Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf | Horse Racing Free Tips

Going To Vegas Pointed To Rodeo Drive Stakes After John C. Mabee Win

Soon after Going to Vegas crossed under the finish line 2 ¼-lengths in front to win the $200,000 Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Ca., on Saturday, what seemed like a tsunami of humanity descended from the grandstand to engulf the winner's circle for the picture and trophy ceremonies.

It was estimated that around 250 people – owners or friends of owners of the three partnership groups involved with the 4-year-old daughter of Goldencents — whooped, hollered, and smiled for the camera.

Bing Bush, founder and manager of Abbondanza Racing, figured that his 14-member group accounted for about 50 of the crowd, Medallion Racing about four, and the rest from MyRacehorse, the micro-shares organization that has had a large impact on racing in a short time.

There was plenty of joy to go around, and Bush, a Del Mar resident, was still savoring it this morning when he checked in at trainer Richard Baltas' barn to get the good news that Going to Vegas had come out of the race fine.

The Mabee victory, her sixth in 21 career starts, fueled thoughts of a Breeders' Cup start at Del Mar, where Going to Vegas has two wins and has only been out of the money once in seven starts on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

“We can always dream and this made that dream seem a step closer to reality,” Bush said. “We're going to be aiming her for the Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita. I think she'll like the distance.”

The Rodeo Drive, on October 2, is 1 ¼ miles, an eighth of a mile longer than the John C. Mabee but a distance at which the 4-year-old daughter of Goldencents won the Santa Ana there in March and was second in the Santa Anita Oaks last December.

A victory in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive carries with it a berth in the 1 3/8-mile, $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar on November 6. Otherwise, a six-figure supplemental entry fee would be necessary for Going to Vegas, who was not made Breeders' Cup eligible as a foal.

“To win here is so wonderful and to win the John Mabee Stakes, a man who was such an iconic figure here and such a major figure in the racing industry, is just great,” Bush said.

The post Going To Vegas Pointed To Rodeo Drive Stakes After John C. Mabee Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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War Like Goddess Wins Glen Falls For Mott, Casa Creed To Fourstardave

George Krikorian's War Like Goddess rallied from last-of-7 to capture Saturday's $250,000 Grade 2 Glens Falls, a 12-furlong inner-turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old English Channel bay notched her third straight graded win, encompassing the Grade 3 Orchid in March at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3 Bewitch in April at Keeneland.

Mott said he was pleased with the winning trip engineered by regular pilot Julien Leparoux.

“I thought she accelerated very good. I couldn't describe it any other way other than impressive,” Mott said.

Mott said he would point War Like Goddess to the $600,000 Grade 1 Flower Bowl on September 4 at Saratoga, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Natalie Baffert and Debbie Lanni's Du Jour, who exited post 2 under Joel Rosario, finished third just 3 1/2-lengths back of winner State of Rest in Saturday's Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational.

The Temple City bay captured the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 American Turf in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., before finishing fourth last month in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational in his first start for Mott.

“I thought he ran well to be third. I wasn't disappointed,” Mott said. “He had a little bit of trouble getting through. As he was coming through, they kind of squeezed him a little bit, but he still ran well. We're happy with his performance.”

Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector earned a 102 Beyer in a convincing front-running score in Friday's nine-furlong Alydar.

The 4-year-old Bernardini colt, who was making his first start for Mott, captured the Grade 2 Blue Grass last August at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the Ellis Park Derby last August for former conditioner Tom Drury, Jr.

He entered the Alydar off a trio of off-the-board efforts.

“He had kind of lost his way a little bit, but it looks like he's back into form,” Mott said.

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LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's High Oak, an impressive maiden winner in June at Belmont, and Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur-winner Casa Creed breezed a bullet half-mile in :48.11 in company Saturday on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

“They both went well. I was very happy with them,” Mott said. “They both did what I wanted them to do. They maybe worked a little better than expected.”

High Oak, a 2-year-old son of Gormley, is pointed to Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite, a 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for juveniles.

Casa Creed, a 5-year-old son of Jimmy Creed, scratched out of Friday's Grade 3 Troy presented by Horse Racing Ireland after drawing post 12. Mott said Casa Creed will now target the $500,000 Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap on August 14, a “Win and You're In' qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Mile.

“We didn't like our post the other day and I think we'd prefer to take our chance in another race,” Mott said. “Not that we think it's an easier spot, but maybe we'll get a little better draw and have a chance at a better trip.”

Casa Creed will stretch back out to one mile in the Fourstardave after an impressive rally to win the six-furlong Jackpocket Jaipur. Mott acknowledged that the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, to be contested at five furlongs at Del Mar, would likely be too short for the late-running Casa Creed.

“That's probably not his cup of tea,” Mott said.

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Audarya Primed for Nassau Bid

With the major contests going the way of the 3-year-olds so far, it is up to Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to attempt to bring that generation back into line a touch in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood. Improving markedly at this stage last term, Alison Swinburn's 5-year-old captured the G1 Prix Jean Romanet on soft ground at Deauville in August, was third to Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Prix de l'Opera on heavy at ParisLongchamp in October before capturing the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on firm going at Keeneland in November. Giving Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a scare when 3/4-of-a-length second to that luminary in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot June 16, she sets a clear standard on that form. “Audarya ran really well at Royal Ascot and she's come out of the race in good form,” trainer James Fanshawe said.

“Six weeks is a nice gap between races when you are taking things step by step and we've had this race in mind for a while. She's got better as she's got older and she's doing everything right at home. It was fast ground at Keeneland and Royal Ascot, but she shouldn't have any problem on easier going because it was very testing last year when she won the Romanet and very soft when she ran so well in the Prix de l'Opera.”

Also flying the flag for the older fillies and mares is Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who like Audarya has gone from strength to strength since last summer and seeks a first top-level success after two fine efforts at this level in 2021. Runner-up to Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury May 15 and fourth when suffering a troubled trip in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 9, she tries this 10-furlong trip for the first time having won over nine in the May 2 G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket. “She's grown up as a 5-year-old mare and she's much more amenable now,” trainer William Jarvis said. “As a 3 and 4-year-old, we thought she was very much a soft-ground filly but her run in both the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket and more recently in the Falmouth Stakes were on good-to-firm ground and I think she's pretty adaptable. She was very tired when she came out of the Lockinge Stakes, but we had a very good preparation between Ascot and Newmarket and she's really been pleasing me since the Falmouth.”

Aidan O'Brien puts forward two high-achieving 3-year-olds in the June 20 G1 Prix de Diane winner Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who beat her stablemate in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh May 23. “We are lucky to have some great fillies and we try to keep them apart and give them their best chance by picking the races which will suit them best, but we have been aiming both of these fillies for this race,” he said. “Joan of Arc won the Prix de Diane and has been progressing lovely all season. Empress Josephine will be stepping up to a mile and a quarter. We went further with her in Gowran before she won the Guineas and then went back in trip. She's a full-sister to Minding, who got a mile and a quarter and got a mile and a half. It's possible she could leave that Gowran run behind her and get the trip, but she is a filly that's got plenty of speed.”

Shadwell's Zeyaadah (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) beat Mantonbury Stud's Technique (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) by a cosy head margin in the G3 Hoppings Fillies' S. over this trip at Newcastle June 25 and the former's trainer Roger Varian is hoping the ground continues to dry. “She'll need to step up on the Newcastle form to win a Nassau, but while she only won a head she was in command at the line there. Bar the Oaks, she's done nothing wrong in her career. There was only one winner that day and the rest were nowhere. I think she's a 10-furlong filly and I also think she's a better-ground filly now she's going up against better horses, although she's got soft-ground form. She's in good form and I think she's ready for this test.”

In the G2 Unibet Richmond S. for the 2-year-olds, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's June 17 G2 Norfolk S. winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) bids to defy a penalty moving up from five to six furlongs. His defeat of Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) was made to look even better after the runner-up captured the G2 Railway S. and there is no reason on pedigree and racing style that he will not be at least as effective over this trip. “He has a three-pound penalty for his Royal Ascot win, which is always tough but the horse is in great order,” trainer Richard Fahey commented. “The ground is drying up and should be beautiful by the Richmond Stakes, possibly just on the dead side but he should handle that. I have no worries about going up to six furlongs, in fact I think he'll be better for it.” Leora Judah's Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) looks to add to Alan King's week to remember and has sound claims based on his second to Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the G2 July S. at Newmarket July 8, while Jassim bin Ali Al Attiyah's July 17 Weatherbys Super Sprint winner Gubbass (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) represents the Richard Hannon stable.

In the G3 John Pearce Racing Gordon S., the June 26 G1 Irish Derby third and July 14 G1 Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Wordsworth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) takes the next step towards a G1 St Leger bid. He is joined by stablemate Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who beat him in the 13-furlong Listed Yeats S. at Navan May 15 but has been absent since. “I don't think you can readily rule out any of these, so it's a competitive group 3, albeit one lacking a stand-out,” Wordsworth's rider Ryan Moore commented. “That said, I think my mount Wordsworth is the one to beat in here, even if Sir Lucan got the better of him the last time they met at Navan back in May. Wordsworth has clearly improved since then, being placed in group 1 company on his last two starts and his Grand Prix de Paris second last time came in testing ground.”

Ballydoyle's duo encounter stiff opposition headed by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Third Realm (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who beat Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the May 8 Listed Lingfield Derby Trial before disappointing when over 11-lengths fifth behind that peer in the June 5 G1 Epsom Derby. Also down the field in the blue riband was Ahmad Al Shaikh's May 5 G3 Chester Vase winner Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), while Godolphin's Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is another intriguing candidate having returned to form when capturing the 13-furlong G3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket July 8.

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Grade I Winners Return in Beaugay

Grade I winners Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) and Civil Union (War Front) kick off their 2021 campaigns in Saturday's GIII Beaugay S. at Belmont Park.

Harvey's Lil Goil followed a win in Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. Oct. 10 with a huge third–beaten only a neck at 20-1–in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland last time Nov. 7.

Civil Union, winner of last term's GI Flower Bowl S. over this course, had a four-race winning steak snapped, finishing another two slots back in fifth in the Filly and Mare Turf.

Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), a dual group winner in her native Ireland, including the 2020 G2 Kilboy Estate S., makes her North American debut for Chad Brown after winning four of seven starts for trainer G.M. Lyons. She was last seen finishing 10th in the G2 Blandford S. Sept. 13.

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