Month: January 2024

In The Hot Seat: Kate Harrington

Saturday's edition of this column features Kate Harrington, assistant trainer to her mother, Jessica Harrington.

 

Proudest moment of 2023?
Of the team at Commonstown throughout the year. They all worked so hard in 2023 to finish third in the trainers' championship. We had more winners in 2023 than we did in 2022 and we all know the winners helped Mum beat cancer.

 

What is your biggest ambition for the new year?
Helping Jessica Harrington to train as may winners as possible in 2024.

 

Give us one horse to follow and why?
Givemethebeatboys (Ire). We definitely haven't seen his full potential on the racetrack yet.

 

And a young person in the industry to keep an eye on…
Keithen Kennedy. He is a 7lb claimer who rode three winners for us at the end of last season from very few rides. He could be going places.

 

Who do you think will be champion first-season sire this year?
Even though we haven't got one in the yard yet, I love Pinatubo (Ire). I loved his stock at all the sales. He was a champion two-year-old himself and I think he has bred his precociousness into his stock.

 

And the best value stallion in Europe?
It has to be Calyx (GB). He's operating at an impressive strike-rate with his first runners and had three Group-winning juveniles last year. He looks good value to me.

 

What's the one horse you wish you'd bought in 2023?
If we had an open cheque book the, the Frankel (GB) filly out of Millisle (Ire). Out of a Group 1-winning two-year-old and by a champion, she was a beautiful filly and from a family we know very well at Commonstown. I can't see why she won't be a superstar.

 

Biggest regret?
Have no regrets. Whatever happens, happens, and tomorrow is a new day.

 

Biggest influence on your career?
Aidan O'Brien. I spent three years working at Ballydoyle and that experience left a lasting impression on me.

 

If you could sit down for dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be and why?
Johnny Harrington. There are too many questions I never got to ask him when he was alive and he was always one for a good story. Kevin Prendergast would have to be there as well. He's just an absolute legend. Then the third guest would be Amy Marnane as you'd be guaranteed not to have silence at any point in the evening!

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Breeders’ Cup Classic Winner White Abarrio Training Up to Saudi Cup

Horse of the Year candidate and GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio (Race Day) will kick off his 5-year-old campaign in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Feb. 24. A subsequent start in the $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Mar. 30 could be in the cards as well.

The Rick Dutrow, Jr.-trained C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC colorbearer has breezed three times at Santa Anita since Christmas Eve, including a five-furlong move in 1:00.40 (9/58) Jan. 8.

“He's gonna go over (to Saudi Arabia) from Santa Anita basically 10 days before,” C2 Racing Stable's Mark Cornett said. “That's when the plane goes over there from Miami. So, he'll fly into Miami from L.A., then he'll get on the flight with the rest of the horses from the U.S. going over to Riyadh.”

Cornett continued, “He's on his game, I'll tell you that. We backed off him a little bit (after the Classic). He's been working very good. They're easy works, nothing serious yet. The horse is such a good work horse.”

The Saudi Cup will be White Abarrio's first start since concluding his 2023 season with a powerful win as the 5-2 favorite in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 4. The longshot runner-up that day Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) could potentially return for a rematch in the Saudi Cup.

Was a prep race–i.e., the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27–ever in play for White Abarrio before heading to the Middle East?

“Not really,” Cornett replied. “The timing, I don't understand why the Pegasus doesn't move their race and give you some more time to the Saudi Cup. It just isn't enough time with flying and everything else. You can't justify going to that race when you've got $20 million on the table.”

C2 Racing Stable's Mark Cornett (center) | Benoit

White Abarrio's seven-career victories have come at six different distances ranging between 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. The 1 1/8-mile distance of the Saudi Cup is contested around one turn. The handsome gray's resume includes two wins at the Saudi Cup distance, albeit both around two turns, in the 2022 GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park and last summer's GI Whitney S. at Saratoga.

“We think that's gonna be what he really wants to do,” Cornett said. “He can do pretty much everything–he can sprint, he can go seven furlongs, he can go a one-turn mile, he can go 1 1/4 miles, etc. The one-turn 1 1/8 miles could be his absolute best.”

As for the appeal of the Saudi Cup, Cornett continued, “It's the distance and the purse money. It's those two factors and you combine them. Plus, it leaves the door open for the Dubai World Cup. It's possible. Obviously, we would be over there already. But the horse has to come out of the race the right way. He has to run the right way, too. If he has to run too hard, we'll pass and get him back over here and get him ready for the Saratoga meet.”

In addition to a runaway win in the Whitney with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 110 and a decisive victory in the headliner at the Championships three months later, White Abarrio's 2023 season also featured a better-than-it-looked third-place finish after stumbling at the start in the prestigious GI Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan H. at Belmont Park June 10. Previously campaigned by Saffie Joseph, Jr., White Abarrio was transferred to Dutrow prior to the Met Mile.

White Abarrio is a finalist for champion older dirt male at the upcoming 53rd Eclipse Awards to be held at The Breakers Palm Beach Jan. 25. Horse of the Year finalists won't be announced until that evening.

“It's nice to be in the conversation,” Cornett said. “In my opinion, he won the two most prestigious route dirt races in the U.S.– the Whitney and the Breeders' Cup Classic. Obviously, he doesn't have the storyline of a Cody's Wish. But it just depends how much the voters are gonna factor that into the equation.”

Cornett concluded, “We're not in it to win these things. We're in it to manage the horse the right way. Things that are out of our control, whatever happens, we're ok with that.”

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Sunday’s Racing Insights: Leslie’s Humor Debuts At Gulfstream Park

4th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:38 p.m. ET.
Bred by Stonehaven Steadings & Leah O'Meara, LESLIE'S HUMOR (Kantharos) makes the races for LSU Stables. Initially sold for $125,000 at the Keeneland September Sale, the chestnut RNA'd for $110,000 at OBS April before going for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale in June.

The second to race for La Titina (Distorted Humor), the 3-year-old filly's younger half-brother by Not This Time was purchased for $310,000 last September at Keeneland by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds.

Granddam and MGISW Ask the Moon (Malibu Moon), a $1.8 million acquisition by Stonestreet while carrying MSW Belgrano (War Front), also produced the stakes placed dam of recent Mucho Macho Man S. runner-up First World War (War Front). TJCIS PPS

5th-TAM, $53K, Msw, 3yo, 1m 40yds, 2:34 p.m. ET.
Atrocious (Ghostzapper) makes his first start for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and their partner Stonestreet Stables, who also bred this colt. A $500,000 buy at the Fasig-Tipton Select Saratoga Yearling Sale, the Christophe Clement trainee is out of GII Black-Eyed Susan S. heroine Fiftyshadesofhay (Pulpit). She is also the dam of SW Locally Owned (Distorted Humor). TJCIS PPS 

6th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 2:38 p.m. ET.
The Phipps Stable sends out for her debut Mystifying (Curlin). The homebred is out of SP Puzzling (Ghostzapper) who is also responsible for a 2-year-old by Street Sense. That colt went to Centennial Farms for $500,000 at Keeneland September.

The Shug McGaughey runner hails from an extended female family which includes GI Manhattan H. hero Dancing Forever (Rahy), SW Miss Yearwood (Will Take Charge), GSW Carrumba (Bernardini), and deeper still under her third dam, the strong line of champion 3-year-old filly Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold). TJCIS PPS

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Saratoga Special Winner Rhyme Schemes Aiming for Late Spring/Early Summer Return

Rhyme Schemes (c, 3, Ghostzapper–Katherine, by Distorted Humor), sidelined since posting a jaw-dropping, 9 1/2-length victory for trainer Norm Casse in last summer's GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 12, is being aimed at a late spring/early summer return to the races.

The Pura Vida Investments LLC colorbearer is currently laid up with Gabriel “Spider” Duignan at Springhouse Farm in Kentucky and could resume light training in March.

“He's doing great,” Pura Vida's managing partner Deuce Greathouse said. “He wasn't going to make the Derby preps, so we decided to give him some extra time. We'll have him ready by late spring/early summer if we have no hiccups.”

He added, “He needed plenty of time, but it wasn't something that should hinder him going forward. He's got a really good mind on him, so he's been a good patient. Knock wood, everything has gone to plan to this point. I don't want to jinx anything, but he's on schedule.”

A well-beaten sixth in a live maiden special weight on debut at Churchill Downs May 18, Rhyme Schemes won his next two starts with the addition of blinkers by a combined margin of 19 lengths. He was a daylight, front-running winner with a gaudy 94 Beyer Speed Figure at second asking at Ellis June 15, then showed a different dimension by rallying powerfully from fourth after bumping with a rival at the start in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special.

“We'll let him tell us when he's ready,” Greathouse said. “We'll probably just give him an a-other-than (allowance), and if that goes to plan, then look at stakes.”

Rhyme Schemes, one of 54 graded stakes winners worldwide for Ghostzapper, brought $210,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. He is the second foal out of the winning Distorted Humor mare and $575,000 OBS April breezer Katherine, who hails from the extended female family of GISWs Dream Rush (Wild Rush), Dreaming of Julia (A. P. Indy), Malathaat (Curlin), et al. The Ghostzapper x Distorted Humor cross is also responsible for GISWs Guarana and Molly Morgan. Rhyme Schemes was bred in Kentucky by Parks Investment Group, LLC.

“He's such a cool horse,” Greathouse said. “With his pedigree to go long, and as deep as that family is, we couldn't be more excited. Now, we just gotta keep our fingers crossed and hope that he comes back the same horse that he was. Physically, there's no reason for me to think that he's one of those early 2-year-olds that won't develop into a 3-year-old.”

Greathouse concluded, “It was obviously heartbreaking not getting to go to those big races at the end of his 2-year-old-year. Hopefully, it's for bigger and better things down the road.”

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