Tag: California Cup Oaks

Upstart Rose Dawson Flies Late To Capture California Cup Oaks

With but one race to her credit, Nick Alexander's homebred Rose Dawson adapted to a change in conditions like a seasoned veteran as she flew late to take Saturday's $200,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks by one length at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Flavien Prat, both of whom registered stakes doubles on the afternoon, Rose Dawson, a 3-year-old grey daughter of Alexander's Grazen, who was trying grass and two turns for the first time, got a flat mile in 1:36.07.

Next to last, about nine lengths off dueling leaders Professors' Pride and Eleuthera with three furlongs to run, Rose Dawson hugged the rail to the top of the lane, swung five-deep and went on to win with her ears pricked at the wire in a dramatic finish to a 10-race California Cup Day program.

“I'm very proud of her because I kinda thought I might be throwing a lot at her, going long and first time grass with winners,” said D'Amato, who won the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint two races earlier with Leggs Galore. “She just stepped up to the plate and it was a beautiful ride by Flavien. That was the cherry on top for the day.

“With the big field (12 sophomore fillies), she got a great setup and a great trip. She saved every inch of ground and he was able to tip-out at the top of the lane and it was beautiful to watch.”

A fourth length first-out maiden winner versus statebreds going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 5, Rose Dawson, who is out of the Bertrando mare Sudden Sunday, was off at 9-2 and paid $11.40, $5.80 and $4.20. With her winnings of $110,000, she boosted her earnings to $141,200.

“We were drawn outside and Phil told me to get her to relax, so I dropped myself in and she relaxed well,” said Prat, who also won Saturday's sixth race, the $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic aboard Aligato. “She gave me a good kick down the lane. There was some early pace. Phil told me she can be a little rank sometimes, so I was really trying to focus on her more than the race. She is impressive.”

Ridden by John Velazquez, Big Novel, who broke from the rail, was a joint third, about three lengths off the lead mid-way on the far turn, made the lead a sixteenth out, but couldn't hold off the winner while finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of favored Vivacious Vanessa. Off at 5-1, Big Novel paid $5.80 and $4.40.

The tepid choice at 3-1, Vivacious Vanessa finished well under Juan Hernandez and paid $3.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.11, 46.96, 1:11.40 and 1:23.98.

Racing resumes with first post time for a nine-race card on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

The post Upstart Rose Dawson Flies Late To Capture California Cup Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Unbeaten Professors’ Pride Transitions To Turf For Saturday’s California Cup Oaks

In one of the most competitive races on a 10-race California Cup Day program, veteran trainer Eddie Truman's Professors' Pride will try to transfer her scintillating dirt form to turf as she heads a field of 12 sophomore fillies bred or sired in California in Saturday's $200,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks at a flat mile.

Proven at one mile on turf, Vivacious Vanessa rates a huge chance as well for trainer Gary Mandella as she transitions back to the grass following a disappointing effort sprinting on the main track.

With John Velazquez taking over, John Sadler's Big Novel, a consistent performer on dirt, will try turf for the first time in what will be her sixth career start.

A first-out Cal Bred maiden special winner going six furlongs on Nov. 14 at Del Mar, Professors' Pride, who is owned by longtime Truman client Academic Farms, then stretched out to run her competition off their feet going a flat mile in the statebred Soviet Problem Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 10. Off as the 9-5 favorite, the daughter of 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern toyed with her competition and defeated Big Novel, who she'll face again on Saturday, by three lengths.

Bred in California by Glen Hill Farm, Professors' Pride, unbeaten in two starts, is out of the Twirling Candy mare Last Resort and has banked $102,000.

A first-out winner from far off the pace versus statebreds in a one mile turf maiden special here on Oct. 16, Vivacious Vanessa came back to run a better than looked third, beaten 9 ¼ lengths, in the seven furlong (dirt) Golden State Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5 at Del Mar. Hemmed in around the far turn, she finished well under Juan Hernandez, who will ride her back on Saturday.

A California-bred daughter of Not This Time, out of the Mizzen Mast mare Masterful Lass, Vivacious Vanessa, who sold for $95,000 as a yearling, is owned by Thomas Nichols. She need only run back to her maiden win to be a serious contender in the Oaks.

By hot sire Mr. Big, Big Novel is owned by her breeder, George Krikorian. A six furlong winner versus statebreds in her third start on Oct. 2, she was second, beaten three lengths by Professors' Pride in the one mile Soviet Problem Stakes Dec. 10 at Los Alamitos and will be ridden for the fifth consecutive time by Joe Bravo.

Never off the board in five starts, with a win, three seconds and a third, Big Novel will likely stalk the early pace in her first turf assignment. Out of the Heatseeker mare Steamy Novel, Big Novel has earnings of $115,850.

THE $200,000 CAL CUP OAKS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 10 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

  1. Big Novel—John Velazquez—124
  2. Ellamira—Tyler Baze–124
  3. Vivacious Vanessa—Juan Hernandez—124
  4. Munny Penny—Abel Cedillo—124
  5. Madiha—Kyle Frey—124
  6. Eleuthera—Mario Gutierrez–124
  7. Professors' Pride—Umberto Rispoli—124
  8. Dendera—Ryan Curatolo—124
  9. Precious Insight—Victor Espinoza—124
  10. La Deuxieme Etoile—Joe Bravo—124
  11. Rose Dawson—Flavien Prat—124
  12. Vaping Angel—Mike Smith–124

First post time for a 10-race Cal Cup Day card on Saturday is at 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.

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Closing Remarks, Rispoli Team Up For California Cup Oaks Victory

With a nightmarish trip in her last start behind her, Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks powered to an impressive one-length win in Saturday's $200,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.  One of three fillies in the field trained by Carla Gaines, Closing Remarks was ridden by Umberto Rispoli and covered one mile on turf in 1:35.62.

Named for the longtime owner/breeder and trainer who passed away this past Sept. 3 at 79, the Leigh Ann Howard Cal Cup Oaks is part of the CTBA's lucrative Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired three year old fillies.

Fourth, about two lengths off of longshot leader Super Game at the top of the stretch, Closing Remarks wheeled three-wide and was free-running to the wire as she easily held off the late run of Warrens Candy Girl on the money.

Full of run with nowhere to go turning for home in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes going a mile on turf at Del Mar Nov. 28, Closing Remarks, in her fourth career start, was off as the 5-2 second choice in a field of 10 sophomore fillies and paid $7.80, $4.40 and $3.60.

By Vronsky, out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks notched her first stakes win and her second win from four overall starts.  With the winner's share of $110,000, she increased her earnings to $149,500.

Far back early, Warrens Candy Girl closed well to prevail by 1 ½ lengths for second over Super Game with Drayden Van Dyke up.  Off at 5-1, Warrens Candy Girl paid $5.60 and $3.80.

Trained by Brian Koriner and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Super Game made things interesting at 50-1, as she enjoyed a roughly two-length advantage on the winner a furlong out, but tired to finish third by a neck over Dylans Wild Cat and paid $17.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.60, 46.96, 1:11.15 and 1:23.56.

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