“Cloud nine, now that would describe it,” said Agnew. “Especially with a homebred like this, it is a great thrill and Mark [Glatt]'s done a great job with the filly. The man that was on the farm said, 'This is one I think you ought to keep and I think he was right.' I think the way Gun Runner has proven a great sire to both fillies and colts was a big reason I decided to keep her and race her. On to the Breeders' Cup. We hope that she comes out well and we are looking forward to it.”

Chatalas broke from the inside in the Chandelier with running on her mind. She immediately secured the front and was quickly joined by Bob Baffert's GIII Sorrento S. third-place finisher Dua (Arrogate), but Antonio Fresu up on the winner was relaxed and riding high in the saddle. The pair moved comfortably through early fractions of :23.69 and :47.97, continuing to hold Dua at bay by a half-length. Fresu threw a few crosses coming off the turn, encouraged Chatalas a few times with the stick, and the race was quickly put to bed. The bay left Dua behind as she strode powerfully to the wire. Meanwhile, Todd Pletcher maiden shipper Scalable (Speightstown) commenced a rally and caught Dua but there was no catching Chatalas, who had plenty left to hold off the late challenge.

“We've always thought the further she went the better she would be,” said Glatt. “A little disappointed with the Debutante performance, but I look back on it and she was fairly close to :44 fractions and that's just not her. We knew she would have pretty good speed going two turns and she did kind of everything her own way. She broke sharp and had a relatively comfortable lead. Fresu rode her great.”

Chatalas debuted July 30 with a victory at Del Mar sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs. Her 74 Beyer Speed Figure that day was second-best in this field behind Laurent (Practical Joke)'s 78 when second in the same Debutante Chatalas in which finished fourth. Laurent was the favorite Saturday in the Chandelier, but chased wide and finished ninth.

CHATALAS ($8.20) from gate to wire under @Antonio1Fresu in the $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2) @LanesEndFarms @BreedersCup Challenge Series Race at @santaanitapark. Trainer Mark Glatt's got a nice Gun Runner (@Three_Chimneys) filly for the BC Juvenile Fillies! pic.twitter.com/XaAaiPlA45

— TVG (@TVG) October 7, 2023

Pedigree Notes:

Not bad for an afternoon's work. Three Chimneys super sire Gun Runner had four graded stakes entries Friday. Two won and all four hit the board. About 45 minutes before Chatalas won the Chandelier, his Wicked Halo was a nose second in the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. at Keeneland. Earlier in the afternoon, his Life Talk had been third in the GI Frizette S. at Belmont at Aqueduct, and moments after the Chandelier, his 'TDN Rising Star' Locked won the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. Such is a Saturday afternoon in the rarefied air of Gun Runner's world. Interestingly, Locked, Life Talk, and Wicked Halo all hail from A.P. Indy broodmare sire lines, but Chatalas is out of an Indian Charlie mare. Chatalas is the 101st stakes winner out of a daughter of Indian Charlie and is one of 23 black-type winners by Gun Runner. A member of his third crop, Chatalas is one of 17 graded winners for Gun Runner.

Indian Safari, the dam of Chatalas, has a yearling filly by Bernardini who was a $225,000 purchase by Repole Stable out of the recent Keeneland September yearling sale. Her 2023 Liam's Map filly was foaled Apr. 12 and she was bred back to that sire for next term. Fleetwood Bloodstock purchased Indian Safari on behalf of Agnew for $130,000 while carrying her first foal, a Union Rags filly, at the 2015 Keeneland November sale.

Saturday, Santa Anita
CHANDELIER S.-GII, $202,000, Santa Anita, 10-7, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.28, ft.
1–CHATALAS, 122, f, 2, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Indian Safari, by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Hopes and Dreams, by More Than Ready
                3rd Dam: Nokia, by Theatrical (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Rancho
Temescal Thoroughbred Partners and Dan J. Agnew; B-Dan
Agnew (KY); T-Mark Glatt; J-Antonio Fresu. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-0-0, $187,200.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Scalable, 122, f, 2, Speightstown–Passion Flower, by Tapit.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($200,000 Ylg '22
KEESEP). O-Repole Stable; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $40,000.
3–Dua, 122, f, 2, Arrogate–Attempt to Name, by Consolidator.
($400,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.;
B-Wynnstay INC, Donna Moore & Jim Richardson (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 3.10, 8.90, 5.20.
Also Ran: Pacific Rose, Gate to Paradise, Autumn Chill, Motet, Pink Whitney, Laurent. Scratched: Next Right Thing.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Gun Runner’s Chatalas Breeders’ Cup-Bound after Chandelier appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Not to be outdone by her stablemate, Under the Stars (Pioneerof the Nile) posted her own 3/4-length victory Jan. 8th in the GII Santa Ynez S. Though her recent efforts have all been sprinting, this half to Bodemeister has both the pedigree to cover the longer distance and the speed to overcome her far outside draw. Her speed figures have been on the rise since finishing a distant third to Eda in the Desi Arnaz S., including a career high 91 Beyer Speed Figure in her win in the Santa Ynez.

While she missed a planned start in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies due to surgery to remove a bone chip in her left ankle, 'TDN Rising Star' Ain't Easy (Into Mischief) certainly showed more than enough class as a 2-year-old to earn a place in this field. Though she's been working consistently, she'll be tested coming off a five-month layoff with her last race being a 4 3/4-length victory in the GII Chandelier S. back Oct. 1 where she defeated stablemate Desert Dawn (Cupid), who was six-lengths back in third and also runs here.

The post Baffert Duo Takes On Santa Ysabel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Electric Ride (Daredevil), a runaway debut winner at Del Mar Aug. 28, was second; second out Del Mar maiden winner Desert Dawn (Cupid) was third. Heavily favored GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S. heroine Grace Adler (Curlin) never factored while fifth.

Ain't Easy, a sharp 5 1/4-length debut winner going 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 21, raced in a joint- second under a snug hold on the inside rounding the clubhouse turn in this two-turn debut. Joel Rosario sent her through an inviting opening along the inside to challenge for command at the half-mile marker. The 7-2 chance began to let it out a notch a quarter of a mile from home and wasn't for catching from there, scoring by 4 3/4 good-looking lengths.

“She acted very professional, sitting behind horses,” said winning trainer Phil D'Amato, who also saddled the third-place finisher. “When Joel [Rosario] wanted to, she came up the inside, which I like to see with a young horse. She just looked like she was having fun in the stretch. I think it set up perfect. A good two-turn experience, confidence booster, an easy win, where it didn't look like she was taxed too much, so I like everything I saw right now.”

Pedigree Notes:

Ain't Easy becomes the 100th stakes winner/45th graded winner for her all-conquering sire Into Mischief. The winner's dam–Group 3-placed sprinting on the lawn in Australia and a full-sister to Japanese MGSW Fiano Romano (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus})–is also responsible for a colt by Bolt d'Oro of 2020 and a filly by Mendelssohn of this year. She was bred back to Vino Rosso. Ain't Easy's second dam Heart Ashley (Lion Heart) was a two-time Grade III winner and brought $500,000 from James Bester, agent, at the 2010 KEENOV sale. This is also the female family of GI Cold Cup at Santa Anita S. winner and young sire Cupid (Tapit).

Friday, Santa Anita
CHANDELIER S.-GII, $201,000, Santa Anita, 10-1, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:45.20, ft.
1–AIN'T EASY, 122, f, 2, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Ameristralia (Aus) (GSP-Aus, $103,115), by
                                Fastnet Rock (Aus)
                2nd Dam: Heart Ashley, by Lion Heart
                3rd Dam: Pretty 'n Smart, by Beau Genius
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($400,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Michael V.
Lombardi & Joey Platts; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY); T-Philip
D'Amato; J-Joel Rosario. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$162,000. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Electric Ride, 122, f, 2, Daredevil–Why Oh You, by Yes It's
True. ($130,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $250,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR).
O-Talla Racing LLC; B-St. Simon Place (IN); T-John W. Sadler.
$40,000.
3–Desert Dawn, 122, f, 2, Cupid–Ashley's Glory, by Honour and
Glory. ($32,000 RNA Ylg '20 OBSOCT). O/B-H & E Ranch (AZ);
T-Philip D'Amato. $24,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 5.00, 31.20.
Also Ran: Censorship, Grace Adler, Dance to the Music, Elm Drive. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Easy Money in Chandelier appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

“Really happy with the job my staff did putting all these races together,” said Santa Anita racing secretary, Chris Merz, on Thursday morning. “Stakes coordinator James Kasparoff did an outstanding job.”

In all, there are seven Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races. The three on Friday–the GI American Pharoah S., GII Chandelier S., and the Speakeasy S.–are geared around the sport's young blood. The Saturday and Sunday qualifiers–the GI Awesome Again S., the GI Rodeo Drive S., GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship S., and the GII Zenyatta S.–are for the adults in the room.

This is on top of a further seven stakes over the weekend, including the GII Eddie D S., the GII City of Hope Mile S., the GII John Henry S., and the GIII Chillingworth S.

“We've a gigantic weekend ahead of us,” Merz added. “The horsemen, the trainers did a great job supporting what we're offering in the book. The owners are excited. Hopefully, we're putting good cards together that the fans can enjoy and that leave the bettors scratching their heads.”

Entries over the first two days boast an average field size of roughly 8.3. The trick will be to keep the momentum going for the rest of Santa Anita's 16-day fall meet (and beyond), especially after a spring-meet that wore thin near the end, horse inventory wise.

After the GI Santa Anita Derby, for example, the track carded a rare two-day race week.

“We've still got a ways to go–I think our last step will be to get back to four-days a week,” said Merz. “This place has been through a lot over the last two-and-a-half years, with the animal crisis that we've had and obviously COVID.” The purses, however, have been increasing, he added. “We're getting back to full strength.”

The Santa Anita inventory is currently around 1650 to 1700 horses–roughly 100 horses higher than this period last year, Merz said.

The track's “Ship & Win” program–which started last December and provided a $3,000 bonus and a 35% increase in purse earnings for eligible shippers–has been instrumental in growing those numbers, said Merz.

Santa Anita tweaked the ingredients in May, to better align it with Del Mar's longer established Ship & Win program. For example, eligible out-of-state horses which made their first start in the Del Mar Ship & Win program get the green-light for the same benefits in their first start at Santa Anita.

According to Merz, Del Mar lured roughly 180 Ship & Win horses this summer. Of those, he said, roughly 140 have subsequently found home at Santa Anita.

Much fanfare has heralded the return after a more than two-year hiatus of the downhill turf course–an indicator of sorts of the track's (and the state's) increasing focus on the turf. During the most recent Santa Anita winter-spring meet, close to 50% of the races were on turf–10 years prior, the number of turf races at the track was nearer 30%.

“With turf options right now, they're very dependable for the trainers and the owners to get them some action and to run,” Merz explained.

Use of the downhill course has been suspended since the Peter Miller-trained Arms Runner (Overdriven) suffered a fatal breakdown crossing the dirt in the 2019 GIII San Simeon S.–an accident that coincided with a maelstrom of negative attention focused on the track.

Between 2011 and 2019, the downhill turf course garnered an equine fatality rate of 2.81 per 1000 starts–only marginally higher than that for the turf as a whole (2.72).

The GII Eddie D S., on opening day, sets the ball rolling, with other downhill races the rest of the weekend including the Rodeo Drive S. and Unzip Me S. The course will also be used for a further two Cal-bred stakes on Oct. 16-17.

“And I'm actually writing our condition book now, so, we'll have a couple more at the end of our meet.” Merz added. “I'm just looking forward to seeing the downhill back–I think that's what everybody's excited for. It's been a long two years but everybody's ready to go.”

One of the aforementioned shippers is the Larry Rivelli-trained One Timer (Trappe Shot), who lines up a leading fancy in Friday's Speakeasy S. on the turf. “We're going into it perfect,” said Rivelli. “There's absolutely no excuse.”

One Timer has a perfect two-for-two record, breaking his maiden by more than 12 lengths at Arlington in June before following up in the Victoria S. at Woodbine a month later, winning by 3 3/4 lengths handily.

“We've always been high on him from day one when we started breezing him and working him,” said Rivelli of One Timer, a $21,000 purchase at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Sale.

One Timer is yet to race on the turf, but the trainer has let the gelding stretch his legs on the surface at Arlington a couple times, under regular rider E.T. Baird. “His quote was, 'he's a lawnmower,'” said Rivelli, of Baird's aphoristic quip. “So, let's hope he likes the turf as much as the jock thinks he does.”

On his debut, One Timer reared in the gates, and was a tad slow away last time–a sticky little problem the team has since worked on.

“He should be good now, believe me,” said Rivelli. “We've spent a lot of time on that. We worked him from the gates the other day and it was just a mind-blowing work. Just unbelievable.”

If the stars align, One Timer will remain in California until Del Mar. “I'm pretty confident he's going to run good, and so, that would be the plan–keep him there and run at the Breeders' Cup.”

If so, it would constitute a fifth runner at the Breeders' Cup for the trainer.

“I've run four horses. Three ran fourth and one ran fifth,” said Rivelli. “We've danced a dance, we're just trying to break through. I would say this has been my best shot so far.”

The post Santa Anita’s Blockbuster Opening Weekend Another Step Towards Full Strength appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

A heavily favored first-out maiden winner going five furlongs July 31, Grace Adler, a $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase purchase, came back to blitz seven rivals going seven furlongs at odds of 4-1 in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5, thus cementing her role as the Chandelier favorite.

Owned by Willow Grace Farm and Michael Lund Petersen, Grace Adler has rallied from off the pace in both of her wins and seems well suited to the stretch-out in distance with regular rider Flavien Prat back aboard. Out of the Newfoundland mare Our Khrysty, she's banked $222,000.

Second to Grace Adler in the Del Mar Debutante, trainer Mark Glatt's Dance to the Music was a runaway 4 ¾ length first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs and will retain the services of Abel Cedillo. Owned by Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, Dance to the Music, a Kentucky-bred filly by Maclean's Music, was purchased for $575,000 out of the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training this past April.

Baffert will also be represented by Censorship, who is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. Although winless in three starts, she stumbled badly leaving the gate as the even money favorite in her most recent assignment, a one mile maiden race on Aug. 26, finishing second, beaten 4 ¼ lengths by Desert Dawn, who she'll again face on Friday.

Trainer Phil D'Amato will be sending out a three talented fillies in the Chandelier, headed by Elm Drive, who was a game head winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes two starts back on Aug. 6 and who comes off a disappointing seventh following a rough start in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante. Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Elm Drive won her first start going five furlongs by eight lengths and earned a lofty 85 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Sorrento. She'll try two turns for the first time and be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Juan Hernandez.

D'Amato's Desert Dawn rallied nicely under Ricky Gonzalez to break her maiden in what was her second start at odds of 6-1. With the one mile win to her credit, this Arizona-bred filly by Cupid is owned by her breeders, the H & E Ranch.

D'Amato will also saddle first-out winner Ain't Easy, who pressed the early pace and opened up through the lane to win going 5 ½ furlongs by 5 ¼ lengths on Aug. 21 at Del Mar. A $400,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Ain't Easy, who was dismissed at 8-1 in her debut, is owned by Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Michael Lombardi and Joey Platts.

THE GRADE 2 CHANDELIER STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Electric Ride—Joe Bravo—122
2. Ain't Easy—Joel Rosario–122
3. Dance to the Music—Abel Cedillo—122
4. Grace Adler—Flavien Prat—122
5. Desert Dawn—Ricky Gonzalez—122
6. Elm Drive—Juan Hernandez—122
7. Censorship—John Velazquez–122

The Chandelier is one of four stakes on Friday's opening day program. For additional information, please visit Santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Debutante Winner Grace Adler Tops Field Of Seven In Friday’s Chandelier appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

“She’s a star and a very talented filly,” said Amr Zedan. “She had the race and most probably a few more Grade Is to her name. Our focus now is to get her healthy and off to Kentucky to be the best mom she can ever be. It hurts, but thank God she’s well and retirement is the best decision.”

A $135,000 Keeneland September yearling who blossomed into this year’s OBS Spring 2-year-olds sale topper at $1.35 million after blazing through a :20 1/5 quarter-mile breeze, the dark bay debuted as an odds-on favorite Aug. 22 at Del Mar and cruised to the easiest of tallies, earning ‘TDN Rising Star’ status. Backing that up with a dominant 6 1/2-length conquest of the GI Del Mar Debutante S., she made it three-for-three with an 8 1/4-length romp in the GI Chandelier S.

Fifth as the favorite in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Princess Noor was 3-5 to get back on track in the Starlet, but was pulled up by jockey Victor Espinoza shortly after taking the lead around the quarter pole. She retires with a record of 5-3-0-0 and earnings of $363,500.

The post Princess Noor Retired With Soft Tissue Injury appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

After topping the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training at $1.35 million, she ran to the billing with a ‘Rising Star’ performance on debut for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert at Del Mar Aug. 22, then added a facile win in the seven-furlong GI Del Mar Debutante S. last time Sept. 6.

The Zedan Racing Stables colorbearer fired a five-furlong bullet in 1:00 1/5 (1/47) at Santa Anita Sept. 21 for this first two-turn test.

“She’s fast; she’s shown brilliant speed,” Baffert said. “She’s coming back a little quick, but she’s been handling everything we’ve thrown at her, so we’re looking forward to the race.”

Drawn on the fence with regular rider Victor Espinoza aboard, Princess Noor faces only four rivals here, including Baffert-trained stablemates Illumination (Medaglia d’Oro), a well-beaten third in the Debutante and maiden of two career starts; and six-furlong Aug. 30 Del Mar debut winner Varda (Distorted Humor).

Empire-bred Make Mischief (Into Mischief) makes the trip from New York for trainer Mark Casse after three straight runner-up finishes versus stakes company going one turn, most recently completing the exacta versus state-breds in the Seeking the Ante S. at Saratoga Sept. 4.

Miss Costa Rica (Hit It a Bomb) switches to dirt after a visually impressive debut score sprinting on the Del Mar lawn Aug. 28.

The post Unbeaten Princess Noor Headlines Chandelier appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post