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Lady Prancealot, Bodhicitta Give Baltas Strong Hand In Rodeo Drive Stakes

Blessed with a pair of talented turf distaffers, trainer Richard Baltas has a big look at Saturday's Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as his Lady Prancealot, a fast-closing second in her most recent start, has solid distance credentials, while his Bodhicitta is in top form although distance may be a question.

For fillies and mares three and up going a mile and one quarter on turf, Saturday's $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes has attracted a competitive field of seven fillies and mares.

A winner of the G1 American Oaks in her only try at the Rodeo Drive distance five starts back on Dec. 28, Lady Prancealot, a 4-year-old Irish-bred filly, is winless in four graded stakes this year, but she flew late to be beaten a diminishing neck at a mile and one eighth on turf Sept. 5 and merits top billing.

With Umberto Rispoli back aboard Lady Prancealot and Flavien Prat with Bodhicitta, these two ultra-talented reinsmen will most certainly renew their rivalry that resulted in Prat taking a 50-49 photo finish for leading rider honors at the recently concluded Del Mar meeting.

The Rodeo Drive is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner to receive a fees-paid berth into the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

LADY PRANCEALOT
Owner: Jerry McClanahan, Michael Iavarone, Parkland Thoughbreds, et al
Trainer: Richard Baltas

A winner of three graded stakes in 16 stateside starts for Baltas, she has been close in nearly all of her races while amassing earnings of $604,841 from an overall mark of 21-5-5-3. With turf master Rispoli back aboard, look for Irish-bred Lady Prancealot to be on the move the final eighth of a mile.

BODHICITTA
Owner: Calvin Nguyen
Trainer: Richard Baltas

A game nose winner of the G2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf Aug. 8, this 4-year-old English-bred filly has won three out of her last four starts, all with Prat aboard. Second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in the G1 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf two starts back, she'll try a mile and one quarter for the first time in what will be her 16th career start. With four wins, as many seconds and one third place finish, she has earnings of $265,808.

MAXIM RATE
Owner: Slam Dunk Racing & James D. Branham
Trainer: Simon Callaghan

A winner of two consecutive turf routes at Del Mar, the most recent a neck victory in the CTT & TOC Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on Aug. 16, she brings a solid recent record to the Rodeo Drive party but she'll be facing tougher. Ridden by Rispoli in her last two starts, she'll get the services of eastern-based Luis Saez, as Rispoli appears to have opted for Lady Prancealot. A G3 winner going a mile on turf at age three, her mile and three eighths win on Aug. 16 lends added encouragement at the Rodeo Drive distance.

GRADE I RODEO DRIVE STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Tonahutu—Abel Cedillo—122

2. Maxim Rate—Luis Saez—122

3. Bodhicitta—Flavien Prat—124

4. Mucho Unusual—Juan Hernandez—122

5. Pretty Point—Mike Smith—122

6. Lady Prancealot—Umberto Rispoli—126

7. Catch the Eye—Victor Espinoza—122

First post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Although there is no public admittance, fans can follow a live video stream, free of charge, at santaanita.com

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Juvenile Turf Sprinters Contest ‘Win And You’re In’ Speakeasy

Trainer Wesley Ward, regarded as one of the nation's top trainers of 2-year-olds, will take on the boys with his talented Irish-bred filly Amanzi Yimpilo in Saturday's $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita. The Speakeasy, to be contested at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, has attracted a wide open field of nine, with one additional filly, the Peter Miller-trained Feathers, set to compete.

A first-out maiden special weight winner at Gulfstream Park June 10, Amanzi Yimpilo was subsequently a close third in an ungraded stakes at Saratoga Aug. 19 and she'll be ridden by eastern-based Luis Saez for the first time in the Speakeasy.

Miller's Wyfire, a rousing 3 1/2-length maiden winner going 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt Aug. 16 and the Richard Baltas-trained Commander Khai, an impressive gate to wire maiden winner on turf Sept. 4, also rate huge chances on Saturday.

The Speakeasy is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland on Nov. 6.

AMANZI YIMPILO
Owner: Susan Moulton, Marc Detampel & CJ Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Wesley Ward

A $300,000 Keeneland September yearling, this daughter of the Scat Daddy stallion No Nay Never, was off at 3-5 in her five furlong turf debut on June 10 and she breezed to a 2 ½ length win. Subsequently third, beaten 3 ½ lengths over a soft turf at Saratoga Aug. 19, she worked a half mile at Keeneland in 49.20 on Sept. 5 and another half here on Sept. 19 in 49.40. With Ward's eyes fixed on the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland Nov. 6, look for a big effort.

WYFIRE
Owner: Gary Barber
Trainer: Peter Miller

Purchased privately by Barber following his big maiden win on dirt Aug. 16, Miller immediately made plans to run on turf in the Speakeasy and secured the services of top jock Flavien Prat. A Kentucky-bred colt by the Smart Strike stallion Dominus, Wyfire appears poised for a huge effort in what will be his third career start and first try on grass.

COMMANDER KHAI
Owner: Calvin Nguyen
Trainer: Richard Baltas

Quick from the gate, this Kentucky-bred colt by Twirling Candy showed the way in his five-furlong turf debut on Aug. 14, tiring a bit late to finish second by a half length. Off at even money and ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli, he rocketed clear of his competition and never looked back in a 3 ¼ length maiden score going five furlongs on turf Sept. 4. If he runs back to his last race, Commander Khai should be plenty tough in the Speakeasy.

$100,000 SPEAKEASY STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 5 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

The Great One—Abel Cedillo—120
No Pedigree—Mario Gutierrez—120
Basque Man—Juan Hernandez—120
Commander Khai—Umberto Rispoli—120
Amanzi Yimpilo—Luis Saez—117
Fury Kap—Tiago Periera—120
Wyfire—Flavien Prat—120
Windy City Red—Heriberto Figueroa—120
Feathers—Ricardo Gonzalez—119

First post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Although there is no public admittance, Santa Anita's races can be viewed free of charge, via the track's livestream video at santaanita.com

The post Juvenile Turf Sprinters Contest ‘Win And You’re In’ Speakeasy appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Santa Anita Release Revised Autumn Stakes Schedule

With its original start date delayed due to air quality concerns related to the Bobcat Fire, Santa Anita Park announced a revised Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule, which kicks off Sept. 25 and offering a total of 12 stakes–11 graded–and seven of them Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” Challenge Race qualifiers. Santa Anita’s complete Autumn Meet Stakes Schedule is available at www.santaanita.com/stakes-schedule/.

Among Saturday’s races are the GI Awesome Again S., GI Rodeo Drive S., GI American Pharoah S. and the GII Chandelier S. and the Speakeasy S., all of which will provide the winners of each race a fees-paid berth into their respective Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland Nov. 6 and 7. The following afternoon, two additional ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge races will be offered–the GII Zenyatta S. and GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship.

For more information, visit www.santaanita.com.

The post Santa Anita Release Revised Autumn Stakes Schedule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Maximum Security, Improbable Both Being Pointed to Awesome Again

Stablemates Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) and ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Improbable (City Zip) will face one another in Saturday’s GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita, trainer Bob Baffert has confirmed.

Baffert had earlier discussed shipping Maximum Security to New York for the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, but instead will race him this weekend in his own backyard.

Via text, Baffert said he thought the race was a good fit for both horses because he likes the spacing and the fact that no one has to ship. The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be run Oct. 10, two weeks after the Awesome Again.

With the two Baffert stars set to meet one another, the Awesome Again could decide who will be the favorite in the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. Coming off wins in the GII San Diego H. and the GI TVG Pacific Classic, Maximum Security will be favored in the Awesome Again, but Improbable has strong credentials, as well. He has won two in a row, the GI Hollywood Gold Cup and the GI Whitney S.

The list of possible starters for the $300,000 race also includes Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro), Midcourt (Midnight Lute), Sharp Samurai (First Samurai), Sleepy Eyes Todd (Paddy o’Prdao) and Take the One O One (Acclamation).

A win in the Awesome Again, formerly known as the Goodwood S., will give Baffert six wins in the race. He is currently tied with Charlie Whittingham for most career wins in the event. The Awesome Again is a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier, though both Maximum Security and Improbable have already secured berths via their victories in the Pacific Classic and Whitney, respectively.

The post Maximum Security, Improbable Both Being Pointed to Awesome Again appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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