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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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Goldencents Leads the Way By 2021 Mares Bred

The Jockey Club has released its annual Report of Mares bred for 2021 and there's a new name atop the leader board. The Spendthrift Farm stallion Goldencents led all sires, having been bred to 230 mares. He was bred to 204 in 2020. His ascension to the top spot came after Spendthrift cut his stud fee from $25,000 to $15,000 and after a strong showing by his progeny in 2020.

Goldencents was the leading third-crop sire in 2020 with $6,653,183 in earnings. His top performer during the year was By My Standards, the winner of the GII New Orleans Classic S., GII Oaklawn H., GII Alysheba S. and second in the GI Whitney S.

The RMB statistics for the 2021 season report that 1,016 stallions covered 27,829 mares during the breeding season. Kentucky's 200 stallions covered 16,727 mares, or 60.1% of all of the mares reported bred in North America. The number of mares bred to Kentucky stallions increased 2.0% percent compared with the 16,391 reported at this time last year.

Of the top 10 states and provinces by number of mares reported bred in 2021, stallions in Kentucky, California, Ontario, and Indiana covered more mares in 2021 than in 2020, as reported at this time last year. Declines were registered in Florida (-9.2%), New York (-5.4%), Louisiana (-12.5%), Maryland (-3.5%), Pennsylvania (-28.6%) and Oklahoma (-7.4%).

Authentic, also a Spendthrift stallion, was a close second with 229 mares with what was his first book of mares. He stands for $70,000. Both Goldencents and Authentic are by Spendthrift's Into Mischief.

That a horse with a modest stud fee led the way was a departure from recent years when superstar stallions Uncle Mo and Into Mischief dominated the standings. Uncle Mo was the leading sire in the mares bred category in 2020 and 2016, while Into Mischief topped the list in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, there was a tie for first between Justify and Mendelssohn.

After being bred to 257 mares in 2020, Uncle Mo came in tied for 15th place, having been bred to 189 mares. Into Mischief, bred to 248 mares in 2020, was eighth in 2021 with 214 mares. In 2018, he was bred to 296 mares, including 53 on Southern Hemisphere time, the most during his stud career.

For the 2021 breeding season, Uncle Mo's stud fee was increased from $125,000 to $175,000. Into Mischief's fee was $225,000, up from $175,000 in 2020.

The Coolmore stallion Practical Joke was third on the 2021 list, having been bred to 223 mares. First-year stallion Vekoma was next with 222.

The most notable addition to the top 10 was Maclean's Music, who went from 57 mares in 2020 to 221 this year, good for fifth place. Maclean's Music, who stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farms, has no doubt seen his star rise thanks to his son Jackie's Warrior. Jackie's Warrior won the GI Hopeful S. and the GI Champagne S. last year at two and is in the midst of another stellar season that has included a win in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at Saratoga.

Munnings (217) and Omaha Beach (215) were next. After Into Mischief, McKinzie (214) and Mitole (208) rounded out the top 10.

Six of the top 10 are Spendthrift stallions. Coolmore had two on the list and Hill 'n' Dale and Gainesway each had one.

In the years ahead, the list of sires who have covered the most mares should change drastically. Last year, The Jockey Club adopted a rule that will limit the number of mares a horse can be bred to 140. There is a grandfather clause and the rule will only cover horses born in 2020 or later. In 2021, 47 stallions were bred to 140 mares.

Kentucky stallions again dominated the list, accounting for the top 52 spots. The leader among non-Kentucky stallions was the New York sire Honest Mischief, who was bred to 127 mares.

In terms of individual state RMB leaders beyond Kentucky and Florida, the following stallions topped the covers list for their respective states/provinces:

California–Sir Prancelot (125)
Florida–Khozan (116)
Ontario–Reload (90)
Maryland–Golden Lad (77)
Oklahoma–Flat Out (77)
Pennsylvania-Warrior's Reward (67)

Last month, The Jockey Club reported that the projected foal crop for 2022 was 18,700. That represents a decline of 2.6% from 2021, the sixth straight year the number has fallen. The 2022 foal crop is set to be the smallest since 1965, when the foal crop was 18,846.

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Going to Vegas Going to Del Mar After Frontrunning Rodeo Drive Victory

In their respective most recent trips to the post, Going To Vegas (Goldencents) was ridden by Flavien Prat to a popular victory in the GII John C. Mabee S. while stablemate Luck (Kitten's Joy) had Umberto Rispoli in the irons for a first-level allowance tally at Del Mar Aug. 7. The preeminent turf riders on the circuit swapped mounts for Saturday's GI Rodeo Drive S., and at the end of a very entertaining 10 furlongs, it was the Italian and Going To Vegas who proved narrowly best over the French reinsman and Luck, locking up a trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf in the process.

Rispoli, who had ridden Going To Vegas in her three starts prior to the Mabee, kicked the 4-year-old straight into the lead from gate four and controlled the pace through an opening quarter in :24.35 and a steady half-mile in :48.72. Prat had Luck settled worse than midfield and on the back of longshot Rideforthecause (Candy Ride {Arg}), but asked her for some acceleration with a little less than five-eighths of a mile to race after Mike Smith clicked up Red Lark (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}) to Luck's outside. Luck was all the way up into a three-wide third and within striking distance as they raced around the second turn and the stage was set when Prat asked his mount to take it to the pacesetter in upper stretch. Benefitting from the easy tempo, Going To Vegas responded to his rider's urgings and sprinted the final two furlongs in a slick :22.49 to just hold Luck at bay.

“I'm thrilled with both horses' performances,” said trainer Richard Baltas of the 1-2 finishers. “Going to Vegas has the tactical speed and loves going a mile and a quarter and she showed it. It was a great ride by [Umberto]. My other horse, Luck, really moved up in class. I was really happy with her performance, she really improved in a Grade I, I'm looking forward to the future with her.”

Going To Vegas is not yet nominated to the Breeders' Cup and would have to be supplemented for $100,000.

Claimed from her breeders and trainer Peter Miller for $50,000 out of a victory at Santa Anita in June 2020, Going to Vegas halted a seven-race skid that included four consecutive runner-up efforts with a 3 3/4-length tally in the GIII Santa Ana S. over a mile and a quarter at Santa Anita Mar. 27, with Rispoli at the controls for the first time. An alibi-free fifth to Maxim Rate (Exchange Rate) in the GI Gamely S. in Arcadia May 31, the bay added a popular 3 1/2-length allowance victory at Del Mar July 16 before doubling her graded-stakes grab with a 2 1/4-length defeat of Dogtag (War Front) in the Sept. 4 Mabee.

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Going To Vegas becomes the first Grade I winner for two-time GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile hero Goldencents. Going to Vegas is inbred 5×4 to Storm Cat and is kin to the yearling filly Brand Loyalty (Grazen) and a colt foal by Munnings. Hard to Resist went back to Grazen this past breeding season.

Saturday, Santa Anita
RODEO DRIVE S.-GI, $302,000, Santa Anita, 10-2, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/4mT, 1:58.84, fm.
1–GOING TO VEGAS, 124, f, 4, by Goldencents
               1st Dam: Hard to Resist (SW, $284,538), by Johannesburg
               2nd Dam: Anja, by Gulch
               3rd Dam: Knoosh, by Storm Bird
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Medallion
Racing & MyRacehorse; B-J. Kirk Robison & Judy Robison
(KY); T-Richard Baltas; J-Umberto Rispoli. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 22-7-8-2, $634,151. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Luck, 122, f, 4, by Kitten's Joy
               1st Dam: Gold Round (Ire) (GSW-Fr), by Caerleon
               2nd Dam: Born Gold, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
               3rd Dam: Riviere D'or, by Lyphard
O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (KY); T-Richard Baltas. $60,000.
3–Dogtag, 122, m, 5, by War Front
               1st Dam: Diamond Necklace (SP-Ire), by Unbridled's Song
               2nd Dam: Helsinki (GB), by Machiavellian
               3rd Dam: Helen Street (GB), by Troy (GB)
O/B-LNJ Foxwoods (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $36,000.
Margins: HD, 1HF, 3HF. Odds: 1.10, 2.40, 5.40.
Also Ran: Neige Blanche (Fr), Rideforthecause, Magic Attitude (GB), Red Lark (Ire), Crystalle, Fast Jet Court (Brz).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Going To Vegas Will Try To Maintain Her Momentum In Rodeo Drive

Fresh off the biggest win of her career and in search of her third consecutive victory, the Richard Baltas-trained Going to Vegas heads an evenly matched field of nine fillies and mares three and up going a mile and one quarter on turf in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita. A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, the Rodeo Drive winner will earn a fees-paid berth into the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar Nov. 6.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Goldencents, Going to Vegas comes off a rousing 2 ¼ length win going a mile and one eighth on turf in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar Sept. 4, a race in which she pressed the early pace and kicked clear through the lane as the 9-5 favorite.

Owned by Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Medallion Racing and MyRacehorse, Going to Vegas has a win and a second place finish from two tries at a mile and one quarter. Claimed for $50,000 12 starts back on June 12, 2020, she's banked $242,400 this year from five starts and has overall earnings of $454,151. With an overall mark of 21-6-8-2, she'll be seeking her first Grade 1 victory.

Second in her last four starts, including the John C. Mabee on Sept. 4, LNJ Foxwoods' homebred Dogtag has two wins and three third place finishes from five starts over the Santa Anita lawn and she has a win and a second from two tries at the Rodeo Drive distance. A 5-year-old mare by War Front, she's trained by Richard Mandella and will be ridden by Joe Bravo.

LNJ Foxwoods will have another homebred, Luck, in the Rodeo Drive lineup fresh off a most impressive U.S. debut going a mile and one sixteenth on turf in a first condition allowance Aug. 7 at Del Mar. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Kitten's Joy, Luck won two out of her four starts in France before joining the barn of Richard Baltas this past summer. Ridden to victory by Umberto Rispoli at Del Mar, she'll be handled by Flavien Prat on Saturday and she has the look of a filly very much on the improve.

Trainer Leonard Powell's 4-year-old French-bred Neige Blanche, a winner of the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes here three races back, comes off an ungraded stakes win going a mile and three eighths on turf at Del Mar Aug. 14 and would be well served by a fast early pace. Owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Marsha Naify, et al, she'll be ridden back by Juan Hernandez.

THE GRADE 1 RODEO DRIVE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Dogtag—Joe Bravo—122
Fast Jet Court—Drayden Van Dyke–124
Neige Blanche—Juan Hernandez—124
Going to Vegas—Umberto Rispoli—124
Rideforthecause—Mario Gutierrez—122
Crystalle—Abel Cedillo—122
Magic Attitude—John Velazquez—124
Luck—Flavien Prat—122
Red Lark—Mike Smith–122

The Rodeo Drive is one of five stakes on an 11-race card Saturday with first post time at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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