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Exaulted Stays Perfect On Turf, Secures BC Mile Berth in Shoemaker Mile

Sent off the 3-1 second favorite to maintain a perfect record in four starts since switching to the grass just after the turn of the calendar, C R K Stable's Exaulted (Twirling Candy) was forwardly placed behind a pair of longshot leaders, got first crack at them into the stretch and kicked home smartly to win the GI Shoemaker Mile Monday at Santa Anita and with it, a fees-paid berth into the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile over the course and distance in November.

Away smoothly for Juan Hernandez, the $77,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling was taken hold of and sat third as Lamplighter Jack (Fed Biz) came across from his high draw to set the pace while prompted by fellow outside Flavius (War Front). Clocking that pair on the backstretch run, Exaulted was waited with into the final half-mile and was nudged along three wide around the far turn while zeroing in on the leaders. Lamplighter Jack called it a day, leaving Flavius along up front for a stride or two entering the stretch, but Exaulted rolled up to lead approaching the eighth pole and came home gamely to score nicely. Irideo (Arg) (Easing Along) weaved his way through traffic to be second at 41-1, while favored Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}) was short of racing room when the real running was about to begin and did well to be third.

“This horse has been improving every race,” said meet-leading rider Hernandez. “He is always in a good position. He broke really sharp today and I took him back. At the three eighths, I asked him to pick it up and it was time to go. I passed a horse to get the lead and he didn't let other horses pass him.”

Having run big numbers in his first three starts, Exaulted broke his maiden in optional claiming company in February 2021, but that proved his lone victory from 11 tries on the dirt to go with third placings in the GII San Carlos S. and GII Triple Bend S. The bay switched to the grass this past January, winning allowance tests at a mile Jan. 2 and Feb. 5 before accounting for Irideo in the GIII American S. Apr. 2.

Pedigree Notes:

Exaulted is an eighth Grade I winner for Lane's End's Twirling Candy and is one of five winners out of a half-sister to GIII Arlington-Washington Lassie S. victress Wonderlandbynight (Sky Mesa). The latter's half-sister Ada Clare (Forest Wildcat) is the dam of five winners–four of which are by Twirling Candy–including the stakes-placed Big Boy Candy. Gilded Time, who was represented by GII Triple Bend S. winner Spirit of Makena (Ghostzapper) May 27, is now the broodmare sire of nine worldwide Grade I/Group 1 winners. Gilded Miracle passed away in 2019 at the age of 15.

Monday, Santa Anita
SHOEMAKER MILE S.-GI, $503,000, Santa Anita, 5-29, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.08, fm.
1–EXAULTED, 122, h, 6, by Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Gilded Miracle, by Gilded Time
2nd Dam: Onemiracleatatime, by Gulch
3rd Dam: Katie Love, by Manila
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($77,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg '18
FTSAUG). O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Jack Swain (KY); T-Peter
Eurton; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $300,000. Lifetime Record:
15-5-3-4, $603,660. Werk Nick Rating: F.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Irideo (Arg), 122, g, 7, Easing Along–Infiltrada (Arg), by
Footstepsinthesand (GB). O/B-Pozo de Luna (Arg); T-Marcelo
Polanco. $100,000.
3–Hong Kong Harry (Ire), 124, g, 6, Es Que Love (Ire)–Vital Body
(Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). (£185,000 RNA 4yo '21 GOFFLN;
85,000gns 4yo '21 TATAHI). O-Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa
and Tony Valazza; B-Amarath Business Management (Ire);
T-Philip D'Amato. $60,000.
Margins: HF, 1, 1. Odds: 3.10, 41.70, 1.60.
Also Ran: Il Bellator, Cabo Spirit, Du Jour, Gold Phoenix (Ire), Balnikhov (Ire), Salesman (Ire), Flavius, Lamplighter Jack.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Smile Happy To Point For Stephen Foster

Lucky Seven Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Smile Happy (Runhappy), impressive winner of the GII Alysheba S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill Downs May 5, will make his next start in the $1-million GI Stephen Foster S. July 1, trainer Ken McPeek told the track's media office Friday.

Eighth in last year's GI Kentucky Derby, the $185,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase graduate returned from a 10-month absence with an impressive allowance victory at Oaklawn Park Mar. 16 and was a good third in the GIII Oaklawn Mile Apr. 1 before defeating GI Pegasus World Cup hero Art Collector (Bernardini) by two lengths at odds of 7-1 in the Alysheba. He received a lofty 110 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, the highest number over a mile thus far in 2023.

McPeek reported that the commonly owned Rattle N Roll (Connect), last-out winner of the GIII Ben Ali S. at Keeneland Apr. 22, will go next in the GIII Blame S. on Stephen Foster Preview Day Saturday, June 3.

The Foster offers the winner an all-expenses-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

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Dubai In Play For Godolphin’s Lemon Pop Following February S.

Stepping up to the top level for the first time in what has already been a productive career, Godolphin's Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) ran a strong 1600 metres and comfortably held a final-furlong rally from the classy Red le Zele (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) to land Sunday's February S. at Tokyo Racecourse. A fourth consecutive American-bred winner of the 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, Lemon Pop will remain over shorter trips and holds an invitation to the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in five weeks' time. Despite the obvious appeal of such a journey, connections were playing it close to the vest post-race.

“Lemon Pop has been invited to Dubai, but we won't be making a decision on this for some time yet,” said Godolphin Japan President Harry Sweeney, who purchased the chestnut in the name of Paca Paca Farm for $70,000 as a weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. “Thrilled that Lemon Pop has won a Group 1 race at his first attempt and won in good style. We are relieved that he now has a JRA Group 1 on his curriculum vitae which will be very important for his next career whenever he finishes racing.”

Handed a good draw in gate seven, Lemon Pop was in the vanguard early, but was content to drift back a few spots as the mare Shonan Nadeshiko (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) took the 16-strong field through an opening half-mile in a solid :46.60. Tipped out into the four path with about 600 metres to travel, Lemon Pop traveled strongly into the race and was under a long hold–having yet to be asked for his best–as the field hit the quarter pole. Finally given a dig by Ryusei Sakai approaching the final furlong, Lemon Pop pinched a break as Red le Zele flashed and loomed a momentary danger, but the favourite had the race well and truly in safe keeping and proved a clear-cut winner. Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro) nearly unseated jockey Suguru Hamanaka at the break and was a long last down the backstretch, but rallied strongly to finish third.

The other US-bred winners of the race include Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) in 2020 and Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) the last two years.

The victory was the second at group level for Lemon Pop, who rebounded from a tough loss in the G3 Musashino S. over course and distance Nov. 12 to reverse form with Gilded Mirror (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in the G3 Negishi S. over seven panels Jan. 29. Jockey Keita Tosaki had ridden Lemon Pop to each of his seven previous wins, but opted for fourth-placed Dry Stout (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) Sunday, much to Sweeney's surprise.

“[We] were shocked to read in the sports papers just two weeks ago that Keita Tosaki had decided to get off Lemon Pop to ride another horse,” said Sweeney. “We then had to scramble to find a replacement and we are delighted with Sakai-san's performance today. It was a pressure ride for him too as he was riding Lemon Pop, the favourite, for the first time and in a Group 1 race.”

Added the winning jockey: “I am grateful to be given the chance to ride such a strong and favored horse and am happy we won. He responded well and pulled away strongly all the way to the wire.”

'TDN Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) sat an inside trip from a disadvantageous low draw and was beaten about 10 lengths into ninth.

“From what the jockey was telling me, he wasn't enjoying the kickback that much, but I think he ran an OK race,” said trainer Roger Attfield. “I just think he's a superiour turf horse, but we gave it a try.”

Pedigree Notes:

On behalf of former Darley executive Olly Tait and his wife, Blandford Bloodstock went to 165,000gns for Unreachable from the Juddmonte draft at the 2012 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Unreachable is a daughter of Harpia, a full-sister to the highly influential Danehill as well as Eagle Eyed and Shibboleth, etc., and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed First Word (Chester House) and the young American regional stallion Redesdale (Speightstown). This is also the family of Dundonnell (First Defence), a Group 3 winner in England, a listed winner in Hong Kong and Group 3-placed in Dubai.

Unreachable was offered in foal to Good Magic at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale but was led out unsold on a bid of $55,000. The mare was privately acquired by Jay and Christine Hayden's Saintsbury Farms and the colt the mare was carrying at the time–an Ontario-bred now named Equivoque–would go on to fetch $325,000 from China Horse Club/Gandharvi at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. Unreachable is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Good Magic and a yearling colt by Maclean's Music. A Maximum Security colt out of Lemon Pop's half-sister Regal Rags (Union Rags) was sold for $110,000 at Keeneland November last fall. Unreachable, now 14 years of age, was entered for, but was unsurprisingly withdrawn from this year's Keeneland January Sale when again in foal to Maclean's Music.

Lemon Pop is the 10th worldwide Grade I/Group 1 winner for his sire, who was pensioned from stud duties at Lane's End in 2021 and is his second top-level winner out of a Giant's Causeway dam. The late 'Iron Horse' is now the broodmare sire of 32 G1SW/GISW.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
FEBRUARY S.-G1, ¥232,860,000, Tokyo, 2-19, 4yo/up, 1600m, 1:35.60, gd.
1–LEMON POP, 128, h, 5, by Lemon Drop Kid
1st Dam: Unreachable, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Harpia, by Danzig
3rd Dam: Razyana, by His Majesty
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. ($70,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Godolphin; B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY); T-Hiroyasu Tanaka; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥123,403,000. Lifetime Record: 11-8-3-0, ¥288,439,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Red le Zele (Jpn), 128, h, 7, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)–French Noir (Jpn), by French Deputy. O-Tokyo Horse Racing; B-Shadai Farm; ¥48,972,000.
3–Meisho Hario (Jpn), 128, h, 6, Pyro–Meisho Ohi (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). O-Yoshio Matsumoto; B-Mishima Bokujo; ¥30,486,000.
Margins: 1HF, 2HF, 1. Odds: 1.20, 8.00, 9.70.
Also Ran: Dry Stout (Jpn), Admire Lupus (Jpn), Speedy Kick (Jpn), Helios (Jpn), Soliste Thunder (Jpn), Shirl's Speight, Kenshinko (Jpn), Sekifu (Jpn), Auvergne (Jpn), Keiai Turquoise (Jpn), T M South Dan (Jpn), Shonan Nadeshiko (Jpn), Jasper Prince.
Click for the JRA chart.

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Godolphin’s Lemon Pop Primed For Group 1 Success in February S.

Tokyo Racecourse plays host to the first of 24 Group 1s on the JRA circuit, Sunday's February S. going a one-turn mile on the dirt track, and with the race's two-time defending champion Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) preparing for next Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup and with would-be favourite Gilded Mirror (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) having recently been retired due to injury, the race is there for the taking for the wonderfully consistent US-bred Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid).

The 5-year-old, purchased for $70,000 as a weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale, is a bona-fide horse for the course, as his only defeat in eight local appearances came at the hooves of Gilded Mirror in the G3 Musashino S. over the course and distance in November. He reversed form with the mare last time, taking the 1400-metre G3 Negishi S. by a half-length Jan. 29.

“Since last spring we've had the Negishi S. and then the February S. as the plan for him,” said assistant trainer Toshikiko Hokari. “He has good racing sense and obeys the jockey's orders, so even with the extended distance, he should be able to get a good result.”

Not insignificantly, Keita Tosaki, who has piloted Lemon Pop to each of his victories, opts to stick with the 4-year-old Dry Stout (Jpn) (Sinister Minister). Winner of four of his six trips to the post, the dark bay took the second leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in late 2021 to make it three on the trot and exits a runner-up effort in the Listed Subaru S. over seven furlongs at Chukyo Jan. 7.

“He's very sharp and his reactions have been good in training,” said Tosaki. “I've been riding him for some time, so I can see how he's more experienced now. I have always thought he's a capable horse, and I'm excited about it being a [Group] 1 this time and hope he can win.”

The well-traveled Red le Zele (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) swerves next weekend's G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in favor of the February, a race in which he was fourth and sixth, respectively, to Cafe Pharoah the last two years. Runner-up to Switzerland (Speightstown) in last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, the 7-year-old downed T M South Dan (Jpn) (South Vigorous) in the Listed Tokyo Hai last October and was last seen finishing a running-on fourth to last year's Riyadh Dirt Sprint hero Dancing Prince (Jpn) (Pas de Trois {Jpn}) in the Listed JBC Sprint the following month.

Charles Fipke breaks new ground Sunday when his homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) becomes the first foreign raider to contest the February S. The upset winner of the GI Maker's Mark Mile last season, the bay makes his first start on the dirt since a third to Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) in the GIII Salvator Mile last June and his first since running champion Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to three-parts of a length in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland last November.

“He's a very versatile horse, but watching videos of him here and watching him this morning, he looks like he's handling the track very well and if he can run to his true ability, he will be very competitive–but it is unknown to me,” commented trainer Roger Attfield, who has tabbed Joao Moreira to ride.

The February S. serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

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