Tag: Horse Racing

National Treasure Survives Late Scare To Win Pegasus World Cup

National Treasure (Quality Road), last year's front-running GI Preakness S. hero and a latest painful second to Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Nov. 4, gave trainer Bob Baffert a third victory in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and his sire a second Saturday afternoon at Gulfstream Park.

“I'm proud of him. He ran his race. He showed up,” said Baffert by phone from Southern California. “That's all you can ask for as a trainer. He was prepping well for it.”

Baffert also won the Pegasus World Cup with Arrogate (2017) and Mucho Gusto (2020).

“I've always thought he was that good a horse,” Baffert added. “He was just very immature and he's getting better and better, the way he's training. He trained much better than he was going into the Breeders' Cup.”

Flavien Prat was intent on being a forward factor aboard the 5-2 post-time favorite, but John Velazquez aboard GII Cigar Mile H. hero Hoist the Gold (Mineshaft) had similar designs on the lead.

Hoist the Gold showed the way with National Treasure a pressing second through taxing fractions of :23.18 and :46.32. National Treasure came after Hoist the Gold with a quarter mile to race and kicked for home as the one to catch.

In the meantime, GI Breeders' Cup Classic seventh and Cigar Mile runner-up Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) was winding up with an inside run on the far turn and would have had every chance given the shape of the race.

It seemed inevitable that he'd race right by National Treasure in the deciding stages, but the latter had just enough in reserve to take it by a long neck. Crupi (Curlin) closed from last of 12 to finish third at longshot odds.

“He's very brave. Obviously, a great job by Bob,” Prat said of the winner. “He's always on point. It's been a great pleasure riding [National Treasure].”

National Treasure, a solid third in the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland, followed his Preakness win with a sixth-place finish in the GI Belmont S., a fifth-place finish in the GI Travers S. and a fourth-place finish in the GI Awesome Again S. He just got tagged by a nose by Cody's Wish at the Championships.

National Treasure is campaigned by the powerful partnership of SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan.

“It's a wonderful partnership,” SF Racing's Tom Ryan said. “Great group of people that have stood behind us the whole way throughout over the last five or six years. Bob has taken us to places that we probably didn't feel we could arrive. This horse, what he did today, sitting off a horse, showed a new dimension. He's going to be a very nice 4-year-old.”

'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense), a narrow runner-up in the GII Clark S. and the 5-2 second choice, showed a little early speed before fading to ninth for trainer Brad Cox, who had saddled Knicks Go for a victory in the 2021 Pegasus World Cup.

“Just didn't handle the track at all. A lot of dirt hitting him in the face. He didn't seem like he wanted to go forward through it,” Cox said. “Luis [Saez] said at the half-mile pole he didn't move forward when asked. Pretty simple watching the race on television, I kind of thought going up the backside he was struggling with the ground. Regroup and see what happens.”

Pedigree Notes:

National Treasure, a $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling purchase, is among the 15 Grade/Group 1 winners by leading sire Quality Road. Quality Road, winner of this race's predecessor (GI Donn H.) in 2010, also sired the 2019 Pegasus winner City of Light.

National Treasure was bred by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds, who retained his dam Treasure–a maiden of seven career start–after she RNA'd for $375,000 as a yearling at the 2013 Keeneland September Sale. Treasure is also responsible for the stakes winner Ultimate (Speightstown) and last year's GI Hopeful S. third-place finisher and 'TDN Rising Star' Pirate (Omaha Beach), who commanded $350,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. Treasure's 2-year-old Authentic filly has been named Renoir. Treasure delivered a full brother to National Treasure Jan. 19.

 

Saturday, Gulfstream
PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL S. PRESENTED BY BACCARAT-GI, $2,932,700, Gulfstream, 1-27, 4yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:50.51, ft.
1–NATIONAL TREASURE, 123, c, 4, by Quality Road
               1st Dam: Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Proposal, by Mt. Livermore
                3rd Dam: Lady of Choice, by Storm Bird
($500,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing,
Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables
LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and
Catherine Donovan; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $1,719,000. Lifetime Record:
11-3-2-2, $3,322,000. *1/2 to Ultimate (Speightstown), SW,
$395,778 and Pirate (Omaha Beach), GISP. Werk Nick Rating:
A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Senor Buscador, 123, h, 6, Mineshaft–Rose's Desert, by
Desert God. O-Joe R. Peacock, Jr.; B-Joe R Peacock Sr. & Joe R
Peacock Jr. (KY); T-Todd W. Fincher. $573,000.
3–Crupi, 123, c, 4, Curlin–Don'tforgetaboutme, by Malibu
Moon. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($275,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias
Stables LLC; B-Claiborne Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$286,500.
Margins: NK, 4HF, 6 1/4. Odds: 2.60, 8.90, 34.00.
Also Ran: Hoist the Gold, O'Connor (Chi), Il Miracolo, Dynamic One, Nimitz Class, First Mission, Trademark, Grand Aspen, Skippylongstocking. Scratched: Castle Chaos.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Warm Heart Beats Boys, Sets Course Record In Pegasus World Cup Turf

As farewell tours go, this was a pretty good one.

Four years after the Coolmore contingent's Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) gave the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf a mighty shake when second to upset-minded Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire}), the globetrotting Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was given an A-plus steer from Ryan Moore, showed plenty of heart and guts when in very tight approaching the entrance to the final furlong and stayed on courageously to become the first female winner of the $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf.

The final time of 1:44.45 for the nine furlongs on firm turf broke the previous record of English Channel back in 2007.

Made the 12-5 second favorite behind the previously undefeated Integration (Quality Road), Warm Heart secured a forward position, with Integration a few lengths in her wake, as Main Event (Bernardini) and Catnip (Kitten's Joy) came across from their double-digit draws to fight out an opening quarter in :23.47. Jerry the Nipper (Liam's Map) went up to spilt that pair, and when he did, Moore made a critical decision to hustle his filly along for a stride or two, enabling her to secure a ground-saving rail position just behind the pacesetters.

Remaining glued to the fence through the middle furlongs and with no real changes to the plot, Warm Heart began to zero in on the dueling front-runners rounding the turn, and Moore opted to ride her for luck nearing the stretch, attempting to work the same sort of magic as he did aboard Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Main Event was holding firm as they hit the stretch, but Javier Castellano had left a sliver of daylight for Warm Heart at the inside if she was good enough to capitalize. She sliced through there gamely to lead a furlong out and held safe to the wire as 'TDN Rising Star' I'm Very Busy (Cloud Computing)–who didn't enjoy the clearest of stretch runs–came running late. Frankie Dettori also put an outstanding ride on the outposted Catnip, riding him for speed before sitting a wide trip and staying on for third.

Integration, perfect in three tries prior to this, raced ahead of midfield and enjoyed a decent inside trip for the opening seven furlongs. But whereas Moore was able to get through, the runs never came for Integration, as he was stymied behind Jerry the Nipper and inside of Catnip when push came to shove and he flashed home full of run for fifth once clear.

“She's always traveling very comfortably,” said Moore. “I didn't want to be there too early, and I didn't want to be tipping out into the straight, and I thought I'd rather just wait. She's a great filly. She's had an incredible year. She hasn't had a bad race.

“The leader, he was always leaning out, and he was weakening and I knew I had plenty of horse, so no problem. I was happy to wait.”

A maiden winner over a mile and two furlongs in the soft at Leopardstown last May, Warm Heart took the 12-furlong G2 Ribblesdale S. at the Royal Meeting and belied odds of 9-1 to defeat older females in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks Aug. 24. A neck winner despite a stumble at the start of the G1 Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp Sept. 10, she was set for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the quick ground at Santa Anita as opposed to the oft-easy conditions for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The plan nearly came together perfectly, as Warm Heart snuck through inside and looked home in the 10-furlong event Nov. 4, only to be stung on the wire by the fast-finishing Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who would go on to be crowned at the Eclipse Awards. Sent over to Hong Kong for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, she made the lead a long way from home and was there for the taking late, finishing third to Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}).

“She's an incredible filly,” said trainer Aidan O'Brien. “Ryan said it just didn't work for her the last race, but she's tactical, she's tough and she quickens. She doesn't do an awful lot when she gets there, but that's the way she's always been. She's very classy and very hardy, loves the fast ground, fast track.”

Much to the Ballydoyle maestro's chagrin, Warm Heart heads up to Kentucky to begin her second career.

“She's incredible. We'd love to have her and to be racing her, but the lads business is breeding these horses and she's an absolutely incredible broodmare to be going to Justify, who looks probably the most incredible stallion that ever was based on what he's done so far. It's so exciting, really,” O'Brien said.

Pedigree Notes:

A three-time Group 1 winner in Australia over sprint trips, Sea Siren was sent to the Northern Hemisphere in late spring 2013, finishing eighth in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. before taking the Listed Belgrave S. to conclude her racing career.

A half-sister to Australian Group 3 winner Oratorio (Aus)–not to be confused with the eponymous Irish-bred–and New Zealand Group 2 winner Lady Dehere (NZ), Sea Siren is also responsible for Warm Heart's 3-year-old brother Bremen (Ire), a maiden winner at second asking for Donnacha O'Brien at Killarney last July. Sea Siren was bred to Camelot (GB) on Southern Hemisphere time and was returned to Australia, where she foaled a colt by the sire of G1 Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet (Ire) in August 2022. Chris Waller Racing/Mulcaster Bloodstock went to A$275,000 for that produce at the recently concluded Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. After producing a colt by Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) last August, Sea Siren was covered by Justify at Coolmore Australia in September.

As stated above, Warm Heart has a date with Justify this year, and with good reason. The cross over Galileo has resulted in three winners at the graded level, including champion and G1 Dewhurst S. winner City of Troy, GII Jessamine S. victress Buchu and Group 3 winner Red Riding Hood (Ire). G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Opera Singer is out of a mare by Galileo's sire Sadler's Wells, while Group 2 winner Statuette has a second dam by Sadler's Wells.

 

Saturday, Gulfstream
1/ST BET PEGASUS WORLD CUP TURF INVITATIONAL S.-GI, $952,300, Gulfstream, 1-27, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:44.45, fm.
1–WARM HEART (IRE), 118, f, 4, by Galileo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Sea Siren (Aus) (Hwt. Older Mare-Ire-at 5-7 f.,
                                MG1SW-Aus, SW & MGSP-Ire, $1,743,772),
                                by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
                2nd Dam: Express A Smile (Aus), by Success Express
                3rd Dam: Hold That Smile (Aus), by Haulpak (Aus)
O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael
Tabor; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan P. O'Brien; J-Ryan L.
Moore. $531,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr,
G1SP-HK, 11-6-2-1, $2,194,994. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–I'm Very Busy, 123, c, 4, Cloud Computing–Two Kisses, by
Kissin Kris. 'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg
'21 EASOCT; $135,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR). O-Team Hanley,
Richard Schermerhorn and Paul Braverman; B-Glenn E. Brok
LLC & Mark Toothaker (PA); T-Chad C. Brown. $177,000.
3–Catnip, 123, g, 5, Kitten's Joy–Masquerade, by Silent Name
(Jpn). O/B-John & Susan Moore (KY); T-Michael Stidham.
$88,500.
Margins: HF, NK, 1. Odds: 2.40, 14.50, 46.50.
Also Ran: Atone, Integration, Webslinger, Kingmax (Ire), Shirl's Speight, Jerry the Nipper, Adhamo (Ire), Main Event, Master Piece (Chi). Scratched: Anglophile, Grand Sonata.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Didia Outclasses Rivals In Pegasus World Cup F/M Turf

The exceptionally consistent Didia (Arg) (Orpen) won for the 10th time in 15 career starts and for the sixth time in eight appearances since coming to North America, kicking on gamely in the final eighth of a mile to take out Saturday's $500,000 GIII TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park.

Sent off the lukewarm 33-10 favorite, some $1,500 more than GIII Cardinal S. romper Star Fortress (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Didia jumped alertly and put herself right into the race, as she settled just off the flank of longshot leader Accomplished Girl (Street Boss) through the opening exchanges. The pace was not overly taxing up front–Didia eyeballed Accomplished Girl past a half-mile in a modest :48.62–and Didia was held together by Jose Ortiz on the turn, waiting for her cue to sprint for the wire.

Asked for her best when level with the front-runner on the swing for home, the 6-year-old stuck her head in front at the furlong marker and was home first. Surprisingly (Mastery), a 25-1 outsider, was able to drop down onto the fence rounding the  first turn when Star Fortress was taken hold of and rode the rail throughout. She turned in a menacing late rally to be a good second. California raider Ruby Nell (Bolt d'Oro) was well and truly taken out of her game when unable to make the running, as is her custom, but she was settled well enough by Frankie Dettori from a forward position and finished a highly creditable third, just ahead of the well-bet Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}).

Twice a Group 1 winner in Argentina, Didia won the first four starts of her stateside sojourn, capped by a powerful victory in the GIII Modesty S. at Churchill last May. A pace-compromised second in the GI New York S. June 9, the bay was freshened with an eye on the tail end of the season and she returned to boss her rivals in the GII Rodeo Drive S. Oct. 7. She was most recently 10th to champion Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as the 9-1 fourth choice in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Nov. 4.

“I told [jockey] Jose [Ortiz] to be close and don't leave her that much to do,” said winning trainer Ignacio Correas of Saturday's effort. “He was a bit closer but when I saw that the pace was not that fast, I was very happy with where she was. I thought if she got beat it was going to be if she beat herself. She had everything in her favor.

“I think that probably she's better than I ever imagined,” Correas added. “She can do whatever. When you think that she was running a mile and a quarter and them come and put in such a performance almost wire to wire, close to the lead, these horses they just train themselves. We just need to stay out of the way.”

The victory earns Didia a spot in the field and a $25,000 travel stipend for the G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Glorious Goodwood later this summer.

Saturday, Gulfstream
TAA PEGASUS WORLD CUP FILLY AND MARE TURF INVITATIONAL S.-GII, $485,600, Gulfstream, 1-27, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.90, fm.
1–DIDIA (ARG), 120, m, 6, by Orpen
1st Dam: Delambre (Brz) (G1SP-Brz), by Rainbow Corner (GB)
2nd Dam: Diya, by Ariosto (Arg)
3rd Dam: Sevilla (Arg), by Ringaro
O-Merriebelle Stable; B-La Manija (ARG); T-Ignacio Correas,
IV; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $282,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly &
MG1SW-Arg, GISP-US, 15-10-2-0, $1,074,109. *Full to
Davide (Arg), Ch. All-Weather Horse & SW-Sin, $549,642; and
Dedini (Arg), MG1SP-Arg; half to Desvelo (Arg) (Sunray Spirit),
MSP, $181,511. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free
Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Surprisingly, 120, m, 5, Mastery–Vagabond, by Arch.
($1,000,000 4yo '23 KEENOV). O-Repole Stable; B-Phipps
Stable (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $94,000.
3–Ruby Nell, 120, f, 4, Bolt d'Oro–Rich Love, by Not For Love.
($80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $85,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP;
$1,200,000 2yo '22 FTFMAR). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC;
B-Solana Beach Sales (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $47,000.
Margins: NK, 1HF, HD. Odds: 3.30, 26.60, 4.10.
Also Ran: Fluffy Socks, Mission of Joy, Chili Flag (Fr), Sister Lou Ann, Accomplished Girl, Queen Goddess, Cairo Consort, Star Fortress (Ire). Scratched: Be My Sunshine, Full Count Felicia.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Sunday’s Insights: Well-Bred Daughter Of Tapit And Unrivaled Belle Makes The Races

2nd-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:38 p.m. ET.
Whisper Hill homebred TAP MY BELLE (Tapit) makes her first start for trainer Ralph Nicks.

The gray is out GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), who was bred and raced by Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso. Initially, she was purchased by Brushwood Stable for $2.8 million as the fourth highest price at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale.

Five years later at the same auction, Whisper Hill made the mare the sales topper when Mandy Pope took her home for $3.8 million, while Tap My Belle's older full-sister, Unrivaled Princess, was in-utero.

Of course, Unrivaled Belle's most famous produce to date is also another full-sister to this Gulfstream first-time starter–two-time Eclipse Award recipient Unique Bella. Winner of the GI Beholder Mile and GI La Brea S., the champion was purchased for $400,000 by Don Alberto at the 2015 Keeneland September Sale.

Unrivaled Belle claims a 2-year-old colt and a yearling one of the same sex, while Unique Bella–herself a dam–also has a 2-year-old colt and she foaled a filly last year. All four offspring are by multiple leading sire Into Mischief.

Tap My Belle's second dam, MGSW Queenie Belle (Bertrando), is also responsible for the dam of GIII Gotham S. victor Raise Cain (Violence). TJCIS PPS

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