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Unbeaten Oscar Performance Filly ‘Ready’ Off the Bench

Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing's Red Carpet Ready picked up right where she left off Saturday, dominating Gulfstream's GIII Forward Gal S. to stay unbeaten and earn eight GI Kentucky Oaks qualifying points.

Belying almost 37-1 odds when she aired in the Churchill slop first out Oct. 30, the dark bay handled the next step with aplomb, taking the Nov. 26 Fern Creek S. by daylight over a next-out allowance winner back under the Twin Spires.

Off as the narrow second choice behind multiple local stakes winner Atomically–last seen finishing seventh in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies–Red Carpet Ready broke on top but was reined in by Luis Saez to stalk in a close-up third. She mounted her three-deep challenge and took over rapidly into a :45.98 half, but had Chad Brown-trained debut romper Undervalued Asset breathing down her neck as they straightened for home. Red Carpet Ready slammed the door on her pursuer as soon as Saez asked her for more, and she strode out nicely from there to prevail with room to spare. Undervalued Asset held off Atomically for second.

“I had a pretty good trip,” Saez said. “She broke from there running and she's pretty fast. We just tried to have a target in front and eveything came out so perfect. She's a pretty nice filly. She has everything. She can run from anywhere, in front or behind, and she keeps going.”

Trainer Rusty Arnold said, “She's answered the bell every time we've run her. She's pretty special… I'd be shocked if she doesn't go long. I was more worried that she wasn't a sprinter… Luis said she wanted to break so sharp, she her lost her footing a little bit, but after she recovered, she did everything right.”

Ashbrook Farm patriarch Glenn Bromagen passed away in June. His son Bo manages stable operations. Past standout fillies conditioned by Arnold for Ashbrook include 2016 GI Central Bank Ashland S. winner Weep No More (Mineshaft, $120,000 OBSMAR); and 2019 GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. heroine Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy, $61,000 FTMMAY turned $1.95-million KEENOV '20 Topper).

Red Carpet Ready was bought back for $100,000 at last year's OBS April sale after breezing in :10 1/5.

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
FORWARD GAL S.-GIII, $125,000, Gulfstream, 2-4, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:23.54, ft.
1–RED CARPET READY, 120, f, 3, by Oscar Performance
                1st Dam: Wild Silk, by Street Sense
                2nd Dam: Spun Silk, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Spunoutacontrol, by Wild Again
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($180,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG;
$100,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Ashbrook Farm & Upland
Flats Racing; B-Lynn B. Schiff (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II; J-Luis
Saez. $74,400. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $265,470. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Undervalued Asset, 118, f, 3, Speightstown–Hard Headed
Temper, by Hard Spun. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK
TYPE. ($150,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Speightstown Syndicate & Cloyce C. Clark, Jr. (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown. $24,000.
3–Atomically, 120, f, 3, Girvin–Shesunbelievable, by
Uncaptured. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Eclipse
Thoroughbred Partners, Michael G. Bernard & Harry Colburn;
B-Tracy Pinchin & Michael Bernard (FL); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$12,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1, 7 3/4. Odds: 2.30, 2.70, 2.20.
Also Ran: Positano Sunset, Apropos, Flakes, Twice as Sweet, Arella Star, Adeliese's Smile. Scratched: Lynx. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Red Carpet Ready is the second graded winner from the first crop of talented turfer Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy). The Mill Ridge Farm inmate's other GSW, Andthewinneris, returned a winner himself last week in Sam Houston's Bob Bork Texas Turf Mile. Street Sense is the broodmare sire of a dozen graded/group winners worldwide. His one highest-level winner to date is Roaring Lion, by Oscar Performance's sire Kitten's Joy.

Red Carpet Ready is out of a half-sister to GISW sprinter Joking (Distorted Humor) and from the deep female family of Tale of the Cat, Fed Biz, et al.

Unraced Wild Silk, purchased for $70,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale, has a 2-year-old full-sister and yearling full-brother. The filly was a $65,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale acquisition by Deuce Greathouse's Pura Vida. Wild Silk is due this year to Not This Time.

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Bolt d’Oro’s Major Dude Back To Winning Ways in Kitten’s Joy

Spendthrift Farm's Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) sat a midfield trip and worked home best of all to record a second victory at the graded level in Saturday's GIII Kitten's Joy S. at Gulfstream Park.

Settled in about fifth position early as fellow 10-1 chances Dude N Colorado (GB) (Uncle Mo) and Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) eyeballed each other through reasonable fractions, Major Dude dropped down onto the fence with about a half-mile to race and traveled well within the grasp of the in-form Irad Ortiz, Jr. as they raced around the turn. Following the three-wide move of his chief market rival Candidate (Exaggerator) nearing the stretch, the $550,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga acquisition was produced four deep off the home corner with a sound turn of foot, wanted to hang to his right while engaging the front-runners approaching the entrance to the final furlong and kicked on late to score comfortably. Candidate, who made all the running to defeat the comebacking Major Dude in the one-mile Dania Beach S. Jan. 7, was beaten for speed this time around, but turned in a sound late rally and just held off Dude N Colorado for third.

“He's a super nice colt, very consistent,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who sent out 2022 Kitten's Joy winner Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro). “I'll talk to the guys at Spendthrift. We're kicking around the idea of putting him on the dirt at some point. We'll see when that opportunity comes up.”

A debut winner over the Monmouth main track June 18, Major Dude was a well-beaten third in the one-mile Sapling S. at the Jersey Shore oval Aug. 27 before causing a 10-1 upset when trying turf for the first time in the GII Pilgrim S. at Aqueduct Oct. 2. The bay was unable to overcome a horror draw in 13 in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and checked in ninth before turning in a useful seasonal unveiling last time out.

Pedigree Notes:

The Cleary family's Clearsky Farms purchased this colt's stakes-placed dam for $320,000 in foal to The Factor at Keeneland November in 2016. Mary Rita is a full-sister to the SP Unbound, whose four winners from five to race include 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify), while Major Dude's third dam is the redoubtable Personal Ensign, the dam of MGISW My Flag (Easy Goer) and granddam of champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat). This is, of course, the Phipps family of Grade I winners Miner's Mark, Traditionally and Mr Speaker and the additional graded winners Fire Away (War Front)–who was recently represented by his first winner in South Africa–and Vigilantes Way (Medaglia d'Oro).

Major Dude is bred on a variant of the wildly successful cross of Medaglia d'Oro over Distorted Humor that is responsible for the likes of dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus), Elate and New Money Honey. The cross over mares by Distorted Humor's sire Forty Niner has resulted in the additional Grade I winners and champions Songbird and Rachel Alexandra.

Mary Rita is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Audible, missed to Authentic and was among the first book of mares bred to Charlatan.

Saturday, Gulfstream
KITTEN'S JOY S.-GIII, $175,000, Gulfstream, 2-4, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.22, gd.
1–MAJOR DUDE, 124, c, 3, by Bolt d'Oro
                1st Dam: Mary Rita (SP), by Distorted Humor
                2nd Dam: Possibility, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Personal Ensign, by Private Account
($550,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC; B-Clearsky
Farms (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $105,245.
Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-1, $300,095. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Candidate, 122, c, 3, Exaggerator–Navy Ribbon,
by Pure Prize. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 Ylg '21
FTKOCT; $150,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Mark B. Grier; B-Rose
Hill Farm & Thoroughbred Acadiana (KY); T-Arnaud Delacour.
$33,950.
3–Dude N Colorado (GB), 118, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Limonar (Ire),
by Street Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($90,000 2yo '22 KEENOV). O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-St. Elias
Stables LLC (GB); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $16,975.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 2 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 2.20, 10.10.
Also Ran: Boppy O, Souzak (Fr), Congruent, Lights of Broadway, Moon Cat.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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February 4 Insights: Coolmore Colt Justifies Early Favoritism

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

5th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, 1mT, 1:46p.m. ET
Coolmore's JUST SO (Justify) will lead the field to post for his debut off a steady stream of works in South Florida for trainer Chad Brown. He is a son of MGISW Turbulent Descent, who also raced in the Coolmore colors before selling in foal to War Front for $2.45 million at KEENOV in 2014. His third dam is the MGIW Gorgeous (Slew o'Gold), the dam of MGSW winner Stunning (Nureyev). The Stuart S. Janney III homebred Windsor Park (Mastery) debuts for trainer Shug McGaughey and represents a long line of beautifully bred Janney runners, including his Grade I-winning dam and Grade I-winning granddam Deputation (Deputy Minister), who herself produced the dam of MGSW Criminologist (Maria's Mon). Ghost Coast (Street Sense) drew the far outside for his debut for trainer Brendan Walsh. Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing LLC paid $250,000 for this colt as a KEESEP yearling. He is out of the unraced Exchange Rate mare Mirapoix, who herself is a half-sister to GSW Michigan Bluff (Skywalker), the dam of Turkish champion Hakeem (Harlan's Holiday) and SW Let's Go Cheyenne (Tiznow). Other notable names in this colt's pedigree include MGSW Chocolate Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and GISW Killer Graces (Congaree). TJCIS PPs.

6th-Tam, $32k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1m40y, 3:25p.m. ET
WinStar Farm, Bena Halecky and Judy Needham-bred and owned JUST MY OWN (Justify), who not only is a son of a Triple Crown winner but also the son of Mining My Own (Smart Strike), the dam of 2009 GI Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird (Birdstone). Mining My Own sold for just $8,000 as a KEEJAN broodmare in foal to Pure Prize in 2008 and 18 months later she produced a Derby winner and subsequently GI Pacific Classic S. winner Dullahan (Even the Score) and MSW Mine That Star (Pioneerof the Nile). Hall of Fame conditioner Todd Pletcher trains this colt, who debuts off a steady stream of exceptional works at Palm Beach Downs over the past two months, including a bullet half-mile in :48.25 on New Year's Eve. TJCIS PPs.

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Busy Weekend For Derby Preps on Both Coasts

Saturday's graded stakes races stretch out from coast to coast and feature significant GI Kentucky Derby implications, but not entirely for the reasons we've come to expect. In South Florida, it is business as usual for the Derby preps while on the West Coast all things Kentucky Derby took an unprecedented turn.

On the heels of a very successful GI Pegasus World Cup weekend, Gulfstream Park offers a tremendous card with five graded races, including the 34th running of the GIII Holy Bull S. named for the Hall of Famer and 1994 Horse of the Year, who won that year's GI Florida Derby. Forty Kentucky Derby points are on the line with the winner collecting the lion's share.

Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief) enters off a 5 3/4-length allowance romp at a mile over this surface Jan. 8. The $450,000 KEESEP yearling purchase is out of a half to GSW Suddenbreakingnews (Mineshaft) and hails from the female family of MGIW Composure (Touch Gold).

“I think he's one of the best 3-year-olds in the country, and he's training like one,” trainer Dale Romans said. “There are a lot of good horses out there, but we're in a good spot right now.”

Legacy Isle (Shackleford) would be undefeated and the only stakes winner so far of the bunch after wiring the Mucho Macho Man S. on New Year's Day, but was disqualified for bothering a rival in the lane and was placed second.

Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott entered two in the Holy Bull, Rocket Can (Into Mischief) and Shadow Dragon (Army Mule).

The GIII Claiborne Swale S. doesn't offer any Derby points and isn't considered a Derby prep, but it is named after the 1984 Derby winner and Hall of Famer who died suddenly eight days after the GI Belmont S.

The streaking Super Chow (Lord Nelson) drew the outside in the six-runner test, which will be contested at seven furlongs. The winner of five of his six career races is coming off three straight listed stakes wins and makes a jump back into graded company. He broke his maiden in his debut July 2 at Gulfstream and was third in the GII Saratoga Special S. before shipping back to Florida to collect his last three wins.

“He's in his best shape ever,” trainer Jorge Delgado said. “He's been maturing race to race. He's been showing a lot of class. From race to race, he's a more professional horse. He's becoming a man.”

Not to be overshadowed by the boys, 10 fillies are set to race seven-eighths on the main track in the GIII Forward Gal S.

Atomically (Girvin) is the likely favorite in her first start since an even seventh-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 4. It was her first start for trainer Todd Pletcher after being sold privately to a group headed by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners after winning the Florida Sire My Dear Girl S. over the Gulfstream Park main track Oct. 1.

Ginger Brew S. winner Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince) is the 2-1 morning-line favorite against eight other sophomore turf fillies in the 1 1/16-mile GIII Sweetest Chant S. The Todd Pletcher-trained filly won Woodbine's Catch A Glimpse S., was second in the GI Natalma S. and third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. This race will be her first start beyond a mile.

Only four will line up in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S., a 1 1/16-mile test offering 41 Road to the Derby points to the top-four finishers on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale. This is where the race's Kentucky Derby implications take a turn. Each of the four runners are trained by a single trainer and that trainer–currently–is forbidden from participating in racing at Churchill Downs.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has saddled a record 10 winners of the Robert B. Lewis–including the last four in a row–sat in a Louisville courtroom for two days this week. His team of attorneys is seeking an injunction against his two-year ban from competing at Churchill Downs following Medina Spirit's post-race positive for the prohibited steroid betamethasone after crossing the wire first in the 2021 Derby. Medina Spirit also won the 2021 Lewis.

Arabian Lion (Justify) will lead his stablemates. The $600,000 OBSAPR 2-year-old was a dismal fifth in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 17 at odds of 2-5 but has been working lights out for his return here.

Newgate (Into Mischief) hasn't reached the winner's circle since breaking his maiden at Del Mar but was a short second in the GIII Sham S. a month ago. The $850,000 KEESEP yearling was also second to last week's GIII San Vicente S. winner and stablemate Havnameltdown (Uncaptured) in the GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar Nov. 20. Maiden winner Hard To Figure (Hard Spun) and maiden Worcester (Empire Maker) round out the Baffert quartet.

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