Month: March 2023

In a thrilling finish, Fair Grounds-based shipper A Mo Reay was up to tag heavily favored local Fun to Dream by a head in Saturday's main event at Santa Anita, the $500,000 Beholder Mile (G1).

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Flavien Prat, A Mo Reay covered the one-mile trip in 1:36.25 over a main track listed as good.

Attentive to the early pace set by Ganadora and pressed by Fun to Dream, A Mo Reay was 1½ lengths off the lead through a half mile. With Ganadora falling back leaving the quarter pole, she engaged the favorite four-deep turning for home and in a resolute effort, gained the upper hand at the finish line.

“When you end up winning it is always better,” said Prat, who collected his third win on the day in his first time aboard A Mo Reay. “She really dug in when it was time to run, and she was travelling well all around. I watched her previous race and I talked to Brad (who watched the race from Oaklawn Park) and he was really high on her and really wanted her in this race. He was right.”

Fresh off victory in the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 4 at Oaklawn, A Mo Reay took the listed Pago Hop at Fair Grounds two starts back and in her first West Coast appearance, was off at 7-1 in a field of eight older fillies and mares and returned $17.80 for the win.

“Brad has a great team and they all did a fantastic job,” said Adrian Regan, who is part of the winning ownership that races as Hunter Valley Farm. “It's the first Grade 1 in our colors, so it's special. It is just great for the farm…everybody at home. It is unbelievable, really.”

A 4-year-old filly by Uncle Mo out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Margaret Reay, A Mo Reay was bred by T & G Farm of Kentucky. She is unbeaten in three starts for Cox after racing under trainer Todd Pletcher for owners My Racehorse Stable and Spendthrift Farm LLC. A Mo Reay was a $400,000 purchase by Green Acres Farm last November at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale, where Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned her. The Beholder Mile win was her her first at Grade 1 level and she improved her overall mark to 5-1-3 from 11 lifetime starts. The $300,000 winner's share of the purse increased her lifetime earnings to $692,650.

One of three Bob Baffert trainees and the lone California-bred in the lineup, Fun to Dream entered the Beholder Mile on a roll, having won the La Brea (G1) on Dec. 26 and Santa Monica (G2), both at seven panels at Santa Anita, on Dec. 26 and Feb. 2, respectively, and was seeking her fifth win in a row.

Off at 4-5 as she stretched out a furlong with Juan Hernandez up, Fun to Dream finished second, 2 ¼ lengths in front of stablemate Midnight Memories.

Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, Midnight Memories checked in 1 ¼ lengths in front of comebacking Desert Dawn.

Fractions on the Beholder Mile were :23.19, :47.14, 1:10.79, and 1:22.99.

The post Cox-Trained A Mo Reay Ships In For Beholder Mile, Denies Favorite Fun To Dream By Slim Margin appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Under a perfectly timed ride from Antonio Gallardo, Mission of Joy rallied resolutely from off the pace and dug in late to prevail in a duel to the finish line in the $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Kitten's Joy filly, seventh through six furlongs, swung six wide into the stretch to launch her bid, and thrust out her neck with a powerful surge to defeat second wagering choice Alpha Bella in the 1 1/16-mile turf test. She covered the distance in 1:41.12 under firm footing and returned $12 for the win.

Juniper's Moon, who led by a half-length in early stretch, hung on for third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Alpha Bella while 9-5 favorite Free Look was fourth in the field of 12 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Graham Motion for Madaket Stables LLC and RyZan Sun Racing LLC, Mission of Joy has won both starts this year and improved her record to 3-0-0 from four career starts. The $90,000 winner's share of the Florida Oaks purse boosted her lifetime bankroll to $119,807.

Bred in Ontario by Sam-Son Farm, Mission of Joy was produced by the Smart Strike mare Smart Mission. She was a $32,000 purchase from her breeder by Ryan Zabrowski at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale.

Florida Oaks Quotes

Winning trainer H. Graham Motion: “I thought she was super impressive and I thought Tony gave her a very cool ride. He was very patient. She really did it impressively. She fought for it and she showed a lot of heart. Since we got her down to (Tampa Bay Downs), I can't say enough about what a good job Annie (assistant Anne Sinchak) has done with her. They've done a great job with this filly. To be honest, I did not know she was this kind of filly – she really stepped up today.”

Winning assistant trainer Anne Sinchak (on-site): “Oh my God, that was amazing. I'm so excited. I couldn't stop screaming. She was amazing. She did everything the way you wanted her to – settled, relaxed nice and came with a run, everything you wanted. It makes it more exciting when (the plan) comes together. We knew she was a good filly so it was kind of taking a shot, see what she has and go from there. She's been training well and doing everything right, so it was worth a shot and it paid off.”

Winning jockey Antonio Gallardo: “Tampa is my house! She felt really good. She's a little bit complicated, her motion, but the exercise riders, the assistant, everyone in the barn does a good job with her. She can be a little difficult in the gate, and they do a really good job with her. When you have so many people who put so much work in a horse and now you win that race that you want to win, it feels really good. When this filly sees the front, she is really hard to beat.”

The post ‘She Fought For It’: Mission Of Joy Victorious In Florida Oaks Battle appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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