Tag: goddess of fire

Charge It Out of Travers; Nest Exits Alabama in Good Order

There was both positive and negative news coming out of the Todd Pletcher barn Sunday morning, as 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit) will be forced to miss next Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S., but GI Alabama S. romper Nest (Curlin) was in fine fettle after her Saturday romp.

Whisper Hill homebred Charge It, a jaw-dropping 23-length winner of the GIII Dwyer S. at Belmont July 2, missed a scheduled breeze Saturday morning due to a front right foot abscess and galloped Sunday morning.

“He galloped super, but you could tell jogging back he was a little bit tender on it,” Pletcher said. “It's one of those things where if we didn't need to breeze again, we might be able to get it healed up before the race, but needing to get another work into him, it's just unfortunate timing.”

Charge It could resurface in the Sept. 24 GI Pennsylvania Derby.

“That's our next possible target, but the foot is going to dictate when he's going to be ready to breeze again,” Pletcher said.

Nest, meanwhile, was no worse for wear after her 4 1/4-length likely Eclipse-cinching Alabama tally.

“I thought [the Alabama] was more impressive watching the replay because watching it live, I couldn't fully appreciate how quickly she accelerated off the turn there,” Pletcher said. “I was impressed watching it live and even more so watching the replay. Especially the start.”

Despite some clamoring for her to take on males, Nest–who previously took the July 23 GI Coaching Club American Oaks after seconds in the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Belmont S., will likely stick to races for females for the time being. Pletcher said she could train up to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 5, or possibly run in the GI Cotillion S. Sept. 24 or GII Beldame S. or GI Juddmonte Spinster S. Oct. 9.

“I think we just stay against our own gender for right now,” Pletcher said. “Things can change in this game. If there's a few defections along the way, who knows? But for right now, I think we're focused about running against fillies.”

Pletcher also trains Alabama third finisher Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft), who is likely for Parx's Cotillion.

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First Samurai’s Tarabi Too Strong In Wilton S.

LBD Stable, Manganaro Bloodstock and David Ingordo's Tarabi (First Samurai) rallied down the center of Saratoga main track and finished strongly to take out Thursday's Wilton S., the first race contested out of the reconstructed Wilson Chute at Saratoga.

Off as the 6-5 chalk, the $240,000 Keeneland September graduate was content to lay second through the early exchanges as Angitude (Violence), a bit reticent to load, showed the way in her first attempt at a distance of ground. Tarabi began to zero in on the front-runner as the field approached the stretch, grabbed that one with about a furlong to travel and prevailed by three-quarters of a length. Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) finished with interest at the rail to complete a chalky exacta ahead of Angitude in third.

A full-sister to Shivaji, a Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed turf sprinter and $2.1-million earner on the ultra-competitive Japan Racing Association circuit, Tarabi earned a lofty 79 Beyer in decimating a group of Ellis Park maidens at first asking last August, then ran into 'TDN Rising Star' and eventual champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in her next two, finishing runner-up in this track's GI Spinaway S. and again in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The chestnut tuned up for this return to stakes company with a sound runner-up effort in a seven-furlong allowance over the Churchill main track June 18.

A 35th black-type winner for Claiborne's underrated First Samurai, Tarabi is out of an unraced daughter of Grade II winner Buy the Barrel, also the dam of MSP Stave (Ghostzapper) and English MGSP Mise En Rose (War Front). The winner's 2-year-old half-brother Gunner Bay (Gun Runner) was purchased by Robert and Lawana Low for $250,000 out of last year's Keeneland September Sale, and Indian Bay is also responsible for a yearling Kantharos filly. The mare was most recently covered by Authentic.

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Derby and Oaks Workers Active on Both Coasts

A trio of GI Kentucky Derby contenders put in their final works ahead of next weekend's Run for the Roses. The only one of the three to work at Churchill Downs was GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Zandon (Upstart).

Working on his own at 7:30 a.m. over a fast track with regular morning partner Kriss Bon aboard, the Chad Brown pupil completed the five furlongs in 1:00.40 (7/43). Churchill Downs clockers caught Zandon in fractions of :12.80, :25, :36.80, 1:00.40 and out in 1:12.80 and 1:26.40.

“I just didn't want to take any chances with the weather forecast, even though it looks better for tomorrow,” Brown said. “The track is in fabulous shape. You're not going to get a better track to train over than we got this morning.

 

 

 

Working about the same time at Gulfstream Park was GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth winner Simplification (Not This Time), who worked five furlongs in 1:00.44 (1/10) for trainer Antonio Sano over a muddy track. Junior Alvarado was aboard for the work.

“I'm very happy with the work,” Sano said. “He went very easy and handled everything. The jockey said he was better than last week. It was a really, really good work for the horse…I am 100% confident in my horse. I know the race is very strong, but I'm confident in the horse. I think this is a better horse than Gunnevera (Dialed In).”

A few hours later at Santa Anita, Messier (Empire Maker), the runner-up in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, worked six furlongs in 1:11.60 for trainer Tim Yakteen.

Six GI Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders had their final works Friday morning, including the Todd Pletcher-trained trip of Nest (Curlin) (4f :48.60), Shahama (Munnings) (5f 1:01.2) and Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) (5f 1:01) for next Friday's $1.25 million race over a fast track.

Working first during the 7:30-7:45 a.m. training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks runners was GI Central Bank Ashland S. victress Nest with Irad Ortiz in the irons. Working in company, Nest produced fractions of :24.20 and :48.60 and galloped out in 1:01 and 1:14.

“It's 21 days after the Ashland and it was a solid work,” Pletcher said. “She finished good and galloped out strong.”

 

 

 

Working together were GII Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up Goodess of Fire with Humberto Zamora aboard and G3 UAE Oaks winner Shahama with Oaks rider Flavien Prat aboard.

Shahama was on the inside with fractions of :25.40, :37.20, :49.20, 1:01.20 and out in 1:13.60, 1:26.20 and 1:40.40. Goddess of Fire had fractions of :25.20, :37, :49, 1:01 and out in 1:13.40, 1:26 and 1:40.20.

“I wanted them to do a little more than Nest,” Pletcher said. “They both finished well and galloped out strong.”

GII Fair Grounds Oaks runner-up Hidden Connection (Connect) breezed a half-mile in :50.20 for trainer Bret Calhoun Friday at Churchill under jockey Reylu Gutierrez.

“Her work last week was great and today, even though it was easier, it was just as impressive,” Gutierrez said.

GII Rachel Alexandra S. heroine Turnerloose (Nyquist) covered five panels in 1:01.20 under exercise rider Edvin Vargas.

“She's fit and ready to go,” trainer Brad Cox simply stated.

Also on the Churchill worktab was GIII Gazelle S. runner-up Venti Valentine (Firing Line). She worked five furlongs in 1:00.80, with splits of :13, :24.80 and :36.80, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.

“That's the way she gallops,” said Francisco Abreu, brother to trainer Jorge Abreu, who supervised the filly's workout. “The first part, she's a little anxious, then she calms down a little. It was just a maintenance work for her; she had a strong final work was a week ago.”

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Mind Control on Track for Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stable's multiple Grade I winner Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) has been confirmed on target for the Nov. 6 GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile following a five-furlong work in 1:01.55 (7/19) over the training track at Belmont Park Friday.

“Mind Control put in an excellent solo breeze and galloped out strongly,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He finished out in 1:14.33, 1:27.09, and got the mile in 1:41.71. Mind Control will ship to California Oct. 31 to put in his final preparations for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.”

John Velazquez will have the mount in the Breeders' Cup, Red Oak Farm racing and operations manager Rick Sacco confirmed.

The day before his Breeders' Cup engagement, Mind Control's juvenile half-sister, Red Oak homebred Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft) will make her third lifetime start in the Tempted S. at Aqueduct.

“Goddess Of Fire is an improving filly and she should handle the added-distance races down the road,” said Sacco. “If the filly runs well in the Tempted S., we'll point her for the $250,000 [GII] Demoiselle S. at Aqueduct Dec. 4.”

Goddess Of Fire, a debut winner at Saratoga in August and most recently third in the GIII Pocahontas S., breezed a half-mile on the Saratoga training track Friday in :49.08 (8/45).

“Todd has been pleased with the filly's progression and he's been given the green light to take his time and let her mature at her own pace,” added Sacco.

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