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Blowout Gives Brown Another First Lady Crown

Peter Brant's Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB} gave trainer Chad Brown his fourth consecutive victory in Keeneland's GI First Lady S., leading every step of the way to just stave off a final-furlong rally from the commonly owned 'TDN Rising Star' Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) to punch her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6. Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire} x Lillie Langtry {Ire}) ran with merit to be third.

Blowout was kicked straight into the lead by Flavien Prat from an outside alley and established a clear lead through the first two panels in a manageable :23.76 and a half in :47.75, chased most closely through the opening exchanges by La Signare (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Regal Glory, who traveled three wide the trip without the benefit of cover. Traveling nicely on the bridle nearing the stretch, Blowout was confidently ridden past the eighth pole and, although Regal Glory tried her very best, she could not press past and Blowout was home narrowly in front. Empress Josephine sat a ground-saving trip better than midfield, was pulled off the inside and rallied three wide into the stretch and ran on to be a highly creditable third. Favored Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), winner of the GI Just A Game S. and GI Diana S. in her two most recent starts, raced in the slipstream of Empress Josephine down the back, but endured a checkered passage through the final furlong and a half and did well to be fourth.

A Raving Beauty (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}, 2018); and Uni (GB) (More Than Ready, 2019 & 2020) were Brown's other recent winners. He won his first running of the First Lady with Dayatthespa (City Zip) in 2014, who followed up in the F/M Turf at Santa Anita.

“As usual she showed a lot of speed out of the gate, and I was able to get myself comfortable on the lead where I didn't have too much pressure,” said Prat of the winner. “She relaxed well down the backside. She fought really hard down the lane because she lost the lead for a little bit, but she dug in and fought back and really made a great stretch run.”

Blowout was one of the more luckless horses in training in 2020, losing a third-level Saratoga allowance by a neck last August, the GIII Noble Damsel S. to stable companion Viadera (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) by a similar margin the following month and missing by a nose to the latter in the GI Matriarch S. in November. The bay held on to win the GII Distaff Turf Mile May 1 at Churchill after opening up by as many as eight lengths and was a latest fourth to Got Stormy (Get Stormy) after cutting out a strong pace in the GI Fourstardave H. Aug. 14 at the Spa.

Pedigree Notes:

Blowout is the 23rd top-level scorer for her sire and is the second GISW out of a daughter of the late Deep Impact (Jpn). The other, the striking 7-year-old Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), was to run in Sunday's G2 Kyoto Daishoten at Hanshin.

In the name of Whitebirch, Brant paid €450,000 for Blowout at the 2016 Goffs November Sale. She is the second foal from her dam, who carried the Wildenstein silks to a popular victory in the 2012 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) ahead of a close runner-up effort in that year's G1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks). Beauty Parlour, a daughter of SW & MGSP Bastet, is a full-sister to Barocci (Jpn), a stakes winner and Group 3-placed in France and placed in the GII City of Hope Mile and GII American H. in this country for Hronis Racing and John Sadler.

Beauty Parlour is the dam of the 2-year-old filly Bouffant (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and a yearling filly by the late Coolmore legend.

Saturday, Keeneland
FIRST LADY S. PRESENTED BY UK HEALTHCARE-GI, $400,000, Keeneland, 10-9, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:34.86, gd.
1–BLOWOUT (GB), 124, m, 5, by Dansili (GB)
               1st Dam: Beauty Parlour (GB) (G1SW-Fr, $713,308), by Deep Impact (Jpn)
               2nd Dam: Bastet (Ire), by Giant's Causeway
               3rd Dam: Benediction (Ire), by Day Is Done (Ire)
1ST GRADE I WIN. (€450,000 Wlg '16 GOFNOV). O-Peter M.
Brant; B-Dayton Investments Ltd. (GB); T-Chad C. Brown;
J-Flavien Prat. $240,000. Lifetime Record: 14-5-7-1,
$988,600. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Regal Glory, 124, m, 5, by Animal Kingdom
               1st Dam: Mary's Follies (MGSW, $338,889), by More Than Ready
               2nd Dam: Catch the Queen, by Miswaki
               3rd Dam: Wave to the Queen, by Wavering Monarch
($925,000 5yo '21 KEEJAN). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Paul P
Pompa (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $80,000. 'TDN Rising Star'
3–Empress Josephine (Ire), 121, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
               1st Dam: Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Hwt. Filly at 3-Eng- at 7 – 9 1/2 f., G1SW-Ire, G1SW-Eng,
$1,361,940), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
               2nd Dam: Hoity Toity (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
               3rd Dam: Hiwaayati (GB), by Shadeed
O-Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor & Derrick Smith;
B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien. $40,000.
Margins: HF, HF, 1HF. Odds: 5.30, 5.80, 11.50.
Also Ran: Althiqa (GB), Abscond, Viadera (GB), Harvey's Lil Goil, Daddy Is a Legend, Dalika (Ger), Hendy Woods, Star Command, La Signare (Fr). Scratched: Princess Grace.
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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Private Mission Wins Zenyatta, Earns Distaff Berth In Breeders’ Cup

Heavily favored Private Mission, who was originally scheduled to run out of town last weekend, stayed home and was a convincing 2 ¼-length winner of Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Flavien Prat, Private Mission got 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.77 and earned a fees-paid berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 6 as the Zenyatta is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier.

Baffert, who opted to stay home with the 3-year-old Into Mischief filly instead of running in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes near Philadelphia on Sept. 26, ran one-two in the Zenyatta as his As Time Goes By completed the exacta.

Blessed with an abundance of early speed, Private Mission sat just off of pacesetter Samurai Charm in the run up the backside. Prat stepped on the gas leaving the three-furlong marker and Private Mission enjoyed a 2 ½-length advantage turning for home in what appeared to be her best race yet in career start number five.

“I'm happy to run one-two,” said Baffert. “Private Mission, I'm glad I stayed home with her. I decided this would be best for her with the Breeders' Cup in mind, we didn't want to stress her. She's on the improve, getting better and better. I'm really happy with the way both fillies ran.”

A 6 ½-length winner going a flat mile in the G3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 21, Private Mission was off at even money in a field of eight fillies and mares three and up and paid $4.20, $2.40 and $2.20.

“She broke well and got herself into the race,” said Prat, who rode her to her Del Mar win on Aug. 21. “She relaxed well and took a nice breather going to the three-eighths pole and ran good when I asked her to make her move. I thought this race was better than last time, for sure.”

Owned by Baoma Corporation, Private Mission, who is out of the Unbridled mare Private Gift, picked up $120,000 for the win, boosting her earnings to $256,800 while getting her fourth win from five outs. She was bred in Kentucky by Mt. Brilliant Broodmares LLC and sold for $750,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale.

Ridden by John Velazquez, As Time Goes By kept to her task gamely late and in a much improved effort, finished 2 ¼ lengths in front of Miss Bigly. The second choice at 5-2, she paid $2.80 and $2.20.

Miss Bigly, mid-pack early, was easily third, finishing 6 ½ lengths in front of Stellar Sound. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Miss Bigly paid $3.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.21, 46.87, 1:11.45 and 1:36.89.

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United Battles Back From Wide Trip To Defend John Henry Turf Championship Title

Decorated 6-year-old gelding United didn't get the easiest trip in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 2, but he prevailed all the same, clinching his second edition of the stakes race. United and rider Flavien Prat were shuffled back in the early going on the downhill turf course, and settled near the back of the field on the first trip past the stands as Acclimate and Neptune's Storm controlled the pace. Prat kept United off the rail and quietly passed a few horses before taking a breather on the backstretch. The pair made their move even before the final turn, swinging wide and picking off rivals, charging just in time to catch Acclimate and to just top Friar's Road, who was putting in a last-to-first effort.

The final time for the 1 1/4 miles was 1:58.41, with fractional times of :22.70, :46.32, 1:11.42, and 1:35.01. Acclimate held on for second over Friar's Road.

United went off the favorite at odds of 7-5 and paid $4.80, $3.40, and $2.40.

The Richard Mandella trainee came to the race off a fourth place finish in the G2 Del Mar Handicap, where Acclimate just nosed him off the board. His credits from this year include wins in the G2 Eddie Read and G3 San Luis Rey. Last year, he won or finished second in five of six starts, collecting four graded victories but finishing a disappointing eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

The race was he fourth win on the card for Prat, and the second for Mandella and owner LNJ Foxwoods.

United was bred in Kentucky by Rosemont Farm. He is the son of Giant's Causeway and Pulling Punches mare Indy Punches. As a weanling, he sold for $240,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where he was consigned by Trackside Farm and purchased by Glencrest Farm. He went on to the Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale the next year, where he raised $300,000 from purchaser Solis/Litt and was presented by Four Star Sales.

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Dr. Schivel Survives Rein Troubles, Dissects Foes In Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes

What looked like an evenly-matched edition of the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes turned into a clinic on Saturday when the 3-year-old Dr. Schivel bested older foes for a third straight time in what was his most visually impressive effort to date.

The effort will certainly improve Dr. Schivel's standing among the contenders for this year's Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. He'd already earned a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win And You're In” berth to the Sprint by virtue of his victory in the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes on July 31 at Del Mar, and Saturday's race was another “Win And You're In” event.

It was eventful start from the inside post for Dr. Schivel, after a buckle on his rein broke off in the opening jumps. Jockey Flavien Prat grappled with the rein across the backstretch, while also putting his mount in a forward position pressuring early leader Vertical Threat, who started from the second post.

Dr. Schivel went past his foe after an opening quarter in :21.87 seconds, and he never relinquished the lead from that point. Vertical Threat remained within a length of the leader as they passed the half-mile point in :45.07 seconds, well ahead of the rest of the field.

Dr. Schivel was well clear heading into the stretch, and after some mild urging at the top of the straightaway, Prat essentially hand rode the colt to the wire, gearing down at the finish to cross the line 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Flagstaff, who took an inside trip and held on by a nose ahead of a dogged C Z Rocket in third.

Over a fast main track, Dr. Schivel stopped the clock for the six-furlong Santa Anita Sprint Championship in 1:09.44.

Saturday's victory improved Dr. Schivel's record to five wins in seven career starts, and a perfect three-for-three in 2021, with lifetime earnings of $536,000. Mark Glatt trains the colt for owners Red Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and William A. Branch.

Dr. Schivel was bred in Kentucky by William A. Branch and Arnold R. Hill, out of the winning Mining For Money mare Lil Nugget.

To view the full Equibase chart, click here.

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