Month: October 2021

Longshot Indian Peak Victorious In California Flag At Santa Anita

Longshot Indian Peak settled nicely off the early pace and mounted a furious stretch rally under Juan Hernandez to outrun favored North County Guy by a head in Sunday's $100,000 California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. In his third start for Peter Miller and his first try down the hillside turf course, Indian Peak got about 6 ½ furlongs in 1:12.52.

The California Flag Handicap, named for the High Card Ranch's homebred millionaire who won the 2009 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita, is part of the lucrative CTBA sponsored Golden State Series for California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and up.

Breaking from the far outside in a field of nine, Indian Peak was sixth, about five lengths off the lead at the half-mile mark while well within himself. Six-wide and on the move at the dirt crossing, Indian Peak pinned his ears and outran North County Guy late in a thriller.

“He felt really comfortable, he's a nice horse,” said Hernandez, who won yesterday's California Distaff Handicap run down the hill with Warren's Showtime. “He tries all the time. I rode him before, maybe three or four times (when based at Golden Gate Fields, dating back to December of 2019) and he's the kind of horse that always comes with a run at the end.

“Peter Miller told me to just sit there and make one run and then before the quarter pole, before we crossed the dirt, he started running, so I just let him run. He picked the lead right after we crossed the dirt and we were fighting the inside and outside (horses), but we made it…”

Most recently a well-beaten fifth by North County Guy in 1 1/16-mile turf allowance as the 7-5 favorite on Aug. 20 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Indian Peak was off at 16-1 and paid $35.80, $11.20, and $5.40.

A 4-year-old California-bred gelding by Comic Strip out of the Roar mare Ms. Booty, Indian Peak, who was originally conditioned by Golden Gate Fields-based Quinn Howey, is currently owned by Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable.

A winner of Santa Anita's Snow Chief Stakes in only his third start at age three on June 20, 2020, Indian Peak registered his second stakes win today and improved his overall race record to 20-6-3-1. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $333,532.

The 7-5 favorite, North County Guy ran too good to lose, finishing a head in front of Unbridled Ethos. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, North County Guy paid $3.40 and $2.60.

With Ricky Gonzalez up, Unbridled Ethos was off at 9-1 and paid $5.00 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths clear of Whooping Jay, who lacked racing room turning for home.

Fractions on the race were :22.00, :44.06, and 1:06.65.

Live racing resumes with first post time for an eight-race card on Friday at 1 p.m. Pacific.

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Forthegreatergood, Laura Sloan Win 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion

Ten discipline winners from what was hailed as one of the strongest Thoroughbred Makeover competition years yet awaited results in a picture-perfect lineup at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington, Ky., this evening at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America — but there was only one 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion, sponsored by Churchill Downs, and that was Forthegreatergood, trained by Laura Sloan.

Forthegreatergood (Scipion – No Peeking, by Langfuhr) is a 2015 16.1 hand gray/roan gelding who was bred in Maryland by Donna Lockard. Lockard also trained and raced the horse herself for his 22-race career, hitting the board five times at Maryland tracks for total career earnings of $46,734.

Sloan, a professional hailing from Southern Pines, North Carolina, teamed up with Forthegreatergood for owner Donna Verrilli, who wanted to produce a horse for the Makeover in honor of her late husband Richard who passed away in December of 2020 of pancreatic cancer. A Master of Foxhounds, Richard had been Sloan's employer.

“I'm so glad that I can do this for [Donna],” Sloan stated. “The Thoroughbred is just such a great breed. It's amazing how you can have ten of these horses in the same race, and they can go into ten different disciplines. The versatility of this breed — they could have all raced together, and then one's a barrel racer, and one's a fox hunter, and one's a dressage horse. It's pretty cool.”

Sloan and Forthegreatergood achieved top marks in the Field Hunter discipline all week long, leading the pack first in the under saddle phase, then the individual test. Receiving high scores in the mock hunt on Thursday morning gave the pair a comfortable lead going into Sunday's 2021 Finale, and their beautiful final test in the TCA Covered Arena sealed their victory for the discipline. Their performance also impressed the judges from the other ten Makeover disciplines, who scored all discipline winners throughout the day to crown the Thoroughbred Makeover Champion.

The People's Choice Award, sponsored by Achieve Equine, was given to Icarius, the winner of the Show Hunter discipline, trained by Alexandra Beckstett.

2021 Thoroughbred Makeover Discipline Winners (in order of go):

Eventing, sponsored by Tipperary Equestrian: Fleet Stepper, trained by Hillary Irwin
Show Jumper, sponsored by Excel Equine: Raise Em Up, trained by Kristina Aaron
Show Hunter, sponsored by Beyond the Wire: Icarius, trained by Alexandra Beckstett
Field Hunter, sponsored by Masters of Foxhounds Association: Forthegreatergood, trained by Laura Sloan
Dressage, sponsored by PTHA's Turning For Home: Kubo Cat, trained by Alison O'Dwyer
Polo, sponsored by United States Polo Association: Ramses, trained by Benjamin Lynch
Freestyle, sponsored by New Start: Papa Al, trained by Jody Busch
Barrel Racing, sponsored by SmartPak: Tip Top Diva, trained by Dakotah Rowel
Competitive Trail, sponsored by Godolphin: Super Terrific, trained by Abbey Blair
Ranch Work, sponsored by MidAtlantic Horse Rescue: War Candy, trained by Muri Triantafilo

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Avie’s Flatter Returns to Winner’s Circle In Nearctic Stakes At Woodbine

Avie's Flatter returned to the familiar confines of the winner's circle at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario with a victory in the Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes.

In the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last out, the 5-year-old horse finished ninth behind upset winner Town Cruise, who was also part of the Nearctic field. At the break, Momos grabbed the lead, with Town Cruise and Turned Aside second and third early. Avie's Flatter and Luis Contreras were third entering the race's only turn, going wide into the Woodbine straight.

In the stretch, Avie's Flatter showed no trouble with the yielding turf, building up momentum on the outside of Town Cruise and taking the lead with a furlong to go to win by a half-length. Turned Aside came on late to take second. Olympic Runner passed Momos to take third. Town Cruise, Jolie Olimpica, White Flag, Reconfigure, Admiralty Pier, and Lucky Curlin rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the six-furlong Nearctic was 1:10.52. Find this race's chart here.

Avie's Flatter paid $16.50, $7.30, and $5.60. Turned Aside paid $17.50 and $10.40. Olympic Runner paid $5.20.

Bred in Ontario by Tall Oaks Farm, Avie's Flatter is by Flatter out of the Empire Maker mare Avie's Empire. Owned by Ivan Dalos, the 5-year-old horse is trained by Josie Carroll. With his win in the G2 Nearctic, Avie's Flatter has three wins in five starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of seven wins in 18 starts and career earnings of $932,937.

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