Month: December 2022

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher could take a familiar trail to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) with Stonestreet Stables' homebred Julia Shining, who earned 10 qualifying points toward the prestigious event with a late-rallying win in Saturday's Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack.

There were some anxious moments during the nine-furlong test for 2-year-old fillies, but Julia Shining's class prevailed in the end as she made a seven-wide move in the stretch under Luis Saez, coming from well off the pace to win her stakes debut by a neck over maiden Affirmative Lady. The victory, which earned a 70 Beyer Speed Figure, was reminiscent of her champion full sister Malathaat, who won the 2020 Demoiselle in similar fashion. Both Julia Shining and Malathaat are by Curlin and out of Grade 1-winner Dreaming of Julia.

“There are some similarities for sure. Luis commented that she idled a little bit when she put her head in front. That was a characteristic that Malathaat had as well,” Pletcher said.

Julia Shining is scheduled to ship to Pletcher's primary winter division at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida on Monday. While no plans have been confirmed for her next start, Pletcher said he is considering the $150,000 Suncoast on February 11 at Tampa Bay Downs [20-8-6-4-2 qualifying points] and the Grade 1 Ashland in April at Keeneland [100-40-30-20-10 qualifying points]. He took the same path with 2021 Demoiselle winner Nest, who finished second in the Kentucky Oaks en route to scores in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama this summer at Saratoga.

“We'll ship her down to Palm Beach Downs [on Monday],” Pletcher said. “We'll lay out a game plan. I need to talk about it with Barbara Banke and the Stonestreet people, but I'm kind of thinking about a similar path as Nest had with the Suncoast as a possibility maybe leading into the Ashland after that. Plenty of time to sort that out.”

Julia Shining also overcome adversity to win her October debut at Keeneland, traveling wide and making up considerable ground.

“I think that's been a reflection of just how talented she is. She's still putting things together; she's still learning to accept the kickback,” Pletcher said. “Until she becomes a little more seasoned, we might have to sacrifice some ground loss to keep her in the clear, but for her to win those two races shows how much natural talent there is there.”

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Favorite Speed Boat Beach collared pacesetter Game Time at the quarter pole to lead in the $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille (G3) for 2-year-olds, then knuckled down when that rival fought back and held him off for a close win Sunday at Del Mar.

Under Flavien Prat, who won the  2018 edition of the race with Flying Scotsman, Speed Boat Beach pressed outside of Game Time, who set swift fractions of :22.82, :47.30, and 1:12.08 for six furlongs in the one-mile turf test. On cue, Speed Boat Beach smartly rallied and headed the front-runner with a quarter mile to run. Game Time, dug in for Umberto Rispoli and re-engaged Speed Boat Beach in the final furlong, but the winner proved too strong and scored by a half length.

Speed Boat Beach finished the trip in 1:35.38 on a firm course. He returned $5.40.

First Peace was third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Game Time.

Speed Boat Beach, a Florida-bred Bayern colt, rebounded with aplomb from a ninth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland, which followed triumphs in the Speakeasy Stakes Oct. 2 at Santa Anita and his track-record-setting maiden debut Sept. 10 at Del Mar (5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.86). His career line stands at 3-0-0 from four starts and earnings of $178,000.

Campaigned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, who bought him from consignor Really and Truly Thoroughbreds for $200,000 at the OBS March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, Speed Boat Beach was bred by Caperlane Farm from the Pioneerof the Nile mare Sophia Mia.

Prat, who won five races on the card, also won the Matriarch (G1) with Regal Glory.

CECIL B. DeMILLE STAKES (G3) QUOTES

JOCKEY FLAVIEN PRAT (Speed Boat Beach, winner ) – “He broke well and I thought I was going to be on the lead. But Umberto (Rispoli on Game Time) wanted to go, so we were fine running second. My horse was relaxed and that's what I wanted. When it came time, he went about his business. Two turns, no problem today. Good race for him.”

TRAINER BOB BAFFERT (Speed Boat Beach, winner) – “I liked the way he relaxed and (yet) he has the speed. For a horse that can go from a five and a half track record and then win going a mile on the turf, that's a pretty good race horse and he's going to get better with age. So we'll just pick our spots with him. Just have fun with him.”

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Peter Brant's Regal Glory relaxed off the early pace, then uncoiled a torrid outside rally in the stretch for a repeat win in the $400,000 Matriarch Stakes (G1) Sunday at Del Mar.

Ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown, Regal Glory blew past pacesetter Hamwood Flier midway down the land and drew off, winning by 5 1/4 lengths and finishing the one-mile turf contest for fillies and mares in 1:33.60 on firm footing.

England's Rose was second, and nose in front of third-place finisher Pizza Bianco. Hamwood Flier held on for fourth in eight-horse field.

Regal Glory bided her time in fourth as Hamwood Flier sprinted clear to control the early pace and opened a long lead on the backstretch while setting quick fractions of :23.58 and :46.12 through a half mile. She clocked 1:09.81 for six furlongs but Regal Glory was ready to roll in upper stretch and quickly put the outcome out of question in the matter of few authoritative strides.

Regal Glory returned $3.20. Brown said prior to the Matriarch that Regal Glory would be retired afterward.

Winner of last year's edition of the Matriarch in a wire-to-wire romp, Regal Glory earned her fourth win from seven starts this year and posted her first victory in four starts since capturing the Just a Game (G1) June 11 at Belmont. Overall, her career line stands at 13-6-0 from 23 starts and earnings of $2,619,134. She tallied her fourth win at the highest level, including the 2021 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland.

Regal Glory, a Kentucky-bred 6-year-old Animal Kingdom mare produced by the More Than Ready mare Mary's Follies, earlier raced as a homebred for  Paul P. Pompa, who died in 2020. She sold to Brant's White Birch Farm for $925,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, where Lane's End consigned.

The Matriarch win marked a Sunday graded stakes sweep for Prat, who guided Speed Boat Beach to victory in the Cecil B. DeMille (G3) two races earlier on the card.

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