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Saturday’s Racing Insights: Pletcher Barn Sending Them Out in Droves

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

7th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 3:10 p.m.

Todd Pletcher sends out a pair of flashy firsters in what looks like a particularly salty maiden event. Dupuis (Distorted Humor) will carry the same Robert and Lawana Low silks as his stablemate Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), winner of last month's GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. A $165,000 FTKOCT yearling, Dupuis topped the OBS July 2-year-old sale at $700,000 off of a :10 flat work. The Apr. 30 foal hails from the family of Florida speedsters Bahamian Squall and Apriority. The meet's leading trainer will also be represented by $400,000 KEESEEP yearling Democracy (Quality Road). He is a half to SW and MGSP turf sprinter Into Mystic (Into Mischief) out of a half to GSWs Savorthetime, Rogue Romance and Island Bound.

Collaborate (Into Mischief), trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr. for a formidable partnership in Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing, is out of MGSW dirt router Quiet Temper (Quiet American) from a productive Phipps family. The $600,000 FTSAUG yearling's local series of works included a head-turning 1:00.07 bullet breeze from the gate Dec. 27 (XBTV video).

William Farish homebred Bears Watching (Karakontie {Jpn}) is half to none other than his connections' MGISW and $2.7-million earner Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}). Campeador (Jack Milton) is half to last year's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational romper Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man), while $125,000 FTKNOV weanling Black Belt (Not This Time) is out of fleet-footed GSW Pica Slew (Pico Central {Brz}). Mo More (Uncle Mo), a $390,000 September acquisition, is out of a half to GSW and MGISP Money Multiplier (Lookin At Lucky).

Debut runners-up Jeebar (Frosted) and Buck Moon (Malibu Moon) boast an experience edge. TJCIS PPs

10th-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 4:44 p.m.

Todd Pletcher has two more sophomore colts set to try this one-turn mile. Siena Farm homebred Tallis (Uncle Mo) is the first foal out of her connections' MGSW front-running turfer Isabella Sings (Eskendereya). He'll be joined by $160,000 KEESEP buy Promise Keeper (Constitution), who was fourth in a sprint here Jan. 9. Promise Keeper's year-older half-brother War Stopper (Declaration of War) has won his last two locally for Pletcher in allowance company and could be poised for a return soon to stakes.

Chad Brown has a strong pair of his own. Higher Quality (Tiznow) was a $600,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga purchase by Juddmonte. His stakes-placed dam is half to none other than champion 3-year-old and dual Classic winner Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet). Shadwell homebred Mutasallem (Union Rags) is out of a half to 1999 G1 Dubai World Cup winner Almutawakel (GB) (Machiavellian). He outworked recent Tampa runner-up St .Joe Louis (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by open lengths from the gate at Payson Park Jan. 11 (XBTV Video). TJCIS PPs

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Essential Quality Tops 326 Early Triple Crown Nominees

Led by 2-year-old champion and two-time Grade I winner Essential Quality (Tapit), a total of 326 3-year-olds were made eligible to compete in this year's Triple Crown during the early nomination phase, which closed Jan. 23. Each of the 326 horses from the 2018 foal crop were made eligible through a $600 payment to compete in any leg of the Triple Crown series. The 2021 Triple Crown opens Saturday, May 1 with the 147th running of the GI Kentucky Derby at Churchill, continues with the 146th GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 15 and closes with the 153rd running of the GI Belmont S. Saturday, June 5.

Essential Quality, owned by Godolphin, is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the GIII Southwest S. Feb. 15 at Oaklawn, according to his trainer Brad Cox. The champion 2-year-old of 2020 was one of 14 horses Cox nominated to this year's Triple Crown series. Todd Pletcher led all conditioners with 45 horses nominated to the Triple Crown followed by Bob Baffert (23), Steve Asmussen (22) and Chad Brown (18). Godolphin led all individual owners with 11 horses nominated followed by Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm with 10. A total of 42 stakes winners were nominated as well as 13 fillies, led by champion Vequist (Nyquist). Into Mischief topped all sires with 20 nominees, followed by Curlin (14), Uncle Mo (14) and Constitution (13).

Horses not nominated during the early phase can be made eligible until Monday, Mar. 29 with a $6,000 payment. Any horse not nominated during the early or late phases can become Triple Crown eligible through payment of a supplemental nomination fee due at the time of entry for each Triple Crown race: the Kentucky Derby ($200,000), Preakness ($100,000) and Belmont ($50,000).

For a full list of nominees, click here.

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Oaks Points On The Line As Moonlight D’Oro Will Be Tested In Las Virgenes

Richard Mandella's impressive recent maiden winner Moonlight d'Oro and Bob Baffert's graded stakes winning Kalypso headline a field of five sophomore fillies going one mile in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita.

An important prep to the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 3, the Las Virgenes winner will receive 10 Kentucky Oaks (April 30) qualifying points, with four, two and one given to those finishing underneath.

The 4-5 favorite in her first try at two turns, Moonlight d'Oro pressed the early pace and drew off to a solid three length win going a flat mile on Dec. 13 at Los Alamitos under Flavien Prat, who will ride back in the Las Virgenes. A $620,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Moonlight d'Oro finished a close second as the 3-5 favorite in her five furlong debut Aug. 2 and was then third, beaten 1 ½ lengths going six furlongs on Nov. 7.

Owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, Moonlight d'Oro is by Medaglia d'Oro and is out of the Bernardini mare Venetian Sonata. With a Las Virgenes-best 87 Beyer Speed figure in hand, she'll be making her fourth career start on Saturday.

Never worse than third in five starts, Kalypso was second going a mile and one sixteenth in the Grade 1 Starlet at Los Alamitos on Dec. 5 and cut back in distance to register a 1 ¾ length win going seven furlongs in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes here on Jan. 3 as the 4-5 favorite. Off at 11-1 in the Starlet, she tired late, calling into question her ability to beat top caliber competition routing.

Owned by David Bernsen, LLC and Rockingham Ranch, Kalypso, a chestnut filly by Brody's Cause out of the Malibu Moon mare Malibu Cove, got an 81 Beyer in winning the Santa Ynez and retains the services of Joel Rosario.

A gutty nose maiden winner going six furlongs on Jan. 10, the Shelbe Ruis-trained Honor America will stretch out for the first time in her third start and be ridden back by leading man Juan Hernandez. Owned by Ruis Racing, LLC, Honor America is by Into Mischief, out of the Honour and Glory mare Honour Isabel, Honor America sold for $250,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic 2-year-olds in training sale in May of 2020.

Claimed two starts back on Nov. 20 out of a maiden $50,000 claiming win going six furlongs, Doug O'Neill's Brilliant Cut was then head and head with Kalypso for the early lead in the Santa Ynez and finished third, beaten 3 ¼ lengths. Owned by ERJ Racing, LLC, David Kenney, William Strauss and Dennis and Doug O'Neill, Brilliant Cut will be ridden back by Ricky Gonzalez as she tries two turns for the first time in what will be her sixth start.

THE GRADE 3 LAS VIRGENES STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 10 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

Moraz—Umberto Rispoli–120
Kalypso—Joel Rosario—120
Moonlight d'Oro—Flavien Prat—120
Honor America—Juan Hernandez–120
Brilliant Cut—Ricky Gonzalez—120

Early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. All of Santa Anita's races are available free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager via 1st.com/Bet.

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Rachel’s Valentina To Visit Into Mischief In 2021

Rachel's Valentina, a Grade 1 winner and the only daughter of Hall of Famer Rachel Alexandra, will be bred to record-setting sire Into Mischef, the mare's owner Stonestreet Farm announced Monday on social media.

The mating would produce the 8-year-old daughter of Bernardini's fourth foal.

Her first foal, the Curlin colt Alejandro, is a newly-turned 3-year-old, and he has raced twice. Alejandro finished fourth on debut in September at Churchill Downs, then he finished second to future Smarty Jones Stakes winner Caddo River in a November maiden special weight, also at Churchill Downs. Trained by Steve Asmussen, who also conditioned Rachel Alexandra, Alejandro is working toward his 3-year-old debut at the Fair Grounds.

Rachel's Valentina followed up with a Pioneerof the Nile filly, a recent 2-year-old who remains unnamed. She delivered a Curlin filly in 2020, then she was bred to Quality Road for the 2021 foaling season, but the mating did not catch.

Racing as a homebred for Stonestreet Stables, Rachel's Valentina won two of six starts for earnings of $738,800. After breaking her maiden on debut, the filly won the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes, then she finished second in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. At three, she finished second in the G1 Ashland Stakes and competed in that year's Kentucky Oaks.

Rachel's Valentina is the second and final foal out of 2009 Horse of the Year and 2016 Hall of Fame inductee Rachel Alexandra, who was pensioned from broodmare duty after a pair of difficult foalings. Complications from the birth of Rachel's Valentina required abdominal surgery, an extended stay at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, and a long recovery period after she returned to Stonestreet Farm.

Jess's Dream, Rachel Alexandra's first foal, won his lone start, and he now stands at Ocala Stud in Florida, where his first foals are 3-year-olds of 2021. The son of Curlin was recently represented by his first stakes winner at stud, when Chess's Dream won the G3 Kitten's Joy Stakes on Jan. 30 at Gulfstream Park.

Into Mischief, a 16-year-old son of Harlan's Holiday, stands at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky., for an advertised fee of $225,000.

He comes off a record-shattering season in 2020, where he set the all-time single-season progeny earnings mark, with over $22 million. It was his second consecutive year finishing atop North America's general sire list by earnings. His runners were led in 2020 by Horse of the Year Authentic, champion female sprinter Gamine, Grade 1 winner Dayoutoftheoffice, who was an Eclipse finalist for champion 2-year-old filly.

RACHEL'S VALENTINA will visit INTO MISCHIEF in 2021! She delivered a lovely filly by Curlin in 2020, has a two-year-old…

Posted by Stonestreet Farms on Monday, February 1, 2021

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