Grand Sonata Leads 1-2 Pletcher Finish In Dania Beach; ‘Field Filler’ Alittleloveandluck Takes Ginger Brew

The photo-finish ending to Saturday's $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park was one that trainer Todd Pletcher never had to sweat. That's because the one-two finishers — Grand Sonata and Chanceux — are both in the care of the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track's leading trainer each of the past 18 years.

“I felt bad for the other horse, though,” Pletcher said of front-running Chanceux after Grand Sonata nipped his stablemate at the wire in the one-mile turf stakes. “He ran his heart out. Just got nailed the last jump. But both horses ran great.”

Under jockey Tyler Gaffalione, Grand Sonata put in a determined bid in late stretch to barely get past Chanceux.

“He's got a tremendous turn of foot, so we were relying on that,” Gaffalione said. “I could tell around the turn I had a ton of horse.”

Jockey Luis Saez sent Chanceux through soft opening fractions and nearly had enough left in the tank at the end to prevail. But Grand Sonata was just a tick better, closing late to get his head in front at the wire for his first stakes win.

Grand Sonata, a 3-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro and owned by Whisper Hill Farm LLC, was coming off a troubled fifth-place effort Nov. 27 in the Central Park Stakes at Aqueduct.

“He had a really rough trip last time at Aqueduct,” Pletcher said. “It cost him. He was stuck down inside and couldn't get extricated until late.”

Pletcher said he has no immediate plans for Grand Sonata and didn't dismiss the possibility of putting him back on dirt in his next start. The colt broke his maiden on the dirt at Keeneland in October.

“It's something we'll look into,” Pletcher. said. “I just think, as a young horse, he's been a little better on the turf. But he's got a dirt pedigree and at some point we might step out. They've also got a great turf program here, so you hate not to take advantage of it.”

Alittleloveandluck kicks in late to capture $100,000 Ginger Brew Stakes
Alittleloveandluck was both good and — and just a little lucky — on Saturday in winning the $100,000 Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

That's because owner and trainer Mike Dini never intended to race the 3-year-old filly in the mile turf stakes and did so only because the track racing office talked him into it in order to fill the race.

“They were short on horses,” Dini said.

Dini's good fortune paid off in the form of the gray filly's 1half-length victory over Ocean Safari. Even-money favorite Opalina was third in the field of seven. Jockey Paco Lopez gave the filly a ground-saving trip before powering past four horses in the stretch for the win.

Dini felt Alittleloveandluck was destined for turf racing but began to have his doubts when the Florida-bred daughter of Arrogate failed to hit the board in either of her first two career turf starts.

She broke maiden on Nov. 12 at Gulfstream in what was his fourth career start, and first on Tapeta.

When the Gulfstream racing office called to see if he would try her once again on turf in the Ginger Brew, Dini figured why not?

“I said, well, I might as well try her one more time on the grass with a short field,” Dini said.

Now, Dini said he intends to keep her on grass, at least for the time being.

The post Grand Sonata Leads 1-2 Pletcher Finish In Dania Beach; ‘Field Filler’ Alittleloveandluck Takes Ginger Brew appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Strategy Queen Chasing Third Straight Win In Ginger Brew

All In Line Stables' homebred filly Strategy Queen, coming off back-to-back victories, will get the chance to make it three straight as she steps up and stretches out on a new surface for her stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., Strategy Queen has yet to race on turf or beyond 5 ½ furlongs through four races. Her first two starts came on dirt, finishing fourth following a slow start in her Aug. 13 unveiling then running second after a prolonged duel with Rapturous in a Sept. 11 maiden claimer.

Strategy Queen has put together her win streak over Gulfstream's Tapeta surface, graduating by three-quarters of a length in a Sept. 30 maiden special weight before returning for a nose triumph over winners in a Nov. 19 optional claiming allowance. All of her races have come at Gulfstream.

“She's won two in a row and she's doing good. The mile is going to be a question mark, obviously, and the turf. I think she'll handle the turf, but the question will be the distance. Can she stay the mile?” Joseph said. “She's obviously never done it. She acts like she could, but until they do you never know for sure.

“She's going from two sprints to a mile. She's a filly that's kind of leggy and built long, so she looks more like a miler than a sprinter,” he added. “Sometimes they trick you into thinking they want further and they don't really want it. We feel like she can get the mile. It's a step up in class, too, but we feel like it's worth a try.”

Joseph also entered Vesgo Racing Stable homebred Li Li Bear off a maiden special weight victory Oct. 28 at Gulfstream in her first start for the trainer and first on Tapeta. Prior to that she raced twice on the dirt at Saratoga, running fourth to Echo Zulu July 15 and sixth behind Jester Calls Nojoy Sept. 5. Echo Zulu went on to win the Hopeful (G1), Frizette (G1) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to compete a perfect season, while Jester Calls Nojoy was sixth in the Frizette and most recently second in the Maryland Juvenile Fillies Dec. 18 at Laurel Park.

“She ran two races in Saratoga with [trainer] Phil Gleaves and then we got her,” Joseph said. “Her first race was very good when she ran into Echo Zulu. We put her on the Tapeta because we had no grass then and she won. She acts like she'll stretch out, also. She'll be stretching out for the first time but she acts like she will. She's a filly that we think a lot of her.”

Strategy Queen will be ridden by Junior Alvarado from the rail in a field of seven, while Li Li Bear will have the services of Tyler Gaffalione from Post 2.

Teneri Farm and J Stables' Opalina returns to South Florida following a road trip to Kentucky where the daughter of Optimizer closed to be fifth, beaten 1 ½ lengths, after a troubled start in the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine (G2) Oct. 13 over a Keeneland turf rated good. She raced three times prior at Gulfstream for trainer Roderick Rodriguez, running second twice before breaking her maiden against state-breds on yielding ground Sept. 17.

Soldi Stable and Ohana Racing's Ocean Safari is also a maiden special weight winner over the Gulfstream turf. Her victory came sprinting 7 ½ furlongs over good ground Sept. 10 and was followed by a third-place finish in a one-mile, 70-yard optional claiming allowance on the Tapeta Oct. 17, her most recent effort.

Also entered are Alittleloveandluck, exiting a Nov. 12 maiden special weight triumph on the Tapeta at Gulfstream; Louella Street, a Sept. 16 winner over Laurel Park's world-class turf course who finished off the board in the Nov. 28 Tepin at Aqueduct; and maiden Lady Puchi.

The post Strategy Queen Chasing Third Straight Win In Ginger Brew appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Con Lima Never Looks Back Winning Ginger Brew At Gulfstream

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro and Troy Johnson's Con Lima continued to show her affinity for the turf with a front-running triumph in Saturday's $75,000 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The one-mile Ginger Brew for 3-year-old fillies was the fourth of five stakes worth $400,000 in purses on an 11-race program highlighted by Mutasaabeq's victory in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man for 3-year-olds, the start of Gulfstream's road to the March 28 Florida Derby (G1).

It was the first career stakes victory for Con Lima ($6.20), a daughter of Commissioner who finished second in back-to-back stakes taken off the turf last fall – the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga and Our Dear Peggy at Gulfstream. The winning time was 1:35.23 over a firm turf course.

“I think she's a quality filly that handles both surfaces, but definitely seems to have found her home especially on the Gulfstream turf course here,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “She's got good natural speed and it played to her strengths today.”

A similar gate-to-wire winner in her grass debut going one mile on the Gulfstream turf Dec. 12, Con Lima was once again eager for the lead in the Ginger Brew under jockey Paco Lopez, setting fractions of 23.95 seconds for the first quarter-mile and 47.55 for the half, pressed to her outside by Karakatsie with Inthewinnerscircle rating inside.

Karakatsie moved within a half-length on the turn but Con Lima remained in control and began to separate from the field once straightened for home, running six furlongs in 1:11.45 and drawing clear by 3 ¼ lengths. Honey Pants, the 3-2 favorite, edged Designer Ready for second while I Get It, who got squeezed far back early, rallied late to get up for fourth, snapping her three-race win streak. Inthewinnerscircle, Karakatsie, Viking Queen and Sweet Pearl completed the order of finish.

“Todd told me to judge the race, if she was keen to go or if we needed to sit behind, to go with her,” Lopez said. “She broke well and was a little strong. I had to hold her a little bit, but no one pressured us. I couldn't believe it, so I let her go and my filly finished very well.”

Con Lima now has two wins and two seconds in four starts since joining Pletcher's string last summer. Pletcher had three wins on the day, including Mutasaabeq in the Mucho Macho Man and 3-year-old maiden Winfromwithin in Race 8.

“We handle her carefully. She's got a lot of energy and we try to keep it channeled in the right direction,” Pletcher said of Con Lima. “She was actually very good in the paddock today. We stayed inside and stayed with the pony. She warmed up really nice, was good in the gate and broke alertly, and kind of towed Paco around there. He had a tougher time getting her back to the winner's circle than he did around the track.”

The post Con Lima Never Looks Back Winning Ginger Brew At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Romans Has Trio Nominated To Jan. 2 Mucho Macho Man At Gulfstream Park

Albaugh Family Stables LLC's Smiley Sobotka and Sittin On Go are prominent on the list of nominations for the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man, a one-turn mile stakes that will kick off the Road to the Florida Derby (G1) for newly turned 3-year-olds Jan. 2 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Mucho Macho Man will headline a program with four other stakes that will be renewed this year Lasix-free, including the $75,000 Ginger Brew, the $75,000 Dania Beach, the $75,000 Limehouse, and the $75,000 Glitter Woman.

Dale Romans-trained Smiley Sobotka and Sittin On Go are both sons of Albaugh Family Stables LLC's Brody's Cause, whom Romans saddled for victories in the 2015 Breeders' Futurity (G1) and 2016 Blue Grass (G1).

Smiley Sobotka followed up a dominating maiden score at Keeneland with a close-up second in the Nov. 28 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill last time out. The Ontario-bred colt was pressured while setting or prompting the pace from the inside throughout the 1 1/16-mile race but held gamely to finish less than a length behind Keepmeinmind.

Sittin On Go finished an even sixth in the Kentucky Jockey Club and finished well back in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland, but the Kentucky-bred colt had won his previous two races, including the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill.

Romans is also represented on the list of nominations by Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister's Ultimate Badger, who finished off the board in the Kentucky Jockey Club.

Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq, a winner on both turf and dirt, is also a Mucho Macho Man nominee with a high profile. After 4 ½-length debut winner and third-place finisher over Saratoga's main track, Mutasaabeq earned graded-stakes status with a going-away 2 ½-length romp in the Bourbon (G2) over Keeneland's turf course. The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Into Mischief turned in a disappointing off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland in his 2020 finale. Mutasaabeq is also nominated to the Dania Beach and the Limehouse.

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Stonestreet Stables LLC's Likeable, an impressive maiden winner at Belmont prior to finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland, is also nominated.

Trainer Gustavo Delgado is represented on the noms list by a pair of impressive debut winners, OGMA Investments LLC and Off the Hook LLC's Jirafales and Top Racing LLC's Ocean Ride. Jirafales overcame a jump at the start of his Gulfstream Park West debut to pull away by nearly five lengths Nov. 19. Ocean Ride overcame the rail post, a slow start and a bump to graduate at first asking at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 28. Both colts are also nominated to the Limehouse.

Breeze Easy LLC's Easy Time, a Mark Casse-trained son of Not This Time, has been nominated to the Mucho Macho Man off a strong debut score at Woodbine.

Alex and Joanne Lieblong's Big Thorn, a David Fawkes-trained son of The Big Beast, earned a Mucho Macho Man nomination while winning the Gulfstream Park West Juvenile Sprint by 4 ½ lengths.

Trainer Kathy Ritvo, who saddled Mucho Macho Man for a victory in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita in 2013, is represented on the noms list by Raison d'Air, who graduated by 13 ½ lengths before finishing fourth in the Armed Forces. Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, who campaigned Mucho Macho Man, owns Raison d'Air.

The Ginger Brew, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, drew 20 nominations, including multiple stakes-placed Con Lima, a Pletcher-trained daughter of Commissioner who scored by more than five lengths in her recent turf debut at Gulfstream.

The Dania Beach, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds attracted 21 nominations, including Patricia's Hope LLC's Like a Saltshaker, who finished second in the Awad on turf at Belmont two starts back and previously won a stakes over Presque Isle Downs' synthetic surface.

The Limehouse, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, received 18 including a trio of highly promising colts trained by Saffie Joseph Jr.

The Glitter Woman, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, draw 17 nominations, including Mark Casse-trained Dirty Dangle, a stakes winner at Woodbine before finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly Turf (G1).

Three stakes will ring in the New Year on the Jan. 1 program – the $75,000 Cash Run, a mile stakes for fillies and mares, the $75,000 Abundantia, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, and the $75,000 Janus, a five-furlong turf dash for 4-year-olds and up.

Saturday Rainbow 6 Guarantee $400,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 will have a guaranteed pool of $400,000 when racing resumes Saturday, Dec. 26.

The sequence will begin with the H. Allen Jerkens at two miles and include the Tropical Park Derby and Tropical Park Oaks.

The jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

The post Romans Has Trio Nominated To Jan. 2 Mucho Macho Man At Gulfstream Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights