Tag: Hopeful S.

Shin Emperor Has Much In His Favour In Hopeful

Perfect in two starts, including a victory over 2000 metres already at this early stage in his career, Susumu Fujita's Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) can well and truly stamp himself a leading contender for next year's Japanese Classics when he takes on a full field in Thursday's G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama, the final top-level event on the JRA circuit for 2023.

Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux, the chestnut is–as has been well documented–a full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) and was hammered down to trainer Yoshito Yahagi for a sales-topping €2.1 million at last year's Arqana August Sale in Deauville. The colt has done little to suggest his connections' lofty opinions are misguided, as he was visually impressive in taking out his maiden at first asking over 1800 metres at Tokyo Nov. 4 and he made it two-from-two with a half-length success in the G3 Kyoto Nisai S. Nov. 25, successfully stretching out to Thursday's distance. Yahagi has tabbed Bauyrzhan Murzabayev to ride.

“He has a lot of potential and it's not often you get to work with a horse with a pedigree like he has, so I'm feeling the pressure,” said assistant trainer Yusaku Oka. “He's still mentally immature, but he has shown a high level of ability and with his European bloodline, I think the tough turf at Nakayama will suit him. He has a lot of power and he should be able to handle the hill in the stretch. He already experienced the trip to Kanto for his debut, so I'm not worried there. I'm hoping he'll do his best.”

 

 

 

Regaleira (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}), one of two fillies taking on the boys here, graduated in a July 9 newcomers' event at Hakodate and most recently resumed with a sound third-place effort behind the talented JRHA Select Yearling Sale topper Danon Ayers Rock (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) in the Listed Ivy S. at Tokyo Oct. 21. Christophe Lemaire sticks with the filly for Equinox (Jpn)'s trainer Tetsuya Kimura.

Bricks and Mortar is in a good battle for second spot on the list of leading first-crop sires in Japan by progeny earnings behind Suave Richard, and Gonbade Qabus (Jpn) stands a good chance to solidify that position Thursday. The dark bay colt opened his account at first asking in a 1600-metre newcomers' contest at headquarters June 10 and was not seen for four months thereafter, returning to cause a mild upset in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup over the identical course and distance Oct. 7. He must negotiate an extra two furlongs here, but on pedigree it is clearly well within his reach.

Velociraptor (Jpn) (Suave Richard {Jpn}) also brings an unblemished record into the Hopeful, having won his maiden over nine furlongs at Tokyo June 24 before adding a Sept. 23 conditions test at Hanshin over the same trip.

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Nutella Fella Another Stakes Upsetter For Contessa In Hopeful

Trainer Gary Contessa, who sprang a 21-1 upset in the opening-day GIII Schuylerville S., brought the curtain down on the 2023 Saratoga season with another shocker when 54-1 outsider Nutella Fella (Runhappy) ran down the field late to take the GI Hopeful S. Monday in upstate New York. Fractious behind the gate and away slowly, Nutella Fella was well back in last as a four-way speed battle developed up front. After tacking onto the rest of the field approaching the three-eighths pole, Nutella Fella was committed to an inside run into the stretch before swinging out in search of running room. Favored 'TDN Rising Star' Timberlake (Into Mischief), who had raced keenly up on the heels of the pacesetters through fractions of :22.19 and :44.89, and was mired in traffic down the lane, was finally muscling his way to the lead inside the final furlong, but Nutella Fella was making eye-catching progress on the far outside to edge past the favorite late while racing on his incorrect lead. 'TDN Rising Star' Pirate (Omaha Beach) covered ground and ran on bravely for third.

“We kind of figured he was going to break slow from the gate because he's a moron in the gate, and I just was hoping there'd be plenty of speed, which there was,” Contessa said. “When they said :22 flat, I was thinking, 'This is great.' Then Junior [Alvarado] went from the inside to the outside and I thought he rode him masterfully. He saved ground when he could and then ultimately went outside and got the money.”

Nutella Fella, owned by Nick and Delora Beaver's Bell Gable Stable, was a first-out winner going 5 1/2 furlongs at Delaware July 26 for the couple's trainer Richard Sillaman. Contessa had been serving as the Bell Gable private trainer since 2021, but gave up day-to-day operations earlier this year and now serves as the operation's general manager. Bell Gable was the leading owner at Delaware Park in 2022 and 2023.

Despite his 2 1/4-length victory, it was not all smooth sailing for Nutella Fella in his debut.

“That [his gate issues today] was a minor incident today compared to what he did at Delaware, so it's a work in progress, but it's a big improvement over the last time,” Contessa said. “When I looked at the field I said, 'This is a salty field, but if you look at his workouts, they've been phenomenal.' So, it's kind of like [Schuylerville winner] Becky's Joker. He had the workouts and the question was, is he good enough? Sure enough, he is.”

As for next targets for Nutella Fella, Contessa said, “[Oct. 7 GI] Champagne to [Nov. 3] Breeders' Cup, unless he throws us a curve. He's going to stay up here the next six weeks with me and we'll be racing in the Champagne from here. I think [he'll get two turns]. It looked like it today.”

The Hopeful lost a potential headliner when 'TDN Rising Star' Muth (Good Magic), the 5-2 morning-line favorite, was scratched by trainer Bob Baffert Monday morning.

The $2-million OBS March topper romped by 8 3/4 lengths in his June 18 debut at Santa Anita and was coming off a runner-up effort behind stablemate Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) in the Aug. 13 GIII Best Pal S.

“I was coming back a little quick and I looked at that field and it's pretty salty,” Baffert told Daily Racing Form's Dave Grening, adding the colt will be re-routed to the Oct. 7 GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita.

Pedigree Notes:

Nutella Fella is the fourth graded winner for champion sprinter Runhappy, who had been the title sponsor of the Hopeful for the last four years. He is the eighth Grade I winner for broodmare sire Candy Ride (Arg).

Krissy's Candy, a half-sister to graded-placed Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat) and Danny Boy (Harlan's Holiday), has a yearling colt by War of Will–who is catalogued as hip 2588 at next week's Keeneland September sale–and a weanling colt by Yaupon. She was bred back to Uncle Mo.

The mare was bred by the Lyster family's Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables and was purchased by Mike Ryan on behalf of e Five Racing for $210,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale. She made two starts in the e Five colors before being claimed by Stephen Lyster for $50,000 at Churchill in the fall of 2017. She made one start for Lyster and was bred to Street Sense in 2019. Nutella Fella is her second foal.

Ashview purchased Nutella Fella's second dam, 2003 GII Adirondack S. runner-up Unbridled Beauty, for $135,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November sale. The winner's third dam, Dreamscape, produced Sophia's Song (Bellamy Road), the dam of Saturday's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Bright Future (Curlin).

Monday, Saratoga
HOPEFUL S.-GI, $300,000, Saratoga, 9-4, 2yo, 7f, 1:24.41, ft.
1–NUTELLA FELLA, 120, c, 2, by Runhappy
                1st Dam: Krissy's Candy, by Candy Ride (Arg)
                2nd Dam: Unbridled Beauty, by Unbridled's Song
                3rd Dam: Dreamscape, by Mt. Livermore
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE
I WIN. ($12,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Bell Gable Stable LLC;
B-Ashview Farm (KY); T-Gary C. Contessa; J-Junior Alvarado.
$165,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $187,800.
Werk Nick Rating: B.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Timberlake, 120, c, 2, Into Mischief–Pin Up (Ire), by Lookin At
Lucky. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE,
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($350,000 Ylg '22
KEESEP). O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-St. Elias
Stables, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
3–Pirate, 120, c, 2, Omaha Beach–Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($350,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Harrell
Ventures, LLC and Starlight Racing; B-Peter E. Blum
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $36,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 2HF. Odds: 54.50, 2.15, 10.10.
Also Ran: Be You, Mission Beach, Gold Sweep, Just Steel, Baytown Chatterbox, Valentine Candy, Yo Yo Candy. Scratched: Muth.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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Hearts Concerto Looms a Double-Digit Danger in Hopeful

Wednesday's Hopeful S. is the last of 24 Group 1 events on the JRA circuit for 2022 and the event has attracted a wide-open group of juveniles who will try to prove their mettle over the 2000-metres.

Hearts Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) could offer value relative to what he's accomplished in his two racetrack appearances to date. The bay dismantled a group of newcomers by eight resounding lengths as the 9-10 chalk going this trip at Chukyo Sept. 18 and was the hot favourite for the nine-furlong G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. at headquarters Nov. 19. It all went wrong when he walked out of the stalls, spotting his rivals several lengths, but he closed off in a race-best :33.8 to finish a good third to the re-opposing Gastrique (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}). He was trading at better than 10-1 on the JRA tote as of this writing.

“He missed the break [last time] and was left behind, and that really hurt,” said trainer Ryo Takei. “His preparation after that race has all gone smoothly. I think the extra distance is a plus and the conditions are better for him here.”

Mikki Cappuccino (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) is perfect in his two starts, each over 10 furlongs. A narrow debut winner, with future Group 3 winner Gruner Green (Jpn) (Lovely Day {Jpn}) third, at Tokyo Oct. 9, he jumped out of the ground in the final furlong and shot away to take a course-and-distance allowance by a widening 3 1/2 lengths when last seen Dec. 3. Keita Tosaki will have to work out a trip from barrier 18.

Since finishing third in an 1800-metre heat at Hakodate in July, King's Reign (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) has won back-to-back races, including a 1 1/2-length tally in a one-win class allowance over the 2000 metres at Tokyo in early November. Christophe Lemaire retains the ride.

J Palms (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) is a son of the American-bred mare Killer Graces (Congaree), making him a half-brother to last year's Hopeful hero Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). He got his career off on a popular and winning note in his lone career start, carrying Lemaire to a three-length victory at odds of 2-5 in a Tokyo newcomers' event Nov. 5. David Egan, who has ridden nine winners from 52 rides on his current short-term contract in Japan, takes the call for Noriyuki Hori.

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Five of Six Have Hopeful Claims

The curtain falls on the 40-day Saratoga meeting Monday afternoon with a field of six set to head to the post for the GI Hopeful S. And a legitimate case can be made for all but one of the juvenile colts signed on.

Half of the Hopeful field have already been accorded 'TDN Rising Star' honors and Gulfport (Uncle Mo) could well go favored for Steve Asmussen and the Heiligbrodts. The $275,000 Fasig-Tipton July purchased could not have looked better in his first two career outings–a seven-length debut at 1-2 at Churchill June 10 followed by a 12 1/4-length tour-de-force at 20 cents on the dollar in the July 4 Bashford Manor S. Odds-on yet again in the Aug. 13 GII Saratoga Special S., the bay found enough trouble 2 1/2 furlongs out to allow fellow 'Rising Star' Damon's Mound (Girvin) to get the jump and was forced to settle for second.

Mo Strike (Uncle Mo) is not a 'Rising Star' but holds the distinction of being the lone previous graded winner in the field, having stalked and pounced to a 3 1/2-length tally in the GIII Sanford S. July 16. Andiamo a Firenze (Speightstown), third home that day, has since returned to wallop state-breds in the Funny Cide S.

“He's doing great. He's been feeling really good and came out of the Sanford in good order,” said trainer Brad Cox. “He's been working every seven days.”

A subpar fourth in Sanford was Forte (Violence), who streaked home by nearly eight on his downstate debut May 27 to earn his 'Rising Star', but never got untracked last time, finishing an even fourth. Trainer Todd Pletcher is willing to give his charge the benefit of the doubt.

“The track was probably a little deep for his liking [in the Sanford]. The pace didn't come back much,” said Pletcher. “I think he should appreciate the added distance.”

Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) also caught what appeared to be a heavy track on his July 24, earning an 85 Beyer when covering six furlongs in 1:13.34 to defeat re-opposing next-out maiden romper Bourbon Bash (City of Light) by 6 1/4 lengths.

“The form looked good in his last race,” said trainer Chad Brown. “He had his last breeze [on Sunday] for the Hopeful, so we'll see.”

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