going to vegas | Horse Racing Free Tips

Not Her First ‘Rodeo’

For the second year in a row, Going To Vegas (Goldencents) led past every pole and proved an easy winner of the GI Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita, punching her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in Lexington four weeks down the road. Kentucky raider Family Way (Uncle Mo), narrowly second in the wagering ahead of Going To Vegas, ran on late to complete the exacta, while longshot Bellamore (Empire Maker) spiced up the exotics in third. Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}), the 3-2 chalk, could manage only fourth after covering stacks of ground on the bend.

Going To Vegas bounced well from gate three and had some early company in the form of Neige Blanche (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}), but that one backed off a bit and Umberto Rispoli did his best to put Going To Vegas to sleep through an opening couple of furlongs in a moderate :23.82. Ears pricked as they turned up the backstretch, Going To Vegas continued to lob them along, having gotten a nice breather in the middle furlongs, and took the Rodeo Drive field into the second turn after three-quarters in 1:13.42. Rispoli began to up the tempo as they hit the three-eighths, and his mare kicked smartly when asked for her best in upper stretch and proved not for catching.

“We were expecting to go to the lead,” said Rispoli. “We had the same plan and everything worked well. I haven't been on her since last March, but she gave me that same feeling as the last time. At the top of the stretch, she took off. She felt good, was really relaxed and she did everything. She always responds. I think she really loves this track. It's on to Keeneland.”

Going To Vegas was 11th of 12 in last year's Filly & Mare Turf, an 11-furlong race at Del Mar and a distance that was always going to stretch her. Campaigned over more suitable trips this term, the one-time claimer was runner-up in the one-mile GII Buena Vista S. Mar. 5 and again in the GIII Santa Ana S. at this distance three weeks later. Beaten a half-length into second in the GI Gamely S. going nine panels May 30, she was a troubled third when last seen in Del Mar's GII John C. Mabee S. at a mile and an eighth Sept. 10.

Pedigree Notes:

One of two winners from two to race for her dam, Going To Vegas is a half-sister to the 2-year-old filly Brand Loyalty (Grazen). The stakes-winning Hard to Resist foaled a colt by Om (Munnings), then was purchased by Matt Dorman's Determined Stud for $350,000 when offered back in foal to Grazen at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The mare produced a colt Feb. 20 of this year and was among the first book sent to Charlatan.

Saturday, Santa Anita
RODEO DRIVE S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 10-8, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/4mT, 1:59.41, fm.
1–GOING TO VEGAS, 122, m, 5, by Goldencents
                1st Dam: Hard to Resist (SW, $284,538), by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Anja, by Gulch
                3rd Dam: Knoosh, by Storm Bird
O-Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Medallion Racing & MyRacehorse;
B-J. Kirk & Judy Robison (KY); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Umberto
Rispoli. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 28-8-11-3, $989,151.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Family Way, 124, m, 5, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Susie's Baby, by Giant's Causeway
                2nd Dam: Mekko Hokte, by Holy Bull
                3rd Dam: Aerosilver, by Relaunch
($775,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; €150,000 3yo '20 ARQDEC).
O-Hunter Valley Farm, Marc Detampel & Debra L. O'Connor;
B-Diamond Creek Farm (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $60,000.
3–Bellamore, 122, f, 4, by Empire Maker
                1st Dam: Smart N Soft, by Smart Strike
                2nd Dam: Softly, by Binalong
                3rd Dam: Coragil, by Metfield
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($170,000 Ylg
'19 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Kaleem Shah, Inc.;
B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-Simon Callaghan.
$36,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 1. Odds: 2.60, 2.50, 34.00.
Also Ran: Fluffy Socks, Scarabea, Queen Ofthe Temple, Neige Blanche (Fr).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Going to Vegas Ready to Roll in the Buena Vista

Trainer Richard Baltas sends out expected favorite GI Rodeo Drive S. winner Going to Vegas (Goldencents) in Saturday's GII Buena Vista S. at Santa Anita. Last seen finishing 11th in a 12-horse field after setting the early pace in the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, Going to Vegas shook off the rust with a five-furlong drill in 1:00 (2/20) Feb. 26 in Arcadia. Flavien Prat, who won the GII John C. Mabee S. aboard the 5-year-old mare last September, has the mount.

To win, she'll have to get by likely frontrunner Leggs Galore (Bayern), sent out by Phil D'Amato, who is coming off a big effort, winning last out down the hill in the Jan. 15 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint S. She carries four fewer pounds than Going to Vegas and will almost certainly set the pace.

Coming after them both will be George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual (Mucho Macho Man), who, after a strong 2021 season, looks to improve on her second-place finish in last year's Buena Vista S. where she finished in front of Going to Vegas. She and Going to Vegas will both need to overcome outside post positions (Going to Vegas in the 10, Mucho Unusual in the 11), but have the class to do so.

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Hop, Skip, And A Jump: Going To Vegas Brings Hundreds To World Championships

When Richard Baltas-trained Going to Vegas won the Grade 2, $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes on Sept. 4, it was estimated that around 250 people – owners or friends of owners of the three partnership groups involved with the 4-year-old daughter of Goldencents – wedged into the winner's circle for the post-race picture and trophy ceremony.

It's easy to imagine what the scene might be if Going to Vegas would prevail in Saturday's $2 million Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf.

Oh, the humanity!

No! The humanity won't be quite as numerous, said Bing Bush, founder and manager of Abbondanza Racing, one of the three partnership organizations involved.

“That was a bit of a concern,” Bush conceded. “But you can't get in the winner's circle unless you have a lanyard and I think we have 30 lanyards apiece for each of the three groups. So it'll be down from 200 or so to 90.”

The John C. Mabee, at 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, turned out to be the middle leg, albeit an important one, on Going to Vegas' hop, step and jump into participation in racing's championship weekend.

Hop: The former $50,000 claimer won an allowance over the Mabee course on July 16, opening day of the summer meeting.

Step: The victory, by 2 ¼ lengths over Dogtag in the Mabee, which brought with it a $120,000 share of the purse, but was not a be-all for the connections. Going to Vegas was not made eligible as a foal for the Breeders' Cup and the daunting prospect of having to pay a six-figure supplemental entry fee remained.

Jump: The Grade 1, 1 ¼-mile Rodeo Drive on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita was a “Win & You're In” fees paid qualifier for the Filly & Mare Turf, and Going to Vegas went wire-to-wire under Umberto Rispoli, holding off Luck by a head.

So, on Sunday morning, Bush and some friends watched from the two-story temporary structure along the stretch as Going to Vegas went four furlongs in :49.20 in her final work for Saturday's race.

“Sometimes at the end of a work she tends to lug in a little bit, but today she didn't,” Bush said. “She did it very easily and galloped out very nicely, so we couldn't be happier.”

And on Monday, Bush and friends gathered in the Del Mar paddock for the post position draw for all 14 Breeders' Cup races to see Going to Vegas get the No. 1 post and be assigned morning line odds of 12-1.

“Under normal circumstances, I would be disappointed with the No. 1,” Bush said. “But under these circumstances, I think it's all right. She'll be able to use her natural speed to get a good position – she doesn't have to have the lead, but she might — and go from there.”

Bush resides in the complex of white houses on the hillside north of and overlooking the track just across Via de la Valle.

“I can walk here,” he points out.

If Going to Vegas pulls off an upset on Saturday, Bush – and 90 lanyard-wearers in the filly's camp – will be walking on air to the winner's circle. It won't be like the John C. Mabee. But they won't mind.

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Art Collector Headlines Full Slate Of BC Contenders Working At Del Mar

Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, who figures to be one of the leading candidates for Saturday's $6 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, worked a half-mile in :48.40 Sunday morning to highlight a work tab that featured 20 pre-entrants to the World Championships slated for Friday and Saturday at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Art Collector was one of three horses to work for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Neil Poznansky was aboard the trio that included Casa Creed (Mile) going 4f in :47.60 and War Like Goddess (Filly & Mare Turf) going a half-mile in :48.20.

“They were all useful works, nothing blazing fast,” said Mott, who has won 10 Breeders' Cup races. “I never have a problem working good grass horses on dirt and this track looks safe and very forgiving.”

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez was aboard Bella Sofia as she covered a half-mile in :48.40 in preparation for the Filly & Mare Sprint.

“She's a happy girl and she loves to just go about her business,” Rodriguez said of Bella Sofia who has won four of five career starts and features daylight victories in the Grade 1 Test and Grade 2 Gallant Bloom in her past two outings. “She handled the track well and was very comfortable on it.”

In all, 14 pre-entrants worked on the fast main track and six more were on the firm Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen worked four of his six pre-entrants headlined by probable Qatar Racing Sprint favorite Jackie's Warrior who covered 3f in :36.80. Also working half-miles for Asmussen were Clairiere (Longines Distaff) in :49.20, Echo Zulu (NetJets Juvenile Fillies) in :50.40 and Silver State (Dirt Mile) in :48.60.

Other dirt workers included C Z Rocket (Qatar Racing Sprint) going 3f in :35.80, Commander (Turf Sprint also-eligible) a half-mile in :48.80, Giant Game (TVG Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance) a half-mile in :48.60, and the Richard Mandella-trained duo of Dogtag (Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf) and Bombard (Turf Sprint also-eligible) working 5f in :58.20 and :58.40, respectively, in company.

Idol worked 5f in company in 1:02.40 but after the work trainer Richard Baltas notified Breeders' Cup officials that he did not feel Idol was 100 percent and withdrew him from the Classic.

Two other horses were withdrawn from Breeders' Cup consideration by their connections Sunday morning: Flagstaff from the Qatar Racing Sprint and Reina de Mollendo (ARG) from the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf.

Highlighting the six pack of grass workers were two California standouts in Mo Forza and Going to Vegas.

Mo Forza, a two-time winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, worked a half-mile in :49.40 for the FanDuel Mile presented by PDJF for trainer Peter Miller. Shortly after Mo Forza finished his work, Going to Vegas worked a half-mile in :49.20 for Baltas in preparation for the Maker's Mark Filly & Mare Turf.

Also working on the turf were Time to Party (Juvenile Turf Sprint) going 3f in :38.20, Charmaine's Mia (Turf Sprint) going a half-mile in :50.20, Extravagant Kid (Turf Sprint) a half-mile in :49.40 in company with Zofelle (IRE), and Cairo Memories (Juvenile Fillies Turf) going 5f in 1:04.40.

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