Tag: GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.

Elite Power Noses Out Gunite In Vanderbilt, Keeps Win Streak Going

Now, that's how you celebrate a birthday.

Champion sprinter Elite Power (Curlin) came charging down the sealed, sloppy stretch at Saratoga to nail Gunite (Gun Runner) by a head in Saturday's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. on Hall of Famer Bill Mott's 70th birthday.

Racing over a wet surface for the first time, the even-money favorite was sixth though an opening quarter in :22.64. He was tipped out by Irad Ortiz, Jr. approaching the quarter pole and set his sights on the aforementioned slight second choice, who enjoyed first run and was beginning to get away. Elite Power was just getting started, however, and kept on motoring home to get there in dramatic fashion to win his eighth straight.

“It looked like Gunite certainly had the jump on him turning for home,” Mott said. “Great, great, great effort on this horse. He's a big, strong horse, heavy horse. He handled (the off track) well, but it doesn't have to be his best surface and I think it's great. There was that question beforehand. You just don't know. It's like trying a new distance for the first time. When you try a new track surface, you just don't know what's going to happen. But class came through.”

Elite Power's winning streak also includes last term's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 5, the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia Feb. 25 and the GII True North S. at Belmont Park June 10.

“For him to put up a streak like this against top competition just really boils down to him being a really good horse,” Mott said. They don't do it by accident.”

Mott added that Elite Power would likely target the GI Forego S. at Saratoga Aug. 26.

Pedigree Notes:

Elite Power, a $900,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Juddmonte, is one of 54 graded winners, 20 at the Grade I level, for the mighty Curlin.

Broodmare sire Vindication, the unbeaten winner of the 2002 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Arlington, is responsible for 12 graded winners, six at the top level.

Elite Power is bred on the same Curlin/Vindication cross as GI Preakness S. winner Exaggerator. Elite Power's dam Broadway's Alibi, a MGSW & GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up and Robsham homebred, brought $2.15 million from Alpha Delta Stables while in foal to Smart Strike at the 2013 KEENOV sale. Broadway's Alibi is also represented by a Curlin colt of 2021.

Elite Power's fourth dam is champion 2-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Eliza (Mt. Livermore). This is also the family of GISW and young sire Dialed In (Mineshaft).

“(The late) Prince Khalid was the one that wanted to win the Kentucky Derby,” Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke said. “We bought this guy by Curlin out of a mare that was second in the Kentucky Oaks. That was our dream. But this is a very, very good consolation prize. That was Prince Khalid's idea and dream at the time, but now we've moved on to his sons who are taking a tremendous interest and they're the ones carrying this forward. I'm thanking them for the point of view of Juddmonte and I think it's great for the whole legacy of Juddmonte that they're carrying it through.”

 

Saturday, Saratoga
ALFRED G. VANDERBILT H.-GI, $350,000, Saratoga, 7-29, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.22, sy.
1–ELITE POWER, 126, h, 5, by Curlin
           1st Dam: Broadway's Alibi (MGSW & GISP, $521,500), by Vindication
           2nd Dam: Broadway Gold, by Seeking the Gold
           3rd Dam: Miss Doolittle, by Storm Cat
($900,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Juddmonte; B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $192,500. Lifetime Record: Ch. Sprinter, 11-8-0-1, $2,635,711. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gunite, 124, c, 4, Gun Runner–Simple Surprise, by Cowboy Cal. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $70,000.
3–Dean Delivers, 120, g, 4, Cajun Breeze–Slick and True, by Yes It's True. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Stonehedge LLC (FL); T-Michael Yates. $42,000.
Margins: HD, 6 1/4, 5. Odds: 1.10, 1.20, 9.50.
Also Ran: Gun It, Synthesis, Awesome Aaron, Little Vic.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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A Jim Dandy Of A Graded Stakes Weekend

Equine or human, history is always about the six degrees of someone in racing's world. For instance, at 100-1 Jim Dandy beat Triple Crown champion Gallant Fox in the 1930 edition of the Travers S., which only featured four entries total.

The horse who set up the longshot by engaging in a speed duel with the favorite over the mud was Whichone, a colt owned by Harry Payne Whitney (yes, that important family). And what other Thoroughbred did Whitney own? Well, that would be Upset, who did just that, when he handed the great Man o' War his only career loss. And that is a minor example of a nexus.

As part of the Saratoga weekend card, it seems fitting that Saturday's GII Jim Dandy S. is the main prep for next month's GI Travers S. Horse racing, like life, always reflects irony of some type.

In this year's edition, Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) isn't going to be 100-1. However, compared to the experience of GIII Matt Winn S. victor and 'TDN Rising Star' Disarm (Gun Runner), Eclipse champion 2-year-old and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), who will be wearing first-time blinkers, Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the GIII Withers S. and second in the GII Wood Memorial S., and GI Arkansas Derby star and GI Kentucky Derby third Angel of Empire (Classic Empire), the 3-year-old colt has something to prove after running second last time out in the GIII Dwyer S. July 1 at Belmont Park. The Brad Cox trainee passed the eye test in his debut at Keeneland in April and against allowance company May 21 at Churchill Downs.

Not to be missed on the Saratoga Saturday card is another race with historical connections in spades. This year's GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. will feature a rematch from February's G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia in which the reigning Eclipse champion dirt sprinter and GISW Elite Power (Curlin) stepped away as GISW Gunite (Gun Runner) gave chase for second. The $900,000 Keeneland September buy built on that win with another impressive display in the GII True North S.

Elite Power | Sarah Andrew

Elite Power worked a half mile alone in :51.22 Sunday over the Oklahoma training track in a breeze that Mott indicated was similar to the chestnut's half-mile work in :51.11 on Oct. 28 over the same surface ahead of his Breeders' Cup victory. “That's him by himself,” Mott said. “He's run well off of those kind of works right before his races. He did that in Saudi. He was working :51 before he won the Breeders' Cup. He wouldn't wow anyone when he's working by himself.”

Looking elsewhere on Saturday in North America, Monmouth Park will card its own Oaks. The Grade III includes Promiseher America (American Pharoah) from Ray Handal's stable and Occult (Into Mischief), who was last seen running third to MGISW Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in the GI Acorn S. on the Belmont S. undercard.

In the wake of cancellations due to heat the past couple of days, Woodbine Racetrack will hope to run the GII Seagram Cup for 3-year-olds and up. Tyson (Tapit) will garner much attention since the 4-year-old gray colt won the GIII Dominion Day S. last time out for trainer Josie Carroll.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will have plenty of action to contribute as their program includes the GII San Diego H. and the GI Bing Crosby S., which offers a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' voucher for the GI BC Qatar Racing Sprint.

Both Del Mar races sport field sizes of 10-plus. The San Diego includes MGISW Defunded (Dialed In), who won Santa Anita's GI Gold Cup May 29 and will carry the most weight here at 125. With 12 hopefuls entered for the Bing Crosby, Anarchist (Distorted Humor) returns to California after running second to Elite Power in the GII True North S. The 4-year-old colt will face some veteran runners in G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Sibelius (Not This Time) and MGISW and '21 winner Dr. Schivel (Violence).

Rebel's Romance works at Saratoga | Sarah Andrew

Shifting to Sunday, not to be missed on the stakes slate are a pair of Grade IIs for 3-year-olds and up over the turf. Saratoga's Bowling Green S. has enticed GI Breeders' Cup Turf conqueror Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for trainer Charlie Appleby. Last seen running a well-beaten seventh in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March, the 5-year-old gelding will look to get his second half of his season off on the right foot.

“He's a well-traveled horse; Germany, Keeneland, England and Dubai,” said Appleby's traveling assistant Chris Connett. “He's traveled this trip pretty well and he's settled in good shape. He's a typical Dubawi, he's got better with age. He's a big horse that's really grown into his frame. Hopefully, we'll get to see him at his best on Sunday.”

Count Again | Horsephotos

Meanwhile the Eddie Read S. at Del Mar includes four entries from Phil D'Amato's shedrow, including MGISW Count Again (Awesome Again), winner last time out of the GI Shoemaker Mile S. May 30 at Santa Anita Park, and MGSW Balnikov (Ire) (Adaay {Ire}), who is looking to bounce back after finishing eighth in that same race. The competitive Leo Powell trainee and MGSW Dicey Mo Chara (GB) (Adaay {Ire}) goes out for a barn that won last weekend's GII San Clemente S. The 5-year-old gelding's last start yielded a finished third-place finish at Santa Anita May 13 in the GIII San Luis Rey S.

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GISW Lexitonian Represented By First Foal

GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. winner Lexitonian (Speightstown) was represented by his first foal Sunday. The filly, out of a half-sister to dual Eclipse winner Roy H. (More Than Ready), was born at Calumet Farm.

“We've been excited to see the foals for our homebred Lexitonian and are delighted that the first one is born at Calumet,” said Eddie Cane, general manager of Calumet. “She has a lot of leg, good bone, and is well balanced.”

Lexitonian stands at Lane's End for a fee of $7,500.

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Jackie’s Warrior Makes History in Vanderbilt

Champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) made history in jaw-dropping fashion in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga Saturday, becoming the first horse to win Grade I races in three consecutive seasons at the upstate New York track.

The exceptionally fast 1-5 favorite backed off after leading in the early stages and let 22-1 outsider Doc Amster (Midshipman) set the pace. Guided to the outside of that overmatched rival by Joel Rosario, the $95,000 KEESEP yearling graduate cruised up with devastating ease to hit the front approaching the quarter pole.

Kept well out in the clear at the top of the stretch, Jackie's Warrior simply cantered home under a hammer lock to dominate by a deceptive two lengths. Kneedeepinsnow (Flat Out), a savvy $80,000 claim back in April, ran on well to complete the exacta.

Jackie's Warrior, now five-for-five at Saratoga, won the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at two and a memorable throwdown over the brilliant Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in last summer's GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S.

“Unbelievably relieved,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I was made aware that if he wins today, he's the only horse ever to win a Grade I three years in a row at Saratoga. Saratoga–the great racehorses that have won here and he's the only one to do that. I just can't say how much I have wanted that for him and am proud of it and Jackie's Warrior has done it.”

He continued, “He's the whole package. He just has a tremendous amount of ability and confidence in himself. A game horse.”

A disappointing sixth as the heavy favorite in last November's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, the J. Kirk and Judy Robison colorbearer has been perfect in four attempts since having a knee chip removed ahead of his 4-year-old season.

His 2022 campaign also includes wins in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 7 and GII True North S. at Belmont last time June 10. The GI Forego S. at Saratoga Aug. 27 will be next.

“We've mapped out his races this year when he came back in training,” Asmussen said. “We expect to run him back here in the Forego and the Breeders' Cup Sprint [in November at Keeneland]. Those will be his last two races and then he is off to Spendthrift for his stud career.”

Pedigree Notes:

A sole North American crop for U.S. MGSP and Chilean sire A. P. Five Hundred led to the birth of hard-knocking 19-time winner Unicorn Girl, who brought $45,000 as an OBS 2-year-old in 2007. The next time the hammer fell on an official sale for her was in 2020 at Keeneland November, when her price was upped–as the dam of Jackie's Warrior, at that time a MGISW 2-year-old colt–to $850,000 from buyer Arthur Hoyeau. Unicorn Girl didn't have a 2021 foal, but produced a Mar. 18 filly by Into Mischief this year and has been bred back to Quality Road. Her 2-year-old American Pharoah colt, who brought $600,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale from M.V. Magnier, has not been named but is nearing a race, having last worked at Saratoga July 24, getting five furlongs in 1:00.25 (2/27). Jackie's Warrior is currently the only U.S. black-type winner out of a daughter of A. P. Five Hundred, although his daughters have also produced two Chilean stakes winners.

Hill 'n' Dale's Maclean's Music, who made the most of his one career race start with a 114 Beyer for the win, has 25 black-type winners from his seven crops of racing age. Jackie's Warrior is one of his six graded winners and one of his four Grade I winners. The powerful nick of Maclean's Music's sire, Distorted Humor, over A. P. Five Hundred's sire, A.P. Indy, is well recognized and both Jackie's Warrior and Maclean's Music's GI Preakness S. winner Cloud Computing follow that formula.

Saturday, Saratoga
ALFRED G. VANDERBILT H.-GI, $350,000, Saratoga, 7-30, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.74, ft.
1–JACKIE'S WARRIOR, 127, c, 4, by Maclean's Music
                1st Dam: Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred
                2nd Dam: Horah for Bailey, by Doneraile Court
                3rd Dam: Horah for the Lady, by Rahy
($95,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-J. Kirk & Judy Robison; B-J & J
Stables (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario. $192,500.
Lifetime Record: Ch. Male Sprinter, 16-12-1-1, $2,667,164.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
2–Kneedeepinsnow, 117, g, 6, Flat Out–Michelleinhearts, by
Lion Heart. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($42,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; $130,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Jeremy
Sussman, Ten Strike Racing & Cory Moelis Racing LLC; B-BWB
Bloodstock, LLC & WDS Bloodstock (KY); T-Matt A. Shirer.
$70,000.
3–Willy Boi, 120, g, 4, Uncaptured–Shining Moment, by
Yes It's True. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($40,000 2yo '20 OBSOCT).
O-Bill Cosgrove; B-Ocala Stud & William J. Terrell (FL); T-Jorge
Delgado. $42,000.
Margins: 2, 3, 1. Odds: 0.25, 22.40, 8.00.
Also Ran: Ny Traffic, Doc Amster, Long Range Toddy.
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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