Hello Beautiful Rounds Out 2021 Season With Willa On The Move Try

Though her career has been one with far more successes than failures, Hello Beautiful has also shown a resilience to match her talent. Trainer Brittany Russell will be hoping for more of the same from the history-making filly when she caps her 4-year-old season in the $100,000 Willa On the Move Dec. 26 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables, and Magic City Stables' Hello Beautiful had a three-race win streak snapped when she finished last of five as the favorite in the six-furlong Politely Nov. 26 at Laurel. Russell said the Golden Lad filly came back well, if agitated, from the performance.

“She was very unhappy after the race, in a just [ticked] off kind of way. She knew that it wasn't supposed to go like that,” Russell said. “When I went back to check on her, it wasn't her normal munching her hay. It was like, 'Get away from me.' The important thing is she's doing well, and she's still Hello Beautiful.

“She's been fine. She really only ran about a quarter of a mile, if you really look at how it went down,” she added. “She came back no worse for the wear. She's doing fine, and she's trained well since.”

Prior to the Politely, Hello Beautiful was a front-running winner of the Alma North at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., and the Weather Vane and Maryland Million Distaff to put her career win total at 10, eight of them in stakes. She is one of only seven horses in event history with three Maryland Million victories.

Hello Beautiful broke from the rail and found herself atypically behind horses in the Politely, outrun to the lead by Princess Kokachin, another speedy type that drew the post just outside the favorite. Jockey Jevian Toledo opted to drop back and then make a run that never materialized.

“I probably should have been a little more clear with Toledo to just kind of stay on that filly. We know our filly. She was a step slow that day, but you've got to go. You've got to go with her,” Russell said. “They were moving, they were going quick, but that's our game, too. When she kind of got checked out of there, it was over.”

Toledo climbs back aboard for the fourth straight race in place of Russell's husband, injured jockey Sheldon Russell, and they drew Post 6 in a field of eight at 124 pounds, a topweight she shares with Call On Mischief and Jakarta.

“You can look at it all different ways, but had our filly drawn outside that filly that day, it might have been a different outcome, too. It's fine. It happens,” Russell said. “You better learn how to lose races, because we lose a lot more than we win. Just be a good loser and hopefully, she bounces back next time.”

Eric Rizer's homebred Princess Kokachin will break inside Hello Beautiful from Post 3 under regular rider Xavier Perez, looking to extend her win streak to six races. The Politely marked the stakes debut for the Jerry Robb-trained 3-year-old Graydar filly, with all of those victories coming against older horses. She set testing fractions of :21.98 and :45.12 before finishing up in 1:11.22 to win by 5 ½ lengths.

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Beaten in the Alma North and May 15 Skipat, also at Pimlico, in two previous trips to Maryland this year, Down Neck Stables' Call On Mischief is set to make her Laurel debut. She prevailed by a half-length after a prolonged drive to win the six-furlong Mahoning Distaff Nov. 22, and was most recently second in the Garland of Roses Dec. 11 over a sloppy surface at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya captured last year's Willa On the Move to cap her 3-year-old campaign on a five-race win streak. Winless in her first four starts to open 2021, she went three months between the Grade 3 Runhappy Barbara Fritchie Feb. 20 and Skipat, and returned to the winner's circle with a popular 6 ¼-length optional claiming allowance triumph in front-running fashion sprinting six furlongs Nov. 5 at Laurel.

Also entered are Three Diamonds Farm's Jakarta, a stakes winner making her first start for trainer Mike Trombetta and first dirt start since running fourth in the June 2020 G3 Vagrancy at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.; Kaylasaurus, racing first off the claim for Penn National-based trainer Tim Kreiser; Kentucky shipper Miss Mosiac; and multiple stakes-placed Paisley Singing.

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Pixelate Leads List Of Nominees for Pimlico Turf Stake

Godolphin homebred Pixelate, coming off a victory in last month's Prince George's County over the track, is one of seven graded-stakes winners among 28 horses nominated to the $200,000 Grade 3 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup Saturday, July 24 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The one-mile G3 BWI Turf Cup for 3-year-olds and up is one of four grass stakes worth $500,000 in purses on the program, joined by the $100,000 Bald Eagle Derby at 1 ½ miles for 3-year-olds and the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash sprinting five furlongs and $100,000 Big Dreyfus going 1 1/8 miles, both for fillies and mares 3 and up.

Pixelate posted a third consecutive bullet workout Sunday over the all-weather surface at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md., going a half-mile in :48 flat. All three have come since the 4-year-old City Zip colt, winner of the 2020 Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park, rallied to beat fellow BWI Turf Cup nominee Logical Myth by a length in the 1 1/8-mile Prince George's County June 13.

Also exiting the Prince George's County are Eons, Talk Or Listen, and English Bee, who respectively ran third, sixth, and seventh. Eons, a 5-year-old horse, saw his winless streak extend to 10 races since capturing the 2019 Kent after encountering trouble last out, finishing just a length behind Logical Myth.

Eons' Arnaud Delacour-trained stablemate Talk Or Listen chased the pace in the Prince George's County before fading, though beaten less than four lengths. In his previous start, the 5-year-old gelding ran second by a length to Somelikeithotbrown in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Dinner Party May 15 on the undercard of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes.

English Bee won the James W. Murphy at Pimlico, Grade 3 Virginia Derby, and Parx Fall Derby in 2019 but has been unable to win since, running second in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf and Grade 2 Wise Dan last year. A 5-year-old son of turf champion English Channel, he was also seventh in the Dinner Party, beaten 2 ½ lengths.

Field Pass, trained by Mike Maker, won the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby, the Grade 3 Transylvania, and the Grade 3 Ontario Derby in 2020 and has finished fourth in three of four starts this year, including the G2 Wise Dan last out June 26 at Churchill Downs and the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile April 9 at Keeneland.

Mr Dumas, winner of the 2019 Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf, has yet to race since capturing a Keeneland allowance last October. California-based Neptune's Storm made his 2021 debut running second in the June 20 Grade 3 American at Santa Anita Park. Graded wins have come in the 2020 Grade 3 San Francisco Mile and 2019 Grade 2 Hill Prince.

Also nominated are Oak Bluff Stables' 6-year-old Therapist, four-for-seven lifetime at one mile with earnings of $671,865 for New York-based trainer Christophe Clement, fellow multiple stakes winner Rinaldi, owned and trained by James Bond; and Augustin Stable homebred Corelli, who beat Pixelate by a neck in the April 24 Henry S. Clark at Pimlico and was most recently third in the June 5 Grade 3 Monmouth.

Wootton Asset and Doubleoseven, respectively third and fourth in the 1 1/8-mile Kent July 3, are among 20 sophomores nominated to the Bald Eagle Derby. The Kent was the season opener for Wootton Asset, second by a nose in the Laurel Futurity last fall at Pimlico, and the turf debut for Doubleoseven, stakes-placed sprinting on dirt.

Also nominated are Michael Matz-trained filly Line Dancing, third in the Grade 3 Edgewood April 20 in her 2021 opener; Eamonn, fifth in the Kent; Indian Lake, third by less than a length in the 7 ½-furlong Sussex July 8 at Delaware Park; Experienced and Vikram, debut maiden special weight winners for Jonathan Thomas, who also trains Corelli; and Shackled Love, winner of the March 13 Private Terms over Laurel Park's main track.

Line Dancing is also one of 29 nominees to the Big Dreyfus, along with four from Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown – 2021 Grade 3 Endeavour winner Counterparty Risk, Feb. 6 Suwannee River winner Great Island, third in the May 15 Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico; German Group 2 winner Kalifornia Queen and Nay Lady Nay, winner of the All Along at Laurel and Grade 3 Matchmaker in 2020. Speaktomeofsummer, winner of the 2020 Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga, multiple stakes winner Summer in Saratoga, and Sosua, undefeated in three career starts, are also nominated.

The Sensible Lady Turf Dash also attracted 29 nominees including multiple stakes winners Street Lute, who has yet to run on grass; Caravel, bred, co-owned and trained by Maryland-based Liz Merryman, and Jakarta; Ellanation, Dendrobia, Quiet Company, Can the Queen, Introduced, and Spun Glass, the top six finishers from the July 4 Jameela at Pimlico; Gotta Go Mo, second to Caravel in the five-furlong The Very One May 14 at Pimlico; and Miss Auramet, runner-up behind Caravel in the June 25 Goldwood at Monmouth Park.

 

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Caravel Named Pennsylvania’s 2020 Horse Of The Year

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's 42nd Annual Iroquois Awards was held virtually on May 21 to celebrate the champions of 2020.

Leading the way was Caravel, who was named 2020 Horse of the Year.

The daughter of Mizzen Mast won four of five starts last year, going from last to first to win on debut at Penn National, then taking an allowance race at the same track with a front-running trip. Caravel then shipped to Presque Isle Downs to win the Lady Erie Stakes in her black type debut.

She took her only trip out of the state to race when she shipped to Pimlico Race Course for the Hilltop Stakes, where she finished third. Her season wrapped up back at Presque Isle, where she drew off to win the Malvern Rose Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths.

Caravel is owned, trained, and bred in Pennsylvania by Elizabeth Merryman. She is out of the winning Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom

Following is the complete list of 2020 Iroquois Award winners.

2-Year-Old Filly: Plane Drunk
Bred by Triple Threat Stables LLC

Dazzling in a Parx maiden special weight when winning by nearly a dozen lengths, Triple Threat Stables' homebred Plane Drunk captured Penn National's Shamrock Rose Stakes by more than three lengths after a second-place finish in Delaware Park's Small Wonder Stakes.

2-Year-Old Male: Fire's Finale
Bred by Kenwood Racing LLC

A last-to-first run in the Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx capped a busy season in which Jump Start's son Fire's Finale hit the board in three of five starts outside Pennsylvania before heading to Parx and getting back-to-back wins.

3-Year-Old Filly: Caravel
Bred by Elizabeth M. Merryman

A winner of four of her five starts at three, all by daylight margins, Caravel, a gray filly owned, bred and trained by Lizzie Merryman, accounted for the Lady Erie in her stakes debut and the Malvern Rose, both at Presque Isle Downs, and was stakes-placed on the turf in Pimlico's Hilltop Stakes.

3-Year-Old Male: Dreams Untold
Bred by Patricia L. Chapman

In a sophomore campaign that started with a 14 1/4-length romp in January at Parx, Pat Chapman's Dreams Untold, a homebred son of Smarty Jones, sprinted home in front of four of his eight starts during the year while earning $146,400, the most of any 3-year-old male in 2020.

Older Female: Jakarta
Bred by Arrowwood Farm Inc.

The richest PA-Bred runner of the year, Jakarta traveled the country, recording stakes wins at Gulfstream Park in the Powder Break and Claiming Crown Distaff Dash, winning at Kentucky Downs going gate-to-wire, and placing in the Grade 3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland and Caress Stakes at Saratoga. She earned nearly $250,000 with four wins in nine starts.

Older Male: Wait for It
Bred by Fantasy Lane Stable

At age five, Wait for It had his best season yet when winning four times and placing twice in eight starts while earning nearly $210,000. The son of Uptowncharlybrown drew off to easy scores in the Storm Cat Stakes at Parx and Hard Spun Stakes at Presque Isle Downs.

Turf Female: Jakarta
Bred by Arrowwood Farm Inc.

The PA-Bred champion older female adds the turf title after winning or placing in five of her six turf starts, three of them stakes. The richest PA-Bred runner of the year, Jakarta capped her season with a devastating stretch run to win the Claiming Crown Distaff Dash at Gulfstream. Earlier in the year she set the fractions until caught late when second in Saratoga's Caress Stakes, and blazed through the early running of the G3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland before finishing third.

Turf Male: The Critical Way
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC

In a COVID-19 shortened year The Critical Way went from claimer in January to stakes winner in late summer in six starts. His biggest score came in dominating gate-to-wire fashion in the Marshall Jenney Handicap at Parx. Less than a month later he just missed by a head after setting the early fractions against open company in Monmouth Park's Virgil Buddy Raines Stakes.

Female Sprinter: Jakarta
Bred by Arrowwood Farm Inc.

Jakarta is also female sprinter after a season in which she won or placed in stakes from five furlongs to one mile. Her daylight win in the Claiming Crown Distaff Dash came at five furlongs, and she just missed in the 5 1/2-furlong Caress Stakes at Saratoga. She was only beaten a length by multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy in the 5 1/2-furlong G3 Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland after blazing through opening fractions of :21 and change and :44 and change.

Male Sprinter: The Critical Way
Bred by Blackstone Farm LLC

Six races, all at five or 5 1/2 furlongs, and The Critical Way was either first or second in five of them. The 5-furlong Marshall Jenney Handicap at Parx was his richest race, but he also won going 5 furlongs in allowance company at Tampa Bay and got caught late when second in Monmouth Park's 5 1/2-furlong Virgil Buddy Raines Stakes.

Horse of the Year: Caravel
Bred by Elizabeth M. Merryman

Caravel was exciting in each and every one of her five starts, with her four wins coming by daylight margins. The gray filly owned, bred and trained by Lizzie Merryman won Presque Isle Downs' Lady Erie in her stakes debut and added the Malvern Rose, winning by a combined eight lengths. In her second start she just missed the 18-year-old Penn National course record for five furlongs as she cruised home by more than five lengths.

PA-Preferred Female: Its a Journey
Bred by Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Szeyller
2020 earnings: $187,260
Won Mrs. Penny Stakes at Parx Racing

PA-Preferred Male: Wait for It
Bred by Fantasy Lane Stable
2020 earnings: $208,610
Won Storm Cat Stakes at Parx Racing and Hard Spun Stakes at Presque Isle Downs
3rd DTHA Governors Day Handicap at Delaware Park

Broodmare of the Year: Avani Force
Owned by Vicky Schowe & Beatrice Patterson
Dam of 2020 stakes winner Pink Caddy

Her first five foals of racing age are all winners, including multiple graded stakes winner Call Paul, the El Padrino filly Pink Caddy, a stakes winner at two and three, and 2020 juvenile stakes-placed Maythehorsebwithu, by Bullsbay.

Leading Breeder Award Recipients:

Blackstone Farm LLC
Award Earnings: $171,522

Glenn E. Brok LLC
Award Earnings: $149,268

Leading Breeding Fund Recipient (horse): Wait For It
Bred by Fantasy Lane Stable
Award Earnings: $191,540

Leading Total Breeding Fund Recipient: Northview Stallion Station Inc.
Award Earning: $306,970

Leading Stallion: Jump Start
Owned by Northview Stallion Station Inc.
Earnings: $172,796

Leading Overall Breeder of Pennsylvania-Breds: Blackstone Farm LLC
Earnings: $1,676,119

Lifetime Achievement Award: Patricia L. Chapman

Award of Merit: Pastures of Point Lookout

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Got Stormy Noses Out Zofelle In 6-Year-Old Debut in Honey Fox

My Racehorse CA and Spendthrift Farm's multiple Grade 1 winner Got Stormy reeled in long shot pacesetter Jakarta in mid-stretch and held off a furious late bid from graded-stakes winner Zofelle by a nose to make a triumphant 6-year-old debut in Saturday's $125,000 Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 36th running of the one-mile Honey Fox for older turf females was the sixth of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.475 million on a blockbuster 14-race program headlined by the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa March 27, and $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) featuring the seasonal debut of 2-year-old filly champion Vequist.

With regular rider Tyler Gaffalione aboard for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, Got Stormy ($4.20) completed the distance in 1:35.52 over a firm course to earn her 11th career victory and push her bankroll further over the $2 million mark. Sent off as the even-money favorite in a field of eight, Got Stormy was racing for the first time since running fifth against males in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) Nov. 7.

It was the second win of the day for Gaffalione and helped provide of measure of relief for Casse. Earlier in the day, Casse ran second by a nose with Olympic Runner in the $125,000 Canadian Turf (G3) and saw Spanish Loveaffair disqualified from first to fourth in the $100,000 Herecomesthebride (G3).

Gaffalione settled Got Stormy in second behind Claiming Crown Distaff Dash winner Jakarta, who finished third to Got Stormy after setting the pace in the Franklin County (G3) last fall at Keeneland. Jakarta posted splits of 24.29 seconds, 48.76 and 1:12.72 and maintained the lead turning for home. Got Stormy ranged up in the straight and drew even inside the eighth pole as Zofelle began rolling on the outside, setting up the spirited bid to the wire.

Feel Glorious was part of the photo finish, running third, with Jakarta fourth and Art of Almost fifth.

$125,000 Honey Fox (G3) Quotes

Winning trainer Mark Casse (Got Stormy): “She had a great spot. Just kind of what we thought, we thought the horse that was on the lead would be there and she was sitting nice. She kicked and you could see a little bit of the rustiness today. She kicked, but she didn't kick as hard as she does sometimes. I think she'll build from this and get better.”

“I just wanted to get over this. I called [Spendthrift GM] Ned [Toffey] and said I figured out where I wanted to come back and I told him, and he said, 'Fine.' We'll see what's next. A lot of it depends on weather. She can't go over a mile, and it needs to be hard if it's a mile.”

“She was in the sale and I knew what the reserve was, and when she went over it my wife and I were watching from the office and it was sad. It was sad. And then about 20 minutes later I got a phone call that I wasn't expecting and [Spendthrift GM] Ned Toffey said to me, 'Let me ask you a dumb question. We'd like to run her another year, would you like to train her?' We went from being sad to very happy. We're excited we were able to deliver. I thought maybe last year getting her ready for her first race back I didn't do such a good job, and this year we cranked her up a little more.”

“I was really confident with her, as long as the turf stayed hard. She should build from this; it's just which direction do we go. She can do a little bit of anything. I don't know. We may sprint her. Never over a mile though.”

“They don't come around very often. We got her after a couple starts and she just got better and better. People always ask me what go ther better and it was just her confidence and much better on the racetrack. She used to be very nervous and now wherever you take her, she gets out of the van, looks around, and says, 'Where have you taken me now?'”

Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione (Got Stormy): “She's a tremendous filly. I've been able to get to know her the past few years and I have a lot of confidence every time I'm on her. She shows up every time. Really all the credit goes to Mark and his team to get her ready off the layoff. She fired a big one today.”

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