Tag: charles town oaks

Gun Runner’s Vahva Gets It Done in Charles Town Oaks

Cherie DeVaux trainee Vahva (f, 3, Gun Runner–Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's Holiday) shipped in to Charles Town off a third in Belmont's July 8 GIII Victory Ride S. to capture Friday night's 15th running of the $750,000 GIII Charles Town Oaks, billed as the richest sprint race for sophomore fillies in North America. Off at 7-5, Vahva raced just behind the leaders while 96-1 Late Frost (Frosted) set early fractions of :23.37 and :46.82 as Undervalued Asset (Speightstown) pressured her from the outside. The two pacesetters pulled well clear of the field on the final turn with just Vahva threatening behind in third. Vahva joined the pacesetting party about a furlong from home and the three lined up across the track inside the final sixteenth. The frontrunners held tough, but Vahva was moving best of all and had one last, late gear. She put 1 1/4 lengths on the pair right before the wire. Undervalued Asset outnosed Late Frost on the line for second. The winner's final time for the seven furlongs was 1:25.01.

A $280,000 Keeneland September yearling who hammered in 2021 to BDR IV and West Point, Vahva has jumped into the deep end a number of times. She faced 'TDN Rising Star' and eventual GI Kentucky Oaks/Acorn/Test winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) when third in her stakes debut last December in the Untapable S. at Fair Grounds and again when fourth behind that one in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. in February at the same track. A second in a Keeneland allowance, a win in a Churchill allowance on Kentucky Oaks Day, and a third behind the late Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in the aforementioned Victory Ride led Vahva to Charles Town and this initial graded win.

Pedigree Notes:

Vahva is the 15th graded winner and 21st overall black-type winner for Gun Runner, currently a top five North American leading general sire–quite an accomplishment for a young stallion with only his third crop of 2-year-olds now reaching the track. Gun Runner, who earned the Horse of the Year title in 2017, stands at Three Chimneys. Vahva is Gun Runner's only stakes winner out of a daughter of the late Harlan's Holiday, who died a decade ago at age 14 at Argentina's Haras Firmamento and has 53 black-type winners as a broodmare sire.

The winner's dam, Holiday Soiree, was runner-up in the 2012 edition of this race. She was most recently sold at the 2021 Keeneland November sale to Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds for $160,000. The mare produced a City of Light filly the next year, now a yearling, and a filly by Nyquist on Mar. 10. She was bred back to City of Light for next term.

.Friday, Charles Town
CHARLES TOWN OAKS-GIII, $750,000, Charles Town, 8-25, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:25.01, wf.
1–VAHVA, 118, f, 3, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Holiday Soiree (SW & GISP, $405,642),
                                by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: Try to Remember, by Include
                3rd Dam: Casanova Striker, by Smart Strike
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($280,000
Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward J. Hudson,
Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice Guys
Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve
Hornstock and Twin Brook Stables; B-Woodford
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux; J-John R.
Velazquez. $432,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-2-2, $662,235.
*1/2 to Signal From Noise (Arrogate), SP, $159,190.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Undervalued Asset, 118, f, 3, Speightstown–Hard Headed
Temper, by Hard Spun. ($150,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV).
O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Speightstown Syndicate & Cloyce C.
Clark, Jr. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $144,000.
3–Late Frost, 120, f, 3, Frosted–La La's Cookin, by Harlan's
Holiday. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Runnymoore Racing,
LLC; B-Gregory and Caroline Bentley Breeders (PA); T-Michael
Matz. $72,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 6 3/4. Odds: 1.40, 3.30, 96.40.
Also Ran: Metaphysical, Lily Poo, Imonra, Interpolate, Hoosier Philly, Opus Forty Two, Chismosa. Scratched: Perfect Wish, Twice as Sweet.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Showdown at the Spa as Personal Ensign Heads Friday’s Graded Action

A compelling Grade I race with year-end title implications and it's not even a Saturday? Such is the magic of Saratoga.

Friday's $500,000 GI Personal Ensign S. at nine furlongs has attracted older mare division leaders Nest (Curlin) and Clairiere (Curlin). Both are multiple Grade I winners with stellar records; the two will meet for the third time.

Nest, last year's Eclipse champion 3-year-old filly, is the 4-5 choice after besting Clairiere in a bang-up GII Shuvee S. July 23 over track and trip. It was her first start of the season after ending last year with a fourth as the favorite behind Clairiere's third in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland. Nest is undefeated in three tries at Saratoga, including last year's GI Alabama S. and GI CCA Oaks. She was featured earlier this week in TDN.

“She had a spectacular season as a 3-year-old and I think her Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama wins were two of the most impressive races we saw at Saratoga last year. It earned her a championship and she's come back and is training even better at four,” said Nest's Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

“She has that rare ability to quicken at the end of a dirt race–you don't see a lot of horses show that display of turn of foot at the top of the stretch like we see her do,” continued Pletcher. “She's just a very, very special filly.”

Clairiere, second choice at 5-2, is no slouch either. She finished behind Nest in the Shuvee after a less-than-ideal trip and was also second in her first start of the year–Oaklawn's Mar. 11 GII Azeri S. behind fellow Personal Ensign entrant Secret Oath (Arrogate)–but in between she captured the GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn and the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont. She's a four-time Grade I winner who has age and experience on her side, not to mention seven triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.

“I'm very happy with how she's training,” said fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. “Obviously, Nest is a very tall order. We'll see how we do, but we couldn't be happier with Clairiere going in. She's a four-time Grade I winner of $3 million. She's covered plenty of ground.”

Clairiere's dam, Cavorting (Bernardini), won the 2016 edition of the Personal Ensign.

GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath has beaten both of the top contenders and Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is never shy about putting her in tough spots, including tries against the boys last year, where she finished third in the GI Arkansas Derby and fourth in the GI Preakness S. When she's on her game, she is very, very good. Secret Oath skipped the Shuvee to await the Personal Ensign.

Brad Cox's Juddmonte homebred Idiomatic (Curlin), on a two-race win streak that covers the GII Delaware H. and GIII Shawnee S.; Tom Amoss trainee and GSW Sixtythreecaliber (Gun Runner), an optional allowance winner July 19 over this surface; and Wayne Catalano's last-out Hawthorne allowance winner Malloy (Outwork) complete the field.

Show Me the Money at Charles Town

Night owls are in for a treat as Charles Town hosts two rich late-night graded races Friday. The $1-million GII Charles Town Classic, won the last two years by the late Art Collector (Bernardini), attracts a field ages three and up going nine furlongs. Among the top choices are Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), winner two back of the GIII Cornhusker H. at Prairie Meadows over the re-opposing MGSW Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and Call Me Fast (Dialed In). A Dale Romans trainee, Giant Game was fifth behind White Abarrio (Race Day)'s monster effort in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 5. This spring's GI Carter H. winner Doppelganger (Into Mischief) and West Virginia-bred Muad'dib (Fiber Sonde), second to Art Collector in last year's Classic, are among the others looking to make some noise.

Also on tap at Charles Town Friday night is the GIII Charles Town Oaks offering a $750,000 purse for sprinting sophomore fillies going seven furlongs. All eyes will be on Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief), the Tom Amoss trainee who captured the GII Golden Rod S. in her third straight last year but faltered since in disappointing efforts. In her last out June 17, she appeared to be getting back on track in the Monomoy Girl S. at Ellis Park, which she captured over subsequent GI CCA Oaks winner Wet Paint (Blame).

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Denali Stud’s Curlin Filly The Second To Crash Through $1M Barrier at Saratoga

A Denali Stud-consigned Curlin filly became the second horse to cross the million-dollar threshold Monday at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga when agent David Lanigan paid $1.05 million on behalf of Heider Family Stable. A Jan. 12 foal, the chestnut is the first foal from Lady T N T (Justin Phillip), a $335,000 purchase by Scott and Evan Dilworth out of the 2018 OBS March Sale. A second-out maiden winner at Saratoga for the Dilworths and trainer Joe Sharp, Lady T N T recorded the biggest victory of her career when upsetting the 2019 GIII Charles Town Oaks at odds of 37-1.

 

 

 

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Society Flies ‘High’ in Charles Town Oaks

Peter Blum's Society (Gun Runner) avenged her lone career defeat to date last time in the GI CCA Oaks with a thoroughly dominating performance in Friday's GIII Charles Town Oaks.

Favored on the precipitous drop in class, the beautifully bred chestnut was hustled straight into the lead by Tyler Gaffalione and the duo was pressed along early by 21-1 outsider Chardonnay (Candy Ride {Arg}), with the well-backed Louisiana raider Free Like a Girl (El Deal) not far away in third. Going along easily after four furlongs in a very manageable :46.54, Society faced a mild challenge from Free Like a Girl rounding the turn, but spurted away passing the quarter pole and was punched out for a convincing victory.

Society debuted for trainer Wayne Mackey at Keeneland last October and pulled clear late to graduate by a length at nearly 28-1, keying a $533 exacta and a triple that paid better than $9,700 for a buck. Transferred to the Asmussen barn this year, the chestnut was the 1 3/4-length winner of a sloppy allowance about 50 minutes after Secret Oath (Arrogate) won the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks May 6 and added a front-running victory in the June 18 Monomoy Girl S., but stumbled at the start of the CCA Oaks and beat just one home in fourth.

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Society becomes the eighth graded winner for the outstanding Gun Runner and is his second graded scorer out of a mare by Tapit, joining GII Adirondack S. victress Wicked Halo. Also bred on the Gun Runner/Tapit cross is Echo Again, who achieved 'TDN Rising Star' status for a maiden romp at Saratoga Aug. 20.

Produced by a half-sister to GSW Pleasant Prince (Indy King) and hailing from the extended female family of Sovereign Award and Queen's Plate winner Holy Helena (Ghostzapper) and Midlantic-based sire Holy Boss (Street Boss), Society has a 2-year-old half-brother named Punctuality in training at Churchill Downs, a yearling half-sister Finesse (Street Sense) that is cataloged as hip 237 to the upcoming Keeneland September sale and a foal half-brother named Valor (Omaha Beach). Etiquette was put back in foal to Gun Runner this past breeding season.

Friday, Charles Town
CHARLES TOWN OAKS-GIII, $500,440, Charles Town, 8-26, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.42, ft.
1–SOCIETY, 120, f, 3, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Etiquette, by Tapit
2nd Dam: Archduchess, by Pleasant Tap
3rd Dam: My Marchesa, by Stately Don
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Peter E Blum Thoroughbreds
LLC (KY); T-Steven M Asmussen; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $294,055.
Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $545,775. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++
*Triple Plus*.
2–Free Like a Girl, 120, f, 3, El Deal–Flashy Prize, by Flashy Bull.
($5,500 Ylg '20 ESLYRL). O-Gerald Bruno Jr, Carl J Deville,
Chasey Deville Pomier & Jerry Caroom; B-Kim Renee Stover &
Lisa Osborne (LA); T-Chasey Deville Pomier. $98,055.
3–Midnight Stroll, 123, f, 3, Not This Time–Midnight Magic, by
Midnight Lute. ($14,000 RNA Ylg '20 OBSWIN; $225,000 Ylg '20
OBSOCT). O-Gatsas Stables; B-Carolin Von Rosenberg (FL);
T-John P Terranova II. $49,055.
Margins: 6 3/4, 1 1/4, 4HF. Odds: 1.40, 3.80, 3.70.
Also Ran: Divine Huntress, Chardonnay, Peachy Weachy, Stellar Ride, She's Pure Silver. Scratched: Lady Scarlet. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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