Month: March 2024

Tarifa Triumphant In Fair Grounds Oaks

Godolphin's Tarifa (Bernardini) extended her win streak to three with a professional score in Saturday's GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Installed the 3-2 choice ahead of GII Golden Rod S. victress Intricate (Gun Runner), the Godolphin homebred broke well and wrestled her rider Flavien Prat into contention as 4-1 Our Pretty Woman (Medaglia d'Oro) led the way through a :23.84 quarter. Continuing to fight for her head through a half in :47.93, she was finally given some rein and duly responded, closing on the frontrunner turning for home. Taking over turning for home, the filly drifted out under a left handed encouragement down the lane but had enough to hold on to 3/4-length win over Our Pretty Woman. V V's Dream (Mitole) was a clear third over Accommodate Eva (Munnings). Second choice Intricate came home a well-beaten fifth as the 2-1 second choice.

“She showed some early speed but once we got to the first turn, she was very keen,” explained Prat. “Then she relaxed well when we got to the backside and she made a nice run down the lane. It will be a different deal when there are a lot of horses around her.”

Unveiled at seven panels last October, the filly ran a similarly headstrong race early before running away with authority to post a six-length TDN Rising Star-earning performance at Keeneland. Fourth when favored next time while extending to a mile in a Churchill optional claimer Nov. 25, the dark bay bounced back to post a narrow score at the Fair Grounds Jan. 20. Sent off second choice to Intricate last time in the Rachel Alexandra, she proved best again on the day, defeating that rival by 2 3/4 lengths.

“I would like to tell you she is settling down and relaxing, but that didn't work out well in the first turn,” said Brad Cox. “Still she was able to overcome it. She needs to learn to relax in the race, and obviously next time we will be facing an older field. She needs to learn to chill out and relax. She is still learning and I am proud of what she has accomplished this far. She is not a real big filly but she has handled everything we've asked from her and hopefully she steps forward.”

Pedigree Notes:
The winner has an unraced juvenile full-sister named Josie's Girl in addition to a yearling brother by Knicks Go. Her dam was bred to Lexitonian for the current season. Godolphin acquired Tarifa's second dam Tizdubai (Cee's Tizzy) for $950,000 at Keeneland November about two months after her full-brother Tiznow recorded the second of his two consecutive wins in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic. She is also a full-sister to MGSW and Classic runner-up Budroyale.

Saturday, Fair Grounds
FAIR GROUNDS OAKS PRESENTED BY FASIG-TIPTON-GII, $388,000, Fair Grounds, 3-23, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.24, ft.
1–TARIFA, 122, f, 3, by Bernardini
1st Dam: Kite Beach, by Awesome Again
2nd Dam: Tizdubai, by Cee's Tizzy
3rd Dam: Cee's Song, by Seattle Song
TDN RISING STAR. O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Godolphin (KY);
T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $240,000. Lifetime Record:
5-4-0-0, $518,925. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Our Pretty Woman, 122, f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Dazzletown,
by Speightstown. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($900,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald
Adam); B-Woods Edge Farm, LLC & Godolphin (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $80,000.
3–V V's Dream, 122, f, 3, Mitole–Quay, by Tapit. ($130,000
Wlg '21 KEENOV; $190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-MJM Racing
and Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek); B-Mark Stansell (KY);
T-Kenneth G. McPeek. $40,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3 1/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 4.00, 3.60.
Also Ran: Accommodate Eva, Intricate, Midsummer March. Scratched: Alpine Princess, Lucy Got Game.

Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV

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‘TDN Rising Star’ Nash Wins Easily In Hot Springs S.

Nash, named a 'TDN Rising Star' after a 10 1/4-length romp in a 1 1/16-mile Churchill Downs maiden special weight Nov. 12, resumed winning ways after three straight placings at Fair Grounds this season. Nash was second behind Track Phantom (Quality Road) in the GIII Lecomte Jan. 20, then second again in a live optional claimer over a sloppy surface at Fair Grounds Feb. 17. Jockey Florent Geroux settled the even-money favorite four-wide behind Frost Free's pace set in fractions of :23.15, :47.64 and 1:12.56. Remaining four wide throughout, he swept past three of his six rivals entering the stretch and drew off to a comfortable win. Nash is out of MGSW Sara Louise, who defeated future champion Rachel Alexandra in the GII Pocahontas S. as a 2-year-old. Sara Louise is also the dam of Mrs. Hudson (Street Cry {Ire}), dam of SW Airosa (Uncle Mo) and Coronation Street (Street Cry {Ire}), dam of GSW Kalik (Collected). She has an unnamed 2-year-old Street Sense colt and was bred to Nyquist for this season.

HOT SPRINGS S., (NB) $200,000, Oaklawn, 3-23, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.49, ft.
1–NASH, 117, c, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
                1st Dam: Sara Louise (MGSW, $400,435), by Malibu Moon
                2nd Dam: Kings Lynn, by Mt. Livermore
                3rd Dam: Til Forbid, by Temperence Hill
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent Geroux.
$114,000. Lifetime Record: GSP, 6-2-3-1, $264,500. *1/2 to
Sara Street (Street Sense), GSP, $216,100.
2–Carbone, 119, c, 3, Mitole–Treasure in Heaven, by Street
Sense. O-L. William & Corinne Heiligbrodt & Flurry Racing
Stables LLC; B-William & Corinne Heiligbrodt (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $38,000.
3–Frost Free, 119, c, 3, Frosted–D J's Favorite, by Union Rags.
($27,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $100,000 2yo '23 TTAAPR). O-Keene
Thoroughbreds LLC; B-Jackpot Farm (KY); T-Brett Creighton.
$19,000.
Margins: 5HF, 2 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.00, 2.20, 12.10.
Also Ran: Mr Fillip, Otto the Conqueror, Mena, Magic Grant. Scratched: Count Dracula, Footprint.

Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Mystik Dan Readies for Arkansas Derby

Lance Gasaway, 4G Racing and Daniel Hamby III's Mystik Dan (Goldencents) worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 (20/34) over a fast track at the Fair Grounds Saturday morning. Trained by Ken McPeek, the winner of the Feb. 3 GIII Southwest S. is expected to ship to Oaklawn Wednesday in advance of a tilt at the $1.5-million GI Arkansas Derby Mar. 30. McPeek opted to train Mystik Dan up to the Arkansas Derby, which could award as many as 200 qualifying points to its top five eligible finishers (100-50-25-15-10, respectively) for Kentucky Derby.

“About three weeks ago, I was down there, and he looked great,” said Gasaway of the homebred. “He's been working lights out. Last week, he worked five furlongs in 1:00 and galloped out [six furlongs] in 1:12 and change. That was the plan–take him back there after the Southwest. Scared of the weather and missing work time. We had to work around some rain and one day we did have to work in the mud.”

Also expected for the nine-furlong race, Siena Farm and WinStar's Timberlake (Into Mischief), winner of the Feb. 24 GII Rebel S., also worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 (5/34) at Fair Grounds Saturday. His trainer brad Cox will attempt to win his third consecutive renewal of the race following victories in 2022 with Cyberknife and Angel of Empire last year.

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Fierceness Draws Post 10 for Florida Derby

During Saturday's post-position draw at Gulfstream, Repole Stable's Fierceness (City of Light) was installed the 8-5 favorite on the morning line for next weekend's GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. Drawing post 10 in the field off 11, the colt will try to give his trainer Todd Pletcher a record eighth win in the Classic prep. Pletcher won the nine-furlong test with defending 2-year-old champion Forte (Violence) last year.

“Normally I'd be afraid of the outside post, but Forte won from the 11 last year, so you can overcome that,” Pletcher said. “Everybody knows Gulfstream two-turn races are very tricky and I think that's why the start is so important, getting away cleanly. I think what happens in a lot of these two-turn races is the jockeys are so conscious of having to get to the first turn in good position that it can get a little rough leaving the gate sometimes.”

Victorious in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile en route to a juvenile championship, the colt kicked off his sophomore campaign with a third in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 3.

Pletcher will also be represented by Repole's recent maiden winner Bail Us Out (Lookin At Lucky), who drew post three. The former will be ridden by Johnny Velazquez while the latter will be accompanied by Irad Ortiz Jr.

D.J. Stable LLC and Robert Cotran's undefeated Hades (Awesome Slew), a front-running winner in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull, drew post 2 and will be accompanied by regular pilot Paco Lopez. He was installed the 7-2 third choice on the morning line.

Courtlandt Farm's Conquest Warrior (City of Light), who is coming off back-to-back wins at Gulfstream including a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance Mar. 1, drew the nine hole for Saturday's race. Given a 3-1 chance on the morning line, the colt is trained by Shug McGaughey, who also saddled Orb for victories in the 2013 GI Florida Derby and GI Kentucky Derby. Jose Ortiz gets the mount.

Also slated to run: Frankie's Empire (Classic Empire) (12-1, Post 1); Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo) (15-1, Post 4); Real Macho (Mucho Macho Man) (20-1, Post 5); Le Dom Bro (Mucho Macho Man) (15-1, Post 6); Catalytic (Catalina Cruiser) (20-1, Post 7); Seminole Chief (Girvin) (30-1, Post 8); Iris's Dream (Jess's Dream) (30-1, Post 11).

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