Month: October 2023

Locked Secures Breeders’ Cup Berth In Breeders’ Futurity

Locked made a successful jump to graded stakes competition and established himself as one of the horses to beat in next month's Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Saturday with a hard-fought triumph in the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.

The son of Gun Runner was kept wide through the first trip past the wire, and into the first turn after breaking from the outside post, while longshot Baytown Chatterbox led the field through an opening quarter-mile in :24.47 seconds, chased by West Saratoga.

Baytown Chatterbox was overtaken at the top of the backstretch by Just Steel on the outside, while jockey Jose Ortiz kept Locked out of the fray in second-to-last. Just Steel, several paths wide, maintained the lead at the half-mile point, clocking in at :48.23 seconds, with Baytown Chatterbox and West Saratoga giving chase.

Baytown Chatterbox regained the lead from his inside spot as he and Just Steel entered the final turn, but the leader quickly faltered and shuffled back into a tightly-bunched pack as Just Steel re-assumed the lead.

Meanwhile, Ortiz took Locked widest of all, and began looping around the field as they approached the final straightaway.

He met new leader The Wine Steward at the top of the stretch, and they locked horns at the quarter pole. Locked and The Wine Steward, under jockey Luis Saez, traded advantages as the final poles passed, and after conceding a slight lead to The Wine Steward, Locked found more in the final sixteenth of Keeneland's short stretch, and outkicked The Wine Steward to win by a half-length. Generous Tipper was 3 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up in third.

“You like to think it moves them forward,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He was hung out very wide on both turns. He didn't have a real easy trip, but he's talented enough to overcome it.”

Locked completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:45.06 over a fast main track. He paid $3.52 to win as the overwhelming favorite. Pletcher trained Locked for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm.

The Breeders' Futurity bookended a massive weekend at Keeneland for Pletcher and Eclipse, who teamed up to send Candied to the winner's circle in the G1 Alcibiades Stakes, securing a “Win and You're In” spot for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

“To be able to execute those gameplans over the course of 24 hours is just a testament to our program, our partners who support us,” said Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “Gary Broad (of Walmac Farm) gave us an incredible opportunity last fall to buy some yearlings, and we partnered with him on Locked. Todd and his program, what can you say? Of course, Luis yesterday (aboard Candied) and Jose today just put up top-notch rides.”

Saturday's victory improved Locked's record to two wins in three career starts for earnings of $428,400.

He entered the Breeders' Futurity off a 7 1/4-length triumph in a Saratoga maiden special weight on Sept. 1, making up for a troubled debut at the same track a month earlier, where he finished third after being knocked to the back of the pack early on.

“He has been a stud from the day we broke him at Ocala Stud and turned him over to Todd,” Wellman said. “He quickly asserted himself as probably the best colt that was at Ocala Stud. They were very high on him down there, and he trained very forwardly all winter and spring, then as soon as we got him to Todd, we knew this was a horse that would be excelling when we got him around two turns.”

Locked was bred in Kentucky by Rosa Colasanti, out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Luna Rosa. He sold to the Eclipse/Walmac partnership for $425,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

With an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in his back pocket, Locked will attempt to replicate the success of Forte, who turned the Breeders' Futurity/Juvenile double last year en route to the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male. Essential Quality took the same route to an Eclipse Award in 2020.

Locked also picked up 10 qualifying points for next year's Kentucky Derby, making him an early leader in the race to make the gate in the first leg of the Triple Crown.

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‘On To The Breeders’ Cup’: Chatalas Romps Gate To Wire In Chandelier

In her first time around two turns, Chatalas broke running from her rail post position and although pressed through solid fractions, she was able to shake loose from Dua in deep stretch and prevailed by 1½ lengths over New York invader Scalable in Saturday's $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.

The Chandelier is a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win & You're In”qualifier, and Chatalas earned a fees-paid berth into the $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Trained by Mark Glatt and ridden for the first time by Antonio Fresu, Chatalas got 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.28.

A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar July 30, Chatalas was then a well-beaten fourth by budding superstar Tamara in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) Sept. 9.

Off at 3-1 in her third start Saturday, she paid $8.20 for the win.

Owned by breeder Dan Agnew and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, Chatalas, a bay Gun Runner filly out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Safari, picked up $120,000 for the win to run her earnings to $187,200.

Fifth in her seven furlong debut at Saratoga Sept. 3, Repole Stable's Scalable was about six lengths off the winner three furlongs out and rallied nicely for the place under Mike Smith.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Dua pressed the winner throughout and paid a price, finishing third, a neck behind Scalable.

Fractions on the race were :23.69, :47.97, 1:11.88 and 1:37.55.

CHANDELIER STAKES QUOTES 

JOCKEY ANTONIO FRESU, CHATALAS, WINNER: “I breezed the filly once a couple of months ago. I liked her at that time. Mark (Glatt) brought her into this in perfect shape. We talked in the paddock and the plan was to sit right behind the leaders. But we agreed if nobody goes, then I could. She broke well and I had the advantage of the rail. She relaxed really well in front. When I asked her to kick, she was still kind of immature, she was waiting for someone to come. But the last eighth, she changed gears and won impressively.

“I still had a lot of horse underneath me. I liked the way she galloped out. I think she will stay all day long. She has a good frame of mind. In the post parade she was really quiet, really relaxed, like she was going out to train in the morning.”

TRAINER MARK GLATT, CHATALAS, WINNER: “We've always thought the further she went the better she would be. A little disappointed with the Debutante performance, but I look back on it and she was fairly close to .44 fractions and that's just not her. We knew she would have pretty good speed going two turns and she did kind of everything her own way, she broke sharp and had a relatively comfortable lead, Fresu rode her great.”

OWNER DAN AGNEW, PART-OWNER/BREEDER, CHATALAS, WINNER: “Cloud nine now that would describe it. Especially with a homebred like this, it is a great thrill and Mark's done a great job with the filly. The man that was on the farm said, 'This is one I think you ought to keep and I think he was right.'

I think the way Gun Runner has proven a great sire to both fillies and colts was a big reason I decided to keep her and race her. On to the Breeders' Cup, we hope that she comes out well and we are looking forward to it.”

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Up to the Mark ‘Nose’ Way To the Wire in Coolmore Turf Mile

Defying a four-month absence as well as 6-5 favorite Master of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Up to the Mark (Not This Time) looked to have it all to do turning for home in Saturday's GI Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland, but the $450,000 Keeneland September acquisition exploded inside the final sixteenth of a mile and dropped his nose on the wire just ahead of the Godolphin runner for a thrilling victory.

Defending champion 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) won the break and showed the way under the line for the first time, but the U.S.-debuting Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was intent on making the lead and did so entering the clubhouse turn. Up to the Mark, making his first start since winning the GI Manhattan S. over a mile and quarter in early June, was content to linger at the rear, racing just to the outside of Master of the Seas–last-out winner of the GI Woodbine Mile–as the field turned up the backstretch. Last but one into the far turn, Up to the Mark did not appear to be traveling that well and was urgently ridden by Jose Ortiz passing the three-eighths marker, giving his chief market rival a golden opportunity to get the jump on him. Master of the Seas did just that, setting sail for the wire, but Up to the Mark was up to the task, as he delivered a flying finish to take it by a long nose. The final time of 1:34.18 was some 0.48 slower than the GI First Lady S. two races earlier, albeit with slightly different dynamics. Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}), also cutting back to a mile off his victory in the 10-furlong GI Arlington Million Aug. 12, finished off strongly to just touch Annapolis out of third.

A maiden winner from five starts on the dirt to begin his career, Up to the Mark was no better than 12-1 when romping in his turf debut at Gulfstream Jan. 28. Following up with a second-level Hallandale allowance Mar. 4, the bay was ambitiously spotted in this track's GI Maker's Mark Mile during the spring meet and hardly disgraced himself in third, a neck behind champion Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The fast-finishing winner of the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic over nine panels on the Derby undercard at Churchill May 6, he proved far too strong in the Manhattan when last seen.

“We probably made a mistake that day,” Pletcher said of the Maker's Mark. “Modern Games was a huge favorite, and I think we got caught up tactically in what Modern Games was doing instead of just focusing on how Up to the Mark wanted to run.”

As for Saturday's race, Pletcher added, “He got a great trip today. [Jockey] Jose [Ortiz] made a very smart move in the middle of the turn when he decided to follow [Master of the Seas] and things split.”

Pletcher indicated that Up to the Mark's Breeders' Cup options remain open, with both the Mile and the Turf to be considered.

Pedigree Notes:

Up to the Mark was completing a graded double for Not This Time, adding to the success of Arzak in the GII Woodford S. earlier on the program.

One of five elite-level scorers for his white-hot stallion, Up to the Mark is out of an unraced daughter of the outstanding Capote Belle, who carried the Robert and Lawana Low colors to victory in three graded events, including the 1996 GI Test S. Belle's Finale is a full-sister to Zapper Belle, a stakes winner and third in the GIII Valley View S. on the grass, and a half to Gata Bella (Storm Cat), the dam of Catapult (Kitten's Joy), a two-time graded winner on the turf and placed twice in Grade I company, including a runner-up effort in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Mile.

Belle's Finale is the dam of a 2-year-old filly by West Coast, a yearling colt by McKinzie that was bought back for $170,000 at Keeneland September and a weanling colt by Maxfield. She most recently returned to Not This Time for her 2024 produce.

Saturday, Keeneland
COOLMORE TURF MILE S.-GI, $1,000,000, Keeneland, 10-7, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.18, fm.
1–UP TO THE MARK, 126, c, 4, by Not This Time
                1st Dam: Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper
                2nd Dam: Capote Belle, by Capote
                3rd Dam: Rythmical, by Fappiano
($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $589,000. Lifetime Record: 11-6-0-2, $1,831,050. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Master of The Seas (Ire), 126, g, 5, Dubawi (Ire)–Firth of Lorne (Ire), by Danehill. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charles Appleby. $190,000.
3–Set Piece (GB), 126, g, 7, Dansili (GB)–Portodora, by Kingmambo. O/B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Brad H. Cox. $95,000.
Margins: NO, 3, HF. Odds: 2.29, 1.23, 8.68.
Also Ran: Annapolis, English Bee, Harlan Estate, Stitched, Atone, Indestructible (Ire).

Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Three Witches An Upset Winner In Gulfstream’s Princess Rooney

After seven straight races at Florida's Gulfstream Park, Three Witches (Into Mischief) might have to pack a suitcase. An upset winner of Saturday's GIII Princess Rooney S., she's headed to Santa Anita to line up in an all-expenses paid spot in the GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

After breaking her maiden in her debut last July, the 4-year-old took some time off before returning to the track to post three straight on-the-board finishes. Sixth in a one-mile spot two back March 10, she again went to the sidelines only to return a winner last time out facing optional claimers Aug. 27.

The only runner in the field to have never lined up in a stakes spot, Three Witches got a good early tempo to run at as Poiema (Neolithic) charged out of the gate and asserted herself up front through an opening quarter in :22.17. The field quickly spaced themselves out with the eventual winner floating back to fifth and held out in the clear nearly six paths off the fence. Racing between rivals into the far turn, the 10-1 shot wasn't making up any ground yet but really began to move into the final quarter mile past a half in :44.37. Angled outside of the leading runners, Three Witches had clear sailing home but had to contend with the closing speed of 7-5 favorite Maryquitecontrary (First Dude) who chased her home but had to settle for a narrow second.

 

“She's run some decent races where she showed some glimpses of hope and then she'd disappoint after a couple races,” said trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. “We gave her a break and she came back to win well. Today, she put it together. Obviously, she had to make a jump, and she did.”

“The Breeders' Cup, we'll talk about. It's another jump up. She earned the right to go. We'll have to decide. [Owner] Bob [Edwards] is going to make that decision. I'll give him feedback on how she's doing, but he'll make the call,” Joseph added.

Pedigree Note:

Into Mischief picked up his 67th graded-stakes winner with Three Witches's win Saturday. Layreebelle, though unraced herself, was a $525,000 KEENOV RNA in 2018 and has already produced MGSW Kid Cruz (Lemon Drop Kid) along with GSW Spellbound (Bernardini) who herself foaled MGSW Soothsay (Distorted Humor). Another of her daughters, Rebelle (Hard Spun), produced GII Woodward S. runner up Film Star (Flatter). The dam is herself a half-sister to GISP Magical Illusion (Pulpit), better known as the grand-dam of Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy) through her daughter, Broodmare of the Year Stage Magic. The winner has an unraced 2-year-old full-brother who brought $450,000 as a yearling at the FTSAUG sale, a yearling Candy Ride (Arg) half-sister who sold for $375,000 at last month's Keeneland September Sale and a weanling half-brother, also by Candy Ride (Arg).

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
PRINCESS ROONEY INVITATIONAL S.-GIII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 10-7, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:22.89, ft.
1–THREE WITCHES, 119, f, 4, by Into Mischief
           1st Dam: Layreebelle, by Tale of the Cat
           2nd Dam: Voodoo Lily, by Baldski
           3rd Dam: Cap the Moment, by For The Moment
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-e Five Racing Thoroughbreds; B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Leonel Reyes. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-2, $199,870. *1/2 to Kid Cruz (Lemon Drop Kid), MGSW, $792,985; 1/2 to Spellbound (Bernardini), GSW, $231,750. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Maryquitecontrary, 123, f, 4, First Dude–Mary Kate 'n Kelly, by Mecke. O/B-R. G. Lundock (FL); T-David Fawkes. $40,000.
3–R Adios Jersey, 119, m, 5, Adios Charlie–Marion Theatre, by Montbrook. ($12,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR). O-Averill Racing LLC, ATM Racing and Jayson R. Werth; B-Ocala Stud & J. Michael O'Farrell Jr. (FL); T-Georgina Baxter. $20,000.
Margins: HF, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 10.20, 1.40, 1.60.
Also Ran: Bluefield, Olivia Darling, Rosie's Halo, Poiema, Flakes. Scratched: Last Leaf.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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