Tag: Anisette (GB)

Simple Pleasure: Graded Racing On Opening Day In Arcadia

Boxing Day is not a holiday observed on the American calendar–thanks, Revolutionary generation. However, the day after Christmas is circled in red by the horse racing cadre because it means one thing: Opening Day at Santa Anita Park.

This Tuesday, an 11-race card kicks off at 2 p.m. ET under the picturesque San Gabriel mountains in Arcadia, California–six of which are graded stakes.

To entice the horseplayer, the Classic Meet sports a $1 Pick Six, a 14 percent takeout on both the .50 Early and Late Pick 5, and we will see the return of the $3 All-Turf Pick 3, which was announced during the recent Autumn Meet.

As for the graded lineup, of course the feature is once again the GI Malibu S. for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs on dirt.

Trainer Bob Baffert has GSW Speed Boat Beach (Bayern), GSW Fort Bragg (Tapit) and GISP Hejazi (Bernardini) ready to go. The Hall of Famer, who won last year's edition with 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner), is seeking his sixth win in the Malibu. That would tie fellow Hall member Richard Mandella for most wins all-time in the race.

The 3-year-old fillies take the stage in the GI La Brea S. going seven furlongs. GISP Clearly Unhinged (Into Mischief) looks to be the leading contender. The Michael McCarthy-trainee was most recently sixth at 'The Great Race Place' in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 4.

Baffert, who has won the last two La Breas, and with a record of nine overall, enters GSP Fast and Shiny (Bernardini), while trainer Brad Cox ships in SW Howl (Practical Joke).

Anisette | Benoit

In the GI American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on turf, GISW Anisette (GB) Awtaad (Ire) is the standout. The Leonard Powell-trainee won the GI Del Mar Oaks and GII San Clemente S. at Del Mar earlier this year. Most recently, Anisette was the runner-up in both the GII Rodeo Drive S. Oct. 7 and GIII Autumn Miss S. Nov. 5, both at Santa Anita.

Alongside the three Grade Is are the same number of Grade IIs, which all carry a purse of $200,000. The GII San Gabriel S. for 3-year-olds and up at nine furlongs on turf includes Easter (Fr). The Phil D'Amato-trainee won his first start for his new barn in the GII Seabiscuit H. at Del Mar Nov. 25. The 5-year-old Australian-bred by Exosphere (Aus) was previously based in New York with trainer Graham Motion.

The GII San Antonio S. is for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on dirt. Present are Stilleto Boy (Shackleford), winner of this year's GI Santa Anita H.; GSW Newgrange (Violence); MGSW Brickyard Ride (Clubhouse Ride); and GSW Salesman (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Add in South American import Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify), who is a Argentinian multiple Group 1 winner, and this makes for a pretty salty affair.

In what might be the most open battle on the whole card, the GII Mathis Mile S. over the grass for 3-year-olds includes GSP Almendares (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), SW Dandy Man Shines (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and GSP Panic Alarm (Ire) (Kuroshio {Aus}).

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A Graded Stakes Saturday We Never Want To End

The parade of graded stakes races this Saturday is like a Christmas tree laden with presents. Towards the end of the celebration, as the wadded paper congregates, there will be a customary wistfulness that slowly sets in. We never want it to end.

With 17, yes 17, graded races on the docket–nine of those have Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' status–it is going to be a splendid day to receive as Belmont at the Big A, Keeneland Race Course, Woodbine Racetrack, Gulfstream Park, Hastings Racecourse and Santa Anita Park hustle to apply the Scotch tape. Cue the carols, please.

Heading to the venerable Big A in Ozone Park, the graded menu expanded when last weekend's GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. was added to Saturday's slate. The 12-furlong grass test includes the reigning GI Breeders' Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance (Dubawi {Ire}) who looking for some New York redemption after unseating his rider around the far turn in the late-July running of the GII Bowling Green S. at Saratoga. The Charlie Appleby trainee is set to face the queen of the blades in MGISW War Like Goddess (English Channel), who still has plenty of fight in her as she faces the boys again for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

If one Grade I wasn't enough for you on this card, then we are going to add two more just for good measure. The GI Frizette S. is a passageway to the GI Breeders' Cup NetJets Juvenile Fillies and Repole Stable has the 9-5 morning-line favorite in Life Talk (Gun Runner), who broke her maiden at second asking Aug. 31 at Saratoga by 6 1/2 lengths. The Todd Pletcher trainee will have to contend with Stonestreet's Emery (More Than Ready), who scratched out of Friday's GI Darley Alcibiades S. at Keeneland to run here for trainer Brad Cox. Also present is Godolphin homebred Central Avenue (Street Sense), who debuted a winner at Colonial Downs, and will try to stretch out for trainer Michael Stidam.

“She [Central Avenue] started going seven-eighths and we thought that might be a little short for her, but she got up anyways,” Stidham said. “She always looked in the mornings like she would come running late and she would [run like that]. The mile is going to be even more helpful for her style.”

The other top race of the day at 'Belmont West' is the GI Champagne S., which offers a ticket straight to the GI Breeders' Cup FanDuel Juvenile. Once again, Repole Stable held David Aragona's attention with 6-5 morning-line favorite Fierceness (City of Light). The 'TDN Rising Star' had his own way in the Saratoga mud Aug. 25 when the bay colt won that debut by 11 1/4 lengths. His main rival could be fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief), who is also entered in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.

Rounding out the action at Aqueduct is a trio of Grade III turf events which include the Waya S. with GISW McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), the Belmont Turf Sprint with GSW Big Invasion (Declaration of War) and finally, English import Measured Time (Frankel {GB}) is up against GISP Webslinger (Constitution) in the Jockey Club Derby Invitational.

Locked | Sarah Andrew

The Keeneland Association which just kicked off its October meet on Friday, has its own take on Christmas come early. Taking to the Haggin Turf Course, the GI First Lady S. for older females sports a rematch of the July running of the GI Diana S. between Whitebeam (GB) (Caravaggio) and MGISW In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The former bested the latter at Saratoga and the Chad Brown stablesmates are set to do battle again. Not to be overlooked is the Joseph O'Brien trainee Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who returns to the U.S. after finishing fifth in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown Sept. 9.

Moving right along to some more Grade I festivities, the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity offers the winner a shot in the GI Breeders' Cup FanDuel Juvenile. 'TDN Rising Star' Locked (Gun Runner) won at second asking by 7 1/4 lengths at Saratoga Sept. 1 with a 96 Beyer Speed Figure. The Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm-owned chestnut colt for trainer Todd Pletcher will take on New York-bred undefeated hero The Wine Steward (Vino Rosso) for trainer Mike Maker and possibly the aforementioned Timberlake.

“He [Locked] was impressive the time he went two turns at Saratoga,” said Pletcher. “One reason he came here and Fierceness stayed in New York for the Champagne is that I thought the Champagne suited him better with the one start. It worked well that we could find a Grade I for both of them.”

The capstone to Keeneland's Super Saturday is the GI Coolmore Turf Mile, which allows access to the GI Breeders' Cup FanDuel Mile. Fresh off his 3 3/4-length first North American score in the GI Woodbine Mile, Master of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will challenge Up to the Mark (Not This Time), who was last seen winning GI Manhattan S. at Belmont. Lane's End recently announced that the 4-year-old colt trained by Todd Pletcher would head their way for stud duty at the conclusion of his racing career.

A pair of Grade II races will complete the Keeneland Saturday graded offering. First, the Woodford S. welcomes turf sprint specialist and G1 Nuthorpe S. at York victor Live In The Dream (Ire) (Prince of Lir {Ire}) from the yard of Adam West. Meanwhile, MGSW and MGISP Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) tries to secure her spot in the GI Breeders' Cup PNC Bank Filly & Mare Sprint when she sets sail against six others in the Thoroughbred Club of America S.

Before heading west, both Gulfstream Park and Woodbine Racetrack card a graded race each. GSP Maryquitecontrary (First Dude) switches from Shug McGaughey's barn to David Fawkes, as she returns to her home track in the GIII Princess Rooney S, a race which also feeds into the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Up at Woodbine, the GIII Durham Cup S. finds G1 Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal {Ire}) making his first start in North America after trainer Simon Crisford scratched him from the GII Woodward S. last weekend.

Staying put in Canada, Hastings Racecourse cards the GIII BC Premier's H. for 3-year-olds and up. The race includes Accidental Hero (Mo Town), who bested his rival Sunbird (Orb) in the GIII BC Derby last month.

Anisette | Benoit

It would not be a graded Saturday without 'The Great Race Place' and Santa Anita Park has its share. Of course, the GI American Pharoah S., which TDN covered in a special edition on Friday, is a 'Win and You're In' event for the GI Breeders' Cup FanDuel Juvenile S. 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic) will square off against seven others in the feature, which includes stablemate Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso).

Speaking of juveniles, the fillies get their chance to shine in the GII Chandelier S. On the line is the opportunity to make the starting gate in the GI Breeders' Cup NetJets Juvenile Fillies. One of the top contenders is Laurent (Practical Joke). The Peter Eurton trainee was second Sept. 9 in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. The dark bay filly is in the blocks right next to the Zedan Racing's Dua (Arrogate). The Bob Baffert trainee was third in the GIII Sorrento S. at Del Mar Aug. 12.

In the race before the American Pharoah S., turf routers will load at the mouth of the downhill course for the GII Rodeo Drive S. Looking for a chance to return for the Breeders' Cup Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf is the undefeated Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}). The 3-year-old will take on older females for the first time. After coming over from England last spring, the Leonard Powell trainee won three in a row, including the GI Del Mar Oaks by 2 3/4 lengths.

Anisette is going to have to try and get past the 9-5 morning-line favorite Didia (Arg) (Orpen) though. She was the runner-up in the GI New York S. at Belmont Park June 9 and has a history of winning from off the bench for trainer Ignacio Correas. Add in some seasoned Southern California stayers like MGSW Closing Remarks (Vronsky) and MGSW Neige Blache (FR) (Anodin {Ire}), and the Rodeo Drive is going to be quite the shopping spree at the windows.

Here's to a Saturday of graded racing that never ends.

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Making Waves: Oceanport The Place To Be

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Camila T in a maiden race at Monmouth Park.

 

Monmouth Suits Filly To A T

First-time starter Camila T (No Nay Never) won on debut at Monmouth Park for R.T Racing Stable and Victoria's Ranch, LLC and trainer Juan Avila (video).

Bred by Barronstown Stud, the January foal was a €120,000 Goffs Orby yearling on the bid of Stripes Stables. The first winner for her dam, Just Imagining (War Front), the filly has a yearling half-brother by Wootton Bassett (GB) and a weanling full-sister. Her second dam Imagine (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself responsible for five stakes winners led by Group 1-winning juveniles Van Gogh (American Pharoah) and Horatio Nelson (Ire) (Danehill), is a daughter of blue hen matriarch Doff The Derby (Master Derby), the dam of standout runner Generous (Ire) (Caerleon).

A total of 39 of Coolmore's No Nay Never's 76 U.S. runners have now won (51%) with the victory of Camila T. Of these, nine, or 12%, have earned at least one black-type score, including GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Meditate (Ire), dual graded winner Nay Lady Nay (Ire), and GIII Palm Beach S. victor Vitalogy (GB).

 

 

The Forest Through The Trees

Robert S. Evans's Poet's Woods (Lope De Vega {Ire}) put it all together in her fifth start, winning at Monmouth Park for trainer Kent Sweezey this past weekend (video).

Bred by SF Bloodstock, the 3-year-old filly was a $300,000 Keeneland September yearling buy by P. Lawley-Wakelin and she is a half-sister to a trio of Kitten's Joy stakes winners led by GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint hero turned Lanwades Stud sire Bobby's Kitten. Yet to race for Celestial Woods (Forestry) is a juvenile filly by Kitten's Joy named Gerwig and a yearling filly by Twirling Candy. The mare was bred back to the last-named sire this spring. This is the extended family of at least four Group/Grade 1 winners and sires anchored by Wild Event (Wild Again).

Ballylinch Stud's Lope De Vega is going from strength to strength, and he has sired 38 winners from 70 runners (54%) in America. His seven stakes winners from that batch (10%) are anchored by Grade I winners Newspaperofrecord (Ire), Aunt Pearl (Ire), and Program Trading (GB), with the latter striking in the Saratoga Derby earlier this summer.

 

 

Honourable Mention

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) is on something of a roll, taking her fourth start in a row in Del Mar's GI Del Mar Oaks on Saturday (video). Trained by Leonard Powell, she first appeared in Making Waves just under two months ago and won the GII San Clemente S. at the seaside track in July.

 

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Making Waves: Monmouth Success For Kingman Filly

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by Startup Mentality, who won the Monmouth curtain-raiser on Haskell Day in Oceanport, New Jersey.

Kingman Filly Succeeds On Haskell Undercard

Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown teamed up to take the first race on GI Haskell S. day at Monmouth Park with Startup Mentality (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) (video).

A 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, the daughter of Fine Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was bred by Mountarmstrong Stud. The full-sister to fellow winner Night Battle (Ire) was making her first start, while her dam has fillies by Lope De Vega (Ire) and Night Of Thunder (Ire) born in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Fine Time is a full-sister to three stakes winners anchored by Group 1 winner Passage Of Time (GB), herself the dam of burgeoning young sire Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who won four group races and was second in the GI Manhattan S.; and a half-sister to G1 Falmouth S. heroine Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar).

Juddmonte's Kingman is the sire of several celebrated runners in the U.S., with a strike rate of 55% for 30 winners from 54 to race. His stakes winners stand at eight (15%) in that jurisdiction.

 

 

California Flair For Havana Grey Gelding

CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz and Michael Nentwig's Almendares (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) won his first start in the U.S. at Del Mar last weekend (video).

Originally a 16,000gns Tattersalls December foal, the D. R. Tucker-bred was picked up for 14,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 3 yearling by Meadowview Stables. From five starts over Dundalk's all-weather surface, the relative of G1 July Cup heroine Fleeting Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) eked out two wins for Mrs. S Slattery and trainer Andrew Slattery. The Del Mar race for his new connections was his first in the U.S. Out of the winning Glace (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), Almendares has a juvenile, winning full-sister named Graceful Thunder (GB) and a yearling half-sister by Ardad (Ire).

A Champion First-Crop Sire in Britain and Ireland, Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey has sired two winners from four runners (50%) in the U.S. His Lady Hollywood (GB) was second in the Listed Limestone S. at Keeneland. Overall, he has 11 stakes winners worldwide, with Jasour (GB) leading his quintet of group winners.

 

 

Siyouni Filly Puts It All Together At The Spa

Qatar Racing and Leora Judah's Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) won a Saratoga affair by a neck for trainer Brendan Walsh on Thursday afternoon (video).

Part of The Gadfly Partnership breeding programme, the G3 Prestige S. heroine also won the Listed John Musker Fillies S. for trainer James Ferguson when she raced in England. The relation of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches heroine Zellie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has a Zoustar (Aus) 2-year-old half-sister.

The Aga Khan stallion Siyouni has sired 13 winners from 36 runners (36%) in the U.S. Four of that number are stakes winners (11%), and a trio have won at Grade III level–Sacred Life (Fr), La Signare (Fr), and Love And Thunder (Ire).

 

 

Eylara Shines At Del Mar

John McCormack's Eylara (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) won her first race in her fifth start in the U.S. at Del Mar for trainer Phil D'Amato on Thursday evening (video).

Bred by His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs, the 5-year-old daughter of the stakes-placed Eytarna (Ire) (Dubai Destination) won one of her six starts in Ireland for Dermot Weld in the green and red silks of her breeder, before being purchased for €350,000 at the Goffs November Sale by McCormack.

A half-sister to three black-type horses including five-time group winner Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was also placed at the top level in Ireland, Hong Kong and England, Eylara is also a half-sister to a yearling filly by Teofilo (Ire) and a weanling colt by Lucky Vega (Ire). Her second dam is blue-hen Ebaziya (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), who produced a quartet of Group 1 winners.

Coolmore's Gleneagles has 10 winners from 17 runners (59%) in the U.S., including the GI Man o' War S. hero Highland Chief (Ire).

 

 

Honourable Mention

Featured in an earlier column, is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}), who won the GII San Clemente S. on Saturday (video). Now the 10th stakes winner for her sire worldwide, she is his fifth group winner.

 

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