Tag: Del Mar

Del Mar’s Summer Stars Aim To Shine On Saturday Undercard

Tizamagician and Going Global were impact players during the Del Mar summer meeting.

Tizamagician won the Grade 3 Cougar II, a 1 ½-mile main track marathon on July 18 to cap the opening weekend of the meeting. The 4-year-old Tiznow colt then came back in the TVG Pacific Classic to lead for the first three quarters before finishing second to Tripoli in the $1 million, 1 ¼-mile signature event of the season.

Going Global came to Del Mar on a four-race winning streak on turf after being imported from Ireland, but had it snapped when beaten a half-length by Madone in the Grade 2 San Clemente on July 24, contested at one mile on the Jimmy Durante course. A month later, and at her more preferred distance of 1 1/8 miles, Going Global took control in the stretch and won the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks by a length.

For that effort, Going Global was a unanimous choice in the Del Mar media vote for top 3-year-old filly of the meeting.

Del Mar followers will get another look and a worldwide Breeders' Cup audience can avail itself of a first glance of the two summer stars in a pair of stakes with combined purses totaling $550,000 immediately preceding the nine Breeders' Cup races on Saturday's card.

Call the $250,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes and the $300,000 Goldikova Stakes an aperitif for the smorgasbord to follow – races with combined purses of $21 million – if you like. But call the TAA and the Goldikova highly competitive featuring the 4-year-old colt and 3-year-old filly Southern California fans have found very much worth watching. A capsule look:

Race No. 2: $250,000 TAA Stakes; Grade 3, 1 5/8 miles for 3-year-olds and up.

Lone Rock, a 6-year-old gelded son of Majestic Warrior trained by Robertino Diodoro is the 6/5 morning line favorite with Tizamagician, trained by Richard Mandella for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, the second choice at 8/5 in a field of seven. It's easy to see why.

Lone Rock had a four-race winning streak snapped when second in his first try at this distance in the Jockey Club Grand Prix at Belmont Park on Sept. 18. One of the wins in the streak, however, was an 11 ¼-length romp in the 1 ½-mile, Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap in June at Belmont in which Tizamagician was the runner-up.

Tizamagician followed the Brooklyn with his summer assignments here then was fifth to Medina Spirit in the Grade 1 Awesome Again on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita.

Del Mar's leading jockey Flavien Prat has been aboard for the last five starts and will be again on Saturday.

“He ran a really good race last time here and he's been training well. He feels strong and I think he will be ready to run another good one,” Prat said. “When (Lone Rock) beat us (in the Brooklyn), we had a really bad break, so we had an excuse and I hope things will be different this time.”

The field of seven from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds in parentheses: Mad Grace (apprentice Jessica Pyfer, 30-1); Lone Rock (Ramon Vazquez); Cupid's Claws (Luis Saez, 6-1); Tizamagician; Zestful (Florent Geroux, 8-1); Locally Owned (Tyler Gaffalione, 6-1), and Hapi Hapi (Tiago Pereira, 30-1).

Race No. 3: $300,000 Goldikova Stakes; Grade 2, one mile (turf) for fillies and mares 3 years old and up.

Princess Grace, who made her summer mark here with a ship-in score in the Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Yellow Ribbon on Aug. 7, is the 8/5 morning line favorite, barely ahead of 9-5 Going Global.

Trained by Michael Stidham and owned by Susan and John Moore, Princess Grace, a 4-year-old daughter of Karakontie, is on a four-race winning streak. She followed her Yellow Ribbon score with one in the Ladies Turf at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 11 to set her career record at six wins and a second from seven starts with earnings of $886,860.

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, whose services were called upon for the Yellow Ribbon, will be back in the irons.

Going Global, trained by Phil D'Amato since being imported, has been freshened since her Del Mar Oaks victory with five works at Santa Anita starting in late September and a finishing touch 1:01.80 for five furlongs here on Sunday.

“We've been planning for this race for the last month and a half and she's coming into it in really good shape,” D'Amato said. “This will be her first against older horses and we look at it as a good chance to see how we stand in that regard. Also it's a good prep for the Oaks at the start of the Santa Anita meet in December.

“I think there are a lot of contenders in there and Princess Grace is definitely the top one.”

The field of nine from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds in parentheses: Zofelle (Tyler Gaffalione, 6-1); Princess Grace; Abscond (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 8-1); Glesga Gal (Florent Geroux, 15-1); Ippodamia's Girl (Luis Saez, 20-1); Bodhicitta (Joel Rosario, 12-1); Going Global; Warren's Showtime (Juan Hernandez, 12-1), and Constantia (Umberto Rispoli, 15-1).

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Breeders’ Cup Presents The News Minute: Scratches Change Complexion Of Turf

With the Thursday morning news that the top-class geldings Domestic Spending and United would be withdrawn from the $4-million Breeders' Cup Turf, the complexion of the mile and one-half Grade 1 race has changed, Ray Paulick reports in Thursday's Breeders' Cup News Minute.

Klaravich Stable's Domestic Spending, trained by Chad Brown, is a three-time G1 winner coming off a narrow defeat in the G1 Mr. D. Stakes (formerly the Arlington Million) at Arlington Park. LNJ Foxwoods' United, trained by Richard Mandella, scored a nose victory last out in the G2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita.

Inflammation was detected on a leg in both horses on Thursday morning.

The scratches permit Aidan O'Brien-trained Bolshoi Ballet and front-running Bill Mott trainee Channel Maker into the field.

Watch the Breeders' Cup News Minute below:

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Breeders’ Cup First-Timer O’Callaghan Has ‘Monster’ Twilight Jet Ready For Juvenile Turf Sprint

Most of the time when Michael O'Callaghan sees a horse he selected at the sales go on to top-level success, it's been with another trainer's name on the racing program. This year, the 33-year-old Irishman has found himself along for the ride as Twilight Jet headed overseas to contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. 

“Ever since I got into horse racing at about 15, which is what, 18 years ago, the Breeders' Cup has always been up here,” O'Callaghan said Thursday morning. “It's above everything. It just kind of grabbed my imagination early on, so just to be here with a horse that deserves to be here, no matter what he does on Friday, will be a bonus.”

The colt impressed onlookers with a quick jump-out from the Del Mar gates on Nov. 2, showing off his impressive strides down the stretch.


Twilight Jet will be the first starter at the World Championships for O'Callaghan, whose resume includes the selection of classic-placed horses like Blue De Vega and Now or Never, who each also won Group races, Group 2 winner Bodhicitta, as well as the more recent G3 winner Steel Bull. 

O'Callaghan and his partners' business model is to select horses primarily at the 2-year-old sales, then to develop those at his base at The Curragh. The goal is then to sell those young horses to an international market, either at public horses-of-racing-age sales or privately. 

Twilight Jet, a colt sired by the two-time Group 1 winner Twilight Son, was a $292,503 purchase at the Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale earlier this year. The most expensive juvenile O'Callaghan and his partners have ever purchased, the colt has paid dividends on that risk. Through 10 starts this season, including a last-out victory in the G3 Cornwallis Stakes at Newmarket, Twilight Jet has compiled a record of two wins and three thirds while regularly finishing well against top company.

“He's danced every dance,” said O'Callaghan. “Every time he's come out of his race, I've been thinking of giving him a little bit of a break, and he's just like, 'No, I gotta go again!' It's not just his attitude, it's everything physically. He puts on weight after the runs, gets stronger, moves better. He's just a monster.”

A Tweet O'Callaghan posted shortly after the Cornwallis win, indicating the Breeders' Cup was the colt's next target, saw owner Michael Iavarone reach out to purchase a 50 percent share. Twilight Jet will run in Iavarone's colors this Friday at Del Mar, then will remain in O'Callaghan's care for the 2022 season.

“By all accounts, we're going to have one hell of a party Friday night, win, lose, or draw,” O'Callaghan said. “So we're looking forward to that! To be here is a bonus after the season we've had with this guy.”

Though this is his first Breeders' Cup starter, O'Callaghan has long been planning how he'd prepare a horse to run on American soil.

“I always had in my head that if I ever had one running out here, I'd want to get them used to the bell because the first time they hear the bell, if that's gonna be on race day they might just pause,” he explained. “The majority of the time, the European horses aren't as quick as the American horses here out of the gates, but he's got a lot of natural speed early. He's very quick out of the gate; he's very switched on. We've done plenty of practice at home with the bell, so he knows the bell means to go.”

It's a clever method for the horseman who grew up well outside the sphere of horse racing. O'Callaghan only became interested in the sport through his grandfather's weekend wagers, and eventually started to push to learn more.

“I've no direct connection with horse racing, through family background,” said O'Callaghan. “I didn't have any intention of going to a traditional college, so I had to put my own sort of college together.”

O'Callaghan amassed great experience in the industry working for the likes of Tom Cooper, Coolmore, and Castlehyde Stud. He is also an award-winning graduate of the Irish National Stud Course.

That education has helped O'Callaghan to slowly build his own training resume each season, and 2021 is his best year yet in terms of prize money earned. The trip to Del Mar with Twilight Jet is hopefully the beginning of his new presence at the top of the European racing scene, as O'Callaghan hopes to target a Group 1 with the colt in 2022.

“He's making our life easy, training well, improving every day,” the trainer said. “You could arguably say he's better now than he was on Monday. 

“I'm trying not to get too excited, but I'm looking forward to Friday.”

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Breeders’ Cup Classic Notes: ‘Things Have Lined Up’ For Maturing Max Player

Art Collector – Bruce Lunsford's homebred 4-year-old colt Art Collector galloped about a mile and a quarter on the Del Mar main track Thursday morning at just past 8:45 with Neil Poznansky aboard. The Bill Mott pupil will attempt to give the conditioner a third victory in the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

“All's good,” Mott said. “He galloped today and he's good. He was strong and full of himself.”

Mott also touched on the news of champion turf horse Channel Maker, third in the Longines Turf in 2020, making it into the race after the Thursday defections of Domestic Spending and United: “We've got to be in to have a chance to win.”

Art Collector is a son of 2006 Classic runner-up Bernardini and 2011 Filly & Mare Turf fourth Distorted Legacy and will be his owner-breeder's eighth Breeders' Cup chance. His closest finish was when favorite First Samurai was third after a troubled trip in the 2005 Juvenile at Belmont Park.

“I've been in the business 33 years and don't own a horse farm,” Lunsford said. “I am in it to race and enjoy the experience. I would say it would clearly be the biggest win of my career if he could win. I own the mare and siblings and I have a half-brother, so that's great. With his dam, we only got beat a head and neck for second and she ran a huge race. We bred to Bernardini at a not-too-exorbitant price and obviously it's worked out well.

“As far as the 10-furlong distance, I think Bill's pretty comfortable with him, since he's won three at 9 furlongs and a lot of others haven't run or won at a mile and a quarter yet,” Lunsford continued. “It'll be an interesting race because of the pace.

“The reason we moved him to Bill is because of all the big races in New York. (Previous trainer) Tom (Drury) and I have a long history together and will continue to do so, just like I have had with Bill. Bill has this great ability to work his way around the New York races and my only (stipulation) with Bill was that if he's going to take him, I want him right outside his office. Bill is really happy with the horse. (Art Collector) is like a pet now and he's a good horse who I think can get better.”

Lunsford reflected on his most disappointing loss with the aforementioned First Samurai, who has gone on to become a credible stallion for Claiborne Farm.

“We obviously had a great trainer with Frankie (Brothers) and the best rider with (Jerry) Bailey that day, but he just had trouble at the gate and had to work his way to the front,” he said. “He got tired at the end and we got beat by a horse (Stevie Wonderboy) who never won again and a horse we beat in the Champagne, Henny Hughes. In the end, I think we were the best 2-year-old that year, along with Henny Hughes.”

Essential Quality/Knicks Go – Keeping to their same routine, Essential Quality went out before the break and Knicks Go was the last of the deep Brad Cox-trained arsenal to train Thursday morning. The two grays have both kept strong campaigns in 2021 in hopes of making it to the Classic at the end of the year. Knicks Go, the 5-2 morning line favorite, could sew up Champion Older Male honors with the win, while Essential Quality, the 3-1 second choice, could secure Champion 3-Year-Old honors with a good showing.

“It's been a great year for both horses and, obviously, they both performed well the second half of last year. Both horses have stayed in good form for the most part. Knicks Go had a little bit of a setback obviously. We felt like we may have rushed him a little bit with the Pegasus with the quick turnaround shipping halfway across the world or to the other side of the world for the Saudi Cup and then the Met Mile. But aside from those two bumps in the road, he's been ultra-consistent and proud of what he's accomplished. Essential has never missed a beat. He ran a big race in the Derby. His only defeat in his career and we could argue that he'd probably ran the best race that day, one of the better races, to end up fourth. But, both horses have had great years and hopefully we can add to their resume at Breeders' Cup Saturday.”

Express Train – Following his customary pattern, Express Train galloped his standard 1 1/2 miles this morning, with Amy Vasco aboard, in preparation for the Classic.

Trainer John Shirreffs supervised the exercise from the backstretch viewing stand.

“He likes this track a lot and he's doing well,” Shirreffs said. “This race looks like there'll be a lot of speed. If so, ideally, I'd like to see him break running, then follow the leaders in the second flight of horses. He likes to be outside of horses. That was how he won the San Diego Handicap here this summer.”

Hot Rod Charlie – Roadrunner Racing, William Strauss, Boat Racing and Gainesway Stable's Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Hot Rod Charlie left trainer Doug O'Neill's Barn Y just before after 8 o'clock and galloped about 1 ½ miles, two days before the Classic in which he is considered a serious contender. The Belmont Stakes and 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up drew post three and is listed as the 4-1 co-third choice in the Classic.

While the focus right now is the Classic, the fact that Hot Rod Charlie has steadily increased his speed figures and general performance level over the past year has his connections excited beyond the big race.

“The goal is to keep him in training next year,” O'Neill said. “We have a great group of owners and Gainesway is in, as well, so as long as he stays injury-free, we will have a chance to compete next year. Races like the ($12 million Dubai) World Cup and ($20 million) Saudi (Cup) could definitely on the horizon, if things work out well.”

Co-owner Strauss was very much on the same page: “As we think ahead and he continues to grow and develop and mature, we are definitely excited about next year with him. After we finished second in the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile) last year, we then plotted out how to get to the (Kentucky) Derby; how to get there and what prep races. After that, we plotted how to get to the Breeders' Cup Classic. When this is over, we're going to go and set our goal for next year. There's no obvious Derby-type race, but there are so many big races like Dubai and Saudi. Next week, the ownership group will get together with Doug and his team and strategize.”

Max Player – The connections of Max Player are seeing their patience rewarded in 2021 as they head into the Breeders' Cup Classic with a horse who appears to be peaking at the right time after winning his past two races.

The Honor Code colt, owned by George Hall and SportsBLX Thoroughbred Corp and trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, was considered a top 3-year-old last year after thirds in the Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes, but lost some luster when he finished fifth in the both the rescheduled Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes last fall and then performed poorly in the Saudi Cup to begin this year. He started to make amends by winning the Suburban and followed that with a strong victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

“The horse has matured as expected pedigree wise, and he has stayed extremely sound,” Asmussen said. “He's very good. And, I think things have lined up with where he is with the draw (post nine), the way the racetrack's playing, and how he's doing right now. We expect him to show who he is Saturday.”

Max Player galloped once around the track Thursday.

Medina Spirit – Classic winner Medina Spirit stretched his legs this morning with two trips around Del Mar's main track this morning as he winds down his preparation for the Classic. The sophomore colt, trained by Bob Baffert, is looking to collect his fifth stakes victory of the year in the 10-furlong championship race.

Stilleto Boy – With owner Steve Moger looking on, Stilleto Boy galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Jose Sandoval early Thursday morning at Del Mar.

Winner of the Iowa Derby for previous ownership, Stilleto Boy will be making his fourth start for Moger and his brother, trainer Ed Moger Jr.

Stilleto Boy debuted for the Mogers at Del Mar in the La Jolla Handicap going 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

“We thought we would try him on grass,” Ed Moger Jr. said. “He ran good on it (finishing fifth beaten 2 ½ lengths in his lone turf try) and he will probably run on it again at some point.”

Tripoli – Pacific Classic winner Tripoli galloped Thursday morning with assistant trainer Juan Leyva aboard. Trainer John Sadler is expected to drive down from his Santa Anita Park base Thursday.

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