Month: October 2023

Touch’n Ride Pips Elysian Field For Breeders’ Stakes Win In Classic Thriller At Woodbine

Touch'n Ride, under Kazushi Kimura, wore down a game rival in Elysian Field and then survived a rider's claim of foul to win the $400,000 Breeders' Stakes, the final jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, Sunday at Woodbine.

It was the duo of slight 3-1 choice Paramount Prince, winner of the first jewel, the King's Plate, in August, and newcomer to the classic series, 75-1 Hemlo Gold, who led their 12 rivals into the first turn on a summer-like day at the Toronto oval. They were followed by Kaukokaipuu, 15th in the Plate, and second in the Prince of Wales (the second jewel in the series), with Midnight in Malibu fourth. Touch'n Ride, fifth in the Plate, sat in fifth.

Hemlo Gold was head in front after an opening quarter in :23.71 over a firm E.P. Taylor turf course, shadowed by Paramount Prince, with Midnight in Malibu and Kaukokaipuu third and fourth, respectively.

The lead duo continued their up-front tussle that saw Paramount Prince a half-length on top through a half in :48.75. Kimura had Touch'n Ride well within range of the leaders, still comfortably positioned in fifth after a mile. Paramount Prince and Hemlo Gold were still on top heading into the final turn, but the cavalry charge was coming, including Woodbine Oaks victress and Plate runner-up Elysian Field, who was full of run to the outside, and a surging Touch'n Ride.

It then set the stage for a lengthy battle down the long E.P. Taylor stretch, as Elysian Field and Touch'n Ride broke away from their pursuers, neither horse giving an inch, as they drifted to the far outside midway down the lane.

At the wire, Touch'n Ride, a Chiefswood Stable homebred trained by Layne Giliforte, eked out a nose victory. Elysian Field was four lengths ahead of Twowaycrossing, at 51-1, for second. Philip My Dear was fourth. The final time for the 1½ miles was 2:27.56.

Tito's Calling, Wickenheiser, Kaukokaipuu, British Artillery, Tiburon, Sammy Stone, Simcoe, Hemlo Gold, Paramount Prince and Midnight in Malibu rounded out the order of finish.

Sahin Civaci, aboard Elysian Field, launched a claim of foul against Kimura and Touch'n Ride, but it was disallowed by the stewards.

“It feels amazing,” said Kimura, who notched his first win in the series. “I've always tried to win the Triple Crown and I've finally made it. Last week, I got on him in the morning and he was a very nice horse on the turf. I was quite comfortable staying behind Paramount Prince, the King's Plate winner.”

Giliforte, who has over 900 career training wins to his name, found a way to ride out the unfolding drama.

“It's nerve-racking when you watch a horse get herded out like that,” he said. “The biggest worry is that the horse is going to slip up inside the field. If it impeded your trip, you can claim foul and reverse the order, but if a horse slips up the inside and you have nothing to do with it, it can take the win from you. Nerve-racking to watch.”

But also deeply rewarding.

“I'm getting choked up over it,” said Giliforte. “I had a great feeling going into the race and for him to come through the way he did and Kazushi to give him the ride that he did, it's fantastic.”

With the Breeders' victory, Touch'n Ride, a son of Candy Ride (ARG) out of Niigon's Touch, by Niigon, is now 2-0-1 from four starts. Chiefswood won the 2018 edition with Neepawa.

The bay gelding, third choice on the toteboard, paid $10.20 for the win.

The post Touch’n Ride Pips Elysian Field For Breeders’ Stakes Win In Classic Thriller At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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BC Distaff-Bound Adare Manor Extends Win Streak In Zenyatta

Adare Manor, in search of her fifth consecutive win and fourth graded stakes score, was dispatched as the prohibitive 1-9 favorite in Sunday's $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita and she certainly ran to the betting, coasting to a facile 5¼-length score under Juan Hernandez in gate-to-wire fashion.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Adare Manor covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.70 and will be pointed to the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 4 at the Arcadia, Calif. track.

Named in honor of North America's 2010 Horse of the Year, the Zenyatta is a key prep for the Distaff and is part of the Breeders' Cup “Dirt Dozen.”

Breaking sharply and in firm control throughout, Adare Manor had a 2½-length lead on Desert Dawn leaving the quarter pole, whereupon Hernandez took a peek back to his left and from there, the 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo widened away to victory while well within herself.

A winner of a pair of Grade 2 stakes here this past spring, the Santa Maria and the Santa Margarita, Adare Manor was most recently a one-length winner of the Clement L. Hirsch (G1)  at Del Mar going Zenyatta distance on Aug. 5.

With no show wagering, she paid $2.20 for the win.

Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Adare Manor, who is out of the Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway, picked up $120,000 for her effort, increasing her lifetime earnings to $981,600 from an overall race record of 13-7-4-0. She was bred in Kentucky by Town & Country Horse Farms LLC and Gary Broad, and sold to Donato Lannie for $375,000 at the OBS June Two-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale, where Julie Davis consigned her.

Consistent Arizona-bred Desert Dawn, trained by Phil D'Amato, was clearly second best on the day, finishing 6¼ lengths in front of Micro Share in third.

Fractions on the Zenyatta were 23.71, 47.91, 1:11.96, and 1:37.04.

ZENYATTA STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY JUAN HERNANDEZ, ADARE MANOR, WINNER: “Today all the credit goes to my filly, to Bob (Baffert) and his team they brought her ready. She broke a little slow the last couple of times, but today she broke on her own, I didn't even have to push her. She was just galloping around on the lead and I didn't do much today.”

TRAINER BOB BAFFERT, ADARE MANOR, WINNER: “She had been training really well. Morgan who gets on her in the morning said she couldn't get any better. She just keeps improving and we wanted to see something like this to see if we were going to take a crack at the Breeders' Cup. So I think if she comes out of it well, we will go for it.”

The post BC Distaff-Bound Adare Manor Extends Win Streak In Zenyatta appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Arc Undercard: Highland Princess, Opera Singer Among Four To Earn Breeders’ Cup Berths

Favored at 2-1 in an 18-horse field, Highfield Princess (FR) looked an unlikely winner at the halfway stage of the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (G1) Sunday at ParisLongchamp on the Qatar Prix de l'Arc card, but rallied to gain the advantage under jockey Jason Hart. The John Quinn trainee gained an automatic berth into the $1-million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in November at Santa Anita.

Taking advantage of the rail, George Boughey's Perdika (GB) set a strong pace. But as Perdika began to lose her advantage, Highfield Princess surged, and the 6-year-old daughter of Night Of Thunder (IRE) was able to hold on strongly to win by one length, with Perdika in second.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained Aesop's Fables (IRE), the Clive Cox-trained Get Ahead (GB) and the rapidly improving Tom Clover-trained Rogue Lightning (IRE) were finishing fast, and took the third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

Highfield Princess, owned by Trainers House Enterprises Ltd., completed the five furlongs in :55.07 to earn her ninth career win. She finished fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.

Opera Singer Dominates Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac

Opera Singer delivered a standout performance in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches (G1), galloping clear to a five-length victory under jockey Ryan Moore.

Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Westerberg's Kentucky-bred daughter of Justify was very responsive when Moore asked her to quicken near the two-furlong marker, having led most of the way in the 1-mile affair, and left Rose Bloom (IRE) in second, followed by Les Pavots (IRE) in third.

Opera Singer, bred by the late Evie Stockwell, completed the mile in 1:36.40 and gained an automatic berth into the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Trainer Aidan O'Brien, who saddled his fifth Marcel Boussac winner, said: “We've been excited with her. Ryan said she was very straightforward and she really appreciated the step up to a mile like we thought she would. I thought she was very strong all the way to the line and it was an impressive performance. Being on nicer ground helped her put in that performance.”

On a trip to the Breeders' Cup, he added: “It's very possible, obviously it will depend on what the lads [ownership connections] want to do, but she is by Justify and has plenty of experience if they want to go there.”

Rosallion Impresses In Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere

An eye-catching winner following a disappointing run in the Sept. 16 Betfred Champagne Stakes (G2) at Doncaster, Rosallion (IRE) provided jockey Sean Levey with his first international group 1 victory when he landed the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) for 2-year-old colts and fillies.

The Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier, and Michael Tabor-owned Henry Adams (IRE) set the pace in the day's opening race, with Ballymount Boy (IRE) close behind. The Aidan O'Brien-trained Unquestionable (FR) was in third and the Richard Hannon-trained Rosallion and Philippe Allaire & Haras D'Etreham's well-fancied Beauvatier (FR) were held up towards the rear.

Beauvatier moved to the outside at the 3-furlong marker and made a move 2 furlongs out but was no match for Rosallion, who made impressive headway and pulled clear in the final stages to win by a length with Unquestionable second and Beauvatier third.

Rosallion gained an automatic berth into the $1-million Prevagen Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). The Blue Point colt completed the seven-furlong contest in 1:18.23 over a course listed as good to soft.

Trainer Richard Hannon said: “It was very sticky ground at Doncaster and he hated it, but I was so disappointed – I couldn't believe he got beat. We scoped him afterwards and everything was fine and the only thing I can put it down to was the ground. Today was a recovery mission and you don't generally come to the Lagardere on a recovery mission as it takes an extremely good horse to win it, but he showed today that he's the horse we thought he was.”

Blue Rose Cen Dominates Prix de l'Opera Longines

The Christopher Head-trained Blue Rose Cen (IRE), last year's winner of the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac-Criterium des Pouliches (G1), scored a neck victory over Jackie Oh (IRE) to win the 1 1/4-mile Prix de l'Opera Longines (G1) for fillies and mares. Owned by Yeguada Centurion SL, Blue Rose Cen earned an automatic berth into the $2-million Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

The Michael O'Flynn-owned daughter of Saxon Warrior (JPN) Lumiere Rock (IRE) was prominent throughout, and held the lead until the 400-meter mark before the Aidan O'Brien trained Jackie Oh surged in front with Blue Rose Cen ranging to her outside.

The pace quickened inside the final 2 furlongs where the leading group battled it out until Blue Rose Cen edged away and crossed the line in front by a neck with Jackie Oh in second. Lumiere Rock finished third.

Blue Rose Cen completed the 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.71.

Winning trainer Christopher Head said: “You never know if they can be running in the Prix Vermeille [Sept. 10 prep race at ParisLongchamp] and still get it back in the Opera – what a filly. For sure she will stay in training at four. She's nominated for the Breeders' Cup, but we will have to discuss that.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of the Challenge Series races to start at this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 23 to receive the rewards.

The post Arc Undercard: Highland Princess, Opera Singer Among Four To Earn Breeders’ Cup Berths appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Adare Manor Cruises to Fifth Straight Win in Zenyatta

To see Adare Manor (f, 4, Uncle Mo–Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo) gallop out after Santa Anita's GII Zenyatta S. was to see a filly who looked like she was pretty proud of herself. Indeed, she should have been. The Zenyatta was Adare Manor's fifth straight win, as well as fourth consecutive graded win, and she took this one in the most facile manner possible, eased up as she cruised under the line a 5 1/4-length victress.

Clearly the class of the field as the 1-9 favorite, Adare Manor ran like it. The Michael Lund Petersen colorbearer broke from the rail, hustled to the front under her own power, and was unbothered by early pressure from Micro Share (Upstart), last-out winner of Del Mar's Tranquility Lake S. Sept. 4. Jockey Juan Hernandez could not have looked more comfortable on board the eventual winner–like he was out for a Sunday afternoon stroll–as the two edged clear for a :23.71 first quarter. Moving easily with her ears flicking back and forth as her three rivals lined up behind her and left her completely alone on the lead, Adare Manor clicked off a half in :47.91 and three-quarters in 1:11.96. Hernandez peered over his left shoulder leaving the turn and was so satisfied with his filly's position that he sat still as a stone down the lane, then eased up his mount at the wire. Last year's GII Santa Anita Oaks winner Desert Dawn (Cupid) followed her home, just as she did in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. Aug. 5. Desert Dawn was 6 1/4 lengths in front of Micro Share, while Window Shopping (American Pharoah), the only 3-year-old in the field and winner of the GII Summertime Oaks in June, was fourth.

“Today all the credit goes to my filly, to Bob [Baffert], and his team. They brought her ready,” said Hernandez. “She broke a little slow the last couple of times, but today she broke on her own, I didn't even have to push her. She was just galloping around on the lead and I didn't do much today.”

In addition to the aforementioned Clement Hirsch, Adare Manor's streak also includes the GII Santa Margarita S. and the GII Santa Maria S. She is five for six on the year, following up a 2022 which included a victory in the GIII Las Virgenes S. and runner-up finishes in both the GII Santa Anita Oaks and the GII Black-Eyed Susan S.

Baffert enthused after the Zenyatta: “She just keeps improving and we wanted to see something like this to see if we were going to take a crack at the Breeders' Cup [Distaff]. So I think if she comes out of it well, we will go for it.”

 

Pedigree Notes:

Coolmore America's Uncle Mo, currently ranked a strong second on the 2023 leading sires list, is the sire of Adare Manor and another dozen black-type winners of this year bred in the Northern Hemisphere, including recent GI Pacific Classic winner Arabian Knight. With his ninth crop of 2-year-olds now at the track, Uncle Mo has 95 stakes winners, 48 of which are graded. Adare Manor is the only one of Uncle Mo's stakes winners out of a Giant Gizmo mare, but he does have three out of daughters of Giant's Causeway, sire of Giant Gizmo. Giant Gizmo was last reported to be standing in Panama. Adare Manor is the only black-type winner out of one of his daughters.

Winner of the 2016 GIII Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland, Brooklynsway has produced Adare Manor and an unraced 2-year-old filly by Into Mischief. Her yearling, a Ghostzapper filly already named Nosleeptilbrooklyn, was a $500,000 purchase by Boardshorts Stables on the first day of Book 2 at the recent Keeneland September sale. The mare delivered a full-brother to Adare Manor Mar. 24. She was bred back to Tapit.

Sunday, Santa Anita Park
ZENYATTA S.-GII, $196,000, Santa Anita, 10-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.70, gd.
1–ADARE MANOR, 126, f, 4, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Brooklynsway (GSW-USA, MSW & GSP-Can, $724,597), by Giant Gizmo
2nd Dam: Explosive Story, by Radio Star
3rd Dam: Maya's Note, by Editor's Note
($180,000 Ylg '20 FTKFEB; $190,000 RNA Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $375,000 2yo '21 OBSOPN). O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC & Gary Broad (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $120,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 13-7-4-0, $981,600. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Desert Dawn, 122, f, 4, Cupid–Ashley's Glory, by Honour and Glory. ($32,000 RNA Ylg '20 OBSOCT). O/B-H & E Ranch (AZ); T-Philip D'Amato. $40,000.
3–Micro Share, 122, f, 4, Upstart–Who'sbeeninmybed, by The Daddy. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($10,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $125,000 Ylg '20 OBSOCT; $450,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $24,000.
Margins: 5 1/4, 6 1/4, 22 1/4. Odds: 0.10, 5.40, 6.70. Also Ran: Window Shopping.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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