Tag: Ceiling Crusher

HOTY to be Announced at Annual CTBA Awards Dinner Mar. 12

The 2023 California-bred Horse of the Year will be announced at the CTBA Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Mar. 12 at Le Meridien Hotel in Arcadia, CA.

The finalists for Horse of the Year are (in alphabetical order) Ceiling Crusher (Mr. Big), Kings River Knight (Acclamation) and The Chosen Vron (Vronsky).

For ticket information for the Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting, click Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner | CTBA or contact Christy Chapman at Christy@ctba.com.

 

Other Cal-bred champions to be recognized at the banquet:

 

Champion Two-Year-Old Male – Yo Yo Candy, bred by Checkmate Thoroughbreds, owned by Happy Tenth Stable and trained by Daniel Velazquez.

 

Champion Two-Year-Old Female – Grand Slam Smile, bred by owners Mr. & Mrs. Larry Williams and trained by Steven Specht.

 

Champion Three-Year-Old Male – One in Vermillion, bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, owned by Jonathan Kalman, trained by Esteban Martinez.

 

Champion Three-Year-Old Female – Ceiling Crusher, bred by Harris Farms, owned by Wonderland Racing Stables, Todd Cady, Tim Kasparoff and Ty Leatherman, trained by Doug O'Neill.

 

Champion Older Male – The Chosen Vron, bred by Tiz Molly Partners, owned by Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker & Richard Thornburgh, trained by Eric Kruljac.

 

Champion Older Female – Closing Remarks, bred by owner Harris Farms, trained by Carla Gaines.

 

Champion Sprinter – The Chosen Vron, bred by Tiz Molly Partners, owned by Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker & Richard Thornburgh, trained by Eric Kruljac.

 

Champion Turf Horse – Closing Remarks, bred by owner Harris Farms, trained by Carla Gaines.

 

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.

 

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Number of Winners – Stay Thirsty, property of Terry Lovingier.

 

Champion Sire of California Conceived Foals by Turf Earnings – Grazen, property of Nick Alexander.

 

Champion Sire of California Conceived 2-Year-Olds by Earnings – Stay Thirsty, property of Terry Lovingier.

 

Trainer of the Year – Eric Kruljac.

 

Broodmare of the Year – Lutess, owned by Connie & Mike Pageler.

 

Champion Breeder of California Foaled Thoroughbreds by Earnings – Richard Barton Enterprises.

 

CTBA Hall of Fame – Russell Drake, Clay Murdock, Soviet Problem, Tribal Rule.

 

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‘Stepped Up the Quality’: Fasig-Tipton California Sale Tuesday

The one-day Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of Racing Age sale, which has firmly established its spot on the calendar for West Coast buyers, will get underway Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the Fairplex Sales Pavilion near Pomona. Expectations for the sale, now in its fifth edition, continue to grow every year.

“If you race in California, you have to have Cal-breds in your barn,” said Fasig-Tipton's California representative and former California-based trainer Mike Machowsky. “You need a balance in your stables and a lot of trainers and owners realize that. If you want Cal-breds, this is about the only place where you can find them. California has a really great program and if a horse is good enough to advance out to open company, the benefits are huge.

“Breeders in California have really the last few years stepped up the quality of mares they've purchased and brought to California,” Machowsky continued. “If you look at the racing in general out here, Cal-breds are very important to the whole market out here. It works best when people own Cal-breds to balance out their whole stable.”

The one-day sale features a catalogue of 283 yearlings and 60 horses of racing age. Saturday's California-bred GI Cotillion S. winner at Parx–Ceiling Crusher (Mr. Big)–was a $115,000 RNA out of the horses of racing age portion of last year's sale as a 2-year-old. Her 4-year-old full-sister, Cashing Big Checks (Hip 315), sells in the racing age portion this year. Excel Bloodstock consigns the four-time winner.

Among the stallions represented at the sale this year are Kentucky leaders Bolt d'Oro, Ghostzapper, Good Magic, Hard Spun, Kitten's Joy, Maclean's Music, Mitole, Practical Joke, and Vino Rosso, while California stalwarts Clubhouse Ride, Grazen, Mr. Big, Sir Prancealot (Ire), Smiling Tiger, and Stay Thirsty are also a presence.

“I think this year's catalogue is just as strong or stronger than last year's,” said Machowsky. “There's some really interesting young sires and Kentucky sires with their first-crop yearlings. It'll be interesting to see how they size up and how they look.”

The 2022 sale featured 14 six-figure lots, led by a $250,000 Mr. Big filly. A total of 205 horses grossed $6,257,100 with a $30,522 average and a median of $17,000. Machowsky has been busy gauging interest in this year's renewal.

“I've been passing out catalogues, reaching out to trainers and a lot of the buyers. With Keeneland wrapped up, a lot of people out here are waiting for this sale. It's a strong catalogue with a lot of Kentucky-sired Cal-breds out here eligible for the great California program.”

California racing has faced some uncertainty in recent months with the upcoming closure of Golden Gate Fields. In July, 1/ST Racing announced the Northern California track would close its doors at the end of 2023, but it now appears Golden Gate will be able to continue through mid-2024. How does the anticipated closure impact the Fasig-Tipton sale?

“I think we'll be fine; we always get some support from there with trainers and owners,” said Machowsky. “It looks like Golden Gate has been extended through June now and with the fairs filling in, we'll see how that all transpires. Will there be year-round racing up there? I don't know, but they're trying to work something out.

“I don't see it affecting [this sale] a whole lot, honestly. Fingers crossed. If you've got an interest in racing Cal-breds, this is the sale.”

Bidding opens Tuesday at 11 a.m. PST.

“We make it easy for people who have an interest [even if they can't attend in person],” said Machowsky. “Everything is very detailed on the website and there's a lot of ways to bid online.”

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Ceiling Crusher Outguns Favored Pretty Mischievous in Cotillion

On paper, it appeared that Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief), coming into Parx's GI Cotillion S. off three consecutive Grade I victories for Godolphin and Brendan Walsh, held her rivals over a barrel. Despite that fact, Ceiling Crusher (Mr. Big) took full advantage of the soggy, sealed track by going to the front and never looking back enroute to a narrow victory over the 2-1 Classic winner.

Breaking to the immediate inside of Pretty Mischievous, the 3-1 co-second choice flashed her usual early speed, leading Majestic Creed (Jimmy Creed) and Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) through an opening quarter in :23 1/5 as the favorite was taken back to sixth, over seven lengths behind the early pace. Continuing to show the way through a :47 3/5 half, the bay started to feel the pressure from behind as Hoosier Philly started to put the screws to her, while Pretty Mischievous also began to narrow the distance while slipping between rivals rounding the far turn. Three wide turning for home, Ceiling Crusher held a solid advantage over the wilting Hoosier Philly and Pretty Mischievous, who was fanned out even wider while inching closer to the front. Digging in for the run to the wire, Ceiling Crusher found her lead dwindling late as the Godolphin homebred closed with purpose, however, it was too little too late as the pacesetter held on collect her first Grade I victory by a half-length. Occult (Into Mischief) closed from the back to be third, 1 1/4 length behind the runner up.

“The question was if she could handle [the 1 1/16 miles],” said winning rider Edwin Maldonado. “We just let her kick on and do her thing. She's been running short and taking the lead sprinting, so I just needed a good break and we got a good break. The rest was her. I don't like any horses getting close to her. By the time they came at her at the three-eighths pole, I just went.”

Following the race, winning trainer Doug O'Neill acknowledged the race went according to script.

“She handled everything perfectly. Edwin has gotten to know her. She has no accelerator stuck to her at all. She is not a run-off. Being in the two-hole, he did not want to get caught up in a lot of traffic. He rode her away from there and I just thank God no one else went on a suicide mission to stop her. She has that high-cruising speed and she carried it all the way to the wire. She does not have a huge turn of foot. She has a high cruising speed, a grinder, a lot of heart. He used all that to a T.”

When asked what might be next for the filly, O'Neill added, “She is not nominated. It will be up to the guys and gals, if they want to write a big check. This was our Breeders' Cup. We looked at this on the calendar months ago and the fact that is coming true…this was our Breeders' Cup today.”

As for the beaten favorite's performance, Walsh opined, “A little disappointed in that she maybe didn't handle the track great initially. Tyler [Gaffalione] said as soon as she switched her leads down the back, he kind of felt her way back into the race. But you know, Doug's filly got the jump on us and she was gone. That's the way it goes I'm afraid.

“Listen, if she can at all make her run she always makes her run. She always gives it 110%. Anytime she has been beaten she hasn't been beaten far. You can't be disappointed in her, we're just a little disappointed in the circumstances. Hats off to Doug's filly, too. She took her opportunity, and she won the race. I'm not taking anything away from her.”

Ceiling Crusher built her reputation facing primarily Cal-breds, stringing together an impressive four-race win streak, highlighted by Santa Anita's Evening Jewel S. in April followed by the Melair S. May 28. Defeated for the first time in her career in the seven-furlong Fleet Treat S. at Del Mar July 27, the bay rebounded to post a front-running score at that seaside venue while facing opening company in the one-mile GIII Torrey Pines S. Sept. 2.

 

Pedigree Note
Ceiling Crusher is the most accomplished of seven foals by her dam Palisadesprincess, a half-sister to Grade II-placed Moana (Uncle Mo). This represents the extended family of Grade I winner Cotton Blossom and GSW Vicarage. The victory marks the initial Grade I winner for Ceiling Crusher's sire, Mr. Big.

 

Saturday, Parx Racing
COTILLION S.-GI, $1,000,000, Parx Racing, 9-23, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.69, sy.
1–CEILING CRUSHER, 124, f, 3, by Mr. Big
         1st Dam: Palisadesprincess, by Indian Charlie         
          2nd Dam: Dixietwostepper, by More Than Ready
          3rd Dam: Dixiechickadee, by Grindstone
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($22,000 Ylg '21 NCAAUG; $115,000 RNA 2yo '22 FTCAYR). O-Wonderland Racing Stables, LLC, Todd Cady, Tim Kasparoff and Ty Leatherman; B-Harris Farms, Inc. (CA); T-Doug F. O'Neill; J-Edwin A. Maldonado. $564,000. Lifetime Record: 7-6-0-1, $938,400. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pretty Mischievous, 126, f, 3, by Into Mischief
          1st Dam: Pretty City Dancer (GISW, $286,344), by Tapit
          2nd Dam: Pretty City, by Carson City
          3rd Dam: Pretty Special, by Riverman
O/B-Godolphin, LLC (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $188,000.
3–Occult, 124, f, 3, by Into Mischief
          1st Dam: Magical Feeling (GSW & GISP, $554,532), by Empire Maker
          2nd Dam: Magical Mood (GB), by Forestry
          3rd Dam: Good Mood, by Devil's Bag
($625,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $94,000.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 3HF. Odds: 3.30, 2.10, 3.30.
Also Ran: Hoosier Philly, Defining Purpose, Foggy Night, Just Katherine, Majestic Creed, Imonra. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuelTV.

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