Month: December 2022

Positioned as North America's final Grade 1 turf test for 3-year-old fillies, Monday's $300,000 American Oaks has attracted a large field of 11 sophomore fillies going 1 1/4 miles over the Camino Real turf course, with Mark Glatt's English-bred Bellstreet Bridie rating a big chance in what shapes up as one of the best betting races on the opening day 11-race card at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Although ridden by Flavien Prat to an impressive 4 ¼-length win in her U.S. debut, Bellstreet Bridie will be handled by Mike Smith in the American Oaks, as Prat has opted to ride eastern invader Salimah for Chad Brown.  Close to the pace in the G3 Red Carpet Stakes at 1 3/8 miles over the Del Mar turf Nov. 24, Bellstreet Bridie assumed command early and drew off to an emphatic 4 ¼-length win at odds of 4-1.

Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Bell Street Bridie is 6-1-2-2 at the Oaks distance and is 13-4-4-3 overall.

Trained by four-time Eclipse champ Chad Brown, Irish-bred Salimah, who ships in from her Belmont Park base, will be seeking her first graded stakes victory in what will be her first Southern California start.

A winner of her last two races and three of her four career starts, upstart Salimah was a first-out maiden winner going a flat mile on turf Jan. 22 at Tampa Bay Downs and she comes off a rousing three-length score going 1 1/16 miles over a yielding turf in an ungraded stakes Nov. 13 at Aqueduct.  Ridden last time out by Jose Ortiz, she was ridden by Prat to a one-length victory going the same distance over the Aqueduct turf in a first condition allowance two starts back on Nov. 13.

Owned by Stephanie Seymour Brant, Salimah's lone defeat came in her second start, a one mile turf allowance at Saratoga on Aug. 27, a race in which she finished seventh in a field of nine at odds of  3-1.

English-bred Skims, fresh off a one-length win going 1 1/8 miles on turf in the G2 Sands Point Stakes at Aqueduct Oct. 15, retains the services of John Velazquez and rates a huge chance for Shug McGaughey.  By superstar Frankel and owned and bred by Andrew Rosen, Skims was a close second going 1 5/16 miles on turf in an ungraded stakes at Kentucky Downs two starts back on Sept. 5 and should have no problem with a mile and one quarter on Monday as she seeks her first Grade 1 win.

Raced exclusively on grass in nine starts, Skims has three wins, a second and two third place finishes.

GRADE I AMERICAN OAKS

WITH JOCKEYS AND WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Rhea Moon—Juan Hernandez—124
2. Sparkle Blue—Joel Rosario—124
3. Lady Clementine—Lanfranco Dettori—124
4. Oakhurst—Hector Berrios—124
5. Bellstreet Bridie—Mike Smith—124
6. Mise En Scene—Tyler Gaffalione—124
7. Skims—John Velazquez—124
8. Pizza Bianca—Umberto Rispoli—124
9. Salimah—Flavien Prat—124
10. Duvet Day—Kazushi Kimura—124
11. School Dance—Ramon Vazquez—124

Special early first post time for an 11-race card on Monday, which includes six graded stakes, is at 11 a.m.  Admission gates will open at 9 a.m.

The post Newcomer Bellstreet Bridie Among 11 Fillies Contesting American Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A winner of this year's Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, the Bob Baffert-trained Taiba heads a field of nine sophomores going seven furlongs in Santa Anita's signature opening day feature Monday, the Grade 1, $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes.

Most recently third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic, finishing 8 ¾ lengths behind presumptive Horse of the Year Flightline, Taiba, who took the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby two starts back on Sept. 24, will be seeking to become the only 3-year-old colt or gelding to win three Grade 1 wins on the year and will thus try to make a late case for an Eclipse Award as top 3-year-old Male.

A $1.7 million purchase out of a 2-year-old in training sale in March of last year, Taiba is owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc. and will be ridden by Mike Smith, who has been aboard for his last five races, all of which have been around two turns.

A first-out winner here going six furlongs under John Velazquez on March 5, Taiba attended the early pace and won the Santa Anita Derby April 9 in only his second career start.

Baffert, who will also be sending out multiple graded stakes winner Messier, will be seeking his fifth win in the prestigious Malibu, which was taken last year by presumptive Horse of the Year Flightline.

A winner of both the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes and the Grade 2 San Felipe here earlier this year, Richard Mandella's Forbidden Kingdom was subsequently dispatched as the even money favorite in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 9, but he went to the sidelines after finishing sixth and last.

Off at even money in his comeback race, the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Oct. 1, Forbidden Kingdom showed the way to the top of the lane but tired to finish fifth, beaten 3 ¾ lengths. Most recently third, beaten a half length in a six furlong allowance at Del Mar, Forbidden Kingdom will try to stop a three-game skid as he seeks his first Grade 1 win.

A chestnut colt by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Forbidden Kingdom is owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, LLC. Ridden by Juan Hernandez in all eight of his starts, he has three wins, a second and two thirds.

Trainer Wesley Ward looms dangerous in the Malibu with Kentucky shipper Nakatomi, who comes off a big allowance win going 6 ½ furlongs at Keeneland Nov. 5. A chestnut gelding by Firing Line, Nakatomi will be ridden back by Tyler Gaffalione. Owned by Bottle Rocket Stable, Qatar Racing Limited and Marc Detampel, Nakatomi, who is 8-4-1-1 overall, will be trying seven panels for the first time.

With Flavien Prat climbing aboard for the first time, the Dallas Stewart-trained Strava also rates a big chance on Monday shipping in from New Orleans. A big 6 ½ length allowance winner going a one-turn mile in the Churchill Downs slop Nov. 27, Strava, who was off the board in his only graded stakes try this year, earned a lofty 98 Beyer Speed Figure on Nov. 27 and looks to be a now commodity.

Owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, Siena Farm, LLC and former two-time NCAA Division Champion and Hall of Fame basketball coach Denny Crum, Strava was a first-out winner going six furlongs at age two and is 9-3-1-3 overall.

THE GRADE 1 RUNHAPPY MALIBU WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Forbidden Kingdom—Juan Hernandez—122
2. Messier—John Velazquez—122
3. Apprehend—Ramon Vazquez—120
4. Nakatomi—Tyler Gaffalione—120
5. Hoist the Gold—Joel Rosario–120
6. Taiba—Mike Smith—124
7. Perfect Flight—Ricardo Santana, Jr.—120
8. Strava—Flavien Prat—120
9. Straight No Chaser—Edwin Maldonado—120

Special early first post time for an 11-race card that includes six graded stakes on opening day is at 11 a.m., with admission gates opening at 9 a.m.

The post Ship-Ins Nakatomi, Strava Rate Solid Chances Against Taiba In Monday’s Malibu appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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