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Wheeling back in just seven days off a fourth-place finish in the Lure Stakes at Santa Anita, Southern California invader War At Sea picked up his second lifetime stakes victory in Saturday's $100,000 Grade 3 Golden Gate Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif.

After a clean break from all the runners in the contest, 9-1 chance Silent Poet was keen on setting the pace. Jockey Evin Roman was able to slow the pace down, and Silent Poet carved out moderate fractions of :24.29, :49.48, and 1:13.61.

Turning into the stretch, Silent Poet opened up the lead to a length or so and kicked on. War At Sea, who had been placed in midfield by jockey Frank Alvarado while always traveling within a couple lengths of the lead, searched for racing room in a stacked-up group turning for home, tipped outside in upper stretch, rallied strongly down the middle part of the track in the final furlong and wore down Silent Poet in the shadow of the wire. War At Sea completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.48 and hit the wire just a head in front of the runner-up. Silent Poet held second, with Tripoli third and Lammas fourth. The latter pair was co-favored at 5-2. Il Bellator was next, followed by I'mgonnabesomebody and Supermazel.

Sent off at odds of 6-1, War at Sea paid $15.80 to win. Silent Poet paid $10.40 to place and $6.60 to show while third place finisher Tripoli returned $3.20 to show. Tripoli and fourth place finisher Lammas went off co-favored at 5-2.

A 4-year-old colt trained by Ron Ellis, War At Sea was purchased for $525,000 at the OBS 2-year-olds in training sale of 2021 by owner Doubledown Stables Inc. The son of War Front was bred in Kentucky by Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding and has won four of 14 lifetime starts. Picking up $60,000 for the Golden Gate Handicap victory, War At Sea improved his career earnings to $278,472.

Live racing resumes at Golden Gate on Sunday afternoon. First post in a 9-race card is 12:45 p.m. PT.

The post War At Sea, With Quick Turnaround, Wins The Battle In Golden Gate Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Witwatersrand, under an enterprising ride from Patrick Husbands, took top prize in the $150,000 Mazarine Stakes (G3), Saturday at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile main track event attracted a field of six 2-year-old fillies, including Gary Barber's Witwatersrand, a daughter of Connect, bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and trained by dual hall of fame conditioner Mark Casse.

Mystic Lake broke sharply and was guided to the lead by Tyler Conner as Uphill Dance grabbed a seat in second and was followed by Witwatersrand, 3-5 choice Tripolina, Simply in Front and That Girl Artemus through an opening quarter reached in :24.31.

It was status quo through a half in :48.91 with Mystic Lake holding a half-length advantage over Uphill Dance, while Husbands kept a patient hand aboard Witwatersrand, who continued to track from along the rail in third.

Mystic Lake was still on top heading into the final turn, but Uphill Dance, Witwatersrand and a circling Tripolina loomed as major threats to the frontrunner. In midstretch, Husbands roused his charge off the rail and the pair seized control quickly as Tripolina came calling.

Witwatersrand had plenty in reserve and drew away in the final yards for a confident 2¾-length triumph in a time of 1:43.72.

“No matter who she works with in the morning, she'll play with them,” said Husbands. “She is a nice filly, and Mark knows, everybody knows, she's a nice filly.”

It was the second straight stakes engagement for Witwatersrand (named for the approximately 35-mile-long, north-facing scarp found in South Africa), who was third in the seven-furlong Glorious Song Stakes on October 15. She broke her maiden in her debut, a three-quarter length score at 6½ furlongs over the Woodbine Tapeta on September 1.

Witwatersrand topped this year's Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale when she sold out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment for US$230,000. Her dam is the Medaglia d'Oro mare Carta de Oro.

She paid $10.30 for the Mazarine win.

The post Witwatersrand Pours It On Late In Mazarine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Two Ghosts, under Justin Stein, rallied with authority to take Saturday's $150,000 Grey Stakes (G3) at Woodbine.

Piper's Factor, 5-2 on the toteboard in the 1 1/16-mile test for 2-year-olds, emerged on top after an early scramble for the lead, as Midnight Mascot settled into second and was followed by 2-1 choice Pipit and Jayhawk through an opening panel in :24.72.

It was status quo for the top four through a half in :49.41 with Piper's Factor still a half-length clear, while Two Ghosts sat last of eight. As the field navigated the turn for home, Piper's Factor was under pressure from Midnight Mascot, as Two Ghosts' stablemate, Tunechi, arrived on the scene to their outside.

Two Ghosts, trained by Barb Minshall, began to make inroads as the field straightened for the stretch drive and then started to methodically pick off his rivals before striking front late. At the wire, the Ghostzapper gelding conjured up a one-length win. Piper's Factor nosed out Jayhawk for second. Tunechi was fourth. Sherif Ali and Simply in Front were both scratched.

The final time was 1:44.56.

“He just waited for the cue to run, and he was carrying me along nicely until we hit the quarter pole, and we worked out a trip through the field,” said Stein. “When I asked him to run, he really accelerated and showed an extremely impressive turn of foot. The rest is history.”

“He's always been a little quirky of a horse in general and sometimes can be a little stubborn, but he went in and had to wait a while,” added Minshall. “But he was good in there [the starting gate] and obviously broke well enough. I just told him [Justin], 'Let the horse get comfortable and just let him run. He's got a huge stride for his size, and he'll kick on when you find a path down the lane and just ride with confidence.' ”

Bred by Ghostzapper Syndicate and owned by Hoolie Racing Stable LLC, Two Ghosts came into the Grey off a solid second in the seven-furlong Display Stakes on October 15. It was the second straight runner-up result for the dark bay, who broke his maiden in his third start on August 27 at Woodbine.

An US$85,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Two Ghosts is now 2-2-0 from six starts. His dam is the Distorted Humor mare Celia's Song.

Two Ghosts paid $14.90 for the win.

The post Two Ghosts Rallies From Last For Grey Stakes Triumph appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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