Tag: Breeders’ Cup

Stonestreet Stables' dual Grade 1-winner Clairiere came home the best of four to once again defeat her familiar opponent, reigning champion 3-year-old filly Malathaat, in a thrilling edition of the $200,000 Shuvee (G2) on Sunday at Saratoga Race Course.

The Shuvee marked the sixth renewal of an exciting rivalry between the two Stonestreet-bred fillies, both daughters of Hill 'n' Dale Farms resident sire Curlin, and their first meeting since Clairiere defeated the accomplished Malathaat for the first time in the Ogden Phipps (G1) on June 11 at Belmont Park for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Clairiere eked out the victory by a head in their last matchup but came home a clear 1 1/2-length winner on Sunday in the nine-furlong test for older fillies and mares.

Clairiere, sent from post 4 as the second choice in the wagering under Joel Rosario, broke sharply while longshot Exotic West charged up from the inside post to take command of the compact field of four through an opening quarter-mile in :24.75 over the fast main track.

Crazy Beautiful tracked in second to the outside of Exotic West with Malathaat, who sported blinkers for the first time, sitting in third to the outside of Clairiere. The tightly bunched quartet's positions remained unchanged through a half-mile in :49.45 before Crazy Beautiful made her move to the outside of Exotic West and led the charge heading into the final turn.

Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez gave Malathaat her cue from third as Clairiere split rivals and was full of run with nowhere to go, running up on the heels of Crazy Beautiful in the turn and steadying before finding room on the rail and digging in for the drive to the wire.

Malathaat menaced down the center of the racetrack as the two put away Crazy Beautiful at the eighth pole, but it was Clairiere that prevailed over an all-out Malathaat to complete the nine furlongs in 1:51.96.

Rosario, who has piloted Clairiere in her last three outings, said she was game to the wire.

“She broke really well. There wasn't a lot of room between the three-eighths and the quarter-pole and I just had to be there because they were going really slow,” Rosario said. “She responded really well when I asked her.

“She was there for me,” added Rosario. “I was always looking to see where there was room to go and it looked like it opened up inside, and I just had to go with that. She did great.”

Asmussen, who also trained Clairiere's Hall of Fame sire, said the 4-year-old filly continues to show her class.

“I think that it's more proof of who she is,” said Asmussen. “She's a great filly and what a great race. Moderate fractions, they came home in good time and she's just a very fast mare right now.

The Shuvee was the third race off a four-month layoff for Clairiere, who posted a good sophomore campaign where she scored her first Grade 1 victory in the Cotillion at Parx Racing and finished fourth in both the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) in May and the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) in November at Del Mar.

Asmussen said Clairiere has come into her own this year.

“She kept excellent company from fall of her 2-year-old year and her whole 3-year-old year,” said Asmussen. “We sent her down to Stonestreet in Ocala to Ian Brennan off a fourth by three-quarters of a length in the Distaff. She got a little break. She went back in training down there and she came back in breezing more impressively than when she finished her 3-year-old year. I think her races have shown that.

“It's fun to see her physical development,” added Asmussen. “We were near Malathaat in the Oaks in the paddock and [could see] how much bigger Malathaat was in the Kentucky Oaks. Then we're next to her in the paddock here today, it's [noticeable] how comparable we are physically.”

The Saratoga winner's circle eluded Clairiere last year as she posted game on-the-board efforts in Grade 1 company, finishing behind Malathaat in both the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama. Asmussen said the Shuvee was a prep for another try at a Saratoga Grade 1 in the $600,000 Personal Ensign on August 27.

“The Personal Ensign was the reason to be here,” Asmussen said. “She ran two solid races last year at Saratoga and we expect better this year.”

Clairiere, out of the multiple Grade 1-winning Bernardini mare Cavorting, scored the fourth graded victory of her career in the Shuvee. She banked $110,000 for her victory, increasing her total purse earnings to $1,909,592 with a record of 6-4-2 from 14 starts. She returned $5 for a $2 win wager.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said Malathaat, winner of the 2021 Kentucky Oaks, was not her usual self in the paddock or on the racetrack.

“I was very concerned leaving the paddock,” said Pletcher. “She came in super quiet. I don't know if she reacted adversely to the heat. She's normally a very classy mare and not really animated, but she was dull. She seemed to stay dull on the post parade and for a horse adding first time blinkers, she was just a very dull performance all the way around. I've never seen her that quiet in the paddock before.”

Velazquez agreed that Malathaat did not put in her usual effort.

“We thought she would be more aggressive, but she was really relaxed,” said Velazquez in regards to the addition of blinkers. “She just didn't come with any run.”

The post ‘What A Great Race’: Clairiere Bests Malathaat In Shuvee As Rivalry Continues Between Curlin Fillies appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stables, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest earned a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure for her dominating performance in Saturday's Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr., Nest broke the best in the field of five after her two inside foes, Butterbean and Society, stumbled at the break. Society vied for the lead in the first quarter mile, but Nest was soon the pacesetter with Secret Oath pressing to her outside. The two matched strides in the turn and opened up on their rivals, briefly living up to the race's billing as a rematch after Secret Oath bested Nest in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Nest would not be denied this time, making it look easy and opening up a 4 1/2-length advantage on her tiring rival at the stretch call. She romped down the stretch with little urging from Ortiz and was wrapped up at the sixteenth pole, coming home an eye-catching 12 1/4-length winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“She came out of it excellent – very good,” said Pletcher. “It was very impressive. She had kind of been touting herself that she was coming into the race in great shape and I'm delighted to see her run to the race she was training [for]. I'm very pleased.”

Pletcher said Nest showed her professionalism when the setup of the race was altered as the Steve Asmussen-trained Society stumbled.

“We figured Steve's filly would be on the lead and that we would try to break well and establish some position in the first turn, which we were able to do,” said Pletcher. “So, she was never really able to take a breather the whole way, but she fended off a strong challenge from Secret Oath and looked good.”

Nest, who finished second behind stablemate Mo Donegal in the Belmont Stakes (G1), could make another appearance against males in the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers (G1) on August 27, though Pletcher said it's likely she'll stick with fillies and try the 10-furlong, $600,000 Alabama (G1) on August 20.

“We're leaning towards [the Alabama]. I had a brief conversation [with her owners] though and we did not completely rule out the Travers,” said Pletcher. “She showed she can hold her own against [males] and we know the mile and a quarter suits her. So, we'll keep it in the back of our mind. I'd say all things being equal, we'll probably see her in the Alabama.”

The post Pletcher Leaning Toward Alabama With Dominant CCA Oaks Winner Nest, Travers ‘Not Completely’ Ruled Out appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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By Lynne Snierson, Monmouth Publicity staff

Taiba may not have won the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) Saturday at Monmouth Park, but the performance of the Zedan Racing Stables colorbearer in the $1-million race gave his connections plenty to be excited about nevertheless.

“He ran a really gallant race and we were happy with the way he ran. We would have loved to have won it, but he ran a great race and he came out of it really well,” Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday morning about his colt's loss by a head to Cyberknife.

Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who rode Taiba, said after the race that when they were down on the inside in the field of eight, he couldn't get the son of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner running and had to swing him to the outside. From that point Taiba picked it up and rallied, got his head in front at the eighth pole, and battled with Cyberknife, who was charging up the rail under Florent Geroux, to the wire.

“I thought I was going to win,” Smith said.

Baffert, who was watching the race from Southern California, concurred.

“I thought he was going to win. It was tough to come up short because I really thought when he made that move and put his little head down, he was going to get there. He's all racehorse,” said Baffert. “He's a gutsy little guy. I think he just didn't see that horse (Cyberknife) down there. It was great ride by Florent. Flo stayed back there and cut the corner.

“Mike had him in a spot to win and we just came up short. Cyberknife got a great trip. He was stuck down there and he was not happy being stuck behind horses. I was really worried at about the three-eighths pole. Mike said that when he got him out in the clear he just kicked in.”

Baffert was looking to extend his record to 10 wins in the Haskell with Taiba.

Cyberknife, winner of the Arkansas Derby (G1), added a second top-level triumph to his resume with the Haskell win in track record time of 1:46.24 for the 1 1/8 miles. He had post position 1; Taiba started from  post 2. Baffert thought Taiba's chances might have been compromised by the draw.

“I think the post position, if he had been outside and a little bit in the clear, it might have made a difference. Maybe not. Those are three top horses,” Baffert said of Cyberknife, Taiba, and dual Grade 1 winner Jack Christopher, who finished third as the 7-10 favorite.

What also may have been to Taiba's detriment is his relative inexperience. He won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in just his second start and next was no factor in the Kentucky Derby 20-horse field while Baffert was serving a 90-day suspension and Tim Yatkeen had taken over the training. Taiba didn't come back into Baffert's care until earlier this month.

“The Kentucky Derby was a complete toss out. He's lightly raced. We're still learning more about this horse. Because I was just getting back, I could have used maybe one more breeze into him,” said Baffert. “He ran his race. I think he's maturing. He's just going to get better and better. He has a big heart. He's all racehorse.”

The $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) remains the goal for Taiba, who will depart Monmouth to be flown back and reunite with Baffert on Tuesday. At this stage Baffert hasn't mapped out the schedule.

“The mile and a quarter (Breeders' Cup distance) isn't going to be any problem for him. We haven't really figured out a plan yet. It's too early to tell. We'll get him back here to Del Mar and he'll tell me when he's ready to roll,” said Baffert.

Cyberknife, meanwhile, now a two-time Grade 1 winner and the only 3-year-old other than third-place finisher Jack Christopher in the division to have won multiple Grade 1s, was no worse for wear and departed the Monmouth Park backstretch at 5 a.m. (ET) Sunday morning to rejoin trainer Brad Cox's Saratoga division.

Cyberknife, who like Taiba is a son of Three Chimneys Farm resident sire Gun Runner, qualified for his guaranteed spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic with his Haskell win, and if all goes well for both colts, a rematch with Taiba at Keeneland on November 5 is looming.

“We've got to get there. I don't want to get too far ahead. We'll let him enjoy the Saratoga weather, like everyone else and hopefully, we'll march forward,” said Cox. “We do feel like he's a horse that can continue on and I do feel he's a horse that's capable of getting a mile and a quarter.”

Cyberknife is under consideration for the Runhappy Travers (G1) at Saratoga on August 27 and could give Cox back-to-back wins in the “Mid-Summer Derby” as he won the 2021 edition with Essential Quality. His 2022 Haskell win with Cyberknife was his second straight as he won the 2021 edition with Mandaloun.

The post ‘He Ran A Really Gallant Race’: Baffert Pleased With Taiba’s Determined Haskell Performance; Winner Cyberknife Possible For Travers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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