Tag: CCA Oaks

Guarana Takes The Lead at FTKNOV

'TDN Rising Star' Guarana (Ghostzapper–Magical World, by Distorted Humor) shot to the top of the heap at Fasig-Tipton November Tuesday evening, hammering for a whopping $4.4 million. Consigned as hip 182 by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency as agent to dissolve a partnership, the 5-year-old was offered in foal to the all-conquering Into Mischief and was hammered down to Hill 'n' Dale. Guarana earned no-brainer 'Rising Star' status with a 14 3/4-length debut stroll through the Keeneland slop and backed up the effort with a six-length defeat of GI Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress (Alternation) in the GI Acorn S. at Belmont. Wire-to-wire winner of the GI CCA Oaks in her lone attempt at nine furlongs, the bay was runner-up in the GI Cotillion S. and was perfect in two starts at four, including a half-length success in the GI Madison S. back at Keeneland.

 

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Atras Hopes CCA Oaks Winner Maracuja Can Be ‘More Tactical’ In Alabama

Trainer Rob Atras said Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks-winner Maracuja is training well into her next engagement – the 10-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on Aug. 21 at the Spa.

The Honor Code gray posted a swift half-mile breeze in 47.67 seconds Sunday in company on the main track in her first work back since upsetting Malathaat in the nine-furlong CCA Oaks on July 24.

“She went a little quicker than I thought, visually,” Atras said. “She broke off a little quick and was rolling along and galloped out real nice. I never get too concerned about the time, but she did it well within herself. That's all that matters to me.”

A $200,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Maracuja graduated at third asking in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden sprint in February at Aqueduct Racetrack and followed with a closing second in the Grade 3 Gazelle in April, finishing 2 3/4-lengths back of Search Results.

Maracuja exited post 2 in a 13-horse field in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in April at Churchill Downs and closed up the rail for seventh in a race won by Malathaat by a neck over Search Results.

Last out, in a compact field of four, Maracuja tracked closer to the pace in third under Ricardo Santana, Jr., and battled gamely to the wire to best Malathaat by a head.

“She broke so sharp in the last race and we were hoping for that,” Atras said. “We were hoping she could be a little more tactical. That would definitely be an advantage to her going forward.

“I knew you could throw the Oaks out and she was capable of better,” Atras added. “I thought if she took a step forward from the Gazelle she could be a contender, if not for the win, then for second. She definitely took a big step forward last time. Right out of the gate, she showed that she was live that day.”

The probable field for the Alabama includes Army Wife (Mike Maker), Clairiere (Steve Asmussen), Crazy Beautiful (Kenny McPeek), Malathaat (Todd Pletcher), Played Hard (Phil Bauer) and Will's Secret (Dallas Stewart).

Atras said Dennis Narlinger's graded stakes placed Sadie Lady, who worked a half-mile in 48.11 Sunday on the main track, is slated to make her next start in the $100,000 Union Avenue, a 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for New York-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

“She's doing well,” Atras said. “It was a good work and she's on target for that race.”

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Maracuja Upsets Malathaat In CCA Oaks

With a perfect five-for-five record topped by an impressive score in the GI Kentucky Oaks, 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) was bet like she could not lose a four-horse renewal of Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks Saturday. However, in the final strides of the nine-furlong event, it was the longest shot on the board, 14-1 shot Maracuja (Honor Code), who dethroned the mighty Malathaat with a narrow upset.

All four broke in tandem with Malathaat assuming a narrow lead rounding the clubhouse turn. Maracuja kept the favorite honest through an opening quarter in :23.38 with second-choice Clairiere (Curlin) and Rockpaperscissors (Distorted Humor) just off their heels. Clairiere moved into second with Maracuja shuffled back to a joint third as the half went in :47.13. Rockpaperscissors called it a day at the three-eighths pole, quickly backing up, while Maracuja kicked into high gear, setting her sights on the top two.

Malathaat and Clairiere turned for home together with Maracuja ranging up menacingly two paths to their outside. Malathaat dug deep to maintain her narrow advantage on the fence as her two foes continued to give her hell. Surprisingly, it was Clairiere who was first to wave the white flag with just over a sixteenth left to run, leaving the shortest and longest shots on the board to fight it out. Malathaat and Maracuja battled stride-for-stride to the wire with the latter finding an extra burst in the shadow of the wire, forging ahead just in time to deny the chalk by a head. Clairiere held third and Rockpaperscissors was eased and walked off.

It was the first Grade I victory for trainer Rob Atras, who earned his first graded win earlier this year. It was also the first graded/Grade I score for owner Beach Haven Thoroughbreds, who also campaigned MSW and New York-bred champion Newly Minted (Central Banker).

“She broke really sharp, which I was happy with, and she was kind of right there,” said Atras. “They all seemed like they were coming and I thought Ricardo [Santana, Jr.] made a smart move by backing off and coming around the outside. What a race.”

“It was nerve-racking, especially after coming in seventh in the Oaks, but it was exciting,” said John Sakkos, founding partner of Beach Haven Thoroughbreds. “I was just hoping we would perform better than the Oaks. She had been doing well and Rob and the team have done a phenomenal job with her. She had a good rest after the Oaks. We'll probably go to the [GI] Alabama [S. Aug. 21] after this.”

As for the beaten favorite, Hall of Famer John Velazquez said, “You have to play the cards you're dealt. She was doing great. She was comfortable in what she was doing, but she had to fight the whole way around and obviously set it up for somebody else. She's a great horse and you can't take that away from her.”

Graduating at third asking in a 6 1/2-panel event at Aqueduct Feb. 21, Maracuja finished second behind eventual Oaks runner-up and GI Acorn S. winner Search Results (Flatter) in that venue's GIII Gazelle S. Apr. 3. The form of that race was further flattered by third-place finisher Army Wife (Declaration of War), who went on to win both the May 14 GII Black-Eyed Susan S. and the July 2 GIII Iowa Oaks. Maracuja closed from well back to be seventh when last seen in the Apr. 30 Kentucky Oaks.

 

Pedigree Notes:

Maracuja is the second Grade I winner, third graded victor and sixth black-type scorer for her young sire Honor Code. She is also the 28th Grade I victor, 101st graded winner and 192nd black-type scorer for top broodmare sire Unbridled's Song. The A.P. Indy/Unbridled's Song cross is also responsible for MGISW Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon), GISW Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) and G1SW Capezzano (Bernardini). The winner's dam Patti's Regal Song is a half-sister to GSW Regally Appealing (Valid Appeal), who is the dam of MGSW & GISP Appealing Tale (Tale of the Cat) and SW Colerful Bride (Munnings). She is also a half to SW Regal Miss Copelan (Copelan), who produced MGSW sire Rockport Harbor (Unbridled's Song). Patti's Regal Song's ecent produce includes a yearling filly by Twirling Candy and a 2021 filly by Sir Prancealot (Ire). She was bred back to that stallion.

Saturday, Saratoga
COACHING CLUB AMERICAN OAKS-GI, $465,000, Saratoga, 7-24, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:49.29, ft.
1–MARACUJA, 121, f, 3, by Honor Code
1st Dam: Patti's Regal Song (SP), by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Regal Pennant, by Banner Bob
3rd Dam: Regal Relation, by Kamaraan II
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($200,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Beach Haven Thoroughbreds LLC; B-River Bend Farm Inc, Austin & Janie Musselman (KY); T-Rob Atras; J-Ricardo Santana Jr. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-2-1, $407,100. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Malathaat, 121, f, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Dreaming of Julia (GISW, $874,500), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Dream Rush, by Wild Rush
3rd Dam: Turbo Dream, by Unbridled
'TDN Rising Star' ($1,050,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Shadwell Stable; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher. $100,000.
3–Clairiere, 121, f, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Cavorting (MGISW, $2,063,000), by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Promenade Girl, by Carson City
3rd Dam: Promenade Colony, by Pleasant Colony
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen. $60,000.
Margins: HD, 5 3/4, 52 3/4. Odds: 14.70, 0.30, 2.80.
Also Ran: Rockpaperscissors. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By NYRA Bets: Fillies Take The Spotlight At The Spa

The undefeated Kentucky Oaks-winning filly Malathaat returns to the track this Saturday at Saratoga to contest the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks; the Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Curlin scared off all but three competitors in the nine-furlong contest. The G3 Caress is also carded for Saturday at the Spa, with New York-bred Robin Sparkles attempting to keep her win streak alive against a field of six.

Saratoga's graded stakes action kicks off on Friday afternoon with the G3 Lake George Stakes, in which trainer Chad Brown will saddle four of the nine starters. Interestingly, Centre Court, the dam of Lake George contender Navratilova (named for the famous tennis player), won the 2012 Lake George for trainer Rusty Arnold, who sends out Navratilova.

On the opposite coast, Saturday's Del Mar action features a graded stakes doubleheader on the turf, with the G2 Eddie Read and G2 San Clemente sharing the spotlight. Seven rivals line up in the Eddie Read, including G1 winner Smooth Like Strait and multiple G2 winner United, while a full field of 12 sophomore fillies will face off in the San Clemente.

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Saturday featuring action from historic Saratoga Race Course as well as stakes competition from Woodbine Racetrack and Monmouth Park.

Here's a quick snapshot of this weekend's graded stakes schedule (all times Eastern):

3:23 p.m. – $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga

Malathaat has proven herself more than capable in her five career starts thus far, able to both draw away from her competition and prevail in an absolute dogfight to the wire. The 3-year-old Curlin filly easily moved to the top of her division after out-battling Search Results in the Kentucky Oaks, after which trainer Todd Pletcher gave her a nice two-month break before bringing her back for this 1 1/8-mile contest.

The CCA Oaks drew just three competitors for Malathaat, the most accomplished of which is Clairiere for trainer Steve Asmussen. Another daughter of Curlin, this Stonestreet homebred ran fourth behind the favorite in the Kentucky Oaks and returned to run third in the G2 Mother Goose at Belmont last month, beaten 1 1/4 lengths after stumbling badly at the start.

Maracuja ran second in the G2 Gazelle to earn her way into the run for the lilies, but could do no better than seventh behind Malathaat on that day. The Rob Atras trainee will be making her first start since the Kentucky Oaks.

The field is completed by longshot Rockpaperscissors for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, a last-out allowance winner by 9 3/4 lengths at Indiana Grand. The Distorted Humor filly has reason to improve in her second start off a nine-month layoff, but will have to improve a lot to be competitive with this bunch.

CCA Oaks Entries

6:13 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 3 Caress Stakes at Saratoga

After taking on and defeating open company last out, New York-bred Robin Sparkles returns with an attempt to step up her game to the graded stakes level in the Caress. Trained by Bruce Brown, the 4-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality is riding a two-race win streak and has not finished worse than second in her last eight starts.

The second choice on the morning line is Elizabeth M. Merryman's Caravel, a four-time stakes winner also riding a two-race win streak ahead of the Caress. Coming from off-the-pace is her game, but the inside post position may be a factor as the front-running Robin Sparkles has drawn immediately to her outside in post two.

Caress Entries

8:30 p.m. – $250,000 Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar

Morning-line favorite Smooth Like Strait won the G1 Shoemaker Mile last out, but will need to stretch his speed another furlong against the older, longer-winded United to capture this Saturday's Eddie Read Stakes. The nine furlongs appeared just outside his scope when Smooth Like Strait was run down late in the G1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, but the form of that race's dead-heat winner Domestic Spending has certainly been nothing to downplay.

United won the 1 1/2-mile G3 San Luis Rey to kick off his 2021 campaign, but was a very dull fourth and last as the favorite last time out in the G2 Charles Whittingham Stakes. If anyone knows how to turn United's form around, however, it's his trainer Richard Mandella, and a sharp five-furlong work in 58 4/5 seconds on July 18 indicates the 6-year-old should be ready for this contest.

Trainer Phil D'Amato will enter a pair of Ontario-breds in Say the Word and Count Again. The former ran second behind Smooth Like Strait in the Shoemaker last out and was gaining late, so the extra furlong will be to his benefit in the Eddie Read. Count Again ran fourth behind Smooth Like Strait (third) in the Turf Classic, and will need to improve another length to beat that rival over the same distance here.

Eddie Read Entries

9:30 p.m. – $200,000 Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar

Going Global has done nothing but win since her move stateside, and is the heavy favorite in this one-mile turf contest for 3-year-old fillies.

Closing Remarks has been the closest to the favorite in several of her efforts this year. She clipped heels at the start of the G3 Providencia last out and showed grit by coming six-wide from well off the pace to finish third. Another step forward after that effort could put her nearer the level of Going Global.

San Clemente Entries

Here is a snapshot of the other weekend graded stakes in North America, courtesy of NTRA:

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