Tag: Horse Racing

Chez Pierre Right at Home in Maker’s Mark; Modern Games Second

The public bet reigning Eclipse Award-winning turf male Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) like he couldn't lose Friday's GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland, but Lael Stables Chez Pierre (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}) had other designs, as he kicked hard into the stretch and ran out a very easy winner in stakes-record time.

Alertly into stride from gate three, the 5-year-old dueled inside and heads apart with Peter Brant's Dr Zempf (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) around the first turn and tugged his way to the front beneath Flavien Prat to lead passing the five-furlong peg. The Brown trainee, trying a two-turn mile for the first time, proved a handful for Tyler Gaffalione down the backstretch and was allowed to stride to the front with a half-mile to race, but Prat remained unhurried aboard Chez Pierre, who was never off the bridle and re-engaged Dr Zempf going well at the top of the lane. The two-time Arqana sales grad pinched a break in upper stretch and really poured it on from there to prevail by 3 1/2 lengths. The final time of 1:33.46 lowered the previous mark of 1:33.54 set by Perfect Soul (Ire) back in 2004.

“I talked with [trainer] Arnaud [Delacour] that we could find ourselves on the lead, which happened,” said Prat. “But he wasn't really comfortable. He was looking around, and when [Dr Zempf] down the backside made a move, it actually helped me a lot because then I had a target and he was able to settle down and get in a good rhythm.”

Modern Games looked a bit flat-footed when Dr. Zempf rolled to the front and was hard-ridden the remainder, but could do no better than second, just ahead of second pick Up To the Mark (Not This Time) in third.

“He had a good trip,” William Buick said of the beaten favorite. “The winner went well. I was under pressure a little bit earlier than I thought I would be. The pace was even. I'm sure he will improve from this run. I was closing, but I was under pressure quite soon.”

Trained in France by Francis-Henri Graffard after selling for €100,000 at the 2020 Arqana July Sale, Chez Pierre was perfect in a pair of starts at two at Chantilly and added a conditions event at that venue in May 2021 before shipping stateside. A big-figure allowance winner at Tampa in his U.S. bow last March, he was sidelined off a blowout victory in the Henry Clark S. at Laurel the following month and resumed with a keen sixth behind 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready) in the GIII Tampa Bay S. Feb. 4.

Pedigree Notes:

Chez Pierre is the 13th graded/group winner and fourth top-level scorer for Tally-Ho Stud's Mehmas (by Acclamation {GB}), half of which have come in this country, the other being Del Mar Oaks heroine Going Global (Ire).

Chez Pierre's dam was purchased by Mandore International Agency for €15,000 at the 2015 Arqana February Sale and has since gone on to punch well above her weight in the breeding shed. The half-sister to GIII Buena Vista H. heroine Uraib (Ire) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}) is also the dam of Chez Pierre's year-younger Listed Prix Saraca-winning half-sister Zelda (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) and produced a full-brother to the latter in 2021.

Friday, Keeneland
MAKER'S MARK MILE S.-GI, $518,575, Keeneland, 4-14, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:33.46, fm.
1–CHEZ PIERRE (FR), 123, g, 5, by Mehmas (Ire)
                1st Dam: Hortensia (Ity), by Orpen
                2nd Dam: Hamsaat (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Steel Habit (Ire), by Habitat
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. (€25,000 Ylg
'19 ARAUG; €100,000 2yo '20 ARQSRM). O-Lael Stables;
B-SCEA des Prairies & Ecurie de Castillon (FR); T-Arnaud
Delacour; J-Flavien Prat. $298,375. Lifetime Record: 7-6-0-0,
$427,791. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Modern Games (Ire), 123, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Modern Ideals
(GB), by New Approach (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (Ire); T-Charles
Appleby. $96,250.
3–Up to the Mark, 123, c, 4, Not This Time–Belle's Finale, by
Ghostzapper. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE,
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole
Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $57,750.
Margins: 3HF, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 9.42, 0.45, 5.39.
Also Ran: Cabo Spirit, Speaking Scout, Dr Zempf (GB), Emmanuel, In Love (Brz).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Sol Oriens Goes For Three Straight In ‘Impact’-Free Satsuki Sho

For the first time in what seems a lifetime–13 years, to be precise–no 3-year-old son of Deep Impact (Jpn) heads to the gate for the opening leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama Racecourse. But the 2000-metre affair does not lack for intrigue, as a typically full field of 18 is set to face the starter Sunday afternoon.

Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) could continue a magical roll for his sire–who is also responsible for the world's top-rated runner Equinox (Jpn)–and should sit a cosy trip from barrier one for Takeshi Yokoyama. A veteran of just two well-spaced starts, the half-brother to the newly retired Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) annexed a newcomers' event going Tokyo's one-turn mile last November and in his lone racetrack appearance since, overcame a bit of greenness to stamp his authority on the Jan. 15 G3 Keisei Hai over this course and distance.

“His cornering has become a lot smoother after the fitting of a ring bit, and he looks to be more mature compared to before, as well as easier to ride,” said trainer Takahisa Tezuka. “In his last two races, the pace was quite slow. He's a horse with ability, and I think the pace will be quicker this time, but I'm confident he can run a good race with the potential he has and the condition he's in.”

 

 

 

Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) has tasted defeat just once in his career when finishing a slow-starting fourth to Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Top Knife (Jpn) (Declaration of War) in the 10-furlong G1 Hopeful S. at this venue back in December. He atoned for that effort when outfinishing Touch Wood (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G3 Kyodo News Hai at Tokyo Feb. 12.

“The horse is in top condition and has finished off strongly in training,” said jockey Christophe Lemaire. “His balance is good and he doesn't feel heavy at all. If he starts like he did last time, things will be fine, and I'm looking forward to this Grade 1 with him.”

Yuga Kawada rode four of Sunday's entrants in their most recent races and he elects to stick with Danon Touchdown (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) for the Guineas. A first-out winner over a mile at Chukyo last October, the half-brother to 2020 Hopeful S. winner Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) was narrowly beaten in his last two, including the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity last December. A horse that seems to take some time to hit top gear, he should appreciate stretching out to the 2000 metres for the first time.

Bellagio Opera (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is three-for-three lifetime, having come through the grades prior to handing the re-opposing Ho O Biscuits (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) a 1 1/4-length beating in the G2 Spring S. going nine furlongs over this course Mar. 19.

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Coen To Join Tattersalls Ireland

Officials at Tattersalls Ireland have announced the appointment of Luke Coen as a bloodstock representative. An experienced and respected figure in the industry, Coen has excelled in both the eventing and Thoroughbred industry.

Having represented Ireland at both Junion and Young Rider level in the European Championships, Coen has been surrounded by such equine superstars as My Dream Boat, Quel Spirit and Faugheen from a young age and has also gained knowledge as a pinhooker through his Q-Cross Stables.

“We are delighted to welcome Luke to the Tattersalls Ireland team,” said Tattersalls Ireland CEO Simon Kerins. “He is a very mature person that belies his age, and he has packed in an enormous amount of experience in his young career. With his deep understanding of pedigrees, conformation, racing potential and his expertise, Luke will be of great benefit to our clients. We look forward to working with him and continuing to provide our clients with the best possible service.”

Added Coen: “I am thrilled to be joining Tattersalls Ireland, a company with an excellent reputation in the industry. I am passionate about the thoroughbred industry and look forward to developing strong relationships with Tattersalls Ireland's vendors and purchasers alike.”

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Produce of Grade I Mares On Display at Hanshin

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin Racecourse:

Saturday, April 15, 2023
2nd-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($79k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
AUDIBLE CALL (GB) (f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Callback, by Street Sense), whose dam won the 2015 GI Las Virgenes S. and sold to Katsumi Yoshida for an even $2 million with this filly in utero at Keeneland November in 2019, got her career off to a promising start with a sound runner-up effort behind Kazumi Yoshida's Giuoco Piano (Justify) going Tokyo's one-turn mile Feb. 19 (see below, SC 15). Also sold for $2.8 million at Fasig-Tipton November following her 3-year-old season, the mare is also the dam of the Grade III-placed Tommy Bee (Medaglia d'Oro) and is a half-sister to SW Defy Gravity (Bandini). B-Northern Farm

 

 

Sunday, April 16, 2023
5th-HSN, ¥14,880,000 ($112k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
KEEP SMILING (JPN) (f, 3, Quality Road–Weep No More, by Mineshaft), a bang-up second on debut Dec. 17, was very impressive in graduating by four lengths at odds-on going this distance at Nakayama Feb. 25 (see below, SC 7). Upset winner of the 2016 GI Central Bank Ashland S., Weep No More is a half-sister to Grade III winner Current (Curlin) and to the Morea (Indian Charlie), the dam of the SW & GSP Half Is Enough (Frosted). The filly's third dam is 2001 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Flute (Seattle Slew). B-Northern Farm

 

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