The dual-surface capable Mutasaabeq has been removed from consideration for the 2021 Kentucky Derby, reports DRF's Mike Welsch on Twitter. A 3-year-old son of Into Mischief, the colt exited his latest workout with a “minor shin issue.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher had been pointing the Shadwell-owned Mutasaabeq to Saturday's G3 Holy Bull Stakes, after the colt impressed in his 3-year-old debut on the dirt in the Jan. 2 Mucho Macho Man Stakes.
As a juvenile, Mutasaabeq finished third in the G1 Hopeful on dirt, then won the G2 Bourbon on turf before finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Out of the winning Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario, a half-sister to Group 3 winner and $844,783 earner Cool Cowboy, Mutasaabeq was a $425,000 weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November sale.
The versatile Mutasaabeq, impressive winner of the Mucho Macho Man, who was pointing for Saturday's Holy Bull Stakes, is off the Kentucky Derby trail after coming out of a recent work with a minor shin issue per trainer Todd Pletcher.
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 Tokyo and Chukyo Racecourses. The latter plays host to Sunday's G3 Silk Road S., which has drawn a typically full field of 18 turf sprinters, led by American-bred Group 1 winner Mozu Superflare (Speightstown) and the hard-knocking Shivaji (First Samurai):
Saturday, January 30, 2021 2nd-TOK, ¥11,400,000 ($109k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1400m FINE HAPPY (f, 3, Runhappy–Unbridled Empire, by Empire Maker) is a half-sister to Grade I-winning turf marathoner Arklow (Arch) and to MGSW grasser Maraud (Blame) and cost owner Masatake Iida $340K at Keeneland September in 2019. His unplaced dam is a half-sister to Fourty Niners Son (Distorted Humor), a Grade I winner on turf in this country who later stood in Japan; and to GISW Cindy's Hero (Sea Hero), the dam of MGSW & GISP Delegation (Speightstown). B-John R & Frank Penn (KY)
4th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($109k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m CAREERISM (c, 3, Upstart–Out of Goodbyes, by Out of Place) is the latest foal from his stakes-winning Massachusetts-bred dam, a half-sister to romping fellow Mass-bred black-type winner No More Goodbyes (More Than Ready). An $85K Fasig-Tipton November weanling purchase, this February foal was knocked down for $120K at FTKJUL in 2019 and fetched $200K at last year's OBS March Sale after breezing a quarter-mile in a strong :21 2/5. B-Golden Pedigree LLC (KY)
ERIE TESORO (f, 3, California Chrome–Celtic Chant, by Songandaprayer) cost $130K as a KEENOV weanling in 2018 before improving into a $235K KEESEP yearling the following year. Her stakes-winning dam has already been responsible for the Grade III-placed Irish Mischief (Into Mischief), while the deeper female family includes MGISW Vicar (Wild Again) and his stakes-winning half-sister Sheepscot (Easy Goer), the dam of 2007 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Astronomer Royal (Danzig) and U.S. GSW Navesink River (Unbridled). Erie Tesoro was entered for, but ultimately scratched out of a similar spot Jan. 17. B-Clarkland Farm LLC (KY)
4th-TOK, ¥13,830,000 ($133k), Allowance, 3yo, 1600m ANNUNCIATION (c, 3, Union Rags–Acquant, by Giant's Causeway) makes his 3-year-old debut in this spot, having hosed up by 3 1/2 very impressive lengths at short odds over course and distance Oct. 31 (see below, gate 3). A $230K KEESEP yearling that races in the colors of Silk Racing Co. Ltd., the chestnut is out of a winning daughter of MGSW Social Queen (Dynaformer), the dam of GISW Force the Pass (Speightstown). The chestnut with four white socks also hails from the female family of MSW & MGISP Wonder Gal (Tiz Wonderful). B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY)
Sunday, January 31, 2021 1st-TOK, ¥9,680,000 ($93k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m TAPITAIL (f, 3, Tapit–Lady of Fifty, by After Market) went favored in each of her two starts last season going a mile on the Tokyo dirt, finishing fourth in the slop Oct. 10 before improving a couple of spots when last seen over a dry strip Nov. 29. The colt's dam, a Grade I winner on the main track, was acquired privately in 2017 and foaled this filly the following January before being exported. Her 2020 produce is a Heart's Cry (Jpn) colt that fetched ¥36 million ($335,538) as a foal at last year's JRHA Select Sale. B-Teruya Yoshida (KY)
Wicked Whisper, a Grade 1 winner, has been retired from racing and will be bred to top sire Uncle Mo during the 2021 breeding season, BloodHorse reports.
The 4-year-old daughter of Liam's Map finished her career with three wins in eight career starts for earnings of $471,550. After winning on debut at Saratoga as a 2-year-old, she took the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes, then finished fifth in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita Park.
In 2020, Wicked Whisper won the G3 Miss Preakness Stakes, and she finished second in the G3 Charles Town Oaks.
Wicked Whisper was trained by Steve Asmussen for owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong. She was bred in Kentucky by Siena Farms.
Uncle Mo, a 13-year-old son of Indian Charlie, stands at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., for an advertised fee of $175,000.
His first crop of runners set the all-time earnings record for a freshman sire, and his runners are led by champion and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, and Grade 1 winners including Bast, Outwork, Dream Tree, Mo Town, and Gomo.
America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, returns this weekend with live racing from Oaklawn Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.
Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will broadcast 9.5 hours of weekend racing coverage and analysis on FS1 and FS2, including four stakes races from Aqueduct and Oaklawn.
Stakes action from Aqueduct this weekend includes Saturday's 128th running of the seven-furlong Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan for 4-year-olds and upward, while Sunday's Big A card offers the 37th renewal of the seven-furlong $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield for sophomores.
Oaklawn Park features a pair of stakes on Saturday, including the $150,000 American Beauty at six furlongs for older fillies and mares and the $200,000 Martha Washington, a one-mile test for sophomore fillies offering 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers.
America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel which boasts more than 63,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a plethora of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.
Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.
NYRA Bets is the official online wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
For the current broadcast schedule and additional programming information, visit NYRA.com.
