Tag: Alpha Bella

Long Weekend, Keeneland’s Haggin Turf Course Hosts A Trio Of Graded Races

Keeneland's lawn debuted during the 1985 Fall meet in an era when American turf courses were just coming into vogue.

According to a back issue of the track's media guide, through 2016 they had two names for their grass course. The Keeneland Course referred to the one with rail up, while the normal configuration with it down was called the Haggin Course.

Named for Louis Lee Haggin II, who was not only Keeneland's President from 1940-1956, but the decade before had purchased the 550-acre Sycamore Farm in Woodford County. Serving as board chairman of the Keeneland Association beginning in 1970, he was a decedent of the gold rusher and California stud farm innovator James Ben Ali Haggin.

As for the Keeneland turf course records, they recognized various distances and rail settings, but for the 2016 Fall meet, the inside rail was replaced on the Haggin Course with a portable fence that can be placed a variety of distances to protect the inside portion of the course. So, beginning with the 2017 Spring meet, Keeneland amalgamated records into one set based on distance.

Now that we mowed through a bit of turf history, the Haggin will take center stage starting on Friday, as the Association cards a trio of graded grass races which will headline another weekend of racing action.

On Friday at Keeneland, a key distance test will be renewed when turf specialists contest the GIII Sycamore S. going 12 furlongs. Grizzled veterans like GISW Red Knight (Pure Prize) and MGISW Channel Maker (English Channel) are present, but so are up and comers like MGSP Limited Liability (Kitten's Joy) and GSP Red Run (Gun Runner). Add in Godolphin homebred Bold Act (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who is group stakes placed in England and France for trainer Charlie Appleby, and this should set up as quite a late scramble.

Lindy | Coady Photography

Heading to Saturday in the Bluegrass, it is the annual invitation-only GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. for 3-year-old fillies. The nine-furlong run over the Haggin includes several invaders with European form. Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) made her U.S. debut a good one when she captured the GIII Saratoga Oaks Invitational Aug. 4 after running second in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary S. at ParisLongchamp May 14 and when she was fifth behind G1 Prix de l'Opera Longines heroine Blue Rose Cen (Churchill {Ire}) in the G1 Prix de Diane S. June 18 at Chantilly.

Shifting from Jean-Philippe Dubois to Arnaud Delacour, the bay filly will face another who recently changed yards in Lindy (Fr) (Le Harve {Ire}). She made the switch from Christophe Ferland to Brendan Walsh over the summer after finishing second in the G1 French 1000 Guineas S. to Blue Rose Cen and then a well-beaten eighth in the Prix de Diane. Under Walsh, she successfully shipped into Kentucky Downs and won an optional claimer at a short price going a mile.

Other imports into this field include Sounds of Heaven (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who was third at the Royal Meeting in the G1 Coronation S. for Jessica Harrington, French stakes winner for Jean-Claude Roget Elounda Queen (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and finally, Mawj (Ire), who was last seen winning the G1 1000 Guineas S. at Newmarket May 7 for Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Incidently, this will be bin Suroor's first trip to Keeneland since 2014.

“You have to send the right horse to run here,” bin Suroor said. “This is the right place for her. This was the plan to come here and then go to the Breeders' Cup. Either the [GI Breeders' Cup] Mile or the [GI Breeders' Cup] Filly & Mare Turf. I want to see how she runs here and then on to L.A. Mawj had a little chest infection before Ascot [in the summer] and she had a break,” bin Suroor said of the five months between starts.

As for the American contingent, Chad Brown will be well-represented with pair of entries in GSW Liguria (War Front) and GISP Prerequisite (Upstart). Brown has won four of the last five editions of this race.

Finally, on Sunday it will be time to go sprinting at Keeneland when the GII Franklin S. goes off at five and a half furlongs for older females. MGISW Caravel (Mizzen Mast) returns to her favorite course, the site of her upset win last fall in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, as she attempts to repeat in the Franklin S. for trainer Brad Cox. The accomplished 6-year-old, who will be offered at the Keeneland November Sale, will once again face GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint victoress Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}). The 4-year-old bay filly is looking to get back on track for Wesley Ward after an unsuccessful trip to Del Mar July 28 in the Daiseycutter S. Also of note is the presence of GII Ladies Turf Sprint winner Bay Storm (Kantharos), who had her own way at Kentucky Downs, and the untested Godolphin homebred from England for Charlie Appleby, Star Guest (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Eternal Hope | Chelsea Durand

The stakes docket is not restricted to just Central Kentucky as both Aqueduct and Woodbine host their own graded races on Saturday.

With rain in the forecast later in the day and Sunday's GIII Knickerbocker S. moved to next week as a consequence, we will get to see the GII Sands Point S. early on the Belmont at the Big A card. Out of 10 entrants and three also-eligibles, Neecie Marie (Cross Traffic) will get another crack at Godolphin's Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who bested her by only a neck in the Sept. 16 GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational.

Joining the fray are a pair of alums who ran second and third in last month's Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs. Jeff Drown's Root Cause (Into Mischief) and Don Alberto homebred Alpha Bella (Justify) have proved they can handle nine furlongs as they look to win their first graded race.

Ranging up the Canada, Woodbine has a pair of Grade IIIs scheduled over their Tapeta on Saturday when SW Mouffy (Uncle Mo) takes on MGSW Souper Hoity Toity (Uncle Mo) in the Ontario Matron S. and GSW Loyalty (Hard Spun) battles MGSW Our Flash Drive (Ghostzapper) in the Ontario Fashion S.

The post Long Weekend, Keeneland’s Haggin Turf Course Hosts A Trio Of Graded Races appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Tapit Trice Tries Two Turns In Tampa Bay Derby

Trainer Todd Pletcher has unsaddled the winner of the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby a record five times–no one else has more than two to their credit–and he stands a fair chance to make it a half-dozen Saturday afternoon when he sends out the two favorites on the morning line.

Pegged at odds of 8-5 is Whisper Hill Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Tapit Trice (Tapit), who will attempt to provide his sire with a fourth winner of the race since in its last 10 runnings (Ring Weekend, 2014; the Pletcher-conditioned Tapwrit, 2017; and Tacitus, 2019). A $1.3-million Keeneland September yearling, the gray colt has made each of his three career starts to date over a one-turn mile, and he could scarcely have been more impressive in running away from his surprisingly preferred stablemate Shesterkin (Violence) by some eight lengths in a Feb. 4 Gulfstream allowance.

“He's a colt we've had high hopes for all along,” said Pletcher following that test. “The exciting thing about him is the further he goes, the better he'll get.”

Should those words prove correct, they'll all be running for minor awards, as Tapit Trice owns the two best Beyer Speed Figures in the field, including a 92 last time that towers over his rivals.

Shesterkin is also a candidate to appreciate extra real estate, as his dam Freedom Star (Street Cry {Ire}) was a five-time winner at a distance of ground, including the 2010 GIII Azeri S.

While GIII Sam F. Davis S. hero Litigate (Blame) is passing on a return to Oldsmar in favor of the GII Louisiana Derby in two weeks' time, those that finished behind him that day are not without their chances. Groveland (Street Sense) rallied up the rail after encountering a bit of traffic to round out the Davis exacta ahead of Classic Car Wash (Noble Bird), who came from far back to photo the comebacking Classic Legacy (Into Mischief) out of third. The latter, a homebred half-brother to MGISW Art Collector (Bernardini), is intriguing at a price with a race under his belt.

'Justify'-able Optimism In Florida Oaks

The Pletcher barn also has claims in the afternoon's co-featured event, the GIII Florida Oaks. Don Alberto's Alpha Bella (Justify) graduated in her first start on the turf down at Gulfstream Dec. 11 and was relegated to second last time behind a rabbit-out-of-the-hat victory by her stablemate Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince) in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. three races after Tapit Trice's romp. Alpha Bella is a half-sister to Andina del Sur (Giant's Causeway), who caused a 13-1 upset in this race for trainer Tom Albertrani in 2018 after finishing third in the Sweetest Chant.

Chad Brown has won the last two runnings of the Oaks and three overall and is represented by Klaravich Stables' morning-line favorite Free Look (Tapit), runner-up in the GII Miss Grillo S. at Aqueduct ahead of an even fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November.

Tampa also stages the 3-year-old turf colts' counterpart, the Columbia S., the GII Hillsborough S. and the GIII Challenger S.

Azeri Lures A Pair Of Top-Level Winners

Saturday's GII Azeri S., a final course-and-distance prep for next month's GI Apple Blossom H., has attracted a cracking field of eight dirt distaffers, led by returning Grade I winners Clairiere (Curlin) and Secret Oath (Arrogate).

Save for an off day when down the field in last year's GI Personal Ensign S., Stonestreet Stables' Clairiere was a model of consistency in 2022, with a record of 3-1-1 from her five other runs, including a thrilling defeat of champion Malathaat (Curlin) in the GI Ogden Phipps S. in June. The homebred took down that one's colors yet again in the GII Shuvee S. the following month, but had to settle for third to Malathaat in a memorable renewal of the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Reigning GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath is perfect in three starts against her own sex over the Oaklawn main track, having annexed the Martha Washington S. and GIII Honeybee S. ahead of a third in the GI Arkansas Derby. The chestnut was soundly defeated by Eclipse Award winner Nest (Curlin) in the GI CCA Oaks and GI Alabama S. and led into the final eighth of a mile in the Distaff before weakening into fifth.

Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire) won last year's GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and GIII Indiana Oaks, but makes her first start since being upset in the Aug. 23 Cathryn Sophia S. at Parx.

Fun To Dream Goes For Five Straight In Beholder

Cal-bred Fun to Dream (Arrogate) is a deserving favorite heading into Saturday's GI Beholder Mile S. at Santa Anita, but has some questions to answer in what is clearly her stiffest test to date. An allowance winner in her only effort going long last October, she stretches out off three consecutive scores at seven furlongs, having bested the reopposing Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist) in the GI La Brea S. Dec. 26 and GII Santa Monica S. Feb. 4.

Standing in her way is Stonestreet's Pauline's Pearl (Tapit), already proven at the Grade I level after upsetting Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the La Troienne S. last May. The gray resumed from a near seven-month absence with a smooth success in the GIII Houston Ladies' Classic Jan. 28.

A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo) is unbeaten in two starts since being purchased for $400,000 at Fasig-Tipton November and swerves the Azeri despite winning Oaklawn's GIII Bayakoa S. Feb. 4.

Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) looms the one to beat in Saturday's GIII San Carlos S. at the Great Race Place, while 'TDN Rising Star' Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief) looks a handful in the GIII Hurricane Bertie S. at Gulfstream.

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