Month: March 2024

New Synthetic Tapeta Training Track Opens At Santa Anita

Edited Press Release

Santa Anita Park has opened its all-new synthetic Tapeta inner training track manufactured by Maryland-based Tapeta Footings, Inc., effective Saturday morning.

Following the Breeders' Cup, the 'Great Race Place' embarked upon an $8 million project to provide horsemen with a state-of-the-art all-weather surface that will complement its one-mile natural dirt main track and serve as a safe and viable component in the conditioning of Thoroughbreds on a year 'round basis.

“At Tapeta, our aim is to maintain the surface so that we have a soft cushion below and a slightly firmer finish on top,” said Joan Wakefield, of Tapeta Footings. “This helps to reduce kickback and provide stability without as much impact on the horse. For the training track at Santa Anita, we have used a high temperature wax specially blended to suit the California climate.”

Santa Anita's original training track, “Anita Chiquita,” was eliminated in the early 1970s when construction began on what is now The Shops at Santa Anita Mall which adjoins the racetrack off of Baldwin Ave. Subsequently, Santa Anita's current inner training track was constructed at that time. At 4,200 feet, it is just shy of 6 1/2 furlongs in circumference.

“We are delighted to have finished construction on this very important project and I know our horsemen are anxious to begin utilizing it,” said Santa Anita Senior Vice President and General Manager Nate Newby. “It's been a major undertaking and we are so fortunate to have the project headed up by Dennis and Rob Moore along with Jesse Martinez.”

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Dornoch Wires A Scratched-Down Fountain Of Youth Field

When entries were taken Feb. 24, the $400,000 GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. looked a tantalizing race in prospect, given the presence of 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner)–the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity hero and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third–and the resurgent GII Remsen S. winner Dornoch (Good Magic), not to mention a pair of clearly talented and unexposed rivals in the form of big-figure maiden winner Speak Easy (Constitution) and Victory Avenue (Arrogate), a close second that afternoon.

By mid-morning Saturday, Locked and Victory Avenue had been scratched, and Speak Easy–at the time around 6-5 second favorite–got loose behind the gate and was also withdrawn prior to the start. When the dust had settled, Dornoch was the 1-5 mortal against just four apparently overmatched rivals to pick up the 50 Kentucky Derby points on offer to the winner, and the full-brother to 2023 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage duly obliged, albeit in workmanlike fashion.

Drawn the rail, Le Dom Bro (Mucho Macho Man), beaten 30-plus lengths in the Remsen and runner-up to Frankie's Empire (Classic Empire) in the Feb. 3 Swale S., was hard sent for the lead, but Luis Saez was equally positive aboard Dornoch, who made the front after a furlong and a half and set very manageable fractions of :24.39 and :48.14 while galloping along in the two path down the back.

Dornoch was fairly conservatively ridden into the turn, and that allowed Le Dom Bro to hold his spot at the rail, right underneath the front-runner, though Dornoch still looked to have something up his sleeve. Le Dom Bro refused to lie down inside and Dornoch didn't do himself any favors by hanging on his incorrect lead for much of the run home, but he was always doing enough to secure his second consecutive win at the graded level.

“We didn't want to be on the lead but when [Speak Easy] scratched, he gets out there and he kind of plays around,” said winning trainer Danny Gargan, who trains for a partnership that includes former MLB star Jayson Werth and Randy Hill's R A Hill Stable, among others. “You can see him with his ears kind of goofing off. I told [jockey] Luis [Saez], 'Just go ahead and go.' We had no choice. We really wanted to stalk today, it just didn't work out that way. He won fine enough. Surely it won't be his fastest race. We didn't expect to win today. It just kind of played out that way. I don't think he ran very hard. He was just kind of playing around out there.”

Gargan said that either the GI Curlin Florida Derby or the GI Toyota Blue Grass could be the next stop for Dornoch.

A debut second sprinting through the Saratoga slop last July 29, Dornoch was runner-up as the favorite in the one-mile Sapling S. at Monmouth Aug. 26 before graduating impressively by 6 1/2 lengths at Keeneland seven weeks later. The 17-10 favorite in the Remsen contested over a rain-affected strip, Dornoch maintained a narrow lead throughout, but looked destined for a runner-up effort when 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) raced past at the eighth pole. But Dornoch fought back while racing hard against a golden rail and got his nose down first.

Pedigree Notes:

Donegal Racing paid $90,000 for Puca at the 2013 Keeneland September sale, and they knew a little bit about the family, as the syndicate campaigned her half-brother Finnegans Wake (Powerscourt {GB}), who was third to Hansen (Tapit) in the 2012 GIII Gotham S., but was runner-up in that year's GI Secretariat S. and would go on to become a Grade I winner on the turf. Puca would finish second in the 2015 GII Gazelle S. and became a stakes winner in late 2017 before changing hands for $275,000 at that year's Keeneland November sale.

Among the first mares bred to Gun Runner, Puca returned to KEENOV and fetched $475,000 from Robert Clay's Grandview Equine in the fall of 2018. The resulting foal was a $70,000 buyback at Keeneland September in 2020, but the filly Gunning has punched well above her weight, with a pair of stakes-placings and earnings approaching $280,000, not to mention not the considerable pedigree updates that have since occurred.

A $235,000 KEESEP yearling turned $290,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile, Mage was fourth in last year's Fountain of Youth off his maiden win and runner-up in the GI Florida Derby before being draped with the blanket of roses at Churchill. Also runner-up in the GI Haskell S., Mage now holds court at Airdrie Stud.

The current 2-year-old out of Puca, a colt by McKinzie, was hammered down to Mayberry Farm for $1.2 million at Keeneland September last fall, and a few months later, John Stewart acquired the mare privately carrying a full-sibling to Mage and Dornoch for $2.9 million at Keeneland November. As disclosed in the Resolute Farm mating plans feature, Puca is slated to visit Into Mischief this season.

Stewart's recent Fasig-Tipton February Digital sales-topper Pounce (Lookin At Lucky) won Saturday's GIII Herecomesthebride S. at Gulfstream.

 

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
COOLMORE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH S.-GII, $400,000, Gulfstream, 3-2, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.64, ft.
1–DORNOCH, 123, c, 3, by Good Magic
           1st Dam: Puca (SW & GSP, $299,406), by Big Brown
           2nd Dam: Boat's Ghost, by Silver Ghost
           3rd Dam: Rocktheboat, by Summer Squall
($325,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC, Two Eight Racing, LLC and Pine Racing Stables; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Danny Gargan; J-Luis Saez. $248,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $505,400. *Full to Mage, GISW, $2,507,450; 1/2 to Gunning (Gun Runner), MSP, $278,835. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Le Dom Bro, 119, c, 3, Mucho Macho Man–Valiant Emilia (Per), by Pegasus Wind. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 Ylg '22 OBSWIN). O-Vicente Stella Stables LLC; B-Teneri Farms Inc (KY); T-Eniel Cordero. $80,000.
3–Frankie's Empire, 121, c, 3, Classic Empire–Donna D, by Dixie Union. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Frank DeLuca; B-Ralph Kinder & Erv Woolsey (KY); T-Michael Yates. $40,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 5 3/4. Odds: 0.20, 27.10, 5.60.
Also Ran: Real Macho, Dancing Groom. Scratched: Locked, Merit, Speak Easy, Victory Avenue.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Deterministic Fires Fresh Off Layoff in Gotham

Deterministic (c, 3, Liam's Map–Giulio's Jewel, by Speightstown), tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star' in a visually impressive, come-from-behind debut score after a slow start going seven furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 12, fired fresh off the bench to capture Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at a rain-soaked Aqueduct.

Working up a storm for trainer Christophe Clement this winter at Payson Park in Florida, including a five-furlong bullet in 1:01 4/5 (1/8) Feb. 17, Deterministic was well supported at odds of 7-2 here.

The $625,000 KEESEP yearling purchase raced in an inside fifth over the sloppy going as longshot Maximus Meridius (Maximus Mischief) led the way through an opening quarter in :23.42. Ridden along by Joel Rosario in fourth rounding the far turn, narrow GIII Wither S. runner-up El Grande O (Take Charge Indy) began to turn the screws on the pacesetter as favored Just a Touch (Justify) began to wind up with a move of his own on the extreme outside as well.

El Grande O, racing all the way out in about the 10 path, kicked for home and looked well on his way once again. But Deterministic was just finding his best stride, however, and kicked on smartly along the inside down the lane to power clear by two lengths.

Just a Touch, favored at 8-5 off a sharp debut score for Brad Cox in the Fair Grounds slop Jan. 27, leveled off late and was up for second. El Grande O was third. Maximus Meridius tired to fourth.

“He was very impressive,” said Miguel Clement, assistant to his father and winning trainer Christophe Clement. “He confirmed what we believed all along that he's top class. His works have been top class, as well as his win at Saratoga. He validated it all today.”

As for what's next, he continued, “Let's enjoy this for a few days and come up with a plan. I thought he was very impressive today. I don't think the distance is an issue with him whatsoever. We always thought he wanted to go long. The longer, the better.”

Rosario added, “He felt great. He was more in the game today in his second time out and first time going long. He did everything really well and so we're excited for him and where he'll take us.”

The Gotham awards 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

Pedigree Notes:

Deterministic was the second new graded winner on the afternoon for Liam's Map, his 11th graded winner overall and is a 24th worldwide stakes winner. Deterministic's hammer price of $625,000 was the most expensive of the 58 (75 through the ring) of his sire's progeny reported as sold in 2022. Most of the action in Deterministic's pedigree is in the third dam, the stakes-winning Amelia. A half-sister to the talented European sprinter Bertolini (Danzig) and SW Alchemilla (Deputy Minister), she is the dam of seven winners, among them five full black-type scorers, including GSW & GISP Kindergarden Kid (Dynaformer); MGSW & GISP Rainha da Bateria (Broken Vow); Japanese group winners Rabbit Run (Tapit) and Asakusa Genki (Stormy Atlantic); GSW Assateague (Stormy Atlantic); and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up He's Had Enough (Tapit). Amelia's dam Aquilegia (Alydar) was a full-sister to champion Althea. Giulio's Jewel, a half-sister to the GII Lake Placid S. runner-up Duff One (Harlan's Holiday), passed away after foaling a Frosted filly in 2022.

 

Saturday, Aqueduct
GOTHAM S.-GIII, $300,000, Aqueduct, 3-2, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.37, sy.
1–DETERMINISTIC, 118, c, 3, by Liam's Map
                1st Dam: Giulio's Jewel, by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: Acadiana, by Tiznow
                3rd Dam: Amelia, by Dixieland Band
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($625,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-St. Elias Stable, Ken
Langone, C. Steven Duncker and Vicarage Stable; B-Hinkle
Farms (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Joel Rosario. $165,000.
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $222,750. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Just a Touch, 118, c, 3, Justify–Touching Beauty, by Tapit.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($170,000 RNA
Ylg '22 KEESEP; $125,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $300,000 2yo '23
OBSAPR). O-Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc
Detampel; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$60,000.
3–El Grande O, 119, c, 3, Take Charge Indy–Rainbow's Song,
by Unbridled's Song. O-Barry K. Schwartz; B-Stonewall Farm
(NY); T-Linda Rice. $36,000.
Margins: 2, HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 3.90, 1.70, 5.30.
Also Ran: Maximus Meridius, Capital Idea, Deposition, Lightline, Bergen, Eliminate, Facenda, Air Cav. Scratched: Khanate, Slider.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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