Month: March 2023

With the late money coming his way, Phil D'Amato's English-bred Motorious ran to it, as he overhauled morning-line favorite Brickyard Ride a furlong from home and waltzed to a 2¼-length win in the $100,000 San Simeon Stakes (G3) Sunday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Motorious got about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in 1:11.34.

As expected, comebacking Brickyard Ride bounded to the early lead from his rail post and Motorious, who broke sharply from midpack, sat second in the run down the hill, two lengths back at the half-mile pole, but Prat engaged the leader at the dirt crossing and the two battled head and head to midstretch, where Motorious asserted his superiority.

“He broke well and I was able to get myself right behind Brickyard Ride, so I was pleased with that,” said Prat, who notched his second stakes win on the day. “Obviously, I can't let Brickyard Ride do his own thing in the first part, but I kind of wanted to get the jump on him and kind of surprise him. From that point, my horse was really brave and got to the wire.”

Second down the hill in the restricted Clockers' Corner Stakes Jan. 29, Motorious, the second choice on the morning line at 5-2, was off at 3-2 in a field of seven older horses and paid $5 for the win.

Owned by Anthony Fanticola, the 5-year-old British-bred Muhaarar gelding notched his second win from four hillside tries and got his first North American stakes win as well. Currently three for six with D'Amato in Southern California, Motorious is now 5-3-2 from 13 starts overall. With the San Simeon winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $204,944.

“Brickyard Ride is a very nice horse,” said D'Amato. “I thought maybe if we were going to have a chance to beat him, it would be off the layoff. We had a really nice post (Sunday), last time we had the one-hole and we were stuck inside. Flavien got him in the race and in the right position to get the job done and he did a masterful job.”

A joint third, about 3½ lengths off the lead at the dirt crossing, Anarchist rallied for second, finishing a half length in front of Brickyard Ride.

Idle since May 29, multiple graded stakes winner Brickyard Ride, the 2-1 morning line favorite, finished a half length in front of Whatmakessammyrun.

Fractions on the race were :21.46, :43.01, and 1:05.25.

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An attentive second to a moderate early pace, Michael Lund Petersen's Faiza took command turning for home en route to a facile 2¼ length win in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) Sunday at Santa Anita, giving Bob Baffert his record eighth victory in a traditional prep to the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

With Flavien Prat employing a hand ride the final sixteenth of a mile, Faiza got 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:44.66 as she remained unbeaten in four starts.

Although the Santa Ysabel is structured to award 50 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the winner, Faiza is ineligible due to a dispute between Baffert and Churchill Downs.  However, the second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers will receive 20, 15, 10, and five points, respectively.

With Blessed Touch and Hector Berrios showing the way around the Club House turn, Faiza, who broke from the far outside in a field of five sophomore fillies, appeared to have her measured throughout and drew alongside mid-way on the far turn before taking control leaving the quarter pole.

Although ridden by Ramon Vazquez to a half-length score going one mile in the Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) Jan. 28 at Santa Anita, Prat, who had been aboard for a win in the Starlet (G1) at Los Alamitos Dec. 10 and a first-out maiden win sprinting Nov. 12 at Del Mar, was reunited with the daughter of Girvin.

Off at 4-5, Faiza paid $3.60 for the win.

“Obviously, a great post so she jumped well and got me into the race,” said Prat.  “She was travelling well all the way around.  I felt the pace was quite easy, so I could get myself going around the turn and she stretched her legs down the lane really well.

“It seems like she is getting better, race after race.  I think the distance is not a problem for her.  She's a filly that has stamina so there is definitely improvement.”

A $725,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase from Paul Sharp's consignment, Faiza is out of the Smart Strike mare Sweet Pistol and was bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones. With the Santa Ysabel's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $402,000.

“She's got a great mind and she's by one of the hottest sires, Girvin, who is just unbelievable,” said Baffert.  “His progeny (Dorth Vader) won the Davona Dale (G2, Gulfstream Park) yesterday.  We are just lucky to have her. …”

Trained by Peter Miller, And Tell Me Nolies rallied four-wide turning for home and was clearly second best under Ramon Vazquez. She finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Blessed Touch in third.

Off at 10-1 with Hector Berrios, Blessed Touch finished 2½ lengths in front of Justique.

Both Justique and fifth-place finisher Pride of the Nile, never threatened from off the pace.

Fractions on the race were :24, :48.32, 1:12.89 and 1:38.25.

The post Road To Kentucky Oaks: Faiza Stays Unbeaten With Santa Ysabel Victory But No Louisville Race For Baffert-Trained Filly appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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