Month: June 2022

Sunday Racing Co.'s 4-year-old filly Songline defeated German-bred colt Schnell Meister, also owned by Sunday Racing, by a neck to win the one-mile Yasuda Kinen (G1) Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.

With the victory, her first in a Group 1 race, Songline earned an automatic starting position in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) November 5 at Keeneland through the Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” series.

Songline, trained by Toru Hayashi and ridden by Kenichi Ikezoe, finished a nose behind Schnell Meister in last year's NHK Mile Cup (G1) at Tokyo, but turned the tables on the familiar rival Sunday, holding off the colt by a slim margin.

In an 18-horse field for the Yasuda Kinen, Songline, the 8-1 fourth choice, was settled behind Salios and in front of Schnell Meister in midpack as the field cruised down the backstretch at a leisurely pace.

Making headway while shifting to the outside before the last corner, Songline unleashed a tenacious stretch drive, finally catching Salios in the final sixteenth and held off Schnell Meister at the wire.

Improving her record to five wins in 11 starts, Songline, a daughter of Kizuna out of the Symboli Kris S mare Luminous Parade,  completed the mile in 1:32.3 over a course listed as good to firm. In her two previous starts this year, Songline won the 1351 Turf Sprint (G3) at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 26, and closed late to finish fifth in the Victoria Mile (G1) May 15.

“I'm just relieved and happy that I was able to live up to the team's expectations,” said winning rider Ikezoe. “It was a tight schedule for the filly but the staff at the stables prepared her remarkably. She broke well and I decided to settle her behind Salios, who rushed up in front of us. Trying not to make the same mistake as last time, we made an early bid before the last corner and she responded well and stretched all the way for a strong finish.”

Schnell Meister, the 4-1 second choice, broke well but was settled in mid-division under jockey Christophe Lemaire, being a bit keen along the backstretch. Boxed in after rounding for home, the son of Kingman struggled to find room climbing the hill. Finally, he shot out between horses to overtake Salios at the same time Songline did on the other side but was a neck short in second.

Salios, under Damian Lane, took a wide trip around seventh just in front of the eventual winner. He responded well to rally for the lead but weakened in the last 100 meters, and gave way to Songline and then the fast-closing Schnell Meister in the last strides for third.

Serifos finished fourth, a half-length behind Salios.

Elusive Panther, the 4-1 favorite, trailed near the rear before hitting the straight in a wide move and quickened in the last 200 meters. He ran the fastest late kick but had too much ground to make up and finished eighth.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Songline to start in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

The post Songline Wins Yasuda Kinen For First Win At Highest Level, Earns Breeders’ Cup Mile Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Evangeline Downs hosted the annual celebration of the Louisiana-bred Thoroughbreds Saturday with the Louisiana Legends Night card on Saturday.

A large crowd was on hand for the night of stakes action that included six stakes races each worth $75,000 for state-bred runners.

Maga Man Scores Turf Repeat

Maga Man displayed a new dimension by sitting off the early speed and rallying to a thrilling victory in the $75,000 Turf, a race he won last year.

Normally a runner found battling for the lead, jockey Joe Stokes was able to get Maga Man to settle off the hot early pace being fought by Forestdungone, Mangelsen and Behemah Star through snappy fractions of :23.21, :47.28, and 1:11.63.

Maga Man was ready to launch a four-wide rally at the top of the lane and engaged the leaders as they reached the furlong marker.  While Behemah Star continued to battle on as the only survivor of the early pace, Jaci's Royalty and City Park were closing from the back of the pack.

Trained by Norman Miller, III, Maga Man was able to dig in and prevailed in a finish that saw the first four finishers separated by less than a combined length.

Maga Man stopped the clock in 1:43.33 over the 1 1/16 mile distance with the official winning margin of a half-length over Jaci's Royalty. It was a head back to third-place finisher Behemah Star and a nose to City Park in fourth.

Owned by Norman Miller IV, Maga Man returned $17.20 to his backers.

The $45,000 winning purse pushed the career totals for Maga Man to 10 victories in 39 career starts and $369,880 in earnings. The 7-year-old gelding, bred by Steven Renshaw, is by Musket Man out of Lew's Gray, by Pulling Punches.

Favorite Free Like A Girl Rolls Home In Soiree

Free Like a Girl ran like a solid favorite is expected to do in her victory over 3-year-old fillies in the $75,000 Soiree.

After breaking a little awkwardly, jockey Pedro Cotto Jr. was able to get Free Like a Girl into a comfortable position just off the early leader Beleout.

Trained by Chasey Deville Pomier, Free Like a Girl ranged up to challenge the leader moving past the quarter pole and opened up a comfortable margin moving past the furlong pole.

Wholelottamo was steadily gaining ground in a runner-up effort but could not threaten the winner. The winning margin for Free Like a Girl was 1 1/4 lengths, with another 7 3/4 lengths to the third-place finisher First I've Seen.

The winner covered the mile distance in a time of 1:39.41.

Sired by El Deal, the bay filly is out of the Flashy Bull mare Flashy Prize and was bred by Kim Renee Stover and Lisa Osborne.  The victory was her seventh from 13 career starts and the $45,000 winning purse pushed her career total to $401,473.

Owned by Double Dam Farm LLC, Free Like a Girl returned $3 to win.

Big Chopper Romps Gate To Wire In Cheval

Kendel Standlee's Big Chopper was hustled to the front and never looked back in his victory in the $75,000 Cheval.

Jockey C.J. McMahon had his mount away alertly from the gate and settled into stride setting fractions of :24.01, :47.83, and 1:11.93 for six furlongs before stopping the clock in 1:37.71 for the mile distance.

Vodka Gimlet was in range throughout but could not get past the determined winner. Favored Touchuponastar, off a very impressive maiden victory, was chasing the eventual victor from the outset and faded to third.

Trained by Scott Gelner, Big Chopper's winning margin was a half-length, with another length separating the second and third finishers.

Big Chopper returned $13.80.

Bred by the owner, the 3-year-old is by Shackleford and is out of the Unusual Heat mare Miss Well Molded. The $45,000 winning purse pushed his career total to $130,480 with his third victory from eight career starts.

Net A Bear Overcomes Traffic To Win Turf Distaff

Maximo Lamarche and Federico Deltoro's Net a Bear returned to her winning ways on the grass with an impressive victory in the $75,000 Turf Distaff.

Jockey Tim Thornton and Net a Bear were unhurried early sitting in fifth position early as longshot Sumitup raced away to an open lengths lead. World War and Great in Red were the first to collar the leader moving into the far turn as the leader gave way after fractions of :23.63 and :48.15.

Through six furlongs in 1:12.26, Net a Bear was shuffled back in some traffic and had to wait for some running room.  As the field straightened away in the lane, the Allen Landry trainee found a clear path and rushed past the leaders to win by 11/4 lengths. World War fought on to finish second a head in front of Great in Red.

The winner stopped the timer in 1:36.91.

Bred by Lora Pitre and Elaine Carroll, Net a Bear was sired by Awesome Bet and is out of the Eddington mare Edacious Reality. Winning for the 12th time in 33 career starts, the $45,000 winning purse pushed her career earnings to $615,970.

The favorite in the wagering, Net a Bear paid $3.40.

Fame Feather Sprints To Mademoiselle Win

Trainer Ron Faucheux and jockey Jareth Loveberry teamed up for their first of two stakes victories as Fame Feather won the $75,000 Mademoiselle.

Winning for the first time over the main track, Fame Feather rallied from off the pace to win the 5 ½-furlong sprint.

Settling off swift early fractions of :21.90 and :45.58 set by Lady Hopper, the Picard Thoroughbreds Racing Stable LLC (Dawn and Jeffrey Picard) runner commenced a rally two wide on the turn and rallied to pull away for a one length victory over Spirited Beauty, a half-length ahead of Snowball who rallied late for a third-place finish.

The winner stopped the timer in 1:04.49.

Bred by Ramona Pierce, Fame Feather is a 7-year-old chestnut mare sired by Lion Tamer out of the Indian Charlie mare Pretty Indian. Winning for the seventh time in 25 career starts, the winner's share increased her career bankroll to $274,330.

Fame Feather returned $21.20.

Bertie's Galaxy Captures Sprint For Second Time

Faucheux and Loveberry found the winner's circle again as Bertie's Galaxy defended his title in the $75,000 Sprint.

Sharp away from the gate, Bertie's Galaxy was quickly in charge leading by a length through an opening quarter in :21.86 with Black Sword and Yankee Seven chasing their familiar rival. Turning for home in a half-mile in :44.63, the Allen Cassedy runner extended the lead to two lengths and was clear at the wire. The winning margin was 2 1/4 lengths over a late closing Creole Charlie and it was another 11/2 lengths back to Takes Two to Tango in third.

Bertie's Galaxy stopped the clock in 1:03.52 for the 5-1/2 furlong distance.

Bertie's Galaxy was bred by Margie Averett and the 6-year-old chestnut gelding is by Greeley's Galaxy out of the Wild Rush mare Wild Bertie.

Off as the favorite, Bertie's Galaxy returned $6.60,

The $45,000 winning share pushed the career bankroll of Bertie's Galaxy to $442,850. The victory was the eleventh from 25 career starts.

The post Louisiana-Breds Shine On Legends Night At Evangeline Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post