Tamara Falls Just Short In Game Comeback Effort at Del Mar

A 3-year-old filly bred by Spendthrift Farm and sired by one of the nursery’s top stallions gutted out the victory in Friday’s seventh race at Del Mar.

That in itself was unremarkable and not unexpected, but the result was, as 21-5 third choice Sandy Bottom (Omaha Beach)–making her first start since running her record to two-for-two in the Anoakia Stakes some 390 days ago–was quickly into stride from the outside gate in a field of six and made every yard of the running to just hold an equally game effort from comebacking ‘TDN Rising Star’ Tamara (Bolt d’Oro–Beholder) in a race neither really deserved to lose.

Returning to the races for the first time since a fading seventh as the 4-5 chalk in last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the 2023 GI Del Mar Debutante victress was off a half-step slowly from the inside gate beneath Mike Smith and was ridden along to remain relatively handy to the pace set by Umberto Rispoli and Sandy Bottom, who took them along through an opening quarter-mile in :22.14 as Tamara, off at 2-5, tugged her way into a share of third approaching the turn. Asked to come after the front-runner in earnest passing the five-sixteenths, Tamara was guided away from the rail and into the two path with every conceivable chance if good enough. Tamara came to tackle at the top of the lane, was a fraction late swapping her leads and ran hard through the wire, but fell just short. The final time was a crisp 1:10.06.

The winner was maintaining a perfect record from three runs, having graduated at first asking last Sept. 10, one day after Tamara took out the Debutante.

Spendthrift acquired Sandy Bottom’s stakes-winning and Grade III-placed second dam Five Star Daydream (Five Star Day)–the dam of GSW Gas Station Sushi (Into Mischief)–for $100,000 in foal to Macho Uno and Starlit Daydream is the only one of her dam’s nine starters to have not won a race. The latter is the dam of a yearling colt by Cloud Computing, a weanling filly by Greatest Honour (Tapit) and is due to Omaha Beach for her 2025 produce.

7th-Del Mar, $61,500, Alw (C), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 11-15, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.06, ft, nose.
SANDY BOTTOM (f, 3, Omaha Beach–Starlit Daydream, by Can the Man) Sales history: $145,000 Ylg ’22 KEESEP.  Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $140,622. Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-James M & Donna Daniell; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Michael W McCarthy.

 

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White Abarrio Entered to Return Next Friday at Gulfstream Park

White Abarrio (Race Day), winner of the 2023 GI Breeders’ Cup Classic, is scheduled to return to action next Friday at Gulfstream Park.

The 5-year-old is entered in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance, in which he is scheduled to make his first start since returning to trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.’s stable.

White Abarrio was 10th in the G1 Saudi Cup Feb. 24 and fifth in the GI Metropolitan Handicap June 8 at Saratoga. He had previously won the 2023 GI Whitney Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Classic after being transferred from Joseph to Rick Dutrow, Jr. earlier in that year.

“Obviously, we’re glad to have him back. He’s a top-class horse–those are the kind of horses you want to train,” Joseph said. “He’s coming off a couple of disappointing runs, but hopefully, he’ll rebound. When you come off those kind of runs, you’re always a little bit reserved to have a strong opinion, but he seems to be working well enough. It’s time to get him back started. Hopefully, he’ll get a win and go on to bigger things from here.”

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Kovanis Leads Strong Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale

Kovanis (Fr) (Tunis {Pol}), one of 10 lots to bring £100,000 or more during Friday’s Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale, topped proceedings at £330,000 to Gordon Elliott Racing.

Consigned by Gerald Quinn’s Caherty Stables, lot 8 won on debut in a Portrush point-to-point and is from the same family as Friday’s G2 Cheltenham Schloer Chase hero Jonbon (Fr) (Walk In The Park {Ire}) and Grade 3 hurdle winner Discover D’Auteuil (Fr) (Mistigri {GB}).

“He is a nice horse, he has come well recommended and he travelled in his race like a good horse,” said Elliott. “I will imagine he will go for a bumper in the spring, he looks a nice big horse and one to go forward.”

Second on the buyers’ sheet was wildcard Reckless Spending (Ire) (lot 7) who was sold to Nicky Henderson and Jerry McGrath Bloodstock for £200,000. Part of the Jonathan Fogarty Racing draft, the 4-year-old son of Sholokhov (Ire) was second when unveiled at Umma House on Oct. 20.

“He’s for owner Martin George,” said McGrath. “The winner of that race and this horse pulled 10 lengths clear of the third. Nicky Henderson has had brilliant luck with the sire; he can get you a Champion Chaser or a Gold Cup horse. Hopefully this will be a nice horse going forward.”

Jonathan Fogarty Racing also offered lot 25, Hank West (Ire) (Westerner {GB}), who sold for £195,000 to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins. The gelding won at first asking at Lisronagh.

“Westerner has been very lucky for us and we bought the Grade 1 winner Ferny Hollow (Ire) from here,” said Kirk. “This gelding is out of a Montjeu (Ire) mare, and he is another sire we have been lucky with via Hurricane Fly (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). We loved this horse as an individual, and he won his race well. This is the first we have bought from Jonathan.”

From seven fewer lots catalogued than last year, the sale’s clearance rate rose to 87% with 33 lots sold of 38 offered for a gross of £3,085,000 (+34%). The average and median both increased by over 20% apiece at £93,485 (+26%) and £72,000 (+24%), respectively.

Shirley Anderson-Jolag, Tattersalls Cheltenham sales manager said, “It has been fantastic to be back at the Home Of Jump Racing for the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale and we have had a sale fit for the occasion.

“We wanted to ensure that this first catalogue of our sales year was select and we concentrated on cataloguing only the very best young jumps horses. I think that goal has been achieved with a top lot of £330,000, seven sold for £150,000 and above and ten six-figure lots.

“The team has worked hard since the beginning of October to deliver buyers an outstanding catalogue of young NH horses and that has been achieved. I am thrilled to see that our consignors have been rewarded with such great results today.

“We all enjoyed watching the Tattersalls Cheltenham December Sale graduate Potters Charm (Ire) (Valirann {Fr}) win so impressively today [in the G2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle] and we are looking forward to seeing Tattersalls Cheltenham graduates go on to achieve at the highest level over jumps and win on the biggest stages.”

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