Month: November 2022

David Fawkes Stable Inc.'s Noble Drama rallied from last to catch favored Super Corinto at the finish to win Saturday's feature at Gulfstream Park, in which multiple Grade 1-placed Jesus' Team returned to the races off a 15-month layoff.

Jesus' Team, who was sidelined while battling cases of salmonella and laminitis that followed minor surgery to remove an ankle chip, was never a factor while finishing ninth in the one-mile optional claiming allowance.

“He'd needed the race. He's been through a lot,” said trainer Jose D'Angelo, who saddled the son of Tapiture for runner-up finishes in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and 2021 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and a third-place finish in the 2020 Preakness Stakes (G1). “I'm happy with his race.”

Super Corinto, a Group 1-winning Chilean import making his first start in the U.S. for trainer Amador Sanchez, went to post as the 8-5 favorite and appeared on his way to victory under Hector Berrios after taking the lead at the top of the stretch. Noble Drama, a seven-time stakes winner over the Gulfstream Park main track, made a wide sweep into the stretch and finished powerfully to prevail by a half-length.

“He's a nice horse, isn't he? That's him. The Silky Sullivan of today,” trainer and owner David Fawkes said of Noble Drama, a 7-year-old Gone Astray gelding, who was bred by Harold L. Queen. 'He's a neat horse.”

Noble Drama ($26.20) is a close relative to Queen's homebreds Big Drama, 2010 champion sprinter  (by Montbrook) and Sheer Drama, a multiple Grade 1 winner (by Burning Roma), a half brothers produced by the Notebook mare Riveting Drama. Fawkes trained both runners.

Noble Drama ran the mile in 1:35.13 under Emisael Jaramillo.

Jet Set Racing's Super Corinto was making his first start since capturing the Gran Premio Hipodromo Chile (G1) April 30.

Pacesetter Wind of Change held on to finish third.

The post ‘The Silky Sullivan Of Today’: Noble Drama Foils Favorite Super Corinto, Comebacking Jesus’ Team In Gulfstream Feature appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ontario-bred Il Malocchio, under Sahin Civaci, took the Grade 3 $171,300 Maple Leaf Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

Trained by Martin Drexler for owner and breeder Franco Meli, the 4-year-old daughter of Souper Speedy was full of run down the lane to record her third career score and first graded stakes victory in the 1 ¼-mile Tapeta test for fillies and mares.

Settled into fifth early, Il Malocchio, sent off at 9-1, watched an early scramble for the lead develop, as 2-1 choice Transient, with Jose Ortiz in the irons, eventually struck front after leaving from the outside post 11, and then proceeded to take her 10 rivals through an opening quarter in :23.93.

Transient was a half-length on top through a half-mile reached in :47.12, while Il Malocchio, still fifth, was yet to be given her cue from Civaci.

As the field turned for home after three-quarters in 1:11.82, Transient was under pressure from Angelou to her outside, while Il Malocchio kept gaining on the leaders, moving into third position at the stretch call.

With Angelou and Transient matching strides, Il Malocchio blew by to earn a one-length victory in a time of 2:02.55. Angelou bested Transient by half-length for the runner-up spot, while Silent Causeway rallied from far back to secure fourth.

Il Malocchio came into the Maple Leaf having gone 0-3-1 from seven starts on the season.

“First of all, she's enjoying the cooler weather for sure,” Drexler said. “She had a couple little setbacks in the summer. I also thought she got the perfect trip today. It was a perfect setup right from the beginning. She sat just off the pace, there was a little bit of pace to run at, she saved ground, and the rail was good today. It just really set up for her. She's just been always on. Some days, she struggles in the heat a bit. This weather and the type of track we had today, I think she enjoyed that.”

Meli, who will turn 50 on Sunday, was equally pleased with the filly who won the 2020 edition of the Victorian Queen Stakes and last year's Bison City Stakes.

“For some reason, I was very confident,” Meli said. “It was the distance. The mile and a quarter I thought would really help her, and the cooler weather. I knew she had a really rough summer.”

Il Malocchio, now 3-6-3 from 19 lifetime starts, paid $20.40 for the win.

The post ‘She Had A Couple Little Setbacks In The Summer’: Il Malocchio Makes The Grade In First Win Of Year In Woodbine’s Maple Leaf appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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