go big blue nation | Horse Racing Free Tips

Go Big Blue Nation and Rideforthecause, two campaigners with similar come-from-behind running styles, will represent trainer Michael McCarthy in Sunday's $75,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes for fillies and mares three and up at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

Both are coming out of the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes on May 8, where Rideforthecause was beaten a nose by Neige Blanche and Go Big Blue Nation was fourth, 2 ½ lengths behind her stablemate.

“Rideforthecause has a bit of a class edge (on Go Big Blue Nation),” McCarthy allowed, alluding to her last five races being graded events.

“She was unlucky to get beat last time (getting out-bobbed), but they're both training well. They have similar styles but the distance seems to suit both of them.”

Rideforthecause, a five-year-old Candy Ride mare owned by Alpha Beta Delta Stables, was fourth in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine last Oct. 18 and won the Grade 2 Canadian at the Toronto track last Sept. 12.

The Possibly Perfect will be only the third stakes start in 16 races for Go Big Blue Nation, a four-year-old daughter of 2011 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom owned by Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC.

The Possibly Perfect is named for the multiple Grade 1 winner that won 11 of 18 starts with two seconds and four thirds, earning $1,377,634 in the early and mid-1990's, when trained by the late Bobby Frankel.

As to Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner and third-place Grade 1 Belmont Stakes finisher Rombauer, McCarthy said, “He's doing very well. He's in light training right now but we have nothing being considered for his next race.”

The Possibly Perfect will be presented as the ninth race on Sunday's card. The field includes Lady Noguez, Kent Desormeaux, 20-1; Go Big Blue Nation, Flavien Prat, 5-2; Dogtag, Umberto Rispoli, 9-5; Dynapower, Tiago Pereira, 50-1; Neige Blanche, Juan Hernandez, 3-1; Catch the Eye, Abel Cedillo, 15-1; Rideforthecause, Mario Gutierrez, 4-1; and Kuora, Trevor McCarthy, 10-1.

The post McCarthy To Start Rideforthecause, Go Big Blue Nation In Possibly Perfect Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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LNJ Foxwoods' Tapwater heads a field of eight fillies and mares going a marathon mile and one half on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Tapwater will be making her second career graded stakes appearance.

Trainer Michael McCarthy's recent allowance winner Go Big Blue Nation will also be making her second stakes appearance and will command considerable attention with turf ace Umberto Rispoli aboard for the first time and McCarthy's Rideforthecause, a Grade 2 winner in Canada this past September, could also figure prominently as the leading money earner in the field.

A 5-year-old mare by Tapit, out of the Indian Charlie mare Fiji Moon, Tapwater was most recently fourth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by highly respected Charmaine's Mia going one mile on turf in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita on April 3. A sharp classified allowance winner going a mile on grass two starts back on Feb. 12 with Flavien Prat, she'll be reunited with the meet's leading man on Saturday and will be stretching out off of six consecutive races at one mile.

Tapwater, who will be making her third start of the year, brings an overall mark of 9-3-2-0 and earnings of $154,940.

Owned by Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC, Go Big Blue Nation flew late under apprentice Alexis Centeno to win a second condition allowance on April 4 at a mile and one quarter on turf by a half length and will hope to employ similar tactics when ridden by Rispoli for the first time on Saturday. Claimed out of a maiden $75,000 win eight starts back on Jan. 12, 2020, Go Big Blue Nation, a 4-year-old filly by Animal Kingdom, earned a career best 87 Beyer Speed figure and rates a huge chance stretching out a quarter of a mile.

Trained in Canada by Gail Cox, Rideforthecause was an even sixth, beaten 2 ½ lengths by multiple graded stakes winner Mucho Unusual in her first start for McCarthy, the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes at a mile one eighth on turf Dec. 27. Subsequently seventh, beaten seven lengths in an even effort by Charmaine's Mia in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine, Rideforthecause will be ridden for the second time in a row by Mario Gutierrez.

A winner of the Grade 2 Canadian at a mile and one eighth over the Woodbine turf four starts back on Sept. 12, Rideforthecause was subsequently fourth as the 5-2 favorite in Woodbine's Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes Oct. 18 and will hope to regain her Canadian form in the Santa Barbara.

Phil D'Amato's Carpe Vinum, a close third to Go Big Blue Nation April 4, pressed the pace and was fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths two starts back going a mile and one half on turf in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes Jan. 17 and thus rates a solid chance in what will be her third start of the meet. Owned by MyRacehorse and Joey Platts, Carpe Vinum, a 4-year-old daughter of Carpe Diem, will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Jose Valdivia, Jr.

GRADE III SANTA BARBARA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Catch the Eye—Kent Desormeaux—122
Rideforthecause—Mario Gutierrez—124
Tapwater—Flavien Prat—122
Carpe Vinum—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—122
Star of Africa—Abel Cedillo—122
Neige Blanche—Juan Hernandez—124
Go Big Blue Nation—Umberto Rispoli—122
Dynapower—Cesar Ortega—122

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Tapwater, McCarthy Duo Top Marathon Santa Barbara Lineup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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