Breeders' Cup Win and You're In | Horse Racing Free Tips

Velazquez Guides Medina Spirit To Front-Running Victory In Awesome Again

Bet down to 6-5 favoritism, Zedan Racing Stables Inc.'s Medina Spirit went to the front at the start, controlled the pace and romped to a daylight victory under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Stilleto Boy, at 50-1 the longest shot in the field of eight, finished second, followed by Express Train in third, Tripoli (5-2 second choice) in fourth and Tizamagician in fifth.

Medina Spirit and Stilleto Boy were the only two 3-year-olds in the race taking on older horses. Medina Spirit paid $4.60 for the win and combined with Stilleto Boy to pay $83.30 on a $1 exacta.

Medina Spirit covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.67 after recording sectional times of :23.39, :47.72, 1:11.76 and 1:37.05.

The Awesome Again is a Win and You're In Challenge Series race for the Breeders' Cup Classic, to be contested at Del Mar on Nov. 6. The winner gets an automatic fees-paid berth in the Classic, but Medina Spirit's participation is uncertain because trainer Bob Baffert's participation in the Breeders' Cup World Championship is being reviewed by the organization's board of directors in the wake of five medication violations over a one-year period, culminating with a failed drug test by Medina Spirit after his first-place finish in the G1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Medina Spirit's post-race sample from the Derby tested positive for betamethasone, a corticosteroid that Baffert claims was administered to the horse via an ointment used to treat a rash after the Protonico colt's second-place finish in the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 3. While the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has yet to conduct a hearing on the matter, Churchill Downs officials have notified Baffert that he is suspended from participating at any of their tracks through the end of the 2023 spring meeting. The New York Racing Association also has scheduled a hearing in an attempt to deny Baffert's participation at its tracks.

Medina Spirit, bred in Florida by Gail Rice, sold for just $1,000 as a yearling at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale, then brought $35,000 at the OBS July 2-year-old sale. The Awesome Again was his fifth career victory from nine starts (though he may be disqualified from his Kentucky Derby win), including the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in January and the listed Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 29. He ran third behind Rombauer in the G1 Preakness.

The Awesome Again was inaugurated in 1982 as the Goodwood Handicap when the Oak Tree Racing Association conducted a fall meet at Santa Anita. It has been won by such older runners as Lord At War (twice), Ferdinand, Silver Charm, Plealsantly Perfect, Lava Man, Game On Dude (twice), Mucho Macho Man, California Chrome and Accelerate. Three-year-old winners include Shared Belief and Tiznow.

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$1.5 Million Quality Road Colt Corniche Wires American Pharoah Field

A $1.5 million sales purchase in April, Speedway Stables' Corniche ran like it on Friday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he dictated terms throughout under Mike Smith to register an emphatic 3 ¼-length victory in Santa Anita's Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes. With Bob Baffert picking up his record 10th American Pharoah win, Corniche ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.75.

A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, Corniche, a Kentucky-bred colt by Quality Road, now has a fees-paid berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

Breaking from the rail in a field of seven, Corniche, who came off a scintillating first-out maiden score going 5 ½ furlongs on Sept. 4 at Del Mar, was pressed by stablemate Rockefeller to the quarter pole, dispatched of him turning for home and won in-hand in a very impressive effort.

“There's just so much upside to this horse,” said Smith. “This is what's really exciting about him. When he broke his maiden as impressive as he did, he just gave me that feeling that we weren't even close to his full potential. … He's a big colt and he carries a lot of flesh. As he starts to get even fitter and harder inside, he's gonna be a force to reckon with.”

The 2-5 favorite, Corniche paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10.

Owned by Peter Fluor's Speedway Stables, LLC, Corniche, who is out of the Najran mare Wasted Tears, picked up $180,000 for his efforts, increasing his earnings to $222,000. Bred in Kentucky by Bart Evans and Stonehaven Steadings, Corniche was a $385,000 buyback at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, then was offered by De Meric Sales at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training, where he brought a final bid of $1.5 million.

“You never know until you send them two turns whether they'll be able to handle it or not, and it looked like he handled it pretty well,” said Baffert. “He's got a great mind, so I'm pretty happy about that. I loved how they both broke well and were forwardly placed, that's where we like to be. Down the backside, he was being chased by a really good horse (Rockefeller, who checked fourth)…”

When asked about the issue of Corniche not receiving what was to have been 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points due to the fact Churchill downs has issued an edict precluding any of Baffert's Derby prospects from earning said points, he responded, “We're just going to let the process play itself out and not think about that now. The main thing is to keep them healthy and have them ready for the next dance. I just focus on these horses day in and day out…”

Pappacap, who overtook Rockefeller at the top of the lane, finished well to be second under Joe Bravo and paid $6.80 and $4.20 while off at 13-1.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, early trailer Oviatt Class finished a half length back in third and paid $3.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.55, 47.26, 1:11.91 and 1:37.85.

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Into Mischief Filly Makes It Look Easy In Chandelier Stakes; Juvenile Fillies Next Stop

With favored Grace Adler in deep water around the far turn, trainer Phil D'Amato's Ain't Easy was running comfortably on the lead and was never threatened en route to a 4 ¾-length score in the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Ain't Easy got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:45.20.

A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, Ain't Easy will get a fees-paid berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

Breaking sharply from post position two, Ain't Easy was a bit keen around the Club House turn as she tucked in a close third behind pacesetter Electric Ride, who she overtook by a half length at the three-furlong marker. Leading by about four lengths at the three sixteenths pole, Ain't Easy won geared down in a most impressive effort.

A first out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs with Rosario Aug. 21 at Del Mar, Ain't Easy, a daughter of Into Mischief, was off 7-2 and paid $9.00, $4.00 and $3.20.

Owned by Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Michael Lombardi and Joey Platts, Ain't Easy, who is out of the Australian-bred mare Ameristralia, picked up $120,000 for the win and now has earnings of $162,000.

“She acted very professional, sitting behind horses,” said D'Amato. “'When Joel (Rosario) wanted to, she came up the inside, which I like to see with a young horse. She just looked like she was having fun in the stretch. I think it set up perfect. A good two-turn experience, confidence booster, an easy win, where it didn't look like she was taxed too much, so I like everything I saw right now.

Ain't Easy was bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm and sold for $400,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Electric Ride, off at 6-1 with Joe Bravo, finished 2 ¼ lengths in front of Desert Dawn and paid $7.00 and $4.80.

Off at 31-1 with Ricky Gonzalez, Desert Dawn paid $7.60 to show.

Grace Adler, off at 4-5, finished a well beaten fifth.

Fractions on the race were 23.56, 47.99, 1:12.16 and 1:37.98.

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Rivelli-Trained One Timer Earns Way Into Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Chicago invader One Timer established control going into the far turn and proved best in Friday's $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. The Speakeasy is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier that provides the winner a fees-paid berth into the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

Unbeaten in two previous starts over synthetic surfaces, and now unbeaten in three starts, One Timer, a 2-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Trappe Shot, was handled by Chicago-based veteran E.T. Baird, who guided him to a five-furlong turf win in 55.45. Trained by Larry Rivelli, One Timer was head and head to the three-furlong pole with race favorite Forbidden Kingdom. With a 1 ½-length advantage turning for home, One Timer prevailed by three quarters of a length over a fast finishing Time to Party and remained well in front on the gallop out around the Club House turn.

One Timer was bred in Kentucky by St Simon Place LLC and sold for $21,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale.

“He broke well, I had to ask him out of there, but he's pretty professional outside of the post parade,” said Baird. “He just kept running true. I think he took to the (turf) great. We worked him one time in Chicago (at Arlington Park) over the grass and I happened to work another horse, an older horse on same morning and the older horse ended up winning (a) stake after that work…I mean, he's competitive, he loves to run.”

The second choice at 9-5 in a field of six juveniles, One Timer paid $5.80, $4.00 and $2.40.

Owned by Patricia's Hope, LLC and Richard Ravin, One Timer, who is out of the Blame mare Spanish Star, picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $138,153.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Time to Party rallied well to be second, finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of Forbidden Kingdom. Off at 6-1, he paid $5.80 and $3.00.

The actual favorite at 9-5 with Juan Hernandez up, Forbidden King tired to finish third and returned $2.40 to show while 1 ½ lengths clear of Miss Alacrity.

Fractions on the race were 21.01 and 43.48.

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