gulfstream park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Opalina Makes The Grade In Sweetest Chant

Teneri Farm and J Stables' Opalina (Optimizer) came with a steady run around the far turn and powered through the stretch to reel in 25-1 long shot leader Myfavoritedaughter and win Saturday's $100,000 Sweetest Chant (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 27th running of the 1 1/16-mile Sweetest Chant for fillies and mares on turf was the fourth of five graded-stakes for 3-year-olds on the program, immediately preceding the 33rd edition of the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3), the next step on the road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1).

Opalina ($10.60) hit the wire in 1:41.56 over a firm turf course to give jockey Luis Saez his third graded-stakes win on the card, following My Prankster in the Claiborne Farm Swale (G3) and Girl With a Dream in the Forward Gal (G3), both on the main track.

“When she took the lead in the stretch she kind of waited for the other ones, but when she got on the left [lead] she gave me another gear,” Saez said. “Last time, she needed a race and she didn't want to be too close. Today, we wanted to race a little bit from behind and make one move with her. Everything turned out like we were expecting.”

Myfavoritedaughter, sent off at the longest odds in a field of nine at 25-1, sped through fractions of 23.16 and 46.88 seconds to lead the group by open lengths with Ocean Safari, runner-up in the one-mile Ginger Brew Jan. 1 at Gulfstream, a distant second. Saez, meanwhile, had Opalina – third as the favorite in the Ginger Brew – settled in fourth.

“She ran great, and that's the way she runs her best, coming off the pace a little bit,” winning trainer Roderick Rodriguez said. “The last time she was anxious in the receiving barn, but today she was perfect. She was relaxed. She broke alertly, but she settled back and just made one big run, and that's the way I want her to run.”

Saez gave Opalina her cue leaving the backstretch, swinging out three wide to launch their bid. They quickly passed Ocean Safari and straightened for home with their sights set on Myfavoritedaughter, who dug in determinedly but could not hold off the closers.

Opalina earned her first career stakes victory by three-quarters of a length over late-running Ambitieuse, making just her third career start and first in a stakes. Miss You Ella came on for third, another 1 ¼ lengths back. Myfavoritedaughter, Battle Charge, Ocean Safari, Roughly a Diamond, Hal's Dream and Nostalgic – narrowly favored over Opalina and Ocean Safari – completed the order of finish.

“I felt good, because I know Luis can get the horse going,” Rodriguez said. “She was coming on really nice. I felt really confident at the top of the stretch.”

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Race Day Colt All Alone in Holy Bull

C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable's White Abarrio (Race Day), a well-beaten third most recently in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Nov. 27, pressed, pounced and pulled away to dominate by 4 1/2 lengths in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream. Expected pacesetter Simplification (Not This Time), a last out, front-running winner of the Mucho Macho Man S., completely missed the break, made a big sweeping move and did very well to hold second over favored GII Remsen S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo).

“It was a big performance,” winning trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. “We were ahead of schedule all the time and then he got sick and we missed two works. We ended up going from being ahead of schedule to being behind. Quality horses overcome those things.”

Joseph continued, “I would say off this, the ball is in our court, why not go straight to the [GI Curlin] Florida Derby [Apr. 2]? It gives him good spacing, and if he makes the GI Kentucky Derby, it will be his third race [this year]. That would be ideal right now, but we'll talk it over whether to go to the [GII Fasig-Tipton] Fountain of Youth [Mar. 5] or not.”

White Abarrio, hustled out by Tyler Gaffalione from his wide draw in post eight, sat a dream trip in second behind Galt (Medaglia d'Oro), a last out Gulfstream maiden winner and full-brother to the brilliant Songbird, through fractions of :23.93 and :47.31. He stuck his head in front at the five-sixteenths marker and blew the race apart from there to win for fun. White Abarrio earns 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby for the victory.

“It was an ideal trip,” Gaffalione said. “The horse broke sharply and put me where I wanted to be. He settled nicely on the backside and when I called on him, he gave me another gear and finished the job well. I don't think distance is going to be a problem. He was just hitting his best stride down the lane and, galloping out, I had a really difficult time pulling him up. I was calling for the outrider.”

Purchased privately from Clap Embroidery and trainer Carlos Perez after a 6 3/4-length debut romp sprinting here in September, White Abarrio aired when stretched to a one-turn mile by new conditioner Joseph, Jr. in optional claiming company Oct. 29. He was most recently third, beaten six lengths by unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Smile Happy (Runhappy), in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs.

“He trains like a horse that will handle a distance, but until they do, you never know for sure,” Joseph said. “I thought the [Kentucky] Jockey Club was a great education. He showed he could get two turns and today he answered it emphatically.”

It was a pair of disappointing efforts from GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf runner-up Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile third Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), who finished seventh and eighth, respectively.

Pedigree Notes:

White Abarrio, a $40,000 OBS March breezer (:10 2/5), becomes the seventh stakes winner and first graded winner for young sire Race Day. White Abarrio is the second graded winner out of an Into Mischief dam. The other is GII Prioress S. heroine Cilla (California Chrome), who was also a winner in Saturday's LA Bred Premier Matron S. at Delta Downs. White Abarrio's dam Catching Diamonds, a maiden of three career starts and $425,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Spendthrift, is also responsible for the 2-year-old colt Cage Match (Gormley) and a yearling colt by Lord Nelson. She was bred back to the latter for 2022. Catching Diamonds is a half-sister to MGSW Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy) and Downside Scenario (Scat Daddy), the dam of GSW & GISP Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief).

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
HOLY BULL S.-GIII, $250,000, Gulfstream, 2-5, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.80, ft.
1–WHITE ABARRIO, 120, c, 3, by Race Day
                1st Dam: Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief
                2nd Dam: Grand Breeze, by Grand Slam
                3rd Dam: Breeze Lass, by It's Freezing
   1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($7,500 Ylg
'20 OBSWIN; $40,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-C2 Racing Stable
LLC and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC; B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY);
T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $148,800. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-1, $240,850. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Simplification, 122, c, 3, Not This Time–Simply Confection, by
Candy Ride (Arg). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 RNA
Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-Tami Bobo; B-France Weiner & Irwin J.
Weiner (FL); T-Antonio Sano. $48,000.
3–Mo Donegal, 124, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Callingmissbrown, by
Pulpit. ($250,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Donegal Racing;
B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$24,000.
Margins: 4HF, HD, 1. Odds: 6.00, 3.70, 1.70.
Also Ran: Galt, Cajun's Magic, Spin Wheel, Tiz the Bomb, Giant Game, Eloquist. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Race Day Colt All Alone in Holy Bull appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Grand Sonata Continues Pletcher Parade In Kitten’s Joy

Whisper Hill Farm homebred Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) found racing room when he needed it, surging through an opening in deep stretch to run down stablemate Royal Spirit and win Saturday's $100,000 Kitten's Joy (G3) by a neck at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 10th running of the 1 1/16-mile Kitten's Joy on turf was the second of five graded-stakes for 3-year-olds on a program highlighted by the 33rd edition of the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3), the next step on the road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1).

Winner of the one-mile Dania Beach Jan. 1 at Gulfstream in his previous start, Grand Sonata ($13.60) completed the distance in 1:41.53 over a firm course under jockey Tyler Gaffalione to give Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher his second stakes win of the day following My Prankster in the Claiborne Farm Swale (G3).

It was the fifth graded-stakes win over the last two Saturdays for Pletcher, including last weekend's $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). Overall he has 12 stakes wins at the 2021-2022 Championship Meet, seven of them in graded company.

“I thought he was a little bit overlooked today,” Pletcher said of the winner, sent off as the co-third choice in a field of eight with Royal Spirit. “All his turf races have been good. He had a really tough trip at Aqueduct and didn't get the win but he's a really nice colt, very professional.”

Coinage, winner of the With Anticipation (G3) last summer in his turf debut, was sent to the front by jockey Luis Saez and ran a quarter-mile in 24.03 seconds and a half in 48.22 pressed by Royal Spirit on his right hip. Gaffalione had Grand Sonata settled in third along the rail, with 40-1 long shot Red Knobs on his outside.

“We were concerned there wasn't much pace on paper and Coinage can be tough when he gets loose, so we wanted to be aware of that. The fractions were pretty modest. I thought both horses were in good spots and both finished up well,” Pletcher said. “Actually I thought Royal Spirit might have it for a second, but this horse has a big turn of foot and Tyler knows that. Once he got him in the clear they finished in a rush.”

Royal Spirit moved up to even terms with Coinage exiting the far turn with Gaffalione still looking for room in behind. A couple of openings closed quickly in the stretch before Grand Sonata was able to tip out around Royal Spirit and came with a dramatic late burst to get the edge.

“I had a ton of horse. I had to be patient to wait for a spot. A little crack opened and he hesitated just a little bit, but I had so much horse, he wound up getting through and finished the job nicely,” Gaffalione said. “Mr. Pletcher and I spoke before the race. He said he didn't see much speed in the race and to just follow [Coinage] around there and wait for a spot. When he got out, he really finished well.”

Coinage stayed on for third, 1 ¼ lengths behind Royal Spirit, followed by Eldon's Prince, Red Danger, Speaking Scout, Father Glado and Red Knobs.

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Medaglia d’Oro Colt Gets Out in Time to Take Kitten’s Joy

Whisper Hill Farm homebred Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) got out of a jackpot just in time Saturday to come out on top of Gulfstream's GIII Kitten's Joy S. exacta for the en fuego Todd Pletcher barn. Royal Spirit (Into Mischief) was second best, while favored Coinage (Tapit)–making his first start since finishing ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf–settled for third after showing the way.

Second in his Belmont unveiling to next-out GIII Futurity S. winner Slipstream (More Than Ready) in October, Grand Sonata donned cap and gown around two turns in a Keeneland off-the-turfer Oct. 16. He was a close-up fifth with some trouble in the Big A's Central Park S. Nov. 27, and showed good determination to take the Dania Beach S. by a head here on New Year's Day.

Off at nearly double his 3-1 morning line quote as Coinage took significantly more action that predicted, Grand Sonata broke well from the rail and settled into a good pocket spot behind Coinage and inside of Royal Spirit. Grand Sonata clearly had run after six panels in 1:11.88, but Tyler Gaffalione had to sit patiently and wait for daylight. Boxed in by Speaking Scout (Mr Speaker) when he tried to tip out, Grand Sonata had to hit the brakes, but once Speaking Scout could no longer keep pace, he was free to lengthen his stride and he quickened resolutely to get up by a neck.

“I thought he was a little bit overlooked today,” Pletcher, who saddled the one-two finishers in last Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Turf S., said of the winner. “All his turf races have been good. He had a really tough trip at Aqueduct and didn't get the win, but he's a really nice colt; very professional.”

Pletcher continued, “We were concerned there wasn't much pace on paper and Coinage can be tough when he gets loose, so we wanted to be aware of that. The fractions were pretty modest. I thought both horses were in good spots and both finished up well. Actually, I thought Royal Spirit might have had it for a second, but this horse has a big turn of foot and Tyler knows that. Once he got him in the clear they finished in a rush.”

Gaffalione said, “I had a ton of horse. I had to be patient to wait for a spot. A little crack opened and he hesitated just a little bit, but I had so much horse, he wound up getting through and finished the job nicely. Mr. Pletcher and I spoke before the race. He said he didn't see much speed in the race and to just follow [Coinage] around there and wait for a spot. When he got out, he really finished well.”
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
KITTEN'S JOY S.-GIII, $100,000, Gulfstream, 2-5, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:41.53, fm.
1–GRAND SONATA, 123, c, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
                1st Dam: A. P. Sonata, by A.P. Indy
                2nd Dam: Moonlight Sonata, by Carson City
                3rd Dam: Wheatly Way, by Wheatly Hall
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($125,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O/B-Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Tyler
Gaffalione. $60,140. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $193,920. Werk
   Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Royal Spirit, 118, c, 3, Into Mischief–Don'tforgetaboutme, by
Malibu Moon. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($450,000 Ylg '20
FTKSEL). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-Claiborne Farm
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $19,400.
3–Coinage, 123, c, 3, Tapit–Bar of Gold, by Medaglia d'Oro.
($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-D. J. Stable LLC, Broman, Sr.,
Chester and Broman, Mary; B-Chester Broman & Mary R.
Broman (NY); T-Mark E. Casse. $9,700.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 5.80, 5.20, 1.80.
Also Ran: Eldon's Prince, Red Danger, Speaking Scout, Father Glado, Red Knobs. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Pedigree Notes:
Grand Sonata is the 86th graded winner by Darley stalwart Medaglia d'Oro–seven of which are out of A.P. Indy mares, including GISWs Plum Pretty and Bolt d'Oro. A.P. Indy is the broodmare sire of an incredible 116 graded/group winners overall.

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill paid $1.1 million for dam A. P. Sonata, a daughter of GSW Moonlight Sonata and half to Grade II winners Wilburn (Bernardini) and Beethoven (Sky Mesa) as a KEESEP yearling. The late-debuting filly's best finish was a third-place finish going nine furlongs on the Keeneland dirt.

Grand Sonata's full-sister of 2017 died in 2019, as did A. P. Sonata.

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