December, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Immaculately Bred Curlin Firster Gets ‘Rising Star’ Nod

Things didn't look especially promising for those who crunched Michael Lund Petersen's Faustin (c, 2, Curlin–Hard Not to Like, by Hard Spun) into 90 cents on the dollar in the early stages of the first juvenile test of the new meet at Santa Anita Monday afternoon. But the gunmetal gray colt did his best work through the line to graduate by open lengths and become a new 'TDN Rising Star.'

The March foal was not off to the most alert of beginnings and was no better than midfield and under a very busy ride from Ramon Vazquez as the quarter went up in :21.67. Still cajoled along on the turn, but able to make some headway towards the inside, Faustin advanced to be fourth behind a wall of three rivals as they hit the top of the lane. Hooked wide, with stablemate Sonoran (Ride On Curlin) to catch entering the final furlong, he raced a bit greenly while gathering that one up and strode home to score by a widening 2 3/4-length margin.

Led out unsold on a bid of $285,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, Faustin breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 flat and was hammered down to Petersen's agent Donato Lanni for $800,000 at OBS this past April. Faustin, who outworked 99 others to earn the half-mile bullet (:46 4/5 from the gate) Dec. 10, is the 23rd 'Rising Star' for Curlin.

A homebred for Hillsbrook Farm and trained by Michael Matz, Hard Not to Like upset the 2014 GI Jenny Wiley S. and was purchased by Speedway Stables for $1.5 million out of that year's Keeneland November sale. Turned over to Christophe Clement, she thrived at five, winning this track's GI Gamely S. and the GI Diana S. before DATTT Farm purchased her for $2.2 million at KEENOV in 2016. Hard Not to Like's foals have been market darlings, her last four having sold for at least a half-million dollars, including her yearling filly by Quality Road that was purchased by Japan's Koji Maeda for $500,000 at Keeneland this past September. Her last listed produce is a weanling colt by Constitution.

Faustin is bred on the exact same cross as champion and successful young sire Good Magic and additional graded winners Irish War Cry and Cordmaker.

4th-Santa Anita, $68,500, Msw, 12-26, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.08, ft, 2 3/4 lengths.
FAUSTIN, c, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Hard Not to Like (MGISW-US, SW-Can, $1,262,171), by Hard Spun
2nd Dam: Like A Gem, by Tactical Cat
3rd Dam: It's a Ruby, by Rubiano
Sales history: $285,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $800,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $40,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-DATTT Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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Justique Could Try For First Graded Stakes Win, Kentucky Oaks Points In Santa Ynez

Following an eye-catching debut win sprinting at Del Mar this summer, C R K Stable's Justique was promptly stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for the Chandelier (G2) and disappointed when a well-beaten third as the 6-5 favorite.

Following the Chandelier dud, Justique returned to sprinting in the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz at Del Mar on Nov. 19 where she rallied from dead last to win impressively by 2 1/2 lengths. Trainer John Shirreffs on Monday said the daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify will likely stay around one turn for her next start in Sunday's $200,000 Santa Ynez (G3) going seven furlongs.

“I think so,” Shirreffs said of Justique running in the Santa Ynez. “She's been doing well and I'd like to see her run a good race.”

Justique has worked four times at Santa Anita since the Desi Arnaz, which includes a five-furlong move in 1:01 on Sunday.

The Santa Ynez is an official prep for next year's Kentucky Oaks (G1) with qualifying points awarded to the top five finishers on a scale of 20-8-6-4-2.

Justique is among 10 nominees for the Santa Ynez, which will be drawn on Thursday along with the remainder of the Sunday's card.

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One More Bid Pulls 16-1 Upset by Slimmest Margin In Santa Anita Mathis Mile Thriller

The longest shot in in a field of six sophomores at 16-1, the Ryan Hanson-trained One More Bid was tough as nails when it counted Monday, as he prevailed by a nose in Santa Anita's Classic Meet lid lifter, the $200,000 Santa Anita Mathis Mile (G2).

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, One More Bid held off 8-5 favorite Balnikhov on the money while getting the mile on turf in 1:33.67.

A comfortable second behind pacesetter and eventual third place finisher Sumter to the top of the lane, One More Bid, in a protracted drive, edged by Sumter a sixteenth of a mile out and then held Balnikhov at bay to his outside late.

A one mile turf maiden special weight winner in his eighth start on Nov. 19 at Del Mar, One More Bid, who provided Hanson and his wife, Michelle Yu of XBTV with their first Grade 2 victory, was ridden for the fifth consecutive time by Vazquez and paid $35.

A 3-year-old gelding by California Chrome out of the Scat Daddy mare Never Grow Old, One More Bid is owned by California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC and Ryan Hanson. He was bred in Kentucky by Tolo Racing and sold to Dohman for $55,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Two-Year-Olds in Training sale, where Pike Racing consigned.

With Mathis Mile winner's share of $120,000, One More Bid hiked his earnings to $234,640 from an overall mark of 2-4-1 from nine starts.

Irish-bred Balnikhov, who was last, about seven off the lead leaving the half mile pole, saved ground at the rail to the quarter pole under Tyler Gaffalione, angled three-deep and was second best in a thrilling finish.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Sumter appeared to be well within himself through splits of :23.31, :46.50, 1:10.16, and 1:21.88 but tired late while finishing 1 ¼ lengths behind Balnikhov.

SANTA ANITA MATHIS MILE (G2) QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES
RAMON VAZQUEZ, ONE MORE BID, WINNER: “I felt like I had a lot of horse on the backside. I was waiting for the moment. This horse continues to get better and better. This horse really dug in in the stretch. I don't look at the odds on the board (16-1). This horse has been really working good and doing good. I never pay attention to odds; I ride my horse. I feel amazing on Opening Day. I ride the first race winner and it's a Grade 2. I'm so grateful for the opportunity.”

TRAINER QUOTES
RYAN HANSON, ONE MORE BID, WINNER: “It feels really good, I just want to thank all my crew, everyone that helps out, the grooms, the hot walkers, Larry and Amanda for picking out a good horse. A special thank you to Francisco and Emily (Ellingwood) who get on him and work really hard. Thank you! Ramon Vazquez has fit this horse really well, so thank you to everyone involved.”

OWNER QUOTES
MATT DOHMAN, CALIFORNIA RACING PARTNERS, ONE MORE BID, WINNER, “I'm over the moon right now, I mean the horse has been training really well but I thought he could win. I was a little perplexed that he went off as such long odds, but he ran really well.”

JOE CIAGLIA, CALIFORNIA RACING PARTNERS, ONE MORE BID, WINNER: “I'm very happy for my partners. Ryan is a partner and the trainer I'm very happy for them. The racing is amazing, this is a great day. All the families are out here with their kids enjoying the day. It was all due to Ryan's patience, he did a great job putting this horse on the turf and he brought it home for us. I'm so proud of Ryan.”

MICHELLE YU, WIFE OF RYAN HANSON, ONE MORE BID, WINNER: “I literally fell off my chair. I was screaming so hard, and I could not believe it. I don't have words, and for me that's big. This colt's been such a work in progress. We had to turn him out when he was younger because he was so big and gangly. He's always wanted to put it together, but he's just been riddled with his own bad luck. When he threw his head at the break, I thought today is going to be that day again. I can't believe how much heart he showed here. I am so happy for him.”

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Corona Bolt A Sixth SW for Bolt d’Oro in Sugar Bowl S.

Off as the heavy chalk in Monday's $97,000 Sugar Bowl S., Stonestreet Stables LLC's Corona Bolt (Bolt d'Oro) led not long after the start and kicked away in the final furlong to become a sixth black-type winner for his leading freshman sire (by Medaglia d'Oro).

Adding Lasix off strong one-length debut score at Churchill Downs Nov. 19 (82 Beyer Speed Figure), the $225,000 Keeneland November weanling speared through from between rivals to lead and covered the opening couple of furlongs :22.24 under an easy Florent Geroux hold and turned them in after a half in :45.92. Slipped a bit of rein as Toddchero (Bucchero) loomed a momentary threat at midstretch, Corona Bolt opened up while scarcely asked and came home 6 3/4 lengths to the good. Minnesota-bred Distorted Pro (Distorted Humor) was up for second ahead of Toddchero, who was earning black-type for the fifth time in his young career.

Summerfield Sales acquired Corona Bolt's dam for $16,000 at Keeneland January in 2016 and she was bred to Sky Mesa for a foal carrying the wonderfully productive cross of A.P. Indy and Quiet American. The result was Proven Strategies, a stakes winner and twice graded-placed on the turf with earnings in excess of $355,000. The mare, a half-sister to Canadian Classic winner Cool Catomine (Spring At Ladt) and SW Wild Catomine (Milwaukee Brew), is represented by a yearling filly by the late Flatter that fetched $90,000 at this year's Keeneland September sale. Her weanling colt by War at Will was a $70,000 buyback at Keeneland November last month and she most recently visited Yaupon. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

SUGAR BOWL S., $97,000, Fair Grounds, 12-26, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.96, ft.
1–CORONA BOLT, 116, c, 2, by Bolt d'Oro
1st Dam: Stormbeforethecalm, by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Smart Catomine, by Smart Strike
3rd Dam: Gather the Storm, by Storm Cat
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($225,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Summerfield Sales Agency Inc & Etarip Stables (FL); T-Brad H Cox; J-Florent Geroux. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $102,000. *1/2 to Proven Strategies (Sky Mesa), SW & GSP-Can, GSP-USA, $355,787. **Sixth stakes winner for freshman sire (by Medaglia d'Oro).
2–Distorted Pro, 118, c, 2, Distorted Humor–Pro Pink, by Touch Gold. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O/B-Novogratz Racing Stables Inc (MN); T-Brad H Cox. $20,000.
3–Toddchero, 116, c, 2, Bucchero–French Politics, by Political Force. ($77,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Mark Norman & Norman Stables LLC; B-GDS Racing Stable (FL); T-Jayde J Gelner. $10,000.
Margins: 6 3/4, NO, 4HF. Odds: 0.50, 5.30, 16.10.

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