Grace Adler Headlines Chandelier

Grace Adler (Curlin) looks to take her record to three-for-three and provide Hall of Famer Bob Baffert with his 12th victory in Santa Anita's GII Chandelier S. Friday, a “Win and You're in Event” for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in November. A debut winner at Del Mar July 31, the $700,000 FTKSEL purchase already secured her spot in the gate for the World Championships with a dominant late-running score in the Sept. 5 GI Del Mar Debutante S., which she won by 11 1/4 lengths over Dance to the Music (Maclean's Music). The chestnut did get the perfect set up that day–with a trio of speedsters leading to a pace collapse–but there is enough speed signed on here to give her a similar set up. This is Grace Adler's first try around two turns, but she is bred to run all day and her performance last out over seven furlongs suggested added distance would be no issue. Baffert–whose 12 wins in this event include five of the last nine renewals–also saddles a maiden of three starts in Censorship (Tonalist), who was second to Desert Dawn (Cupid) last out going a mile at Del Mar Aug. 26.

Several flashy first-out winners take on the more accomplished favorite here, including 'TDN Rising Stars' Electric Ride (Daredevil) and Ain't Easy (Into Mischief). Trained by John Sadler, Electric Ride pressed the pace early and blew her rivals away in the lane for an 8 1/2-length graduation in her six-panel unveiling at Del Mar Aug. 28, earning an 85 Beyer Speed Figure. A $400,000 KEESEP acquisition, the Phil D'Amato-trained Ain't Easy bided her time in mid-pack early, circled the field turning for home and charged clear to don cap and gown by 5 1/4 lengths in her sprint debut in SoCal Aug. 21. D'Amato also sends out GII Sorrento S. winner Elm Drive (Mohaymen), who was part of the early pace duel in the Del Mar Debutante and paid the price, fading to seventh.

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Debutante Winner Grace Adler Tops Field Of Seven In Friday’s Chandelier

A runaway winner of her lone Grade 1 assignment to date, Bob Baffert's Grace Adler heads a field of seven two-year fillies going a mile and one sixteenth in the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita this Friday. A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, the Chandelier winner will earn a fees-paid berth to the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5 at Del Mar.

A heavily favored first-out maiden winner going five furlongs July 31, Grace Adler, a $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase purchase, came back to blitz seven rivals going seven furlongs at odds of 4-1 in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5, thus cementing her role as the Chandelier favorite.

Owned by Willow Grace Farm and Michael Lund Petersen, Grace Adler has rallied from off the pace in both of her wins and seems well suited to the stretch-out in distance with regular rider Flavien Prat back aboard. Out of the Newfoundland mare Our Khrysty, she's banked $222,000.

Second to Grace Adler in the Del Mar Debutante, trainer Mark Glatt's Dance to the Music was a runaway 4 ¾ length first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs and will retain the services of Abel Cedillo. Owned by Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, Dance to the Music, a Kentucky-bred filly by Maclean's Music, was purchased for $575,000 out of the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training this past April.

Baffert will also be represented by Censorship, who is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. Although winless in three starts, she stumbled badly leaving the gate as the even money favorite in her most recent assignment, a one mile maiden race on Aug. 26, finishing second, beaten 4 ¼ lengths by Desert Dawn, who she'll again face on Friday.

Trainer Phil D'Amato will be sending out a three talented fillies in the Chandelier, headed by Elm Drive, who was a game head winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes two starts back on Aug. 6 and who comes off a disappointing seventh following a rough start in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante. Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Elm Drive won her first start going five furlongs by eight lengths and earned a lofty 85 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Sorrento. She'll try two turns for the first time and be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Juan Hernandez.

D'Amato's Desert Dawn rallied nicely under Ricky Gonzalez to break her maiden in what was her second start at odds of 6-1. With the one mile win to her credit, this Arizona-bred filly by Cupid is owned by her breeders, the H & E Ranch.

D'Amato will also saddle first-out winner Ain't Easy, who pressed the early pace and opened up through the lane to win going 5 ½ furlongs by 5 ¼ lengths on Aug. 21 at Del Mar. A $400,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Ain't Easy, who was dismissed at 8-1 in her debut, is owned by Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Michael Lombardi and Joey Platts.

THE GRADE 2 CHANDELIER STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

  1. Electric Ride—Joe Bravo—122
  2. Ain't Easy—Joel Rosario–122
  3. Dance to the Music—Abel Cedillo—122
  4. Grace Adler—Flavien Prat—122
  5. Desert Dawn—Ricky Gonzalez—122
  6. Elm Drive—Juan Hernandez—122
  7. Censorship—John Velazquez–122

The Chandelier is one of four stakes on Friday's opening day program. For additional information, please visit Santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Siblings to New Juvenile GI Winners Highlight KEESEP

Three yearlings in the Keeneland September Sale catalogue received big updates over the weekend when their year-older siblings captured Grade Is at two of America's premiere race meets over the holiday weekend. GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity S. winner Pinehurst's (Twirling Candy) yearling half-brother by Cairo Prince sold prior to the juvenile's breakout score, bringing $120,000 from pinhooker Randy Bradshaw at Fasig-Tipton's New York-Bred Yearling Sale in mid-August. However, the winners of the GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S., GI Spinaway S. and GI Hopeful S. will be represented by half or full siblings next week at Keeneland.

Pinehurst's stablemate Grace Adler (Curlin) threw her hat in the ring for top juvenile filly honors with an ultra-impressive score in the GI Del Mar Debutante Sunday (video). Campaigned by Michael Lund Petersen and Willow Grace Farm, the $700,000 FTKSEL buy won her debut for Bob Baffert at the seaside oval July 31. Given a 4-1 chance in the Debutante, the chestnut unleashed a powerful late rally, sling-shotting to the lead and storming clear for an 11 1/4-length score.

“It was amazing,” said Adam Corndorf, President and General Manager of Blue Heaven Farm, breeder of Grace Adler. “When she started breezing several months ago, we started dreaming about what could be. Looking at the schedule for Del Mar, we thought how amazing it would be if she could run in that race and hit the board. You think about how many 2-year-olds there are every year and how many win that race and the odds are astronomical. It was incredible and a dream come true for us.”

Blue Heaven Farm consigns an Into Mischief half-brother to Grace Adler as Hip 99 in Book 1 of KEESEP. He RNA'd for $350,000 as a weanling at last year's Keeneland November Sale. Bonnie Baskin's operation went to $600,000 to acquire their dam, GSW Our Khrysty (Newfoundland), a half-sister too GISW Bullsbay (Tiznow), in foal to Tiznow at the 2011 FTKNOV sale. Her GSP daughter Virginia Key (Distorted Humor) remains in their care.

“He has a different body type [than his sister],” Corndorf said. “He is a little bigger, a little leggier, but similar in terms of his competitive spirit. The thing that is most impressive to us is that you just can't get to the bottom of him. As we have been prepping him for the sale, he has shown limitless energy. He can go all day long and never loses focus. He likes the work and is a pleasure to be around. Even when we walk the yearlings together, he wants to be out in front. Everything is a race to him.”

Meanwhile, across the country, it was the Gun Runner show at Saratoga over Labor Day weekend with members of his first crop taking both of the venue's banner juvenile events. First up was Echo Zulu, who was a decisive winner of the GI Spinaway S. Sunday at the Spa (video). The $300,000 KEESEP buy is trained by her sire's conditioner Steve Asmussen and co-owned by one of his owners Winchell Thoroughbreds in partnership with L and N Racing LLC.

Echo Zulu was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after graduating by 5 1/2 lengths in her career bow on opening day of the Saratoga meet July 15. Heavily favored to repeat in the Spinaway, the bay was pressed through quick early fractions and drew away in the lane for a good-looking score.

Bill Betz, who was part of the group who bred Echo Zulu, offers her American Pharoah half-sister as Hip 43 in his Betz Thoroughbreds consignment. Their Grade II-winning dam Letgomyecho (Menifee) also produced L and N Racing's Asmussen-trained GI Runhappy Allen Jerkens S. winner Echo Town (Speightstown); GSW J Boys Echo (Mineshaft); GSP Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled's Song); and MSP Dragic (Broken Vow).

“She is a lovely filly,” Betz said. “She has strength, balance, good movement and temperament. She also has pedigree. Obviously the mother was a graded stakes winner and produced graded stakes horses, including Echo Town, who won the Jerkens last year at Saratoga. So, now with Echo Zulu, it's a pretty nice package.”

The horseman continued, “Anytime you get something current happening in the pedigree it is a pretty big plus. In her case, it is icing on the cake because you already had all that to begin with. To have a half-sister as exciting as Echo Zulu just solidifies her place as an elite filly.”

Betz's KEESEP consignment got another big update at Saratoga the week prior when Yaupon (Uncle Mo) fended off an aggressive attack from Firenze Fire (Friesan Fire) to win the GI Forego S. Aug. 28 (video). Betz–who bred Yaupon in another partnership– offers a Good Magic half-brother to that future Spendthrift stallion as Hip 73. Out of GISP Modification (Vindication), the dark bay colt is also a half-brother to MGSP Sawyer's Hill (Spring At Last).

“Good timing is everything,” Betz said. “In Yaupon's case, it was his first Grade I win. He was an established sprinter in the past, but the fact he has progressed from three to four and beat five Grade I winners in the Forego is a great accomplishment for him. Hopefully it will propel him right into the Breeders' Cup. You can never really plan on something like that happening, but when it does, you just enjoy it.”

As for how the Good Magic colt compares to Yaupon, Betz said, “They are the same color, have the same balance and great movement. He is very correct with an excellent scope and X-rays. He is a May foal, but you'd never know it looking at him. He has grown up well and has good muscle. He is a very nice individual, so we have our fingers crossed there as well.”

The day after Echo Zulu gave her leading freshman sire his first Grade I winner, her barnmate Gunite (Gun Runner) became his second with an 11-1 upset in Saratoga's GI Hopeful S. on closing day of the meet (video). Bred by Winchell Thoroughbreds, the dark bay earned his diploma at third asking at Churchill Downs June 26 and was second to 'TDN Rising Star' High Oak (Gormley) next out in the GII Saratoga Special S. Aug. 14. Battling for the lead early in the Hopeful, Gunite shook free of his foes in the lane and rolled clear for a dominant score over 3-5 favorite Wit (Practical Joke).

“That's just the way we planned it,” David Fiske, longtime Winchell advisor, quipped. “It's just dumb luck, but we will take it! Echo Zulu was a purchase and Gunite was a homebred. It was just a big weekend over all.”

Winchell offers a full-sister to Gunite as Hip 539 in the Gainesway consignment. The dark bay is out of fellow Winchell homebred stakes winner Simple Surprise (Cowboy Cal), who in turn is a daughter of SW & GSP Simplify (Pulpit).

“He was always pretty and she has always been pretty,” Fiske said. “They kind of look like their mother to some extent. She is also a dark bay. That's not a bad thing because she is a pretty attractive mare.”

Fiske added, “I think if anyone has a Gun Runner in the sale they are in pretty good shape.”

The Keeneland September Sale kicks off Monday, Sept. 13.

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Grace Adler Crushes Debutante Foes; Liam’s Dove Upsets Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf

Willow Grace Farm or Michael Lund Petersen's Grace Adler came running late in the Grade 1 TVG Del Mar Debutante, then she went running right on by as she drew out to a galloping 11 1/4 length triumph in the 71st edition of Del Mar's foremost race for 2-year-old fillies at the seaside track north of San Diego, Calif.

The daughter of Curlin stalked a rapid early pace, then made her move on the turn in the seven-furlong affair and showed her heels to her seven rivals. She was handled by meet-leading rider Flavien Prat, one of four winners he had on the afternoon.

Grace Adler, conditioned by Bob Baffert, earned $180,000 from the gross purse of $301,500, increasing her winnings to $222,000. She captured her only other start, a straight maiden race at Del Mar on July 31. Baffert, far and away Del Mar's leading trainer with 142 stakes wins, was taking down his 10th TVG Del Mar Debutante.

Finishing second was Red Baron's Barn or Rancho Temescal's Dance to the Music, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Calvin Nguyen's Bicameral.

Grace Adler returned $11.20, $4.80 and $4.20 for her score. Dance to the Music paid $5.00 and $4.20, while Bicameral returned $10.00 for the show.

Splits in the race were  :21.78, :44.37, 1:10.75 with a final time of 1:23.76.

Earlier on the day's program, Gary Barber's Liam's Dove pulled off a shocker by leading from start to finish and hanging on for a head victory in the $103,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf under Kyle Frey.

The daughter of Liam's Map ran the one mile on the green in 1:36.65 and bested 10 other 2-year-old fillies in the 10th running of the race. She is trained by Peter Miller.

Finishing second was Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT or Nentwig, et al's Helens Well, the 3-1 race favorite, and third was Hronis Racing's Dolly May.

Liam's Dove, a maiden making the third start of her career, returned $71.80, $27.20 and $12.60 for her score. Helens Well paid $5.00 and $3.60, while Dolly May returned $5.60 to show.

Gary Barber's Liam's Dove and jockey Kyle Frey, right, hold off Helens Well (Flavien Prat) to win the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf

The victory was Miller's 24 of the stand on its 30th day of racing. He's the track's leading trainer and will be crowned its 2021 champion on Monday, his eighth overall at the shore oval.

Racing will conclude at Del Mar tomorrow, Labor Day Monday. There will be a $694,803 carryover in its Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager and a “mandatory” payout for the day. First post will be 1:30 p.m.

Post-race quotes:

FLAVIEN PRAT (Grace Adler, winner) – “No special instructions for me. Bob (trainer Baffert) just told me that she wasn't as fast as the other fillies, but that she'd come running. He was certainly right. It might have looked like I moved too early with her, but it was more a case of them coming back to me. We were going forward and they were coming back.”

BOB BAFFERT (Grace Adler, winner) “I wasn't happy with (Eda's) position early because they were going way too fast up front. Grace Adler is a really good filly and when she started to make her move (from sixth) you could tell by Trevor Denman's voice that she was really making up the ground. They're both good fillies, it's just too bad that (Eda) got caught up in a speed duel. It was set up for (Grace Adler).”

FRACTIONS:  :21.78  :44.37  1:10.75  1:23.76

The stakes win was the 12th of the meet for rider Prat and his third in the TVG Del Mar Debutante. He now has 72 stakes wins at Del Mar, tied for 10th most all time.

The stakes win was the third of the meet for trainer Baffert and his 10th in the TVG Del Mar Debutante. He now has 142 stakes wins at Del Mar, the most of any trainer.

The winning owners are Willow Grace Farm and Michael Lund Petersen of Reisterstown, Md.

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