Dreaming of Julia | Horse Racing Free Tips

Champion Malathaat Returns a Winner at Keeneland

Champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (f, 4, Curlin–Dreaming of Julia, by A.P. Indy), last seen rallying for third in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar Nov. 6, kicked off her 4-year-old campaign with a hard-fought win as the 1-5 favorite in Friday's GIII Baird Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland.

Drawn on the fence in this six-horse affair, she was guided out and into the clear in the two path by John Velazquez rounding the clubhouse turn. Fourth heading down the backstretch, Malathaat began to edge closer rounding the far turn and made a three-wide bid at the top of the short stretch. She took over shortly thereafter, hung on her left lead in the lane, switched over close to home and had a 3/4-of-a-length over Bonny South (Munnings) at the wire. Super Quick (Super Saver) and Lady Mystify (Bernardini) dead-heated for third.

Malathaat's championship 2021 campaign included wins in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland, GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Alabama S. and a close second in the GI Coaching Club American Oaks.

“She got some time off at Shadwell after the Breeders' Cup and they did a great job with her–she came in looking super,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We didn't want to overdo it for her first start of the year, and we had it in the back of our minds not only that she won the Ashland here, but [this year's] Breeders' Cup is here as well.”

Pletcher added, “[Velazquez] thought he was a little too far back and then all of a sudden, he got there, maybe a little sooner than he expected, but she was all class in the end.”

Pedigree Notes:

Malathaat is the second foal from her dam, the 2012 GI Frizette S. winner who romped by 21 3/4 lengths in the GII Gulfstream Oaks, but could do no better than a troubled fourth as the favorite to upset-minded stablemate Princess of Sylmar (Majestic Warrior) in the GI Kentucky Oaks.

Second dam Dream Rush won the GI Darley Test S. in 2007 and was subsequently sold to Halsey Minor for $3.3 million at that year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. She remained in training into early 2009, but was retired and covered by A.P. Indy for her first cover. Dreaming of Julia was foaled Mar. 3, 2010, and Dream Rush would go on to produce SW 'TDN Rising Star' Atreides (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW 'Rising Star' Dream Pauline (Tapit).

Malathaat is one of any number of top-class runners bred on the Curlin-A.P. Indy cross, which includes Grade I winners Stellar Wind, Global Campaign, Paris Lights and Idol.

Dreaming of Julia is the dam of a 2-year-old full-sister to Malathaat, a Medaglia d'Oro yearling filly and a filly by Curlin of this year.

Friday, Keeneland
BAIRD DOUBLEDOGDARE S.-GIII, $300,000, Keeneland, 4-22, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:44.58, ft.
1–MALATHAAT, 118, f, 4, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Dreaming of Julia (GISW, $874,500), by A.P. Indy
                2nd Dam: Dream Rush, by Wild Rush
                3rd Dam: Turbo Dream, by Unbridled
'TDN Rising Star' ($1,050,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Shadwell
Stable; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Todd
Pletcher; J-John R. Velazquez. $183,675. Lifetime Record:
Champion 3yo Filly & MGISW, 9-7-1-1, $1,918,825.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bonny South, 118, m, 5, Munnings–Touch the Star, by Tapit.
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $59,250.
(DH) 3–Super Quick, 120, f, 4, Super Saver–Quick Town, by
Cape Town. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
O-Marylou Whitney Stables (Hendrickson); B-Marylou Whitney
Stables LLC (KY); T-Norm W. Casse. $22,219.
(DH) 3–Lady Mystify, 118, f, 4, Bernardini–J. Quirk, by
Unbridled's Song. ($120,000 Ylg '19 OBSOCT; $325,000 2yo '20
OBSAPR). O-Exline-Border Racing LLC, SAF Racing and
Hausman, Richard; B-Scott Dilworth & Evan Dilworth (KY);
T-Peter Eurton. $22,219.
Margins: 3/4, 1, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 0.30, 3.70, 38.80, 13.70.
Also Ran: Audrey's Time, Crazy Beautiful.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Malathaat Finds Winner’s Circle Again In Alabama At Saratoga

In a race steeped in history, with names like Songbird, Shuvee, and Go for Wand on its list of winners, Malathaat sought to return to a familiar spot: the winner's circle. In her last start, she had battled Maracuja down the stretch of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 21, Maracuja's final kick putting the Kentucky Oaks winner in an unfamiliar position: second place by a head. Four weeks later, Malathaat found the familiar confines of winner's circle once again, getting the better of six other 3-year-olds fillies in the 1 1/4-mile Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Malathaat broke from the sixth post, Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez taking up position behind the front four early in the Alabama. Longshot Played Hard, trying stakes company for the first time, held the lead for the first six furlongs, setting a slow pace with the first quarter-mile in :23.97 and the half-mile in :49.12. She maintained her half-length advantage through the final turn, with Army Wife and Malathaat moving on her outside. Army Wife was fastest into the stretch, grabbing a short lead but Velazquez had Malathaat on the move, taking advantage of the longer distance of the Alabama. She overtook Army Wife and pulled away in the last eighth of a mile to win by a length and a half. Clairiere, who was last early, came on to finish second with Army Wife holding on to third. Will's Secret, Played Hard, Crazy Beautiful, and Maracuja rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the mile and a quarter G1 Alabama was 2:02.59. Find this race's chart here.

Owned by Shadwell Stables, Malathaat paid $3.10, $2.50, and $2.10. Clairiere paid $5.30 and $3.60. Army Wife paid $3.90.

“With the exception of the stumble at the start, I felt pretty good the whole way. She recovered and got into a good position. She was in the clear. The thing we wanted today was to allow her to run her race and get into that big stride she has and a comfortable rhythm and keep coming,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race. “She got back close enough [after the stumble], maybe it would have improved one position or so, but ultimately it was where we wanted her to be.”

“I was thinking that Irad's horse [Ortiz, Jr., aboard No. 3 Clairiere] was coming from way back and I was expecting that. She was not close to the pace, so in the back of my head, I was thinking that's a horse who can come back, so you have to watch out for it,” Velazquez told the NYRA Press Office after the Alabama. “Last time, there was no speed at all. So, we made a decision to go to the first turn and if she was on the lead, then she was on the lead. She was on the lead and everybody chased us. Today, it was easier. The speed showed up. I saved the ground in the first turn. I didn't chase. I knew I was comfortable where I was and she did it for me.”

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the 3-year-old Malathaat is by Curlin out of the A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia. Consigned by Denali Stud, the filly was purchased by Shadwell at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $1,050,000 by Shadwell. With her win in the G1 Alabama, Malathaat has six wins in seven starts for career earnings of $1,555,150.

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Malathaat Puts Her Unbeaten Status On The Line In Saturday’s CCA Oaks

Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat has demonstrated class and determination through five wins in as many lifetime starts and will vie to keep her perfect ways afloat in Saturday's 105th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks going nine furlongs for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course.

The Coaching Club American Oaks was named in honor of a club formed in 1875 for which a membership requirement was to be able to navigate a coach and four horses with a single group of reins. Inaugurated in 1917, the historic event often attracts the winner of the Kentucky Oaks and has seen 14 fillies sweep the Kentucky Oaks-CCA Oaks double, including Hall of Famers Princess Doreen [1924], Dark Mirage [1968], Davona Dale [1979], Bold 'n Determined [1980], and Open Mind [1989].

Multiple fillies have used the CCA Oaks as a steppingstone to Champion 3-Year-Old Filly honors, including Ruffian [1975], Wayward Lass [1981], Mom's Command [1985], Ajina [1997], Ashado [2004], Smuggler [2005], and Questing [2012]. Three of the last five winners of the CCA Oaks have notched such honors with Songbird [2016], Abel Tasman [2017], and Monomoy Girl [2018].

Two-time Grade 1-winner Malathaat arrives at the CCA Oaks off a hard-fought triumph in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs, where she engaged in a stretch duel with graded stakes winner Search Results and won by a neck, garnering a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

The Kentucky Oaks triumph came after a successful sophomore bow in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland where she tracked leisurely fractions and closed in on Pass the Champagne in the final half-furlong to win by a head.

During her juvenile campaign, Malathaat notched stakes triumphs at Aqueduct in the Tempted and Grade 2 Demoiselle after giving Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez his 2,000th Belmont Park victory in October.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will look to extend his seven-win record in the prestigious race when he saddles Malathaat. A victory would give Pletcher a third CCA Oaks triumph with a Kentucky Oaks winner, having sent out Ashado and Princess of Sylmar [2013].

“She's a very gifted filly,” Pletcher said. “She's just been perfect so far and she's a pleasure to train, and just does everything right. When you have one that's undefeated you just want to keep that intact and hope that everything goes smoothly and that she's able to show her capabilities once more.”

Malathaat could also provide her multiple champion-producing sire Curlin his third CCA Oaks winner after Curalina [2015], also trained by Pletcher, and last year's winner Paris Lights.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Malathaat is the first offspring out of the A.P. Indy broodmare Dreaming of Julia, who captured the 2012 Grade 1 Frizette and the 2013 Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks for Pletcher.

“She's a bigger physical than Dreaming of Julia and maybe Dreaming of Julia was a tad quicker than she is,” Pletcher said. “But she's just so efficient and has a long stride and it seems like she's bred to get better now. She's growing into that big frame. She's fun to have in the barn and I'm looking forward to get her going again.”

Malathaat was initially campaigned for an earlier return to action.

“We did miss a little time with her and she was a little bit sore, so we took it easy with her,” said Shadwell Stable's vice president and general manager Rick Nichols. “Todd had her training real well into the Ashland. I loved the way that she fought in the Oaks. She just has so much class and determination.”

Malathaat has settled into her surroundings at Saratoga and recently breezed a half-mile in 48.05 seconds on July 17 over the main track in company with Grade 2 Mother Goose-winner Zaajel.

“She's doing great and seems to be loving Saratoga,” Nichols said. “The main thing about her is early on, she had such an effortless gallop. She covers the ground so easily. It doesn't look like she has to work hard at all.”

Pletcher said he is grateful for his relationship with Shadwell, for whom he also has campaigned recent graded stakes winner Mutasaabeq.

“We've been blessed to have received some of their horses and have built some good relationships so far,” Pletcher said. “To have [graded stakes winners] Mutasaabeq and Zaajel and Malathaat, we're off to a good start and happy to be part of the team.”

Shadwell purchased Malathaat for $1.05 million from the Denali Stud consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Shadwell Stable's founder Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum passed in March, and Nichols said Malathaat could dawn a new era for the prestigious racing and breeding operation.

“Physically, she's about as perfect as you can get,” Nichols said. “She just looked like a horse that would have a lot of class. She had a very attractive head, beautiful balance, and her limbs were good. As soon as I saw her at the sale, I knew Sheikh Hamdan would love her. Malathaat could be the foundation mare of the next generation for his family.”

Velazquez, who has guided Malathaat to three of her five wins, retains the mount from post 1. A five-time winner of the CCA Oaks, Velazquez seeks to become the standalone winningest jockey in the race's history.

Two Kentucky Oaks participants face Malathaat once more, including Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja, who was seventh in the Kentucky Oaks.

The Rob Atras-trained daughter of third crop sire Honor Code broke a touch slow in the Oaks, but made up considerable ground to run seventh.

“In the Oaks, she broke a little flat footed, but we're hoping she breaks sharper and won't be too far back in a shorter field,” Atras said. “She was down on the inside and going into the first turn she got shuffled back. She made a good run late and I was happy with the performance. She just needs to break sharper and get in a more tactical position.”

Prior to the Kentucky Oaks, Maracuja was a third-out maiden special weight victress going 6 ½ furlongs over the Aqueduct main track en route to a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 3 at the Big A.

“She came back really well, and we skipped the Acorn and were targeting the Mother Goose but she wasn't quite right,” Atras said.” She's doing well right now. She bounced out of it well. We worked her three times and I'm hoping she's good enough to run a top race.”

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. will guide Maracuja from post 2.

Stonestreet Stables' Clairiere, fourth in the Kentucky Oaks, arrives off a close third to Zaajel in the Grade 2 Mother Goose for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

The bay daughter of Curlin attempts a second graded stakes victory after notching her seasonal debut in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra on February 13 at Fair Grounds Race Course over Travel Column. Clairiere was second to Travel Column in the next out Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.

A Kentucky homebred, Clairiere is the first offspring out of the three-time Grade 1-winning Bernardini mare Cavorting, who earned over $2 million through a lifetime record of 13-8-1-1.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. earned his first Grade 1 victory when guiding Questing to victory in the 2012 CCA Oaks and will ride Clairiere from post 4.

Completing the field is allowance winner Rockpaperscissors for WinStar Stablemates Racing, who swept the exacta in last year's CCA Oaks with Paris Lights and Crystal Ball.

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the daughter of Distorted Humor broke her maiden at a one-turn mile in September at Churchill Downs and did not race again until June 21, where she defeated older allowance company at Indiana Grand Race Course by 9 ¾ lengths.

Breaking from post 3, Rockpaperscissors will be ridden by Luis Saez.

The Coaching Club American Oaks is slated as Race 5 on Saturday's 11-race card, which also features the Grade 3, $200,000 Caress. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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‘Still Growing’ Malathaat To Bypass Belmont Stakes, Point To CCA Oaks At Saratoga

Shadwell's undefeated multiple Grade 1-winning 3-year-old filly Malathaat, winner of the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) on April 30, will skip the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) on June 5 and point toward Saratoga. The ultimate plan for the Stonestreet-bred, Todd Pletcher-trained divisional leader is the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, according to Shadwell Farm's Vice President and General Manager Rick Nichols.

“Todd and I have talked and have elected to bypass the Belmont,” Nichols said. “She is a little light right now because she is still growing into the frame that she has. We want to give her a nice break and hopefully put some weight on her.

“We will point her toward the CCA Oaks at Saratoga, which is 12 weeks from the Kentucky Oaks,” he continued. “Then we will aim for the Alabama, which is the main target, four weeks later. Then we will be able to give her a nice 10-week breather and head toward the Breeders' Cup.”

The $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) is scheduled for July 24 over the same nine furlongs of the Kentucky Oaks, while the $600,000 Alabama (G1) is slated for Aug. 21 over 10 furlongs.

The Breeders' Cup World Championships take place on Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar. A specific race goal, either the $2 million Longines Distaff (G1) over nine furlongs or $6 million Longines Classic (G1) over 10 furlongs, will be determined at a later date.

In five perfect starts, the sophomore star has amassed $1,125,150 in earnings and four stakes wins, including graded scores in the aforementioned Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, G1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland and G2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct. Her '6' on the Ragozin Sheets from the Kentucky Oaks was equal to that of Medina Spirit one day later in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Bred in Kentucky and a daughter of Stonestreet stars Curlin and Dreaming of Julia, the sizable filly was consigned by Denali Stud and purchased for $1,050,000 at Keeneland's September Sale in 2019, one of the final in-person purchases of her late owner, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She is already the third-highest earner for Shadwell's 36-year US-based operation, trailing only Breeders' Cup-winning champions Invasor and Lahudood.

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