Tag: APB

Straight No Chaser, Off Since Breakthrough Performance on Preakness Undercard, Back Galloping at Santa Anita

Straight No Chaser (h, 5, Speightster–Margarita Friday, by Johannesburg), unraced since posting a powerhouse, front-running victory in the GIII Maryland Sprint S. on last spring's GI Preakness S. undercard, is on the comeback trail for trainer Dan Blacker.

After stopping the clock for six furlongs in a razor sharp 1:08.27 and earning a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure in that 7 1/2-length decision at Pimlico, an undisclosed party agreed to purchase a minority interest in the MyRacehorse colorbearer. The deal, however, was called off after a positron emission tomography (PET) scan in a pre-purchase exam in June revealed “some abnormalities in a sesamoid,” per Blacker.

“Even though the horse was sound, it was the early stages of something that would've likely developed into an issue,” Blacker said. “And when you're dealing with sesamoids, it's significant. As a trainer, that's why the PET scan has been such a game changer for us at Santa Anita. It could show the initial stages of a training injury like this.”

He continued, “For me, it was an easy decision giving him time off. We had hoped to give him 90 days initially, but when we rescanned him (after 90 days), there was still activity in that same spot. So, we just gave him more time. The unfortunate thing with sesamoids is that they take time.”

In Straight No Chaser's case, six months' time, to be exact. Given the green light to resume training following a clean PET scan, the bay is now nearing his first workout back at Santa Anita, Blacker reports.

“He's been training as good as ever,” Blacker said. “He looks super out there on the track. Obviously, we've lost a bit of time training wise just because all of the wet weather recently, but he's getting close to being ready to breeze. He certainly looks as good if not better than ever. We'll let the workouts be the real judge of where he's at though.”

Hailing from the second crop of Speightster, Straight No Chaser is one of two graded winners for the late son of Speightstown, who was euthanized following a stall accident at Northern Dawn Farm in Ontario in 2022.

Bred in Kentucky by John Eaton and Steve Laymon, he was produced by the winning Johannesburg mare Margarita Friday. She is also responsible for the stakes winner Hangover Saturday (Pomeroy). This is the extended female family of two-time champion sprinter Housebuster.

Straight No Chaser brought $110,000 from MyRacehorse as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old following a :10 2/5 breeze for consignor Paul Sharp.

He currently sports a career record of 7-4-0-1 and earnings of $245,800. His resume also includes a debut maiden win over the Del Mar lawn, a pair of optional claiming wins at Santa Anita and Oaklawn and a third-place finish as the favorite in last year's GIII Palos Verdes S.

Straight No Chaser's aforementioned win in the Maryland Sprint was further flattered when the distant third-place finisher that day Nakatomi (Firing Line) subsequently placed a close third in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita.

“It's great as a trainer when you have patient owners and I'm really grateful to have owners like MyRacehorse,” Blacker concluded. “To me, he's always been a horse that is gonna keep improving with age. I'm excited to get him back to the races.”

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APB: ‘Rising Star’ Munnys Gold Nearing Return at Gulfstream

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack tracks down top horses on the sidelines.

'TDN Rising Star' Munnys Gold (f, 2, Munnings–Haraawa, by Medaglia d'Oro), missing in action since airing by 14 1/2 lengths with a gaudy 101 Beyer Speed Figure on debut at Monmouth Park June 17, is targeting the upcoming $100,000 Glitter Woman S. at Gulfstream Park.

“She's been back in full training with Todd [Pletcher] now for about three months,” said Jacob West, advisor to owners Robert and Lawana Low.

“She's being pointed towards the Glitter Woman. It was supposed to be on New Year's Day, but the race didn't fill. They backed it up a week, and, hopefully, some more horses show up and we can get lucky there.”

Munnys Gold, a $92,000 FTKNOV weanling turned $300,000 FTKJUL yearling, has posted nine workouts at Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base since late October, most recently covering four furlongs in :50.33 (32/56) Dec. 24. Her worktab also includes a four-furlong bullet in :48.79 (1/25) Nov. 26.

“She's a tough filly to train in the mornings,” West said. “She's very aggressive in her training. Todd and his staff have done an incredible job with her. They seem like they've got her in a really good groove now.”

As for what kept Munnys Gold on the sidelines, West added, “She just had a little bruised foot. And it was one of those things–it was just stinging and stinging and stinging. It took her a while to get over. Mr. and Mrs. Low are incredible owners and incredibly patient. We just were extra cautious with her because we know she has talent and ability. We took our time and brought her back slowly. It seems to be all systems go right now.”

Munnys Gold earned the highest Beyer Speed Figure for a 2-year-old filly in her lone start in 2022. The distant runner-up finisher that day Alma Rosa (Sharp Azteca) has since added a win in Delaware's White Clay Creek S. and a runner-up finish in Monmouth's Sorority S.

The second winner from as many to make the races for her unraced dam, Munnys Gold hails from the extended female family of champion 2-year-old colt Anees. The Munnings over Medaglia d'Oro cross is also responsible for GIII Longacres Mile H. winner Barkley. Munnys Gold, bred in Florida by Nicksar Farms, is one of 10 'Rising Stars' for her leading sire.

“She overimpressed us and we're hopeful that she can continue on and live up to the hype from the first race,” West concluded.

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APB: Spendarella Targeting Keeneland’s Jenny Wiley

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack tracks down top horses on the sidelines.

Gainesway homebred Spendarella (f, 3, Karakontie {Jpn}–Spanish Bunny, by Unusual Heat)–sidelined since posting a dominating 4 1/2-length victory for trainer Graham Motion in the GI Del Mar Oaks in August–will return for a 4-year-old campaign with an early-season target of the GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland.

“She came out of that last race with a couple of little issues and we gave her some time,” said Alex Solis II, Gainesway's Director of Bloodstock and Racing.

“She actually just got back to Graham about two weeks ago at Fair Hill. He'll get her back going and the goal I'm sure is going to be to try to run her in that Grade I at Keeneland during the spring meet. It will be up to Graham if he wants to prep her or if she'll just go straight into that.”

After beginning her career with two wins over the Gulfstream lawn, including a front-running tally in the GIII Herecomesthebride S. Mar. 5, Spendarella made it a perfect three-for-three in Keeneland's GII Appalachian S. Apr. 9. She lost very little if anything while suffering the lone defeat of her brilliant career thus far, finishing a respectable second behind three-time Group 1 heroine Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17. Spendarella returned two months later and posted a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure in her aforementioned win at Del Mar.

“From the beginning, we had high hopes,” Solis said. “She's such an important filly for [Gainesway CEO] Antony [Beck]–she's a homebred and she's by his sire. He's enjoyed it the whole way through.”

Already responsible for GI American Oaks heroine Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule), the winning California-bred mare Spanish Bunny brought $130,000 from Gainesway at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale.

Currently in foal and carrying a full-brother to Spendarella, Spanish Bunny has also produced the MSW & MGSP 4-year-old filly Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}), who brought $600,000 from Shadai Farm at last month's KEENOV sale. Spanish Bunny had a colt by Uncle Mo in 2022.

As for Spendarella, Solis concluded, “The Breeders' Cup is in California [at Santa Anita] next year and we know she'll handle firm ground. She proved it in the Del Mar Oaks that she really likes it. There's a lot of options out there on the table for next year and the whole team is really looking forward to it.”

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Dr. Schivel Back in Training with Mark Glatt

Dr. Schivel (Violence), sidelined since recording an impressive victory in the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity Sept. 7, has returned to light training at Mark Glatt's Santa Anita base with an eye on a late spring/early summer return.

“He's been back in training for approximately a month and seems to be doing quite well so far,” Glatt said. “We will start picking it up with him now. The first month, you're just doing a lot of jogging and legging up. So not a hell of a lot to report at the moment, but he's healthy. He grew up quite a bit and he's filled out into his frame as most 2-year-olds turning three do. We're just looking forward to putting a little bit more pressure on him now, getting some workouts into him and seeing where he can take us this spring and summer.”

After announcing his presence with a powerful maiden victory over Spielberg (Union Rags) at third asking for his co-breeders William A. Branch and Arnold R. Hill at Del Mar last summer, Red Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal and William Dean Reeves joined the ownership group ahead of his final start for trainer Luis Mendez, a 1 3/4-length, stalk-and-pounce victory over that same rival in the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity.

The Cohen family's Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal subsequently transferred Dr. Schivel to Glatt to focus on a 3-year-old campaign. Along with the Cohens, Glatt campaigned the hard-knocking MGSW Sharp Samurai (First Samurai), runner-up in last year's GI TVG Pacific Classic S. and third-place finisher in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland.

Dr. Schivel, a $37,000 RNA as a KEEJAN short yearling, was produced by a half-sister to GISW Ultra Blend (Richly Blended). He was one of three North American Grade I winners for young sire Violence in 2020.

“Playing it by ear,” Glatt said when asked if Dr. Schivel was close to breezing. “We're going a little bit slower with him this first month or two than we normally would given the type of issues that he had and the reasons he was turned out. I would certainly say, conservatively, I expect to be breezing him here by the end of this month.”

Regarding the ailments that kept Dr. Schivel on the shelf, Glatt added, “I really don't want to be too specific. He did not require surgery. He had multiple minor things going on that could've turned into dangerous things and we erred on the conservative side with him.”

The aforementioned Spielberg has since added to his resume with a third-place finish in the GI American Pharoah S., a narrow win in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity and a second-place finish behind returning champion Essential Quality (Tapit) in last weekend's GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park.

“It's very exciting,” Glatt said of having Dr. Schivel join his barn. “I haven't ever even breezed the horse myself yet, but obviously his record speaks for itself. It's been nice to follow Spielberg, who he beat pretty handily in the Del Mar Futurity. He's maintained his form and that's always good to see. If you have a horse on the bench and you're paying attention to the horses that they beat, I think that gives you a very good indicator as to where your horse fits down the road. It's been good to see Spielberg holding his own.”

Glatt concluded, “At the moment, I'm just focusing on keeping him healthy and getting him back to the races. If we do that part of it, the races will be there. When we get closer, we'll map out a plan.”

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