Pioneerof the Nile Filly Impressive at Ellis

6th-Ellis, $51,000, Msw, 8-20, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:15.87, ft, 4 1/2 lengths.
MATAREYA (f, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–Innovative Idea {GSW, $229,343}, by Bernardini), whose dam's signature win came in the 2016 GIII Groupie Doll S. here, was coupled in the wagering at 9-5 with Brendan Walsh-trained fellow Godolphin homebred  Dreamalot (Ghostzapper). Straight to the front, the bay doled out splits of :22.09 and :45.07 and turned for home in command. Dreamalot came with a fence run and briefly looked like she'd give Matareya a challenge, but the front-runner shut the door and galloped home under wraps to win with promise. Dreamalot held second to complete the one-two finish not only for her owner/breeder but for late broodmare sire Bernardini. The winner's second dam is MGSW/GISP Golden Velvet (Seeking the Gold) and her third dam is MGSW Caress (Storm Cat). This is the family of Bernstein and Sky Mesa as well as a current Godolphin standout in the Walsh pupil Maxfield (Street Sense), who is also out of a Bernardini mare. Innovative Idea produced an Uncle Mo filly and colt in 2020 and 2021, respectively and was bred back to that stallion for 2022. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $30,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

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Nunthorpe To Winter Power After Golden Pal Wilts After Setting Fast Pace

King Power Racing Co Ltd's Winter Power (IRE) produced a brilliant display in the Coolmore Wootton Basset Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York in the United Kingdom on Friday. The victory at 9-1 odds secured Winter Power a guaranteed start in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 84 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 5-6.

Winter Power becomes the third horse to gain a “Win and You're In” berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint this year, joining Casa Creed, the Jackpocket Jaipur Stakes (G1) winner at Belmont Park on June 5 and Dream of Dreams (IRE), who won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot on June 19.

A blistering pace was set by Frankie Dettori on Wesley Ward-trained Golden Pal, the 5-2 second choice, but Winter Power, under Silvestre De Sousa, quickened past him at the two-furlong pole and kept up the gallop all the way to the line to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Emaraaty Ana (GB), a 40-1 hope, chased her down to finish second with the 3-year-old son of Cable Bay, Dragon Symbol (GB), finishing back in third at odds of 4-1. Golden Pal wound up seventh.

Winter Power, a 3-year-old daughter of Bungle Inthejungle (GB) out of Titian Saga (IRE) by Titus Livius (FR), completed the five furlongs in :56.72 on a course listed as good-to-firm.

Winter Power's win gave local trainer Tim Easterby his first Group 1 success since Fayr Jag (IRE) won the Golden Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot in 2004. Easterby believed his filly was in perfect condition going into the race and so it proved. He said: “She's an incredible filly. She had come right for today. I wasn't too worried about any other horses today; I was just focused on my filly. She's able to relax now in races and we can then use her speed. The best sprinters have that ability to kick half-way through the race and she's got that.”

When asked what it means to win a Group 1 at his local track, Easterby simply said: “It's the best. What more can you get?”

It was a first Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes win for Winter Power's jockey Silvestre De Sousa who was full of praise for his filly. He said: “She's unbelievably fast. I don't think I've sat on anything as fast as her. When it's a flat track like York, she gets away from the gates very quickly. It means the world to ride the winner of the Nunthorpe in the King Power silks.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Winter Power to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, which will be run at five furlongs on the Del Mar turf course. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of $40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

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Glatt Calls Audible With Collusion Illusion, Tries Dirt Sprinter Collusion Illusion On Turf In Green Flash

Mark Glatt-trained Collusion Illusion, voted the top sprinter of the 2020 Del Mar Thoroughbred Club meeting in Del Mar, Calif., off a victory in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes, will make his 2021 racing debut in Sunday's G3 Green Flash Handicap. It's sprinting all right – five furlongs. But it's also on turf, which will be a first for the 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy.

A minor hoof injury incurred on the eve of the race prevented Collusion Illusion from a title defense in the Bing Crosby on July 31.

“He got a little off schedule when he was supposed to run in the Bing Crosby, and we had talked about running him on turf at some point,” Glatt said. “Given his level of fitness and what races were available to us in the near future here, the Green Flash was the only one that made sense.

“It's time to try him on the turf and see how he does. If it works out, this could open up a whole new avenue (of racing) for us to consider.”

The field for the Green Flash from the rail out with jockeys and morning line odds in parentheses: Kneedeepinsnow (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1); Texas Wedge (Umberto Rispoli, 6-1); Lieutenant Dan (Giovanni Franco, 7-2); Collusion Illusion (Flavien Prat, 7-2); Chasin Munny (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 10-1); Little Juanito (Ricky Gonzalez, 6-1); Give Me the Lute (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1), and Gregorian Chant (Juan Hernandez, 5-2).

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Express Train Puts Shirreffs In Pacific Classic Spotlight

John Shirreffs has saddled four starters in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic, and the closest he has come to a win in the Grade 1 fixture at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., was the third-place finish by Midcourt, off at odds of 7-1 and beaten 5 ¾-lengths by Maximum Security, in last year's 30th running.

In providing Bob Baffert with a TVG Pacific Classic record-tying sixth victory, Maximum Security went postward as the 2-5 favorite. Of Baffert's six wins in the race, five have come with either the favorite or second betting choice. The outlier: Richard's Kid stunning at odds of 24.40-1 in 2009.

In Saturday's 31st running of the 1 ¼-mile signature event of the summer meeting, Shirreffs has the 3-1 morning line favorite in San Diego Handicap winner Express Train. Baffert's lone entry is 20-1 Magic On Tap, who was nearly 12-1 in the San Diego, stumbled at the start and finished fifth of eight, beaten 6 ¾-lengths.

If the odds stay that way to post time, Shirreffs will have a Classic favorite for the second time. Bertrando, the 2-1 favorite in 1994 off his victory a year earlier when trained by Bobby Frankel, got caught up in a speed duel for the first three quarters and faded to eighth of nine.

Earlier in the 1994 meeting, Bertrando had provided Shirreffs with the first of what has now become 17 Del Mar stakes victories. A TVG Pacific Classic would be a welcome addition and Shirreffs has reason for optimism about the 4-year-old son of Union Rags, owned by the C R K Stable of Lee and Susan Seareing, who has four victories from 12 career starts and earnings of $659,300.

“I think he's coming into the race really well,” Shirreffs said.

And, as is always the case, Shirreffs, 76, will be focused intently on developments with his horse before, during and after the race.

“Like a lot of Union Rags (progeny) he can get a little hot (nerved up) in the paddock,” Shirreffs said. “He's probably going to get a little hot no matter what.

“But if he can control his nervousness a little bit and maintain his focus, he'll do really well. That's a sign for him. He controlled himself well in the paddock before the San Diego and ran a very good race.”

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 6 at Del Mar.

The TVG Pacific Classic field from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds in parentheses: Tripoli (Tiago Pereira, 5-1); Tizamagician (Flavien Prat, 5-1); Dr Post (Joel Rosario, 4-1); Royal Ship (Mike Smith, 7-2); Express Train (Juan Hernandez); Magic On Tap (Abel Cedillo); Independence Hall (Florent Geroux, 5-1); Sheriff Brown (Edwin Maldonado, 30-1), and Cupid's Claws (Umberto Rispoli, 15-1).

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