Month: December 2022

Annette Allen's Stolen Holiday surged late under jockey Junior Alvarado to win the $125,000 Suwannee River (G3).

The 73rd running of the Suwannee River, a one-mile turf event for fillies and mares, was the third of six stakes, five graded, worth $850,000 in purses on an 11-race New Year's Eve program. Stolen Holiday covered the mile in 1:34.32.

The victory for Alvarado moved him to within six wins of 2,000 for his career.

Stolen Holiday ($13.40), a 5-year-old mare trained by Shug McGaughey, was well back before unleashing a late stretch charge to defeat Lady Rockstar, with early front-runner Bay Storm holding on for third.

Stolen Holiday, bred in Kentucky by Orpendale from the Sadler's Wells mare Silk and Scarlet, improved her record to five wins in 12 lifetime starts.

Suwannee River (G3) Quotes

Winning trainer Shug McGaughey (Stolen Rocket): “That's a little bit different style for her, although she did finish [in the Sand Spring) here last year. She's usually more forwardly placed. In the first turn, I didn't know what would happen, but she finished real good.”

Winning jockey Junior Alvarado (Stolen Rocket): “She broke good. I was getting in there behind the speed horses and somebody on the rail squeezed through, pushed me out, made me clip heels and after that it was Plan C or D to come from behind. She was just much the best. She overcame all the problems. I was just a passenger to try and give her as smooth a ride as I can. Turning for home, she just gave me a beautiful kick and I knew by the eighth pole that I was going to get there.”

On being just six away from 2,000 wins: “I know it's there because they remind me every time I win a race now. I just try to do my job. I don't try to worry about it, eventually it will come. I just go race by race and try to do my best and it eventually will come.”

The post Stolen Holiday Rallies Late Tor Victory In Suwannee River appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Spendthrift Farm's homebred Teena Ella, the third foal out of four-time champion and Hall of Famer Beholder, will make her second start Sunday at Santa Anita in the third race, a six-furlong maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies.

By War Front, Teen Ella debuted under similar conditions at Del Mar on Nov. 12. Sent off at 2-1, Teena Ella dueled through sharp opening fractions of :21.92 and :44.76  for a half mile before faltering in the stretch and fading to sixth, beaten 11 lengths. The winner of that heat, Faiza, came back to win the Grade 1 Starlet at Los Alamitos on Dec. 10 for Bob Baffert.

Teena Ella is trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella and will again have top jockey Juan Hernandez in the irons. She is the co-second choice on the morning line at 5-2.

Mandella, who hits at 19 percent clip with second-time starters, was encouraged by Teena Ella's debut and is looking for a move forward on Sunday. She has worked five times at Santa Anita since that effort, which includes a bullet four-furlong move on Dec. 1 and stamina-building six-furlong drill in 1:12.6 on Dec. 19. Mandella said Teena Ella could receive a change in tactics for start No. 2.

“She acts like she can run a little bit,” Mandella said Saturday morning. “We might try and save her a little bit early (in the race) and see how that goes.”

Sunday's third race on an eight-race program that will be held exclusively on dirt due to predicted rain, has an assigned post time of 12:59 (PT).

Also currently in Mandella's barn is Beholder's second foal, Karin With an I. Spendthrift's 3-year-old Curlin filly, homebred Karin With an I has yet to be competitive. She checked in seventh in both her debut at Santa Anita in April and again at Del Mar on Sept. 11.

Karin With an I has been working steadily since early November and on Saturday she drilled three furlongs in :36.40.

Earlier this year, Beholder was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame following a sparkling career on the track. The daughter of Henny Hughes had a record of 18-6-0 from 26 starts and amassed more than $6.1 million in earnings for Spendthrift Farm. She was champion 2-year-old filly in 2012, champion 3-year-old filly the following year, and was twice champion older female in 2015 and 2016.

The post Champion Beholder’s War Front Filly Teena Ella Set For Second Start Sunday At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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