Month: October 2023

Although his trainer was 31 miles across town watching the Rams versus the Eagles at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., heavily favored Endlessly knew what to do when it counted in Sunday's $200,000 Zuma Beach Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita as he kept to his task and overhauled his well-meant stablemate Ngannou to win going away by 2¼ lengths.

Bred in Kentucky by Mrs. Jerry Amerman and owned by Amerman Racing LLC, Endlessly, trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Juan Hernandez, remained unbeaten in three starts as he got the one-mile Zuma Beach for 2-year-olds in 1:34.52.

With Ngannou, Formidable Man, and Boltage all ensuring a quick pace, it looked as though things would set up perfectly for Endlessly, who had rallied for a pair of one mile turf victories this summer at Del Mar, but a quarter mile out, he appeared to be in deep water as Ngannou and Antonio Fresu opened up three lengths, but Hernandez stayed cool and Endlessly ended up an easy winner.

“Around the three eighths pole when I was ready to start making my move, I was a little surprised because he is the kind of horse when you ask him, he picks it up right away,” said Hernandez, who has been aboard for all three of Endlessly's wins. “But today, it took him a couple of jumps to figure out that he had to start making his move.

“I wanted to go outside but then I saw the rail open for me and saw the opportunity to come through and make up more ground, so I decided to come between horses. My horse was really professional. He came through the horses really well and after that he just passed everybody like (he has) the last couple of races. He's improving with every race.”

In a racing rarity, Endlessly has now won all three of his races, most recently the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3) on Sept. 10, by identical margins of 2¼ lengths. Off at 4-5 in a field of eight juvenile colts, Endlessly paid $3.60 for the win.

By Oscar Performance out of the Langfuhr mare Dream Fuhrever, Endlessly, with the Zuma Beach winner's cut of $120,000, increased his earnings to $229,200.

Off at 7-1, Ngannou, in just his second career start, finished 1¼ lengths in front of Grand Mo the First, who rallied from last.

In from Gulfstream Park and ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, Grand Mo the First was a half length in front of longshot Ace of Clubs.

Fractions on the race were :22.86, :46.27, 1:09.99 and 1:22.38.

The post ‘Improving With Every Race’: Endlessly Stays Perfect With Zuma Beach Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Big Invasion, who had been entered in Sunday's $250,000 Nearctic (G2) after being programmed for Saturday's Belmont Turf Sprint, left New York for Woodbine in search of firmer going.

And while the turf at Woodbine ended up being listed as yielding following some afternoon rains, Big Invasion appeared to relish the footing as he rallied under jockey Dylan Davis to prevail by a head in the sprint for 3-year-olds and upward.

“He handled the ground well, that was no question,” said Davis, who had picked up the mount on Big Invasion for trainer Christophe Clement. “I had to settle on into the two-path into the turn and back out. He responded great for us and fought tooth and nail to the wire. I love him. I've been watching him all year round in New York and in Florida. He's a nice, big, strong horse.”

Big Invasion was sitting seventh early as Masen (GB) led through a quarter mile in :22.32, pressed to his inside by Remuda, and began to improve his position as that pair reached the half in :45.33.

Looming into serious contention as the field turned for home and the front-runners began to falter, Big Invasion was closing in on surprise 104-1 shot leader Rockcrest with a furlong remaining and outlasted a plethora of closers to reach the wire in 1:11.31 and return $9.60 as the lukewarm choice.

Lucky Score and Ice Chocolat (BRZ), both conditioned by Mark Casse, were among those flying late and emerged with second and third money, respectively, a head apart.

Dhabab (IRE), who had trailed early, also finished strongly to miss show money by just a nose. Dream Shake was next, another head back and a head before Rockcrest, who in turn had a nose on Oceanic.

War Bomber was eighth, a neck behind Oceanic and beaten three-quarters of a length for all the money. Masen, County Final, Jazz Hands, Last American Exit and Remuda rounded out the order of finish in the field of 13.

Racing on going other than firm for the first time in his 14-race career, Big Invasion notched his second graded stakes score for owners Reeves Thoroughbred Racing.

The colt by Declaration of War had won Saratoga's Grade 3 Quick Call last summer and now sports an overall record of 8-3-1, which also includes five listed stakes wins.

Big Invasion had traveled to the England in June for Royal Ascot's Queen Elizabeth Jubilee (G1), finishing up the track in that difficult six-furlong fixture, but rebounded with a solid effort in Saratoga's 5½-furlong Harvey Pack Stakes five weeks ago and topped that performance here in the Nearctic.

“He's a cool horse and he's got natural speed,” said assistant trainer Christophe Lorieul. “The question we had today was the ground. We were not sure about the ground, but he was pure class. He is a top-class horse and today proved that even on that kind of ground he can be effective.”

Big Invasion, who dam is the Curlin mare Curls in Place, was bred in Kentucky by John O'Meara. Vinery Sales sold him mto Taproot Bloodstock, agent, for $80,000 at 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The post ‘We Were Not Sure About The Ground’: Big Invasion Battles To Nearctic Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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