February, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Newgate Last to First in Robert B. Lewis

In a sport often built upon uncertainty, the latest renewal of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. offered one foregone conclusion–a Bob Baffert-trained 3-year-old would emerge victorious. With only four horses–all trained by Baffert–going postward in Saturday's sophomore feature at Santa Anita, Newgate (Into Mischief) was most fancied of the quartet, with Arabian Lion (Justify) given a 2-1 chance over Worcester (Empire Maker) at 5-2. Accompanied by famed European rider Frankie Dettori, the favorite was held under restraint in last by about 2 1/2 lengths as Arabian Lion and Hard to Figure (Hard Spun), sent off at 12-1, led the way through :23.87 and :47.76 splits. Asked by Dettori for more approaching the quarter pole, the bay was three wide turning for home, and despite seeming like he had the most forward momentum, had to work hard down the lane to get past Hard to Figure, inching ahead in the final sixteenth en route to a neck victory. Worcester was third while Arabian Lion crossed the wire fourth.

“We had good pace in the race, we came back in good time,” said Dettori, who is planning to retire at the end of this season. “Today, we moved sharper and we beat some good horses. He was a little slow with his lead changes, but he ran well.”

A TDN Rising Star-earning winner at Del Mar last July, the bay finished fourth next time out in the seven-furlong GI Del Mar Futurity before a fifth in the GI Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October. Closing out 2022 with a runner-up finish in the GIII Bob Hope S. Nov. 20, he returned in 2023 with a productive second, beaten only a neck, in Santa Anita's GIII Sham S. Jan. 8. Dettori was aboard for his latest start.

“Frankie Dettori has been teaching him how to just sit back, relax and come with a punch and that's what he did today,” said Baffert. “Newgate, before when we were sending him, he wasn't finishing. I wasn't sure how far he wanted to go…I was actually nervous before the race, worried that something weird might happen, but I can relax now.”

Pedigree Notes:
Into Mischief dominated Coast-to-Coast sophomore racing action with a pair of colts earning black-type at Santa Anita and at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Newgate's Robert B. Lewis score gave the Spendthrift stallion his 61st graded winner, following General Jim's 60th recorded winner earlier in the day in South Florida.

The winner's dam, Majestic Presence, was secured for $360,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale in foal to Runhappy. The 11-year-old mare has a year younger full-sister to Newgate, named Denim and Pearls, and a yearling half-sister by Authentic. She was bred back to Essential Quality.

Saturday, Santa Anita
ROBERT B. LEWIS S.-GIII, $196,000, Santa Anita, 2-4, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.11, ft.
1–NEWGATE, 120, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Majestic Presence (GSP-USA, MSP-Can, $227,896), by Majestic Warrior
2nd Dam: Shining Victory, by Victory Gallop
3rd Dam: Phoenix Sunshine, by Encino
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($850,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight
Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet
Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC &
Catherine Donovan; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC (KY);
T-Bob Baffert; J-Lanfranco Dettori. $120,000. Lifetime Record:
6-2-2-0, $241,975. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hard to Figure, 120, c, 3, Hard Spun–Ani La, by Mr. Greeley.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($40,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $200,000
2yo '22 OBSMAR). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul
Weitman; B-James Heyward (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–Worcester, 120, c, 3, Empire Maker–Lil Super Bear,
by Super Saver. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($180,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing,
Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Jay A.
Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC & Catherine Donovan;
B-Jerry Dixon Revocable Trust & Empire Maker Syndicate (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.00, 12.80, 2.50.
Also Ran: Arabian Lion.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Bolt d’Oro’s Major Dude Back To Winning Ways in Kitten’s Joy

Spendthrift Farm's Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) sat a midfield trip and worked home best of all to record a second victory at the graded level in Saturday's GIII Kitten's Joy S. at Gulfstream Park.

Settled in about fifth position early as fellow 10-1 chances Dude N Colorado (GB) (Uncle Mo) and Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) eyeballed each other through reasonable fractions, Major Dude dropped down onto the fence with about a half-mile to race and traveled well within the grasp of the in-form Irad Ortiz, Jr. as they raced around the turn. Following the three-wide move of his chief market rival Candidate (Exaggerator) nearing the stretch, the $550,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga acquisition was produced four deep off the home corner with a sound turn of foot, wanted to hang to his right while engaging the front-runners approaching the entrance to the final furlong and kicked on late to score comfortably. Candidate, who made all the running to defeat the comebacking Major Dude in the one-mile Dania Beach S. Jan. 7, was beaten for speed this time around, but turned in a sound late rally and just held off Dude N Colorado for third.

“He's a super nice colt, very consistent,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who sent out 2022 Kitten's Joy winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro). “I'll talk to the guys at Spendthrift. We're kicking around the idea of putting him on the dirt at some point. We'll see when that opportunity comes up.”

A debut winner over the Monmouth main track June 18, Major Dude was a well-beaten third in the one-mile Sapling S. at the Jersey Shore oval Aug. 27 before causing a 10-1 upset when trying turf for the first time in the GII Pilgrim S. at Aqueduct Oct. 2. The bay was unable to overcome a horror draw in 13 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and checked in ninth before turning in a useful seasonal unveiling last time out.

Pedigree Notes:

The Cleary family's Clearsky Farms purchased this colt's stakes-placed dam for $320,000 in foal to The Factor at Keeneland November in 2016. Mary Rita is a full-sister to the SP Unbound, whose four winners from five to race include 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify), while Major Dude's third dam is the redoubtable Personal Ensign, the dam of MGISW My Flag (Easy Goer) and granddam of champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat). This is, of course, the Phipps family of Grade I winners Miner's Mark, Traditionally and Mr Speaker and the additional graded winners Fire Away (War Front)–who was recently represented by his first winner in South Africa–and Vigilantes Way (Medaglia d'Oro).

Major Dude is bred on a variant of the wildly successful cross of Medaglia d'Oro over Distorted Humor that is responsible for the likes of dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus), Elate and New Money Honey. The cross over mares by Distorted Humor's sire Forty Niner has resulted in the additional Grade I winners and champions Songbird and Rachel Alexandra.

Mary Rita is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Audible, missed to Authentic and was among the first book of mares bred to Charlatan.

Saturday, Gulfstream
KITTEN'S JOY S.-GIII, $175,000, Gulfstream, 2-4, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.22, gd.
1–MAJOR DUDE, 124, c, 3, by Bolt d'Oro
                1st Dam: Mary Rita (SP), by Distorted Humor
                2nd Dam: Possibility, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Personal Ensign, by Private Account
($550,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Clearsky
Farms (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $105,245.
Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-1, $300,095. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Candidate, 122, c, 3, Exaggerator–Navy Ribbon,
by Pure Prize. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 Ylg '21
FTKOCT; $150,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Mark B. Grier; B-Rose
Hill Farm & Thoroughbred Acadiana (KY); T-Arnaud Delacour.
$33,950.
3–Dude N Colorado (GB), 118, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Limonar (Ire),
by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($90,000 2yo '22 KEENOV). O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-St. Elias
Stables LLC (GB); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $16,975.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 2 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 2.20, 10.10.
Also Ran: Boppy O, Souzak (Fr), Congruent, Lights of Broadway, Moon Cat.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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‘We’ll See Where This Takes Us’: General Jim Takes Forward Step With Swale Triumph

Courtlandt Farms' General Jim took a step forward in Saturday's $125,000 Claiborne Farm Swale (G3) at Gulfstream Park, rallying in the stretch to pull off a mild upset victory over Super Chow.

The Swale, a seven-furlong sprint, was the first of five graded stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday's 12-race program headlined by the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3), the first graded-stakes stop on the road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

General Jim, who was coming off a fourth-place finish in the mile Mucho Macho Man after lacking room through the stretch run Jan. 1., turned in a thoroughly professional performance while wearing blinkers for the first time and cutting back in distance.

“A lot of times when you have plans and they work, it makes it fun, because a lot of times they don't work,” Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said. “I thought he ran really good today from the inside and he ran down a pretty good horse. I was very pleased. We'll see where this takes us.”

After breaking cleanly from the No. 1 post position under Luis Saez, General Jim settled in third along the backstretch as Super Chow, the 4-5 favorite ridden by Chantal Sutherland, opened up a clear lead. Trainer Jorge Delgado's Super Chow, who was chasing his fourth straight stakes score and sixth victory in seven starts, set solid fractions of :22.69 and :45.31 for the first half mile unchallenged on the lead. However, Saez sent General Jim around a tiring easy pace chaser Two of a Kind on the far turn and the 8-5 second choice loomed boldly on the turn into the stretch.

Super Chow, who hadn't previously run father than 6 ½ furlongs, held the lead in midstretch but was unable to hold off General Jim, who scored by a length while completing seven furlongs in 1:23.34.

“Definitely the race came up perfect for him. We know we have plenty of speed. We just tried to break from there running and find a great spot. We have a pretty good trip and, man, when we came to the top of the stretch, I had a lot of horse and he just kept going,” Saez said. “I know Mr. Shug was saying he was going to put on the blinkers, and we've been working in the morning with the blinkers, and he was magnificent. Today the plan was to have a target in front and just wait to the end and let him run. He did it by himself, so it was pretty good.”

Super Chow finished 11 lengths ahead of Two of a Kind.

General Jim, who debuted with a third-place finish at Saratoga, graduated on turf at Saratoga three weeks later. The son of Into Mischief came right back to win an optional claiming allowance at Keeneland in his next start before finishing third in the Central Park stakes at Aqueduct on turf to cap his juvenile season.

His victory in the Swale was his first success on dirt.

McGaughey said the March 4 Fountain of Youth (G2) “is not out of the question.”

“He's developing now. He's grown and kind of filled out. He's gained weight. He's got a little bit more weight to go, so I'm going to let him do that,” McGaughey said.

General Jim was bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock and Centerline Breeding. Produced by the Curlin mare Inspired by Grace, he sold to Don Adams' Courtlandt Farm or $850,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September yearling sale, where Indian Creek consigned him.

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Tapit Trice Earns ‘Rising Star’ Nod At Gulfstream

Unveiled at Aqueduct Nov. 6, Tapit Trice (Tapit) endured a wide trip throughout and was coming on late but had to settle for third just 2 1/2 lengths off the winner. It would be the only time so far that the grey son of Tapit did not find the winner's circle as he rebounded with a narrow victory over a muddy but sealed track Dec. 17 before flying south to Gulfstream to earn his 'TDN Rising Star' nod with an eight-length romp Saturday.

Racing with Lasix for the first time, the $1,300,000 Keeneland September yearling got away evenly from the inside gate but was outsprinted early and switched outside by jockey Luis Saez to race in the clear up the backstretch. Fourth in a tightly-bunched field, the grey held his ground behind a pair of dueling leaders up front, staying wide out on the track as the opening quarter went in :24.25. Up into third by the time the leaders began to swing around the far turn, Tapit Trice surged forward under a hand ride past the quarter pole to join his stablemate, the 4-5 favorite Shesterkin (Violence), for the lead. The pair matched strides for only a few yards before Tapit Trice went on with it into the final furlong, running up the score late for the clear victory as the 6-5 second choice.

The 51st 'Rising Star' for prolific sire Tapit, Tapit Trice is out of a graded-stakes placed half-sister to MGISW Jaywalk (Cross Traffic). Danzatrice returned to Tapit twice more since producing Tapit Trice, producing back-to-back full-sisters in 2021 and 2022 with the 2-year-old being a $1,100,000 purchase by Whisper Hill Farm at last year's Keeneland September Sale. Danzatrice is due back to Tapit for yet another full-sibling in 2023.

8th-Gulfstream, $72,000, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-4, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.44, ft, 8 lengths.
TAPIT TRICE, c, 3, Tapit
1st Dam: Danzatrice {MSW & GSP, $312,145}, by Dunkirk
2nd Dam: Lady Pewitt, by Orientate
3rd Dam: Spin Room, by Spinning World
Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $100,150. O-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC and Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck); B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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