Month: January 2024

Saudi Crown Punches Ticket to Saudi Cup in Louisiana

FMQ Stables' Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) bossed his five overmatched rivals from the front to take out Saturday's GIII Louisiana S. at the Fair Grounds, a perfect lead-up into the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh in five weeks' time .

Appearing for the first time since weakening to 10th behind the Saudi Cup-bound White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic 11 weeks back, the odds-on pop won the break from gate three and set the pace into the first turn as Tenacious S. winner Five Star General (Distorted Humor) applied token pressure from the outside. The well-backed Smile Happy (Runhappy) and Red Route One (Gun Runner) raced as a team, with defending champion Happy American (Runhappy) and Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}) the back markers.

Saudi Crown galloped well within himself and under an easy Florent Geroux hold through a half-mile in a very manageable :47.93 and the French reinsman upped the tempo on the 2023 GI Pennsylvania Derby winner leaving the three-eighths marker. Firmly in front as they hit the long Fair Grounds stretch, Saudi Crown was shaken up a bit at the furlong grounds, but was taken in hand for the final 70 yards, strutting in a convincing winner. Red Route One rallied inside to beat Happy American out of second.

Winner of his first two starts over sprint trips, Saudi Crown was just touched off by Fort Bragg (Tapit) in the GIII Dwyer S. going Belmont's one-turn mile July 1 and took a similarly tough beat when just caught by Forte (Violence) trying a two-turn route for the first time in the July 29 GII Jim Dandy S. Never truly threatened in the slop at Parx Sept. 23, Saudi Crown was part of a strong early tempo in the Classic and faded from about halfway to finish better than 12 lengths off White Abarrio.

And now it is off to the Middle East, where Team Cox will be looking for Saudi Crown to atone for subpar big-race efforts from Knicks Go in 2021 and 2022 Louisiana S. winner Mandaloun.

Pedigree Notes:

One of three black-type winners for his Kentucky Derby-winning sire and the lone graded scorer, Saudi Crown is out of a daughter of Grade III turf winner New Economy who was sold to China Horse Club for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. But, after failing to make the races and having produced only a minor winner from her first two foals, New Narration was sold on to Harry Landry for $17,000 in foal to Yoshida (Jpn) at Keeneland November in 2021.

Saudi Crown's run of success last season ensured that New Narration would be a hot commodity at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale last fall, and so it proved, as she was knocked down to Summer Wind Equine for $850,000 while in foal to Nashville.

LOUISIANA S. PRESENTED BY RELYNE GI BY HAGYARD-GIII, $169,750, Fair Grounds, 1-20, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:43.20, ft.
1–SAUDI CROWN, 124, c, 4, by Always Dreaming
                1st Dam: New Narration, by Tapit
                2nd Dam: New Normal, by Forestry
                3rd Dam: New Economy, by Red Ransom
($45,000 Ylg '21 KEEJAN; $240,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-FMQ
Stables; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux.
$105,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 7-4-2-0, $982,085. Werk
Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Red Route One, 118, c, 4, Gun Runner–Red House, by Tapit.
O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$35,000.
3–Happy American, 118, g, 6, Runhappy–Queen of America, by
Quiet American. ($385,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Lothenbach
Stables, Inc. (Jack Lothenbach); B-Claiborne Farm (KY); T-Neil L.
Pessin. $17,500.
Margins: 5 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.70, 4.30, 23.50.
Also Ran: Five Star General, Confidence Game, Smile Happy. Scratched: Kupuna.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Fierceness Fires Bullet For Holy Bull

Repole Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), who is expected to be named champion of his generation at Thursday's Eclipse Awards ceremonies, worked five furlongs in :59.48 Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs, the fastest of 12 moves at the distance. It was the sixth timed workout for Fierceness since taking the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 3. The homebred is expected to make his sophomore debut in the GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park Feb. 3.

“Fierceness has trained super. He's such a terrific workhorse. He does everything effortlessly,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I think with Fierceness we feel like the quality's there [and] the talent's there. Like everyone else we just need to keep moving forward and stay healthy.”

Tentative plans call for Fierceness to use the Holy Bull as a steppingstone to the GI Florida Derby Mar. 31. Fellow 'Rising Star' Forte (Violence) won last year's GII Fountain of Youth S. and Florida Derby.

“So far it's worked out really well,” Pletcher said. “We didn't have to let him down too much after the Breeders' Cup [and] kept him ticking over with the Holy Bull in mind. We kind of liked the spacing coming out of that to the Florida Derby and hopefully things continue on towards Kentucky.”

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West Omaha Adds To Oaks Points With Silverbulletday Win

Fresh off a second-place performance over course and distance in the Untapable S. Dec. 23, West Omaha managed to do one better and pick up an additional 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Saturday with her win in the Silverbulletday S. With a total of 30 points, the homebred daughter of Gary and Mary West's young stallion West Coast now sits second behind GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Just F Y I (Justify) on the 2024 Oaks leaderboard.

Never favored in any of her three prior starts, West Omaha finally earned the nod Saturday, breaking at 4-5 from the middle of the gate under Luis Saez. Despite lunging to the inside in her opening stride, the favorite quickly had her feet under her and was part of the speed into the first turn. Sitting just off pacesetters Accommodate Eva (Munnings) and Miss Code West (Code West), she tracked that pair while two wide up the backstretch through a half in :48.84. Given the cue from Saez midway around the turn, West Omaha responded readily and was up to challenge three wide as the top group swung into the stretch. With plenty of clear running room ahead of her into the final furlong, she kicked clear for home, leaving Perfect Shot to chase her to the wire while staying well clear for the win.

From the extended family of GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner and late sire Tapizar (Tapit), West Omaha is the fourth stakes winner for Lane's End-based stallion West Coast and the third winner from as many to run for her dam. Birthday Bash has a 2-year-old Bernardini filly in the pipeline and produced a filly by Lookin At Lucky last year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

SILVERBULLETDAY S. PRESENTED BY FASIG-TIPTON, $145,500, Fair Grounds, 1-20, 3yo, f, 1m 70y, 1:43.48, ft.
1–WEST OMAHA, 122, f, 3, by West Coast
                1st Dam: Birthday Bash, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Twisted Tale, by Tale of the Cat
                3rd Dam: Call Now, by Wild Again
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY);
T-Brad H. Cox; J-Luis Saez. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0,
$203,000.
2–Perfect Shot, 122, f, 3, Gun Runner–Meister Legend, by
Bodemeister. ($135,000 Ylg '22 KEEJAN; $285,000 Ylg '22
FTSAUG). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; B-Sierra
Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $30,000.
3–Sistina Chapel, 122, f, 3, Liam's Map–Addae Do Jaguarete
(Brz), by Crimson Tide (Ire). O/B-Brownwood Farm (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $15,000.
Margins: 5, 1HF, HD. Odds: 0.90, 2.00, 8.60.
Also Ran: Miss Code West, Accommodate Eva, Noriskit Nobiscuit. Scratched: Ma Rae's Girl, Play Good Pay Good.

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First Mission Completes Pegasus Preparations in Big Easy

'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 (2/52) Saturday morning at the Fair Grounds in preparation for next Saturday's $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old colt, who was put through his paces by exercise rider Kevin Perez, was clocked in 1:13.60 for six furlongs, according to trainer Brad Cox.

“He's been doing very well week after week,” Cox said of the Godolphin homebred, a latest second to the re-opposing Trademark (Upstart) in the GII Clark S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 24. “We're excited about giving him a shot at a Grade I. We weren't looking for anything really different than he'd done the last few weeks. We were just giving him an opportunity to go out there and stretch his legs, see how he's doing. And he's telling us he's doing as well as he ever has.”

First Mission is due to arrive at Gulfstream Monday afternoon. Luis Saez retains the mount.

The Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained duo of GIII Harlan's Holiday S. hero O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) and Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) got their final tune-ups during half-mile breezes up at Palm Meadows Saturday morning. Working on his own, O'Connor was timed in :48.55, while GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Skippylongstocking went in the company of the stakes-winning Swirvin (Girvin) and was clocked in :47.55.

Dynamic One (Union Rags), Crupi (Curlin) and Harlan's Holiday runner-up Grand Aspen (Dialed In) each turned in drills at Palm Beach Downs for trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning. Dynamic One and Crupi went in company, with Crupi going in :48.29 and Dynamic One :48.39. Dynamic One, who was equipped with blinkers for the first time, started two lengths ahead of Crupi, who finished the breeze 1 1/2 lengths behind his stablemate, who was ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. Grand Aspen went the same distance in :49.13.

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