Category: Horse Racing News

Repole Stable's Grade 2-placed Noted, well-beaten by stablemate Fierceness in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) last month, shortens up for his return to the grass in Saturday's $100,000 Pulpit at Gulfstream Park.

The Pulpit for 2-year-olds anchors an 11-race card co-headlined by the $100,000 Wait a While in Race 6 for 2-year-old fillies, both going 7 ½ furlongs around two turns on Gulfstream's new turf course. First race post time is 12:10 p.m.

A gray or roan son of Cairo Prince, winner of the 2014 Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream, Noted fetched $200,000 as a yearling last fall. He had two wins and two seconds in his first four starts before finishing off the board for the first time when last of nine in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

It was the second time on dirt for Noted, winner of the one-mile Sapling Aug. 26 at Monmouth Park in his only previous try. Second by a length that day was Dornoch, a full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and Florida Derby runner-up (G1) Mage that was a comeback winner of the Dec. 2 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.

“We were kind of torn,” Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He had trained well enough on the dirt and he had that good win in the Sapling over what's turned out to be a nice horse, but it didn't work out in the Breeders' Cup.

“Now we'll head back to the grass and see what that does,” he added. “He's run very well on the turf and I'd have to say at this stage he's a little better on the grass, but we'll not rule out giving him another try on the dirt at some point.”

Noted made his first two starts on the grass, running second a five-furlong maiden special weight June 22 at Belmont Park before graduating going 1 1/16 miles July 22 at Saratoga. Following his win in the Sapling, Noted came up a nose short of Can Group in the 1 1/16-mile Bourbon (G2) Oct. 8 at Keeneland. The winner came back to be fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

“That was a tough beat,” Pletcher said. “He just couldn't get his nose on the wire, but he ran great so we're looking for him to bounce back with another good effort.”

Pletcher won last year's Pulpit with Ari Gold as well as 2016 with Tapwrit. Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard for four of five starts, is named to ride Noted from Post 8 in a field of 11.

Trainer Mike Maker is also a two-time winner of the Pulpit, with Swagger Jagger in 2015 and Henley's Joy in 2018, and he will be represented this year by Robyn Kaiser's Liam's Journey. Yet to win through three starts, the Liam's Map colt was second in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs and hasn't raced since dead-heating for third, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Pletcher-trained Agate Road, in the 1 1/16-mile Pilgrim (G2) Oct. 4 at Aqueduct.

Among five horses trying turf for the first time are Reminder and Okiro. Tami Bobo's Reminder, a $180,000 son of 2018 Florida Derby winner Audible, has made four starts over Gulfstream's all-weather Tapeta course, most recently finishing third in the one-mile, 70-yard Armed Forces Nov. 4.

Yutaka Enterprises Corp.'s Okiro has also raced exclusively on Tapeta, including a runner-up finish behind Mattingly in the five-furlong Hollywood Beach Sept. 30. The son of Japanese-bred Yoshida will add blinkers after running second by a length in a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance Nov. 3.

“He's training very good,” trainer Jose Garoffalo said. “He came back after the last race very good. We're going to try him on turf. I think that he can handle the surface very good. We're happy how he's been. He's been running very good and training excellent. We have no issues with him, so I think we have a shot with him in the Pulpit.”

Okiro drew outermost Post 11 in the Pulpit under jockey Leonel Reyes, up for each of the last two starts.

“We have some concern about the post position but he has some speed and maybe it'll be good for him,” Garoffalo said. “He's got some tactical speed, so I think he's going to handle the position very well.

“He's going to go two turns, but I think he can handle the distance. When he's been running short he has shown some finish. He closes hard. He'll get the distance, without a doubt. The main for thing is going to be the surface,” he added. “We always had in mind to try him on turf. His pedigree suggests some turf influence so I think he's going to handle it. The only way to find out is to try.”

Boardshorts Stables' Double Your Money is trained by Brian Lynch, who won the 2021 Pulpit with Red Danger. The bay colt wound up eighth after taking a short lead into the stretch of the Bourbon, beaten less than three lengths, after graduating in a one-mile maiden special weight Sept. 9 at Kentucky Downs.

Prevent, second in the Armed Forces on Gulfstream's Tapeta Nov. 4; Palm Tree, racing first time as a gelding after running seventh in the Bourbon; Ship to Shore, third in the six-furlong Smoke Glacken on dirt Sept. 9 in his latest start; Summer Storm Stric, General Ledger and Tocayo are also entered.

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Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have two opportunities to win the Grade 2, $200,000-guaranteed Starlet for a seventh consecutive year Saturday at Los Alamitos.

The race for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles is being offered locally for the 10th time after being run as the Hollywood Starlet (1981-2013) at Hollywood Park.

Post time is 12:30 p.m. The Starlet is the last of nine races and has an approximate post time of 4:30 p.m.

Baffert, whose streak of Starlet victories includes Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bast (2019), Varda (2020), Eda (2021) and Faiza last year, entered Nothing Like You and Grazia.

Owned by Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio and John Rogitz, Nothing Like You will be seeking her third win in a row.

The daughter of Malibu Moon filly out of the Brother Derek mare Miss Derek followed up a 6 ½ length maiden victory in her fourth career start Oct. 14 with a nose win over Tambo in the Desi Arnaz five weeks later at Del Mar. She's earned $117,160.

An Uncle Mo filly out of the Malibu Moon mare Tonasah, Grazia won her debut by 3 ¼ lengths Nov. 12 for Gandharvi LLC and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds LLC. The victory at six furlongs was worth $36,600.

Chatalas will be aiming for her third win – and second in a Grade II – for Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, Dan Agnew and William Chatalas and trainer Mark Glatt.

The daughter of Gun Runner and the Indian Charlie mare Indian Safari captured the Chandelier Oct. 7 at Santa Anita before finishing ninth in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last month. She's banked $207,200.

A 9-1 upset winner over maidens nearly a month ago, Great Forty Eight will make her stakes debut for Firebird Racing LLC and trainer Tim Yakteen. The daughter of Constitution and the Exchange Rate mare Angela's Ashes is 1-for-4 with earnings of $54,220.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella will seek his first Starlet success with two start maiden Flynn's Chance.

A Medaglia d'Oro filly out of the Bernardini mare Venetian Sonata, Flynn's Chance was third – defeated by 1 ¾ lengths – behind Great Forty Eight Nov. 12 when stretched to eight furlongs. She's earned $7,820 for Spendthrift Farm LLC.

Completing the field is Pacific Rose, who was supplemented for $7,500 by owners California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC and Dominic Savides.

Winless in four starts for trainer Doug O'Neill, the daughter of Not This Time and the Bernardini mare Naples Rose has earned $21,080. She has been fourth in three of her outings, including the Chandelier, when checking in 2 ½ lengths behind Chatalas.

From inside out, the field for the Starlet Stakes: Nothing Like You, Juan Hernandez rides, 120 pounds; Pacific Rose, Joel Rosario, 120; Flynn's Chance, Umberto Rispoli, 120; Great Forty Eight, J.G. Torrealba, 120; Chatalas, Antonio Fresu, 120 and Grazia, Flavien Prat, 120.

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