Month: August 2022

While conditioner Brad Cox went into the Longines Test (G1) with full confidence in his post-time favorite, Matareya, he was by no means dejected after the Pioneerof the Nile filly was handed her first loss of the year when third in Saturday's seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course.

“It was unfortunate, but listen, she didn't run bad,” said Cox on Sunday morning. “She came out of it good and was tired. Yesterday just wasn't her day. She wasn't quite travelling as easy up the backside as I like to see and how I've seen in her previous races.

“Maybe Saratoga just isn't her thing – it's the 'Graveyard of Champions,'” Cox added, with a laugh. “It is what it is.”

Matareya entered from a cool 6 1/4-length victory in the Acorn (G1) on June 11 at Belmont Park, the first top-level score for the bay filly after earning graded wins in the Eight Belles (G2) at Churchill Downs and Beaumont (G3) at Keeneland earlier this spring.

The Test had an eventful end after Hot Peppers dictated terms throughout the seven furlongs over a demanding good and sealed main track. There was a stewards' inquiry after subsequent winner Chi Town Lady drifted in from the outside while Hot Peppers veered out on the inside and both bumped a tiring Matareya.

Cox said he was fine with there being no change to the order of finish.

“She was [beaten] a length and three quarters and it got a little tight late, but the running was over at that point and it didn't cost her a placing,” Cox said.

Cox added it is too early to say where Matareya may race next, but that he would like to keep her around one turn with the La Brea (G1) on December 26 at Santa Anita as a potential long-term target.

“In the 3-year-old filly division around one turn, all the Grade 1s are pretty much over with the exception of the La Brea at the end of the year, so we'll see,” Cox said.

The post ‘We’ll See’: Matareya’s Next Start TBD After Third As Test Stakes Favorite appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Holy Cow Stable's Naughty Gal made her stakes debut a winning one in Sunday's $200,000 Adirondack (G3), a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas and piloted by Luis Saez, the Into Mischief bay entered from a 9 1/4-length romp in a six-furlong maiden special weight on July 4 at Churchill Downs.

Naughty Gal broke alertly from post 2 and took command through fractions of :22.46  and :46.15 over the fast main track with maiden winner Apple Picker pressing along the rail under Hall of Famer John Velazquez and the Flavien Prat-piloted maiden Janis Joplin looming a threat into the turn.

A misbehaving Naughty Gal traveled extremely wide through the turn as Janis Joplin, Apple Picker, and Sabra Tuff cut the corner and began to make up ground on the runaway pacesetter. Despite racing down the center of the track, Naughty Gal persevered to the wire a 2 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:18.97.

Janis Joplin, third last out in the Schuylerville (G3), completed the exacta by a head over Sabra Tuff with Apple Picker and Damaso rounding out the order of finish. Promise of Hope was pulled up through the turn by Jose Ortiz and vanned off.

It was the third stakes win of the meet for Saez, last year's meet-leading rider, following scores with Fearless [ in the Birdstone] and Art Collector [in the Alydar]. He said Naughty Gal was a little green turning for home.

“At the three-eighths, her ear was back-and-forth looking at something and got a little lost, but she kept running and going,” Saez said. “She gave me another gear and ran good.”

A $350,000 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds In Training purchase, Naughty Gal is out of the stakes-winning Spanish Steps mare Conway Two Step. She provided Lukas a record-extending seventh score in the Adirondack.

The Hall of Famer's past winners include Nervous Baba [1985], Sacahuista [1986], Over All [1987], Pat Copelan [1988], Salty Perfume [1997], and Folklore [2005].

Lukas, who also conditions Schuylerville (G3) runner-up Summer Promise, will look to keep the two fillies separated by having Naughty Gal make her next start in Kentucky in either the $500,000 Alcibiades (G1) on October 7 at Keeneland or the  $300,000 Pocahontas (G3) on September 17 at Churchill Downs.

BC Stables' Summer Promise, by Uncle Mo, will target the $300,000 Spinaway (G1) on September 4 at Saratoga.

Naughty Gal had a trio of breezes over the Oklahoma training track to prepare for her Spa and stakes debut, which Lukas said was a result of seeing Summer Promise tire late in the Schuylerville.

“I didn't have her tight enough and I underestimated how this track is. I think I got her beat, but we'll try to correct that in the Spinaway,” Lukas said. “This one here [Naughty Gal], we pointed for and got a little smarter about what we were going to do. We put a couple of five-eighths [breezes] in her and it paid off.”

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, conditioner of Janis Joplin, said the oddly run stretch drive made it difficult to discern who was in command.

“I thought we had a good shot, and then coming down [the stretch], I couldn't tell whether we were in front or who was in front,” Casse said. “We were watching from the wire and when they got up close, I was like, 'Oh well, second.' I'm happy for Wayne [Lukas]. If we're not going to win, I want Wayne.”

Prat said the now dual graded-stakes placed maiden continues to improve.

“She ran really well and broke better than last time,” Prat said. “She got us into the race and we were traveling well. I thought she could win for a little bit, but the other horse was just better.”

Tom Amoss, trainer of Promise of Hope, reported via Twitter that the filly was in good order back at the barn.

“Happy to report that Promise Of Hope is completely sound at the barn,” Amoss tweeted. “Jose thought he felt something behind when she switched to her inside lead and wanted to be cautious. I am grateful he took care of my horse.”

Bred in Florida by Loren Nichols, Naughty Gal banked $110,000 in victory while improving her record to 2-0-0 from three starts. She returned $4.90 for a $2 win bet.

The post Naughty Gal Goes Wire To Wire For First Stakes Win In Adirondack, Provides Lukas Record Seventh Triumph In Race appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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