Category: Horse Racing News

Two-year-old turf runners take the stage Friday at Santa Anita in a pair of $100,000 events going a one mile each: the Eddie Logan and Blue Norther for fillies.

Peter Eurton's talented 2-year-old ridgling Stay Hot will face eight rivals in the Eddie Logan, and Phil D'Amato's Irish-bred Zona Verde looks tough as she heads a field of nine in the Blue Norther.

Fresh off an impressive come-from-behind win at one mile on grass in the Cecil B. DeMille (G3) at Del Mar Dec. 3, Stay Hot broke his maiden two starts back at the same trip at Santa Anita on Oct. 7  and looks like the horse to beat in what will be his third stakes engagement and sixth overall start.

Breaking from the far outside in a field of nine in the Cecil B. DeMiIlle, Stay Hot settled nicely off the pace but was forced to concede a lot of ground around the final turn. Full of run while next to last three furlongs out, Antonio Fresu turned him loose midway around the turn and although he was caught nine-wide turning for home, he was up to prevail by a neck in a very impressive effort.

Owned by Burns Racing LLC and Exline-Border Racing, Stay Hot, a Kentucky-bred by Summer Front, will be ridden back by Fresu, who has been aboard for all five of his starts—winning two of them.

Lightly raced, Gary and Mary West's homebred American Hope pressed the pace en route to a solid neck victory in a one-mile maiden race Nov. 12 at Del Mar and rates a big chance with Flavien Prat riding him back on Friday.

Trained by Phil D'Amato, American Hope, who was third in his six-furlong maiden debut Oct. 8, was off at 8-5 for his Nov. 12 win and acts like a colt with a bright future. By 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, American Hope earned a solid 72 Beyer Speed Figure in his maiden win.

Including Stay Hot, five of the Logan starters exit the Cecil B. DeMille, including D'Amato's Miracle Mark, who was close to the pace the entire trip and in a three-horse photo, ended up third, beaten a neck and a head for first money.

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Old Bones Racing Stable LLC, Miracle Mark was bred in Kentucky by Slam Dunk's Nick Cosato. By Constitution, he broke his maiden at one mile on grass two starts back on Oct. 29 in gate-to-wire fashion at Santa Anita and should be forwardly placed again under regular rider Diego Herrera.

The Eddie Logan is named in honor of Santa Anita's original shoeshine attendant, who operated his shoeshine stand at The Great Race Place from its opening in 1934 until shortly before his death at the age of 98 on Jan. 31, 2009. Logan, who often referred to himself as a 'Footman', was one of the most popular employees to ever work at Santa Anita.

The field for the Eddie Logan, in post-position order with jockeys, weights:

1. Charge for Gold – Ricado Gonzalez – 118
2. Lord Bullingdon – Umberto Rispoli – 122
3. Practically Broke – Juan Hernandez – 118
4. Invincible– Luis Contreras – 118
5. Twirling Point – Kazushi Kimura – 120
6. Final Boss – Lanfranco Dettori – 118
7. Miracle Mark – Diego Herrera – 120
8. American Hope – Flavien Prat – 120
9. Stay Hot—Antonio Fresu—120

A virtual gate-to-wire graded stakes winner in her most recent start, the Jimmy Durante Dec. 2,  D'Amato-trained Zona Verde was a one-mile turf maiden winner in her U.S. debut three starts back  on Sept. 8, then was subsequently a troubled sixth at the same trip in the Surfer Girl (G3) on Oct. 8.

Dismissed at 10-1 from her number 10 post position in the Jimmy Durante, she was in-hand out of the gate, but jockey Juan Hernandez seized the moment passing the three-quarter pole and cut to the fence, from where Zona Verde dictated the pace thereafter en route to a rousing one-length win.

A gray Calyx filly owned by the Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig, et al., Zona Verde, was winless in four tries earlier this year in Ireland, but is now two for three with D'Amato—with all three stateside starts coming at the Blue Norther distance.

One of four fillies exiting the Jimmy Durante, John Sadler's French-bred Antifona would appear to have considerable upside. Devoid of early speed 42-1 in what was her U.S. debut, Antifona saved ground at the rail while last to the far turn where she idled under Tiago Pereira, who waited in the hopes of not losing too much ground.

Four-wide turning for home, Antifona put in a solid late bid, finishing fourth in a field of 10, beaten 1¾ lengths. With a local start to her credit, Antifona, who is owned by Hronis Racing LLC and will be ridden by Hector Berrios, will hope for clear sailing from off the pace.

The speed of the race would appear to be Peter Miller's April Vintage, a five-furlong maiden turf winner three races back who will be stretching out for the first time in what will be her fifth career start. A Florida-bred daughter of Vino Rosso, April Vintage, owned by Peter Redekop B.C. Ltd., gets the services of speed king Edwin Maldonado, who was aboard for the maiden victory as well.

The field for the Blue Norther in post-position order with jockeys, weights:

1. Hattie T—Armando Ayuso—120
2. Antifona – Hector Berrios – 118
3. Chatalas – Lanfranco Dettori – 122
3. Blue Oasis – Kazushi Kimura – 120
4. Highlands – Flavien Prat – 118
5. Zona Verde – Juan Hernandez – 122
6. Medoro – Antonio Fresu – 118
7. Mo Fox Givin – Umberto Rispoli – 120
8. April Vintage – Edwin Maldonado – 118

The post Pair Of Juvenile Turf Stakes Anchor Santa Anita’s Friday Card appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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By Declan Schuster

Chancheng  Glory found his groove and trainer Francis Lui hopes the Iowa-bred gelding can lift his game again in Tuesday's Class 3 Pak Tin Handicap  at Sha Tin.

Unbeaten across three starts since switching to the mile and also eligible for the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, Chancheng Glory has been a revelation this season with two wins in Class 4 and one in Class 3 – the latest returned at the end of November.

“He's good. If he can win, of course, at this moment his rating is a little low (for the Four-Year-Old Classic Series),” Lui said.

The Four-Year-Old Classic Series comprises three races: HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile on Feb. 4, HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup on March 3, and HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby on March 24.

“He can go a little bit further, he seems a little bit one-paced but he can handle a bit more (distance),” Lui said of Chancheng Glory, a private acquisition after he failed to meet his reserve price on a final bid of $220,000 at the 2022 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where he was offered by Pike Racing. He was unraced in the United States.

A 3-year-old son of Mor Spirit out of the Consolidator mare Solid Scam who was bred by H. Allen Poindexter, Chancheng Glory faces quality opposition, including Billionaire Secret, Let's Do It, and Accolade Start. Lyle Hewitson rides Chancheng Glory from barrier five.

Lui declared Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty to be in good condition. He will chase an 11th Group 1 win in the HK$13 million Stewards' Cup (G1) on Jan. 21 at Sha Tin, in what shapes as potentially his second last run before retirement.

“He's doing normal work. We're happy with him, he galloped on Thursday,” Lui said. “He's the same, but actually, I think his condition is a little bit better.”

The post Iowa-Bred Chancheng Glory Making His Name In Hong Kong, Eyes Fourth Straight Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Second favorite Do Deuce, making his third start in a comeback from injury, claimed his third elite-level win in the $8,283,000 Arima Kinen (G1) against a quality field that included eight Grade 1 winners Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse.

With legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take aboard for the first time since early this season, Do Deuce was unhurried out of the gate and rated near the rear outside a rival. Held back and still well behind the pace along the backstretch, the 4-year-old Heart's Cry colt advanced along the outside approaching the third corner and was already joining the front group turning for home while still about four lengths behind the leader.

With 200 meters to go, Do Deuce, together with filly Stars on Earth, closed in on the leader with a strong late charge to pin that foe 100 meters out. He then outdueled Stars on Earth just before the wire for a half-length victory.

Titleholder was third, one length behind Stars on Earth. Favorite Justin Palace was fourth in the field of 16.

Time for the 2,500 meters (about 1 9/16 miles) was 2:30.9 on turf rated as good to firm.

“It's great to comeback with Do Deuce to win this race against some really strong opponents,” Take said. “He was in good shape coming into this race, and although the colt was a bit keen and I had to keep him in hand and maintain a good rhythm and not let him rush and gave him the go from about 700 meters out. His response was very good rounding the last corner and gave a terrific late charge to the wire. We did have our struggles after winning the Kyoto Kinen (G2) early this year, but I was determined to show his true strength and prove what he was really made of in this big race.”

Do Deuce had a major setback after the Kyoto Kinen in February in which he was ruled out of his intended start in which he was ruled out of his intended overseas start  in the Dubai Turf (G1) with a lame left foreleg, then, in his comeback this fall in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) in October as well as the following Japan Cup (G1) in November–Take was unable to take the reins due to injury from another race—he finished seventh and fourth, respectively. Reunited with his regular rider Sunday, Do Deuce would not be denied.

Stars on Earth broke sharply from the widest stall under Christophe Lemaire and tracked the leader off the rails in second. After allowing the pacesetter to open the margin by a distance, the Duramente filly maintained her position while joined by the eventual winner on the outside and matched that foe up to the wire while outdueled in the end.

Sixth choice Titleholder shot out of the gate to dispute the lead with Stars on Earth and eventually assumed command entering the homestretch (first round). Eventually opening the gap by more than seven lengths along the backstretch, the son of Duramente continued strongly to maintain his lead until finally being caught by the top two finishers after the 100-meter marker and hold off the fast-closing Justin Palace to finish third.

Race favorite Justin Palace missed a beat coming out of the starting gate and raced at the very rear, almost 20 lengths or so from the leader along the backstretch, before making headway approaching the third corner and circling wide into the homestretch. Under strong urging from Takeshi Yokoyama, the Deep Impact colt closed strongly with a furlong to go and, while unable to reach the top two, turned in a strong finishing run to just miss third place by a head.

Take previously won the Arima Kinen with Oguri Cap (1990), Deep Impact (2006), and Kitasan Black (2017). His victory Sunday marked his fourth Arima Kinen, which ties Kenichi Ikezoe for most wins in the race.

Do Deuce is trained by Yasuo Tomomichi for Kieffers Co. Ltd. Bred by Northern Farm, his dam is the two-time graded stakes-winning Vindication mare Dust and Diamonds, runner-up to Groupie Doll in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida paid $1 million for her in foal to Pioneerof the Nile at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where Three Chimneys Farm consigned her.

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