Tag: charmaine’s mia

Charmaine’s Mia Bids For Third Consecutive Santa Anita Stakes Win In Royal Heroine

Fresh off of a pair of dominating turf wins, trainer Phil D'Amato's Charmaine's Mia heads a solid field of eight older fillies and mares going one mile on turf in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

First post time for a blockbuster 12-race card on Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Day, Saturday, is at 12 noon PT.

Previously headquartered at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Charmaine's Mia, in her first start for D'Amato was a rousing 2 ½-length winner of the G3 Las Cienegas Stakes going six furlongs on turf Jan. 9 while dismissed at odds of 16-1.

In her first-ever try at two turns, she pressed a fast early pace and went on register an emphatic one-length win going one mile on turf in the G2 Buena Vista Stakes Feb. 20.  Ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, Charmaine's Mia was off as the 6-5 favorite and never looked a loser, as she opened up turning for home and won easily while remaining well in front of the gallop out around the clubhouse turn.

Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Rockin Robin Racing Stables, Charmaine's Mia is a 5-year-old mare by top sprinter The Factor out of the Bernstein mare Charming Vixen.  With Prat riding her back, she figures to be a short price to annex her third consecutive stakes win and improve upon an overall mark of 27-6-4-2.

Trained by Craig Lewis, Ben and Sally Warren's homebred Warren's Showtime has been a gem of consistency, compiling an overall mark of 17-6-1-8 while amassing earnings of $593,431.  Patiently handled by Juan Hernandez in the G2 Buena Vista, she found her best stride late while finishing third, beaten 1 ¾ lengths by Charmaine's Mia.

A 4-year-old California-bred filly by red-hot sire Clubhouse Ride out of the G1 winning Affirmative mare Warren's Veneda, Warren's Showtime, a winner five starts back of the G3 Autumn Miss Stakes at one mile on turf Oct. 17, will hope to be on the move late and if someone can soften up the top selection early, she could make the Royal Heroine finish very close indeed.

Scratched out of Saturday's G3 Santa Ana Stakes to run in the Royal Heroine, LNJ Foxwoods' homebred Tapwater comes off a solid neck victory in a one mile turf allowance and will be trying stakes competition of the first time.  Trained by Richard Mandella, Tapwater has three wins from eight starts, with all of her wins coming at one mile on turf and in partnership with Flavien Prat.  With Prat opting to stay with Charmaine's Mia, Tapwater will get the services of Mike Smith.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Tapit out of the Indian Charlie mare Fiji Moon, Tapwater earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed figure in her Feb. 12 allowance score and appears to be coming to her best for Mandella.

GRADE II ROYAL HEROINE STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

 

Race 9 of 12  Approximate post time 4:00 p.m. PT

  1. Dogtag—Umberto Rispoli–120
  2. Tapwater—Mike Smith—122
  3. Charmaine's Mia—Flavien Prat—124
  4. Warren's Showtime—Juan Hernandez—122
  5. Raymundo's Secret—John Velazquez—122
  6. Laura's Light—Abel Cedillo—122
  7. Rideforthecause—Mario Gutierrez—122
  8. Ippodamia's Girl—Jose Valdivia, Jr.–120

Special early first post time for a 12-race Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Day card on Saturday is at 12 noon PT.  For additional information, please visit santaanita.com, or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Charmaine’s Mia Takes Buena Vista On The Stretch-Out For D’Amato

Relegated to sprinting in her last 21 starts, trainer Phil D'Amato's Charmaine's Mia handled a stretch-out to one mile on turf with aplomb on Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as she pressed the early pace en route to a one-length score in the Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes.  Ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, she got the distance in 1:33.93.

With longshot Bohemian Bourbon fully committed to a front-running trip, Charmaine's Mia, who was an impressive 2 ½-length winner of the G3 Las Cienegas Stakes at six furlongs on turf Jan. 9, sat a close second to the quarter pole, where she took command and then held multiple graded stakes winning Mucho Unusual safe in the final sixteenth of a mile.

“She broke sharp,” said Prat, who collected his third win on the afternoon.  “She's really fast out of the gate and I wanted to be on the lead, but the inside horse (Bohemian Bourbon) was pulling very hard, so we were second, which was as good place to be.  When we made the lead at the quarter pole, she got a good breather and from there, she finished really well.”

Formerly based in Toronto at Woodbine, Charmaine's Mia was off at 16-1 in the Las Cienegas, which was her Southern California debut and first start for D'Amato.  Heavily backed today at 6-5 in a field of nine older fillies and mares, she paid $4.60, $3.00 and $2.40.

“It's huge, Flavien said there's more in the tank,” said D'Amato.  “She rated nice.  If she needed to go a little further, it wasn't a problem.  So that definitely broadens her horizons and maybe has us starting to look at Grade I's.”

Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Rockin Robin Racing Stables, Charmaine's Mia, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by The Factor out of the Bernstein mare Charming Vixen, notched her second graded stakes victory and improved her overall mark to 27-6-4-2.  With the winner's take of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $352,976.

Trainer Tim Yakteen's Mucho Unusual, who was mid-pack early, put in a solid late run but ran out of real estate while finishing three quarters of a length in front of Warren's Showtime.  A winner of two consecutive graded stakes at the current meeting, she was the second choice at 7-2 and paid $4.20 and $3.00 with Abel Cedillo up.

Consistent Warren's Showtime, who had three horses beat heading into the far turn, put in a solid late bid as well, but was third best on the day under Juan Hernandez.  Off at 5-1, she paid $3.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.65, 45.93, 1:09.75 and 1:21.75.

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Equibase Analysis: Red Lark Appears The One To Beat In Buena Vista

A field of 10 is entered to run in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes, a one mile turf test for fillies and mares at Santa Anita Park. Many of them are quite accomplished, including winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last summer, Red Lark (IRE), who most recently finished fourth in the Grade 1 American Oaks following two and one-half months off.

Mucho Unusual enters the Buena Vista Stakes off wins in the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes and the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes and won the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes over the course last summer. Going to Vegas, who finished second in the American Oaks, and Sedamar, who finished second in the Megahertz, are both trying to move up a notch into the winner's circle in this grade 2 event.

Warren's Showtime was victorious in the similar Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at a mile over the Santa Anita turf last October and is yet another with a serious chance at success. Nasty enters the race off a win over the course at the distance in the Lady Shamrock Stakes in December and was close at hand behind Warren's Showtime in the Autumn Miss two races prior to that so adds to the depth of the entrants in this race.

Charmaine's Mia just won the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at six furlongs and is stretching out to this distance and to two turns for the first time in a stakes. Sloane Garden (GB) won a pair of stakes on grass last spring and summer at Golden Gate Fields including the Luther Burbank Stakes and returns from four months on the bench so could need a race before being competitive against this field. Bohemian Bourbon showed she belongs at the level when third in the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes last summer but her recent fifth place effort in the Las Cienegas following three months off may indicate she's not yet back in top form. Heather's Grey moves into stakes company off a sixth place effort in a sprint and may be overmatched.

Red Lark (IRE) has won only two times in 14 career starts including nine since importing to North America 13 months ago in January, 2020. After moving to turf in her second stateside start and winning, Red Lark (IRE) lost four races in a row, although she was competitive and never worse than fourth in any of those races. Then last summer came a breakout performance in the Del Mar Oaks with a visually impressive stretch run and upset at 19 to 1 odds. That effort yielded a career best 109 Equibase Speed Figure. Sent to Keeneland to run in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes as a prep for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Red Lark (IRE) ran creditably against some of the top turf fillies in the country, ending up fourth and improving to a 111 figure.

Rested two and one-half months and returning at a distance she had never run previously, one mile and one-quarter, Red Lark (IRE) rallied from ninth of 10 to get fourth at the end in the American Oaks and was only beaten a nose for third and less than a length for second. The 104 figure earned in the American Oaks was pretty good considering the layoff and distance. Cutting back to one mile for the Buena Vista, it must be noted Mucho Unusual finished second in the 2019 American Oaks before a big effort when third to multiple stakes winners (Keeper of the Stars and Jolie Olympica) in the 2020 Buena Vista. As such, Red Lark should improve considerably in her second start off a layoff and appears to be the one to beat in this race.

Nasty is a lightly raced, newly turned four year old filly, who has won three of six races on grass to date in her career. The first of the trio was a rousing eight length win last June in her turf debut at Indiana Grand and another win one month later. Following a poor effort in August, Nasty was shipped to California and to the barn of Richard Baltas and she nearly won the Autumn Miss Stakes as she made the lead with an eighth of a mile to go and was beaten a neck and a half-length on the wire off a two month layoff, earning a career-best 104 figure. After a poor effort one race before last, Nasty rebounded in the Lady Shamrock Stakes at the distance of the Buena Vista at the end of December. In that race Nasty duplicated the 104 figure she earned two races earlier while setting a strong pace and holding on gamely over Counterparty Risk, who flattered her when winning the Endeavour Stakes two weeks ago in Florida. The race also produced another next out winner and a near winner so it turns out to be a “KEY RACE” from which Nasty has potential to improve upon and win again.

Mucho Unusual has four wins in eight career tries at this mile turf trip. The most recent of those came just last month in the Megahertz Stakes, her fifth career win in nine races on the Santa Anita turf course she's shown a fondness for. Although the Megahertz effort only resulted in an 88 figure, Mucho Unusual has run well enough to be competitive with Red Lark (IRE) and Nasty if they repeat or improve upon their best efforts. One of those efforts which would make Mucho Unusual a strong contender in this year's Buena Vista came when she earned a career-best 110 figure when third, beaten just one length, in last year's Buena Vista. Mucho Unusual ran similarly well when taking the Rodeo Drive Stakes last September with a 107 figure and then two races later when winning the Robert J. Frankel Stakes with the same 107 figure. Given that strong record of success at the distance and currently in the best form of her career, Mucho Unusual has every right to succeed in this year's Buena Vista Stakes.

The rest of the Buena Vista Stakes field, with their best Equibase Speed Figures, is Bohemian Bourbon (101), Charmaine's Mia (115 sprinting), Going to Vegas (108), Heather's Grey (105), Sedamar (109), Sloane Garden (GB) (99) and Warren's Showtime (107).

Win Contenders, in preference order:
Red Lark (IRE)
Nasty
Mucho Unusual

Buena Vista Stakes – Grade 2
Race 7 at Santa Anita
Saturday, February 20, 2021 – Post Time 6:30 PM E.T.
One Mile on Turf
Fillies and Mares, Four Year Olds and Upward
Purse: $200,000

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Cal-Breds Mucho Unusual, Warren’s Showtime Headline Saturday’s Buena Vista Stakes

A pair of talented California-breds, Mucho Unusual and Warren's Showtime, head a competitive field of 10 older fillies and mares in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes, to be contested at one mile over the Santa Anita turf.

Add in recent Grade 3 winner Charmaine's Mia, Grade 1 winner Red Lark and hard-knocking Going to Vegas, and the Buena Vista, which was first won by the late Julio Canani's Davie's Lamb with Fernando Toro up in 1988, shapes up as a terrific betting race.

Owned and bred by George Krikorian and trained by Tim Yakteen, Mucho Unusual seeks her third consecutive graded stakes victory at the current meeting. A winner of the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel at a mile and one eighth on turf Dec. 27, she again stalked the early pace and registered a three quarter length victory at 2-5 in the Grade 3 Megahertz at one mile on turf Jan. 18.

A 5-year-old California-bred mare by Mucho Macho Man, out of the Unusual Heat mare Not Unusual, Mucho Unusual will be ridden by Abel Cedillo, as Joel Rosario is away to ride in Saudi Arabia. With four wins from eight tries at a mile on turf, Mucho Unusual is 19-7-3-4 overall with earnings of $822,715.

Third in a pair of ungraded turf stakes at the meet, the one mile Lady of Shamrock on Dec. 26 and the six furlong Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Jan. 16, Warren's Showtime looms a huge threat as she gets back to what looks to be her preferred distance for trainer Craig Lewis. Although beaten 3 ¾ lengths as the 6-5 favorite Jan. 16, she found her best stride late in a race that appeared to short for her.

Bred by Benjamin Warren, who owns the 4-year-old filly by Clubhouse Ride out of Warren's Veneda, by Affirmative with his wife Sally, Warren's Showtime has ample class and would benefit from a hot pace with Juan Hernandez back aboard. A winner of five out of her nine one mile turf assignments, Warren's Showtime is 16-6-1-7 overall with earnings of $569,431.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by top sprinter The Factor, Agave Racing Stable's Charmaine's Mia came to play in her Southern California debut on Jan. 9, as she controlled the pace en route to a huge 2 ½ length win in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at six furlongs on turf while dismissed at 16-1. Previously headquartered at Woodbine Racecourse in Toronto, she registered a lofty 98 Beyer Speed figure in her first start for Phil D'Amato, who approached the Las Cienegas with a steady diet of drills on Santa Anita's inner dirt training track.

Although ridden in the Las Cienegas by Drayden Van Dyke, she'll be handled by Flavien Prat on Saturday, as Van Dyke will stick with the Paddy Gallagher-trained Red Lark.

A winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at a mile and one eighth on turf three starts back on Aug. 22, Irish-bred Red Lark was then a close fourth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland Oct. 10 and was most recently fourth, beaten 2 ¾ lengths in the Grade 1 American Oaks at a mile and one quarter on grass here Dec. 26. Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, 4-year-old Red Lark has a second place finish from two tries at one mile on turf and is one of several who need a fast pace as she cuts back in distance a quarter mile.

Idle since second, beaten two lengths at 14-1 in the Grade 1 American Oaks Dec. 26, the Richard Baltas-trained Going to Vegas has been second in her last four starts, the last three all graded stakes. Like Red Lark, Going to Vegas will be shortening up a quarter mile, but with a one mile turf resume that reads 9-3-3-2, she could certainly make her presence felt with regular rider Mario Gutierrez up. Owned by Harry Bederian, Harout Kamberian, Hagop Nakkashian and Richard Baltas, Going to Vegas, a 4-year-old filly by Goldencents, was claimed for $50,000 seven starts back on June 12 and has been off the board just once in six subsequent races.

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

Race 7 OF 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

  1. Bohemian Bourbon—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—120
  2. Mucho Unusual—Abel Cedillo—124
  3. Warren's Showtime—Juan Hernandez—122
  4. Nasty—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
  5. Red Lark—Drayden Van Dyke—122
  6. Sedamar—Ruben Fuentes—120
  7. Going to Vegas—Mario Gutierrez—120
  8. Charmaine's Mia—Flavien Prat—120
  9. Sloane Garden—Tiago Pereira—120
  10. Heathers Grey—Jessica Pyfer–120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com.

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