Month: May 2022

Long-fused Neige Blanche, who like her trainer, was born in France, overhauled familiar rival and favorite Queen Goddess in deep stretch to notch her second consecutive win in the $125,000 Santa Barbara Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita.

Trained by Leonard Powell and ridden by Juan Hernandez, the 5-year-old mare completed 1 ½ miles on turf in 2:27.55.

Queen Goddess, who handily defeated Neige Blanche at 1 1/4 miles on turf in the Santa Ana Stakes (G3) on March 26, went straight to the front in a field of five fillies and mares and appeared to be going easily as she took the field under the wire the first time around.

Neige Blanche, who saved ground throughout, was attentive to the pace and moved into a joint second with Carpe Vinum three furlongs out.  Hernandez angled outside the favorite turning for home and gained the advantage inside the sixteenth pole at a distance she clearly relishes.

“My filly loves the distance,” said Hernandez.  “You know, she loves running behind horses and that helps her to relax pretty well.  Sometimes, when she's on the outside, in the clear, she tries to run off a little bit.  Today, we sat behind the pace and she relaxed well for me.  I was just waiting to hit the quarter pole and find a place to run.  As soon as we found a hole, she came through, picked it up really nice and we passed the leader.”

Third, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Queen Goddess in the Santa Ana, Neige Blanche was the second choice at 7-5 in the Santa Barbara and paid $4.

“I was very happy with the trip we had,” said Powell.  “We discussed with the owners and Juan before the race, we didn't want the favorite to get away with too much of an advantage like she did last time.  We were about two to three lengths (off the pace) which was perfect.  We stayed strong which was even better and at the end of the day, the last quarter of a mile, the stamina of my filly played to our advantage.

“She tries really hard.  The first words that Juan told me when he came back, he said 'Wow!  She really dug in.  She was trying so hard.'  He could feel her lowering herself to the ground and you can see by her demeanor that she really wanted to get there and that is a racehorse.”

Owned by Madaket Stable, Laura De Seroux, Marsh Naify, and Mathilde Powell, Neige Blanche, who is now unbeaten at 1 ½ miles on turf, notched her fifth graded stakes win, which includes a Group 3 win in her final French start on June 6, 2020.  With the winner's share of $75,000, she increased her earnings to $480,280 from an overall mark of 8-0-4 from 18 starts.

With his second win through the first five races on Saturday, Hernandez has a meet-leading 75 victories and he now has 14 stakes wins–one behind Flavien Prat.

Off at 3-5 with Victor Espinoza, Queen Goddess finished 2 ¾ lengths in front of Queen ofthe Temple, who was last early.

The post Neige Blanche Turns Tables On Favorite Queen Goddess For Santa Barbara Repeat appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Away from the races since an even seventh-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) November 6 at Del Mar to close out her 3-year-old campaign, the Chad Brown-trained Rougir served notice on Saturday at Belmont Park that she could already be among the best in her division with an authoritative win in the $150,000 Beaugay (G3).

A $3.3 million purchase out of the 2021 Arqana December Sale for owners Peter Brant and Michael Tabor, Rougir took the first step toward making good on that purchase price on Saturday for her new connections.

The 4-year-old French-bred daughter of Territories made steady strides throughout her sophomore season for former conditioner Cedric Rossi, who oversaw her win in the Longines Prix de l'Opera (G1) at Longchamp before she was shipped stateside to contest the Filly and Mare Turf, in which she was beaten 7 1/2 lengths.

“I'm the lucky recipient of some nice fillies he [owner Peter Brant] bought over there [in Europe],” said Brown. “Me and my team are very grateful for all the horses Mr. Brant sends us. It looks like we're off to a great season. This is his tenth graded win already this season. He's having a great year and deservedly so. He's done the right thing by his horses [this] winter resting them.”

Shifting to Brown's barn for 2022, it was unclear if Rougir would have immediate success at a Beaugay distance that figured to be shorter than her best, but neither that nor a glacial pace were enough to hamper her abundant talent.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, who is quickly becoming a go-to rider for Brown on the NYRA circuit, Rougir broke well but settled near the back of the seven-horse field as Plum Ali bounded out of the gate and seized control of the early lead.

Plum Ali, an improving filly in her own right, was coming off a win in the Plenty of Grace in April at Aqueduct Racetrack to begin her 4-year-old campaign, was allowed to set a slow opening quarter-mile, before quickening the tempo. Undaunted by the tepid splits, Prat coolly guided Rougir out into the clear on the backstretch and started picking off horses around the far turn while wide on the course.

Rougir was full of run as the field turned for home and even as more forwardly-placed horses sprinted to the wire, she had no trouble picking them up one-by-one and gliding to the finish an easy three-length winner.

She completed the 1 1/16-mile distance for older fillies and mares on the inner turf course in a hand-timed 1:43.40 on a course rated as firm.

“It's been a pleasure to ride for him,” said Prat, of the opportunity to ride for Brown. “I just try to do my best. Obviously, he's given me some great horses to ride, so I'm just a really spoiled guy right now.

“I had the chance down the backside and got myself outside the slow pace and it felt like it wasn't going to be any good to stay on the inside,” the rider added. “So, I gave myself the chance to go around and it was a big help for me.”

The victory was part of a strong day for Prat, who won the final three races on the card, including the Grade 3 Peter Pan with We the People.

Bred in France by Jan Krauze, Rougir returned $3 as the 3-5 favorite and bumped her career earnings past the $600,000 mark with the winner's share of the purse of $82,500.

Now having a confidence-builder under her belt, the waters will no doubt get deeper for Rougir going forward, with a possible date in the $750,000 New York (G1) on June 10 at Belmont in play.

“I was thrilled with her race,” said Brown. “She showed a nice turn of foot that she shows us in the morning. It certainly looks like she'll stretch out fine. She's proven at a mile and a quarter previously and I think that's where she's headed. We'll take a look at running her back in the New York Handicap. There was an easy pace and such and she was still able to overcome and run well.”

Our Flash Drive, the longest shot on the board at 28-1, rallied to get second for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and owner Live Oak Plantation, finishing a nose in front of the Tony Dutrow-trained High Opinion at 14-1.

“Shane [Tripp, assistant to Mark Casse] asked me today what my thoughts were going into this,” said Dylan Davis, rider aboard the runner-up. “I told him that we wouldn't be able to out kick them or out close them so we'd have to put her in the game early and go from there. I loved my position – they slowed the pace down. I got into her early, thinking maybe I could get her to run away from the field before Flavien got to me. He had much the best horse, but she ran a great race and I was happy with her.”

The Brown-trained Lemista finished fourth and was followed home by Runaway Rumour, Stolen Holiday, and Plum Ali.

The post Prat Brings Rougir From Last To First For Comfortable Beaugay Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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