Author: News

Nest Returns with Stylish Victory in Shuvee

Nest (Curlin), off since finishing fourth in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, was second in the betting to Clairiere (Curlin)–who already had a pair of Grade I victories to her credit this termr–but it was the returning champion who sailed under the wire first in the GII Shuvee S. at Saratoga Sunday. Sent off at 4-5, Nest broke on top, but allowed Pistol Liz Ablazen (Daredevil) to take over and spurt to a clear lead on the first turn. That longshot took the field through fractions of :24.82 and :49.87 as Nest tracked from second, just ahead of 3-5 favorite Clairiere. Nest rolled up to challenge the pacesetter midway on the far turn and, getting the jump on Clairiere, scampered clear into the stretch. The favorite tried valiantly to run her down, but Nest was always finding more late for an easy score.

“More than worth the wait,” winning co-owner Mike Repole said of the victory. “At the end of the day, you want a horse like this best for the last four races of the year, not the first four. She had a huge 3-year-old campaign. We wanted to get her back in June on Belmont day [in the GI Ogden Phipps], but Todd [Pletcher] just thought she needed a little bit more time. Going a mile and an eighth after eight, nine months off against a horse like Clairiere, that was real impressive. They could have gone around two more times, she wasn't going to be passed. Todd did an amazing job, give him credit. [Jockey] Irad [Ortiz, Jr.] is just Irad. No one better than him right now.”

Pletcher was more than satisfied with last year's champion 3-year-old filly's return to the races.

'I'm super proud of the filly,” he said. “She's all class and it's nice to see her come back and get back on track. We got a bit of a delayed start, but she showed she's still in top-class form.”

He continued, “I have so much respect for Clairiere, and I know how good she is–she's one of those that the race is never over. You can feel like you have a two-length lead and she just keeps coming at you. I was watching her intently and knowing she was going to make a big run at her. Nest was able to quicken away from her and keep to task. Super effort beating an older mare like that, as accomplished as she is.”

Nest, who won last year's GI Ashland S. and was second in the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Belmont S., is now three-for-three at Saratoga. She won last year's GI Coaching Club American Oaks and GI Alabama S. at the Spa before coasting to a 9 3/4-length victory in the Oct. 2 GII Beldame S. at Belmont Park.

Nest could put her unbeaten Saratoga record on the line in the Aug. 25 GI Personal Ensign S.

“We'd like to run back in the Personal Ensign, if we think that's enough time,” Pletcher said. “The ultimate decision will be what we do for a prep for the Breeders' Cup [Distaff]. Do we go back to New York like we did last year or possibly the Spinster at Keeneland. Obviously, we have to suss out how she comes out of it. My initial assessment is she came back with pretty good energy.”

Aron Wellman, CEO of co-owner Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, was looking forward to the challenge of doubling up at the Spa two years in a row with Nest.

“The Personal Ensign would be the logical spot,” Wellman said. “She certainly seems to like it here. It's a tough combination. The Shuvee to the Personal Ensign and the CCA Oaks to the Alabama are two tough combinations. Not many fillies have done it. It's hard no matter who you are. We had some good fillies win the CCA Oaks and not be able to win the Alabama, some good fillies win the Shuvee and not win the Personal Ensign. She'll prove herself in a different class if she's able to do it.”

The Shuvee gave Eclipse Thoroughbreds its second graded victory of the weekend, following Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire})'s win in the GII San Clemente S. at Del Mar.

“Pretty special,” Wellman said of the double. “The main thing is keeping our partners happy and delivering the goods to them. They deserve it. If it's not for them to put the money to buy these horses, there's no Eclipse. Two really special fillies in a very short time span on two coasts. I'm just really humbled and in awe. At some point, you just really try to sit back and slow time down a bit so you can appreciate the greatness.”

Pedigree Notes:

Marion Ravenwood, also the dam of Grade I winner Idol (Curlin) and stakes winner Lost Ark (Violence), sold in foal to Curlin for $2.6 million to M.V. Magnier at last year's Keeneland November sale. Barren in 2021 or 2022, she produced a full-brother to Nest this year and was bred back to Into Mischief.

Sunday, Saratoga
SHUVEE S.-GII, $186,000, Saratoga, 7-23, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:50.72, ft.
1–NEST, 122, f, 4, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598),
                                by A.P. Indy
                2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
                3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House; B-Ashview Farm &
Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$110,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3-year-old filly, MGISW,
12-8-2-1, $2,083,050. *1/2 to Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile),
MSP, $156,155; 1/2 to Lost Ark (Violence), SW, $242,600; Full
to Idol, GISW, $426,964. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Clairiere, 124, m, 5, Curlin–Cavorting, by Bernardini.
O/B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $40,000.
3–Skratch Kat, 118, f, 4, Arrogate–Wave Theory, by Smart
Strike. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($200,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich lll & John D. Fielding
(KY); T-Philip A. Bauer. $24,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 10, 9 3/4. Odds: 0.85, 0.75, 17.50.
Also Ran: Pistol Liz Ablazen.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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Cody’s Wish Pleases Mott In Tune-Up For Whitney

Godolphin's Kentucky homebred Cody's Wish worked five-eighths solo in 1:02.81 Sunday over the Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for the  $1-illion Whitney (G1) going 1 1/8 miles on August 5 at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 5-year-old Curlin bay was piloted through his breeze by assistant trainer Neil Poznansky, who guided the reigning Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner through splits of :26 2/5 and :38 2/5 before galloping out in 1:15 1/5, 1:27 1/5, and 1:41 3/5.

“He just let him off the bridle and he picked it right up,” said Mott

Cody's Wish, a nine-time winner from 13 starts, heads into the Whitney on a six-race win streak led by Grade 1 scores in the Forego in August at Saratoga, the Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland, the Churchill Downs in May and the Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on June 10 at Belmont. He will look to secure his first win beyond one mile, while making his first start at nine furlongs since a third-place finish in a maiden tilt in July 2021 at Saratoga.

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CCA Oaks Winner Wet Paint On Course For Alabama

Godolphin's Kentucky homebred Wet Paint equaled a career-best 89 Beyer Speed Figure for her rallying neck triumph in Saturday's Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), a 1 1/8-mile test for sophomore fillies at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Brad Cox, Wet Paint notched the first Grade 1 victory of her career with a last-to-first rush under Flavien Prat to collar a game Sacred Wish in deep stretch and complete the distance in 1:50.68.

“She came back pretty tired and jogged up the road good,” said Blake Cox, Brad Cox's son and assistant. “She ate up great and she was hitting snooze a little bit this morning. She ran hard and she kept coming. She didn't get much pace, but it's always good when it works out.”

Wet Paint entered from a runner-up effort to Hoosier Philly in the Monomoy Girl on June 17 at Ellis Park and was due to face that rival again before the Tom Amoss trainee scratched Saturday morning due to a foot issue. Wet Paint now boasts three graded stakes triumphs after taking a pair of Grade 3s this winter at Oaklawn Park in the Honeybee and Fantasy.

Cox added that the $600,000 Alabama (G1) going 1 1/4 miles on August 19 at Saratoga remains the logical next race for Wet Paint.

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Mott Runners Tune Up at the Spa

Godolphin homebred Cody's Wish (Curlin) tuned up for the Aug. 5 GI Whitney S. with a five-furlong work over the Oklahoma dirt training track in 1:02.81 (10/12) Sunday in Saratoga.

Trained by Bill Mott, the 5-year-old was piloted through his breeze by assistant trainer Neil Poznansky, who guided the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner through splits of :26 2/5 and :38 2/5 before galloping out in 1:15 1/5, 1:27 1/5 and 1:41 3/5.

“He just let him off the bridle and he picked it right up,” said Mott.

Cody's Wish heads into the Whitney on a six-race win streak which has included victories in the GI Forego S. last August at Saratoga, the Dirt Mile in November at Keeneland, the GI Churchill Downs in May and the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. June 10 at Belmont. He will look to secure his first win beyond one mile in the Whitney, while making his first start at nine furlongs since a third-place finish in a maiden tilt at Saratoga two years ago.

Also Sunday, Mott sent out reigning champion sprinter Elite Power (Curlin) to work a half-mile in :51 1/5 over the Oklahoma training track in preparation for the six-furlong July 29 GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.

Elite Power was clocked with an easy opening split of :24 and change by NYRA clockers Sunday in a breeze that Mott indicated was similar to the chestnut's half-mile work in :51.11 over the Oklahoma last October ahead of his score in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint.

“That's him by himself,” Mott said. “He's run well off of those kind of works right before his races. He did that in Saudi. He was working :51 before he won the Breeders' Cup. He wouldn't wow anyone when he's working by himself.”

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