The Breeders’ Cup World Championships offers a cornucopia of betting opportunities to the horse racing fan, and a huge part of the allure of the two-day event Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park is trying to uncover a longshot.
Month: October 2023
BC Saturday Undercard: Millionaire Webslinger Could Be Tough To Beat In Twilight Derby
Easily the most accomplished horse in a field of 13, trainer Mark Casse's millionaire Webslinger should be tough to beat at a mile and one eighth on grass in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita.
Most recently second by a head at 1 3/16 miles on turf in the G1 Saratoga Invitational Derby Aug. 5, Webslinger ships in from his Keeneland base and will be handled by regular rider Javier Castellano.
A winner of the G2 American Turf May 6 at Churchill Downs, Webslinger is a three-time stakes winner that would prefer to rally into a fast pace but has proven he can lay close if necessary.
Owned by D.J. Stable, he was purchased for a bargain $50,000 as a 2-year-old and has amassed earnings of $1,025,320 from an overall race record of 11-4-3-1. By Constitution out of the Hard Spun mare Arana, Webslinger, who was beaten four lengths in last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland, seeks his second graded stakes win on Saturday.
Trainer Leonard Powell's consistent Irish-bred Maltese Falcon, a winner as a maiden of the G3 La Jolla Handicap three starts back, was subsequently second by a head in the G2 Del Mar Derby at a mile and one eighth on grass Sept. 3 and was most recently fourth as the 2-1 favorite in a classified allowance here Oct. 8.
Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Maltese Falcon, who is 9-1-3-2, will be handled by regular rider Juan Hernandez and is another that would prefer to sit off of a lively early pace.
Phil D'Amato's English-bred Almendares, who rallied impressively to take his U.S. debut in a first condition allowance going a mile and one sixteenth on grass July 23, came back to run a solid third, beaten one length in the G2 Del Mar Derby and with Antonio Fresu set to ride him back, appears very much on the improve as he comes back at the same mile and one eighth distance.
Owned by CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gervitz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, Almendares, who is 7-3-1-2 overall, is another solid contender who looks to be on the improve.
Lightly raced, Richard Mandella's English-bred Seal Team has nonetheless been very impressive through his four starts. A 3 ¾ length maiden winner at a mile and one eighth on turf three starts back at Del Mar Aug. 19, Seal Team was in command in his most recent out, a half length allowance win at the same trip on Oct. 8 here at Santa Anita—a race in which he earned a lofty 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Bred by Bass Stables and owned by Perry and Ramona Bass, Seal Team, unbeaten at a mile and one eighth on turf, will make his first stakes appearance with regular rider Umberto Rispoli.
John Sadler's Irish-bred gelding Panic Alarm is yet another horse that appears to have considerable upside. Second, beaten one length by Maltese Falcon in his U.S. debut, the G3 LaJolla Stakes Aug. 6, Panic Alarm was in tight quarters around the far turn in the G2 Del Mar Derby when fourth, beaten 1 ½ lengths on Sept. 3.
Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, Panic Alarm, who is 10-2-1-3, will be making his third start for Sadler on Saturday.
THE GRADE 2 TWILIGHT DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 2 of 12 Approximate post time 10:40 a.m. PT
- Reiquist—Ramon Vazquez —124
- Be Your Best – Irad Ortiz, Jr. – 121
- Reincarnate – Luis Saez – 124
- Packs A Wahlop – Hector Berrios – 124
- Panic Alarm – Lanfranco Dettori – 124
- Webslinger – Javier Castellano – 124
- Seal Team – Umberto Rispoli – 124
- Almendares – Antonio Fresu – 124
- California Bay – Tiago Pereira – 124
- Maltese Falcon – Juan Hernandez – 124
- Mondego – Joel Rosario – 124
- Silver Knott – William Buick – 124
- Watsonville – Flavian Prat – 124
Saturday is day two of the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita. With a blockbuster 12-race card that will include nine Breeders' Cup races, first post time is at 10:10 a.m. with admission gates opening at 8 a.m.
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MGISW Dr. Schivel to Stand at Taylor Made After BC Sprint Finale
Dr. Schivel (Violence-Lil Nugget, by Mining for Money), a Grade I winner at both two and three, will retire after making his final start in this weekend's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and take up stud duty at Taylor Made Stallions in 2024, the farm confirmed Tuesday. A fee will be announced at a later date.
First or second in nine of 14 lifetime starts, the earner of $1,327,100 was campaigned by Red Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, and William A. Branch, and trained by Mark Glatt.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to stand Dr. Schivel in partnership with Tim Cohen, Dean Reeves, and Bill Branch,” said Taylor Made's Travis White. “It's very special to have a horse that was talented and precocious enough to win a Grade I at two and then come back to win another Grade I as a 3-year-old, beating older horses. Dr. Schivel, who has defeated 13 Grade I winners in his career, has been a sound, extremely consistent horse and his Breeders' Cup Sprint as a 3-year-old was a remarkable performance.”
Winner of the GI Del Mar Futurity at two, he returned at three to add a win in the GI Bing Crosby S. and GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship before rounding out the season with a close-up second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. This year, he was third in the Bing Crosby and won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship in his latest start Sept. 30.
White added, “He has remained in Grade I form throughout his racing career, and Mark Glatt said Dr. Schivel has been all class from day one. He is a big, good-looking son of Violence and breeders will really like what they see.”
Bred in Kentucky by William A. Branch and Arnold R. Hill, the 5-year-old is out of Lil Nugget, a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner and millionaire Ultra Blend. Dr. Schivel's first two dams are both Grade I producers.
Dr. Schivel is the second-highest earner for his sire Violence, a Top 10 General Sire in 2023. In addition to Dr. Schivel, Violence is also represented by the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Male Forte, a four-time Grade I winner. Violence is also the sire of GISW Volatile, who had yearlings sell for $1,150,000 and $700,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. With a current yearling average of $134,973, Volatile has the third-highest yearling of all first-crop sires.
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Aga Khan Studs’ Draft Popular At Goffs Autumn HIT Sale
His Highness The Aga Khan Studs' draft took pride of place during Tuesday's Goffs Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale. The top two lots bore the forest green blankets and crimson trim of His Highness, as they circled the ring yesterday.
Leading proceedings was the 3-year-old New Approach (Ire) colt Kadeen (Ire) (lot 85), who sports one victory–at the Curragh–and four placings in five starts to date. He was picked up by Gordon Elliott and Bective Stud for €100,000. His dam, the listed winner Kadra (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), is from the same family as the top-class Kahyasi (Ire) (Ile De Bourbon)), etc.
Second on the list was the 3-year-old colt Zariygann (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) (lot 58), who went to Joe O'Flaherty for €62,000. The bay is a half-brother to multiple Grade 2-winning hurdler Zanahiyr (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who has been placed at the highest table six times.
Rathbride Stables' Fernao (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 97) was sold to Carol Walsh for €55,000, while John McConnell snapped up Churchwarden (Ire) (Parish Hall {Ire}) (lot 33) from Baroda Stud for €54,000.
The clearance rate, for the 92 sold of 121 offered, was 76%. They grossed €1,275,700. The average was €13,867 (-18%) and the median was €7,500 (-32%).
Said Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby, “As is nearly always the case on this day of the year we reflect on a busy and vibrant day of trade for horses-in-training but bemoan the lack of entries. We so want to do more and will continue to strive to grow the catalogue as the time and date makes so much sense with so many overseas buyers combining a visit with our large two-day Autumn Yearling Sale. Goffs HIT is a convenient, low-cost option when compared to the alternative and is promoted around the globe by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and our network of international agents, but they can only work with what we have which makes it a challenge. That said trade today has been strong for those that stood out and, as ever, we are indebted to the HH Aga Khan draft who have topped the sale with another six-figure winner.
“So I make no apology for repeating our annual cry following this sale as we're here, we're keen and everything is in place for today to be the natural choice for Irish horses-in-training but, as with every category, we cannot do it without the horses. The buyers are here as today's results will see horses heading for the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Sweden as well as the UK whilst, of course, many will stay on these shores and the prices exceed expectations in so many cases. So it's really up to Irish owners and trainers to give us the chance as we are confident we will deliver. All that said it is disappointing that the statistics have fallen back although the upper end of the market has proved marginally stronger with a higher top price and more at €50,000 and above. We now turn our attention to yearlings and our two-day Autumn Yearling Sale that is once again packed full of potential and value.”
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