Having won his maiden over nine furlongs at second asking at Aqueduct in late October, the next logical step was the Dec. 2 GII Remsen S., but he caught a rain-affected strip he may not have preferred and faded through the final furlong to finish a well-beaten seventh. As has been well documented, the oft-maligned Remsen has proved productive, with Dornoch (Good Magic) and 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) winning 50-point Derby preps over the last several weeks. The 8-5 morning line second pick, Domestic Product ran on well to finish two lengths behind Hades (Awesome Slew) in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 3.

Morplay Racing's No More Time (Not This Time) is the 7-5 pick on the strength of his 1 1/4-length defeat of the running-on 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road (Quality Road) when a surprising favorite in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. over course and distance Feb. 10. Javier Castellano takes over at the controls from Paco Lopez on a horse whose speed figures remain very light.

Juxtaposed to Brown is trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Tampa Bay Derby no fewer than six times, including his first with Limehouse (Grand Slam) 20 years ago and Tapit Trice (Tapit) last March. Heartened (Street Boss) has not missed the top three in his four trips to the race, two each on turf and dirt. The bay most recently validated a quote of 40 cents on the dollar to break his maiden by a widening 4 1/2 lengths going this track's extended mile Feb. 10, and his 74 Beyer for that effort is not all that far off the 80 earned by No More Time in the Davis.

Florida Oaks A Tasty Appetizer

An intriguing field of 12 sophomore fillies is slated to go to post for Saturday's GIII Florida Oaks, and while Chad Brown is looking for a maiden win in the Derby one race later, his runners have taken the Oaks on three occasions, most recently with Dolce Zel (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) in 2022.

Klaravich Stables' Dynamic Pricing (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) is the preferred half of an uncoupled entry. A 170,000gns purchase at Tattersalls October in 2022 by Mike Ryan on behalf of Seth Klarman's operation, the bay filly was up in the nick of time to break her maiden at first asking at Aqueduct Nov. 4.  Dynamic Pricing returned to action at a generous 28-5 in the Feb. 3 GIII Sweetest Chant S. and came with a solid finish to cross the line third, beaten two necks by Life's an Audible (Audible) and the re-opposing Style Points (Oscar Performance).

Austere (Mendelssohn) was a debut winner on the turf at Ellis Park last August before taking out the valuable Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies the following month. Tyler Gaffalione managed to work out an inside trip from a high draw in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 3, and the dark bay was scarcely disgraced in fifth, beaten two lengths behind Hard to Justify (Justify).

Placed once from two sprint tries over the Saratoga main track, Waskesiu (American Pharoah) improved by several lengths when bounding away to graduate by 4 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct Nov. 18. Made the 9-5 favorite in the Jan. 6 Ginger Brew S., the Chiefswood homebred was a bit wayward out of the gates, then turned in a mostly even effort to be third. She has since worked well up at Payson Park.

Pletcher Ships A Pair In For Beholder Mile

Rare are the California shippers for non-Breeders' Cup events from the barn of Todd Pletcher, but the Hall of Famer is set to be represented by a pair of entrants in Saturday's GI Beholder Mile at Santa Anita.

Commenting that he 'is trying to save racing one horse at a time,' Mike Repole paid $1.4 million to acquire the dual graded-stakes winner Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire) from her previous owner Staton Flurry at Keeneland November just days after winning the Turnback the Alarm S. at Aqueduct. Frankie Dettori takes the ride on the Ontario-bred 5-year-old, while John Velazquez has the mount aboard 'TDN Rising Star' Green Up (Flatter), who–like her stablemate–exits a victory in Aqueduct stakes company, in her case the Nov. 5 Pumpkin Pie S.

Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) is the 5-2 favorite to give her sire back-to-back Beholder Mile winners following A Mo Reay last year. Also kept in training for a 5-year-old campaign, the Michael Lund Petersen colorbearer defeated Desert Dawn (Cupid) for her first elite-level success in the Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar and added this track's GII Zenyatta S. in October before finishing seventh, but not beaten far, in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Arizona-bred Desert Dawn was winless in seven starts last term, including a runner-up effort in the GIII Bayakoa S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 15, but she got her 5-year-old season off on a high note with a one-length defeat of Coffee in Bed (Curlin) in the GIII La Canada S. Jan. 20.

Kinza Rates the Marquee in Santa Ysabel

'TDN Rising Star' Kinza (Carpe Diem) puts her undefeated record on the line against seven others in a renewal of the GIII Santa Ysabel S. that looks competitive on paper.

The $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer belied debut odds of 11-2 to romp home by 7 1/2 lengths going six furlongs over this strip Dec. 29 and was made the even-money choice in the GIII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 10. The New York-bred set reasonable fractions beneath Juan Hernandez and was never truly in danger, scoring by two lengths, with She's a Tempest (Connect) another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

Of the five last-out maiden winners looking to negotiate the hike into stakes company, Ultimate Authority (Practical Joke) shapes with the most promise. She has turned in a pair of cracking efforts around two turns–each good for a 90 Beyer Speed Figure–missing by a head to She's a Tempest in a mile maiden Jan. 5 before defeating Where's My Ring (Twirling Candy) by a half-length over the same distance Feb. 2. The latter also takes her chance here.

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The trail to Derby 150 begins a much steeper ascent on Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans as the GIII Lecomte S. offers 3-year-old colts 20-10-6-4-2 that can be applied to Bank of Churchill.

This year's edition pits a field of eight against one another with the central question being: what happened to Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) in the December running of the Gun Runner S.?

The heavy favorite was unable to build on his Nov. 12 'TDN Rising Star' performance under the Twin Spires at second asking when he powered to the lead, torched a field of maidens by 10 1/4 lengths and posted a 97 Beyer for trainer Brad Cox.

The race shape in the Gun Runner was nothing of the sort for the Godolphin homebred, as he was forced to watch Track Phantom (Quality Road) take control towards the end of the backstretch and never relinquish the lead.

Track Phantom (center) with Nash (along the rail) | Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir

“It was great to see him [Track Phantom] win the race against a talented field, but especially with going as fast as they did early and showing enough quality to still respond,” said the winner's trainer Steve Asmussen. “I love how he's doing, very happy with him and how he's trained since the Gun Runner. I feel good about the draw and excited to run him again. Past success from there so we'll see what we can do.”

Of course, the pair will have others to contend with in this spot and chief among them is Lat Long (Liam's Map). The dark bay trained by Ken McPeek was never out of the money in all five of his juvenile starts against maiden special weight company starting at Churchill back in September. Facing the likes of GSW Dornoch (Good Magic) and Track Phantom himself, Lat Long broke through at Oaklawn Dec. 17 against his stablemate and next-out winner Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}).

“[Lat Long] has been a horse who is still trying to figure it out a bit,” McPeek said. “He's not all there yet. But we're going to try him at a higher level and see how he handles tougher company.”

Also after points is Can Group (Good Samaritan), who was last seen running fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita for trainer Mark Casse. Joining him will be two more Cox runners in Ethan Energy (Uncle Mo), who broke his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths at second asking over this surface Dec. 23, and Awesome Road (Quality Road). Bred by Claiborne Farm, the latter was a $600,000 Keeneland September purchase by Albaugh Family Stables and Donegal Racing.

Saudi Crown Kick Starts His 4-Year-Old Campaign

Preceding the Lecomte is the GIII Louisiana S. for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16th on the main track. This race marks the return of Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming). Now a 4-year-old, the gray debuted a winner by 4 3/4 lengths at Keeneland last April, then won against allowance company at Churchill Downs a month later.

Saudi Crown | Sarah Andrew

Finishing over the summer as the runner-up by a nose in the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont Park and in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga, the Brad Cox trainee set the pace en route to the winner's circle in the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx in September. A popular pick in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, the colt finished a well-beaten 10th to close out his year.

“I'm not treating it like he has to be on the lead,” Cox said. “He's a smart horse. He's capable of sitting off. When he broke his maiden, he sat off horses. I really don't think he has to be on the lead. It probably will be a situation where he will have to take a breath at some point, you can't just run all-out throughout.”

After Cox watched Saudi Crown drill five furlongs behind Nash Jan. 13 (1:00.20, 3/51), the trainer said, “It didn't quite set up as well as we expected. There were other horses out there and we got caught up with a little more company than we wanted. I was very, very happy with the breeze. He was a little wide through the lane and around the turn. Plenty fit. He had a good work the week before last. We just wanted him to cruise along the other day and he did. I think he's set up for a big spot.”

Opposing him in New Orleans are a number of seasoned challengers looking to set the tone for their own campaigns. Smile Happy (Runhappy) has not been seen since he ran fifth in the GI Stephen Foster S. at Ellis Park in July. The 'TDN Rising Star' has a resume which includes a pair of Grade II wins in the Kentucky Jockey Club S. as a juvenile and in last year's Alysheba S.–both at Churchill Downs.

Making the gate is deep closer GSW Red Route One (Gun Runner), defending winner and GISP Happy American (Runhappy) and GII Rebel S. hero Confidence Game (Candy Ride {Arg}).

Midnight Memories Faces Desert Dawn Once Again

Swinging out to Santa Anita Park on Saturday afternoon, the GIII La Canada S. has MGSW Midnight Memories (Mastery) taking on MGISP Desert Dawn (Cupid). The last time these two met as 4-year-old fillies in the GIII Bayakoa S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 15, it was Midnight Memories who got the best of her rival by a length. Favored at 6-5 on the morning line, the Bob Baffert trainee will also have to contend with, among others, GISP Musical Mischief (Into Mischief) and Coffee in Bed (Curlin).

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The answer is Bayakoa (Arg).

The Ron McAnally trainee who won a pair of GI Breeders' Cup Distaffs has one at Oaklawn, while its counterpart takes place this Friday at Los Alamitos Racecourse.

The Grade III event out West pits morning-line favorite and Arizona-bred Desert Dawn (Cupid) versus six others going 1 1/16 miles. The 4-year-old filly trained by Phil D'Amato is loaded with class, even though she has not won since the GII Santa Anita Oaks over a year and a half ago.

Still, her speed figures put her at the top of this group as she cuts back after running fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff last month at Santa Anita.

Midnight Memories (Mastery) was third last out in the GI Beholder Mile in March at Santa Anita, one spot ahead of Desert Dawn. Clocking some awfully fast times for trainer Bob Baffert these past few months, the dark bay could be fresh and ready to fire.

One entry who could play spoiler is the other half of D'Amato's uncoupled entry, Turnerloose (Nyquist). As a 3-year-old she won the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at 18-1, switched to turf and now has the chance to get back on the dirt.

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When the field broke in the Hirsch, it was the longest shot on the board, 17-1 MGSW Elm Drive (Mohaymen), who got the lead from the inside post despite an awkward step a few strides out of the gate. Adare Manor immediately advanced to keep her company from the outside, staying just off the leader's flank through a :23.31 first quarter. Positions remained unchanged through the :46.68 half. Moving well into the lane, Elm Drive fought on, but Adare Manor merely unfurled her long stride to draw on even terms and make it a race. Meanwhile Desert Dawn (Cupid), an Arizona-bred winner of last year's GII Santa Anita Oaks, abandoned her trailing spot and briefly looked a threat while wide, but Adare Manor was too strong and crossed the wire a length in front as Juan Hernandez merely waved the stick at her. Desert Dawn secured second while Elm Drive held for third.

“I was hoping to be on an easy lead,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. “I knew [Elm Drive] is a really fast filly; you want to stay close to her. Sort of took our filly out of her game a little bit. [Hernandez] had to keep riding her the whole way but, at the end, she's a big, long-jumping filly and she just got going there at the end. We're happy with the win; we got a Grade I.”

Adare Manor was the first Hirsch winner for owner Michael Lund Petersen and the second for Baffert, who won this race in 2020 with Fighting Mad (New Year's Day). Baffert's other filly Saturday, GISW Fun to Dream (Arrogate), finished last.

Donato Lanni acquired Adare Manor on behalf of the team for $375,000 at the 2021 OBS June sale after she worked a furlong in :10.1. The Hirsch marked the 4-year-old's fourth consecutive win, including a last-out GII Santa Margarita S. score June 10 at Santa Anita over the reopposing Kirstenbosch (Midnight Lute) and Desert Dawn. The dark bay also captured the Apr. 29 GII Santa Maria S. and last year's GIII Las Virgenes S. Her stalking tactics in the Hirsch were a slight departure from the front-end style employed in all five of her previous wins.

Chased them down!

Adare Manor & @JJHernandezS19 take the Grade I @BreedersCup #WAYI Clement L. Hirsch. pic.twitter.com/OTdwQgjEx5

— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) August 6, 2023

Pedigree Notes:

Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC and Gary Broad bred Adare Manor in Kentucky out of Brooklynsway, the 2016 winner of the GIII Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland. Town & Country bought the mare in foal to Into Mischief for $95,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed sale. Brooklynsway lost that foal, but has a 2-year-old filly by the same sire, a yearling filly by Ghostzapper, and a Mar. 24-foaled full-brother to Adare Manor. She was bred back to Tapit.

Coolmore's Uncle Mo has 93 black-type winners bred in the Northern Hemisphere, including 48 graded winners. Adare Manor is the only stakes winner out of a daughter of Giant Gizmo, but his sire, the late Giant's Causeway, is an excellent broodmare sire and responsible for three of Uncle Mo's black-type winners.

Saturday, Del Mar
CLEMENT L. HIRSCH S.-GI, $400,000, Del Mar, 8-5, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:43.33, ft.
1–ADARE MANOR, 123, f, 4, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Brooklynsway (GSW-USA, MSW & GSP-Can,
                                $724,597), by Giant Gizmo
                2nd Dam: Explosive Story, by Radio Star
                3rd Dam: Maya's Note, by Editor's Note
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($180,000 Ylg '20 FTKFEB; $190,000 RNA
Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $375,000 2yo '21 OBSOPN). O-Michael Lund
Petersen; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC & Gary Broad
(KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $240,000. Lifetime
Record: 12-6-4-0, $861,600. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Desert Dawn, 121, f, 4, by Cupid
                1st Dam: Ashley's Glory, by Honour and Glory
                2nd Dam: Ashley Secret, by Dr. Carter
                3rd Dam: Whatever It Takes, by Hatchet Man
($32,000 RNA Ylg '20 OBSOCT). O/B-H & E Ranch (AZ); T-Philip
D'Amato. $80,000.
3–Elm Drive, 121, f, 4, by Mohaymen
                1st Dam: Lets Dance Charlie, by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Dance Darling, by Devil's Bag
                3rd Dam: Danzig Darling, by Danzig
   1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($40,000 Ylg '20 OBSOCT; $165,000 2yo
'21 OBSMAR). O-Little Red Feather Racing; B-Kenneth D'Oyen
(KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $48,000.
Margins: 1, 1HF, 3 1/4. Odds: 0.60, 5.80, 17.70.
Also Ran: Kirstenbosch, Fun to Dream.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Tuesday's session gets underway at noon with Hips 1-185 and is followed by the supplements, which are Hips 186-209. Wednesday's session begins at 10 a.m. with Hips 251-660 and followed by a section of supplements, which are Hips 661-684.

“We are certainly excited seeing what has transpired in the yearling market so far this year,” said OBS's Tod Wojciechowski. “The graduates of this sale have been doing very well lately both at the racetrack and at the next level of the market.”

During last year's selected yearlings portion, 104 head sold for $4,539,000 with an average of $43,644 and a median of $32,000. That session was topped by a $170,000 colt by Midnight Storm.

A total of 281 yearlings sold during the open session in 2021 for a gross of $5,224,500 with an average of $18,593 and median of $15,000. The topper during that session was a $170,000 Ransom the Moon colt.

In total, 385 yearlings summoned $9,763,500 at last year's October Sale with an average of $25,360 and median of $19,000. Both of the aforementioned session/co-sale toppers were sold by Lisa McGreevy's Abbie Road Farm.

Recent noteworthy graduates of the OBS October Sale include Friday's GII J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine S. winner Delight (Mendelssohn), GI Santa Anita Oaks winner Desert Dawn (Cupid) and MSW Outfoxed (Valiant Minister).

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“She bounced back very quickly last night and she's very sharp here this morning,” Lukas said. “Looks very good. We're tickled to see her come out of that tough race and to be bouncing around here this morning. She's excellent.

“I'm going to let a few days go by and then I'll get with (owner) Rob Mitchell. I'll let him have an opinion. The Preakness is an option, but so is the Black-Eyed Susan. The big difference is a million dollars and a Grade I. Would be nice to get her a second Grade I.

“She ran a picture-perfect race, a beautiful trip. It kind of went the way we had mapped it out. When Luis moved into position down the backstretch, I told (my wife) Laurie  that we were going to be okay.”

Lukas scratched his Kentucky Derby entry Ethereal Road (Quality Road) on Friday and said the Preakness might also be a possibility for him.

“I thought if I ran him today (in the Derby), I'd have no shot of going on with him,” Lukas said. “I have run him a lot between Oaklawn and Keeneland. I didn't think he'd win, so I took him out and now we have the option of the Preakness.”

Pletcher Trio In Good Form

The Todd Pletcher trio of second-placed Nest (Curlin), sixth-placed 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings) and the 11th-placed Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) all came back in good form, Pletcher said Saturday morning, and will most likely all head to his Belmont Park base.

“They're all likely to be headed up to New York,” said Pletcher. “We've got to do some checking on flight schedules, but they'll be headed out in the next little while.”

Third-Place Desert Dawn Eats Up

Exercise rider Roman Cecher was overseeing business at 5:15 Saturday morning at Barn 43 where H and E Ranch's Arizona-bred Desert Dawn (Cupid) had set up shop this past week in anticipation of her start in the Oaks.

Trainer Phil D'Amato said he was exhilarated after his filly's third-place finish, worth $113,750 to her connections. She finished 2 1/2 lengths behind winner Secret Oath and just a half-length back of second-place Nest.

“She came back from the race really well,” Cecher said. “She ate everything up last night. The filly ran huge for us and we thought she was going to get second. Everybody was very pleased.” He said that plans for Desert Dawn were still to be decided.

The connections of all of the other Oaks runners reported no problems with their fillies Saturday morning.

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Defying the odds…again
Taiba will be up against all sorts of historical norms by forging ahead to the Kentucky Derby off just two lifetime starts. Since 1937 (the advent of detailed start statistics), only four horses have ever even attempted the Derby in career start number three: China Visit (sixth in 2000), Disposal (18th in 1992), Senecas Coin (DNF in 1949) and Perfect Bahram (ninth in 1946).

It's a dry heat…
Arizona will get a chance to bring that lovely weather with them to the Kentucky Oaks after Desert Dawn's shocking upset of the GII Santa Anita Oaks. Her AZ-based owners Hollis and Elena Crim (racing under the farm name of H & E Ranch) kept the faith in their homebred through a three deep string of off-the-board finishes against graded company in California, and were rewarded with a gutsy breakthrough win. A lifetime of dreams are now poised for a run on the first Friday in May.

Pioneerof the Nile's enduring legacy…
The passing of any horse is difficult, doubly so when they're poised for a future like what WinStar experienced with Pioneerof the Nile even if he hadn't sired a Triple Crown winner. As his final crops start racing, the loss becomes more noticeable. Which makes the arch of the universe all the more curious when one considers that his GIII Beaumont S. winning daughter Matareya was born two days before her sire died in 2019: the filly hitting the ground March 16, and Pioneerof the Nile passing away March 18. And so, the world turns and the karmic arc bends more in his favor every day.

Football and the ponies…how very Kentucky
War of Will's syndicate announced a N.I.L. (Name, Image and Likeness) deal with the University of Kentucky's starting quarterback Will Levis. Both Wills love a good race, so the opportunity poses an interesting approach to marketing the sport to a younger, more diverse audience and the stallion to the hardcore UK fans in the breeder ranks. Claiborne Farm is the first such operation to partner with a Division I athlete, and it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out for horse and man.

Through Prevalence, Enrichment is prevalent…
It's a remarkable feat for a broodmare to get two winners on the same card. In Enrichment's case, they came during the incredibly competitive opening weekend at Keeneland. Emirates Road, the youngest of racing age, charged home in the second race on Saturday to win in his second lifetime start. Three races later, Prevalence outran fellow 'Rising Star' Nashville and eight others to capture his first graded stakes, the GIII Commonwealth, for their shared connections of Godolphin and trainer Brendan Walsh. With a blue hen, a two-time leading Ecuadorian sire, and a variable assortment of graded stakes winners beneath her in the pedigree, Enrichment is set to reap ever more bountiful rewards.

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“I have been working this horse.  I knew this filly was better than that last year,” said winning pilot Umberto Rispoli. “I knew we needed that last race and I felt the last work (6f, 1:13.40, 1/4) was better than shown. I just wanted to keep her outside and I knew the pace would set up really well for her. We started to move at the 3/8 pole and she fought every step of the way.  She gave me the Santa Anita Oaks and now it is on to Kentucky!”

A second-out graduate going a mile at Del Mar last August, Desert Dawn was third in October's GII Chandelier S. behind Ain't Easy over track and trip before checking in last of sixth behind Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5. She was fourth to the Baffert-trained Eda (Munnings) in both the GI Starlet S. at Los Al Dec. 4 and again in the local GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 5.

“She's an honest filly,” conditioner Phil D'Amato said of the winner, who earned 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points. “I always thought once she'd get her scenario it'd work out for her, and I think the longer the better. Umberto's been breezing her and her last drill was probably her best drill to date, so it all worked out.”

Saturday, Santa Anita
SANTA ANITA OAKS-GII, $400,000, Santa Anita, 4-9, 3yo, f,
1 1/16m, 1:43.50, ft.
1–DESERT DAWN, 124, f, 3, by Cupid
                1st Dam: Ashley's Glory, by Honour and Glory
                2nd Dam: Ashley Secret, by Dr. Carter
                3rd Dam: Whatever It Takes, by Hatchet Man
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($32,000
RNA Ylg '20 OBSOCT). O/B-H and E Ranch, Inc.; T-Philip
D'Amato; J-Umberto Rispoli. $240,000. Lifetime Record:
7-2-0-2, $378,400. *2nd graded winner, fourth black-type
winner for sire (by Tapit). Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Adare Manor, 124, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Brooklynsway, by Giant
Gizmo. ($180,000 Ylg '20 FTKFEB; $190,000 RNA Ylg '20 FTKSEL;
$375,000 2yo '21 OBSOPN). O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-Town
& Country Horse Farms, LLC & Gary Broad (KY); T-Tim Yakteen.
$80,000.
3–Ain't Easy, 124, f, 3, Into Mischief–Ameristralia (Aus), by
Fastnet Rock (Aus). 'TDN Rising Star' ($400,000 Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Michael V. Lombardi
and Joey Platts; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY); T-Philip D'Amato.
$48,000.
Margins: NK, 7HF, 3HF. Odds: 14.60, 0.70, 3.70.
Also Ran: Under the Stars, Micro Share. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Desert Dawn is the second graded stakes winner, and one of four black-type scorers, from her sire (by Tapit)'s first crop. Honour and Glory is the broodmare sire of 35 graded/group winners, including MGISW West Coast (Flatter) and blue hen Justwhistledixie (Dixie Union).

A rare Arizona-bred to compete at the graded level, Desert Dawn is out of a mare who was a five-time winner at Finger Lakes. Ashley's Glory's last listed foal is a yearling filly by Mineshaft.

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Not to be outdone by her stablemate, Under the Stars (Pioneerof the Nile) posted her own 3/4-length victory Jan. 8th in the GII Santa Ynez S. Though her recent efforts have all been sprinting, this half to Bodemeister has both the pedigree to cover the longer distance and the speed to overcome her far outside draw. Her speed figures have been on the rise since finishing a distant third to Eda in the Desi Arnaz S., including a career high 91 Beyer Speed Figure in her win in the Santa Ynez.

While she missed a planned start in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies due to surgery to remove a bone chip in her left ankle, 'TDN Rising Star' Ain't Easy (Into Mischief) certainly showed more than enough class as a 2-year-old to earn a place in this field. Though she's been working consistently, she'll be tested coming off a five-month layoff with her last race being a 4 3/4-length victory in the GII Chandelier S. back Oct. 1 where she defeated stablemate Desert Dawn (Cupid), who was six-lengths back in third and also runs here.

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The race at 1 1/16 miles is being offered locally for the eighth time after 33 renewals as the Hollywood Starlet (1981-2013) at Hollywood Park.

Post time is 12:30 p.m. The Starlet is the eighth of nine races and has an approximate post time of 3:58 p.m.

Baffert, whose streak of Starlet victories includes Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bast (2019) and Varda last year, entered Grace Adler, Eda, and Benedict Canyon in 2021.

Owned by Willow Grace Farm and Michael Lund Petersen, Grace Adler will be seeking the second Grade I success of her young career. The daughter of Curlin and the Newfoundland mare Our Khrysty dominated seven opponents by 11 ¼ lengths in the Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5.

The victory followed a debut win as the 2-5 favorite July 31. She has been idle since disappointing as the 9-10 choice in the Grade 2 Chandelier Oct. 1 at Santa Anita. She's banked $226,000.

Eda, a Munnings filly out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me, is the most accomplished of the Baffert trio in terms of wins. She's 3-for-5 with a bankroll of $190,000.

Owned by Baoma Corporation, Eda enters off consecutive victories, taking the Anoakia Oct. 24 and the Desi Arnaz Nov. 13. The Starlet will mark her first start beyond seven furlongs.

Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Benedict Canyon has one win in three starts and was third in her two defeats. The daughter of Midnight Lute and the Medallist mare Bennie M defeated maidens Sept. 5 at Del Mar before finishing a distant third in the Anoakia. The earner of $59,880 has yet to try more than six furlongs.

Trained by Bob Hess, Jr. for David A. Bernsen LLC and Schroeder Farm LLC, Cairo Memories will be making her dirt debut after winning two of three on grass, including the Surfer Girl at one mile Oct. 3.

A Cairo Prince filly out of the Indian Charlie mare Incarnate Memories, Cairo Memories suffered her lone defeat when ninth of 14 in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 5. She has earned $172,000.

Runner-up behind Eda in the Arnaz, Tonito's will stretch out for the first time for Anderson Farms, E R J Racing LLC, Reddam Racing LLC, John Fielding and Ryan Lloyd and trainer Doug O'Neill.

A Blame filly out of the Street Cry mare Cry Value. Tonito's rallied from well off the pace to win her debut on turf Oct. 23 prior to the Arnaz. She's banked $56,600.

Trainer Phil D'Amato, who won the 2015 Starlet with Street Fancy, will be represented by Desert Dawn.

Owned by breeder H and E Ranch, Inc., the daughter of Cupid and the Honour and Glory mare Ashley's Glory is the only member of the cast with a two-turn win on dirt. The Arizona bred graduated by 4 ¼ lengths when stretched to eight furlongs in her second start Aug. 26.

She's 1-for-4 with earnings of $114,00. In her most recent appearance, Desert Dawn finished last of six in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5.

From inside out, the field for the Starlet Stakes:

1. Tonito's, Mario Gutierrez rides, 120 pounds
2. Grace Adler, Flavien Prat, 120
3. Benedict Canyon, Edwin Maldonado, 120
4. Cairo Memories, Kent Desormeaux, 120
5. Desert Dawn, Mike Smith, 120
6. Eda, Juan Hernandez, 120

The post Baffert To Saddle Three Of Six In Saturday’s Starlet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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