December, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Out In a Blaze of ‘Glory’ in Matriarch

Some outstanding turf distaffers have prevailed down the years in the GI Matriarch S., contested at Del Mar since the permanent closure of Hollywood Park in 2013. The late Bobby Frankel sent out the closely related Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert) and Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill) to win in 2003 and 2004, respectively–after the race was shortened to a mile–and the honor roll is graced by the likes of Juddmonte's Ventura (Chester House), the globetrotting Miss Temple City (Temple City) and champion Uni (GB). The latter gave Chad Brown, Frankel's star pupil, his second Matriarch in 2018 and Sunday afternoon, Peter Brant's 'TDN Rising Star' Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) made it five out of the last six runnings with a smashing defense of her title. It marked the first time the Matriarch has seen a repeat winner since Flawlessly (Affirmed) won three straight from 1991 to 1993.

Prohibitively favored off a 10th-place effort behind Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland Nov. 4, the blaze-faced chestnut was a bit tardy from the stalls and landed in fourth position as Hamwood Flier (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was loose on the lead through a moderate opening couple of furlongs in :23.58, but she got aggressive beneath Mike Smith and covered an internal quarter-mile in a taxing :22.54.

Still as many as eight lengths clear as they raced around the turn, Regal Glory commenced her rally three wide with 2 1/2 furlongs to go, swallowed up the spent pacesetter with what has become her trademark turn of foot and sped clear. England's Rose (English Channel) took a three-way photo for second over course-and-distance GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Hamwood Flier rounded out the superfecta.

“I had great respect for Mike's [Smith] filly, but there was nothing I could do about it then,” said the in-form Flavien Prat. “My mare had to run her race. Once she got going, I knew we were going to be all right.”

Brant acquired Regal Glory, theretofore a dual graded winner, for a joint sales-topping $925,000 out of the Paul Pompa dispersal at the 2021 Keeneland January sale and the mare earned back about half that investment at the races last year, capped by her season-ending victory in this event. Kept in training for a 6-year-old season, Regal Glory landed her seasonal debut in the GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf in January, then outkicked favored stablemate Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Fr}) to score by a length in Keeneland's GI Jenny Wiley S. in April.

“It was [Brant's] call to keep her in training this year,” Brown said after a record fifth Jenny Wiley that took him past Frankel and Bill Mott. “I probably would have bred her, and he said, 'No, she's in good form and I want to see her run another year. I have a feeling this is her year.'”

So much so that an Eclipse statuette just might be waiting for her in Florida come January.

To her Jenny Wiley, Regal Glory added the GI Just A Game S. and was second versus the males in the GI Fourstardave H. and again to the commonly owned, loose-on-the-lead stable companion 'Rising Star' In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI First Lady S. ahead of her Breeders' Cup try.

Assistant trainer Jose Hernandez confirmed Regal Glory had run her last race.

“We're going to miss her. We've had a lot of nice moments, a lot of nice races,” he said.

Pedigree Notes:

Regal Glory's dam Mary's Follies won the 2009 GIII Boiling Springs S. for the late John Forbes and was acquired privately by Pompa, for whom she posted her best victory in that year's GII Mrs. Revere S. while under the care of Rick Dutrow.

Her foal of 2012, Night Prowler carried the Pompa colors to a pair of scores at the graded level for Pompa and Brown, and Regal Glory's half-brother Cafe Pharoah did his part with a pair of Group 3 victories in Japan as a 3-year-old in 2020. Mary's Follies's current 2-year-old is the colt Ready To Connect (Connect), a maiden winner at Ta'if, Saudi Arabia, in his second career start this past July.

Mary's Follies was purchased by the BBA Ireland for $500,000 out of the aforementioned dispersal after aborting her Curlin foal and produced a full-brother to Cafe Pharoah this past February before visiting Into Mischief.

Sunday, Del Mar
MATRIARCH S.-GI, $401,500, Del Mar, 12-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:33.60, fm.
1–REGAL GLORY, 123, m, 6, by Animal Kingdom
1st Dam: Mary's Follies (MGSW, $338,889), by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Catch the Queen, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Wave to the Queen, by Wavering Monarch
'TDN Rising Star'. ($925,000 5yo '21 KEEJAN). O-Peter M.
Brant; B-Paul P Pompa (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat.
$240,000. Lifetime Record: 23-13-6-0, $2,619,134. *1/2 to
Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway), MGSW, $535,682;
Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah), MG1SW-Jpn, $3,414,646.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–England's Rose, 123, m, 6, by English Channel
1st Dam: Gingham and Lace (SP), by Kris S.
2nd Dam: In the Till, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Silent Account, by Private Account
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($35,000 RNA Wlg '16 KEENOV; $140,000
Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Mercedes Stables LLC, West Point
Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy & David Ingordo &
Steve Mooney; B-St. George Farm LLC (KY); T-John A.
Shirreffs. $80,000.
3–Pizza Bianca, 120, f, 3, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: White Hot (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Gwynn (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Victoress, by Conquistador Cielo
($3,450,000 RNA 3yo '22 FTKNOV). O/B-B. Flay Thoroughbreds
(KY); T-Christophe Clement. $48,000.
Margins: 5 1/4, NO, HD. Odds: 0.60, 17.50, 13.00.
Also Ran: Hamwood Flier (Ire), Avenue de France (Fr), Dolce Zel (Fr), Bipartisanship (GB), Eddie's New Dream. Scratched: Gold for Kitten, Wakanaka (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Valedictory Dead Heat: 42-1 Longshot Wentru, Favorite Who’s the Star Finish On Even Terms At Woodbine

Wentru and Who's the Star shared the winner's circle in a compelling running of the $155,900 Valedictory Stakes (G3) Sunday at Woodbine.

It was a tale of two different trips that would see a pair of 4-year-olds arrive at the same destination.

Wentru, at 42-1, was put on the lead by Rafael Hernandez at the outset of the 1 ½-mile Tapeta event for 3-year-olds and up, while Emma-Jayne Wilson, aboard Who's the Star, settled the multiple graded stakes winner into tenth of 12 runners early.

Ahead by one-length after a quarter-mile in :24.85, Wentru was followed by the trio of Angelou, British Royalty and Collective Force, while Who's the Star, saddled with post 12, remained off the rail and in tenth.

It was status quo for the top four through a half in :49.47, as Who's the Star still only had two rivals behind him. Reaching three-quarters in 1:15.49, Wentru, who came into the Valedictory riding a three-race win streak, was still running comfortably on the lead.

As the field rounded the turn for home, Wentru began to increase his lead, and was still 1 ¼-lengths on top at Robert Geller's stretch call, while Who's the Star began to make up ground to the far outside and moved into third.

With the wire drawing closer, Who's the Star was in full flight, as Wentru dug in gamely at the rail, the battle culminating in a dead-heat in a final time of 2:31.10. English Conqueror finished third, just a neck behind the winning pair. Novo Sol (BRZ), making his second straight start at Woodbine, was fourth.

It was the stakes debut for the Martin Drexler-trained Wentru, now 6-1-2 from 19 career starts for owner TEC Racing. The 4-year-old son of Tourist, bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corp., is 4-0-1 from eight starts on the campaign.

“He relaxed,” said Hernandez. “I wanted to get him more relaxed, but he was on the bridle all the way. It helped that no one went head-to-head with me. I was able to get the jump before everybody. I know we were slowing, and if I can get the jump, I know he was going to do his job. We got the dead-heat, but he ran unbelievable.”

Who's the Star, trained by dual Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse, notched his third straight win, all graded stakes, with today's win.

Owned by M Racing Group LLC, the 4-year-old son of Tonalist stamped himself as a top contender for Canada's champion older horse honors.

Bred by Oscar and John R. Penn, Who's the Star is 7-1-2 from 17 starts overall and 6-0-0 from 11 starts in 2022.

“It was a different kind of pace setup for this race, a mile and a half you get a lot more horses coming from well off it,” said Wilson. “I thought there would be a lot more pace up front. I never got over to the rail and I needed to get going. There were a lot of horses in the race. He's got that wicked kick, so I swung him to the outside and got him going as fast as I could.

“This is what we're here for, to get on fast horses, and he's a really fast horse,” Wilson continued. “He's been wonderful to partner with. He absolutely, 100 percent deserves the congratulations at the end of the year, the year-end awards.”

Wentru paid $30.30, and Who's the Star returned $3.40.

The post Valedictory Dead Heat: 42-1 Longshot Wentru, Favorite Who’s the Star Finish On Even Terms At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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‘I’ve Got To See How He Comes Out Of The Race’: Remsen Runner-Up Arctic Arrogance Could Aim For Jerome Or Withers

Chester and Mary Broman's New York homebred Arctic Arrogance, who finished a game second to Dubyuhnell in Saturday's Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack, will target either the Jerome Stakes in January or the Grade 3 Withers in February at the Big A for his next start.

“He came back good and we'll get him back to the track in a few days. I was very happy with the race,” said trainer Linda Rice. “I was considering waiting for the Jerome, but I said, 'You know what, we better go now.' We'll either run in the Jerome or the Withers [next]; I've got to see how he comes out of the race.”

The one-mile Jerome offers 10-4-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, while the nine-furlong Withers provides 20-8-6-4-2 points.

Arctic Arrogance, who earned four qualifying points towards a start in the Kentucky Derby for his performance, made his open-company debut off a prominent victory in the state-bred Sleepy Hollow on October 30 at Belmont at the Big A. There, he set the tempo and was challenged by Starquist at the half-mile call, but pulled away easily from his rivals at the top of the stretch to win by 4 1/2 lengths.

He showed similar front-running tactics in the Remsen and was pressured by Dubyuhnell throughout as the pair put seven lengths between them and the rest of the field at the top of the stretch. The two put on a show down the lane and battled gamely to the wire, but Dubyuhnell gained the advantage nearing the finish and bested Arctic Arrogance by a half-length.

Rice said she is proud the gray son of Frosted's performance throughout the year.

“Four starts is enough for a 2-year-old and it's been a terrific campaign for him,” said Rice. “To have him run second at a mile and an eighth is fantastic.”

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‘He’ll Get A Mile And A Quarter’: Remsen Winner Dubyuhnell To Head To Florida, Connections Mull Return For Aqueduct Classic Preps

West Paces Racing and Stonestreet Stables' Dubyuhnell began his journey down the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) on a high note with a hard-fought victory in Saturday's Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack for trainer Danny Gargan.

Dubyuhnell earned the winner's share of the 10-4-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points awarded to the top-five finishers, placing him in fifth on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

“He's a really talented horse and I know yesterday they gave him a big number,” said Gargan. “He's a horse who is going to get better with time. He's developing and maturing and he's still playing around out there. He was flickering his ears back and forth and he's still got a lot left in there; with time he'll give more and more. If he gets much faster, he'll be really fast.”

The Good Magic colt was fourth on debut in a seven-furlong sprint in September at Saratoga Race Course and arrived at the nine-furlong Remsen from a maiden win going one-mile over a sloppy and sealed Big A on October 2, the same track condition he faced in the Remsen when stretching out to two turns for the first time.

“It's a progression. We ran him seven-eighths and then a mile and now a mile and an eighth,” said Gargan. “We were looking for a route race when we ran him seven-eighths but it's limited with what races go. We were lucky enough we got a race in him and then he came back and broke his maiden. Things sometimes work out and it all fell into place for him.”

That experience helped Dubyuhnell come out on the winning end of a dramatic stretch duel with the New York-bred Arctic Arrogance yesterday, stalking just behind the Linda Rice trainee before the pair opened up seven lengths on the field at the stretch call and went stride for stride until Dubyuhnell inched clear under left-handed encouragement from Jose Ortiz. A determined Dubyuhnell scored the half-length victory in a final time of 1:50.88.

“They went three quarters in 1:12 and when you're going a mile and an eighth at Aqueduct, that's a pretty fast pace,” said Gargan. “I was pretty confident down the stretch because you could tell when Jose hits him left-handed, he takes off more. I said to Jose, 'You really weren't going after him much.' He said, 'There was no one coming and I knew I could beat the horse on the inside.' He rode him with a lot of confidence and that was good to see for a 2-year-old.

“He'll get a mile and a quarter,” added Gargan. “He doesn't have to go much further to get the mile and a quarter. Going a mile and an eighth and at the end of it having more than the other horses is pretty exciting to see.”

Gargan said Dubyuhnell will head to Florida to continue his training with his eye on a potential return to Aqueduct for a start in the Grade 3 Withers in February and/or the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in April.

“We'll see how things go this winter and then map out a plan for him for the spring,” said Gargan. “We'll probably run two or three times this winter and maybe come back for the Withers and if not, the Wood, because we know he likes the track. Those are definitely options, and he could also run at Gulfstream one time. Mo Donegal ran once at Gulfstream and came back for the Wood, so he could do something like that.”

Dubyuhnell is out of the multiple graded stakes-winning Forest Wildcat mare Wild Gams, who was named the 2008 New Jersey-bred horse of the year and was purchased for $1 million by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings that same year. In addition to Dubyuhnell, she has produced multiple graded stakes winner Cazadero, graded stakes-placed Almost Famou,s and stakes winner Mt. Brave.

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