Month: March 2022

As Time Goes By Wires the Beholder

As Time Goes By (American Pharoah), second behind Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in last year's GI Beholder Mile, got the job done in the 2022 renewal of the race with an authoritative victory at Santa Anita Saturday. Sent off the 1-5 favorite while facing just three rivals, the dark bay mare was away half a step slowly, but was hustled out to the early lead. She was clear down the backstretch as the quarter went up in :22.76 and the half in :46.22. In front by three lengths at the top of the lane, As Time Goes By held off Miss Bigly, who gave valiant chase to the wire.

“She broke a little flat footed,” said winning jockey Flavien Prat. “We kind of brushed each other and after that I had to hustle her a little bit to get in the race, but after that I was travelling well and I felt like I was in control. It felt like when she felt that filly coming at her, she kind of regrouped and went on again so, it was nice.”

As Time Goes By, winner of last year's GII Santa Margarita S. and GII Santa Maria S., was eighth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff before ending the year with a win in the GIII Bayakoa S. at Los Alamitos. She opened 2022 with a 13 1/2-length romp in the Jan. 1 GIII La Canada S.

“She gets better with age,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “She is such an exciting and classy mare. She never breaks a sweat. I think the longer the better with her.”

Pedigree Notes:

As Time Goes By became American Phaorah's fourth Group/Grade I winner and gave him his second graded winner of the afternoon at Santa Anita, following Forbidden Kingdom's win in the GII San Felipe S. The Triple Crown winner was also represented Saturday by Disco Pharoah, a 19 1/2-length maiden winner in the first race at Aqueduct.

“These Pharoah horses are fast,” Baffert said. “It's a great day for Pharoah horses. American Pharoah has meant so much to racing.”

Take Charge Lady produced Charming (Seeking the Gold), dam of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) and Grade I winner Omaha Beach (War Front). The blue hen mare is also the dam of Grade I winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song).

Saturday, Santa Anita
BEHOLDER MILE S.-GI, $490,000, Santa Anita, 3-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:37.55, ft.
1–AS TIME GOES BY, 122, m, 5, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Take Charge Lady (Broodmare Of The Year, MGISW, $2,480,377), by Dehere
                2nd Dam: Felicita, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Grand Bonheur, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
   1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Tabor, Michael B., Magnier, Mrs. John,
and Smith, Derrick; B-Orpendale & Chelston (KY); T-Bob
Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $300,000. Lifetime Record: 14-7-3-1,
$955,600. *1/2 to Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy), GISW,
$1,103,496; and Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), Ch.
3-year-old Colt, MGISW, $3,924,648. Werk Nick Rating: B.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Miss Bigly, 122, m, 6, by Gemologist
1st Dam: Miss Puzzle (Aus) (SP-NZ), by Citidancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Miss Tree (Nz), by Oregon
3rd Dam: Miss Kiwitea, by Truly Vain (Aus)
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($120,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $20,000 Ylg
'17 KEESEP). O-Agave Racing Stable, Living The Dream Stables,
LLC and Rockin Robin Racing Stables; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY);
T-Philip D'Amato. $100,000.
3–Varda, 120, f, 4, by Distorted Humor
1st Dam: She'll Be Right, by Sky Mesa
2nd Dam: Boogie Beach Blues, by Cure the Blues
3rd Dam: Lonely Beach, by Kennedy Road
($100,000 Ylg '19 SARAUG; $700,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR).
O-Baoma Corporation; B-Masters 2013 LLC & Distorted Humor
Syndicate (NY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 7, 7HF. Odds: 0.30, 8.30, 9.10.
Also Ran: Envoutante. Scratched: Founder's Day, Moonlight d'Oro. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Morello Makes It Three In A Row With Facile Gotham Stakes Score

Blue Lion Thoroughbreds, Craig Taylor and Diamond T Racing's Morello kept a spotless record intact when strolling to an effortless 4 1/2-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. The one-turn mile for sophomores offered 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen and confidently ridden by Jose Lezcano, Morello earned the maximum points while stretching out to one mile for the first time. Unbeaten in three starts, all at Aqueduct, by a combined 13 3/4 lengths, Morello entered off a triumphant stakes debut in the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield on Feb. 6, over two months following a six-furlong debut win.

Breaking from post 9, Morello was forwardly placed down the backstretch in second to the outside of two-time winner Dean's List, who led the 10-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds over the fast main track.

Approaching the far turn through a half in 47.77 seconds, Dean's List remained in command as Morello inched his way closer to the pacesetter. But Manny Franco, aboard Dean's List, began getting busy aboard his charge past the quarter pole while Lezcano remained still on Morello.

In mid-stretch, Morello swept past Dean's List under little coaxing and extended to an in-hand victory in a final time of 1:39.28. Dean's List held second by one length over fellow Todd Pletcher-trainee Golden Code.

Life Is Great, Glider, Runninsonofagun, Fromanothamutha, Noneedtoworry, Bold Journey and Rockefeller completed the order of finish.

“He's a very nice horse who has been doing everything right. He's one of the nicer horses I've ridden in the last three years,” said Lezcano, who was aboard Morello for all three starts. “I never even touched him with the whip. You ask him a little bit and he takes off – it's a good thing. I've ridden some good horses and he's showed me he's one of those.”

Dave Lyon of Blue Lion Thoroughbreds said he was highly impressed with the way his horse won.

“We thought there would be a little bit quicker of a pace in the race, so we were a little concerned about that, but he just does it so professionally,” Lyon said. “When he came around the turn, I just had a feeling because of how professional he is that he would make us proud. Galloping past the wire, the way he did it, we're starting to think about the first Saturday in May at this point. I'll let Toby [Sheets, assistant to Asmussen] and Steve make that decision but this group – you saw us celebrating – we're thinking about that.”

The next local Kentucky Derby qualifier is the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial [100-40-20-10] going nine furlongs on April 9. While Lyon was non-committal to the horse's next start, he expressed no concern with any added distance.

“He had to use a little more of the tank today and use another gear, but he showed us that he's got it,” Lyon said. “I don't want to look past this race – we want to celebrate this – but we're thinking he can go longer. I don't know how long he could go but we're all from Saratoga and we'd certainly want to win the Travers. I want that canoe more than I want the Kentucky Derby trophy – but I'll take that one, too.

“Steve is the winningest trainer in North American history, so we'll let him make the call and tell us where to go,” Lyon added. “We're dreaming now. This is a game changer, today. We'll book some hotels and cancel them if we have to. We think we might have a Derby horse here.”

The victory provided second-crop stallion and 2016 Champion 2-Year-Old Classic Empire with his first graded stakes winning progeny. Bred in Kentucky by Robert B. Tillyer and Dr. Chet Blackey, Morello was a $250,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale last May and is out of the Congrats mare Stop the Wedding.

Morello returned $4 for a $2 win wager and banked $165,000, enhancing his lifetime earnings past the quarter-million mark to $264,000.

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card headlined by the $125,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post Morello Makes It Three In A Row With Facile Gotham Stakes Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Karakontie’s Spendarella Makes the Grade

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
HERECOMESTHEBRIDE S.-GIII, $125,000, Gulfstream, 3-5, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.38, fm.
1–SPENDARELLA, 118, f, 3, by Karakontie (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Spanish Bunny, by Unusual Heat
                2nd Dam: Spanish Beam, by El Gran Senor
                3rd Dam: Solar Beam, by Majestic Light
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($220,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck);
B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (NY); T-H. Graham Motion;
J-Jose L. Ortiz. $72,850. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $104,650.
*Full to Spanish Loveaffair, MSW & MGSP, $284,090; 1/2 to
Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule), GISW, $423,600.
2–Opalina, 122, f, 3, Optimizer–Go Kitten Go, by Kitten's Joy.
O-Teneri Farm & J Stables LLC; B-Teneri Farms Inc. & Bernardo
Alvarez Calderon (FL); T-Roderick R. Rodriguez. $23,500.
3–Mischievous Kiss, 120, f, 3, Into Mischief–Kiss the Devil, by
Kris S. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($300,000 RNA Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-Carl F. Pollard; B-CFP Thoroughbreds LLC (KY);
T-William I. Mott. $11,750.
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 5. Odds: 1.70, 4.60, 4.30.
Also Ran: Last Leaf, Lia Marina, Beside Herself, Bali Del Sol, Lemieux, Dia de Sol, Howdyoumakeurmoney, Soul of an Angel. Scratched: Diamond Wow, Dolce Zel (Fr). Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Spendarella fulfilled the promise of her impressive debut victory over the Hallandale turf course Feb. 2 with a wire-to-wire victory in the GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Favored while facing 10 foes here, the Gainesway homebred zipped out to the early lead and set a moderate pace as she and Lemieux (Nyquist) distanced themselves from the rest of the field. The bay filly scampered clear into the stretch and maintained her advantage to the wire.

“She's always been a nice filly, and she just keeps growing and getting more intelligent about the job,” said Alice Clapham, assistant to winning trainer Graham Motion. “She seems to know what life's about. The first race really kind of helped her grow up. She's a New York-bred, so she'll most probably head up there, at some point. She'll let us tell us where she wants to run.”

Pedigree Notes:
Spendarella is the fifth graded stakes winner for Gainesway stallion Karakontie, who has also been represented by GII Mrs. Revere S. winner Princess Grace, GII Del Mar Derby winner None Above the Law, GIII Sam F. Davis S. winner Sole Volante and group winner Kenzai Warrior. The filly's full-sister Spanish Loveaffair, a two-time stakes winner and three times graded placed, sold for $775,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.
Spanish Bunny, who was purchased by Gainesway for $130,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale, has a 2-year-old filly by Destin and produced a colt by Uncle Mo this year.

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