Month: November 2022

Juveniles Headline Saturday Graded Stakes Action

Curly Jack (Good Magic) looks to return to winning ways at a venue at which he is already two-for-two in Saturday's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs. A debut winner at this oval in June, he was off the board in Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. in July, but missed by just a head in the Ellis Park Juvenile S. in August. Rallying to victory in this oval's GIII Iroquois S. Sept. 17, the bay was fifth at odds of 55-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Nov. 4.

Steve Asmussen seeks his fourth win in this event and has two chances to do it. Red Route One (Gun Runner) looks to add his sire's long list of accomplishments with just two crops. After two tries on turf, including a maiden win, the Winchell homebred rallied to be third when switched to dirt in Keeneland's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. Oct. 8 and was fifth three weeks later in a sloppy renewal fo the GIII Street Sense S.

His stablemate Gigante (Not This Time) won his only start on dirt and has made his other three runs on grass, including a dominant win in the Kitten's Joy S.

Ken McPeek also saddles two, the Street Sense runner-up Hayes Strike (Connect) and maiden winner of four starts Denington (Gun Runner).

One race prior the juvenile fillies get their time to shine in the GII Golden Rod S., headlined by a pair of undefeated debutantes, both of whom have scored all their victories beneath the Twin Spires. Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) won on debut here Sept. 25 and romped by 7 1/2 lengths over T Max (Connect) in the Rags to Riches S. Oct. 30.

Godolphin homebred Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) opened her account here with a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy effort Sept. 18 and took a sloppy optional claimer Oct. 30. She will attempt two turns for the first time here.

Bill Mott ships in with a live one in American Rockette (American Pharoah). Rallying to victory in an off-the-turf sprint at Saratoga July 21, the bay closed well to be fourth in that venue's GI Spinaway S. Sept. 4 and filled the same spot in Belmont's GI Frizette S. Oct. 2.

Woodbine also hosts a pair of graded events for 2-year-olds in the GIII Grey S. and GIII Mazarine S. Colts are up first in the Grey, which is headlined by Hal (Accelerate). A debut winner at this venue Oct. 2, he followed suit with a win in the Display S. Nov. 5.

Mark Casse saddles three members of this seven-horse field, all of which are fillies taking on the boys, topped by Forever Dixie (Quality Road). Graduating at fourth asking when switched to the local synthetic Oct. 1, she rallied to be a close second in the Glorious Song S. Nov. 5 and, like Hal, attempts two turns for the first time here.

Casse also sends out debut winner Ryder Ryder Ryder (Quality Road) and Renegade Rebel (Nyquist), who earned diploma over track and trip in her fourth attempt Oct. 29.

All three fillies are cross-entered in the Mazarine and will likely be split between the two tests. Also worth a look in the Mazarine is Honor D Lady (Honor Code), who graduated at second asking going this distance on the Gulfstream synthetic Oct. 7 and gets Lasix for the first time here.

Saturday's action also offers four graded events for older horses: the GIII Fall Highweight S. and GII Red Smith S. at Aqueduct, the GII Seabiscuit H. at Del Mar and the GIII Berkeley H. at Golden Gate.

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Classic And Breeders’ Cup Heroine Tuesday Retired

Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Cazoo Oaks and the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, has been retired from racing to become a broodmare.

Raced by Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the Coolmore-bred bay started 10 times, her final eight all in Group 1 company. Off the mark at second asking in her 3-year-old bow at Naas in March, she ran third in the G1 1000 Guineas in May, before going one better in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas later that month. Stepped up in trip at Epsom, Tuesday prevailed by a nose on June 3. Also, second in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks two starts later in August, she attended the Breeders' Cup on the back of a sixth-place run in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to triumph by a length on Nov. 5. Her record stands at 10-3-3-1, $1,828,827.

“Obviously, we were delighted with what Tuesday achieved,” said trainer Aidan O'Brien. “She had a great run in the Guineas, then won the Oaks and to finish off winning at the Breeders' Cup was incredible really.”

Out of G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Tuesday is a full-sister to seven-time Group 1 winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), fellow Classic winner and Group 1 winner Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial heroine Kissed By Angels (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). This is the extended family of G1 Prix de l'Opera scorer and G1 Prix Saint-Alary second Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

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Home Team Face Sneaky Euro Challenge in Japan Cup

In the first 11 runnings of the G1 Longines Japan Cup, foreign raiders were successful no fewer than nine times, with winners from America, Australia, France, Ireland and New Zealand. But not since Alkaased (Kingmambo) defeated Heart's Cry (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) in 2005 for Frankie Dettori and Luca Cumani has any overseas-based galloper managed to land a winning blow. The locals will be favoured to take that current streak to 17 when a full field loads the gate at Tokyo Sunday afternoon, but Europe has strength in numbers–and class–to make things at least a little bit interesting.

Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), winner of the 2021 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) over Sunday's course and 2400-metre trip, completed a 1-3 finish for his late sire behind fellow Derby winner Contrail (Jpn) last year and will have his fair share of backers. Winner of this year's G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic without the benefit of a tightener, the Sunday Racing runner failed to handle the challenges that Ascot brings when fourth of five in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. in June. The dark bay prepped for this with a fifth in the Oct. 30 G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), in which G1 Dubai Turf dead-heater Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) led by double digits into the final 600 metres, only to be run down by the G1 Arima Kinen-bound Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). Shahryar ran home in :33.6 that day and should strip fitter over a more suitable distance Sunday.

“He's come out of the race very well so we were able to have him back in training right away,” said assistant trainer Nobuyuki Tashiro. “His fast work was last week on Nov. 17 on the grass track. His weight hasn't changed much but, having raced, he's sharpened him up. He's leaner, with good muscle tone, and everything is going smoothly.”

 

 

Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) is the lone Japanese-bred three-year-old in the field and–with just five starts under his belt–is one of the least experienced. He makes up for that with abundant talent, as he bested future G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) hero Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) in Group 3 company in February before finishing fourth in the Guineas and in the Derby. He closed off even more sharply than Shahryar in the Tenno Sho (:32.8) and he, too, can improve second-up.

Vela Azul (Jpn) (Eishin Flash {Jpn}) is very much the 'now' horse and a different proposition altogether since switching to the turf this year. A two-time winner from 16 tries on the dirt, he is three-for-five on the grass, including a fast-finishing defeat of Boccherini (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the 2400-metre G2 Kyoto Daishoten at Hanshin Oct. 10. The visiting Ryan Moore hops aboard.

Weltreisende (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) accounted for recent G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup heroine Geraldina (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) in Group 2 company in June, but disappointed when sixth behind that rival in the G2 All Comers S. Sept. 25. Damian Lane, in the irons for the five-year-old's last win, has the call.

Can Team Europe Turn The Tide?

As he has been in almost every racing jurisdiction, Frankel (GB) has proved an unqualified success in Japan, with 33 winners including dual-surface Group 1 winner Mozu Ascot, two-time champion Soul Stirring (Jpn) and top-level scorer Grenadier Guards (Jpn). A Japan Cup victory from Onesto (Ire) could somehow manage to elevate the stallion's profile further still.

The chestnut announced his arrival really and truly with a last-to-first tally over Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz) in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris on Bastille Day and was exceptionally brave when just beaten by Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. Sept. 10. The chestnut clearly hated the boggy underfoot conditions at ParisLongchamp in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Oct. 2 and his 10th-place effort to Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was achieved on heart alone. Christophe Lemaire takes the unusual decision to side with the foreigner over a local ride.

“The trip to Japan went very smoothly–it was a 24-hour trip from our stables at Chantilly to the quarantine stables here at Tokyo Racecourse,” trainer Fabrice Chappet said. “The staff is happy with the wonderful facility and the climate is great for the horse too.”

 

 

 

Simca Mille did his part to frank the Grand Prix de Paris form when finishing well to land the G2 Prix Niel on Arc Trials day Sept. 11, but swerved the Arc itself in favour of this spot. Gregory Benoist retains the ride.

Grand Glory (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) covered herself in glory when staying on into fifth in last year's race and added this year's G3 Prix Allex France. She ran on from the tail to be a highly creditable fifth in the Arc and was recently snapped up by Shadai as a future member of their powerful broodmare band.

Tunnes (Ger) (Guilani {Ger}) is the ultimate wildcard in Sunday's test. Beaten just once in six career starts, the half-brother to Arc winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) streaked home to win the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern by 10 lengths Nov. 6. Most of his German form is over easy ground and he will have to cope with a much quicker surface this weekend. Lando (Ger) won the 1995 Japan Cup for Germany.

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