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Callaghan: ‘Lots Of Blue Sky Ahead’ For San Felipe Candidate Roman Centurian

Roman Centurian was beaten 12 ¼ lengths by Life Is Good in his debut race last Nov. 22, but after an impressive maiden win and a bang-up second by a neck to Medina Spirit in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Jan. 30, Simon Callaghan is gearing up the son of Empire Maker for another go at Life Is Good in the G2 San Felipe Stakes on March 6.

“He's a very talented horse and I think the San Felipe will be a very interesting race,” said Callaghan, who conditions Roman Centurian for breeders Don Alberto Corporation, which also owns the colt along with Qatar Racing Limited. He was a $550,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September Sale.

“I think the San Felipe will reveal a lot, but again, Roman Centurian is a very good horse. I'm happy with him and looking forward to the race.”

Juan Hernandez, who rode Roman Centurian in the Lewis, will be back aboard in the San Felipe, Callaghan said.

Hernandez was in the irons today for a five-furlong workout in 1:00.40. “I was very happy,” Callaghan said. “It was a typical breeze for him. He moved good and finished up really well.”

Roman Centurian had an eventful trip in the 1 1/16-mile Lewis, trailing in the field of six after a half-mile, going five wide into the stretch, and bumping third-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie at the eighth pole.

According to the Equibase chart, Roman Centurian “could not get by the winner,” Medina Spirit, who, like Life Is Good, is trained by Bob Baffert.

“I think he's always going to have that style of closing,” Callaghan said, “but he definitely covered more ground in the Lewis and was kind of bumped; that didn't help him.

“It's five weeks from the Lewis to the San Felipe so we're going to see some progression in our horse. There's lots of blue sky ahead of him.”

The San Felipe is a major steppingstone to the Grade I, $750,000 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3 and offers 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, 20 to the runner-up, 10 to the third-place finisher and five to the fourth. The race was won last year by Authentic, who would go on to be named Horse of the Year.

Life Is Good is the 7-1 individual favorite in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wagering, while Roman Centurian is listed at 41-1. The mutuel field is favored at 3-1.

Roman Centurian calls Santa Anita home along with fellow Triple Crown hopefuls Life Is Good, Freedom Fighter, Medina Spirit and Concert Tour for Baffert; Dream Shake for Peter Eurton; and Hot Rod Charlie and The Great One for Doug O'Neill.

Also working Saturday morning were Medina Spirit (six furlongs in a bullet 1:12.40); San Vicente winner Concert Tour (four furlongs in 47.20); and Louisiana Derby-bound Hot Rod Charlie and San Felipe contender The Great One (five furlongs in 1:02 and 1:01.20, breezing, respectively).

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Empire Maker Filler Mnasek Dominates UAE Oaks

The second fillies' Classic of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, the 1900m (1 3/16 miles) dirt Group 3 UAE Oaks, was turned into a procession by Mnasek who scored a 6 1/2-length victory under Pat Dobbs, the pair far too good for six toiling rivals.

It was a third UAE Oaks success in six years for Dobbs, actually riding this filly for the first time in a race, and Doug Watson who also combined to land the race in 2016 with Polar River and Rayya two years later.

“She just goes out there and and tries hard,” said Watson. “We've done very little with her since she ran. She's a small filly and she has a lot of talent. We worked her in company out of the gate and that helped. Today she didn't enjoy being behind and when she was tipped out you could see it. She was the best filly. I don't know if they'll want to run her in the Derby, but who knows. Fair dues to Shane (Ryan, starter) and the gate crew. The did a great job helping us out. Obviously, she's a little funny in the gate and she broke great tonight. (The owners) should send her to America. That's her second win here. She's got a lot of options over there. If she stays sound and training like she is, she could win over there.”

Owned by Al Rashid Stables, the daughter of Empire Maker won her debut, over 1400m (seven furlongs), in December despite completely blowing the start. She was then very slowly away over 1600m (one mile) in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas, staying on late to snatch second.

However, she broke on level terms this time and, once switched off the rail about 1200m from home, soon loomed as a massive danger to Godolphin's Last Sunset who hit the front, briefly, leaving the home turn. As soon as Dobbs said 'go' the race was over with Last Sunset losing second place close home to Nayefah who stayed on dourly having been held up in last.

“She's very brave,” jockey Pat Dobbs said of Mnasek. “She didn't enjoy the early part of the race, getting the kickback, but once she got out, she travelled super. She stays very well. She's a little bit light-mouthed, but she's got a big heart and is a lovely mover.”

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Empire Maker Filly Runs Away With UAE Oaks

Mnasek (Empire Maker), a $15,000 purchase by Al Rashid Stables at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale last June, continued to write her fairytale story at Meydan on Thursday, posting her second win from three starts and first stakes win with a facile score in the G3 UAE Oaks. A longshot 6 3/4-length winner on debut going seven furlongs at Meydan on Dec. 17, Mnasek had to settle for second, seven lengths behind Saturday's Saudi Derby contender Soft Whisper (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), after missing the break in the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas up to a mile on Jan. 28.

Away much more smoothly up to 1900 metres on Thursday, Mnasek broke on top from the rail but soon dropped back to allow Jumeirah Beach (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to take up the running. Fourth and about three lengths off the lead rounding the first bend, jockey Pat Dobbs made a deliberate move to put the filly on the outside midway down the backstretch and she was poised ominously four-wide rounding the bend. Shooting to the lead as they straightened, Mnasek drew clear effortlessly to crush her overmatched opposition by 6 1/2 lengths. Nayefah (Super Saver) made eye-catching headway late to be second, while Last Sunset (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was third.

Winning trainer Doug Watson said, “She just goes out there and tries hard. We've done very little with her since she [last] ran. She's a small filly and she has a lot of talent. We worked her in company out of the gate and that helped. Today she didn't enjoy being behind and when she was tipped out you could see it. She was the best filly. I don't know if they'll want to run her in the [G2 UAE] Derby, but who knows. Fair dues to Shane [Ryan, starter] and the gate crew. They did a great job helping us out. Obviously, she's a little funny in the gate and she broke great tonight. [The owners] should send her to America. That's her second win here. She's got a lot of options over there. If she stays sound and training like she is, she could win over there.”

Dobbs added, “She's very brave. She didn't enjoy the early part of the race, getting the kickback, but once she got out, she travelled super. She stays very well. She's a little bit light-mouthed, but she's got a big heart and is a lovely mover.”

Pedigree Notes

Mnasek is the sixth foal out of her GII Bayakoa H.-winning dam Washington Bridge (Yankee Gentleman), who was bred by Brereton Jones and bought by Don Alberto Corp. for $750,000 at Fasig-Tipton's November sale in 2013 in foal to Tapit, having been bought by Town and Country Farm as a maiden mare for $330,000 at Keeneland January the year prior. Washington Bridge is out of the listed-winning Stirling Bridge (Prized), who has also produced the multiple listed winner Jose Sea View (Badge Of Silver). The third dam is the GIII Suwannee River H. scorer Early Lunch (Noble Table). Washington Bridge, who was offered at Keeneland November last year but led out unsold at $37,000, has a 2-year-old filly by Street Sense named West Love, a yearling full-sister to Mnasek and was bred to Liam's Map for 2021.

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Empire Maker Colt Runs to Rising Stardom at Santa Anita

Roman Centurian (Empire Maker), the fourth-priciest yearling by his late sire in 2019, became the first ‘TDN Rising Star’ of 2021 with a facile victory at Santa Anita. He had debuted Nov. 22 going 6 1/2 panels at Del Mar and just missed third behind ‘TDN Rising Star’ and Saturday’s GIII Sham S. winner Life Is Good (Into Mischief). Second in that same race was Wipe the Slate (Nyquist), who came with a Dec. 26 win at Santa Anita for an 88 Beyer. Regrouping with some added distance here, Roman Centurian was briefly shuffled to the back of the pack and was still no better than the penultimate spot after a half in :47.45. The bay began making headway about three-eighths from home on the outside. Swinging wide on the turn, he tackled the leader and kept going, skipping home the easiest of 3 3/4-length winners over Star Sailor (Union Rags), the former leader who got edged for the place before fighting to regain it. Roman Centurian paid $17.40 for the win.

Don Alberto Corporation bred Roman Centurian, then stayed in for a piece with Qatar Racing Limited when the colt hammered for $550,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale. Dam Spare Change has also produced Storie Blue–a full-sister to Roman Centurian–who was last year’s third-place finisher in the GIII Santa Ysabel S. The mare has another full-sister to the duo in the freshly minted 2-year-old Silent Lady. Out of MGISW Finder’s Fee (Storm Cat), Spare Change has since produced a yearling filly by Tiznow and was bred back to Street Sense for 2021.

6th-Santa Anita, $63,500, Msw, 1-3, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.88, ft, 3 3/4 lengths.
ROMAN CENTURIAN, c, 3, Empire Maker
1st Dam: Spare Change, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Finder’s Fee, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Fantastic Find, by Mr. Prospector
Sales History: $550,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $40,020. Click for the Equibase.com chart, VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Don Alberto Stable and Qatar Racing Limited; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Simon Callaghan.

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