american pharoah | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sunday’s Insights: Expensive, Purple Pedigrees Debut in the New Year

1st-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 12:30 p.m. ET
As two of the most expensive auction purchases on the entire card, newly turned 3-year-old fillies SIEMPRE ELEGANTE (American Pharoah) and AMERICAN HEROINE (War Front) will be turning heads for more reasons than one. The former clicked through her paces at the 2021 OBS March sale (:21 1/5) well, impressing owner Sean Flanagan enough to put down a healthy $550,000 for her; one of a six-way tie for fourth most expensive of the sale. While the first dam is devoid of black-type for now, it's the second dam which catches the eye: MGSW Woodlander (Forestry), SW Admiral Alex (Afleet Alex), MGSW Azar (Scat Daddy), and MGSW Coal Front (Stay Thirsty) lead a top cast in the female line. She'll go to post for Flanagan Racing and trainer John Kimmel.

The hammer dropped at $1.05 million for American Heroine at the 2020 Keeneland September sale, one of five big tickets for her dam Chatham (Maria's Mon), including the South Korean-bound full-brother and European champion 2-year-old Air Force Blue. This is also the family of champion 2-year-old filly Flanders (Seeking the Gold), and her Seattle Slew champion 3-year-old Surfside. Breeder Stone Farm and Augustin Stable partner up with Christophe Clement at the helm. TJCIS PPs

10th-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, 7 1/2fT, 5:14 p.m. ET
Phipps Stable sends out a smartly bred colt to debut here in GRAND CAY (Uncle Mo), a son of MGSW Abaco (Giant's Causeway), earner of over $780,000 and second in the GI Flower Bowl S. at Belmont. She's a fourth-generation graded stakes winner in a line starting with champion Relaxing, the dam of Easy Goer (Alydar). On the far outside of the field will break Field Marshal (War Front), another with a purple catalog page. This is the second foal out of MGSW Sentiero Italia (Medaglia d'Oro), the first being half-brother and GISP Santin (Distorted Humor). This Godolphin homebred son of War Front has been working steadily and will be unveiled under the tutelage of Bill Mott. TCJIS PPs

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American Pharoah’s Sweet Melania Ends Drought in Suwannee River

Robert and Lawana Low's Sweet Melania (American Pharoah), without a victory in 18 months, broke through to record her first win of the 2021 season in Saturday's GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream.

She jumped well from her outside draw in post 10 to chase from second as favored Shifty She (Gone Astray) sped off on a clear advantage. Sweet Melania, off at 6-1, set her sights on the pacesetter beneath John Velazquez at the top of the stretch, hit the front shortly thereafter and had a half-length over that game foe at the wire. It was another half-length back to In a Hurry (Blame) in third.

Sweet Melania, heroine of the 2019 GII JPMorgan Chase Jessamine S. at Keeneland and 2020 GIII Wonder Again S. at Belmont and also the third-place finisher in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, was winless in five prior tries this season. She hit the board in her three most recent attempts, including a second-place finish in the One Dreamer S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 9 and another runner-up effort in a Keeneland allowance last time Oct. 15. The chestnut hadn't had her picture taken since the Wonder Again last June.

“She was super sharp coming into it,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I loved the way she was training and she got a beautiful ride from Johnny. It was a good setup, and I thought she ran a good race. I felt like she had been rounding back into form and had some good performances and just didn't quite get there. She did seem super sharp, and we were hoping for an improved performance.”

Pletcher added that Sweet Melania would be under consideration for the $500,000 GIIII Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Jan. 29.

Pedigree Notes:

Sweet Melania, a $600,000 KEESEP graduate, is one of 23 stakes winners and 12 graded winners from Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. She is one of 12 stakes winners and three graded winners for broodmare sire Discreet Cat.

The E. Paul Robsham-bred SW & GSP Sweet N Discreet did not produce a foal in 2018 and her 2019 Carpe Diem filly died. She had a Liam's Map colt in 2020 ($200,000 KEESEP purchase by Jackpot Farm) and a filly by American Pharoah this year. She was bred back to Tapit.

Sweet N Discreet, a $1.1-million purchase by Crupi's New Castle Farm on behalf of Sweet Melania's breeder St. Elias Stables at the 2014 FTKNOV sale, brought $1.6 million from Mt. Brilliant Farm, in foal to Liam's Map, at Fasig-Tipton November in 2019.

Sweet N Discreet is a full-sister to GSW and GISP Discreet Dancer and a half to GSW Travelin Man (Trippi).

Saturday, Gulfstream
SUWANNEE RIVER S.-GIII, $100,000, Gulfstream, 12-18, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, :00.00, fm.
1–SWEET MELANIA, 121, f, 4, by American Pharoah
                1st Dam: Sweet N Discreet (SW & GSP, $366,447), by Discreet Cat
                2nd Dam: West Side Dancer, by Gone West
                3rd Dam: Bering Cruise, by Danzig
   ($600,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Lawana L. & Robert E. Low;
B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John R.
Velazquez. $57,660. Lifetime Record: GISP, 15-4-4-4,
$571,210. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shifty She, 125, m, 5, Gone Astray–Perilous Hope, by
Strong Hope. O-Pedigree Partners LLC; B-Chris Pallas &
George Klein (FL); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $18,600.
3–In a Hurry, 121, f, 4, Blame–Scampering, by Afleet Alex.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Stuart S.
Janney, III LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $9,300.
Margins: HF, HF, 2HF. Odds: 6.80, 2.30, 5.90.
Also Ran: Keeper of Time (Ire), Summering, Kelsey's Cross, Alms, Dawn's Dancer, Princess Causeway, Classic Lady, Quiet Company, La Babia.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Sweet Melania Regains Graded Stakes Winning Form In Suwannee River

The last time Sweet Melania had her picture taken was nearly 18 months ago at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. In the intervening months since then, the daughter of American Pharoah has had four in-the-money finishes, but no wins. In the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes, Sweet Melania stalked Shifty She throughout the first six furlongs and rallied in the stretch to get her first victory of 2021.

In a capacity field of 12, Sweet Melania broke well, with jockey John Velazquez putting her in second behind the favorite Shifty She, who took the lead from the break. Through early fractions of :25.91 for the first quarter and :48.4 for the half-mile, Shifty She had a comfortable three-length lead over Sweet Melania and In a Hurry down the backstretch. Velazquez moved his filly into contention as they entered the far turn, pulling within striking distance of Shifty She entering the stretch.

Down the Gulfstream straight, the two fillies dueled down the first half of the stretch, but Sweet Melania was able to get a head in front within the last furlong to hit the wire a half-length in front. Shifty She held off a rallying In a Hurry to finish second.

The final time for the one-mile G3 stakes was 1:36.40. Find this race's chart here.

Sweet Melania paid $15.60, $7.00, and $4.80. Shifty She paid $4.40 and $3.00. In a Hurry paid $4.20.

“She was super sharp coming into it. I loved the way she was training and she got a beautiful ride from Johnny. It was a good setup, and I thought she ran a good race. I felt like she had been rounding back into form and had some good performances and just didn't quite get there. She did seem super sharp, and we were hoping for an improved performance,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race.

“The first time I rode her she broke well and I was trying to get her back. She was kind of keen and the other horse next to me was pushing the whole way, and she never really got to relax. Last time she relaxed a little bit behind a couple horses in front, so I thought maybe she wants to do that and have a better finish. Although she just got beat last time out, she ran a really good race,” jockey John Velazquez said after the G3 Suwannee River.

“Today I was just trying to do the same thing, if I could get behind somebody. It was perfect. When I let her go, she responded right away. Obviously, the horse in front is a very tough horse to beat, but I didn't want to let it be too easy. I got to her at the three-eighths pole and I knew I probably had her but on the other hand, I don't want to let her go too easy and get caught by somebody else from behind. It feels good to win a race like this.”

Bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables, Sweet Melania is a 4-year-old filly out of the Discreet Cat mare Sweet N Discreet. She is owned by Robert and Lawana Low. Sweet Melania was consigned by Gainesway and purchased by West Bloodstock and her owners for $600,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With her win in the G3 Suwannee River, the filly has one win in six starts in 2021 for a lifetime record of four wins in 15 starts and career earnings of $571,210.

The post Sweet Melania Regains Graded Stakes Winning Form In Suwannee River appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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As Time Goes By Will Face Six Others In Sunday’s Bayakoa

Two-time Grade 2 winner As Time Goes By will have six rivals in her return to Los Alamitos in the $100,000-guaranteed Bayakoa Stakes Sunday.

A Grade 3 for fillies and mares (3-year-olds & up) at 1 1/16 miles, the Bayakoa will be run for the fifth time at Los Alamitos.

Post time Sunday is 12:30 p.m. The Bayakoa is the last of nine races and has an approximate post time of 4:28 p.m.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, As Time Goes By will get some class relief after finishing eighth of 11 in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

A 4-year-old American Pharoah filly out of the Dehere mare Take Charge Lady, As Time Goes By earned her biggest victories in a span of four weeks at Santa Anita earlier this year. She captured the Santa Margarita April 24 and the Santa Maria May 23.

The dark bay filly broke her maiden by four lengths in her lone start at Los Alamitos, defeating six opponents at six furlongs last Dec. 13. She's 4-for-11 with earnings of $475,600.

Baffert will be seeking his second Bayakoa win locally as he took the inaugural running with Tiz Midnight in 2014.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, who won the 2017 Bayakoa with Majestic Heat, will be represented Sunday by Moonlight d'Oro.

Owned by MyRachorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC, the 3-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly was runner-up as the odds-on choice in a restricted stakes at Del Mar Nov. 3 after nine months on the sidelines.

Out of the Bernardini mare Venetian Sonata, Moonlight d'Oro has won twice in five starts and banked $183,790. Her biggest win came in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Feb. 6.

Benjamin and Sally Warren's homebred Warren's Showtime will make her Los Alamitos debut for trainer Craig Lewis.

The California bred daughter of Clubhouse Ride and the Affirmative mare Warren's Veneda has been effective on turf and dirt, winning eight of 23. The 4-year-old has earned $794,431.

Harvest Moon will make her first start for Tabor and breeder Alice Bamford and trainer Simon Callaghan since finishing distant third behind As Time Goes By in the Santa Margarita.

A daughter of Uncle Mo and the Shamardal mare Qaraba, the 4-year-old has four wins in eight attempts and has banked $382,720. She graduated at Los Alamitos in her second career start July 3, 2020.

Third as the favorite in the 2020 Bayakoa won by Proud Emma, Stellar Sound will be making her first start since finishing sixth of eight in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Oct. 3.

Owned by breeder Don Alberto Stable and trained by Michael McCarthy, the 4-year-old gray daughter of Tapit and the Unbridled's Song mare Siren Serenade has won three of nine and earned $194,200. A win Sunday would be her first in a graded event.

Trainer Paddy Gallagher will send out Lisette for breeders Aaron and Harrison Sones. The 3-year-old Uncle Mo filly out of the Unbridled mare Cordoba has one win in five starts and earnings of $55,820. She has been idle since finishing a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes Aug. 21.

A decisive winner against optional claimers Oct. 11 in her first for trainer Leonard Powell after being claimed for $40,000 seven weeks earlier, Bye Bye Bertie will make her Los Alamitos and graded stakes debut for a partnership that includes Gatto Racing LLC, All Schlaich Stables LLC, James Cahill, Brian Kahn, Mathilde Powell and Arthur Spencer.

The 5-year-old daughter of Affirmative and the Ready's Image mare Dream of Bertie has won seven of 18 and banked $230,888.

From inside out, the field for the Bayakoa Stakes: As Time Goes By, Flavien Prat rides, 124 pounds; Harvest Moon, Mike Smith, 124; Bye Bye Bertie, Abel Cedillo, 119; Warren's Showtime, Juan Hernandez, 121; Lisette, Kyle Frey, 116; Stellar Sound, Kent Desormeaux, 119 and Moonlight d'Oro, Drayden Van Dyke, 118.

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