Both Coasts Host Sunday Stakes Showdowns

By J.N. Campbell

While U.S. television sets await a rainy French Arc Day in the morning, both the right and left North American coasts will emcee three graded stakes races apiece, as Sunday afternoon comes calling. The Big A and The Great Race Place (Aqueduct and Santa Anita, in case you were stationed under a rock) host. The former is accommodating Belmont's Fall Meet, while “Big Sandy” undergoes an extreme makeover tunnel edition; while the latter is back in business under the picturesque mountains and ray filled sun in SoCal.

Howdy Pilgrim…

The Sunday October action begins with the annual renewal of the GII Pilgrim S., going a mile and a sixteenth on the grass. A couple years back this was upgraded from a Grade III to a Grade II, and the 2022 edition promises to be another hallmark. The real prize is a ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland, which is a little more than a month away.

A year after 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front) proved victorious last year in this spot, this year's race includes a well-matched field of a dozen runners. Of course, 'Rising Star' I'm Very Busy (Cloud Computing), is a colt that sparkled in his only race to-date. Flavien Prat used the gears he was handed, and won nicely in one of those tough turf maidens at Saratoga.

However, you cannot overlook the presence of Shug McGaughey and his entry Battle of Normandy (City of Light), a sire that is garnering some major attention. The colt just missed in the GIII With Anticipation S. at the end of August at Saratoga, and he should be ready to offer a devasting late leg kick. One other that merits mention is Graham Motion's Dataman (Tapit). He stretched out nicely at Colonial Downs in August and rallied for the win. Joel Rosario climbs back aboard, riding for a barn that is always dangerous in situations like these.

NYRA Series Filly Finale…

Also on the docket is the final exam for young freshmen fillies. NYRA's series for these types included the GIII Adirondack S. and GI Spinaway S. at Belmont and Saratoga, and now it's time for the capstone-GI Frizette S. The one-mile distance will be one last prep, as the victress moves on the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The major question in the field of seven is was Phil Serpe's Leave No Trace (Outwork) performance a fluke when, at odds of 14-1, she declared victory in the Spinaway? Jose Lezcano has the return call, and the filly will be looking to remain a perfect three for three to prove the doubters wrong.

“Everything is good with her. She had a nice work and all systems go,” said Serpe. “She did it pretty easy. I was surprised looking at the watch how fast she was going. The 58 and change was a work where you're like, 'Wow, this filly is really fast.' Everything is just kind of moving along.”

Standing in her way are Frank Fletcher's American Rockette (American Pharoah) for trainer Bill Mott, and Todd Pletcher's Repole Stable-owned Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke). The latter posted a stellar speed fig when she broke her maiden at Saratoga in mid-August.

“She was impressive. Her debut, the track was very demanding and tough for a first-time starter,” Pletcher said. “She got a little tired late in the race. The second start was more of what we were expecting from her.”

Not to be overlooked is 'TDN Rising Star' The Great Maybe (Upstart), a filly that is looking to capitalize on a nice debut win, dispelling any doubt concerning her name.

“She trained well out of that [race] so we're taking the chance with the one turn mile with her,” said DeVaux. Jockey Javier Castellano continues the hot riding that he exhibited upstate at Saratoga.

This is the Waya…

Glen Kozak and his excellent NYRA ground squad got the Aqueduct turf into shape early, what with the shift over from Belmont. Grass riding traditionally is a November and April activity in Ozone Park, but the lawn is tended and ready for settling and some furious endings.

This year's GIII Fasig-Tipton Waya S. is another distance hurdle for deeper routers, as they traverse the 1 3/8ths. Coming from off-the-pace is in order, unless a runner can control the fractions up front. Chad Brown could rack up a fourth win in a row in this race as he sends out the well-bred Capital Structure (GB) (Lope de Vega (Ire). Another Klaravich Stables runner with budding talent, she lost all chance last time out at Pimlico in a non-graded affair due to saddle slippage. Look for Kelsey Danner's classy Gladys (Medaglia d'Oro) to be an overlay. The full-sister to Rachel Alexandra exits a close fourth in the All Along at Old Hilltop.

The Stoutest of Queens…

The GII Zenyatta S. was re-named in 2012 after what many consider one of the greatest of all-time, male or female. She was regal and magnificent, and most of all, she knew it. Beating up on the boys was her signature, as was guzzling that Guinness Stout. We will not soon forget John Shirreffs' 'Queen.'

These ladies have much to live up to. A compact field of five assembles, with Empire House (Empire Maker), Soothsay (Distorted Humor) and Samurai Charm (First Samurai) all carrying 122 pounds. They will be up against a pair of 3-yr-olds in Midnight Memories (Mastery) and Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist). This is a wide-open affair, and could be seen as anyone's game, as these females seek to wear the crown.

Chillingworth, You Say!…

A graded event since 2014, the GIII Chillingworth S. gives a nod to the longtime director and executive vice president of the Oak Tree Racing Association. Out of these older females, we have a Breeders' Cup celebrity appearance by Mike McCarthy's versatile Ce Ce (Elusive Quality). Her 2021 GI BC Filly & Mare Sprint victory at Del Mar was a masterpiece, and if she is at her best, with Victor Espinoza aboard, then no one in this race is going to be able to catch her by the time the wire arrives.

Tokyo Drift…

Who could forget Big John B, Hard Aces, Hoppertunity, Campaign, and Cupid's Claws when they won the GIII Tokyo City Cup S.? My Racehorse and Spendthrift's own Tizmagician (Tiznow) joined that cadre last year, and the 5-year-old is back once more. What did it take? The ability to track, just behind a good, honest pace. Do that, and you might be able to outlast them all in this drift. A former Bob Baffert runner comes calling. Newgrange (Violence) is now in Phil D'Amato's care. It's his dam side, Bella Chianti by Empire Maker, that could be a clue to his ability to handle this distance test. The same goes for Peter Eurton's Storm the Court (Court Vision), who hasn't run this far on the dirt since the 2020 GI Kentucky Derby. Specialists like John Sadler's Heywoods Beach (Speightstown) and Richard Mandella's Extra Hope (Shanghai Bobby) have the experience and could have the advantage.

Bonus Round…Speakeasy For BC Hopefuls…

The Speakeasy S. might not be graded, but that doesn't mean there are not major implications for the winner. A group of 2-year-olds will be traveling at a high rate of speed on the grass at Santa Anita, looking to book passage to Keeneland for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is not known for his turf horses, although he had a strong one in Du Jour a few years back. His Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) is fast (imagine that), so look for Juan Hernandez to secure the lead early, and hold on tight. T-minus 5 furlongs and counting.

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Gulfstream: Jouster Beats Rachel Alexandra’s Full Sister; Brown Unveils Promising Filly; $1.2 Million Jackpot Guaranteed Wednesday

Starlight Racing's Jouster remained undefeated on grass Sunday at Gulfstream Park, scoring by 1 ¾ lengths over Gladys, a full sister to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, in the Race 7 feature at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track. The race was a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance on turf for 3-year-old fillies..

The Todd Pletcher-trained daughter of Noble Mission, who scored a front-running 8 ¾-length maiden victory in her Jan. 10 turf debut at Gulfstream, again showed the way before holding Gladys at bay through the stretch to prevail as the 1-10 favorite. Jouster, a $360,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling sale, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.56 over a 'good' course after setting fractions of 25:02 and 48:07 for the first half-mile, 1:10.99 for six furlongs and 1:35.57 for a mile.

“I was a little concerned running on soft ground today because she handled the firm ground so well last time. But she dug in and found a little more when she had to despite going quick internal fractions,” Pletcher said. “She got the job done. She's 2-for-2 now on the grass, so we'll try again.”

Dede McGehee's Gladys, who was making her turf debut Sunday, chased Jouster throughout the entry-level optional claiming allowance and made up some ground in the stretch. The Kelsey Danner-trained Gladys, who broke her maiden Oct. 25 at Gulfstream Park West before finishing off the board in the Jan. 1 Cash Run at Gulfstream, was wearing blinkers for the first time for her turf debut.

Trainer Chad Brown unveiled a most promising 3-year-old filly in Sunday's Race 6, a six-furlong sprint won by Peter Brant's Boston Post Road with a thoroughly professional performance. The debuting daughter of Quality Road pressed the early pace before drawing clear by three lengths under Paco Lopez.

Purchased for $525,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, the long-striding Boston Post Road ($8.20) ran six-furlongs in 1:11.68.

 Wednesday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $1.2 Million
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $1.2 million Wednesday at Gulfstream Park.

The Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 10th straight racing day Sunday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $88.36.

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.

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Rachel Alexandra’s Full Sister Gladys Wins Maiden Race At 11-1

Dede McGehee's Gladys, a 2-year-old full sister to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, graduated Sunday at Gulfstream Park West in Miami Gardens, Fla., with an 11-1 upset victory in a mile maiden special weight event carded as Race 5.

The Medaglia d'Oro–Lotta Kim filly roared from off the pace to score a three-length victory in her second career start and first race around two turns. Gladys encountered trouble leaving the starting gate and was never a factor in her Sept. 18 debut at six furlongs.

Gladys, who is trained by Kelsey Danner, ran a mile over a sloppy track in 1:38.80 under jockey Angel Arroyo.

Gladys, who was bred by Mc Gehee's Heaven Trees Farm, is Lotta Kim's eighth foal of racing age. Of course, Rachel Alexandra, who captured the 2009 Preakness (G1), Haskell (G1) and Woodward (G1) on her way to being crowned Thoroughbred racing's champion of 2009, is by far the most accomplished offspring of Lotta Kim.

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Sister to Rachel Alexandra Graduates at Gulfstream Park West

5th-Gulfstream West, $36,000, Msw, 10-25, 2yo, f, 1m, 1:38.80, sy, 3 lengths.
GLADYS (f, 2, Medaglia d’Oro–Lotta Kim {SW & GSP, $146,485}, by Roar) met trouble at the start of her career and sprint debut here Sept. 18, never getting into the mix and finishing eighth. Sent off at 11-1 for her route bow, she was a stalking fourth behind Beyond Heavenly (Uncle Mo), who set  moderate early splits. Angled out several paths wide at the three-sixteenths pole, she took over in the stretch and ran clear to graduate by three lengths over the pacesetter, who bested race favorite My Little Minx (Empire Maker) by an additional four lengths. The winners is a full to Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra (MGISW, $3,506,730)–who is also the dam of Grade I winner Rachel’s Valentine–and a half to Wooderson (Awesome Again), SP, $194,330; Dolphus (Lookin At Lucky), GSP, $211,060. Lotta Kim foaled a Bolt d’Oro colt this term and was bred back to Bernardini. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $22,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Dede McGehee; B-Heaven Trees Farm (KY); T-Kelsey Danner.

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