Into Mischief Filly Impresses in Debutante

Wonder Wheel broke better and showed more speed than she did on debut to set strong splits and draw off impressively in Monday's Debutante S. at Churchill Downs. Having taken her local unveiling by 2 1/4 lengths from off the pace June 3, the $275,000 KEESEP acquisition emerged from between horses here to dole out an opening quarter of :21.52. Already well clear and threatening to run away from them after the half in :45.05, Wonder Wheel did just that as she cruised away to a facile  score. Sabra Tuff) and Les Bon Temps rounded out the exacta and trifecta, respectively.

“When I first got on her the other month I thought she could be special,” said the meet's leading rider Tyler Gaffalione. “She did everything so professionally today. She left the gates really well today and did it all on her own. The [Mark] Casse team got her ready to fire a big effort today. I'm so thankful for all of the people and horses that have supported me this meet. Without them I wouldn't be in this position today. It's been a wonderful meet.”

Casse's assistant David Carroll added, “She's a special filly and we're so thrilled for [owners Len and Lois Green] that they were able to be here this afternoon for this win. She was very impressive in her debut and in her preparation for this race she couldn't have been any better. She's by Into Mischief so we were confident she'd be able to handle the extra distance.”

A juvenile daughter of the runner-up's sire gave the Green family's D J Stable perhaps their most noteworthy win when future champion Jaywalk aired in the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies under the same Twin Spires.

Wonder Wheel's dam Wonder Gal was precocious enough to take her debut almost exactly eight years ago by 14 1/2 lengths in Belmont's Lynbrook S. for state-breds. She finished second in the GI Frizette S. and third in the Juvenile Fillies later that year. Hailing from the extended family of GISW turfer Force the Pass (Speightstown), Wonder Gal lost her Into Mischief foal the year after producing Wonder Wheel and was subsequently barren to Constitution.

DEBUTANTE S., $167,500, Churchill Downs, 7-4, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.26, ft.
1–WONDER WHEEL, 120, f, 2, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Wonder Gal (MSW & MGISP, $904,800),
                                by Tiz Wonderful
                2nd Dam: Passe, by Dixie Union
                3rd Dam: Gal On the Go, by Irgun
($275,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-D. J. Stable
LLC; B-Three Chimneys Farm, LLC & Clearsky Farms (KY);
T-Mark E. Casse; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $106,140. Lifetime Record:
2-2-0-0, $175,600.
2–Sabra Tuff, 120, f, 2, Cross Traffic–Cactus Cadillac, by Cactus
Ridge. ($38,000 RNA Ylg '21 LTBSYM). 1ST BLACK TYPE.
O-Valene Farms LLC; B-Tom Curtis & Wayne Simpson (LA);
T-Dallas Stewart. $29,400.
3–Les Bon Temps, 120, f, 2, Laoban–Winsanity, by Tapizar.
($65,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Deuce
Greathouse, Cindy M. Hutson, & Brian Setzer; B-Southern
Equine Stables (NY); T-Norm W. Casse. $14,700.
Margins: 6 3/4, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 1.80, 9.20, 5.20.
Also Ran: Empire of My Own, Eyes of Gold, Frango Electrico, Crackalacking.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Into Mischief Filly Impresses in Debutante appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Super Saturday On Tap

As York's Ebor festival draws to a close, with the ever-popular £500,000 handicap after which it is named the feature event on the Knavesmire, Saturday has something for every angle with abundant pattern-race action across three countries thrown into the bargain. While the 22-strong field assembled for the extended 15-furlong Ebor headed by the May 27 G3 Brigadier Gerard S. and July 2 Listed Gala S.-winning veteran Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) offers a punting puzzle in Europe's version of the Melbourne Cup, the purists can revel in a string of group races from early afternoon into the evening. It all begins at Deauville with the G2 Prix du Calvados and culminates five hours later with The Curragh's G2 Galileo Irish EBF Futurity S., which often act as early sighters for next year's monuments.

In the Futurity, Aidan O'Brien looks to extend his current tally of 13 winners of the seven-furlong Classic pointer with 'TDN Rising Star' Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who has followed the “Churchill” path of Listed Chesham S. and G3 Tyros S. so far. Overcoming heavy ground to deny Reach For the Moon (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the former test at Royal Ascot June 19, the full-brother to Broome (Ire) returned to Ireland to subject the re-opposing Maritime Wings (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) to a three-length beating in Leopardstown's Tyros July 22. Others to complete the Tyros-Futurity double in recent times include the stable's subsequent luminaries Gleneagles (Ire) and Cape Blanco (Ire) and the Bolger pair New Approach (Ire) and Teofilo (Ire), so Point Lonsdale is in hallowed territory.

Talk of the 2022 Guineas should also accompany the outcome of Sandown's G3 Betway Solario S., where the aformentioned Chesham runner-up Reach For the Moon will head to post for the seven-furlong staging post as favourite having opened his account by four lengths from the subsequent York nursery winner Harrow (Ire) (El Kabeir) in a Newbury novice July 16. John Gosden, whose five past winners include Raven's Pass, Kingman (GB) and Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), is one off equalling the record of the Late Sir Henry Cecil and it is significant that he has brought The Queen's juvenile to this particular race. “I've been pleased with his preparation and it is always a race that I like to target,” Gosden Sr said. “It is a big step up in class for him, but hopefully he can handle it. The horse that was second to him last time won at York on Thursday and that all helps. He is progressive at this stage of his career, but he is still a very young horse and this is another stepping stone. He is a nice-looking individual that has made a good start to his career. I thought he quickened well at Newbury and I thought both divisions of the race that day were good.”

Based on how well the Andrew Balding 2-year-olds have fared so far this term, the July 16 Newmarket novice winner Star From Afarhh (GB) (Farhh {GB}) is worthy of respect along with Manton Park Racing's impressive Leicester novice debut scorer Cresta (Fr) (New Bay {GB}). Balding said of the former, “It is a little bit difficult to know what she beat, but there has already been a couple of winners come out of that race so the form is working out reasonably well. She is taking on the colts this time, but she is a filly that has been working well and the seven furlongs at Sandown should suit her. She was very professional and did it well at Newmarket and her homework has improved.”

Trainer Martyn Meade's son Freddie said of Cresta, “We always thought a bit of the horse, but he has taken time to come to hand. In the last couple of weeks before his run, he showed us some good things and we were pleased with the way he did it at Leicester although he did quite a few things the wrong way round. He was slow away and he raced alone in the middle of the track, but the times looked good and he did it nicely. We thought it was worth throwing him in the deep end and see where we go. He probably wants a mile in time, but a stiff seven should be ideal now. Fingers crossed he runs well.”

York's action gets underway with the near-nine-furlong G3 Sky Bet and Symphony Group Strensall S., where Godolphin's June 16 Royal Hunt Cup and July 17 Listed Steventon S. winner Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) re-appears having missed the G3 Rose of Lancaster S. due to testing ground. “The ground went against him at Haydock so we took him out, but it will be much more like what he likes at York,” Saeed bin Suroor said. “This race looks suitable for him.” He gets three pounds from the Apr. 14 G3 Earl of Sefton S. winner and May 30 G1 Prix d'Ispahan third My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who has enjoyed a break since his fourth in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot June 16. “It's a competitive race and he's got a penalty, but he's really well and he's freshened up and he goes especially well fresh, so we're hoping for the best,” trainer William Haggas said of the Tsui family's representative.

Godolphin also hold strong claims in the seven-furlong G2 Sky Bet City of York S., with 'TDN Rising Star' Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) sure to be sharper for his European return when fourth in Goodwood's G2 Lennox S. that he won when in a rich vein of form last summer. Charlie Appleby is giving positive vibes about the 2020 G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero. “We were pleased with Space Blues at Goodwood on ground that was plenty soft enough for his first start in a while,” he said. “He has got form on slow ground, but it was on the quick side of good when he won in Saudi Arabia and he handled that well. He has definitely come forward for the Lennox S. and should be very competitive.”

Back at the track at which she was the impressive winner of the Listed Michael Seely Memorial S. over a mile May 14, David Ward's supplemented Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) is out quickly following her run in Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild on unsuitably soft ground Aug. 3. Beaten under two lengths when seventh there, the bay represents the red-hot form of the G1 Falmouth S. in which she was beaten around the same margin in fifth at Newmarket July 9. “I certainly felt after Deauville that while the ground was soft and she didn't get a clear run, I just wasn't adamant she truly saw out the mile there,” trainer Ed Walker commented. “The obvious seven-furlong race for her was the [G3] Sceptre S. at Doncaster next month, but we just said the ground might turn soft again so why not strike while the iron is hot? It's a very competitive race, as you would expect for a Group 2 and she's taking on older horses and colts, so it's a big step up in terms of opposition. That said, I think she's well up to it.”

Back at Sandown, the G3 Betway Atalanta S. sees 'TDN Rising Star' Indigo Girl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bid to build on her comeback fourth in Ascot's G3 Valiant S. over this mile trip July 23. George Strawbridge's G2 May Hill S. winner and G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up is only beginning to build back to a peak and John Gosden is expecting improvement. “She has had a series of niggles that have held her back, so hopefully she will come forward for her first run,” he said. “She over-raced a little bit and she didn't end up seeing it out. She is a strong-willed filly and as long as she puts her best foot forward she has got the ability.” The homebred full-sister to Journey (GB) meets the May 2 G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and Cheveley Park Stud's well-regarded Potapova (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who was ninth when thrown in at the deep end in the G1 Coronation S. staged on deep ground at Royal Ascot June 18. Jane Chapple-Hyam said of Saffron Beach, “She scoped dirty after the Falmouth, but she has had a course of antibiotics. We re-scoped her after that and she was clear and she has been clear ever since. I'm happy with the way she has trained and I can't fault her. I think she will love the stiff finish there.”

Deauville's card includes four black-type events, of which the aforementioned Prix du Calvados for juvenile fillies over seven furlongs features a customary strong British presence. Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa and Fawzi Nass's impressive Aug. 2 Kempton novice winner Fast Attack (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) hails from the Simon and Ed Crisford stable and meets Nick Bradley Racing's course-and-distance G3 Prix Six Perfections scorer Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}). British interests are prevalent also in the 10-furlong G2 Prix de la Nonette, where Shadwell's June 25 G3 Hoppings Fillies' S. winner and July 29 G1 Nassau S. runner-up Zeyaadah (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) sets the standard. She takes on some progressive home-trained fillies in Prince Faisal's July 18 G3 Prix Chloe winner Noticeable Grace (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Daniel-Yves Treves's Aug. 3 G3 Prix de Psyche scorer Penja (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) and Haras Voltaire's July 14 G2 Prix de Malleret winner Babylone (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Before the Futurity closes out the black-type fest, The Curragh also stages the G2 Alpha Centauri Debutante S. for the fillies with Classic aspirations. Scott Heider's recent acquisition Agartha (Ire) (Caravaggio) bids to follow up her surprise win in Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. over this seven-furlong trip July 22, where Simon Munir and Isaac Souede's subsequent Listed Churchill S.-winning fellow Joseph O'Brien trainee Seisai (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) was back in third. As always, there are some potential class acts lurking including the Niarchos Family's Discoveries (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the full-sister to the star performer after which this renewal is named. Also trained by Jessie Harrington, the homebred showed battling qualities to break her maiden over this course and distance June 25 as the re-opposing Syndicates Racing and Medallion Racing's Mise Le Meas (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) was third. That Johnny Murtagh trainee has since opened her account over this trip at Gowran Park July 24, while of Ballydoyle's blue-blooded duo Twinkle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Concert Hall (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) Ryan Moore has opted for the latter who also has a win over this track and trip July 18.

The post Super Saturday On Tap appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights