Although it looked like it battle might loom in the $500,000, Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks July 23 at Saratoga Race Course when Longines Kentucky Oaks victress Secret Oath drew even with Kentucky Oaks runner-up
Month: July 2022
Nest Romps in CCA Oaks
Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) found herself somewhat surprisingly on the lead early in Saturday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks, but still left little doubt as to who the top sophomore filly in the country is right now as she galloped home 12 1/4 lengths clear of main rival Secret Oath (Arrogate) in the Saratoga stretch.
Having seen a three-race win streak snapped when she settled for second as the favorite to Secret Oath in the May 6 GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, Nest was coming off a solid second to stablemate Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GI Belmont S. June 11. Despite having lost a two-length decision to Secret Oath in their prior match-up, Nest was installed the public's 4-5 pick over the last-out GI Preakness S. fourth finisher.
Expected pacesetter Society (Gun Runner) was one of the two inside runners to break awkwardly, and Nest immediately to their outside was ridden along by Irad Ortiz, Jr. to seize the narrow lead with Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) and Secret Oath not far behind while one and two paths off the fence, respectively. Society was headstrong in behind the leading trio, and snuck up the fence midway on the first turn to take over briefly. Nest put a head back in front after the opening quarter of :24.10 and before the :47.46 half.
Secret Oath was given her cue by Luis Saez to challenge Nest entering the home bend, and the stage appeared set for a throwdown that could very well decide Eclipse honors at the end of the year. But by midway on the turn it was clear that Nest had far more to give, and the bay quickened nicely with a couple reminders from Ortiz in upper stretch before being wrapped up late.
“My plan was not to be on the lead, but I wanted to break good out of there,” Ortiz said. “Honestly, that was the main thing and I tried to break, and she broke clean and I realized the other filly didn't break well. So I said, 'let's go, Plan B.' I was in front and didn't panic. I just let her do her thing. That was [how] the race came up. Everything changed when the gates opened and I just let her do her thing and she did the rest.”
A five-length debut romper routing at Belmont last September, Nest was a close third in the Tempted S. that November before making the grade by a neck in Aqueduct's nine-panel GII Demoiselle S. Dec. 4. She resurfaced to dominate Tampa's Suncoast S. Feb. 12, and doubled up by daylight in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Apr. 8 ahead of her Oaks and Belmont appearances.
“It's funny how you spend a lot of time analyzing a game plan and then, as they say, everything can change at the break–which it did today,” said Pletcher, winner of a record eight renewals of this event, including one each previously in back-to-back years for Repole (Stopchargingmaria {Tale of the Cat}, 2014) and Eclipse (Curalina {Curlin}, 2015). “The main thing is we wanted to establish some position, get away smoothly and get to the first turn in a forward position. We were able to do that even though everyone wasn't positioned exactly where we thought they would be. It turned out to ultimately to have those four fillies bunch up together and [Nest] was able to fend off the challenge from Secret Oath and keep going.”
Nest and Secret Oath are both likely to return for the 10-panel GI Alabama S. Aug. 20. As for the decision to run in this spot as well, Pletcher said, “We've run a lot of horses in the Belmont over the years, but we've never had one come out any better than she did. She had great energy and she gained weight since that race. She gave us every indication she was ready to run back. Originally, we thought we should wait for the Alabama, but she was just doing too good to bypass this race.”
The runner-up's trainer D. Wayne Lukas, Pletcher's former boss, offered: “I think coming in here, shipping in is always difficult. The winner ran a super, super race. She won fair and square. We hung a little bit. We needed, I think, to have been a little tighter on this track. Coming in here and shipping from out of state is tough–it always has been, and I've been here 50 years. It's always been a place where you do a little better if you have an out over it. But the good news is we'll have another shot.”
Saturday, Saratoga
COACHING CLUB AMERICAN OAKS-GI, $485,000, Saratoga, 7-23, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:51.04, ft.
1–NEST, 121, f, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and House, Michael; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 8-5-2-1, $1,405,550. *1/2 to Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile), MSP, $156,155; Full to Idol, GISW, $426,964. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Secret Oath, 121, f, 3, by Arrogate
1st Dam: Absinthe Minded (MSW & MGISP, $607,747), by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Rockford Peach, by Great Above
3rd Dam: Strawberry Skyline, by Hatchet Man
O-Briland Farm; B-Briland Farm, Robert & Stacy Mitchell (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas. $100,000.
3–Nostalgic, 121, f, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Been Here Before (SP), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Connie Belle, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Minister's Melody, by Deputy Minister
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. $60,000.
Margins: 12 1/4, 3, 2HF. Odds: 0.95, 1.20, 20.30.
Also Ran: Society, Butterbean.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Pedigree Notes:
One of Curlin's 18 Grade I winners, Nest is the third daughter of the two-time Horse of the Year to take the CCA Oaks, joining the aforementioned Curalina and 2020 heroine Paris Lights. She is bred on the same cross with A.P. Indy as stablemate and 2021 champion 3-year-old filly Malathaat, who looks to avenge a narrow loss to Claririere (Curlin) in last month's GI Ogden Phipps S. in Sunday's GII Shuvee S.
Both Clairiere and Paris Lights are out of mares by top broodmare sire Bernardini, and Nest's stakes-winning dam Marion Ravenwood is bred on the same cross as Bernardini being out of a Quiet American mare herself.
In addition to Nest and 2021 GI Santa Anita H. hero Idol, Marion Ravenwood is responsible for $275,000 KEESEP '21 yearling Lost Ark (Violence), who took his unveiling by 5 1/2 lengths for Pletcher and Harrell Ventures earlier this month at Belmont. Out of GSW/GISP and $2.5-million FTKNOV seller Andujar, Marion Ravenwood was barren to City of Light in 2021 and was bred to both Quality Road and Curlin for 2022 but a foal has not been registered as of now.
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Pyledriver Wins King George VI & QEII Stakes, Earns Berth To Breeders’ Cup Turf
Jon Lees, reporting from Ascot
The La Pyle Partnership's Pyledriver upset the established order at Ascot to capture the 1 ½-mile QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), Britain's all-aged middle distance championship race, on Sunday and earned a guaranteed starting position in the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge “ Win and You're In” series.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington on Nov. 4-5.
At odds of 18-1, the joint outsider with Broome of the six-runner field, Pyledriver delivered co-trainers William Muir and Chris Grassick their greatest moment in the sport by defeating last year's Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Torquator Tasso and 2021 Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Mishriff—and there was no fluke about it.
The 5-year-old Pyledriver, a son of Harbour Watch out of the jumping mare La Pyle had given Muir, a license-holder for 31 years, his first top-level victory in the Coronation Cup (G1) at Epsom in 2021, but a training setback kept Pyledriver off the track until the end of the year.
Despite seeing him finish a well-beaten second on his return to defend his Coronation Cup title in June, Muir, in his second year in partnership with Grassick, went into the King George with every confidence of a better outcome.
Ridden by P. J. McDonald, Pyledriver sat off the pacesetting 3-year-old Westover, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) winner and 13-8 favorite, and Broome. Once pulled out to challenge with a quarter mile to run, Pyledriver drew clear of the field to score by 2 ¾ lengths in 2:29.49 on turf rated good to firm. There was another eight lengths between Torquator Tasso and Mishriff, with Broome fourth. Westover finished fifth and the filly Emily Upjohn sixth. Pyledriver improved his record to seven wins in 18 starts.
McDonald had replaced Frankie Dettori, who had been claimed by the John and Thady Gosden stable for Emily Upjohn, who in turn had filled in for regular jockey Martin Dwyer, Muir's son-in-law, who is out injured.
McDonald, who started out as a jump jockey winning the four-mile Scottish Grand National in 2007, said: “When Martin got injured I knew my name was in the hat but Frankie became available and I understand why they decided to go with him.
“Today, it was my time. Everything panned out so well. I can't believe it. I was waiting in that last furlong to see where the rest were but they never came. You cherish every one of these big winners because of how hard you have to work through your career to get them.”
Muir, 64, said: “I knew he would win a fortnight ago. This is the horse you just dream of. People can knock him but this is a champion.
“I knew he was good. I was disappointed last time in the Coronation Cup because I feel they went a sedate pace and it turned into a sprint race. This horse loves an end-to-end gallop.
“I've been in the game a long time and I could probably cry. I'm not a crier but I feel very emotional. This is everything.”
He continued: “Westover was breathtaking in the Irish Derby but he'd never taken on the older horses. I've seen this race through my years and this is a tough race. I knew it was over a furlong out. I was through the crowd like a leveret [young hare]! He is a beast when he's ready, and I knew he was ready. We're a small yard and to get a horse like this is just what you dream of.”
The La Pyle Partnership, who also bred Pyledriver, comprises brothers Guy and Huw Leach and their friend Roger Devlin, who bought the horse back at auction when the bidding only reached 10,000 guineas (US$12,600).
The Longines Breeders' Cup Turf is one of a host of international prizes that could beckon at the end of the year for Pyledriver, but the only race Muir would commit to at this stage was the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), which is also a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.
“He is going to the Arc,” he said. “We made the plan last year, Coronation, King George, Arc.
Pyledriver becomes the fifth horse to earn an automatic starting position into this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, joining Village King, winner of the Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini (G1) in Argentina, State Of Rest, who won the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, Titleholder, who captured the Takarazuka Kinen (G1) in Japan, and Nautilus, winner of the Grande Premio Brasil (G1) in Brazil.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Pyledriver to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 24 to receive the rewards.
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Irish War Cry Gets First Winner at Delaware
3rd-Delaware, $43,350, Msw, 7-23, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:06.99, ft, 3 3/4 lengths.
PRINCESS CHESSIE (f, 2, Irish War Cry–Sensible Shoes, by Songandaprayer) became her freshman sire (by Curlin)'s first winner with this 18-1 longshot rally from the back of the field. The David Bloom homebred settled off the pace early in sixth, improved her position through the bend, and launched a wide bid that carried her over the top late by 3 3/4 lengths. The 9-5 favorite Rowsie Express (Golden Lad) followed that one in for minor awards. Princess Chessie is the most recent winning addition for her dam, followed by a yearling and 2022 filly by Holy Boss. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $24,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-David Benjamin Bloom (MD); T-Baltazar Galvan.
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