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Defunded Takes Them Coast To Coast in Gold Cup

Caught late and forced to settle for second when racing for Sean McCarthy in last year's GI Hollywood Gold Cup, Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Defunded (Dialed In) wrested command of the 2023 iteration soon after the start and led past every pole to give trainer Bob Baffert a ninth victory in the event, breaking a tie with the legendary Charlie Whittingham for the most wins in the history of the race.

Favored at 3-5, the chestnut broke well and took his five rivals along at a comfortable gallop, covering the opening four furlongs in :47.59 while being kept company by longshot Piroli (Battle of Midway). Kiss Today Goodbye (Cairo Prince) ranged up three wide turning up the backstretch and there would be no further change in the order in what became very much a merry-go-round race through the six furlongs in 1:11.83. Niggled along by Juan Hernandez nearing the stretch while given no breather by a very stubborn Piroli, Defunded led narrowly into the stretch, turned away the race-long challenge of Piroli at the furlong grounds and maintained a safe margin to the wire. The winner's stablemate and 2021 Gold Cup hero Country Grammer (Tonalist) bobbled a bit at the break from the inside stall, settled and chased from fourth throughout and never offered any sort of winning bid.

“I would have like to seen Country Grammer second and run 1-2, but Defunded is a tough horse,” said Baffert, whose won his first Gold Cup with Pegram's GI Kentucky Derby winner Real Quiet (Quiet American) nearly a quarter-century ago. “This horse today he got the lead and he wasn't going to let anybody pass him. He is just improving and getting better. I was happy to see him get a mile and a quarter.”

The 10 furlongs of the Gold Cup had proved a task too tall for Defunded previously, as he was second after setting a much sharper pace in last year's renewal and met a similar fate in the GI Santa Anita H. this past March, where he couldn't quite last and settled for third. Having made the 2022 GI Awesome Again S. his first graded win last October, he added a facile score in Del Mar's GIII Native Diver S. and was second to Art Collector (Bernardini) in the GI Pegasus World Cup in January. Defunded was a latest winner as the 1-5 mortal of the Apr. 22 GII Calfornian S.

Pedigree Notes:

Defunded's dam, a $31,000 Keeneland September yearling, punched well above her weight in winning five times while placing in a similar number of black-type races and bankrolling nearly $195,000.

Having produced four foals, Wind Caper was not mated in 2016 and fetched $37,000 from Athens Woods at that year's Keeneland November Sale. The stakes-winning second dam Wind Tunnel was a half-sister to Grade III winner Reunited (Dixie Union), the dam of GI Runhappy Travers S. and GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}).

Wind Caper is also the dam of the 3-year-old filly Capital Lights (Lookin At Lucky) and a 2-year-old full-sister to Defunded. That filly, named Ringy Dingy, was a $200,000 purchase by Oracle Bloodstock out of last year's Fasig-Tipton October Sale and breezed a half-mile over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga in :50.12 (12/30) May 26.

Monday, Santa Anita
HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP S.-GI, $400,500, Santa Anita, 5-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:02.85, ft.
1–DEFUNDED, 124, g, 5, by Dialed In
                1st Dam: Wind Caper (MSP, $194,286), by Touch Gold
                2nd Dam: Wind Tunnel, by Summer Squall
                3rd Dam: Tivli, by Mt. Livermore
($210,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson
and Paul Weitman; B-Athens Woods LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert;
J-Juan J. Hernandez. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 17-7-4-2,
$1,588,100. *1/2 to Lookin At Roses (Lookin At Lucky), SP,
$296,510. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Piroli, 122, g, 4, Battle of Midway–Phonybooksnrecords, by
Tapit. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1
BLACK TYPE. O/B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W.
McCarthy. $80,000.
3–Kiss Today Goodbye, 122, h, 6, Cairo Prince–Savvy Hester, by
Heatseeker (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($150,000 Ylg '18
KEEJAN). O-Sondereker Racing LLC; B-Debmar Stables (KY);
T-J. Eric Kruljac. $48,000.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.60, 28.30, 37.30.
Also Ran: Country Grammer, Senor Buscador, Yes This Time.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Trio of Grade Ones Highlight Holiday Stakes Action Monday

Santa Anita will play host to three Grade I races, while Grade III action features the return of a champion at Churchill Downs and a talented Louisiana-bred attempting to make the grade at Lone Star Park during holiday stakes action Monday.

The GI Shoemaker Mile S. at Santa Anita is set to be the first of 41 Breeders' Cup Challenge series races in North America this year. A field of 11 goes postward seeking the winner's share of the $500,000, as well as an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup FanDuel Mile, which will be held over the same course in November.

Trainer Phil D'Amato saddles three in the race, including morning-line favorite Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}), who was a three-time graded winner in California last year. He was fourth behind reopposing stablemate Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) in the Mar. 4 GI Frank Kilroe Mile before heading east for a runner-up effort in the May 6 GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs.

Gold Phoenix, who was 10th in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf, returned from his win in the Kilroe Mile to finish fourth when stretched to 1 1/4 miles for the Apr. 8 GII Charles Whittingham S. last time out. Unbeaten in two tries at a mile on grass, Gold Phoenix will be reunited with Japanese sensation Kazushi Kimura, who has been aboard for his last two starts and will fly in from his Toronto base for the ride Sunday.

Rounding out the D'Amato trio–who were all plundered from Europe to find graded success in the U.S.–is Balnikhov (Ire) (Adaay {Ire}), who was seventh in the Kilroe Mile before getting up in the last jump to win the Apr. 29 GIII San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate in his most recent start.

Both Gold Phoenix and Balnikhov represent the red-hot Little Red Feather partnership, which won four stakes last weekend.

An hour before the Shoemaker Mile, seven older fillies and mares head postward at Santa Anita for the GI Gamely S. Trainer Michael McCarthy will saddle morning-line favorite Queen Goddess (Empire Maker). The 5-year-old raced last year for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and her breeder TOLO Thoroughbreds and, after selling for $1.525 million at Fasig-Tipton last November, returned for the partnership of Eclipse Thoroughbreds and Gary Barber to win the GIII Robert J. Frankel S. last December. She added a win in the GIII TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational at Gulfstream in January and returns to the West Coast following a sixth-place effort in the Apr. 15 GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland.

D'Amato has two chances in the nine-furlong Gamely, with School Dance (Animal Kingdom) and Macadamia (Brz) (Hat Trick {Jpn}) in the line-up.

The GI Gold Cup concludes the Grade I action at Santa Anita Monday. Trainer Bob Baffert holds a strong hand in the 1 1/4-mile race with Country Grammer (Tonalist) and Defunded (Dialed In) appearing to tower over the six-horse field. Country Grammer, second in the Feb. 25 G1 Saudi Cup, will look to get back on track following a seventh-place effort while attempting a defense of his title in the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March. Defunded had to settle for third after setting the pace over this track and trip in the Mar. 4 GI Santa Anita H., but returned to the winner's circle with a three-length tally in the Apr. 22 GII Californian S. last time out.

In other graded stakes action across the country, champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) makes her return to the races in the GIII Winning Colors S. at Churchill Downs. Champion 2-year-old filly of 2021, the 4-year-old has been off since finishing second in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint last November at Keeneland.

Touchuponastar (Star Guitar) looks for his seventh straight victory in the GIII Steve Sexton Mile S. at Lone Star Park. The Louisiana-bred, trained by Jeff Delhomme, will be making his first start outside state-bred company. The 4-year-old's toughest competition might be the Mike Maker-trained 7-year-old Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro), who won a pair of one-mile graded events at Gulfstream this past winter.

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Saturday Preview: Charge It Gets Blinkers On For Oaklawn ‘Cap

He is the most talented horse–pound for pound–in a field of seven that was drawn earlier this week, but Whisper Hill Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit) nevertheless has a fair bit to prove as the 8-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday's $1-million GII Oaklawn H. in Hot Springs.

The 23-length winner of last year's GIII Dwyer S., the homebred returned with a stylish Gulfstream allowance victory first off a seven-month absence Feb. 5, but exits a disappointing runner-up effort in the GII Gulfstream Park Mile Mar. 4. The blinkers go on for this return to nine panels.

“He's always been a little bit of a curious colt,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, a two-time winner of the race. “We contemplated putting blinkers on him after [finishing second in] the Florida Derby last year. We just didn't think doing in the Kentucky Derby was the right move and then came back and won the Dwyer so impressively. It's hard to make a change off that, but it's something that's been in the back of our mind. We've worked him with them since his last race and I think they may make a difference.”

Not since Gay Revoke in 1964 and 1965 has a horse gone back-to-back in the Handicap, but Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) has a shot to put pay to that streak Saturday. If anything, the 5-year-old is in even better form this time around, having bested next-out, big-figure GII New Orleans Classic romper West Will Power (Bernardini) and subsequent SW Law Professor in the GIII Razorback H. Feb. 18 before reeling in Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) last time in the GIII Essex H.

“We've gone from winning the Essex to probably fourth choice in the Handicap,” said Hall of Famer Wayne Lukas, who took over the training of Last Samurai from Dallas Stewart after last year's race and registered the most recent of his record four wins in the race with Willis Horton's Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) nine years ago. His first? Imp Society in 1985.

“It's a very, very tough race. But for a million dollars, it should be,” Lukas said.

Were Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) to emerge victorious Saturday, he would become the first horse since Best Pal in 1992 to complete the GI Santa Anita H./Oaklawn H. double. In addition to the presumable market leaders, he'll also need to hold off Godolphin's Proxy (Tapit), who came with a stinging late rally at the Great Race Place six weeks ago only to fall a neck short.

'Skippy' Looking Like A Million Bucks for Ben Ali

Handicap horses also head to the post at Keeneland for the GIII Ben Ali (ally as in friend, not the late pugilist) S., lengthened to a mile and three-sixteenths for the first time. The hard-knocking Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) looms a warm favorite and would surge past the $1-million mark in career earnings if adding this to his latest comprehensive score in the GIII Challenger S. at Tampa Mar. 11.

“He came out of the Challenger well and gave us the confidence to put him in here,” said Beau Chapman, assistant to trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. “He has improved with age. He is a big, lanky horse and he has grown into himself and really developed.”

Keeneland also stages the GIII Elkhorn S. for male marathon turfers and attracts last year's one-two finishers, 9-year-old Channel Maker (English Channel) and 7-year-old Another Mystery (Temple City), who between them have made 84 career starts for 17 trips to the winner's circle.

In California, Big 'Cap third Defunded (Dialed In) squares off with 2021 winner Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) in the GII Californian S., while top Cal-bred Brickyard Ride (Clubhouse Ride) takes on the progressive Anarchist (Distorted Humor) in the GIII Kona Gold S.

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Champion Forte Returns on Action-Packed Saturday

Last year's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) kicks off his sophomore season in the GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park, one of 14 graded stakes races on tap Saturday.

The Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable colorbearer concluded his campaign with his third straight win at the top level in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Nov. 4.

“It seems like he's gotten even better and better since [the Breeders' Cup],” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “It's great to have won with the foundation he has and the experience he has going into these races.”

Last term's GI Champagne S. winner and fellow 'Rising Star' Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) also makes his first start of 2023. He was fourth after some trouble at the start for trainer Chad Brown in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

The Fountain of Youth field also includes Bill Mott-trained stablemates Rocket Can (Into Mischief) and Shadow Dragon (Army Mule), one-two across the line in the local prep GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 4. The rail-drawn GIII Swale S. winner General Jim (Into Mischief) will be scratched, according to trainer Shug McGaughey.

The Fountain of Youth offers 100 GI Kentucky Derby points (50-20-15-10-5).

The stacked 14-race program at Gulfstream also features: the GII Davona Dale S., led by unbeaten 3-year-old filly Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance); the GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S., headlined by last term's runaway GIII Dwyer S. winner and 'Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit); the GII Mac Diarmida S.; GIII Honey Fox S.; GIII Herecomesthebride S.; GIII Canadian Turf S.; and GIII The Very One S.

Big 'Cap Day at Santa Anita

The GI Santa Anita H. anchors a 12-race card at the Great Race Place Saturday. A wide-open field of 11 includes: GISWs Defunded (Dialed In), second last time in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S.; GI Clark S. winner Proxy (Tapit); and GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. winner There Goes Harvard (Will Take Charge); last out GII San Pasqual S. winner Newgrange (Violence); and last year's Big 'Cap second and third-place finishers Warrant (Constitution) and Stilleto Boy (Shackleford).

Sophomores, meanwhile, will take centerstage in the GII San Felipe S., which offers 50-20-15-10-5 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

Four horses formerly trained by Bob Baffert, including the top two on the morning-line in GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third and GIII Sham S. third National Treasure (Quality Road) and $3.55-million EASMAY topper and last-out maiden winner Hejazi (Bernardini), will now be eligible to earn Derby points after transferring to the barn of trainer Tim Yakteen. Yakteen will also saddle comebacking GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner Practical Move (Practical Joke).

Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) dives right into the deep end for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella following a jaw-dropping debut victory going six furlongs Jan. 29. Skinner (Curlin), Grade I-placed as a maiden last term, kicked off his sophomore season with a visually impressive maiden win of his going a mile here Feb. 12.

Nine turf milers, led by 9-5 morning-line favorite Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}), will line up in the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. The Big 'Cap undercard also includes the GII Buena Vista S.

Derby Points on the Line in Gotham

A wide open and overflow field of 15 3-year-olds have been entered for Saturday's GIII Gotham S. going a one-turn mile at the Big A.

The two-for-two Eyeing Clover (Lookin At Lucky), favored at 4-1 on the morning-line, takes on stakes company for the first time for red-hot trainer Brad Cox.

Former Bob Baffert runners GII Los Al Futurity S. runner-up Carmel Road (Quality Road) and GII San Vicente S. third Fort Warren (Curlin) make their first starts for Tim Yakteen and Brittany Russell, respectively.

Lugan Knight (Goldencents) was a game last out winner over track and trip in the Jerome S. Jan. 7.

The Gotham carries 100 Kentucky Derby points (50-20-15-10-5).

Aqueduct's 10-race card also includes the GIII Tom Fool H. for older sprinters.

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