Barbara capitalized on the potential she showed as a 2-year-old and surged past Con Lima to steal the victory in the waning strides of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

After finishing second in her last race at the Curragh June 27, Santa Barbara came into the mile and a quarter Belmont Oaks winless in her previous starts of 2021. Aidan O'Brien had been high on the daughter of Camelot (GB) and sent her stateside for the G1 Belmont Oaks, with jockey Ryan Moore on board. At the break, it was all Con Lima, taking an easy lead and controlling the pace throughout the first nine furlongs. Behind her were Spanish Loveaffair, Nazuna, and Higher Truth, all biding their time for the stretch. Santa Barbara hung toward the back of the pack, and, as the field came into the final turn, Santa Barbara had a challenge ahead of her.

With a wall of horses in front of him, Moore tried to take Santa Barbara along the hedge on the turn, coming into the stretch searching for running room somewhere. With Con Lima still leading, Moore moved Santa Barbara toward the middle of the track, finally finding running room between horses with only a sixteenth of a mile to go. Santa Barbara accelerated, quickly shrinking the gap between her and Con Lima and flashing under the wire a half-length to the good. Con Lima just held on for second, with Higher Truth in third and Gam's Mission fourth. The final time for the mile and a quarter was 2:03.76.

Bred in Ireland by Whisperview Trading Limited, Santa Barbara is by Camelot out of the Danehill mare Senta's Dream. The 3-year-old filly is owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg. With her win in the Belmont Oaks, Santa Barbara improves to a record of two wins in five lifetime starts.

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Camelot’s Santa Barbara Triumphs in Belmont Oaks

Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) worked through traffic late to break through in her fourth straight attempt at the highest level and complete the first half of the GI Belmont Oaks/GI Belmont Derby double for the Coolmore contingent Saturday. Deemed a 'TDN Rising Star' off a 2 1/2-length debut success at The Curragh last September, the buzzed-about bay could only manage fourth in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2 and again in the G1 Cazoo Oaks at Epsom June 4–both as the favorite. She was most recently beaten a neck in the G1 Pretty Polly S. June 27.

Looking to provide her powerful owners with a third Belmont Oaks title, and Aidan O'Brien with his second in four years, the favorite drafted in midpack in between rivals through splits of :24.71, :51.31 and 1:16.40. She had nowhere to go at the top of the lane, but Ryan Moore wheeled her out a path and a sliver of daylight appeared. She sliced through that seam, and kicked on determinedly to collar pacesetter Con Lima (Commissioner) in the final strides. Higher Truth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) rounded out the trifecta for her superstar sire, who passed away Saturday at Coolmore Ireland and was soon to be represented by the Belmont Derby winner.

“It was quite a steadily run race,” said Moore. “They lined up and I was hoping Nazuna (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) would drop away a bit sooner. I didn't want to waste too much petrol by going around her. She's got class. She's got ability. She won without me moving a muscle… I had to go out one switch (path) and I didn't want to, but I had to. We're lucky we got out in time. She done it very easily. I'm very happy with her.”

T.J. Comerford, assistant O'Brien, offered, “She's been used to faster ground, so it probably took her a while to pick things up today on that slow ground. That was a good performance for her. Ryan knows her better than anyone and he knew that she had plenty of speed, so it was never a problem. She showed plenty of turn of foot in her other Group 1 starts in the Oaks and at The Curragh, she got beat by a good older filly. She's getting better as she gets on. Anytime you win a Group 1 is great.”

Saturday, Belmont Park
BELMONT OAKS INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $700,000, Belmont, 7-10, 3yo, f, 1 1/4mT, 2:03.76, gd.
1–SANTA BARBARA (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Camelot (GB)
                1st Dam: Senta's Dream (GB), by Danehill
                2nd Dam: Starine (Fr), by Mendocino
                3rd Dam: Grisonnante (Fr), by Kaldoun (Fr)
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
   WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B.
Tabor, Derrick Smith & Westerberg; B-Whisperview Trading
Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien; J-Ryan L. Moore. $375,000.
Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 5-2-1-0, $491,612. *1/2 to Iridessa
(IRE) (Ruler of The World (IRE)), GISW-USA, G1SW-Eng,
MG1SW-Ire, $1,988,198; 1/2 to Order of Australia (IRE)
(Australia (GB)), Hwt. at 3-Ire- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., GISW,
$1,161,178. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Con Lima, 121, f, 3, by Commissioner
                1st Dam: Second Street City (SW, $209,843),
                               by Consolidator
                2nd Dam: Trix City, by Carson City
                3rd Dam: Always Nettie, by Vice Regent
($15,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $19,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP;
$22,000 RNA 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners, Joseph F. Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus & Troy
Johnson; B-Lisa Kuhlmann (TX); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $130,000.
3–Higher Truth (Ire), 121, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Wannabe Better (Ire) (GSW-Ire, $190,199),
                                by Duke of Marmalade (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Wannabe (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
                3rd Dam: Propensity (GB), by Habitat
(500,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Michael J. Ryan, Jeff Drown
& Team Hanley; B-Churchtown House Stud (IRE); T-Chad C.
Brown. $70,000.
Margins: HF, NO, 1HF. Odds: 1.15, 5.10, 7.50.
Also Ran: Gam's Mission, Plum Ali, Nazuna (Ire), Cirona (GB), Spanish Loveaffair. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Santa Barbara follows in the hoofsteps of Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who won this race for the same connections in 2018 off of a third in the Pretty Polly. Wonderment (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) was second in the 2019 renewal. Galileo's longtime stablemate Camelot is now responsible for eight highest-level winners and 26 grade/group winners.

As far as European pedigrees go, few are better bred for Stateside success than Santa Barbara. Dam Senta's Dream is a daughter of 2002 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf heroine Starine, and was purchased for just 14,000gns at the 2013 Tattersalls December Mares Sale in foal to Equiano (Fr) (that foal, the eventually placed Tisa River (Ire), sold for 400,000gns at the same sale last year).

Senta's Dream's first five foals didn't do much, but her next three have certainly made up for it. Her 2016 filly Iridessa upset the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf for Joseph O'Brien, while her 2017 colt Order of Australia belied incredible 73-1 odds to upend last year's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Santa Barbara is her dam's final registered foal.

The post Camelot’s Santa Barbara Triumphs in Belmont Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Thunder Forecast for the Prix Jean Prat

Sunday at Deauville means the recently re-shaped G1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat, which as well as being one of the final top-level encounters restricted to the 3-year-old class also represents a unique milestone as the only one of its kind for that age group over seven furlongs. Understandably, the line-up is competitive as a result while lacking a standout performer and has drawn a strong contingent from Ireland and Britain headed by last year's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. hero Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Failing to fire in two starts over a mile this term when last of 14 in the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket May 1 and seventh in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot June 15, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's TDN Rising Star may be best suited by a return to this distance having looked to possess sprinter's acceleration at two.

Second behind Thunder Moon in the National and ahead of him when also in that position in the G1 Dewhurst S. at Newmarket in October, Ballydoyle's Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has also ran well below par in three starts at a mile this season and was only ninth in the St James's Palace. The stable's Battleground (War Front) would appear the far stronger candidate on recent evidence, with his third placing in the St James's Palace looking a return to the pick of his 2-year-old form.

Godolphin's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was way ahead of both the Ballydoyle pair when fourth in the 2000 Guineas and his subsequent second to Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Jersey S. over this trip at Royal Ascot June 19 looks just as solid following his stablemate's fine effort in the July Cup. Charlie Appleby said, “Naval Crown came out of the Jersey Stakes in good order and seven furlongs is an ideal trip for him. He has a decent draw in stall one and some rock-solid form behind him so far this season. He ticks a lot of boxes and we feel that he will be the one to beat.”

The operation also has the promising Andre Fabre-trained pair of Midtown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is making his 3-year-old debut having last been seen lording it over his peers in Chantilly's Listed Prix Herod over this trip in November, and Erasmo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who beat the Herod runner-up Best Lightning (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}) in the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac over a mile also at Chantilly June 20. “Midtown has always been held in very high regard and his two-year-old form is looking stronger and stronger,” Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said. “Coming into a group 1 on his seasonal return is obviously a very tough ask, but he is a horse that Andre Fabre thinks an awful lot of. We hope this can be a springboard to an exciting second half of the season. Erasmo is a very game horse who has run consistently well this year. He comes here on the back of a decent win in a group 3 which is traditionally a prep race for the Prix Jean Prat. We weren't quite sure that we were going to run here immediately after his last start, but he has bounced out of the race in flying form and deserves his place in the field.”

Of the remainder of the French, the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Colosseo (Street Boss) puts the form of the May 16 ParisLongchamp Classic to the test, while Jean-Claude Rouget's representative Valloria (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) warrants respect on his defeat of TDN Rising Star Dolia (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) over a mile in the Listed Prix Volterra at that venue June 13. Colosseo's trainer Gianluca Bietolini told the Racing Post, “We always intended to wait for this race after his great run in the Poule d'Essai, as I don't think he will stay any further. He has excellent form against the best of the French, while St Mark's Basilica is an extraterrestrial. The only worry is that the horse has never run on a straight track, but he's in top form and loves soft ground.”

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Dalika Stalks Pace, Holds Off Luck Money To Win At Delaware Park

Trainer Al Stall's Dalika sat close to pacesetter Candy Flower throughout much of the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes, waited for the final turn of the 1 3/8 mile test, and then took over leadership of the field of nine to win the Grade 3 turf stake on the soft turf at Delaware Park in Wilmington, De.

Improving on her last-out second place to Temple City Terror in the Keertana at Churchill Downs, Dalika broke clean from the eighth post, hooking up with Candy Flower early, content to hang just a neck off the front runner. Candy Flower, who was trying stakes company for the first time, set fractions of :24.53 for the first quarter and then :48.61 for the first half, a steady pace that allowed jockey Miguel Mena to stay with her through the first six furlongs. Behind them, Blame Debbie and Temple City Terror were six lengths back, with the rest of the field spread out over the soft turf course.

Into the final turn, Dalika easily moved past a fading Candy Flower, taking a two-length lead over Luck Money surging out in the middle of the track and Blame Debbie on the rail. Into the stretch, Dalika had the lead as Luck Money came up to challenge, but that steady early pace meant that Dalika had enough left in reserve to hold off Luck Money and increase her lead to a length in the race's final strides, with Temple City Terror surging down the middle of the track to take third. La Dragontea, Blame Debbie, Hotsy Totsy, Micheline, Tonal Verse, and Candy Flower round out the field. The final time for the 1 3/8-mile was 2:16.35.

Find the race's chart here.

Dalika paid $10.60, $6.00, and $4.00. Luck Money paid $6.00 and $3.40. Temple City Terror paid $3.60 to show.

Bred in Germany by Gestut Ammerland, Dalika is a 5-year-old mare by Pastorius out of the Hurricane Run mare Drawn to Run. She is owned by Bal Mar Equine, LLC. With her win in the G3 Robert G. Dick Memorial, Dalika improves to a career record of seven wins in 22 starts with $508,463 in winnings.

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