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Shadwell’s Zaajel Surprises Always Carina, Upsets Mother Goose Stakes At Belmont

Shadwell Stable's Zaajel provided Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher a graded stakes win on his birthday, overtaking 4-5 favorite Always Carina in the final furlong and prevailing by 1 1/4 lengths as the longest shot on the board at 18-1 to win Saturday's $250,000 Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going a one-turn, 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny.

Pletcher, who turned 54 and recorded his sixth career win in the Mother Goose, moved Zaajel back to the main track after she ran seventh in her turf debut last out in the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes in April at Churchill Downs. The Street Sense filly was forwardly placed by jockey Joel Rosario in her Belmont debut, staying in second position as Always Carina led the five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in :24.03 and the half in :48.03 on the fast track.

Zaajel stayed close to Always Carina out of the turn and moved up from the outside when straightened for home, running stride-for-stride with her rival before pulling ahead. After an aggressive hand ride, Rosario used a quick burst of left-handed encouragement as Zaajel surged home a winner in a 1:42.83 final time.

“She ran really big today. She was very comfortable and happy,” Rosario said. “I knew the horse on the lead was the horse to beat and she did it. She ran a big race today. She was moving very well for me.”

Zaajel, who captured the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes in her 3-year-old bow in January at Gulfstream Park, became a two-time graded stakes winner, improving her overall ledger to three wins in five starts. The Kentucky homebred returned $38.80 on a $2 win wager and upped her career bankroll to $228,640.

“She had been training well and got back to one turn,” said Pletcher assistant Byron Hughes. “We knew it was going to be a short field, and she ran well.

“We thought she would be forwardly placed. We had Chad's filly [Brown, Always Carina] on her inside and she sat right on her hip,” he added. “Joel did a great job of keeping her right there and she responded well and got the win.”

Pletcher added to his rich history in this race, where he also saddled victorious Off the Tracks [2016], Buster's Ready [2011], Devil May Care [2010], Octave [2007], and Jersey Girl [1998].

Three Chimneys Farm's Always Carina, who entered her stakes debut 2-for-2 for trainer Chad Brown, held off a surging Clairiere by a nose for second.

“She certainly didn't run up to her capabilities today,” Brown said. “Maybe switching her off and going a little too slow during the race – which she's not really used to – in hindsight, might have put her to sleep a bit. We'll have to see how she comes out of the race and see if there's any other reason. But my first thought is that maybe we should have just let her roll on the front. She fought on bravely for second but that wasn't how she had run her first two starts, that's for sure.”

Always Carina, a homebred Malibu Moon filly, was stretching out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time after graduating at six furlongs and winning last out by 9 3/4 lengths going one mile on Big Sandy.

“My horse was traveling well and she accelerated nicely,” said Always Carina jockey Flavien Prat. “She just got beat by a filly who had more experience. I didn't have any issues. She dug in well.”

Make Mischief and Illiogami completed the order of finish.

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Golden Goose

Five sophomore fillies face off against a compact but well-bred bunch in Saturday's GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont Park. Heading the quintet is Three Chimneys Farm's Always Carina (Malibu Moon), who earned her TDN Rising Star status only two days removed from her superstar sire's death at age 24. A fourth-length winner going six panels in her debut at the Big A Apr. 11, the Chad Brown trainee blew the doors off with a dominating 9 3/4-length score while stretching to a mile against optional claiming company here May 20.

“It's a super race,” said Doug Cauthen, vice chairman of Three Chimneys Farm. “I think it's a good stepping stone as far as distance and now we'll see if she can handle the step up in class because it's clearly going to be a challenging race. We think she has talent and she deserves the chance to be in there.”

The well-bred filly is a half-sister to the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Structor, who was also conditioned by Brown. She is out of the Miss Always Ready (More Than Ready), who is a full-sister to 2010 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf champ More Than Real.

“The mare just keeps throwing very nice foals,” added Cauthen. “Always Carina showed a lot of promise but had a setback and didn't get to run at two, but so far she's shown the talent we thought she had.”

The most likely candidate to keep Always Carina company early is Gary Barber's Make Mischief (Into Mischief), who broke her maiden against Empire breds at Belmont last June before finishing runner-up in a trio of Saratoga sprint stakes for fillies over the summer, chief among them the Aug. 12 GII Adirondack S. Off the board in Santa Anita's Sept. 26 GII Chandelier S., the bay won a pair of state-bred races–including a muddy renewal of the one-mile Maddie May S. at Aqueduct Feb. 20–before finishing fifth in that oval's Busher S. Mar. 6. Back on top going a mile in the slop there Mar. 28, she came home third in the Apr. 30 GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill and again most recently in Belmont's GI Acorn S. June 5.

Another contender bred in the purple is Stonestreet's Clairiere (Curlin), winner of Churchill's GII Rachel Alexandra S. in February. Since then, the daughter of multiple Grade I winner Cavorting has finished second in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks before coming home fourth in the GI Kentucky Oaks over nine furlongs Apr. 30. Irad Ortiz Jr. picks up the mount.

Looking to rebound off a flat seventh in Churchill's grassy

GII Edgewood S. Apr. 30 is Shadwell's Zaajel (Street Sense), who rolled to a 7 3/4-length score at Gulfstream in December before adding a win in the GIII Forward Gal S. Jan. 30. The half to GSP Ajaaweed (Curlin) was a well-beaten sixth in the Fair Grounds Oaks.

Requiring a solid pace up front to compliment her come-from-the-clouds style, Michael and Reiko Baum's Illiogami (Tapit) rides a two-race win streak leading into this first attempt against stakes company. A $400,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, the gray is out of the multiple Group 1-winning Odeliz (Ire) (Falco). The homebred graduated at fourth asking at Keeneland Apr. 2 before posting a 1 1/4-length win in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs Apr. 30.

“At Keeneland, she didn't get away good,” explained trainer Rusty Arnold. “We didn't think she'd be that far back, but she just got in a tangle and didn't get away. At Churchill, it was more what we were hoping for. We weren't going to rush her out of there and she gained momentum as she came on. We're really excited about her.”

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Talented Filly Always Carina To Make Stakes Debut In Mother Goose

Three Chimneys Farm homebred Always Carina, trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, will make her stakes debut in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose, a 1 1/16-miles test for sophomore fillies at Belmont Park.

Undefeated in two starts, Always Carina debuted with a four-length score in a key six-furlong maiden special weight on a muddy main track at Aqueduct Racetrack in April and followed with a widening 9 3/4-length score in a one-turn mile optional-claiming event at Belmont on May 20.

The well-bred daughter of Malibu Moon is a half-sister to the 2019 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Structor, who is also campaigned by Brown. She is out of the More Than Ready mare Miss Always Ready, who is a full-sister to 2010 Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf champ More Than Real.

“The dam was a really attractive and athletic filly purchased at the Keeneland April 2-year-old sale and showed quite a bit of talent, but had an injury that ended her career,” said Cauthen. “But whenever these well-bred good-looking fillies show talent, even if you don't get the black type, I've seen – and continue to see – a lot of success from those types of mares.

“She was bred to a Three Chimneys stallion and had great success with a Grade 1-winner in the first crop of Palace Malice,” added Cauthen. “The mare just keeps throwing very nice foals. Always Carina showed a lot of promise but had a setback and didn't get to run at two, but so far she's shown the talent we thought she had.”

Cauthen said Always Carina likely gets her main track talent from her sire, although her dam did run sixth in the 2014 Grade 3 Tempted on the Big A main track for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Todd thought enough of the mother to run her in the Tempted and although she didn't place, she showed talent on turf and dirt,” said Cauthen. “Obviously, with Malibu Moon, you see a lot of dirt. She very much looks like a Malibu Moon type physically and I wouldn't say he dominated the breeding, because the mare put some great genetics into it, but physically I think the sire is why she's handling the dirt.”

Cauthen said Miss Always Ready has produced three more fillies following Always Carina.

“She has a 2-year-old by Palace Malice, a nice yearling by Gun Runner and another full to Structor baby,” said Cauthen. “The 2-year-old had some issues and she may just be retained as a broodmare. The other two are in good order and will hopefully make the races.”

Cauthen said he is hopeful of a good result on Saturday as Always Carina steps up in class to face an experienced group that includes the graded-stakes winning Clairiere for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Whenever they put a graded stakes up in New York, you know it's going to be tough,” said Cauthen. “We have had high hopes for her for a long time but this will be the acid test to see what she's made of. Steve's filly, among others, will be very tough in there with a lot more seasoning.”

Flavien Prat has the call aboard Always Carina from post 2.

Stonestreet Stables' homebred Clairiere, by Curlin, is out of the multiple Grade 1-winner Cavorting. Clairiere made her first four starts at 1 1/16-miles, capturing the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra in February at Fair Grounds at third asking.

Following a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks, Clairiere finished fourth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks when stretched out to nine furlongs on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. picks up the mount from post 3.

Reiko and Michael Baum's Illiogami, trained by Rusty Arnold, will look to stay undefeated in 2021 as she steps into stakes company for the first time following a pair of late-closing wins at the Mother Goose distance.

A $400,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, the Kentucky-bred Tapit gray is out of the multiple Group 1-winning Falco mare Odeliz. Illiogami graduated at fourth asking with a head score at Keeneland on April 2 and followed with a 1 1/4-length win in an optional-claiming tilt on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

Arnold said the filly is at her best when she can sit and make one run.

“At Keeneland, she didn't get away good. We didn't think she'd be that far back, but she just got in a tangle and didn't get away,” said Arnold. “At Churchill, it was more what we were hoping for. We weren't going to rush her out of there and she gained momentum as she came on. We're really excited about her.”

Julien Leparoux retains the mount from post 5.

Gary Barber's Make Mischief, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, is the most experienced contender in the field with a record of 11-4-3-2 and purse earnings of $350,750.

Bred in New York by Avanti Stable, the Into Mischief bay completed the exacta in the Grade 3 Schuylerville and Grade 2 Adirondack at Saratoga last summer. Make Mischief launched her sophomore campaign with four starts at the Big A, including wins in an optional-claiming event in January, the Maddie May in February and an allowance tilt in March.

In her most recent two efforts, Make Mischief has completed the trifecta in the Grade 2 Eight Belles in April at Churchill and the Grade 1 Acorn in June on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

Eric Cancel, aboard for the Maddie May and allowance score at Aqueduct, returns to the irons from the inside post.

Shadwell Stable homebred Zaajel will look to make amends after a pair of off-the-board efforts.

Zaajel captured the Grade 3 Forward Gal at second asking in January at Gulfstream Park, but faltered to sixth in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks in March. Last out, Zaajel failed to fire when last-of-7 in her turf debut in the Grade 2 Edgewood on April 30 at Churchill.

By Street Sense and out of the Daaher mare Asiya, Zaajel is a half-sister to her multiple graded stakes placed stablemate Ajaaweed.

Joel Rosario will pilot Zaajel from post 4.

The Mother Goose is carded as Race 8 on Saturday's 10-race program. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

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Mother Goose in Play for ‘Rising Star’ Always Carina

Three Chimneys Farm, trainer Chad Brown and a 'TDN Rising Star' 3-year-old filly.

Shades of GISWs and 'Rising Stars' Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) and Guarana (Ghostzapper) were on display at Belmont Park last week when Always Carina (f, 3, by Malibu Moon–Miss Always Ready, by More Than Ready) romped to 'TDN Rising Star' status for those same connections in an allowance optional claimer.

The aforementioned pair, of course, both enjoyed memorable wins at three in Belmont's GI Acorn S.

“Hopefully, she can step into those kind of shoes,” Three Chimneys Vice Chairman Doug Cauthen said. “We have always thought a lot of her from day one. It's encouraging seeing her show up like that.”

Cauthen continued, “We were getting excited that she could be an early filly that could be ready to run before Saratoga [last year], and by the way she was acting, we had dreams of 2-year-old stakes races. Chad thought last year that she was one of his better fillies and made similar comments this year as well.”

Between the COVID-19 pandemic and a minor setback last summer-Always Carina was up to multiple five-eighths breezes at Brown's Saratoga base in August-the Three Chimneys homebred debuted much later than originally anticipated.

She proved well worth the wait, however, dueling free to graduate first out sprinting in the Aqueduct mud Apr. 11. She handled the stretch to a mile with aplomb in her second go, romping by 9 3/4 lengths in front-running fashion despite stumbling at the start.

After earning very strong Beyer Speed Figures of 94 and 92 in her first two starts, respectively, a race like the GII Mother Goose S. going 1 1/16 miles around one turn in Elmont June 26 could be next.

“That's definitely on the radar,” Cauthen said. “It's clearly in her sights. Hopefully, she makes that and can perform well and heads on to Saratoga afterward. Malibu Moon, they can be fast and they can carry it, too. All options are open and Chad will just let her tell him what she's up to. There's two-turn races down the road if it looks like that's what she likes.”

A half-sister to the Brown-trained GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Structor (Palace Malice), Always Carina is also closely related to GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine More Than Real (More Than Ready). Always Carina's 'Rising Star' performance took place just two days after the untimely passing of her leading sire, Spendthrift stalwart Malibu Moon. The previously mentioned Carina Mia shares the same sire.

“It's a huge loss for Kentucky and obviously for all the people involved,” Cauthen said. “What an amazing sire he was starting from the bottom and making his way up. I've always had great respect for stallions like that because nothing was handed to them. In this mating, he added just a little bit of substance and strength to the physicality. We felt like she could handle what substance he usually would put in his progeny. We were lucky it worked out.”

Cauthen concluded, “It's nice to see her put it together in her races now. It's what every owner and breeder dreams of. Being a half a Structor, that was a big reason Chad was designated to get her. It's an important family to Three Chimneys, and, of course, with Structor being by [Three Chimneys stallion] Palace Malice, that's just the icing on the cake.”

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