Month: September 2022

Leading rider Juan Hernandez took a gamble on the backside with his mare Avenue de France and he cashed it in at the wire when they held on by half a length over the charging 1-2 race favorite Going Global in Saturday's $251,000 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar.

Hernandez's bold jump proved just what his daughter of Cityscape needed to capture the Grade 2 stakes and pick up a check for $150,000 to increase her earnings to $525,066.  It was her eighth career victory in her 22nd start. The French-bred turf specialist is trained by Frenchman Leonard Powell and she covered the nine furlongs on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course in 1:47.96.

Going Global, who races for Dub, Gevertz or Nentwig, et al, had 2 1/2 lengths on third-place finisher Going to Vegas, who goes for Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing.

The winner paid $23.80, $5.60 and $2.60, while Going Global returned $2.20 and $2.10. Going to Vegas paid $2.10 to show.

The race was part of the Pick 6 sequence at Del Mar, which was not hit again causing a carryover of $166,281 into Sunday's final card of the season. There is a mandatory payout on the wager tomorrow, which will be held on races six to 11. First post for the finale is 1 p.m.

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JUAN HERNANDEZ (Avenue de France, winner)– “This filly always moves the last quarter of the race, but today I took my chance and went around at the half mile. She was pulling and it looked like she wanted room, so I saw the opportunity to go around and make my move a little early today. Nothing caught us at the three-eighths (pole) and I took my chance. If I was going to get caught, I would have gotten caught at the wire. Good thing my filly held on through that move and won.”

LEONARD POWELL (Avenue de France, winner) – “She's on her game. She's got a very good turn of foot. She caught Going Global flat footed at the three-eighths and when Going Global came at her she re-rallied. I thought he (Juan Hernandez) had moved too early, honestly, but it turned out to be the winning move. That's why Juan is at the top of the ladder right now.”

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FRACTIONS:  :23.73  :46.53  1:11.00  1:35.50  1:47.96

The stakes win was the 11th of the meet for rider Hernandez, but his first in the John C. Mabee Stakes. He now has 26 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for trainer Powell, but his first in the John C. Mabee Stakes. He now has eight stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Stephen Aron of Santa Monica (Convergence Stable, Sol Kumin of New York City (Madaket Stables) and partners.

The post Avenue De France Upsets Going Global in John C. Mabee On Del Mar Turf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Peter Redekop's And Tell Me Nolies dug in late and just caught race favorite Home Cooking at the wire to register a notable upset in Saturday's Grade 1, $301,000 TVG Del Mar Debutante Stakes.

Ridden by veteran Ramon Vazquez, who was recording the first Grade 1 tally of his career in the mainland U.S., the bay filly by the late Arrogate covered the seven-furlong distance in 1:23.29 to get up by a head. Peter Miller trains the winner.

Home Cooking, who is owned by the partnership of Pegram, Watson and Weitman, went off at odds of 7-10 and just missed. Finishing third, three and three-quarter lengths farther back, was Perry and Ramona Bass' Ice Dancing.

And Tell Me Nolies earned a check for $180,000 for her efforts and now has two wins in three starts and earnings of $232,800.

The winner paid $21.60, $5.40 and $3.00. Home Cooking returned $2.60 and $2.10, while Ice Dancing paid $2.60 to show.

The TVG Del Mar Debutante is considered the championship event of the Del Mar meeting for 2-year-old fillies.

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RAMON VAZQUEZ (And Tell Me Nolies, winner) – “I told Peter (trainer Miller) that I had confidence in this filly right from the start. I'm glad he was loyal to me and let me ride her in this one. She was a runner all the way today. And I knew I was the winner at the wire. This is my first Grade I win. It is so amazing. I want to thank Peter for giving me this chance. This is amazing.”

PETER MILLER (And Tell Me Nolies, winner) – “I didn't see a ton of speed on the form. We were drawn inside. I think he (Ramon Vasquez) wanted to get position, which he did. I did like some of the moves he made. At the five-eighths pole when he beat Cedillo (Vegas Magic) to the spot, and then when he got her outside around the two-and-a-half furlong pole, I felt really good.”

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FRACTIONS:  :22.01  :44.36  1:09.92  1:23.29

The stakes win by jockey Vazquez was his third of the meet, but his first in the TVG Del Mar Debutante. He now has three stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win by trainer Miller was his second of the meet and his second (Set Play, 2007) in the Del Mar Debutante. He now has 46 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owner is Peter Redekop of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The post And Tell Me Nolies Up Just In Time To Take TVG Del Mar Debutante appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Irish-bred filly Comanche Country sat mid-pack for most of the one-mile trip Saturday in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, then tipped out at the head of the lane and leveled off to come away with a length and a quarter victory under turf specialist Umberto Rispoli.

The 2-year-old daughter of Highland Reel, trained by Phil D'Amato, ran the distance in 1:35.97 to earn honors in the $103,000 black type affair.

Finishing second in the 11-horse lineup was Brown, Klein or Lebherz's Sell the Dream, who had another length and a quarter on third-place finisher Excelia, owned by R Unicorn Stable.

The winner picked up a check for $60,000 and moved her bankroll to $111,287. She's won both her U.S. starts since coming over from Ireland this spring.

Comanche Country paid $6.60, $3.80 and $3.00 across the board as the second favorite in the turfer. Sell the Dream paid $9.40 and $4.00, while Excelia paid $9.00 to show.

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UMBERTO RISPOLI (Comanche Country, winner) – “I was very confident on the backside. I feel no pressure on the backside, so I take my time and I knew I had a lot of horse underneath. Once I press the button she kept on.  It was easy. Once she reached the front she was waiting from other horses. I think she'll be even better at 3-years-old, once she really builds muscle and grows her mind. She's lovely, good character, good mindset and everything is good for her.” 

PHIL D'AMATO (Comanche Country, winner) –  “She just looked like she was in the right spot. They were winging it up there and he (Umberto Rispoli) looked like he was in perfect position to strike on the outside. He pressed the button and she turned it on. If she can give me another good run at Santa Anita, I'd definitely consider something like the Breeders' Cup, one of the juvenile turf races.”

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FRACTIONS:  :22.68  :46.13  1:11.08  1:23.92  1:35.97

The stakes win was the sixth of the meet for rider Rispoli, but his first in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. He now has 18 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the sixth of the meet for trainer D'Amato, but his first in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. He now has 41 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are Little Red Feather Racing, headed by Billy Koch of Woodland Hills, CA; Sterling Racing of Kevin Bogan of Tustin, CA and Marsha Naify of Solana Beach, CA.

The post Rispoli Guides Comanche Country To Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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