The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) has rescheduled the 2021 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC) for Aug. 27-29 at Bally’s Las Vegas due to the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. The new date is nearly 200 days later than the originally scheduled NHC slated for Feb. 12-14.
Tag: Horse racing news
Never Underestimate a Champion: The Story of Groupie Doll
Never underestimate a champion. This age-old lesson was reiterated to handicappers and racing fans alike when the sensational, speedy mare Groupie Doll defied age and expectations in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
Surfer Girl Stakes Win Puts Madone On Track For Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf
Next to last, about five lengths off the lead with a half mile to run, Flavien Prat stepped on the gas heading into the far turn aboard heavily favored Madone, who kicked into gear and despite being fanned six wide turning for home, battled gamely to hold off the late charge of Irish-bred Tetragonal to win Sunday's $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., by a neck. Owned by Kaleem Shah and trained by Simon Callaghan, Madone got one mile turf in 1:34.93 and extended her unbeaten streak to three.
“They went fast, which we thought could happen, so Flavien just let her settle back early and let her get comfortable,” said Callaghan. “He made a big move with her and thankfully she had enough to hold off (Tetragonal)…She is professional, she has really grown up a lot. She took a little bit of time to come around, but she's really developing into a real professional. The Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 6 at Keeneland) is the plan now.”
A first out one mile maiden turf winner July 31, Madone's most recent score came in the one mile Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Sept. 6. Off at even money in a field of nine 2-year-old fillies today, she paid $4.20, $2.80 and $2.40.
“I liked where we were after the first quarter, it seemed like they were going fast enough up front,” said Autumn Meet leading rider Prat, who made the lead a furlong out and notched his third win of the day. “The fractions don't say it, but down the backside, it seemed like they slowed it down a little, so I moved and I think I moved a little too soon. When she makes the lead, she pulls herself up a little. In all of her races, she doesn't win by much, but she's got a lot of talent.”
A $125,000 Ocala Breeders March 2-year-old in Training Sale purchase, Madone, which means beautiful woman in Italian, picked up $60,000 for her efforts. By the Medaglia d'Oro stallion Vancouver, she's out of the Cherokee Run mare Indian Love Call. A perfect three for three, she has earnings of $141,300.
Trained by Richard Baltas, Tetragonal saved ground while last early, wheeled four-deep turning for home and just missed in a thriller. Off at 25-1 with Juan Hernandez, she finished 3 ½ lengths in front of Pizzazz and paid $11.20 and $6.40.
Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Pizzazz stalked the pace while fourth early and just held off Closing Remarks by a nose for third money. Off at 8-1, Pizzazz paid $4.40 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.30, 45.91, 1:10.61 and 1:23.06.
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Miller Thinking Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf After Ebeko’s Zuma Beach Score
Irish-bred Ebeko rallied through the lane for a hard fought nose victory in Sunday's $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as leading trainer Peter Miller continued to hold a red-hot hand. Ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez, Ebeko, in his second stateside start, got one mile on turf in 1:36.55.
Breaking from post position four in a field of seven juveniles, Ebeko was much closer to the pace today than he had been in his one mile turf U.S. debut at Del Mar on Sept. 7. Fourth, about two lengths off of dueling leaders a quarter mile out, he swept four-wide turning for home and was just up as he narrowly outdueled Bob Baffert's Tarantino to the wire.
“This is a very nice colt…He gives you his all,” said Gonzalez. “The first time, we were in the 10-hole, so we just kind of made one run and he had just come from Europe. It's different now that he's been here. He puts himself in the race and finished really strong.”
A fast finishing second, beaten one length by today's race favorite Big Fish, Ebeko was off as the third betting choice at 3-1 and paid $8.80, $4.80 and $3.40.
Owned by Altamira Racing Stable, CYBT, Marc Lantzman and Michael Nentwig, Ebeko, who was one for three in his native Ireland, provided Miller with his meet leading fifth stakes win and his eighth win overall. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $106,430 and improved his overall mark to 5-2-2-0.
“We've been on an incredible run,” said Miller by phone from his home in Cardiff. “We've won with our last four, just everything is falling into place right now. I thought Ricky rode an incredible race. We knew this horse was doing well and Ricky saw that the pace was pretty slow, so he had him closer today.
“To be honest, there's no doubt in my mind that he could've won much easier today if we didn't have the new rules…I'm just being honest…We're definitely going to look at the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Turf on Nov. 6 at Keeneland) with this horse. He deserves it and we're looking forward to going.”
Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Tarantino laid second throughout and lost a heartbreaker while finishing three quarters of a length in front of Cotopaxi. The actual second choice at 3-1, Tarantino paid $4.80 and $4.00.
Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Cotopaxi made the lead a furlong out, but had to settle for third money, a neck in front of Caisson. Off at 6-1, Cotopaxi paid $4.20 to show.
Big Fish, the 2-1 post favorite with Victor Espinoza, appeared poised to make a run at the top of the stretch, but flattened out through the drive to finish fifth.
Fractions on the race were 23.66, 48.42, 1:13.10 and 1:24.92.
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