Month: January 2023

After a light week of stakes action at Santa Anita, things pick up considerably next week with four graded stakes on the docket, anchored by the $200,000 San Vicente (G2) for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.

Among the 11 nominees for the San Vicente, eight are trained by Bob Baffert: Arabian Lion, Faustin, Fort Warren, Gilmore, Hard to Figure, Havnameltdown, Nullarbor, and Speed Boat Beach.

Speed Boat Beach, a multiple stakes winner on turf, was scratched from the Sham (G3) at one mile on Jan. 8 with the plan to wait for the San Vicente. It would be his first start on dirt since setting a Del Mar track record of 1:01.86 for 5 ½ furlongs when debuting in early September.

Havnameltdown won the Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar on Nov. 20 in his most recent start, while Arabian Lion would look to make amends after running fifth as the odds-on favorite in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. 17. Faustin, Fort Warren, Gilmore, and Nullarbor are all maiden winners.

Rounding out the nominations are Helladic and Man Child for trainer Ryan Hanson and Navy Man for trainer Michael McCarthy. Helladic has made all three previous starts on turf, while Man Child is exiting a second by a nose in the Lost in the Fog Juvenile on dirt at Turf Paradise on Dec. 21. Navy Man is still a maiden after three starts.

Entries for the San Vicente and the remainder of next Sunday's card will be taken on Thursday.

The post Speed Boat Beach Among Eight Baffert Nominees For San Vicente appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Five weeks after his upset win in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), Practical Move got back to work on Saturday when drilling four furlongs in :47.80 for trainer Tim Yakteen.

Practical Move collected 10 qualifying points towards this year's Kentucky Derby (G1) when drawing off to win the Futurity by 3 ¼ lengths over a trio of colts trained by Bob Baffert.

Yakteen said Practical Move “worked well” on Saturday and he should be ready for his sophomore bow in late February. That could lead to a start in the $400,000 San Felipe (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on March 4, which is the final major prep for the $750,000, Santa Anita Derby (G1) five weeks later.

“Well give him a few more works and see where we're at, but we're looking at sometime in late February or early March. We have a few options,” Yakteen said, indicating there's a possibility Practical Move could ship out of town for his 3-year-old bow.

From the first crop of multiple Grade 1 winner Practical Joke out of the Afleet Alex mare Ack Naughty, Practical Move was a $230,00 purchase at last year's OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale, where Eisaman Equine consigned. He is campaigned by Roger K. Beasley, Leslie A. Amestoy, and Jean Pierre Amestory Jr.

Practical Move broke his maiden at Santa Anita last October when making his third start and came back to finish third in the Bob Hope (G3) going seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 20. In the 1 1/16-mile Futurity, Practical Move stalked the pace under Ramon Vazquez before launching an inside bid and kicking clear of runner-up Caramel Road.

Yakteen, who got his first taste of the Kentucky Derby as a trainer last year with Taiba and Messier, 12th and 15th, respectively, hopes to make a return trip this year with Practical Move.

“Anytime you have a nice 3-year-old in the barn it's always exciting,” he said.

The post Los Al Futurity Winner Practical Move Gets Back To Work For Yakteen appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Classical Cat, an impressive winner of the one-mile Eddie Logan on turf Dec. 30 at Santa Anita, might switch surfaces and take a shot on the Triple Crown trail for trainer Phil D'Amato.

Classical Cat won his debut sprinting on dirt at Del Mar in August and headed straight to the Del Mar Futurity (G1) going seven furlongs on the main track and finished off the board. Subsequently switched to the grass, Classical Cat won an entry-level allowance at Santa Anita on Oct. 23 prior to his victory in the Eddie Logan.

“We have options,' D'Amato said of Classical Cat. “A possible allowance on turf, possibly the next dirt stake for 3-year-olds here, or the El Camino Real at Golden Gate the second week in February.”

The next two-turn stakes in Santa Anita's 3-year-old dirt series is the  Robert B. Lewis (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 4. The El Camino Real, which is contested on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields, is Feb. 11.

“Those are my three options, I'm just going to kind of play it by ear with him,” D'Amato said.

A Kentucky-bred son of Mendelssohn out of Conquest Strate Up, by Not Bourbon, Classical Cat has won three of four starts and banked $146,300 for owner Michael House. He was purchased by Buffolo Bloodstock for $65,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale, where South Point Sales Agency consigned.

The post ‘We Have Options’: Classical Cat Could Switch Surfaces To Join Triple Crown Trail In Robert B. Lewis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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