Category: Horse Racing News

Uncle Mo Filly Stays Unbeaten on Dirt in Torrey Pines

Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) remained perfect in three starts going long on the dirt and gave her sire yet another new graded winner with a determined success in the GIII Torrey Pines S. on the Pacific Classic undercard.

The betting favorite was beaten for speed and was content to race in the one out and one back position with cover rounding the first turn as Secret Keeper (Into Mischief) led narrowly from Provocation (Into Mischief) to her outside. Mike Smith atop the latter upped the ante through the middle stages, sending Provocation into the lead at the 4 1/2-furlong marker, but Abel Cedillo held his ground at the fence and countered to regain command about an eighth of a mile later. In the meantime, Harvest Moon raced in a stalking third and in the clear and she came to turn up the pressure on Secret Keeper into the stretch. The latter boxed on gamely inside, but Harvest Moon had a bit too much, as she surged to the front a sixteenth of a mile from home and edged clear.

“It was perfect,” said winning rider Flavien Prat. “She was nice and relaxed and I knew they were running very fast up front. She’s got speed if you want it, though. Last time I hardly asked her to run. Today, she was just waiting on me. She won it very nicely.”

A veteran of just three previous trips to the post, Harvest Moon was a debut third when well-bet for a one-mile turf maiden at Santa Anita June 12, but graduated by 1 1/2 lengths going two turns at Los Alamitos July 3. She doubled up with a handy 4 1/4-length allowance tally over course and distance July 27.

Pedigree Notes:

Harvest Moon is the eighth graded winner and 12th stakes winner this year for Uncle Mo, who is now the sire of 34 GSWs and 61 black-type winners overall. She is bred on the same cross over Storm Cat-line stallions responsible for the likes of GI Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist and additional graded winners Ultra Brat, Auntie Joy and Life’s A Parlay.

A half-sister to GSW and 2018 GI Del Mar Oaks third-place getter Californiagoldrush, Harvest Moon is a half-sister to the 2-year-old colt Mr. Impossible (Munnings) and a yearling colt by Air Force Blue. Grade III winner Qaraaba was most recently bred to Mendelssohn.

Saturday, Del Mar
TORREY PINES S.-GIII, $100,500, Del Mar, 8-22, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:36.87, ft.
1–HARVEST MOON, 120, f, 3, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Qaraaba (GB) (GSW, $171,119), by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Mokaraba (GB), by Unfuwain
                3rd Dam: Muhaba, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Alice
Bamford & Michael B. Tabor; B-Alice Bamford (KY); T-Simon
Callaghan; J-Flavien Prat. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1,
$120,720. *1/2 to Californiagoldrush (Cape Blanco {Ire}), GSW
& GISP, $322,345. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Secret Keeper, 120, f, 3, Into Mischief–Candy Drawer, by
Candy Ride (Arg). O/B-Pam & Martin Wygod (KY); T-Clifford W.
Sise, Jr. $20,000.
3–Paige Anne, 120, f, 3, Take Charge Indy–Forbidden Brew, by
Milwaukee Brew. ($120,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Elie & Lori
Feghali & Kimberly & Mark Mathiesen; B-Richard Peardon
(KY); T-Simon Callaghan. $12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 5 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.50, 2.00, 24.50.
Also Ran: Aurelia Garland, Provocation, Sheza Girly Girl. Scratched: Merneith.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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War Front’s Halladay all the Way in Fourstardave; Brown Foursome Strike Out

When last seen, Harrell Ventures LLC’s Halladay (War Front) was wrangled back off the pace and ultimately ran fourth in the GII Bernard Baruch H. July 26, allowing Somelikeithotbrown (Big Brown) to post a relatively hassle-free, front-running victory. With that failed experiment in the rear view, it was back to pedal-to-the-metal tactics in Saturday’s GI Fourstardave H. and the gray colt repelled a late bid from defending champion Got Stormy (Get Stormy) to land the spoils. Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) rallied to complete the trifecta. The victory earns Halladay a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland Nov. 7.

Not the quickest away from the machine, Halladay was asked to pick up the bit and secured the front passing under the wire for the first time, as Got Stormy, Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Emmaus (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) did the early chasing. The opening quarter-mile was up in a manageable :23.85 with Luis Saez, fresh off a five-timer earlier in the week, sitting hard against Halladay. In the meantime, Got Stormy had fallen into the box seat stalking Halladay through the half-mile that was up in :47.19. The 4-year-old still held the call approaching the lane and was forced into an internal two furlongs in :22.96 and things began to look dicey, as Tyler Gaffalione had Got Stormy ready to pounce after popping off the inside in upper stretch. The mare, who’d been off form in three starts this season, had aim entering the final eighth of a mile and got to the saddle towel of Halladay, but the latter pulled out extra and scored going away. Champion Uni (GB) (More Than Ready), favored at 2.15-1 raced well back and failed to make any late impact in seventh, while second choice Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) finished best of the Chad Brown quartet in fifth.

“We thought we were the speed in the race and we wanted to go ahead and let him do his thing, but he actually didn’t break cleanly and it took him four or five strides to get his legs underneath him,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, winning the Fourstardave for the third time (Red Giant, 2008; Sidney’s Candy, 2011). “Once he was able to get there, he pricked his ears and settled and relaxed nicely and kicked strong coming for home. At the three-sixteenths pole, Got Stormy made a big run at him and I thought it was going to be a close finish from there, but he was able to find a little more.”

Winner of last year’s Tropical Park Derby, Halladay couldn’t find the front and settled for fourth in the GIII Tampa Bay S. Feb. 8 before wiring a Gulfstream allowance over a mile Apr. 4. He accounted for future GI United Nations S. hero Aquaphobia (Giant’s Causeway) in the May 9 Sunshine Forever S. in Hallandale ahead of his Baruch effort.

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Halladay–who was purchased privately by bloodstock agent Steve Young after he RNA’d as a Keeneland September yearling–becomes the 22nd G1/GISW and 51st graded/group winner for his hugely successful stallion. He is the first North American Grade I winner bred from a daughter of Tapit and third top-level winner overall out of one of the Gainesway inmate’s producing mares (Gran Alegria {Jpn}; Qafila {Aus}). Tapit is now the broodmare sire of 17 GSWs overall.

Halladay’s dual Grade III-winning dam hails from her sire’s first crop that also included Grade I-winning fillies Stardom Bound, Careless Jewel and Laragh. Hightap was led out unsold on a bid of $130,000 when offered in foal to Gun Runner at Keeneland November in 2018 and produced a filly in 2019. She changed hands for $85,000 in foal to Union Rags at KEENOV last year, foaled a filly earlier this year and was bred to Hard Spun and Arrogate this breeding season.

Saturday, Saratoga
FOURSTARDAVE H.-GI, $400,000, Saratoga, 8-22, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.32, gd.
1–HALLADAY, 118, c, 4, by War Front
                1st Dam: Hightap (MGSW, $300,345), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Don’tellmichelle, by Regal Classic
                3rd Dam: L’Insatiable, by Caveat
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($225,000 RNA
Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-Harrell Ventures, LLC; B-Gainesway
Thoroughbreds Ltd. & Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Luis Saez. $220,000. Lifetime Record:
14-6-2-4, $517,485. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Got Stormy, 118, m, 5, Get Stormy–Super Phoebe, by
Malabar Gold. ($23,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP; $45,000 2yo ’17
EASMAY). O-Gary Barber; B-Mt. Joy Stables, Pope McLean,
Marc McLean & Pope McLean Jr. (KY); T-Mark Casse. $80,000.
3–Casa Creed, 118, c, 4, Jimmy Creed–Achalaya, by Bellamy
Road. ($15,000 Ylg ’17 OBSWIN; $105,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP).
O-LRE Racing LLC & JEH Racing Stable LLC; B-Silver Springs
Stud, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott. $48,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 5.30, 10.70, 10.60.
Also Ran: Emmaus (Ire), Raging Bull (Fr), Without Parole (GB), Uni (GB), Valid Point, Chewing Gum. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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NYRA Will Allow Potts To Continue Racing, Pending Regulatory Investigation

The New York Racing Association issued the following statement on Saturday afternoon concerning trainer Wayne Potts, who earlier this week was told by the Maryland Jockey Club to vacate his stalls at Laurel Park over allegations that he had started horses in his name that were being conditioned by Marcus Vitali at a private training center in New Jersey. Vitali's one-year suspension from Delaware Park stewards for interfering and impeding with an investigation recently ended.

Maryland Jockey Club president Sal Sinatra said the racing office at Laurel would not take entries from Potts and that his name was on a list at Charles Town, Parx Racing and Delaware Park and was not permitted to run horses at those facilities. The allegations by the Maryland Jockey Club were presented in a Paulick Report article published Aug. 20.

The NYRA statement reads:

Wayne Potts is a licensed trainer in the state of New York with full rights to participate in thoroughbred racing at tracks in the state. No regulatory body in any state or jurisdiction has acted against Potts in a way that would trigger a reciprocal suspension in New York. As such, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is presently accepting entries from Potts at NYRA tracks, including Saratoga Race Course.

“NYRA is aware of the allegations publicly leveled against Wayne Potts earlier this week,” said Martin Panza, NYRA SVP of Racing Operations. “These allegations must be thoroughly investigated and adjudicated by the relevant regulatory agencies in order to provide due process to this trainer or any trainer in question. NYRA will take additional actions only as warranted by the facts developed and presented by regulators.”

Prior to accepting any entry from Potts, NYRA reviews the individual circumstances and movements of the horse with heightened scrutiny to ensure that each horse is only under the direct care of Potts.

“Transparency and accountability for owners and trainers is critical for our sport,” said Joe Appelbaum, President of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. “When the hard questions on integrity arise, it's imperative that we have full investigations and open hearings. This is how we develop confidence in the system.”

Potts is the trainer of three starters at the 2020 Saratoga summer meet including American Sailor, who was elevated to first in the Grade 3 Troy on August 8; Hoffenheim, who ran on August 19; and Our Destiny, who won a maiden special weight on Friday, August 21. Potts' lone additional NYRA starter in 2020 is Runabout, who finished second in a February 14 claiming race at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The post NYRA Will Allow Potts To Continue Racing, Pending Regulatory Investigation appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Not This Time OBS Topper Fast As Advertised; Gets ‘Rising Star’ Nod

Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.’s Princess Noor (Not This Time), who topped the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training at $1.35 million off of a blazingly fast :20 1/5 breeze, ran to the hype and her price tag Saturday at Del Mar to be named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ and become her fast-starting freshman sire (by Giant’s Causeway)’s seventh individual winner. The $135,000 KEESEP yearling had fired a couple of bullet breezes from the gate in her preparations for trainer Bob Baffert (including a best-of-seven 1:12.20 July 31 in which her company was never in the same area code {XBTV video}), and was pounded down to 3-5 favoritism with her chief market rival stablemate Flash Magic (Pioneerof the Nile). Showing off her ample speed to blast from the gate and immediately clear off, Princess Noor zipped along through a :22.39 quarter and :46.05 half. Victor Espinoza never asked her to run as she cruised under the line 2 1/2 lengths to the good of Flash Magic, stopping the clock in 1:04.03.

“We knew that she was a special horse from the sales all the way into training,” owner Amr Zedan told the TDN after watching the race from Saudi Arabia, where it was after midnight. “Obviously, Bob has done a great job in getting her ready. We came into the race humble, but focused and hoping she would show the best she could do and would come out of it sound. I would like to thank Gary Young, my racing manager, for all he’s done for us.”

When asked if there was any added pressure with the winner being named after his wife, Jordan’s Princess HRH Noor Bint Asem, Zedan said, “There was a lot of anxiety, but she did what we hoped and prayed she would do and she showed some ability. I don’t know yet what Bob’s plans are, as you know he’s the boss when it comes to everything with the horse at the moment. We will follow his lead and hope for the best. We will take it a race at a time and hopefully we will get to the big races soon.”

Young, who said the GI Del Mar Debutante S. in 15 days; GI Frizette S. at Belmont or GI Chandelier S. at Santa Anita would all be under consideration for Princess Noor’s next start, added, “There was a race earlier in the meet at three-quarters that we entered her in and it didn’t go, so we had to work her. Her work after that was good, but it wasn’t what we expected for her. Bob liked her so much that he basically said he wanted to work her again to make sure. And that last work out of the gate was jaw-dropping (5f, 1:00 flat, 12/95 on Aug. 15). We ran her here and she ran to her workouts. Her workouts were just unbelievable. The way she was at the sale and the money we paid for her and the way she trained for this race, anything less than an authoritative victory would have been disappointing. But I think we definitely got that authoritative victory today. I actually for the first time in my career, I took my stopwatch out there to gallop her out after the race. She galloped out three-quarters in 1:10.22 and she pulled up seven furlongs in 1:26.34. When they start galloping out six furlongs in 1:10.22 after the wire, that’s pretty good.”

Young, a renowned private clocker, was celebrating his first victory from as many starters as Zedan’s racing manager.

“It can only go down from here,” he quipped. “When you start out like that you can only go down. We put the bar awful high today. It’s like the guy who hits a grand slam home run in his first at bat to get his team into the playoffs.”

The winner’s dam Sheza Smoke Show (Wilko) took the 2014 GIII Senorita S. as a sophomore on the Santa Anita lawn. She was purchased by Ousama Aboughazale’s International Equities Holding, Inc. for $185,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale while carrying Princess Noor. Sheza Smoke Show produced a colt by Aboughazale’s Protonico in 2019 and a Tapwrit filly in 2020. She was bred back to Protonico this breeding season.

1st-Del Mar, $56,000, Msw, 8-22, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:04.03, ft.
PRINCESS NOOR, f, 2, Not This Time
                1st Dam: Sheza Smoke Show (GSW, $150,644), by Wilko
                2nd Dam: Avery Hall, by A. P. Jet
                3rd Dam: Royal Form, by Dynaformer
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $33,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-International Equities Holding, Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert. *$135,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP; $1,350,000 2yo ’20 OBSAPR.

 

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