Month: October 2023

The late Prince Khalid Abdullah of Juddmonte Farms was an astute breeder who developed some of the most accomplished female families in the Stud Book in the latter part of the 20th Century and early 21st Century. The fruits of his work were on full display on Sunday at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., when Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic scored her fourth consecutive graded stakes victory and second Grade 1 in the $600,000 Juddmonte Spinster, a race the winning owner sponsors.

Ridden by Florent Geroux for trainer Brad Cox, the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin jumped out to an early lead and was never challenged en route to an easy 4 1/4-length victory in the Keeneland fall meet's top race for fillies and mares. Le Da Vida finished second, with Bellamore 2 1/2 lengths back in third and Nest – the 2022 champion 3-year-old filly – fourth in the field of six, beaten 11 1/4 lengths. Sixtythreecaliber and Malloy completed the order of finish.

Sent away at even money, with Nest the 4-5 favorite, Idiomatic paid $4.12 to win after racing nine furlongs on a fast track in 1:49.82. She set all the fractions: 24.49, :48.31, 1:12.24, and 1:36.82.

The Spinster is a “Win and You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge Series race giving automatic fees-paid entry to the Distaff, to be run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita. It's a race that has eluded Juddmonte, one of the biggest supporters of the Breeders' Cup since its inception in 1984. This was Juddmonte's second Spinster win, the previous one coming in 2013 with Emollient when Keeneland had an all-weather track.

Geroux was asked how easy it was winning aboard Idiomatic.

“Actually, it was not easy looking at the race on paper with Nest being in there, a very good filly,” Geroux said. “But my filly just keeps on improving and we know the distance is not a problem. She just keeps improving, and (trainer) Brad (Cox) and his team had her at her prime again today. She's just getting better and better, and I can't wait to ride her again.”

Idiomatic is the fourth generation of mares owned and bred by Juddmonte. She is a daughter of Lockdown (by Juddmonte's First Defence), a stakes winner who was G1 placed but could do no better than fourth in the 2017 Spinster. Lockdown's dam, Rising Tornado, was a daughter of Storm Cat who raced without great success in Europe for Andre Fabre. Her dam, Silver Star (by Juddmonte's Zafonic), also raced for Fabre in Europe.  Silver Star was produced from the Sir Ivor mare, Monroe, bred by Darrel and Lindy Brown. The Browns raced Monroe dam, Best in Show, who produced Kentucky Oaks winner Blush With Pride. Best in Show would be named a Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Broodmare of the Year.

This the first Juddmonte Spinster victory for Cox.

“It's very special, and I want to thank (owner Fahad bin) Mr. Khalid and his family and obviously the Juddmonte team here in America,” said Cox. “This is a big win for this filly, it's her second Grade 1. She's had a fantastic year. (This race is) a 'Win and You're In' (for) the Breeders' Cup so we're excited about that. I've run four or five fillies in the past in (the Juddmonte Spinster) and haven't had much luck, so she was able to break through for us today.

“She's a tremendous talent, very physical, really. When I was saddling her in the Paddock, I was, like, 'Wow, she's the biggest horse I've ever trained.' She's a monster. She has a tremendous stride and covers so much ground. She's really a freak – I mean, she really is a tremendous talent, and we're very fortunate to have her.”

Idiomatic now has eight wins with one second and two thirds from 11 starts. She's won seven of eight this year. Her win streak began in the G3 Shawnee in June, continued with the G2 Delaware Handicap in July, and the G1 Personal Ensign over Secret Oath and Nest in August.

Cox is looking ahead to the Distaff, a race he won twice with Monomoy Girl in 2018 and 2020.

“It comes down to, you know, California is speed, she's got speed, and we'll see who else signs on,” Cox said. “It'll be a showdown, I'm sure.”

 

The post ‘She’s Really A Freak’: Idiomatic Runs Away With Spinster En Route To Breeders’ Cup Distaff appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Parkland Thoroughbreds and Sportsmen Stable's Jody's Pride legitimized a strong debut effort when taking on stakes company for the first time and earned an easy score in an off-the-turf edition of Sunday's 114th running of the $150,000 Matron for juvenile fillies going six furlongs at Belmont at the Big A.

Jody's Pride entered from a 10 1/2-length romp in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on August 9 at Saratoga Race Course, which also was originally scheduled for the turf. The daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah proved the impressive first start to be no fluke when racing uncontested throughout the stretch en route to a 3 1/4-length conquest for trainer Jorge Abreu.

Leaving from post 5 under returning rider Flavien Prat, Jody's Pride settled fourth and in the clear after breaking a step slow while Devil At Midnight and Love to Eat engaged in battle on the front end through an opening quarter-mile in :22.17 over the fast main track. Rounding the far turn, Jody's Pride leveled her way up to the front and matched strides with the pacesetters and quickly garnered a one-length command through a half-mile in :45.93.

Prat kept his charge to task through the stretch drive, extending her advantage to 6 1/4 lengths at the stretch call before crossing the wire in hand, completing the distance in 1:10.77, earning the breakthrough stakes win in the race that was downgraded from a Grade 3 to a listed event when it waas moved to the dirt.

Tricky Temper made an inside rally to grab runner-up honors, 4 3/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher A Primera Vista.

Sugar Hi, Leslie's Loot, Love to Eat and Devil At Midnight completed the order of finish. Independenceavenue, Marco T., Star of Mystery, Ever So Sweet and Amidst Waves were scratched.

An objection was launched by Kerri Raven, the owner/trainer of A Primera Vista, against Tricky Temper alleging interference at the quarter pole. The objection was ultimately disallowed.

Prat said Jody's Pride was able to quickly recover after the tardy start.

“I broke a step slow and I asked her to get herself into the race from there,” Prat said. “Once I hit the turn, she just swapped leads and naturally on her own took me there. I didn't want to take anything away that came easy.”

Jody's Pride is out of the New York-bred Scat Daddy mare Jody's Song, who was a two-time winner on grass for Abreu.

After contesting in a pair of off-the-turf events, Abreu expressed desire to finally run Jody's Pride on grass.

“I want to get her on turf eventually, but Prat always said he liked her better on the dirt,” Abreu said. “I breezed her on the turf and she breezed pretty good on the turf at Saratoga. That was before she even ran, and I trained her mom – she was 2-for-2 on the turf.”

Abreu said his main concern was Prat getting her to relax.

“When she ran the first time five-and-a-half [furlongs], you know how they can be mentally, especially the fillies – they want to be a little keyed up and stuff like that,” Abreu said. “The first day we galloped her after the race, she looked like she was going to go the other way, but then she's got a pretty good, level head, that filly.”

Abreu expressed interest in targeting the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships with his newly minted stakes winner and said the Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) going a two-turn mile could be within play.

“I think she's that kind of horse,” Abreu said. “[Which race] is something we have to sit down and see. We'll see how she comes out in the morning and take it from there. I would rather go a mile. A mile on the turf. My first preference is turf.”

Jody's Pride, bred in Kentucky by Steve Weston from the Scat Daddy mare Jody's Song, returned $4.50 for a $2 win wager as the second choice and banked $82,500 in victory to enhance her lifetime earnings to $140,250. She is unbeaten in both of her career starts.

The post Jody’s Pride Goes From Maiden Winner To Matron Victress, Possible For Breeders’ Cup Bid appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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