This marks the latest edition of “Stackin’ Cheddar: Looking Back”, a new biweekly series on America’s Best Racing. Here, we’ll look back on an early race in the careers of some of the greatest horses of all time, including spots where they went off at a big price.
Month: June 2022
‘Calm and Composed’: Under The Stars Sparkles With Trouble-Free Trip In Summertime Oaks
In her first start for trainer Sean McCarthy, Under the Stars broke cleanly from the gate, attended the early pace set by her stablemate Ganadora, and shook off a determined bid from Lady T to take Sunday's $200,000 Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita by 1 ¼ lengths.
Piloted by leading rider Juan Hernandez, who rang up his 100th win of the meet and his league-leading 22nd stakes victory, Under the Stars got 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.51.
Under the Stars, who lost all chance after stumbling badly in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) April 9, was lapped on Ganadora to her inside around the Club House turn and drew alongside three furlongs out.
Leaving the quarter pole, Under the Stars enjoyed a one length advantage but was quickly engaged to her outside by Lady T, who could not go with the winner a furlong from home.
“I never had the opportunity to work her, but I watched the replays and she's a really kind filly,” said Hernandez, who tripled on the day. “You can do whatever you want with her. She can come from behind like today, she's just a really nice filly.
“…Around the three eighths, she felt the outside horse and she started to pick it up on her own and I felt like she was good. So, I just let her go.”
Originally trained by currently suspended Bob Baffert, Under the Stars, who won the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs three starts back on Jan. 8, was the second choice in a field of seven sophomore fillies and paid $9.20.
“Fortunately, she got away cleanly today,” said McCarthy, who saddled his second winner on the day and trained the winner of Saturday's Affirmed Stakes (G3), Hopper.
“She stumbled badly in the Oaks and it pretty much took her out of contention, which happened to the favorite today. I gotta credit Jimmy Barnes and the whole crew. They did a lot of schooling with her in the paddock. She can get (excited) and today, she was very calm and composed, which I liked. She's put a little weight on since the Santa Anita Oaks, had some time leading into this race, so that helped her obviously. She came in fresh and she showed it today.”
Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Lady T, who came off a 14 ½-length maiden win going one mile at Santa Anita on May 15, broke from the far outside and attended the pace throughout but was no match for Under the Stars when it counted in a solid effort.
Off at 6-1, Lady T was nine lengths clear of Desert Dawn at the wire.
The upset winner of the Santa Anita Oaks two starts back and most recently a big third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 6, Arizona-bred Desert Dawn went to her nose shortly out of the gate, was shuffled back to last, and did well to post a third-place finish.
Under Umberto Rispoli, 3-5 favorite Desert Dawn finished 2 ¼ lengths in front of Ganadora.
Under the Stars, who was bred in Kentucky by Eaton and is campaigned by Coolmore associates, is a daughter of Pioneerof the Nile out of the Storm Cat mare Untouched Talent, a $5 million purchase by Coolmore's M.V. Magnier at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed sale. Under the Stars is a three-quarters sister to Grade 1 winner and dual classic-placed Bodemeister, by Empire Maker.
The post ‘Calm and Composed’: Under The Stars Sparkles With Trouble-Free Trip In Summertime Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Trainer D’Amato Looks To Cap Santa Anita Meet With Third Straight San Juan Capistrano Victory
Enjoying a 55-39 lead over runner-up Doug O'Neill, Phil D'Amato's third Santa Anita training title is all but a formality with only four days remaining in the Winter/Spring meet that began the day after Christmas on Dec. 26.
The 45-year-old San Pedro native hopes to go out in a blaze of glory next Sunday by capturing Santa Anita's traditional closing day stakes finale, the San Juan Capistrano (G3) for the third consecutive year, quite a feat in itself although it pales mightily in comparison to Charlie Whittingham's incomparable record that will likely never be broken of 14 San Juan victories, including five straight years from 1983 through 1987.
The legendary “Bald Eagle” who died at 86 on April 21, 1999, won the San Juan consecutively beginning in 1983 with Erins Isle, (ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr.), 1984 with Load The Cannons (Pincay again), 1985 with Prince True (ridden by Chris McCarron), 1986 with Dahar (Alex Solis up), and 1987 with Rosedale (that man Pincay again).
D'Amato is in a position to have many more successful years with an ever-expanding clientele helping to fuel big meets such as the one he's enjoyed this winter/spring. To that end, he has five horses nominated to the 83rd San Juan, first run in 1935, but he's likely to enter only 2020 San Juan victor Red King and Rijeka.
Red King, remarkably still a full horse at age eight, was fifth in last year's San Juan, one of 40 starts the son of English Channel has made in his lengthy career, winning eight with six seconds and eight thirds, good for earnings of $560,555.
Rijeka, a six-year-old Irish-bred gelding, has a 6-5-3 record from 31 starts with earnings of $310,440.
Both horses worked “head and head” Sunday morning on the training track, going five furlongs in the identical time of 1:01.20.
“Red King is a hard-knocker who showed some good life last time (finishing second in an overnight race May 22, his first start in more than two months),” D'Amato said. “He was a game second and he loves this San Juan Capistrano distance, so he's got all those things in his favor going into this race.
“Rjjeka acts like he's a very kind horse that can run all day, so it should be a good spot for him to get into a nice rhythm and show what he can do at an extended marathon distance.”
D'Amato is not a one-man operation and readily lauds his supportive owners and diligent staff for the team's success.
“I've been fortunate to be paired with some very good owners who constantly look for good horses to add to my stable, and even more important, to have an excellent staff preparing the horses to win these kinds of races,” he said.
Asked his thoughts on Whittingham's staggering mark of 14 San Juan victories in a day when competition was much keener than today, D'Amato said: “What he did back in his era was pretty amazing. I know the San Juan was a lot saltier when he was winning it.
“That's why he's a Hall of Fame legend.”
The post Trainer D’Amato Looks To Cap Santa Anita Meet With Third Straight San Juan Capistrano Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote discusses his interests outside of racing
EXCLUSIVE: It is not what you expect to be saying when you visit the home of a sportsman after the greatest moment in his career but Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote is one hell of a plumber.
