Tag: kentucky oaks

Matareya Makes It Three in a Row in Eight Belles

Godolphin's progressive Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) parlayed a perfect inside trip into a facile success in Friday's $500,000 GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill Downs, the third winner of the event in the last six years for trainer Brad Cox.

The homebred filly was away without incident and raced worse than centerfield through the opening exchanges, as Pretty Birdie (Bird Song) set what appeared to be a strong early tempo in advance of Marissa's Lady (Violence). Racing well off the rail down the chute, Matareya was deftly maneuvered by Flavien Prat to her inside, across the heels of Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) and Ain't Easy (Into Mischief) and was guided down onto the fence linking up with the track proper. Asked for a bit more acceleration approaching the half-mile marker, Matareya was all the way into third and onto the back of the pacesetter while in hand for the run around the turn. Patiently handled while scraping the paint nearing the quarter pole, Matareya pushed away from the rail and into the two path to deliver her challenge in upper stretch. Pretty Birdie did everything in her power to match strides, but Matareya overtook her for good entering the final eighth of a mile and inched clear. Wicked Halo rallied for third.

“She broke well but I just got outrun in the first part,” said Prat. “Then I took a chance going to the inside where there were good horses to follow. Then we had a fair pace, was traveling well and when I tipped her out, she was there for me. I thought it was a really good run for her.”

Cox indicated the winner would stretch out to Belmont's one-turn mile for the June 11 GI Acorn S., where she could face her Grade I-winning stablemate Juju's Map (Liam's Map), an allowance winner earlier Friday beneath the Twin Spires.

“The Acorn's going to be interesting five weeks from now. Both are good fillies,” the conditioner said. “This filly is probably going to do her best going around one turn. Juju's Map definitely can handle two turns. At some point, they're going to sort themselves out, and if they meet up in the Acorn, I don't know.”

A distant runner-up to Secret Oath (Arrogate) in a one-mile Oaklawn allowance Dec. 31, Matareya aired by 5 1/4 lengths when cut back to six furlongs at the Fair Grounds Feb. 26 and most recently pummeled her rivals in the GIII Beaumont S. over an extended seven furlongs at Keeneland Apr. 10.

Pedigree Notes:

Matareya's Grade III-winning dam is a daughter of Golden Velvet, who was stakes-placed in France for Andre Fabre before adding a pair of graded victories and a runner-up effort in the GI Ogden Phipps H. once repatriated for Kiaran McLaughlin.

Golden Velvet was a daughter of Harbor View Farm's outstanding turf distaffer Caress, who was purchased by John Ferguson for $3.1 million at the 2000 Keeneland November Sale a handful of months after the mare foaled a Pulpit colt. That offspring, Sky Mesa, was raced by John Oxley to a victories in the GI Hopeful S. and GII Lane's End Breeders' Futurity, but lost any shot at a championship when scratched on the eve of the 2002 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Caress is also the dam of MGSP Monthir (Gulch), a sire of some note in South America; and of Velvety (Bernardini), whose son Maxfield (Street Sense) closed out his career victoriously in the GI Clark H. and now stands at Darley at Jonabell.

Innovative Idea is the dam of the 2-year-old filly Methodology (Uncle Mo), a yearling colt by the same stallion and visited him once again last season.

Friday, Churchill Downs
EIGHT BELLES S. PRESENTED BY TWINSPIRES-GII, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:21.86, ft.
1–MATAREYA, 120, f, 3, by Pioneerof the Nile
                1st Dam: Innovative Idea (GSW, $229,343), by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Golden Velvet, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Caress, by Storm Cat
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $297,600. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 7-4-2-0, $671,867. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pretty Birdie, 120, f, 3, Bird Song–Bird Sense, by Street Sense. O/B-Marylou Whitney Stables LLC (KY); T-Norm W. Casse. $96,000.
3–Wicked Halo, 120, f, 3, Gun Runner–Just Wicked, by Tapit. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $48,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2, 4HF. Odds: 1.00, 7.70, 12.80.
Also Ran: Marissa's Lady, Sweet Dani Girl, Gerrymander, Awake At Midnyte, Lac Vieux Desert, Ain't Easy. Scratched: Sweet as Pie.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Pauline’s Pearl Prevails in La Troienne

Well-bred Pauline's Pearl, eighth in last year's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, reached the highest level Friday while running down 2020 Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil. Off as the second choice having last finished runner-up in Oaklawn's Mar. 12 GII Azeri S.–one spot ahead of Shedaresthedevil and behind 2021 champion female sprinter Ce Ce (Elusive Quality)–the grey was briefly hung wide into the first turn before working her way inward slightly in midpack as Shedaresthedevil showed the way. She mounted a three-wide challenge after six furlongs in 1:11.78, and continued to grind away at the leader's advantage as longshot Ava's Grace boxed on in between. Pauline's Pearl seemed to hit another gear past the eighth pole, and Shedaresthedevil could no longer hold her off, with the former notching a snug decision.

“[Trainer Steve Asmussen] told me to watch her at the gate; that she could break slow. But she came out fine and I got a good position,” said winning pilot Joel Rosario. “I got pushed out a bit on the turn [for home], but once we straightened out she leveled off. She ran well through the stretch.”

A winner of last April's GIII Honeybee S. over Ava's Grace, Pauline's Pearl was freshened after the Oaks ahead of a third in the GIII Iowa Oaks and seconds in both the GIII Charles Town Oaks and GIII Remington Park Oaks. She finished off her sophomore season with a score in the Nov. 21 Zia Park Oaks–good for a career top Beyer Speed Figure of 96–and resurfaced a convincing winner of the GIII Houston Ladies Classic S. Jan. 20 before returning to Hot Springs for the Azeri.

“So many things go into it,” said Hall of Famer Asmussen, who was winning his second La Troienne. “She was a nice filly early that continuously competed and got better. She came back a [better] 4-year-old. All four races this year have been tremendous. It is so satisfying for her to come back and get her first Grade I on Oaks Day. She did her best last year in the Oaks. You can see the improvement one year has made in her.”

This was the 100th graded stakes win for a horse bred by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet, whose recent products also include last year's Kentucky Oaks heroine Malathaat (Curlin).

Friday, Churchill Downs
LA TROIENNE S. PRESENTED BY SIGNIFY HEALTH-GI, $750,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:42.46, ft.
1–PAULINE'S PEARL, 123, f, 4, by Tapit
        1st Dam: Hot Dixie Chick (GISW, $343,252), by Dixie Union
        2nd Dam: Above Perfection, by In Excess (Ire)
        3rd Dam: Something Perfect, by Somethingfabulous
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario. $455,700. Lifetime Record: 13-5-4-2, $1,494,200. *1/2 to Union Jackson (Curlin), MSW & GSP, $273,874. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shedaresthedevil, 123, m, 5, by Daredevil
        1st Dam: Starship Warpspeed, by Congrats
        2nd Dam: Andria's Forest, by Forestry
        3rd Dam: Andriana B., by Far North
($100,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $20,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $280,000 2yo '19 KEENOV; $5,000,000 4yo '21 FTKNOV). O-Flurry Racing Stables LLC, Qatar Racing Limited and Whisper Hill Farm, LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $147,000.
3–Ava's Grace, 123, f, 4, by Laoban
        1st Dam: Cover Girl Elle, by Out of Place
        2nd Dam: Cover, by A.P. Indy
        3rd Dam: Gild, by Mr. Prospector
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Cypress Creek Equine; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (KY); T-Robertino Diodoro. $73,500.
Margins: HF, 2 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.90, 0.80, 12.70.
Also Ran: Battle Bling, She's All Wolfe, Jilted Bride, Temper Time.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
Pauline's Pearl is the 29th Grade I winner for her super sire, who was also responsible for 2014 Asmussen-trained Oaks heroine Untapable. Broodmare sire Dixie Union has sired the dams of seven North American highest-level winners (and two more in South America), including 2018 La Troienne victress Salty (Quality Road).

Precocious dam Hot Dixie Chick–a half to 2017 GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister)–annexed the 2009 GI Spinaway S., but was third at 3-5 in the following year's GIII Eight Belles S. on this same card. Her current 3-year-old Marsalis (Curlin) garnered 'TDN Rising Star'-dom in March. Hot Dixie Chick aborted to Good Magic after her subsequent mating, but produced a Constitution colt last season. She was bred to both Tapit and Quality Road for 2022.

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Mike Repole Talks Derby, Oaks, Uncle Mo, Kobe Bryant On Writers’ Room

In arguably the most entertaining interview of the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland's 130-plus episode history, billionaire and high-profile owner/breeder Mike Repole sat down with Joe Bianca and Jon Green Tuesday as the Green Group Guest of the Week for a lively discussion that covered Repole's GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks chances this weekend, his shared legacy with super-stallion Uncle Mo, his eight-figure donation to a nonprofit that honors his late friend Kobe Bryant and much more.

Looking for his first Derby win Saturday with Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), who he bought into last Friday, Repole's weekend could start with a bang Friday as his Nest (Curlin), owned in partnership with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House, was given a 5-2 morning-line nod in one of the strongest Oaks fields in recent memory.

“For a Curlin to be so precocious, win the Demoiselle and come back and win two stakes this year in incredible fashion, especially in the Ashland; we all know Curlins want to be 4-year-olds, so when they're this talented at three, you've got to feel really, really good,” Repole said. “And every week that goes by, she gets older and looks better. I'm really, really excited by her, and we all know the distance is not going to be an issue. In fact, if they can move this race to a mile and a half, we'll sign up for that too.”

Asked if that means, with a win Friday, Nest could be pointed for a run against males in the GI Belmont S., Repole said, “If you're interviewing me at the end of the race and I have a smile on my face, there's a chance. But if you're not interviewing me at the end and I'm just walking to my car, then I might have a different answer. So let's just leave it at that.”

A Derby win for Repole with Mo Donegal would be sweet for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the colt's sire, who launched Repole into racing stardom on the racetrack and has since proven himself as one of the top sires at the world at Coolmore's Ashford Stud.

“It's everything,” Repole said about Uncle Mo's impact on his racing life. “Obviously I'm playing the game at a very, very high level now and [thanks to] Uncle Mo, I went from claimers you used to lose money on, to Grade I horses you lose money on, so the consistent part is you're losing money. But when he won, he gave me that taste of, 'This is why I'm in the game.' I've said before I'm probably never going to own a horse more talented or brilliant than Uncle Mo. I've had Grade I wins, I won a Classic, I won a Travers, but as far as pure brilliance, only Uncle Mo is Uncle Mo. I remember going into the paddock for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, seeing all these horses then panning over to Uncle Mo and you say, 'Who put the 3-year-old in to play with the 2-year-olds?' It was almost like a high school kid playing against third-graders. I was so nervous for like three weeks, then once I went in the paddock, I started to get nervous for the other horses. It was amazing. He was just ahead of his time. People ask if he could've gotten a mile and a quarter. He could've gotten a mile and a half. He would've been American Pharoah before American Pharoah. And you know what? He proved it in the stallion barn.”

Elsewhere on the show, which is also sponsored by Coolmore, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders' Association, XBTV, West Point Thoroughbreds and Legacy Bloodstock, the writers talked about what they're watching for on a monster Oaks/Derby weekend and what the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act's new drug enforcement partnership could mean for racing. Click here to watch the show; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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OpenStable Launched to Engage Derby Fans

The sports marketing and technology startup OpenLocker, Inc. has launched OpenStable marketplace, a fan-friendly blockchain platform designed to engage a new generation of Thoroughbred racing fans. The Legendary Racing Prospects Collection of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) will initially include GI Kentucky Derby contender Epicenter and GI Kentucky Oaks hopeful Echo Zulu.

OpenLocker is looking to expand its Bone Yard Huskyz Club for sports fans at the University of Connecticut with a platform which allows racing fans to become part of an exclusive community.

“We are excited to bring together the technology solution we created for the monetization of college NIL to the racing industry. Fans of racing want to follow a horse over the course of its entire career and be part of a special club. Our model grants access to exclusive information, collectibles, and experiences so fans can fully enjoy the journey,” said Brian Klatsky, OpenLocker President.

Both Echo Zulu and Epicenter are campaigned by Winchell Thoroughbreds.

“It's so important that the industry supports innovative ideas that help grow, develop and engage a new generation of racing consumers,” said Ron Winchell. “I am delighted that Epicenter and Echo Zulu are a small part of this initiative to allow fans the opportunity to feel closer to our athletes.”

Braxton Lynch, OpenLocker's Racing Director, added, “We look forward to supporting the owners, trainers and jockeys with an additional revenue stream that they can use to cover the costs associated with Thoroughbred racing or contribute to charitable causes.”

Other contenders and racing collections are expected to be announced in the near future. For more information about

OpenStable and to view the Legendary Racing Prospects Collection, visit www.openstable.io.

 

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