Just A Game Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Althiqa, Summer Romance Prepare For Diana Stakes At Saratoga

Trainer Charlie Appleby sent out Althiqa and Summer Romance to a one-two finish in the $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5 going one mile on turf for fillies and mares at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

On Sunday, the 4-year-old fillies breezed a half-mile in company in :52.55 over the Belmont inner turf rated good. Althiqa started out in front of her stablemate with Summer Romance making up ground through the stretch run, galloping out in front.

Appleby's traveling assistant Sophie Chretien said Summer Romance benefits from having a target.

“She relaxes more from behind and it's better for her to develop,” said Chretien. “They're both doing very well. With the way the weather has been lately, I'm glad we were able to do the gallop today.”

Both fillies are preparing for a start in the nine-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 Diana on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

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Althiqa Completes Godolphin, Appleby Exacta In Just A Game Stakes

It was clear in the stretch of the Grade 1 Just A Game Stakes that a gray horse under the Godolphin blue from the yard of trainer Charlie Appleby was going to end up in the winner's circle. After slipping past her stablemate through a tight rail seam, Althiqa took the honors over pacesetter Summer Romance.

Althiqua, a 4-year-old British-bred daughter of Dark Angel, was tucked in near the back of the pack by jockey Mike Smith during the opening jumps, while Summer Romance shot out to a multi-length lead. Zofelle followed Summer Romance from the inside post, along with New York Girl, but the leader was ahead by several lengths after the opening quarter in :23.43 seconds.

Summer Romance remained unchallenged through the next quarter-mile, and she set an opening half in :46.90 seconds as she led the field into the turn. In the meantime, Smith still sat chilly on the rail with Althiqa in eighth.

Summer Romance was still comfortably in the lead heading into the stretch, but many of the horses that had kept Althiqa tucked in through the early goings of the race fanned out wide, leaving the inside path wide open. Althiqa in the mid-stretch, and split between Zofelle and Always Shopping to take aim on her stablemate.

Jockey Luis Saez kept Summer Romance to task, but he left the rail open for Althiqa to slip through with about a sixteenth to go. Althiqa took advantage of the opening, and kicked away to win by three-quarters of a length over Summer Romance. Daddy Is a Legend ran evenly to finish third, 1 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

Althiqa finished the one-mile race in 1:33.90 over a turf course labeled as good, and she paid $16.80 to win.

Saturday's win improved Althiqa's lifetime record to five wins in 10 starts for earnings of $466,213.

The Just A Game was the first North American start for the Godolphin homebred, who was bred in Great Britain, out of the Shamardal mare Mistrusting. She spent the spring in Dubai, winning the Group 2 Cape Verdi Stakes over Summer Romance and finishing third to her stablemate in the G2 Balanchine prior to the Just A Game. She raced in Great Britain and France in 2020, earning Group 3 placings in both countries.

Summer Romance, an Irish-bred Kingman filly, also made her first North American start in the Just A Game. She raced primarily in England last year, highlighted by a win in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes.

To view the Equibase chart, click here.

G1 Longines Just a Game Quotes, Courtesy of the NYRA Press Office

Charlie Appleby, winning trainer of Althiqa (No. 8, $16.80) and runner-up Summer Romance (No. 9): “We're obviously delighted with it and we knew we had two competitive fillies. It's one of those days when we prepped well, I was confident they would run a big race and they justified it. They are two fillies who ran well over the winter in Dubai in Group 2s—one won the Balanchine and the other won the Cape Verdi—and they came out there to America and put it to the sword again. It's a great effort by the team there and we might think about leaving them there for Saratoga. Althiqa hit the line strong enough and she wasn't stopping. It was an opportunity to get a Group 1, and luckily we did.

“Mike [Smith, aboard Althiqa] gave us our first Grade 1 in the Breeders' Cup with Outstrip, so it's great to team up again. With Rebel's Romance [developed an infection and had to drop out of consideration for the G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets] earlier this week and this, it's just the ups and downs of it all. We've seen it here in the UK and you just have to roll with the punches.

“We'll definitely consider the Diana [Grade 1, $500,000 on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course] for both of our fillies.”

Sophie Chretien, traveling assistant to Charlie Appleby: “Things were not easy the last couple of weeks [after Rebel's Romance's situation] and we had to stay focused on our two fillies. They both have big hearts and I know they had a chance to run big. Everything turned out great. Sometime after the bad, you have the good, and here it is.”

Mike Smith, winning jockey aboard Althiqa (No. 8): “We laid midpack. She's got a big heart and she's very, very honest, so she's going to run good. You're just going to have to make a trip when it's time to move on. I was actually going to tip out, but she kind of leaned in like she wanted to drop to the fence, so I just let her. It was a small hole but [Appleby] told me she had a big heart, and she got on through there. She might suit American racing really well. We might want to keep her here.”

Luis Saez, jockey aboard runner-up Summer Romance (No. 9): “She ran pretty hard. I thought we were going to win. She never gave up. She came into the stretch running, and then Mike Smith came really fast. We just got caught. She never gave up and she tried to the wire.”

Manny Franco, jockey aboard third-place finisher Daddy is a Legend (No. 3): “I had a great trip; we never got stopped. I got the trip I wanted. I wanted to wait a little longer to make my move and that's what I did. The two fillies who beat me are nice and she made a good run.”

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Godolphin Not Playing Around in Just a Game

A grey pair of Godolphin-owned, Charlie Appleby-trained fillies off at 7-1 and last seen competing in Meydan's G2 Balanchine S. in February dominated Saturday's GI Longines Just a Game S., with Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) running down fleet-footed stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) late. Longshot and fellow 'Rising Star' Daddy is a Legend (Scat Daddy) rounded out the trifecta. Trainer Chad Brown, who had three chances for his fifth-straight Just a Game title, could do no better than fourth with Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom).

Balanchine winner Summer Romance zipped out to the front as anticipated and cleared off comfortably as Althiqa was guided to the hedge in third last by Mike Smith. The leader still seemed to be in complete control after a half in :46.90 and six panels in 1:10.46, but Althiqa was loaded as she looked for running room at the top of the stretch. Smith tried briefly to tip wide, but then opted to go for an inside run and that proved the winning move–Althiqa squeezed inside of Summer Romance in the final sixteenth to prevail by 3/4 of a length.

“She's got a big heart and she's very, very honest, so she's going to run good,” said Smith. “You're just going to have to make a trip when it's time to move on. I was actually going to tip out, but she kind of leaned in like she wanted to drop to the fence, so I just let her. It was a small hole but [Appleby] told me she had a big heart, and she got on through there. She might suit American racing really well. We might want to keep her here.”

A stakes winner in France and group-placed both there and in Great Britain last year at three, Althiqa kicked off her campaign with a decisive tally in Meydan's G2 Cape Verdi S. going this distance Jan. 28 before running on for third in the Balanchine.

“We're obviously delighted with it and we knew we had two competitive fillies,” said Appleby, whose last Stateside victory came with Godolphin's Line of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. “It's one of those days when we prepped well, I was confident they would run a big race and they justified it. They are two fillies who ran well over the winter in Dubai in Group 2s–one won the Balanchine and the other won the Cape Verdi–and they came out there to America and put it to the sword again. It's a great effort by the team there and we might think about leaving them there for [July 17 GI Diana S. at] Saratoga. Althiqa hit the line strong enough and she wasn't stopping. It was an opportunity to get a [Grade I], and luckily we did.”

Appleby and Godolphin were also represented Saturday by smashing G1 Cazoo Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

As for the decision to enlist Smith, Appleby said, “Mike gave us our first Grade I in the [2013 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf] with Outstrip (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), so it's great to team up again. With Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}0 [having developed an infection and dropping out of consideration for the GI Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets] earlier this week and this, it's just the ups and downs of it all. We've seen it here in the UK and you just have to roll with the punches.”

Saturday, Belmont
LONGINES JUST A GAME S.-GI, $500,000, Belmont, 6-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 1mT, 1:33.90, gd.
1–ALTHIQA (GB), 118, f, 4, by Dark Angel (Ire)
1st Dam: Mistrusting (Ire) (SW-Eng, $120,206), by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Misheer (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
                3rd Dam: All For Laura (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby;
J-Mike E. Smith. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-2-3, $466,213.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A++.
2–Summer Romance (Ire), 120, f, 4, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Serena's Storm (Ire), by Statue of Liberty
2nd Dam: Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song
3rd Dam: Serena's Sister, by Rahy
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT; €800,000 2yo '19 ARQMA).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-Round Hill Stud (IRE); T-Charles Appleby.
$100,000.
3–Daddy Is a Legend, 118, m, 6, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Randie's Legend, by Benchmark
2nd Dam: Eternal Legend, by Gold Legend
3rd Dam: Eternal Search, by Northern Answer
($140,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Hill,
Jim and Susan; B-HnR Nothhaft Horseracing LLC (PA); T-George
Weaver. $60,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 7.40, 7.20, 12.30.
Also Ran: Regal Glory, Pocket Square (GB), Zofelle (Ire), Always Shopping, Abscond, Tamahere (Fr), New York Girl (Ire). Scratched: Blowout (GB), Sweet Bye and Bye. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Althiqa is the eighth highest-level winner and one of 37 group/graded winners for Dark Angel (Ire), who is also the sire of this April's impressive GI Maker's Mark Mile hero Raging Bull (Fr), and 2018's GI Shoemaker Mile S. upsetter Hunt (Ire). The late Shamardal has sired the dams of 30 graded/group winners, including six now at the top level.

Dam Mistrusting is herself a daughter of Group 2 winner and G1SP Misheer. Her 3-year-old son Magical Land (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) has been second or third in all five outings for these connections, while Althiqa's 2-year-old full-sister Before Dawn (Ire) was second at Newmarket May 15 and a close fourth in the Kempton all-weather on Wednesday. Mistrusting produced a Dark Angel colt last term and a Kodiac (GB) filly this March.

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Brown Seeks Fifth Straight Just a Game Win

Chad Brown has won the last four renewals of Belmont's GI Longines Just a Game S. and has four chances to take him home his fifth Saturday. Leading the quartet is last out GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile heroine Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Prior to that victory, the bay missed by a neck in to Sweet Bye and Bye (Sky Mesa) in a Saratoga optional claimer last August and came up a neck short again in Belmont's GIII Noble Damsel S. in Septemer. She was defeated by a nose in Del Mar's GI Matriarch S. Nov. 29 and returned to winning ways May 1 at Churchill.

“Flavien [Prat] really gets along with her well,” Brown said. “We saw that in the Matriarch. He has great hands and she can be difficult, but he really gets along with her and timed it right. She likes this track very much. She ran one of the best races I've ever had a horse run in defeat that day [in the Noble Damsel], when she got away from Johnny [Velazquez] and went :44 and kept going. I don't know how she was still there at the end. If she can settle at all, she has a good closing kick. She has run well on good ground in the past, but I prefer for it to be firm.”

While Blowout is most comfortable on the front end, her barnmate Tamahere (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) prefers to come from behind. Rallying to victory in this venue's GII Sands Point S. in October, the bay was sixth in the Matriarch and second last out in Keeneland's GI Jenny Wiley S. over a yielding course Apr. 10.

“This filly would be no shock to win this race, either,” Brown said. “She's going to really appreciate the cut back to a mile and she loves Belmont. She's been training very well and is a legitimate contender here.”

Juddmonte homebred Pocket Square (GB) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) is already a Group 3 winner in France and seeks her second win on these shores after taking a Keeneland allowance Apr. 7.

Rounding out the Brown contingent is Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), who scratched out of Thursday's GIII Intercontinental S. in favor of this spot. She enters off victories in the GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. in September and Aqueduct's Apr. 11 Plenty of Grace S.

The biggest threat to the Brown crew is likely to come from the Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin duo of Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Winner of the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom in July, Summer Romance was off the board in both the Aug. 1 G1 Prix Rothschild and the Jan. 28 G2 Cape Verdi S., which was won by the aforementioned Althiqa. Summer Romance enters off a victory in the G2 Balanchine S. at Meydan Feb. 18, in which her traveling companion finished third.

“They all traveled over well and have trained well since they've been there,” Charlie Appleby said. “There's been a little rain and the track's very wet this weekend. The fillies are fit and well and have plenty of experience under their belt. The reason we went to America is they carry Group 2 penalties here in Europe for the forthcoming season and the Group 1 older fillies races aren't until later in the year, anyway, so we thought it might be a good opportunity to get a Grade I.”

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